This week I’m shining a light on YA science fiction! If you missed my list last week, I highlighted 12 Adult Science Fiction Books to Read in 2020. I have to admit I really struggled to find twelve books for this list. YA is inundated with fantasy, and it’s much harder to track down actual SF. For that reason, some of the books on this list have elements of science fiction, but they might be genre mashups with touches of fantasy as well. Hopefully you can find something new to add to your YA “must read” lists! Take a look:
1.
The Vanished Birds by Simon Jimenez. Release date: January 14. This story sounds so good, and exactly the kind of time travel/found family story I’m craving.
2.
The Stars We Steal by Alexa Donne. Release date: February 4. Despite the fantasy-like cover, I believe this story takes place in space, which is the reason it’s on this list. The story seems heavy on romance, but it still sounds pretty interesting.
3.
The Sound of Stars by Alechia Dow. Release date: February 25. An alien construct meets a book lover with an illegal library and falls in love with music…sounds like an interesting blend of elements!
4.
Rebelwing by Andrea Tang. Release date: February 25. This is definitely a fantasy/science fiction mash-up, but I think it has promise. Dragons and dystopia!
5.
Girls With Razor Hearts by Suzanne Young. Release date: March 17. I’ve decided to include a couple of sequels, simply because both series are getting awesome reviews. First up, this is the sequel to Girls With Sharp Sticks, which I have a copy of but haven’t been able to read yet. I definitely want to make an attempt now that the second book will be out soon.
6.
Between Burning Worlds by Jessica Brody & Joanne Rendell. This is another sequel I want to read, based on the positive reviews I’ve read for Sky Without Stars. This continues the reimagining of Les Miserables.
7.
Bonds of Brass by Emily Skrutskie. Release date: April 7. I’ve already featured this book on Future Fiction, but I wanted to bring it back again because I do love Skrutskie’s books. This sounds like a sprawling space opera, the first in a series, with LGBTQ+ characters.
8.
Hard Wired by Len Vlahos. Release date: April 28. This sounds so good, and I love this cover! A boy who thinks he’s normal discovers one day that he’s actually an A.I.!
9.
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins. Release date: May 19. I mean, I kind of have to have this book on the list, right? I’m actually really looking forward to it. A prequel to The Hunger Games that takes place 64 years before.
10.
Agnes at the End of the World by Kelly McWilliams. Release date: June 9. A dystopia involving cults and viral pandemics? Yes I would like to read this, please:-D
11.
Fragile Remedy by Maria Ingrande Mora. Release date: June 16. A boy who was genetically modified to be a cure for a genetically fatal disease. I think this story could have potential! And if you’re looking for LGBTQ+ representation, this might be a good one. Also, I urge you say the author’s name out loud. It’s glorious!
12.
Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland. Release date: August 4. This sounds amazing, and I think it might work well for the middle grade crowd as well. A Mexican-American teen’s mom disappeared three years ago, but one day she returns—in an alien spaceship. Sounds like fun!
I haven’t heard of the majority of these! I must admit I’m not interested in the new Hunger Games book, but it’s nice to see other fans really excited about it. I love the sound of The Sound of Stars and Agnes at the End of the World is going straight on my TBR, too!
Jess @ Jessticulates recently posted…#SciFiMonth Top Ten Tuesday | My Time Travel TBR
I can’t wait for The Sound of Stars too!
I haven’t heard of most of these. Thanks for sharing. A few have made it on the TBR.
Then my job is complete, lol:-)
Well I’m glad you found 12! I’ll admit, after that other list went bust I tried poking around for another list to help, and found very little.
I’m also excited for The Vanished Birds and I had no idea there was a Hunger Games prequel coming out! Which sounds amazing.
I definitely had to widen my search, that’s why there are some books that have fantasy elements as well.
The Vanished Birds, Fragile Remedy and Rebelwing are all calling to me – as well as the Hunger Games prequel, of course… Thank you for yet another astonishingly good list, Tammy!
Aww thanks Sarah. I think there are some good ones here.
I’m interested in Bonds of Brass… I read another one by this author and really liked it.
I’ve read her too and I enjoyed what I’ve read so far.
I’m looking forward to The Vanished Birds. The cover of Agnes at the End of the World reminds me of Wilder Girls, and it does sound good. I’m not sure about the Hunger Games book. I mean, I’ll definitely end up reading it, but I’m not convinced we really need more stories from that world.
