5 Books to look forward to in March of 2021
So, with the weather being what it is at the moment and lockdown in the UK dragging on, there seems little to look forward to. Except for books of course, and boy does March 2021 deliver.
Let’s take a look at 5 Stand-Alone novels that will soon be released.
Why stand-alone you ask? Good question! To be frank with you, I have a little issue with series, whether that is books, games and/or tv. I don’t have the patience to consume the content one by one, forced to wait for the next morsel to be passed down. Terrible, I know! Let me tell you, trying to watch Game of Thrones as it was released was absolute torture. I should have gotten a badge by the end of it, certainly after that finally. (Yes I am still sore)
Now, please don’t worry. I do still read book series as they are released because lets be honest, some of them are well worth the torture. But, in between series I do like to give myself a mental break by reading some stellar stand-alone books. So, without further ado, here are 5 stand-alone books coming out in March 2021 I am exceptionally excited about:
All the Murmuring Bones by A.G Slatter
Release date: 29th of March 2021
Publisher: Titan Books
Synopsis: ‘Long ago Miren O'Malley's family prospered due to a deal struck with the mer: safety for their ships in return for a child of each generation. But for many years the family have been unable to keep their side of the bargain and have fallen into decline. Miren's grandmother is determined to restore their glory, even at the price of Miren's freedom.
A spellbinding tale of dark family secrets, magic and witches, and creatures of myth and the sea; of strong women and the men who seek to control them.’
My thoughts: A dark gothic fairytale, merpeople, a murder-mystery and missing parents, what more could I ask for? Perhaps a forced wedding to a cousin and a heroine determined to forge her own destiny. To say my expectations are high for this one is quite the understatement
Sing Me Forgotten by Jessica S. Olson
Release date: 9th of March 2021
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Synopsis: ‘Cast into a well at birth for being one of the magical few who can manipulate memories when people sing, she was saved by Cyril, the opera house’s owner. Since that day, he has given her sanctuary from the murderous world outside. All he asks in return is that she uses her power to keep ticket sales high—and that she stays out of sight. For if anyone discovers she survived, Isda and Cyril would pay with their lives.
But Isda breaks Cyril’s cardinal rule when she meets Emeric Rodin, a charming boy who throws her quiet, solitary life out of balance. His voice is unlike any she’s ever heard, but the real shock comes when she finds in his memories hints of a way to finally break free of her gilded prison.
Haunted by this possibility, Isda spends more and more time with Emeric, searching for answers in his music and his past. But the price of freedom is steeper than Isda could ever know. For even as she struggles with her growing feelings for Emeric, she learns that in order to take charge of her own destiny, she must become the monster the world tried to drown in the first place’
My thoughts: Can we please take a moment to appreciate this drop-dead gorgeous cover. Who do I have to speak to, to get this glass bell jar in my home? Anyhow, anyone getting serious ‘Phantom of the Opera’ vibes from this one? I am anticipating heartbreak. I am anticipating opening my heart tot he ‘monstrous’ Isda only to have ripped to shreds.
The Bone Maker by Sarah Beth Durst
Release Date: 9th of March 2021
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Synopsis: ‘ From award-winning author Sarah Beth Durst, a standalone epic fantasy set in a brand-new world of towering mountains and sparkling cities, in which a band of aging warriors have a second chance to defeat dark magic and avenge a haunting loss.
Five warriors—one broken, one gone soft, one pursuing a simple life, one stuck in the past, and one who should dead. Their story should have been finished. But evil doesn’t stop just because someone once said, “the end.”
My Thoughts: Call me a creature of habit, but ever since I first read ‘The Lord of the Rings – The fellowship of the Ring’, I’ve had a soft spot fort he quest-like adventure fantasy. Give me a few heroes, and unlikely friendship, adversity and some hauntingly beautiful dark magic and I am a happy woman.
The Conductors by Nicole Glover
Release Date: 4th of March 2021
Publisher: John Joseph Adams/Mariner Books
Synopsis: ‘As a conductor on the Underground Railroad, Hetty Rhodes helped usher dozens of people north with her wits and magic. Now that the Civil War is over, Hetty and her husband Benjy have settled in Philadelphia, solving murders and mysteries that the white authorities won’t touch. When they find one of their friends slain in an alley, Hetty and Benjy bury the body and set off to find answers. But the secrets and intricate lies of the elites of Black Philadelphia only serve to dredge up more questions. To solve this mystery, they will have to face ugly truths all around them, including the ones about each other.’
My thoughts: I never realized how much I needed speculative fiction authors to weave historical and cultural threads into their story until I came across this one. Touching on moments of immense cultural importance such as the Underground Railroad and blending it with magic seems an impressive undertaking, which I for one applaud.
The Stolen Kingdom by Jillian Boehme
Release date: 2nd of March 2021
Publisher: Tor Teen
Synopsis: ‘For a hundred years, the once-prosperous kingdom of Perin Faye has suffered under the rule of the greedy and power-hungry Thungrave kings. Maralyth Graylaern, a vintner's daughter, has no idea her hidden magical power is proof of a secret bloodline and claim to the throne. Alac Thungrave, the king’s second son, has always been uncomfortable with his position as the spare heir—and the dark, stolen magic that comes with ruling.
When Maralyth becomes embroiled in a plot to murder the royal family and seize the throne, a cat-and-mouse chase ensues in an adventure of dark magic, court intrigue, and forbidden love.’
My thoughts: Listen, I know this might be a tried and tested plot-line. The prodigal son returns, so to speak. The lost heir claims what is theirs by right, by birth, but I don’t care. Court-intrigue, magic and a murder plot count me in.
What are your thoughts? Are any of these books on your ‘to-read’ list or have you preordered them already?
Let me know in the comment sections below and until then - just one more page!
