Hello, I’m back again with a roundup of all the new releases in May about which I’m most excited.  May is often a busy month in terms of new releases and this one is no exception, so let’s get on with it, shall we?

One of my favourite middle grade authors, Rick Riordan, has two books coming out next month.  The first of these is The Dark Prophecy, the second book in his Trials of Apollo series.  This set of books follows the god Apollo, who has been stripped of his powers and sent to Earth in the form of a gawky teenage boy.  As with all Rick Riordan books, I fully expect this one to combine Greek mythology, adventure and humour in a wonderful blend.  The Dark Prophecy is released on May 2nd.

Tying in with this release is Riordan’s second book of the month, Percy Jackson: Camp Half-Blood Confidential.  This is a pamphlet written as if by Percy Jackson explaining how things work at Camp Half Blood for new demigods.  I expect it to be a fun, quick read.  It is also released on May 2nd.

Also on May 2nd we have the next in Sarah J. Maas’s fantasy series A Court of Wings and Ruin.  While I prefer Maas’ Throne of Glass series, I am still enjoying the Beauty and the Beast retelling.  If my understanding is correct, this book will tie up the story for our current characters, and book four will continue in the same world with a different set of people.  A Court of Wings and Ruin also comes out on May 2nd.

Probably my most anticipated – and yet at the same time dreaded – releases of the year is Robin Hobb’s Assassin’s Fate.  This is the final book in her Fitz and the Fool trilogy, and possibly the final book in the Realm of the Elderlings sixteen book series.  I am completely invested in the characters of Fitz and the Fool, and the world in which they reside.  Even the $29 price point for the Kindle version (WTF!?!) will not prevent me from picking up this book in both Kindle and audio formats.  

It’s difficult to say more without spoiling the rest of the series, but know that Hobb has created an incredibly rich, detailed world populated with fully fleshed out fascinating characters and a breathtaking magic system.  It’s because I am so invested in the characters that I am both anticipating and dreading learning how their story ends.  Assassin’s Fate is released on May 9th.

The final book being released in May is Cassandra Clare’s second book in her Dark Artifices series, Lord of Shadows.  I adore Clare’s Shadowhunters world and the move to LA worked so well in the first book, Lady Midnight. I really look forward to seeing how the characters develop and how they cope with the situations they face.  As a bonus, I hear that James Marsters, narrator of Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files, will be narrating the book – awesome!  I will definitely be snagging the audiobook.

So there you have it, the five books I’m most anticipating in the month of May.  Will you be picking up any of them?