[Note from Frolic: We are so excited to have Instagrammer @jordys.book.club guest post on the site today. Take it away Jordan!]
Can you feel it, fellow bibliophiles? It’s in the air…the weather is starting to warm up, the snow has begun to melt and the sun has decided it’s that time of year to finally make an appearance. I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to replace the sweats with shorts and sunglasses and fold up the cozy blankets and dump the warm drinks in exchange for outdoor seating and ice-cold wine! Spring has officially sprung friends, and with the weather heating up, so are the upcoming book releases over the next couple months. Whether you’re looking for that next big thriller, fantasy adventure or romance, I’ve got 10 books to put on your radar that are sure to put a little Spring in your step!
Kings, Queens and In-Betweens by Tanya Boteju
I love a good YA book; I find it can be the perfect palette cleanser from some of the heavier fiction out there. And I am so proud and excited about all of the incredible YA fiction dealing specifically with LGBTQ issues. I read this book a couple months ago and it is the perfect affirmative light read; and unlike many LGBTQ books that focus on a teenager’s traditional “coming out” story, this book focuses on what happens after you come out of the closet. Nima is still trying to find her place in the world and in her small town when she happens to stumble into the local drag scene and meets a new community of people who help her discover her true, authentic self.
Release Date: May 7, 2019
Necessary People by Anna Pitoniak
When scrappy Violet Trapp meets the beautiful, rich and very troubled Stella Bradley, the two instantly connect. So much so that Stella invites Violet to move into her posh NYC penthouse after they graduate college. While Stella lives the high life, Violet begins working her way up the cable TV news ladder. However, the girls’ friendship is put to the ultimate test when Stella lands an on-camera job at Violet’s company and begins taking credit for stories that Violet herself worked on. This book is a blast: twisty and nasty and psychological, it reminded me of Caroline Kepnes’ YOU.
Release Date: May 21, 2019
The Invited by Jennifer McMahon
A seriously cool take on the traditional haunted house story: a married couple decides to uproot their life and move to an isolated plot of land and build their dream home. Of course, said plot of land has an extremely dark and violent history (of course!) as it happens to be the place where alleged witch Hattie Breckenridge was hung 100 years ago. Legend has it that Hattie still haunts the nearby woods, and as the couple begins incorporating Hattie Breckenridge artifacts into the building construction, it becomes apparent that they may actually be building their very own haunted house.
Release Date: April 30, 2019
I Know Who You Are by Alice Feeney
For those of you who loved Alice’s first novel (Sometimes I Lie), you are in for a treat. This book is diabolical fun with a breathtaking twist ending that absolutely floored me (definitely not for the faint of heart!). The story revolves around Aimee, an “almost famous” actress who comes home one night to discover her husband is missing and she may be the prime suspect. To give away any additional plot would spoil the fun, but rest assured if you’re in the mood for a trippy thrill ride, this one is for you.
Release Date: April 23, 2019
The Last by Hanna Jameson
I don’t know about you, but my favorite genre is dystopic, post-apocalyptic fiction. It’s just enough science fiction to keep me engaged while also coming across as believable as something that could happen to us today. This book is no exception: it follows a group of people stranded in a European hotel trying to solve a murder as the world descends into nuclear war. It sounds like part Agatha Christie, part Stephen King and I am here for it!
Release Date: April 9, 2019
The Farm by Joanne Ramos
I love the plot for this one: an immigrant woman struggling to make ends meet is selected to move to The Farm, a private oasis where guests are pampered and employees tend to their every need with one small caveat: those who come to The Farm must live there for 9 months as they have been selected to have someone else’s baby. It sounds provocative and emotional and a great examination of motherhood.
Release Date: May 7, 2019
Notes from A young Black Chef: A Memoir by Kwame Onwuachi
For those of you craving a new memoir, I have something great for you: some of you may know Kwame Onwuachi from his time on Top Chef, but he has such an interesting story: from selling candy on the subway to raise enough money to start his own catering company, to cooking at the white house, his journey feels relevant and emotional and inspirational. Definitely for those of you who are looking for their next Educated.
Release Date: April 9, 2019
The Bride Test By Helen Hoang
I think I speak for most people when I say Hoang’s previous book, The Kiss Quotient, was the surprise romantic (and extremely sexy) hit of last summer. Full of interesting, complex characters and some extremely sexy situations. Now Hoang is back with her follow-up, which sounds just as good: an autistic man who has trouble connecting with people is forced to confront his emotional issues when his mom takes matters into her own hands and finds him a “mail order bride” while on vacation in Vietnam. Fireworks ensue!
Release Date: May 7, 2019
Bitcoin Billionaires by Ben Mezrich
Those of you who follow me on Instagram (@jordys.book.club) know that my favorite book of 2018 was John Carreyrou’s Bad Blood. I have high hopes that this book is my Bad Blood of 2019. Written by Ben Mezrich (best known for his book about Facebook- The Accidental Billionaire – that The Social Network is based on), this book follows the Winklevoss twins (also featured in The Accidental Billionaire) as they find themselves involved in the mysterious world of cryptocurrency. Bitcoin is one of those things I know very little about but am so intrigued by, and if anyone can enlighten readers about complex topics, it’s Mezrich.
Release Date: May 21, 2019
The Mother-In-Law by Sally Hepworth
Just in time for Mother’s Day comes the latest from Sally Hepworth (The Family Next Door, The Things We Keep), a twisty tale about a woman who turns up murdered and her daughter-in-law who may have been involved in some way. This one sounds soapy and dark and I love a good story about dysfunctional families. Also, who doesn’t have a great mother-in-law story…feels like everyone can relate to this one on some level!
Release Date: April 23, 2019
