Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted at That Artsy Reader Girl. Each week you compile a list of ten books which coincide with that week’s theme. You can find everything you need to know about joining in here!
This week’s theme is all about anticipated 2020 releases, and I have a feeling 2020 is going to be a year of amazing books! So today I’m chatting about the 2020 releases being published between January-June that I can’t wait to read.
January
Dark and Deepest Red by Anna-Marie McLemore: This sounds right up my street. It has hints of witchcraft and honestly that’s all I need to know to pick up a book.
One of Us Is Next by Karen M. McManus: I didn’t expect to enjoy One of Us Is Lying as much as I did, but I had a lot of fun with it and I’m looking forward to this sequel following some different characters.
The Storm of Life by Amy Rose Capetta: I really enjoyed The Brilliant Death, so I’m looking forward to the sequel! I’ll never say no to Italian-inspired fantasy.
Spellhacker by M.K. England: A YA fantasy heist novel? Yes please! Also, just look at that gorgeous cover!
Foul is Fair by Hannah Capin: I received an eARC of Capin’s latest book through NetGalley, so I’d like to read it really soon. It’s a YA thriller, inspired by Macbeth, which follows a group of girls’ revenge after one of them is attacked by a group of golden boys. It sounds dark and delicious, and I love the cover.
February
The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave: This is a novel about 17th century witch trials and a sapphic romance. Naturally, I need it.
Shorefall by Robert Jackson Bennett: I loved Foundryside and I’m so excited for more from this world and these characters in the sequel!
Deathless Divide by Justina Ireland: Yet another sequel for yet another novel I read and loved in 2019, Dread Nation. Turns out I really enjoy zombie stories, especially if they’re in a historic setting, and I’m so excited for more of Jane.
Meat Cute by Gail Carriger: This novelette is a prequel to Soulless, the first book in one of my favourite series, which finally tells the story of Alexia and Conall met, a.k.a. The hedgehog incident.
Untamed Shore by Silvia Moreno-Garcia: This is Moreno-Garcia’s first novel outside of speculative fiction, this time a thriller set in 1970s Mexico, and I’m really excited to check it out. I loved the noir vibes in Certain Dark Things, so I’m sure I’ll love this one too!
Upright Women Wanted by Sarah Gailey: You all know by now how much I love my fantasy westerns, but give me a fantasy western with a heroine who’s a queer librarian and I’m all over it.
The Unspoken Name by A.K. Larkwood: This fantasy debut not only has a queer heroine, but I believe she’s also an orc? This one’s already getting amazing reviews and I’m very intrigued.
March
The City We Became by N. K. Jemisin: I loved Jemisin’s Broken Earth trilogy so there’s no way I’m not going to read whatever she releases next.
The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo: An Asian-inspired fantasy Tor novella from the point of view of a lady-in-waiting who watches her empress’s rise to power. It sounds wonderful.
Conjure Women by Afia Atakora: This novel has a mother and daughter with a gift for healing, so I want it.
Livingston Girls by Briana Morgan: Witches + boarding school = yes please. One of my reading goals for 2020 is to read at least on self-published novel, so I definitely want to give this one a try!
When We Were Magic by Sarah Gailey: Sarah Gailey’s second appearance on my list this week! Give me witches and I will read it. I’m trash for witches and I’m not sorry.
Witches of Ash & Ruin by E. Latimer: This YA novel is set in Ireland and features witchcraft, Celtic mythology and a bi MC. I’d like it now, please.
When You Were Everything by Ashley Woodfolk: Friendships have always been more important to me than romantic relationships, so I’m loving the slow and steady rise of friendship break-up storylines in YA fiction.
A Phoenix First Must Burn: Sixteen Stories of Black Girl Magic, Resistance, and Hope ed. by Patrice Caldwell: This anthology sounds so good. I’d like it now please.
The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune: This m/m fantasy novel featuring orphans and a found family sounds bonkers, and I really want to try it. It’s super expensive, though, so I’m not sure when I’m going to get my hands on it because my library’s rubbish.
April
The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix: A woman’s book club team up to defeat a vampire in the 1990s. What’s not to love about that premise?
