There are so many books coming out this year that I want to get my hands on, shut out the world and devour in one sitting.

I’m trying to read more of my backlist this year (I actually wrote a whole blog post about that), but that’s definitely not to say I won’t be buying any new books this year. For one, that’s just hella unrealistic. And two, there are TOO MANY books coming out that I need to read, like right now.

So, without further ado, here are my top 7 books that are coming out in 2019 that I can’t wait to get my hands on.

1) On the Come Up by Angie Thomas

Publication date: Feb 7th
Publisher: Walker Books
I loved The Hate U Give so much. Its message was so powerful, and the way it transformed onto the big screen worked so well and was incredible to watch. I simply cannot wait to get my hands on this book. I just know it’s going to be incredible.

Related: Inclusivity in a Whitewashed World | Discussion

2) Parkland by Dave Cullen

Publication date: Feb 12th
Publisher: Quercus Books
I want to try and read more diversely this year, and one of my goals is to read more non-fiction. In particular, I want to educate myself and read around issues I care about, such as feminism, LGBTQ+ stories, race and current events. Parkland is an intimate account of the 2017 school shooting in Parkland, Florida. 17 children and teachers lost their lives. This book tells the story of the survivors who became activists and inspired the #neveragain movement.

3) There’s Something about Sweetie by Sandhya Menon

Publication date: May 14th
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
I read Sandhya’s first book, When Dimple Met Rishi, last year, and loved it. It was such a happy mix of cute storylines, funny dialogue, and complex, diverse characters. This new book is a companion novel to When Dimple Met Rishi, and AHHH! I can’t wait to find out more about Sweetie and her story and how everything ties in and *claps excitedly*!!

4) I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver

Publication date: May 14th
Publisher: Scholastic
This is one of those books that I’ve seen everywhere on Twitter, and so have been interested in picking it up, ever since the reviews started coming in. It’s about a teen called Ben who comes out to his parents as non-binary. The cover is beautiful, the story sounds both beautiful and heart wrenching. Basically, get it in my hands right now.

5) Please Read This leaflet Carefully by Karen Havelin

Publication date: May 7th
Publisher: Dead Ink Books
I noticed this book on Twitter (this happens too often), and it immediately caught my attention. The plot focuses on physical health, living with chronic pain in a busy city, and the effect that can have on your mental health. My boyfriend lives with Fibromyalgia, which is a chronic pain condition. I want to read more fiction that features characters with chronic pain, as it’s a part of life that can affect many people, but isn’t often spoken about in fiction.

6) Proud by Juno Dawson

Publication date: March 7th
Publisher: Stripe Publishing
MAN am I excited for this book!! Proud is an anthology of LGBTQ+ short stories, poetry and art all on the theme of pride 🏳️‍🌈. It’s compiled by the wonderful Juno Dawson, but the contributors list is long and full of wonderful, inspiring writers and artists. It sounds both funny, moving, emotional and important all in one. Literally can’t wait.

7) Fierce Fragile Hearts by Sara Barnard

Publication date: February 7th
Publisher: Macmillan Children’s Books
Sara Barnard is my go-to fave author. Her stories are always gripping, the themes of friendship make my heart warm, and what I love most is that her characters always feel so authentic and tangibly real. Every time I finish a Sara Barnard book, I miss the characters. So… you can only guess how EXCITED I was to find out that this book is a companion novel to Beautiful Broken Things, and features one of the main characters, Suzanne. Bring 👏 it 👏 on! 👏

Related: Goodbye Perfect by Sara Barnard | Book review

And that’s that. I cannot wait to read all of these wonderful books! What’s your most anticipated book of 2019? Let me know as I’m always wanting to find an excuse to add more books to my TBR list!