It’s 2020, guys! And just to spite us, the publishing community continues to release amazing books that we have to read, thus enraging our ever-expanding TBRs.
Somewhere in there is probably a plot to take over the world. And you know what? I’m fine with it, as long as they keep sending me the books. As it turns out, I’m really easy to buy.
Today’s Top Ten Tuesday is about most anticipated releases for the first half of 2020. But because I’m a rebel, I’ve decided to just erase that ten right there and pretend it doesn’t exist.
So this post is just Top Tuesday. Because let’s be honest: I have way more on this list than ten, and I could narrow it down to ten, but ehhhhh … if I have to suffer the wrath of my TBR, then so should you. Sharing is caring, after all.
Fair warning that some of these might also be for later 2020. Look at me, going waaaay off the rails here. But let’s be honest: if I don’t put them in this post, then by the time we do one for the second half of 2020, I’ll forget to add them for that, and then what?!
Adult
Djinn Control on the Purple Line (February 4)
Set in India, a group of boys try to solve the mystery of why their neighbors have started disappearing.
Stormsong (February 11)
Sequel to Witchmark, involving mages and magic and threats of war.
Black Leviathan (February 25)
Moby Dick retelling with dragons, set in a high fantasy world.
The Deep (March 10)
A haunting on the Titanic before it sinks, and years later, a survivor encounters a soldier that should be dead among the wreckage.
A Murderous Relation (March 10)
Veronica Speedwell mystery. Enough said.
Chosen One (April 7)
Dystopia with what sounds like are heroes and a chosen one, but it all goes sideways.
You Let Me In (May)
An author goes missing, after everyone in her life has died under mysterious circumstances, leaving behind a final manuscript explaining it all … but it comes at a cost.
Deal with the Devil (May 12)
Dystopian featuring librarians acting as mercenaries and using their knowledge to kick butt and save the world … I mean, I assume they save the world …
The Only Good Indians (May 19)
Follows four American Indians who did something wrong in their past and are now being stalked by a vengeful entity.
A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians (June 23)
Alternate historical set during the Age of Enlightenment in France, but with magic, and some mysterious force is inciting violence across humanity.
The Year of the Witching (July 21)
Woman in a puritanical society learns that her mother consorted with witches and has to learn the truth about the Church she has dedicated her life to.
Ten Arrows of Iron (August 4)
Sam Sykes’ sequel to Seven Blades in Black. ‘Nuff said.
Upcoming releases without covers:
The Angel of the Crows (June 23)
Set in an alternate 1880s London, Jack the Ripper is running rampant, but so do all sorts of supernatural creatures, including angels. But angels can Fall.
Young Adult
The Conference of the Birds (January 14)
Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children book five … after all this time.
Sons of Fire (January 14)
The Demon King of Fire accidentally creates two offspring (an heir and a spare), but when they’re both banished to Earth, they’re forced to work together.
Ashlords (January 21)
Warfare has been replaced by The Races, where riders mount phoenix horses gifted by the gods and compete.
The Will and the Wild (January 21)
Author of The Paper Magician. Has some Howl’s Moving Castle vibes. Enna summons a mysting and promises her soul for his help, but he’s bound to the mortal realm now and is slowly being destroyed.
Deathless Divide (February 4)
Sequel to Dread Nation. Zombies in the South!
The Ninth Sorceress (February 13)
Teenager hides a dark secret, until she’s hunted by a goddess and wizards and forced into a war.
We Unleash the Merciless Storm (February 25)
Sequel to We Set the Dark on Fire.
Witches of Ash and Ruin (March 3)
Witchcraft plus Celtic mythology plus witches vs. gods.
The Kingdom of Back (March 3)
Sibling rivalry takes a dark turn when Nannerl Mozart wishes to be greater than her brother, Wolfgang, without realizing that wishes come at a cost.
Wicked As You Wish (March 3)
Filipina heroine in a world with spelltech and firebirds and an old, lost kingdom.