Good point, sometimes an author just takes things too far, and to be honest, I’m curious to see what else she can write.
I’m excited about The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Just hope it isn’t just a filler book. Would love to get back into that world and new characters.
Me too, I have a feeling it will be more than filler, at least I hope:-)
The release of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes will be so huge. I can’t wait! 😀
Stephanie @ Bookfever recently posted…Cover Reveal: Once A Myth by Pepper Winters
I think it’s going to be good, I’m very excited:-)
Excellent list! I have an ARC of The Stars We Steal from YALLWest I plan on reading…at some point….
Caitlin G. recently posted…Top Five Tuesday: Authors I Need to Read (Sci-Fi Month)
Ooh YallWest, did I miss something?
That Hunger Games prequel looks very, very interesting! 🙂
Maddalena@spaceandsorcery recently posted…Sci-Fi Month 2019: THE VOR GAME, by Lois McMaster Bujold #SciFiMonth
Yes, I hope it lives up the inevitable hype!
Great list! I tend to like my sciFi mixed with fantasy anyway so a lot of these sound right up my alley! Though my favorite cover is Agnes at the End of the World but I don’t think it sounds all that good
Brittany recently posted…Veterans Day and SciFi War Stories
I agree, I love that SF/fantasy mash up too:-)
There are so many of these that I can’t wait to read, especially that THG prequel. 🙂
I know, I both excited and a little scared to read the HG prequel:-)
I’ll need to keep an eye on these. I really want to explore some sff YA next year which I never read.
YA is sometimes hit or miss, but I think some of these have potential:-)
I actually haven’t heard of any of these except Suzanne Collins’ latest prequel. Says a lot about what I prefer reading huh hahah Thanks for sharing, Tammy! 😀
Lashaan Balasingam recently posted…Superman: Year One by Frank Miller
Ha ha, yeah if you don’t read YA much, it doesn’t surprise me that these are all new to you!
The Vanished Birds is one I’m really excited about as is that Hunger Games prequel. I think that’ one is going to be amazing!
Suzanne @ The Bookish Libra recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday – 10 Bookmarks I’d Love to Add to My Collection
I have high hopes for the prequel, I can’t wait:-)
I’m most excited about the Hunger Games prequel, Tammy. I can’t wait, really! Fab list!
Me too, I have a feeling it’s going to be fantastic:-)
You had me at dragons and dystopia. <3 Rebelwing is definitely going on my TBR. Agnes at the End of the World has such an eye-catching cover, and again … dystopia! And also … birds! I'm such a simple person. xD I hadn't heard of any of these yet, but there's lots of interesting sci-fi books coming out next year to look forward to!
Sammie @ The Writerly Way recently posted…Quotes I’ve Left in Books
I adore dystopia too, I just can’t get enough:-)
Girls With Razor Hearts- I can’t wait for that one after loving the first book! Also the prem ise of Hard Wired sounds fabulous.
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I really need to catch up with Girls with Sharp Sticks, so I can read the sequel:-)
Wow, I’m way behind on the world of YA sci-fi apparently, these are all new to me, except for the two sequels, lol! I definitely want to continue with those though, loved the first books. But you’re right, YA is dominated by fantasy, this has helped me put some interesting books on my list.
Mogsy @ BiblioSanctum recently posted…#SciFiMonth Audiobook Review: Interference by Sue Burke
We definitely need some more high quality YA SF:-)
Uhm hello dragon on the cover there. Color me interested.
Ha ha yes to all the dragons!
Most of these are new to me. And I have to admit that I’d grab some of them just because of the fascinating covers. LOL
Laura Thomas recently posted…Storm Of Secrets by Loretta Marion ~ Spotlight and Giveaway
You and me both, good covers will definitely make me try something:-)
I haven’t read any of these! My SF reading is definitely weaker than my Fantasy reading haha. I’ll have to look for more YA SF. Great recs! 🙂
It’s definitely easier to find YA fantasy;-)
Girls with Razor Hearts is high on my list of anticipated reads. Love this list.
Lynn
I am so ridiculously excited for the Hunger Games prequel! And The Sound of Stars sounds so interesting, I’ll definitely have to put it on my TBR for next year 🙂
Quite the compilation here! I’m curious about your thoughts on the prequel to Hunger Games–there’s been such a mixed reaction to it because I don’t think people wanted to know about a villain they liked hating being a good guy once upon a time.