And I’m BACK with more books for your TBR pile!
2020 has truly been blessing us with some incredible releases…and look, we’re not even quite halfway through the year yet?! Good books (and chocolate tbh) are keeping this planet together, I take no arguments on this. It’s being a brutal year for so many with the pandemic — so more than ever I think so many of us are grateful to sink into a good book.
And it is being tough on authors for trying to promo their books! So I don’t even feel bad for smothering you in releases I’m excited about. These books need our love 🥺💛I’m featuring new Young Adult releases from May to June, because there are a lot here. And you’re welcome.
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➢ 8 Types of TBR Piles
➢ Why It’s Perfectly Acceptable To Have An Enormous TBR Pile
The Fascinators by Andrew Eliopulous| Goodreads
Anything pitched as “for fans of Maggie Stiefvater” immediately has my WHOLE heart. But this is also queer and full of magic and seems like it’ll have a complex/tight friendship group!!
The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea by Maggie Tokuda-Hall | Goodreads
Always here for pirates!! I swear, they just make my heart glow. This one is also sapphic and the pitch says it’s unpacking colonialism AND it has magic.
Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo | Goodreads
I love this author’s writing!! (Her first two books are gorgeous.) This one is told in verse about two sisters who didn’t know each other existed.
The Life and (Medieval) Times of Kit Sweetly by Jamie Pacton | Goodreads
This looks so FUN!? I am also really here for restaurant settings in books because…yes thanks. Also it’s about knights! But modern! And taking down the patriarchy!
Stay Gold by Tobly Smith | Goodreads
The entire title is a The Outsiders references and that’s ALL you need to catch me!! It’s also #ownvoices trans and about being closeted and passing and falling in love.
Date Me Bryson Keller by Kevin van Whye | Goodreads
I actually just read this one and it’s absolutely super cute. It’s a queer fake-dating romcom and it manages to be adorkable and awkward and sweet all at once!
The Ballad of Songbirds And Snakes by Suzanne Collins | Goodreads
Um so what do we even SAY ABOUT THIS ONE?! I’m still reeling it exists…the prequel we asked for, but not focused on a character we want to talk about. 😂I still do want to try it! I also still need to reread the original trilogy whoops.
Breath Like Water by Anna Jarzab | Goodreads
I’m always drawn to contemporaries with mental health rep, so I really want to try this one! I think it deals with bipolar and maybe depression? It’s also about olympic swimmers!!
HONOURABLE MENTIONS…
If We Were Us by K.L. Walther | Goodreads
Prestigious high school full of messy group dynamics and queer kids?! I mean yes. 😌 This is for me.
You Should See Me In A Crown by Leah Johnson | Goodreads
I am super keen for this one!! It’s a contemporary about a girl who wants to go to this elite college but is vying for prom queen (something she haaaates) to get the funding for it. Also sapphic!
A Song Below Water | Goodreads
A world were sirens mix with average teen life!! Also it looks like it’s going to have a strong female friendship!
Forged In Fire And Stars by Andrew Robertson | Goodreads
Not only is this cover saying lovely things to me like “pICK ME UP NOW”, it’s also about a magical blacksmith!! Who helps two girls take a throne!
The Falling In Love Montage by Clara Smyth | Goodreads
Okay so they organise a romcom??? One girl doesn’t believe in love. One is going to convince her otherwise. I will take one this one yes pls.
The State Of Us by Shaun David Hutchinson | Goodreads
I’m hoping this is the YA version of Red White & Royal Blue! Two boys with the parents in rival political positions end up falling in love…
The Court of Miracles by Kester Grant | Goodreads
I just wanted this one every since I heard the pitch “Les Mis meets Six of Crows”. I don’t even KNOW Les Mis but omg I want this. And please let it have a good heist…
Seasons Of the Storm by Elle Cosimano| Goodreads
This is like…the seasons are cursed to be people?! And they have to kill each other so the next season can happen? I loooooove it.