Night of the Dragon (April 2)
Last book in the Shadow of the Fox trilogy, and promises more Hakaimono.
Ruthless Gods (April 7)
Sequel of the Wicked Saints.
Elysium Girls (April 14)
Western meets fantasy in this book, where everything is a game between Life and Death and where humanity has to battle the supernatural as a judgment on mankind.
The Deck of Omens (April 21)
Sequel to The Devouring Gray.
The Notorious Virtues (May 5)
Written by the author of the Rebel of the Sands series. I will read everything by this woman.
Aurora Burning (May 5)
Sequel to Aurora Rising. I will read everything by Kristoff and Kaufman, though, and so should you.
House of Dragons (May 12)
A competition for the dragon throne … which should obviously go to me because dragons, but eh, okay, I’ll read it anyway.
Harrow the Ninth (June 2)
Sequel to Gideon the Ninth. Lesbian necromancers in space.
This Coven Won’t Break (June 2)
Sequel to These Witches Don’t Burn.
TRUEL1F3 (June 30)
Jay Kristoff. I rest my case.
We Free the Stars (July 7)
Sequel to We Hunt the Flame.
The Princess Will Save You (July 7)
Princess says nah to an arranged marriage and instead decides to embark on a quest to save the real love of her life when he’s kidnapped.
Ghost Wood Song (July 21)
A fiddle that has the ability to call ghosts may be Shady Grove’s only chance to save her brother from a murder conviction. But first, she has to retrieve it from where it drowned with her father.
Set Fire to the Gods (August 4)
War between gods, revenge, unique powers, and an ancient war. What’s not to love?
The Nobleman’s Guide to Scandal & Shipwrecks (August 18)
More Montague siblings books! Please keep them coming.
Upcoming releases without covers:
The Restless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker (September 3)
After Harriet dies, she discovers a world of ghosts with magical powers, and she’ll do anything to get her own powers, even if it leads to the destruction of this world.
The Other Side of the Sky (September 8)
They had me at a comp comparing the world to a Miyuzaki world. Plus … Amie Kaufman!
We Were Restless Things (October 1)
A boy drowns in the forest, with no water around, and a group of friends have to discover the truth about his death.
Middle Grade
When You Trap A Tiger (January 28)
Family secrets, a magical tiger, and deals with tigers are never what they seem.
Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Valor (March 3)
“Pitched as what would happen “if little orphan Annie went to live with Batman”. Yeah, okay, I’m in.
The House in the Cerulean Sea (March 17)
Just … you have to read the summary of this. I’m not sure I can sum this up except oh my gosh, what fun ideas!
The Wolf of Cape Fen (April 8)
Everyone knows not to bargain with Baron Dire or his Wolf will come for you, but when the Wolf comes for Winnie, she and her sister have to find out who offered Winnie up as the price of a bargain.
Maya and the Rising Dark (May 5)
Maya’s father is the keeper of the gateway between our world and the Dark, and when he goes missing, Maya is thrust into an impending war.
The Girl and the Ghost (August 4)
Suraya’s grandmother gifts her a pelesit (a ghostly companion), and they quickly become friends, but Suraya doesn’t realize that pelesits can have a dark side.
Paola Santiago and the River of Tears (August)
Rick Riordan presents about La Llorana!
Upcoming releases without covers:
City of the Plague God (Fall 2020)
Rick Riordan Presents based on Mesopotamian mythology!
A Wolf for a Spell (Fall 2020)
A wolf, Baba Yaga, and a girl team up, and honestly, I just want to understand how this dynamic works.
The Boy, the Wolf, and the Stars (Fall 2020)
A young boy is looking for the wolf that can help him return the stolen Stars to the sky.
I have such a need for Stormsong, seriously. And Maya! Have you heard of Ghost Squad? That seems up your alley too.
I have not yet read These Witches Don’t Burn but I will this year!
