Most Anticipated Fantasy Books of Early 2022

We’re getting to the end of the year, and finally, I can start talking about the books I want to read next year. This post is a mix of books I have ARCs of and ones I’ve preordered. I’d usually prefer to focus on books that I haven’t yet ordered, but I’ve apparently gone on a bit of a requesting/preordering spree for the beginning of the year. Ooops? I will be doing a second anticipated releases post for contemporary and romance books, and a few of those I haven’t ordered yet. But for this post, at least, I can say for certain that I’ll own all these books before the end of May.

Daughter of The Moon Goddess – Sue Lynn Tan (20th Jan)

This is likely a book that you’ve already seen and heard a lot about. The cover is absolutely stunning, and it’s out so early in the year. For many of us, this is likely the first book we know we need to get our hands on in 2022.

Daughter of The Moon Goddess is a Chinese inspired fantasy that follows Xingyin, the daughter of the woman living on the moon. Her mother was exiled for stealing the Celestial Emperor’s elixir for immortality, and Xingyin has lived with her mother in solitude so she would remain hidden from him. One day her magic flares, and she has to flee into the Celestial Kingdom. There she trains under the Crown Prince, who she grows attracted to. But even that won’t stop her from going on this quest to save her mother.

The legend of a woman living on the moon is a famous Chinese tale usually with lovers. I’ve loved reading about it in games and seeing it in movies, so I’m excited to see how this book plays out. It sounds right up my alley, and I plan on reading my e-arc at the beginning of January. That way, when the physical book comes out, I’ll be even more excited to get my hands on its beauty.

Amazon UK

Only A Monster – Vanessa Len (17th February)

Ahh, this is a book that I hoped to get a physical ARC of and sadly couldn’t, but that hasn’t stopped me from being excited about this book. I’ve had it on preorder for months now, and I can’t wait for its release. This book sounds fascinating and something that could be really original.

Joan is sent to stay with her late mother’s family in London for the summer, and there she gets a job at the historic Holland House and gets asked out by her cute co-worker, Nick. Her great summer isn’t to be though, and when an attempt to help someone out goes wrong, she’s sent through time. There she finds out that not only are her family monsters but that Nick is a hunter who wants to kill him. The only way to stop Nick is to team up with Aaron, the heir to another monster family that hates hers.

Every time I read this summary, I wind up wondering more about how this will work. I’m not the biggest fan of time travel stories, it’s why I’ve still not started one of Kelley Armstrong’s most recent series, but boy is this one calling to me. It’s going to be one of those ones that I need to start as soon as I have it. I just know it.

Amazon UK

A Magic Steeped In Poison – Judy I. Lin (22nd March)

I don’t think this book technically has a UK release currently, but boy, oh boy, am I already in love with it. I have gotten an e-arc from NetGalley, and I’m hoping I love it as I want this cover on my shelves. I’m just planning on waiting a little closer to the time to order myself a copy. Just in case I wind up not enjoying it. It’s another East-Asian inspired fantasy, as yes, I’m really into those, and it looks damn good.

Ning used to be proud of her hands. Hands that could brew the perfect tea. But after unknowingly brewing the poison tea that both killed her mother and now threatens her sister, she blames herself. The only way she can fix things is to enter a competition to find the kingdom’s greatest Shennong-shi. The Shennong-shi are masters of the ancient magic of tea-making, and the winner will receive a favour from the princess. Ning wants to use that favour to save her sister, but between court politics, competitors and a handsome boy, she’s in more danger than ever.

This book looks like it could be so atmospheric, so beautiful and so much fun. I’ve not really heard of tea magic before, but I do like the idea of it. I know this book is supposed to be a blend of Taiwanese and Chinese folklore, and I don’t know much about Taiwan in general, so I really want to get into this one. If I’m being honest, in some ways it does sound like it’s going to be pretty typical YA, but I’m completely enamoured with this cover.

Amazon UK

Twin Crowns -Katherine Webber and Catherine Doyle (12th May)

The final book is one that there are plenty of people out there who are excited about. There were two possible ARCs that you could get, and they did several giveaways for them throughout YALC online back in Summer 2021. I wasn’t lucky enough to be a winner, but I obviously still had to preorder this one. We don’t know what the final cover will look like yet, but the ARCs were stunning, so I have high hopes.

It’s another one of those books about separated siblings that is supposed to end in murder. Wren always knew that she would have to avenge her parent’s murder and usurp her sister as Princess. Rose has always known that the power she has comes with responsibility, and hers is to marry into a brutal kingdom. We follow these sisters as they wind up learning more about each other’s worlds than they ever expected to. It’s being described as a fantasy romantic comedy, and I’m intrigued.

Out of all these books, this is probably the one I’m least sure about. But I am still very highly anticipating it.

Amazon UK

What sci-fi and fantasy books are you looking forward to at the beginning of next year? Let me know so I can add more to my list!