Forest Of Souls by Lori M. Lee | Goodreads
If a book promises a creepy forest, then I am SO IN. And this also has a girl who resurrects her best friend, just as you do, you know? I want.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS…
The Extraordinaries by T.J. Klune | Goodreads
This 100% already owns me from the pitch “Some people are extraordinary…some are just extra”. I mean YES. 😂Also ADHD rep and it’s queer AND there are superpowers.
Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust | Goodreads
The YA cover snake is back, but also it got bleached. 😌Anyway, sign me up for a Persian-inspired sapphic fantasy, with a girl who can kill people with a touch, and morally grey storyline.
Loveless by Alice Oseman | Goodreads
#Ownvoices aro/ace rep!! I can’t even express how much I need more books with good asexual representation so yessss to this. Also I love every Oseman book I read!
Burn Our Bodies Down by Rory Power | Goodreads
After Wilder Girls, I just want more of Rory Power’s gorgeous prose….that’s all I can say. But also thriller! Girls with mysterious pasts! Messy maybe dangerous families?!
Unravel The Dusk (#2) by Elizabeth Lim | Goodreads
This is the sequel to Spin the Dawn and that was just the absolute best!? I really cannot wait for the sequel! Perfect mix of sassy characters, angst love, morally grey decisions, magical sewing, and Chinese mythology!
A Peculiar Peril by Jeff VanderMeer | Goodreads
It just says SECRET SOCIETY and to be fair that’s all it needs to say. (Bonus is there’s an old house full of curiosities and weirdness and secrets!)
The Princess Will Save You by Sarah Henning | Goodreads
A Princess Bride retelling!! I love this!! And I also am a bit in love with the title so 😚
Cinderella Is Dead by Kalynn Bayron | Goodreads
An alternate Cinderella “what happened after” story! I’m definitely hoping it involves murder 😌you know, like any nice person would. But it’s also sapphic!
The Fell Of The Dark by Caleb Roehrig | Goodreads
Contemporary but also casual supernatural activity!! Also I really love this author’s thrillers, so I’m ready for a vampire edition?! It’s also #ownvoices queer!
They Wish They Were Us by Jessica Goodman | Goodreads
So I have a thing for dark academia and secret societies!! AND LOOK. This is being pitched as “One Of Us Is Lying with a dash of The Secret History” and my soul thrives.
The Ship of Shadows by Maria Kuzniar | Goodreads
This is actually by my good friend but look, look, it is just so good. Girl pirates, magical ship version of Hogwarts, puzzles and cake and female friendships?! It has everything. 😭💛
The Lights Of Prague by Nicole Jarvis | Goodreads
It says “for fans of VE Schwab and The Witcher” !!! and look I need it more than I can say. It just sounds incredible and lush and morally grey!
HONOURABLE MENTIONS…
talk to me!
are any of these on your tbr?? does your tbr…hate you now? tell me what upcoming releases you’re super pining for!
Cait? CAIT?! Who gave you permission to give me ideas how to feed my tbr? I’m trying to starve that thing here and you are not helping!! 😂
Well, Ship of Shadows is already on my wishlist since I didn’t get approved for it on Netgalley – it’s nicer to support the author anyway – and The Mermaid, the Witch and the Sea sound and look delicious. I might just switch my favourite setting which is ice, snow and eternal winter, thank you very much, for some swashbuckling piratiering. 🙂
Aww yay for buying Ship of Shadows 😍 it’s a good decision (book is aaamazing) and I hope we both love a ton of others on this list too!
Ohhh so many good-looking books coming out this year. AURORA BURNING, UNRAVEL THE DUSK, and SISTERS OF SWORD AND SONG (which I think is Greek inspired!??!) are particularly high up on my list! But, really, there are SO many books I can’t wait to dive into.
