What new releases are you waiting for?

Alpaca I'd like to think so, but it probably isn't! His last book was promised on Amazon, then got delayed by several months and the editing was horrible. He did admit at the talk that it's his least favourite task - he likes to write it and then move on. It makes no sense (now that he's successful) why a professional editor isn't being used. I'd volunteer ...

I can't help hoping the reason the next Ben Aaronovitch is taking ages is because this time it's being edited and polished a bit more carefully. There were loads of loose ends in Foxglove Summer, and I don't think they were tiny bits left lying around as hooks into future stories. I think they were carelessness. The whole thing felt dashed off to a deadline. Since we all know he can write brilliantly, it was very disappointing.

DaphneCanDo, I also went to an event with Ben Aronovitch, although didn't get the opportunity for a personal chat as the audience was somewhat ill-mannered. From what I saw, I'd describe him as witty, clever, well-informed, generous with advice to other writers and he handled the more ignorant members of the audience with remarkable politeness and aplomb. I imagine that given free rein and amongst friends, he could also be quite caustic, sarcastic and an excellent gossip! I'd certainly be happy to be amongst those but I'd say he has too much devil in him to be entirely lovely ... and is all the better for it.

Like you, I'm also waiting for Jasper Fforde ... amongst many other authors previously mentioned on te thread.

Rivers of London.
Alex Verus.
And prob a few others, that don't have publishing dates this year.
Was waiting for the Robin Hobb book to come out as an omnibus edition on Kindle.

Interesting background info there, Little, about The Widow. Still waiting for my library copy...can't bring myself to buy it.

I got my hands on the Justin Cronin manuscript just before Christmas. Am not entirely sure why pub date is still so far away. Got through the first few chapters but hadn't quite anticipated just how much I'd forgotten over the past few years. Am back to skim reading The Twelve again before I give it another crack!

I know a lot of people who read proofs of The Widow, they all said it was awful and had been cleverly promoted by the author's publishers - still on a roll from Girl on a Train.
I downloaded it onto Kindle to see for myself what the fuss was about. I disliked the rather breathy, amateurish writing style but then stopped quite early on as the subject matter started to upset me so I can't claim my review is fair or substantial. I dislike crime books that delve into this subject matter and are then marketed as 'entertaining' though.
The new Paula Daly I did enjoy though!

Any recommendations while I wait for Justin Cronin to finish spell checking?? I love shit-hits-the-fan novels. And yes I've read the stand.

I'm waiting for Jasper Fforde's new stand alone book, got very excited - but it's not out for another year! Also the new Ben Aaronovitch but at least that's a bit closer. ShirleyBassey I'm SO jealous you met Ben Aaronovitch in real life, was he lovely?

The Mirror & the Light.

TYPE FASTER HILARY!

The Romanovs by Simon Sebag Montfiore. I am going to see him in Feb where he will be talking about it so I have a very small window as it's due 28/1.

Definitely the third Cromwell book, also the last of Zafon's Cemetery of Lost Books novels.

Just read the first Knaussgard and loved it, so I've got plenty of them in reserve .

anything by Karin slaughter?

Oh interesting.

I tend to swap books with my mum a lot, or download to my kindle. Would never buy hardbacks usually, but I'm literally in bed and have been for two weeks with d and v. Normal rules have gone out the window! I've downloaded stuff with the money I've saved on petrol, food, clothing etc!

Glad I'm not the only person who thinks Sophie Hannah has gone off.I gave up on her last one .Just read negative review of The Widow . Curious-use libraries for most of my reading.Do you really buy new hardbacks

Winds of Winter and Cromwell III, obvs.

Ben Aaronovich promised me personally that Rivers of London 6 would be out last November at a book signing in the summer and I was so pleased that I squeaked in an embarrassing way, and then the date slipped and I was livid.

I really really like The Widow , the writing is brilliant. I'm probably wrong.

Really looking forward to the third Cromwell and third Red Rising (Morning Star).

I still have 2 GOT books to read but am hoping GRR Martin pulls his finger out so I can follow on to the last one quite quickly!

I'm always hoping David Mitchell will have a new book out....

(makes note to read Justin Cronin when self-imposed book purchase ban ends....)

Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld. Retelling of Pride and Prejudice. I ❤️ her.

I came on to say Winds of Winter (George RR Martin) and Doors of Stone (Patrick Rothfuss) but everyone's beaten me to it! I think I prefer Patrick Rothfuss, really. His stuff is more intricate.

Melanie Rawn's Exiles trilogy - think book 2 was published in about 1991 and book 3 has never materialised.

More Ilona Andrews. Think there's a delayed sequel to Burn For Me.

The third Queen of the Tearling book. Apparently it's coming out in November.

So I bought The Widow and am about a third in - does anyone else think they may have guessed the ending?

I was coming to say the new Knausgaard too.

I started re-reading the first one yesterday and am already halfway through. It is just so incredibly absorbing. I recommend another read. There's so much detail that you have much to enjoy on a second read.