This year I’ve decided to do my “Most Anticipated” lists a little differently. In the past, I’ve followed the Top Ten Tuesday format of seasonal TBRs (winter, spring, summer, fall), but I like the idea of cleaner, more symmetrical quarterly lists, dividing the year into four neat segments. I’ve seen other bloggers use this format and I really love it! I’m linking up with The Top Ten Tuesday over at That Artsy Reader Girl!
Well, we’re in the final stretch of 2020—and the world is still suffering from COVID, climate change and political upheaval—and yet, in the midst of all the crap, there are books. And this has been quite the year for amazing SFF releases, despite all the challenges authors and publishers have faced. Going into the last quarter of the year, I was surprised to find my Most Anticipated list a little out of balance. I usually choose my top five reads for each month, in this case October, November and December, but I only have one December book for some reason. December is typically light on new releases, but this is so weird! My whole world is out of kilter now, lol. I’ve decided to still pick a total of 15 anticipated releases, but the bulk of them are October books, simply because October is so overloaded for me. Let’s dive in (click on the titles to read the blurb on Goodreads):
OCTOBER 2020
The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow. I’m currently reading this and loving it! Look for my review next week. Release date: October 13th.
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab. I’ve already read this book and was absolutely mesmerized by it! If you missed my review, it went up yesterday. Schwab has not only written a nearly perfect book, but she’s already written the script for the movie, so fingers crossed it will be in theatres someday:-D Release date: October 6th.
Black Sun (Between Earth and Sky #1) by Rebecca Roanhorse. No explanation needed! Black Sun is at the top of many Most Anticipated lists, I’m sure. Release date: October 13th.
How the Multiverse Got Its Revenge (The Thorne Chronicles #2) by K. Eason. I’m so excited for this sequel to a book that really surprised me last year, How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse. Release date: October 27th.
The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher. I’ve seen some enthusiastic reviews for this already and I can’t wait to dive into this spooky story! Release date: October 6th.
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2020
The Ghost Dance Judgement ( Golgotha #4) by R.S. Belcher. Another early October release (why publishers, why?), I’m looking forward to another book in the Golgotha series, but mostly I’m just happy to be starting a new Rod Belcher book:-D Release date: October 8th.
The Raven Lady (The Faery Rehistory #2) by Sharon Lynn Fisher. This book is up next on the pile, and it sounds so good! Release date: October 13th.
Magic Lessons (Practical Magic #0) by Alice Hoffman. You probably know that I’m a big Hoffman fan, although it’s hard to keep up with her new releases as a SFF book blogger. Luckily this fits in the genre! Release date: October 6th.
Phoenix Extravagant by Yoon Ha Lee. Dragons and humor, that’s what I’ve been hearing about this book. Can’t wait! Release date: Release date: October 20th.
Ready Player Two (Ready Player One #2) by Ernest Cline. I doubt I’ll score a review copy of this, but I’ll be buying a copy and reading it anyway. I’m looking forward to seeing how Cline treats the sequel. Release date: November 24th.
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020
Call of the Bone Ships (The Tide Child Trilogy #2) by R.J. Barker. I’m giddy with excitement to revisit Barker’s unique fantasy world! Dragons, ships and a bunch of characters I love, this series is a must for fantasy fans. Release date: Novebmer 24th.
The Children of Red Peak by Craig DiLouie. DiLouie doesn’t pull any punches when he writes. His books are sad and horrific and sometimes tough to read. But there is always a human element that keeps his stories grounded. I couldn’t be more excited for this! Release date: November 17th.
The Factory Witches of Lowell by C.S. Malerich. Here is another historical story about witches, and I’m really looking forward to this Tor.com novella. Release date: November 10th.
These Violent Delights (These Violent Delights #1) by Chloe Gong. I’ve seen a lot of excitement for this book already, and I can’t wait to find out what all the buzz is about. Release date: November 17th.
The Blade Between by Sam J. Miller. This is my only official December release ARC on my schedule, at least at the moment. This appears to be a ghost story, so that makes it very tempting! Release date: December 1st.
Now it’s time to take a look back at how I did last quarter! And well—I didn’t do that great, I’m afraid. I think I was so overwhelmed with review books that I couldn’t get to everything on my most anticipated list no matter how hard I tried. It’s a shame because all the books without the X are books I’d love to read, and I do hope to play catch up by the end of the year:
Looking forward to your review of The Hollow Places, Tammy. 🙂
Debjani recently posted…Kennedy and Tristan by Frances Paul – Book Blitz
I hope it’s as good as I’ve heard:-)
I can’t wait to go back to Rory Thorne’s world, and of course that amazing dragon on the cover of the new Bone Ships novel keeps calling out to me in a very loud voice – or is it roar? 😉
Maddalena@spaceandsorcery recently posted…THE CHILDREN OF RED PEAK, by Craig DiLouie
Big “yes” to both of those! Hope we love them:-)
Fabulous covers and blurbs. I want to read all of your 4th quarter books plus a few that you didn’t get to last quarter (like Wonderland)!
