Hi friends! I’m back again today to talk about some of my most anticipated releases for the upcoming year, yay!
I shared my most anticipated list of young adult contemporary books releasing in 2020 last week and, today, I’m ready to share with you all my anticipated reads in other genres : fantasy, science-fiction, magical realism and retellings.
As you all might know by now, I’m mostly a contemporary reader, so this list shall be a little shorter, but, if you want my opinion, still filled with little gems you should add to your TBRs! Also, if you have any recommendation of books you think I might enjoy, feel free to recommend them to me in comments!
✨ My Most Anticipated YA Reads for 2020
We Unleash the Merciless Storm, Tehlor Kay Mejia
Publishing February 25th, 2020 by Katherine Tegen Books.
Why I want it ? Okay so you might know by now how much I adore We Set the Dark On Fire and… well, if you didn’t before, you do now. This is one of my favorite books of ALL times and I am PUMPED for its sequel SO much I am screaming. If you haven’t read the first book, PLEASE PLEASE DO it is majestic.
? find it on goodreads
Where Dreams Descend, Janella Angeles
Publishing June 2nd, 2020 by Wednesday Books.
Why I want it ? This book sounds so, so good and I’m just too curious about it. It’s about a magician competition and blurbed as Phantom of the Opera meets Moulin Rouge, this sounds like it has a powerfull badass main character and I’m just sooo impatient to discover it.
? find it on goodreads
The Electric Heir, Victoria Lee
Publishing March 17th, 2020 by Skyscape.
Why I want it ? I loved The Fever King SO MUCH and I just can’t wait to read this sequel and get my heart and emotions destroyed OKAY.
? find it on goodreads
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Suzanne Collins
Publishing on May 19th, 2020 by Scholastic.
Why I want it ? A NEW HUNGER GAMES BOOK? I’m terrified and screaming and also really really reaaaaally anticipating this.
? find it on goodreads
The Fascinators, Andrew Eliopulos
Publishing May 12th 2020 by HarperTeen.
Why I want it ? This is pitched as Simon vs. meets The Raven Boys. This has a small town setting, a boy in love with his best friend and apparently some magic here and there and I’m…. well, fascinated by this book already, excuse the pun.
? find it on goodreads
The Sound of Stars, Alechia Dow
Publishing February 25th, 2020 by Inkyard Press.
Why I want it ? A world where all art and books are illegal and the main character keeps a secret library? A book about humanity and what it means to be human and an alien falling in love with music and I don’t know about you but this sounds so good?
? find it on goodreads
Half Life, Lillian Clark
Publishing June 9th, 2020 by Knopf Books for Young Readers.
Why I want it ? This is about a perfectionist and overachiever getting into an experimental cloning program and this sounds twisted and addictive and I’m SO curious I can’t wait to read it.
? find it on goodreads
Layoverland, Gabby Noone
Publishing January 21th, 2020 by Razorbill.
Why I want it ? Maybe this fits in contemporary reads, but I’m keeping it here because it’s set in purgatory and the main character is going to help souls move on… including Caleb’s, the boy responsible for landing her here in the first place. This sounds like a unique romcom with The Good Place vibes and I’m here for it.
? find it on goodreads
Of Curses and Kisses, Sandhya Menon
Publishing February 18th, 2020 by Simon Pulse.
Why I want it ? Same as above, this could be placed in a contemporary list, but it’s a retelling and it has a curse and honestly let’s keep it here because why not. It’s a loose retelling of Beauty & The Beast and it’s set in a boarding school and what more do I want, I don’t know.
? find it on goodreads
Scavenge the Stars, Tara Sim
Publishing January 7th, 2020 by Disney Hyperion
Why I want it ? This is a gender-swapped retelling of The Conte of Monte Cristo and it’s about a main character wanting revenge on someone who ruined her family and this sounds badass and I’m here for it okay and look at that cover???
? find it on goodreads
Girl, Serpent, Thorn, Melissa Bashardoust
Publishing May 20th, 2020 by Flatiron Books.
Why I want it ? I loved this author’s debut, Girls Made of Snow and Glass and am SO excited to read more from her. Girl, Serpent, Thorn, sounds absolutely lovely, once again a retelling, about a girl poisonous to the touch. This is inspired from a Persian fairy tale, from what I understood and I’m just so excited to discover this!!