In the Role of Brie Hutchens… by Nicole Melleby: I’ve yet to read a queer MG novel, and this contemporary about a young girl in a Catholic school who dreams of being an actress and is beginning to question her sexuality sounds wonderful.
Queen of Coin and Whispers by Helen Corcoran: Sapphic fantasy with a romance between a new queen and her spymaster. That’s all I need to know. Also this author is Irish, and I want to read more Irish authors in 2020!
Chosen Ones by Veronica Roth: I DNF’d Divergent and I wasn’t interested in Carve the Mark, but I really like the sound of Roth’s first adult novel; I love the rise in stories about what happens to the ‘chosen one’ after they’ve done what they were chosen to do.
May
The Life and (Medieval) Times of Kit Sweetly by Jamie Pacton: This YA contemporary follows a girl fighting the patriarchy in the medieval-themed restaurant she works at and it sounds like so much fun.
The Scapegracers by Hannah Abigail Clarke: Again, WITCHCRAFT. That’s all I need to know.
Something to Talk About by Meryl Wilsner: I really like the sound of this f/f romance!
Dangerous Remedy by Kat Dunn: I’m intrigued by this one, but I’m not as excited about it as I am some of the other books on this list purely because I often find books set in France or starring French protagonists that aren’t written by French authors kind of cringe-inducing? The French Revolution seems to be something of a trend in YA at the moment, though, and it’s a period of history I’d like to read more about.
Out Now: Queer We Go Again ed. by Saundra Mitchell: I still need to read Mitchell’s previous anthology, All Out, but there’s no way I’m not pre-ordering this one, too. Give ma all the LGBT+ content! This one’s particularly exciting as I believe there’s going to be some ace rep.
June
Such Big Teeth by Gabby Hutchinson Crouch: I loved Darkwood, the first book in this Middle Grade series, and I can’t wait to get my hands on this second book.
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia: 2020 is a blessed year for Moreno-Garcia fans such as myself, because Mexican Gothic is the second of two new novels from her in the first half of the year. I know very little about what this book is about, but I know I want it in my hands immediately. Also that cover is stunning.
The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water by Zen Cho: I enjoyed two novelettes by Cho in 2019, If at First You Don’t Succeed, Try, Try Again and The Terracotta Bride, so I’m definitely interested in checking out this new novella featuring a band of thieves.
Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas: I want to read a lot more Latinx stories in 2020, and ever since I read and loved Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Signal to Noise I’ve been to drawn to Latinx novels that feature witchcraft; this one sounds wonderful.
Dragon Unleashed by Grace Draven: I didn’t like Phoenix Unbound very much, but as this companion novel is following different characters I do want to give it a try! I love the banned/forbidden magic trope in fantasy stories, and I want more romantasy in my life after I read and loved Entreat Me.
A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow: This book has a gorgeous cover and the premise is so interesting. It sounds like the perfect summer read!
Jessticulates 
One of these years I MUST give a Gail Carringer novel a chance. I hear good things, I just never read them. Oh! I remember seeing ‘Kit Sweetly’ somewhere too now I see it here. It sounds (and let’s be real *looks*) way cute! 🙂 Hope you enjoy all of these, Jessica, and thanks for the Finding Wonderland visit last week.
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Thanks Rissi! Gail Carriger’s work is so much fun – she’s the author I turn to when I need cheering up. 🙂
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Well that added another 4 books to my TBR list. LOL! Great post!
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I honestly want to read so many of these too that I don’t even know where to start! I need The Mercies and Upright Women Wanted like, more than I need AIR basically. Deathless Divide was AWESOME- even better than Dread Nation, I daresay! I have a handful of these for review, so fingers crossed that we both love them!!
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I’m dying for Shorefall! It’s going to be amazing! How did I not know about about Meat Cute – that’s going to be awesome. 🙂
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I feel in like with Dark and Deepest Red as soon as I saw the cover! The synopsis had me completely sold! It looks like you’ve got quite the list. Some I haven’t heard of, and I’m sure I’ll be adding them to my TBR. I have an ARC of The Mercies that I’m really looking forward to getting to. 🙂
Lindsi @ Do You Dog-ear? 💬
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I’m interested in Dark and Deepest Red, but I’ll admit I haven’t read a book by that author I’ve enjoyed yet so I’m also hesitant. I just read One of Us Is Lying so I want to read the sequel as well! And Spell Hacker looks like a lot of fun.