Priscilla Bettis recently posted…One-Sentence Reviews: My 3rd Quarter 2020 Reads
There are definitely lots to choose from:-)
I’ve had my eye on The Hollow Places for awhile. Hope it’s a good one!
Me too, I’ve heard good things, fingers crossed:-)
I love seeing such a great collection of upcoming books to look forward to. Whatever the world dishes out to us we still have these. I’m most looking forward to the top two on your list, but there are several others I’d also really like to read.
That’s true, books are definitely my happy place these days:-)
I’m reading Black Sun & Phoenix Extravagant now and will likely start The Once and Future Witches this week. The Factory Witches of Lowell is one I’m curious about.
You’re ahead of me, I hope you love both of those!
I don’t think you did bad at all. And well, hope that doesn’t mean December is going to get even weirder than things are now. I have so many good books on my TBR in October yet all I want to do is read the new Alice Hoffman book and I don’t even have a copy. I hope I’m not seeing my sights too highly after loving The Rules of Magic so much.
I’ve heard a couple of reviewers say Magic Lessons is even better than the other two books. We shall see!
SO many books coming out this month that I want to read — I’m feeling behind all ready, and it’s only 10/6! My line-up for the next few weeks is Once & Future Witches, Black Sun, Deadly Education, and Addie LaRue!
I know, me too! And I can’t seem to read fast enough. I guess there are worse problems to have, lol.
I need to read your review for Addie, Tammy. I have it ready to be picked up any day and can’t wait. Nearly perfect sounds good to me. I also love seeing Hoffman here. I am really looking forward to her newest. Such a great list.
Thanks Jenni, it’s hard to go wrong these days with all the fantastic books coming out:-)
Oooh I see A Deadly Education! I’m super excited for that one. Give me all the dark academia books!
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I know what you mean! I think my copy is on the way:-)
I am really looking forward to These Violent Delights and The Hollow Places — I nabbed the latter as an audiobook and will try to cram it in this month.
Kal @ Reader Voracious recently posted…ARC Review: I Hope You’re Listening by Tom Ryan
I’ll be reading it soon, hope we both love it:-)
So many great looking books coming up. I can’t wait to read Schwab’s new book!
There are WAY too many good books coming out…
Yep, so many books. I have quite a few that I’ve not managed to get to but I think November is slightly quieter in terms of review books and December even more so so I’m hoping to be able to catch up with a few.
Lynn 😀
I thought November was going to be slow but then oops SciFiMonth and I have a bunch more to read:-)
I can’t remember how I heard of it but I recently added The Children of Red Peak to my list. I haven’t read anything by that author but this one caught my eye. I’ll have to check out The Factory Witches of Lowell as well.
Jenna @ Falling Letters recently posted…Can You Trust Your Shadow? [MG Review]
I just love Craig DiLouie’s books, hope you get the chance to check him out:-)
Some cool books you are anticipating! Hope you enjoy them all! I have an eARC of The Hollow Places and I am curious but not anticipating…lol. I was really just wanting to see how I fair with a second book from her as I only gave The Twisted Ones 3 stars. 🙂
I’ve been hearing The Hollow Places is better than The Twisted Ones. Hope we both enjoy it:-)
I think you did a great job last quarter! Good luck with the next one. 🙂
Thanks Bonnie:-)
This is an excellent list and I am also looking forward to a bunch of these! Somehow I forgot about The Raven Lady–I have to add that one to my list as well. Happy reading!
I need to start the Raven Lady soon, it comes out next week!
The Call of the Bone Ships is my most anticipated one! I’ve already listened to The Bone Ships twice, and it’s only been out a year!
I’m kinda tempted to try this post but worry I’d just end up with disappointment at all the books I haven’t read.
I actually like the anticipation of seeing what I did read. I did great the quarter before this so it just depends on timing, I guess.
Such a great list! Ugh, I’m still struggling over whether I should go back and try to read Bone Ships again. LOL. I want to love that series so much.
I wasn’t expecting to love the Bone Ships, but I do remember it starts off slow.
As ever, you have a bunch of stormingly good-looking books there! I’m TRYING to be better regarding Netgalley arcs at this end of the year, so haven’t got too much stacked up. But I like the look of The Hollow Places, especially as I LOVED her book The Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking – though it does seem to have a horror vibe. I hope you enjoy this tranche, Tammy – and the best of luck getting through them:))
If I could just stop going to NetGalley for the rest of the year, I might actually catch up:-)