Oooh, I actually *just* saw that recently, since I’ve been following Claribel Ortega on Twitter! It sounds like a really good one.
I can’t wait for that one!
Lol when do we file for bankruptcy? So many of these I want. It’s going to be another insane year. Might as well forget about my book ban right now lol.
Do you think the courts will buy the “but I had to buy all these books, Your Honor,” excuse? xD I never bother with book bans. I have no willpower and know there’s no way I’ll be able to stick to them LOL.
Ah, so many books that I want to read!!! I have some of these on my list already, but I’m now curious about You Let Me In and Sons of Fire.
-Lauren
http://www.shootingstarsmag.net
I was really disappointed that I couldn’t get an ARC of Sons of Fire, but it was too close to the release date for me even to request it by the time I found out about it. It’s already on my to watch list for when it releases. What’s not to love about that blurb, though, right?!
Whoa Sammie! You’re killing me. I actually see books on here I didn’t even know about and how is that possible I know everything!! The Year of the Witching sounds amazing😁
Whoa. How IS that possible? Have we fallen into an alternate dimension?! 😮 I’m usually going to you for all my sci-fi/fantasy recommendations. xD Well, now, that makes my day. 😉 Now you know how I feel every time I visit your blog and my TBR suspiciously grows LOL.
This list has me screaming YAAAAS! Honestly, I’m proud of myself for narrowing it down to 10 books but that’s mostly because I was just too lazy to do a complete one like this. And it gives me a reason to do another bookish post (that’ll obvi have more than 10) later on in the year coz I know I’ll be feeling FOMO when I see everyone else posting their second half of 2020 list 😂There are so many on here that I can’t wait for!!! SO EXCITE my TBR and wallet hate me (but I’m also trying to ease that rage by a lot this year)! LOL Great list, Sammie!
I’m really impressed that you were able to narrow it down! I’m such a rule-breaker. Like all my favorite characters. I feel like everyone should’ve seen that coming.
Ahhh you’re so funny thinking I won’t have an equal big list for the second half of 2020. 😛 Oh, Dini. You underestimate my overwhelming desire to read all the books.
There’s just so many good books this year, though, and I hear you on both wanting to see everyone else’s list and crying because my wallet has nothing in it but moths and even they think I have too many books already. xD
Haha I’ve added quite a few more books to my already woefully long TBR thanks to this rule breaking list of yours! 😂 I’m now avoiding looking at just how many books are on my TBR. I think massive might now be an understatement for it 🙈
Can’t wait to see what else you’ve got on your list for the latter half of the year! Haha there really are just too many good books. I love being part of the book community and knowing about the latest releases coming out, but also I kinda hate it coz *GRABBY HANDS* gimme all naoow! Don’t know how much rest my wallet will get this year but I’m determined to spend less 😂 Btw, as someone who works in a library, do you get first dibs on new releases? Lol
🎵 What can I say except you’re welcomeeee. 🎵
I agree. Being in the book community is a blessing, but also, I never knew what I was missing out on before I was in the community, and now I feel the FOMO like never before haha.
I doooo, which is fantastic. When I see them arrive to be catalogued, I can stick my name on it to be put on hold for me when it’s done being processed. 😉
I’m reading A MURDEROUS RELATION right now. I love Veronica and Stoker. They’re such a fun duo and their adventures are always a rollicking good time. I hope you enjoy it and all your other picks.
Happy TTT!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
Oooh, I hope you’re enjoying it! It sounds like it’ll be a good one. :3
There are so many good books coming out, I can;t chosoe which one I’m most excited for!
(www.eveynreads.com)
Ugh, I could never choose, either. I’m pretty sure that’s an impossible task.
Wow! What a list! I also didn’t stick to 10 because rules smules, but you took it to the next level lol. A level I loved btw in case that wasn’t clear. A few thoughts:
1) THAT’S what The Deep is about…goes to add to GR immediately.
