My Most Anticipated Releases in 2021

YE GODS THERE ARE SO MANY RELEASES THIS YEAR!!! If you’ve been around a while, you’ll know I’m not in the habit of making these kinds of posts (I do occasionally try to keep my expectations in check 😉). But WOW I can’t help getting hyped up for *so many* of the releases this year! (and these are just the ones I/we know about!!)

Klara and the Sun– I mean, a release from one of the best authors on the planet?! Yes please!!

Any Way the Wind Blows- yasss!! Sorry, I’ll try to keep the screaming to a minimum, but YAAASSSS!! All I can do is squeal at the prospect of a new Baz/Simon adventure! Love the title as well- they’re just so on point for this series.

My Contrary Mary– another one I’ve been looking out for ever since it was announced years ago! As you may know, I’m just a teensy bit of a MASSIVE fan of My Lady Jane. Funny alternate history is just my jam and I need more of it in my life.

The Ivies– oh god I’m excited for this one. You may or may not know, I’ve been following Alexa Donne on Youtube for years. And I’ve been following along for the whole journey of this book- from idea to finished product! I’ve just been enthralled by the concept from day one- deadly competitive college admissions- sign me up! (Also, this is an author who knows her YA and her thrillers- so I have high hopes!)

Survive the Night– virtually every Riley Sager book is a winner for me. Absolute auto-buy. (Also happens to be one of the authors I discovered through Alexa Donne’s channel).

Heart Principle– loved the first two in this rom com series– how can I say no to more?!? I’ll be reading this on the principle that my heart needs another dose 😉

The Project– ever since Sadie, I’ve needed to read more Courtney Summers. I’ll just have to make sure my heart is ready.

Rule of Wolves– because, I mean, of course. Love Leigh Bardugo and the first one in this duology. Gonna need a hardback too.

Iron Raven– Julie Kagawa has another book coming out?? And it’s a continuation of the Iron Fey world? From Puck’s perspective? Well thank you universe!

The Chosen and the Beautiful– okay, yes, this is the only author on here that I haven’t read (reason being that as intrigued as I am by *so many* of those, I can’t truly say I have the same expectations for something I’ve no idea if I’ll like) HOWEVER I have never read a Gatsby retelling, I have never realised I needed a Gatsby retelling… I now know my life won’t be complete until I have read this. Also, adore the cover.

Tales From the Hinterland– okay this one’s technically already out- but I just know I’m going to have to read this book, since Hazel Wood is one of my favourite fantasy books.

And that’s all for now- I do have high hopes that a Red Rising book or a Sanderson sequel (or maybe some other exciting release) will be on the cards too… but we’ll have to wait and see!

For now, what’s your most anticipated release of 2021? Let me know in the comments!

Sadie: Some Stories Just Need to be Heard

 

EPISODE 1

[Soundtrack plays]

Orangutan Librarian:

I’m not much for audiobooks- I’ve rarely given them a chance and mostly only used them to squeeze in some non fic I wouldn’t otherwise read… until now.

Sometimes a book comes along and it completely changes your perception of things. It makes you open your eyes and your ears and wake up. Sadie did that for me in more ways than one.

The story itself is hard to listen to. There is no way around that fact. It’s the story of missing girls- a disappearance layered on top of a murder mystery. Of course, I was aware while listening that this was not a true story, but what struck me was that it all too easily could have been. And that, to me, is why this is such an important book. It strikes at the reality for too many girls; it brings such an important topic to light (and to life).

Often, when I’m listening to a book, I’ll want to speed up the book, so I cram in as much as possible, as fast as I can- but I didn’t do that here. I wanted to savour every moment of this agonising, engrossing, devastating story. To engage with this is like witnessing a train crash- you know it will have a horrible outcome, but you can’t tear yourself away.

The tension is made even greater thanks to the inclusion of Sadie’s story. Flashing back in time, before the podcast takes place, we hear Sadie talking in her authentically teen voice. In stark contrast to the radio show host, her words are stuttered and frayed and sharp around the edges. We don’t get a clear or concise narrative from her. It’s not an account polished up for the media. It’s every bit as raw and emotional as you’d expect.

Thanks to the author’s brilliance, we get to the heart of this complex character and vivid images of the people she meets along the way. The different styles blend perfectly and this is what makes the audiobook so mind-blowingly good. Rather cleverly, this even included ads like a real podcast! For the first time on this blog (and probably not the last) I’d say it’s 100% worth trying the audiobook version. It’s an experience.

An experience that admittedly just about broke me. Because naturally I was sobbing by the end and I’ve been struggling to write the review because I tear up every time I think about it. It is worth every bit of the hype- and then some. Sadie is beautiful and sad and simply amazing. Read, or better still, listen to it.

Rating: 5/5 bananas

 

So have you read this? Did it make you an emotional wreck like it did me? Let’s cry about it some more in the comments!