Great list! I like that you divided it by month for releases. 🙂
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I’m kind of obsessed with that Mexican Gothic cover, too! I have it on my TBR but I also don’t really know what it’s about.
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I hope we both enjoy it!
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Foul is Fair and Shorefall both made my list this week too.
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I’m so excited for Shorefall!
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The Mercies made my list too. A lot of people are excited about One Of Us Is Next. I’ve seen it on a ton of lists today. I hope you enjoy all these!
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Thanks! I hope we both enjoy The Mercies. 🙂
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I just picked up a copy of One of Us is Lying, so I’m excited to see what all the hype is about. 😉
My TTT
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I hope you enjoy it!
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Haven’t heard of Conjured Women, but I am intrigued. Happy reading!
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Thanks, the same to you! 😀
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Looking forward to The Chosen Ones. Spellhacker has a great cover. I’m happy to see The Livingston Girls up here because Briana Morgan is so nice on Twitter.
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Yeah, she seems super nice! I agree – I love the Spellhacker cover. 🙂
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There are so many interesting books on this list! Dark and Deepest Red and Spell Hacker sound really interesting, and I hadn’t heard about Veronica Roth’s new book yet, that sounds like an awesome premise! Great list!
My TTT
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Thanks! I only heard about Chosen Ones fairly recently, but I’m very intrigued. 🙂
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This is a great selection of books and I can’t wait to read so many of them myself 😍😍😍
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Thanks, I hope you enjoy them!
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Dread Nation is still on my TBR so glad to hear you enjoyed it and the sequel is almost here! Maybe I can binge-read them 🙂
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Dread Nation is a really fun read, so I imagine it and Deathless Divide will be very bingeable!
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I hope you love all of these books! And I had no idea Dread Nation had a sequel coming out. Neat.
My TTT . Thanks for stopping by earlier.
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Thanks Lydia! Yes, I’m very excited for Deathless Divide. 😀
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Something to Talk About sounds like such a great read.
Here is our Top Ten Tuesday. Thanks for stopping by already!
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It sounds like a really fun contemporary romance for the spring. 🙂
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The Mercies sounds fascinating. I haven’t read much from that time period – and certainly not from that setting.
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It’s one I’m really looking forward to getting my hands on!
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I hadn’t heard of some of these before. I will definitely be adding them to my TBR!
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I hope you enjoy them!
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SO MANY books on here I’m excited about! Grady Hendrix’s new book, Dragon Unleashed, Mexican Gothic and Untamed Shore are some of my most anticipated books:-)
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Yeeees I’m SO excited for Mexican Gothic!
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There are some beautiful covers in there.
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There are lots of pretty covers this year!
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A Phoenix First Must Burn has a beautiful cover and sounds interesting! I didn’t know Veronica Roth was coming out with an adult novel, I’ll have to look into it. I loved Divergent but the rest of the series I could live without. Great list!
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I only discovered Chosen Ones fairly recently, too – I’m definitely intrigued, though!
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I want to read so many of these. I just added The House in the Cerulean Sea to my list, because I hadn’t heard of that one.
-Lauren
http://www.shootingstarsmag.net
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It’s one I only heard of recently, too, but it definitely sounds interesting!
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Ooh, The Mercies sounds great! And I do need to finally read my copies of Dread Nation and Foundryside so I can read the sequels. 🙂 I absolutely NEED the new Grady Hendrix book too!
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I recommend them both – they’re both so fun!
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Omg so many amazing looking/sounding books! I haven’t heard of half of them but some of them are on my longer-than-ten anticipated releases list on GR 😂 I hope you enjoy all of these, Jess!
My TTT post
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Thanks Dini! 😀
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Scrolling through your list made me realize that book covers are really becoming better and better every year! These all look amazing. A Phoenix First Must Burn made it onto my list too. I hope you’ll love all of these when you get to them 🙂
My TTT.
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Yes, there are so many beautiful covers this year!
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I totally need to get One Of Us Is Next! Untamed Shore sounds great too!
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I hope you enjoy them both if you pick them up!
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