? find it on goodreads
Do you want to read any of these books?
What are some of your most anticipated releases for 2020? I’d love to know your recommendations in comments!
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Layoverland and Of Curses & Kisses are high on my list. Curses, because Menon is on a short list of YA authors I adore, and the concept of Layoverland simply caught my attention, and I am intersted to see how the author excuted it.
Ahh yay! Happy to hear this 🙂 I agree, I can’t wait to discover how the concept of Layover land ends up being executed. I hope it will be good 😀
I’m looking forward to Scavenge the Stars – I’ve been meaning to try Tara Sim’s work for a while – and Of Curses and Kisses sounds interesting, but I’m probably going to wait for some reviews before I decide if I’m going to pick it up or not. I need to read We Set the Dark On Fire and The Fever King – I’ve heard so many good things about them both!
Ahh same here! Timekeeper has been on my TBR since forever and Scavenge the Stars sounds so good. I hope we’ll both love it 🙂
YES! I hope you’ll read both We Set The Dark on Fire and The Fever King, they’re both incredible, I loved them SO much 😀
Thank you, Jess! <3
The Ballad of Singbirds and Snakes is also on my most anticipated. I’m actually going to reread The Hunger Games trilogy before it comes out
Aahhh yes, I can’t wait for that one! That’s such a great idea, immerse yourself into the world entirely. I can’t WAIT 😀
Thank you for the recs! I added Half Life, Layoverland and Girl, Serpent, Thorn to my crowded TBR 🙂
AH THIS made my entire day, thank you!! I hope you’ll love them 😀
I feel like I’m so unaware of new releases lately, I’m focusing on my reducing my TBR so much that I’m forget to research new books to add ^^
Oh I get that – I should really do that, too, my TBR is SO out of control hahaha. Give me some of your magical powers to control it haha
Haha! Well I’m not saying I’m successful ?? the worst part is that I don’t add sequels to my tbr so when I read 3 books, only one of them actually was on my TBR! What a mess
OH MY GOD BUT I DO THAT TOO?? ? I mean, I constantly forget about sequels ?
Oohh… so many of these books sound so good!!
I need to read the first books for We Unleash the Merciless Sea and The Electric Heir because I really feel like I will love them!! I’m so excited ?
The pitch for The Fascinators sounds incredible. The magic and the romance!! YES!!
Layoverland sounds so interesting and I hadn’t heard of it!! But the plot sounds great !!
Ahh… wonderful list Marie! Thank you for sharing!! ?
Ahhh yes Sophie, I hope you will and please feel free to come scream about them with me afterwards haha. I love these books 😀
RIGHT?? I’m just so pumped for The Fascinators, it sounds so great 😀
Thank you!! <3
Yes definitely screaming will be required!! ??
It sounds so amazing!! 🙂
NEW HUNGER GAMES BOOK! That’s my most-anticipated 2020 book. I need it now.
YES! Same here, I just can’t wait 😀
Girl, Serpent, Thorn sounds amazing and the cover is too beautiful! ???
So many good releases in 2020, I’ll start saving money ?
RIGHT? I love that cover and that synopsis and everything about it?
yes haha we better start saving up right now 😛
Thank you! <3
Oh I can’t wait for the electric heir, the ballad of songbirds and snakes and Scavange the stars!
(www.evelynreads.com)
AHH yay! I hope you’ll love them 😀
The Sound of Stars and Girl, Serpent, Thorn sound sooooo good. They all sound good but I think these two books really stood out to me. A secret library? Sign me up. 2020 cannot come soon enough. I am so excited! 😀
Amber @ Escape Life in the Pages
Right? They sound amazing, I can’t wait to read them 😀
Thank you so much for your comment, Amber!
I’m still on the fence about that Hunger Games addition. I don’t want it to change the way I feel about that series.
Oh I so get that, I’m so nervous about it just as well. I know I’m going to read it, I can’t help it, but I’m still very nervous. Hopefully it will be good!
So many books on this list sound amazing! Especially The Sound of Stars. I am always looking for more books about books! But I’m not sure what to think about the new Hunger Games book… For me the story ended with Mockingjay and I didn’t expect or need a new book. At the same time I really want to know more about it!
AHhh yes, me too! I can’t wait to read the sound of stars 🙂
I get that, I really didn’t expect another Hunger Games book. Part of me is excited, while another part of me is way too nervous about it haha. Hopefully it will be good!
