Hello, it’ Ely from Earl Grey Books here with my first guest post of the year! As always, 2021 is a year filled with amazing new book releases and I’m here today to share with you someones that you might have missed but should be excited for. So without further ado…

When You Look Like Us by Pamela N. Harris
This one is already out so you really have no excuse for not buying it—I have this one on it’s way to me now. This follows a black teenager named Jay Murphy whose older sister, Nicole, has gone missing and he is determined to find her and bring her home. You just know this is going to be heartbreaking but completely stunning just like Nic Stone and Angie Thomas. This is also Pamela N. Harris’ debut if you’re looking to join in with the Debut Authors Challenge this year!

The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo
I’ve been doing my best to try and hype this one up lately, so if you follow me on my blog, you’re probably going to get sick of this one pretty quickly. This is a Great Gatsby retelling but with a twist—it follows Jordan Baker instead of Gatsby or Nick, but it’s fantasy and has queer and Asian rep. I’m a complete sucker for another Great Gatsby related, and then add to the fact that Nghi Vo is an incredibly talented writer and there’s a high chance this will be one of the best books in 2021.

In Deeper Waters by F.K Lutens
I can’t believe more people aren’t talking about this one. It’s out in April, but it’s being pitched as Gentlemen’s Guide meets Pirates of the Caribbean. That’s right, it’s literally gay pirates. Am I the only one intensely excited about that? It sounds like it’s just going to be a good fun romp, and honestly, I think we all deserve that in 2021.

The Ones We’re Meant To Find by Joan He
This is being pitched as a sci-fi We Were Liars, which already has me intrigued. And then the next line says, Lost with a satisfying resolution. Firstly, uh zing? And secondly, that sounds exactly like the kind of thing I desperately need in my life. The author is also saying that this is a 9/10 on the sob scale, and if you know me, then you know that it’s right up my alley.

The Duke Undone by Joanna Lowell
I couldn’t put a historical romance onto this list—it would just be too off-brand for both Angel and I. The Duke Undone is probably my most anticipated, non-series continuation romance of the year—it follows Lucy who is an artist who paints the figure of a naked man she finds on the street, only that man turns out to be a Duke. Um, yes, yes, yes, yes. Give it to me now.

Chlorine Sky by Mahogany L. Browne

Rounding up this post with another one that is already out. This is being pitched as ‘a novel-in-verse about a young girl coming-of-age and stepping out of the shadow of her former best friend’. I don’t know about you, but I love a good novel-in-verse and I’ve heard literally no one talk about this. Goodreads also says this is perfect for fans of Elizabeth Acevedo, so I’m prepared for some tears with one.

And that’s the list. Have I convinced any of you to add these to your list? What books are you most excited for this year?