2) Yay for Ashlords. I love SR’s writing and I can’t wait to read that one!
3) “Princess says nah to an arranged marriage” had me laughing out loud.
4) Adore this post and you!
5) Feel free to check out my list here: https://bit.ly/2FsaC5R
Go big or go home, right? xD
I’m thinking I’m gonna get a physical copy of Ashlords (I tend to lean more towards the Kindle) just because that cover is so darn striking! It’s gorgeous.
I’m glad you liked it! Thanks. xD
I’ve just been hearing such positive things about Ashlords. My friend Mia keeps saying it’s the closest a book has ever come to Hunger Game vibes since HG, and as an HG fan that’s super appealing to me!
I’ve actually never read Hunger Games, so I don’t have much of a comparison there. xD
I just learned today that Dead Nation has a sequel. I really need to read that book so I can jump into Deathless Divide, too.
Do you think you’ll be blogging reviews of either of those books?
My TTT .
For sure I will be!! I’m super excited. I’ll probably review them close-ish together, too, since that seems easiest. :3
This is an amazing list! Several of these are books I’m really looking forward to, but I’ll have to have to check out the ones I hadn’t heard about. I thought 2019 was a good year for books, but 2020 is looking like it will be fantastic <3
Fantastic, yes. The publishers are having no mercy on us. xD I’ve never felt so much pressure to read all the books as I have this year! lol
I can’t believe out of all those we only have The Kingdom of Back in common! 😉 And yes, this week’s prompt is killing my goal of not adding to my overflowing tbr! Oh well.
Happy Reading! My TTT
You Let Me In sounds thoroughly creepy and I am here. for. it. Also, how could I forget Harrow the Ninth is coming out this year?!
I think Harrow the Ninth is my most anticipated release of 2020 right now. xD
Wow so many exciting books! I still need to read Dread Nation. I wanted to read it last year but didn’t get round to it.
It was one of my most anticipated releases in 2018, and I bought it shortly after it came out, and then I kept putting off reading it for some reason. xD So I hear you on that.
I think I’ll re read witchmark before stormsong comes out, and I need to get to Gideon before Harrow hope I like them 🙂
It seems like half of these should be on my list too! Good picks and thanks for stopping by my blog!
I hope you get to read them this year, too!
OOOH I want to read Chosen Ones too! Awesome list, I’ll definitely add some of them to my TBR 😀
I hope you enjoy them if you get to read them. 😉 I was *just* approved for an ARC of Chosen Ones, and now I’m all sorts of excited to read it!
This is such a great list! I see quite a few I want to read.
I hope you get to. 😀
Thanks!
So many awesome looking books – I can’t wait for Truelife!
Kristoff will always be an auto-read author for me. xD I’m officially convinced.
So many good titles on your list! I haven’t heard of The Deep but I’m intrigued to add it to my tbr.
I recently acquired the first 2 books in the Miss Peregrine’s series, so I definitely have some catching up to do. My sister strongly recommended it to me.
So many books to look forward to. How does one find the time?
I’m gonna be honest in that I haven’t read Miss Peregrine’s series yet. xD I plan on taking time to binge read it right before the new book comes out so it’ll still be fresh in my mind.
I don’t know … Time Turner? If it was good enough for Hermione …
I don’t know, it seemed to take its toll on her… (I just read that book for the first time last month!) Here’s hoping we both enjoy the Miss Peregrine books!
I love that you featured so many books and gave those short little summaries saying what they’re about. Great format! I will definitely be referring back to this list to find some new releases to read.
The other day I saw The Conference of the Birds in the store and it reminded me about the new books, I totally forgot about them. I haven’t read the fourth one but I loved the original books, so I will try to get to the new ones this year. Also, I could read about the Montague siblings for eternity, so I can’t wait!
Cover designers are really stepping up their game, it’s not even funny. They’re really out here trying to make me spend all my money on books, just to hang them on my wall as art.
