Upcoming Books I Can't Wait To Read

Or at least most of these are. A lot of my favourite authors have books coming out that I can't wait to read. Thankfully, at least some of them are coming soon.

River Marked
Patricia Briggs
Release Date: March 1, 2011

The amazon.com product description:

Car mechanic Mercy Thompson has always known there was something different about her, and not just the way she can make a VW engine sit up and beg. Mercy is a shapeshifter, a talent she inherited from her long-gone father. She's never known any others of her kind. Until now.

An evil is stirring in the depths of the Columbia River-one that her father's people may know something about. And to have any hope of surviving, Mercy and her mate, the Alpha werewolf Adam, will need their help... 

I'm honestly a bit confused by this one. Amazon.com is saying March, but the Chapters/Indigo site says that River Marked will be out on January 25. Either way, I can't wait to read it. The Mercy Thompson books are some of my favourite urban fantasy novels.

Kings of the North
Elizabeth Moon
Release Date: March 22, 2011

The amazon.com product description:

Elizabeth Moon returns to the fantasy world of the paladin Paksenarrion Dorthansdotter—Paks for short—in this second volume of a new series filled with all the bold imaginative flights, meticulous world-building, realistic military action, and deft characterization that readers have come to expect from this award-winning author. In Kings of the North, Moon is working at the very height of her storytelling powers.

Peace and order have been restored to the kingdoms of Tsaia and Lyonya, thanks to the crowning of two kings: Mikeli of Tsaia and, in Lyonya, Kieri Phelan, a mercenary captain whose royal blood and half-elven heritage are resented by elves and humans alike.

On the surface, all is hope and promise. But underneath, trouble is brewing. Mikeli cannot sit safely on his throne as long as remnants of the evil Verrakaien magelords are at large. Kieri is being hounded to marry and provide the kingdom with an heir—but that is the least of his concerns. A strange rift has developed between him and his grandmother and co-ruler, the immortal elven queen known as the Lady. More problematic is the ex-pirate Alured, who schemes to seize Kieri’s throne for himself—and Mikeli’s, too, while he’s at it. Meanwhile, to the north, the aggressive kingdom of Pargun seems poised to invade. 

Now, as war threatens to erupt from without and within, the two kings are dangerously divided. Old alliances and the bonds of friendship are about to be tested as never before. And a shocking discovery will change everything. 

Kings of the North is a book I've been looking forward to since the day the last book, Oath of Fealty came out last March.

Tortall and Other Lands: A Collection of Tales
Tamora Pierce
Release Date: February 22, 2011

The amazon.com product description:

Collected here for the first time are all of the tales from the land of Tortall, featuring both previously unknown characters as well as old friends. Filling some gaps of time and interest, these stories, some of which have been published before, will lead Tammy's fans, and new readers into one of the most intricately constructed worlds of modern fantasy. 

Interestingly, on this book I think Amazon.com made a bit of a mistake. Their title notes Tortall and Other Lands to be a Beka Cooper book, but the product description doesn't suggest that at all. Besides, I think the next book in that series is to be Mastiff.

Twilight's Dawn: A Black Jewels Book
Anne Bishop
Release Date: March 1, 2011

The amazon.com product description:

Return to the world of the Black Jewels with New York Times bestselling author Anne Bishop.

Anne Bishop's "darkly fascinating"* (SF Site) Black Jewel novels have enthralled readers and critics alike with their mixture of fantasy, intrigue, and romance. Now in Twilight's Dawn, Bishop returns to the Blood realm with four all-new captivating novellas. 

 Anne Bishop's books are a bit of a guilty secret for me. I enjoy them, and yet there are times (many of them) where the books make me cringe a bit. And yet, I'm looking forward to the release of this one - and I'll probably end up buying it in hardcover. Besides, the cover art is absolutely gorgeous, and has been on all of the other books in this world too.

Lover Unleashed
J.R. Ward
Release Date: March 29 2011

The amazon.com product description:

#1 New York Times bestselling author J.R. Ward's thrilling new novel in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series.

Payne, twin sister of Vishous, is cut from the same dark, seductive cloth as her brother. Imprisoned for eons by their mother, the Scribe Virgin, she finally frees herself-only to face a devastating injury. Manuel Manello, M.D., is drafted by the Brotherhood to save her as only he can-but when the human surgeon and the vampire warrior meet, their two worlds collide in the face of their undeniable passion. With so much working against them, can love prove stronger than the birthright and the biology that separates them? 

Another great series, but I'm feeling like I have some re-reading to do before I read Lover Unleashed.