Thank you so much for your comment <3
Girl, Serpent, Thorn sounds amazing … but, I’m mostly transfixed by the cover of The Fascinators. And by that’s I mean his arm. Maybe it’s just my screen, but it looks like it’s bending like a spaghetti noodle. (Arms don’t bend that way.)
I just spent 5 long minutes analyzing that cover, I didn’t even notice??? I feel like maybe it’s either because of the pink effect on the arm, or an hint of the magic in the story… either way, I am intrigued by this book 😀
I cannot wait to get my hands on THE ELECTRIC HEIR!! The first book broke me
RIGHT??? ME TOO, I can’t wait and am terrified to see what will happen next haha.
I don’t know if I’m more worried for Dara or Noam
I’m terrified for both ?
Great post, I can’t wait for The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes but I’m also really apprehensive about picking it up ?☃️
Thank you so much!! I feel the same way, I’m so nervous about it, but excited, too. I hope it will be good 😀
You’re welcome ☃️?
What???? Suzanne Collins has a new Hunger games book coming????
I KNOW RIGHT??? It was a shock to me too when I found out, I didn’t expect it AT ALL! I can’t wait!
I’m actually gonna make a post about my most anticipated early-2020 releases soon but the only book on your list I’ve actually heard of is the new hunger games book whoops… But yeah, dunno what to think, hopefully excitement but also I read that series when I was like 11 so… My top picks are mainly series continuations, they’re the new books in the Shatter Me, Stillhouse Lake, Orphan X, and Rockton series; plus Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare which might as well be classified as a series continuation.
Ahhh that’s so great, I can’t wait to read it 😀
Same here, I’m excited about the book, but also very nervous. I hope it will be good!
I still need to catch up on the Shatter Me series, I can’t wait to do so 🙂
I’m excited for quite a few of these!
YAY! happy to hear this 😀
🙂
Omg yesss, when I saw that Suzanne Collins was bringing out another book, I got SO EXCITED!! After reading my first YA fantasy series with SoC, I want to dive into so many other YA fantasy worlds xx
AHH yes same here, I can’t wait to read it 😀
I hope you’ll maybe find some reads you’ll love here! 🙂
Oh man! I am excited for the Fascinators!!!!
AHHH same here it sounds SO GOOD I can’t waitttt 😀
I can’t wait for the new Hunger Games book! Bringing me back to my middle school days <3
Ahhh same here, I really hope it will be good! 😀
Didn’t think I’d find new books here, because I actually only read contemporary. BUT Layoverland sounds cute (and I LOVE the Good Place) and Of Curses and Kisses is on my list because anything Sandhya Menon writes, I’ll read. 😀
It makes me so happy you’re a contemporary lover as well <3 I am so intrigued by Layoverland! It seems contemporary, but with quite an unique setting and it has such a "the good place" vibe, I'm too curious! 🙂
I literally can not wait for Where Dreams Descend!! It sounds amazing and mentions Moulin Rogue so how could I not want it? I’m also seriously excited about The Hunger Games prequel and most of the others mentioned here. There are so many fantastic sounding books coming out next year. I’m also looking forward to Addie La Rue, Kingdom Of Back, Kerri Manscalco’s new series and a LOT more. I’m going to do a top 25 post soon and probably another for a top five for a few different genres as there are just so many books I want to read next year ? you might like Dark And Deepest Red?
RIGHT? it sounds like such a fascinating read, I can’t wait to discover it either 😀
Ohhhh yes! Dark and Deepest Red, I’ve heard a lot about that one and all of the other books by this author. They’re all on my TBR 😀
I hope we both love it. Yes they’re all on mine too. I’ve actually just brought Blanca & Roja so hopefully it won’t take me too long to get around to reading it.
Ahh that’s great! I hope you’ll end up loving it 🙂
Thank you ❤️
I am so so excited for The Electric Heir. I loved The Fever King so much and I can’t wait to see where the story goes next. The Sound of Stars, Of Curses and Kisses, Scavenge the Stars and Girl, Serpent, Thorn are on my anticipated list too. I hope we enjoy all these books 😀
AHHH YES same here, I can’t wait to see what happens next! Here’s to hoping we’ll love them all 😀
Again, I’m so BAD at keeping up with new releases xD But I had already known about Of Curses and Kisses and I had seen the cover of Girl, Serpent, Thorn so I’ll keep an eye out for both! Thank you so much for this list!! 😀
Ah you’re welcome, I’m so, so happy this could be useful <3
The Fascinators and Scavenge the Stars are on my list too!