Thanks! Hopefully, the summaries are accurate, since some of the later releases had very little to go on, so I was winging it. xD
I haven’t read A Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue yet (despite having it forever), so I’m really looking forward to meeting the Montague siblings! I’ve heard so many good things about them.
RIGHT?! Publishers legit need to start selling more items with their cover art on them, because while I try not to own too many books, I would for sure buy bookmarks, posters, and journals with these covers on them. Talk about a missed opportunity.
Yep yep, this list just killed me and my TBR. I WANT TO PRE-ORDER AND READ ALL THE BOOKS NOW! I just added You Let Me In, House of Dragons, and Maya and the Rising Dark to my TBR list and I have a feeling I’ll be going back and adding a lot more to my list.
And OH OH OH! I just finished reading The Will and the Wilds. It was a pretty fun and light romantic fantasy. Actuallyyyyyyy, do you want a physical ARC of it? I know you already have a lot of ARCs you’re trying to tackle, but I accidentally got sent 2 copies of the book by the publisher, and I really don’t need both copies and it would make me really happy to see someone else have the other… 😀
I hope you’re able to get your hands on these books on your list this year because I can’t wait to read your thoughts on them! Happy reading! <3
RIP your TBR. xD I’m seriously on the fence about whether I want to order a hardback Ashlords and try to shoehorn my library into taking it for their collection or whether I want to just get it on Kindle and be done with it. So many decisions. XD
Awww thank you so much for the offer! But I actually got an eARC of it! So exciting. I’m reading it now, and I’m a little in love with it. I’m getting sort of Howl’s Moving Castle vibes? Maybe that’s just me. But I’m glad that the story is still giving me those vibes, because it’s beautiful and dark and someone let this dang woman go to college already, sheesh.
Oooh, that’s a difficult decision…I mean, if you can get your library to pay for it…but then you’ll have to wait for them to order it… How desperate are you to get your hands on it?
And gotcha! Well, if you hear of anyone else eager to read it, send them my way!
And hmmm, I can sorta see what ya mean? And haha, yes! But I’m glad you’re enjoying it! Lol, I stayed up till 3:30am one night to read a big chunk of the book. 😀
No, the library won’t pay for it. xD I’d be paying for it, with the understanding that they put it in their catalog lol.
I will for sure keep that in mind! I just finished it yesterday. Couldn’t stop reading haha.
Dang it, I was really hoping for ya!
And nice! It was such a quick, addicting read, wasn’t it? Can’t wait to read your overall thoughts on it! Ahhh, I still need to go type up my review of the book, eek!
I am also pumped for The Only Good Indians. I forgot a few books for my list. *head desk*
I found a lot of books I forgot while I was browsing other posts, so I hear you. xD Too dang many good books this year.
Wow, what a huge list! Ashlords and Aurora Burning are on my wishlist too. Happy reading!
Yay for A books! xD
Oh no! So many of these are sequels, so I’ll need to read the first book(s) first… Yikes!
Yeeeeah … last year kind of saw a lot of first books that I picked up. xD Time to start the wait for lots of trilogies again. 😛
At least that means you enjoyed the first books! 😉
Well … that’s true. xD But if they could stop releasing so many good books all at once, that’d be great. Have mercy!
WAIT DID YOU JUST SAY MOBY DICK WITH DRAGONS?? I HATE Moby Dick with a passion, but like that concept almost interests me.
Sooo … your comment totally got stuck in my trash, because I just realized that every time I talk about this book, I say Moby Dick and then people comment Moby Dick and then my filter has a fit and spazzes. xD BUT YES THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT I SAID AND IT WAS AND YOU SHOULD READ IT. Moby Dick suffers from the same thing all classics do in that the writing just isn’t … modern? What worked then storytelling-wise just doesn’t work as well anymore. This is definitely a modern writing, easy to fall into, and just fabulous!
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