#4: Something to anticipate

      Plenty of people have at least one item on their mind that they anticipate. For some, it can be the days where big life events happen in the distant future; weddings, births, graduations, and career advancements come to mind. Oftentimes, it also comes in the form of waiting for the little things in life; this can be anything from the release of a movie you have been looking forward to, a visit with someone special, or a special sweet treat to indulge in after a busy day. 

     In the niche of people anticipating the little things in life, there are the readers. A group of people who are always waiting and anticipating for what will happen next in the books they lose themselves into. There are plenty of times where a reader deals with the agony of being caught up in a series of books that are unfinished, and is forced to wait months, or even years to find out what happens next. 

     Sometimes, even the author is a little cruel in their strategies for leaving their readers hungry for their next book. This is where cliffhangers come into play. Some authors tend to build up to a powerful moment, slip in a shocking plot twist, or leave the characters with a terrifying realization at the end of their book. To the chagrin of the readers, authors sometimes stop at that exact point to leaving readers questioning how the story will continue in the next book after the revelations of the sudden ending.

     There have been plenty examples of books I have come across where I have been anticipating the next books' release due to a painful cliffhanger. One such example is Shannon Messenger's middle grade series: Keeper of the Lost Cities. Surrounding the journey of a gifted, telepathic girl who must navigate a strange world hidden within the human one; this whopping ten-book saga is still unfinished. Ever since the third book, readers of this series have been given bigger and bigger cliffhangers that have left readers surprised, devastated, and wanting more. I have personally experienced the agony of waiting for the next book since I became a fan and started buying books when they released. Now readers of this series must wait another agonizing year until November 2024 brings the tenth book.

     Another example of a book that I have personally anticipated comes in the form of what this blog entry was inspired by. October 24th, 2023 brings the third and final installment of the Once Upon a Broken Heart trilogy. This series, written by Stephanie Garber, takes place as an extension to her bestselling Caraval trilogy. Plenty of readers immediately fell in love with this series upon reading it, from its compelling and morally questionable characters, to it's breathtakingly magical world, and the devastating yet swoon-worthy romance aspects; this trilogy has made many readers hyped for the next release.

     A Curse for True Love, in pattern with cliffhangers, also leaves readers shocked at the end of the second book. This is where the protagonist falls unexpectedly under a spell that renders her memories gone. Given that the upcoming book will not only continue, but end this story, many people have anticipated this more than any other book this year. 

     It is thrilling and exciting to be joined on collective hype for something as little as a book. But anticipating a release, especially in lieu of a cliffhanger, helps bring an entire community closer in their speculations, and semi-joking hatred towards the author for leaving them waiting. Waiting for the little things in live help make it more meaningful in the stretches of time between the big events in life we anticipate.