Also, I’ve been waiting forever for the sequel for The Brilliant Death so I’m so happy it’s nearly here!! Oh, and The Dark Tide by Alicia Jasinska looks promising! I mean, evil witch + f/f enemies to lovers?? Yes, please!!!
YAY! These sound amazing!
Ohhh, thank you for this recommendation, I haven’t heard of it before but it sounds quite good??? I need to check it out! 😀
Layoverland and Dreams Descend is also my list, though I don’t know if I’ll actually get to them when they come out! Great list! 🙂
I hope you will!! Thank you so much, Nicole 🙂
Girl, Serpent, Thorn is already on my TBR – I love a good retelling!
Same here and this one sounds so good! I hope we’ll both love it 😀
EEEEK. I’M EXCITED FOR ALL OF THESE BOOKS TOO.
lmao, my comment posted before I was finished with it, but basically, I LOVE THIS LIST. I’m so excited for We Unleash the Merciless Storm (that cover ?), and to be reunited with Dani and Carmen, my loves. I also know that The Electric Heir will destroy me, but being able to continue Noam and Dara’s story will be WORTH IT. Also, I think you posted about getting an arc on Twitter, and I’m low key jealous haha :”) Ahhh, I’m so excited for Scavenge the Stars as well! That girl on the cover can stab me any time, hehe. And a gender-swapped retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo sound SO bad-ass <3 I hope you end up enjoying all of these + your anticipated contemporary reads!
AHHH yes this makes me very happy, thank you, Caitlin! I am so in love with The Merciless Storm’s cover, I can’t wait to be reunited with my favorites ???
RIGHT? I am ready to be destroyed by feels and everything happening in the electric heir haha. yes I feel way too lucky about it I don’t know how this happened i’m ???
YES! I’m so excited about Scavenge the Stars, it sounds WAY too incredible. I hope we’ll both love it 😀
I don’t think I’ve heard about any of these books before! Once again, my TBR took a beating, especially when I’ll be on a book buying ban in 2020 ?
Ahhh I’m happy I could make your TBR grow and…. maybe you can list these books as suggestions for your wishlist, for your birthday or something ?
The song of stars have such a pretty cover !!
However, out of all thoses you mentionned, Of curses and Kisses is the only one i’ve added to my virtual wanna read; as we all know im kinda wary of fantasies xD and that one sounds really sweet! Plus, many of them are sequels as of which I haven’t read the one before so merps x)
Right? I LOVE that cover so much 😀
I get that! I’d definitely recommend The Fever King and We Set The Dark on Fire if you feel like reading them, they’re incredible books <3
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes!!!!!!! I’m reading Scavenge the Stars right now. Not far in, but already loving it!!
YES so excited about that one! and I’m so happy you’re enjoying Scavenge the Stars, I can’t wait to read it!! 😀
As usual, I’m very excited about all the fantasy and sci-fi releases that are coming to us in 2020! I’m anticipating Where Dreams Descend, The Electric Heir and Layoverland as well, they all sound so good ? I’ve also been intrigued by Havenfall, The Will and the Wilds and When We Were Magic ?
Ah yes these all sound so good, I can’t wait to read them ! 😀 Thank you for these recommendations, I’ll have to check these out!! 🙂
I’d be willing to volunteer for The Hunger Games for a copy of A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes ?
Ahahah I get that, I’m SO EXCITED for this book to be released. Also a little bit terrified but well, haha.
That’s always a risk with books we put on such high pedestals, they might not meet expectations ?
Heres hoping A Ballad…etc etc does ?
Let’s hope so!! 🙂
Great post, Marie!! I am so pumped for a lot of these as well! Although I haven’t read anything by Tara Sim before, I LOVE the idea of a gender swapped Count of Monte Christo story! And, being the Hunger Games fan that I am, I cannot wait to get my hands on The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes! I have such high expectations for it! Hopefully it delivers! <3
Thank you so, so much, Kelly! I haven’t read anything by Tara Sim just yet, either, but I’m looking forward to it 😀
Thank you! <3