Hello, fellow writers and readers!
I am excited awaiting certain YA and fantasy titles that are sequels to books I loved, and wanted to share them with you. Also – do you have any that you’ve been dying to recommend? Maybe you saw a video about it on BookTok? If so, please share in a comment below!
Featured photo at the top of this post by: Pixabay.
DISCLAIMER: To avoid sharing spoilers, I’ve used AI generation ONLY to summarize each book’s plot. The rest is all me! I will be doing a future post discussing AI and its benefits/downfalls to us writers/readers.
Here are the books that have me agog waiting/rushing to the library for their sequels:
- Tempests and Slaughter by Tamora Pierce
This is the #1, for me! I started reading Tamora Pierce as a teen just hitting puberty in the ’90s/early 2000s, and it really resonated with me. It combined all of the miseries of puberty with the specialness of fantasy with magic, believable and engaging characters, and one quartet after another.
The first quartet by Tamora Pierce I read was the Song of the Lioness Quartet, then The Immortals. In the second quartet, we are introduced to Numair Salmalin, a very powerful mage, who mentors the main character. In Tempests and Slaughter, Pierce finally starts sharing Numair’s story!
So far we have his adventures and friendship with dangerous people in the first book. I hope this is going to be a quartet, but I think I read somewhere that it will be a trilogy? If you haven’t read any Pierce, please pick up Tempests and Slaughter, ASAP! And my previous review of the book, from 2021.
Here is a quick AI-generated summary without spoilers:
“Tempests and Slaughter” is a fantasy novel by Tamora Pierce that serves as the first installment in her “The Numair Chronicles” series. The story follows a young mage named Arram Draper, who possesses immense magical potential. He attends the Imperial University of Carthak, where he befriends Varice and Ozorne, who later becomes Emperor Ozorne. As Arram delves deeper into his studies, he discovers dark secrets about the empire and grapples with his own power and destiny. The novel explores themes of friendship, loyalty, and the struggle between good and evil in a richly imagined fantasy world.
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The sequel, The Exile’s Gift, is purported to come out in 2025.
Fanart by TamaraAli on furaffinity.net
2. Malice by Heather Walter
FRIENDS! This book was an amazing retelling of the story of Sleeping Beauty, from Disney infamy. I know there’s been loads of retellings, so you may be thinking, “BORING”, but trust me, it isn’t! It went where retellings have never gone before. It went deep. Its characters were engaging, horrifying, delightful, and the suspense had me whirling the pages like a spinning top. You have got to check it out!
I can’t wait ’til the sequel! Am on my toes waiting for it. Here is an AI-generated, spoiler-less summary of the first book:
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“Malice” by Heather Walter is a dark and imaginative retelling of the classic fairy tale “Sleeping Beauty.” In this reimagining, the story centers on Alyce, a young woman known as the Dark Grace, who possesses powerful magic fueled by her resentment and anger. Born into a world where beauty is revered above all else, Alyce struggles to find acceptance and belonging. When Aurora, the Sleeping Beauty, is cursed to fall into an eternal slumber, Alyce becomes entangled in a web of intrigue and power struggles. As Alyce grapples with her own desires and the consequences of her choices, she must confront the forces of darkness threatening to consume her world. “Malice” explores themes of beauty, power, and the complexities of morality in a gripping and spellbinding narrative.
Omigosh, the sequel is out!! Check it out here and my review of the first book. I am rushing to the library nowwww…
3. The Lost Queen by Signe Pike
Wow, I almost forgot about this one, since it was from back in 2020 – but now it’s all come flooding back! This was an amazing Arthurian legend book, and I sure hope the sequel is out, because it had an epic cliffhanger, if I remember correctly. I was turning pages like a whirlwind for this one, too – SUPER suspenseful! It was about a girl whose relative, if I remember, is Merlin, and it’s the story of Merlin from the perspective of the women, oft overlooked.
Here is a better summary than I could do without giving anything away, from AI:
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“The Lost Queen” by Signe Pike is a historical fiction novel that reimagines the life of Languoreth, a sixth-century Scottish queen who is often overshadowed by her famous brother, the legendary figure known as Merlin. Set against the backdrop of early medieval Scotland, the story follows Languoreth’s journey as she navigates the intricate politics of her time and struggles to find her own voice and power in a society dominated by men. As she grapples with love, loyalty, and her own destiny, Languoreth emerges as a compelling and resilient protagonist whose story sheds light on the forgotten women of history. With its vivid prose and rich historical detail, “The Lost Queen” transports readers to a world of ancient magic and political intrigue, while also exploring timeless themes of family, sacrifice, and the search for identity.
Here is my review of the book from 2020. I loved it so much, I’m ready to gobble up anything written by this author. Apparently its sequel, The Forgotten Kingdom, is now out!
That’s all for now, but there’s definitely 1-2 I’m forgetting. Let me know if you have any recommendations by commenting on this post or any other.
Happy reading, and happy writing!
Until next time,
Chaitanya
Typing Madly 
2 thoughts on “New Sequel Books in 2024!”