The very long, terrible, exhausting year know as 2020 is (finally) coming to an end in a few short weeks. While it wasn’t a great year for most of us, I did my best to create positive moments for myself. Now I’m getting a headstart on next year. (There’s talk of another shutdown so January is already a potential ‘meh’ month.) Despite that particular rumor, there’s still things to look forward to in 2021: naps on cold days, more escape attempts in Hades, crafting and, of course, new books! And there are some exciting titles hitting the shelves next year!
The Tangleroot Palace: Stories
A body-stealing sorceress whose soul emerges once a week. A warrior protecting China from her ex. A bone collecting apprentice witch. Marjorie Liu’s first short story collection is everything I never would have know existed if I hadn’t seen the cover on Sana Takeda’s Instagram. Being a fan of their series Monstress, I’m all for Takeda’s amazing artwork gracing more of Liu’s work.
A Gentle Noble’s Vacation Recommendation
Volume two continues the story of laid-back Lizel, who mysteriously finds himself in another world. Instead of panicking, Lizel hires Gil, a seasoned adventurer, as his guide and protector as he sets out to learn more about this new world as an adventurer himself.
A Psalm for the Wild-Built
The life of a tea monk is upended by the arrival of a robot, one of many who wandered into the wilderness and faded into myth centuries ago. The robot is there to honor the promise of checking in.
The Haunted Bookstore – Gateway to a Parallel Universe
Kaori and her adoptive father, a spirit, live in a bookstore where the boundaries between the mortal and spirit realm are blurred. Each volume focuses on a different adventure. In the first book, The Spirit Daughter and the Exorcist Son, Kaori comes across a bleeding, young exorcist who has stumbled into the spirit realm, just as she did when she was a child. Despite his vow of vengeance against all spirits, Kaori decides to help him find his way back home.
A Haunted Bookstore sounds like the perfect atmospheric fantasy for bibliophiles like myself.
Lupin III: Greatest Heists – The Classic Manga Collection
Seven Seas Entertainment will be publishing a special collection of Monkey Punch’s original manga, featuring some of the greatest Lupin III tales. Along with his trusted cohorts and pursuing rivals, Lupin III has been immortalized through decades of media. The Greatest Heists is a stunning tribute to Monkey Punch’s legacy and a perfect manga addition for fans of the notorious thief.
Haikyuu!! Complete Illustration Book
An artbook featuring almost 400 pages of color illustration manuscripts, cover art, new official art and commentary from both the staff and creator Furudate.
The expected release date is December 24th so this isn’t technically a 2021 release. However, I’m holding out hope that we might get an english version sometime next year. I’m emotional regardless.
Fireheart Tiger
Princess Thanh was sent away to the country of Ephteria as a child. Haunted by the fire that devastated Ephteria’s royal palace, she returns to her mother’s imperial court. However, Thanh’s new role as a diplomat places her in the path of her first love, Eldris of Ephteria, knows what she wants: romance from Thanh and something more from Thanh’s home.
Mentioning a fantasy that reads like The Goblin Emperor meets Howl’s Moving Castle is enough of a pitch to catch my interest but the actual summary promises a tightly plotted fantasy with a lesbian love triangle and the possibility of Thanh making her own dangerous decisions.
Hayao Miyazaki and the Ghibli Museum
2 books, 600 pages, 900 illustrations of Miyazaki’s works for the exhibitions and the architecture of the Ghibli Museum with english notes. Pre-orders are open only in Japan at that moment but like the Haikyuu!! artbook, I’m hoping we get an english version stateside.
Eight books later and we’ve wrapped up my most anticipated titles for 2021! There’s only one on-going title here despite the several others I’ll be picking up as they release. And no webcomics? Who is she?
This is more of a “stuck in my head and won’t go away until I acquire them” list than a complete list of all my anticipated titles. There’s plenty others I might add to a different list at a later date. For now, I’ll keep my eyes out for any other stories that grab my attention.
Books aside for a moment, I hope there are some things you’re looking forward to in the new year!
.chel
Reading Rites 