In this month's staff blog, Kyle and Rachel discuss the year's most anticipated movies and books! Fourth Wing fans, brace yourselves for the storm! Could the upcoming Mission Impossible film be the series finale? If it is, Kyle will be heartbroken!
With numerous releases coming to the library and movie theaters, we decided to spotlight some of the most anticipated ones! Kyle has compiled a list of upcoming movie releases that have everyone buzzing with excitement, all while preparing himself for the May release of the latest, and possibly last, Mission: Impossible film. Rachel showcases some of the books arriving on library shelves and will be unavailable in January when the new Fifth Wing book is released! Enjoy this preview of the first half of 2025! Click on any black, underlined text for the items listed below to be redirected to Aspen to put your copy on hold!
January 2025
Hitting the theaters in January, Wolf Man is the newest Blumhouse horror film (production company known for Sinister, Paranormal Activity, and many more). Directed by Leigh Whannell, who is known for the 2020 Invisible Man reboot, and starring Christopher Abbott and Julia Garner (Ozark), Wolf man is a retelling and reboot of a classic horror story (The Wolfman, 1941). The film looks to build up Blumhouse’s collection of reboots of the old Universal Horror classics.
Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros, the third book in the Empyrean Series, will hit the library shelves in January. Violet Sorrengail is back but is she ready for the battle outside the walls and within the ranks of Basgiath War College? Who can she trust? Venturing beyond the Aretian wards will test every bit of her wit, luck, and strength as she does anything to save her dragons, her family, her home, and him. Even if it means keeping a secret so big, it could destroy everything. As the storm is coming, not everyone will survive its wrath. Buckle up Sorrengail and Riorson fans, this could be traumatic! To prepare for the release of Onyx Storm, rereads of Fourth Wing and Iron Flame might be required!
Other notable book releases in January include:
Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney, The Crash by Freida McFadden, Lightfall by Ed Crocker, and Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix.
February 2025
February brings the newest entry to the MCU, Captain America: Brave New World, which sees Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson take up the moniker of Captain America. He finds himself in the middle of a conspiracy regarding the new President, played by Harrison Ford, and the rest of the world. The film looks to be playing off of the political thrillers of the 70’s such as The Parallax View and Three Days of the Condor.
New historical fiction The Queens of Crime by Marie Benedict will be available in February. Inspired by an actual incident in the life of crime novelist Dorothy L. Sayers, this historical mystery features five renowned women authors who decide to tackle a real-life murder case in 1930's London. Marie Benedict does it again, highlighting the true stories of famous women in history.
Other notable book releases in February include:
Black Woods, Blue Sky by Eowyn Ivey, Listen to Your Sister by Neena Viel, Deep End by Ali Hazelwood, & Rebel Witch by Kristen Ciccarelli (the second book in the Crimson Moth series, Heartless Hunter being the first book).
March 2025
The film adaptation of the 2022 novel by Ashton Edwards, Mickey 7, is directed by Oscar winner Bong Joon Ho (Parasite 2019) and stars Batman himself, Robert Pattinson. Mickey 17 is being marketed as a Sci-Fi comedy revolving around Pattinson’s titular Mickey being cloned to do different odd jobs in space and on other planets. With a star-studded cast and wild premise, keep an eye out for Mickey 17!
Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins hits the scene in March. Technically the second prequel novel to the original trilogy (after 2020's The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes), Sunrise on the Reaping rewinds to the morning of the 50th Hunger Games. It seems a familiar fellow by the name of Haymitch Abernathy has been selected to compete in a diabolical new arena where everything is venomous, poisonous, contagious, or otherwise unpleasant.
Other notable book releases in March include:
Wild Side by Elsie Silver (the third in the Rose Hill series, following Wild Love and Wild Eyes), The Unworthy by Agustina Bazterrica, The Buffalo Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones, and Oathbound by Tracy Deonn (the third in the Legendborn Cycle series).
April 2025
For the movie Sinners, Michael B. Jordan rejoins forces with Ryan Coogler, who he has worked with on Fruitvale Station, Black Panther and the Creed Franchise, for a period piece vampire film. One of the most exciting director/star pairs reuniting to capture an original tale of horror between two twin brothers returning to their hometown. The film looks to be an exciting new twist on the horror genre from one of the best young filmmakers and one of the biggest stars in the world.
Early readers are simply raving about The Bright Years by Sarah Domoff. Get in on that early buzz! This debut novel follows four generations of a Texas family, through love, loss, and—ultimately—the unveiling of long-held secrets. This big-hearted tale is told from three different characters' points of view.
Other notable book releases in April include:
Say You'll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez, Fearless by Lauren Roberts (the third book in the Powerless Trilogy), Rewind It Back by Liz Tomforde (the fifth installment in the Windy City Series), Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry, and Watch Me by Tehereh Mafi (the next book in the Shatter Me series).
May 2025
Mission: Impossible – Final Reckoning, what Kyle is waiting on!
The upcoming 8th installment of Tom Cruise’s legendary Mission: Impossible franchise was originally marketed as Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, Part 2, but has since changed to The Final Reckoning, leading many to suspect this may be the end of the line for beloved action hero Ethan Hunt. The cast including Cruise, Rhames, Atwell, and Pegg return as does director Christopher McQuarrie. McQuarrie has helmed the last three M:I films as well as the Tom Cruise starring Jack Reacher from 2012. One of the all-around best action franchises of all time’s newest installment is primed to continue the trend of insane stunts and memorable stories. Check out some of the earlier Mission: Impossible movies for a action filled refresher before the new release!
Swedish writer Fredrik Backman has made a name for himself with globally popular novels like Anxious People, Beartown, and A Man Called Ove. His next book, My Friends, is the story of a famous painting, four teenage friends, and a journey that spans the breath of a country and the passing of 25 long years.
Other notable book releases in May include:
A Curse Carved in Bone by Danielle L. Jensen (the second in the Unfated series), The Memory Collectors by Dete Meserve (newest in the Kate Bradley Mysteries), Never Flinch by Stephen King, and The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig.
June 2025
28 Years Later is the third film in a trilogy, following 2002’s 28 Days Later and 2007 28 Weeks Later. It marks the return of Writer Alex Garland and Director Danny Boyle, who both worked on the original film and the cast includes, Jodie Comer (Killing Eve), Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Ralph Fiennes. Shot entirely on an iPhone (with a multitude of attachments), Boyle and crew are aiming to capture some of that gritty magic from the original, which was shot very low budget on a digital camera giving it a unique look different from many zombie thrillers.
Atmosphere: A Love Story by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Taking place during the ambitious era of the 1980s space shuttle program, the newest novel from Taylor Jenkins Reid (Daisy Jones & The Six) offers adventure, romance, intrigue, and features a physics professor striving to be among the first female scientists in space. NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, around 1984, serves as an excellent backdrop for the author’s signature style of high drama in fascinating settings.
Other notable book releases in June include:
The Primal Of Blood and Bone by Jennifer L. Armentrout (the next book in the Blood and Ash series), Caught Up by Navessa Allen (the second in the Into Darkness Series), Don't Let Him In by Lisa Jewell, Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab.
We are thrilled about the upcoming movies and books scheduled for release in the first half of this year and hope you share our excitement!
Until Next Time Library Friends!
The Vespasian Warner Library is located at 310 N. Quincy St in Clinton, IL 61727
Contact us by phone, 217-935-5174, by email library@vwarner.org, or drop in and say hello!
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