[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]While I am not proud of it, I have been known to waste an entire afternoon scrolling through Instagram in search of new and interesting books. Being that the majority of the content I follow on Instagram involves books (and cats), my feed is constantly filled with hot new titles, suggested to me by publishers, social influencers and writers themselves. These are the books Instagram is loving in 2019.

King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo

This is one author who needs no introduction. You’ve all heard of her: the witchy, soulful creator of the Grishaverse. With five books – and a collection of short stories – already under her belt, Bardugo is back at it again with the first book in yet another series. This time readers follow Nikolai Lanstov (a total fan favorite) in the time after his country’s civil war. This book is sure to give readers Bardugo’s signature mixing of war, warmth and absolute wit.

The Binding by Bridget Collins

Although she is known more predominantly for her YA novels under the pen name B. R. Collins, Bridget Collins is trying her hand at adult literature – and the results sound absolutely delicious. The Binding follows a young bookbinding apprentice named Emmett Farmer who becomes privy to the deep, dark and sinister secrets often bound up in books. In this interestingly crafted world, books hold your deepest secrets and most tortured memories, keeping them hidden forever.

On the Come Up by Angie Thomas

If there is one author whose future we’re all eager to watch unfold, it’s Angie Thomas. In roughly two years, Thomas has not only written one of the biggest bestsellers of this decade but has also released that book’s very popular film adaptation. In short, the woman has been busy. Her follow-up narrative titled On the Come Up is a young adult contemporary novel following a 16-year-old aspiring rapper named Bri. This novel pays tribute to the long history of hip-hop, which Thomas credits as her original inspiration for storytelling.

The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker

Following the success of her very popular debut novel The Age of Miracles, Karen Thompson Walker releases her follow-up effort titled The Dreamers. This genre-fluid novel follows a young woman named Mei, whose roommate has fallen into a deep, comatose-like sleep. This sleeping sickness spreads throughout the town, causing deep confusion and fear among its residents. Walker’s novel has already received some great shout-outs, including one from Emily St. John Mandel, who called it “stunning.”

The Wicked King by Holly Black

Although the Fae is like the vampire of this decade, Holly Black’s The Folk of the Air series stands out among the rest. In The Wicked King, the second book in the popular YA series, readers are brought back into Jude’s action-packed life as she maneuvers throughout the complex political inner workings of the Fae world in order to protect her brother. Like the previous novel in the series, Black formulates a very intricate tale brimming with fantastical characters and unforgettable plot twists.

The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo

Like her book The Ghost Bride, Yangsze Choo brings together history and magic in her 2019 release The Night Tiger. Taking its inspiration from an old Chinese story about men who turn into tigers, Choo crafts a story that sets out to entertain and deeply enthrall readers. The story follows two main characters: an 11-year-old houseboy named Ren, and Ji Lin, an apprentice dressmaker who longs to be a doctor. Readers follow Ren as he searches for his late master’s last wish – his missing severed finger – and Ji Lin, as she receives a mysterious gift.

Golden Child by Claire Adam

Much akin to the first book published by Sarah Jessica Parker for Hogarth, A Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza, Claire Adam’s debut novel is a rich and hard-hitting family drama. Set in Trinidad, the story follows a small, rural family – Clyde and Joy, and their twin sons, Peter and Paul. While Peter is known to his peers as a genius, Paul is considered odd. One night, Paul goes missing and the family is forced to go looking for him. As the story unfolds, information about Paul, the family and the world they live in are eloquently revealed.

Long Live the Tribe of Fatherless Girls: A Memoir by T. Kira Madden

Essayist, photographer, writer and self-proclaimed amateur magician T. Kira Madden’s memoir Long Live the Tribe of Fatherless Girls publishes this March. Considered as one of the most anticipated 2019 releases by a number of publications, including BuzzFeed, Huffington Post and Entertainment Weekly, Madden shares her story as a queer, biracial young woman living in Boca Raton, Florida. Award-winning author Lauren Groff calls this coming-of-age story both “harrowing and beautiful.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]