Oh I didn’t know that about Sisters of Sword and Song but YAY 😍😍
I added quite a few of these to my wishlist! Thanks so much 💙. I’m not that interested in most YA fantasy, but I liked the synopsis of a lot of the YA contemporaries.
I’m loving so many of these contemporary premises!
Yikes! Do I live under a rock? Coz I haven’t heard of any of them except three. 😂
😂😂 you’re welcome for all these new books then
MY TBR IS HUGE BUT THERE ARE SO MANY OF THESE THAT I NEED
so we just ADD THEM ANYWAY *cheers until we get crushed under books*
Thank you for the recommendations. I have added a few of these to my Good reads to read list. There are definitely some interesting titles here and interesting book covers and I am absolutely na pick a book by its book cover kinda gal 😂
I totally do too don’t worry 😂 I’m just like “oooh this is pretty *reads vaguely what its about* SO pretty!!”
WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS TO US, CAIT. *dies under the crushing weight*
Because I want us all to SUFFER 😚
Both The Hunger Games prequel and A Court of Miracles are on my TBR. For once, I actually don’t have a massive number of books that I’m anticipating this year, I have some, but significantly less than in previous years! My TBR always hates me though! The upcoming books I’m most anticipating are: obviously The Hunger Games prequel and A Court of Miracles, but also Where Dreams Descend, Queen of Volts, and The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, though all of those are coming out later in the year.
I’m keen for Queen of Volts too though I still need to read the middle book oops 😂
I will definitely be adding many of this books to my tbr 🙂 and I hate me for having to much too read and not reading it all hahahaha
I hate me for this post too 😂 how dare they all sound so good?!
My tbr is tired of getting more and more releases added to it but how can I not when these all sound so GOOD ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
my TBR is getting tired of my continual nonsense here but 😌 meh, it can deal with it.
Ooh, very interested in Breath Like Water – I’m looking for novels about sport at the moment and swimming was my sport as a teenager, so I should definitely check that out!
ahh! I’m glad it caught your eye then!
Me: *casually scrolling through the post*
Me: *casually ordering the books*
you and your wallet are so welcome 😌
I really liked THEY WISH THEY WERE US!! It was all the secret society goodness that I wanted. They mystery was kind of obv, but I liked the characters and the story enough to love it.
Thanks for introducing me to so many great sounding books! The Lights of Prague sounds exactly like it could be up my alley. 🙂
It sounds so so good, right?! I’m suddenly desperate for it!
So many wonderful books being released! I can’t wait for Unravel the Dusk! Spin the Dawn was such a phenomenal book. Thank you for sharing these book releases. 🙂
it was SO beautiful right?! I was blown away by Spin the Dawn last year!
I can’t wait for The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes! I think I’m in the minority of people who likes that it’s about President Snow because it’s pretty much his villain origin story, and I’m always here for villain origin stories. And The Lights of Prague sounds so good! I’m definitely going to add it to my list 😀
I’m intrigued…a bit dubious…but intrigued 😂 I seriously meant to reread THG first though! Time flies apparently 😂
Recently finished ‘Kit Sweetly’ and AWWW! It’s really quite cute. 🙂
Ahh so good to know then 😍
wow i want to add every book in this post to my tbr haha. the first one you mentioned – the fascinators – is one i’m really interested in! queer magical books are so good !! also the falling in love montage seems absolutely wonderful. i’ve been so into rom coms lately because kdramas on netflix are soo good lol. also super excited to read girl, serpent, thorn and loveless. i feel like they’ll definitely be five star reads. it’s weird..i’m not always in the reading mood lately but visiting your blog gets me excited about books again so thank you for that <33 take care!
Aw this comment makes me so happy though 😍 I get so excited making these lists (they all look so good?!) so I’m glad it makes you excited too!
I feel like I say this every year, but 2020 is going to make my TBR pile topple over and kill me in the night and I’m not sad about it (!!!). Also, how is every cover so freaking gorgeous??? 2020 is definitely the year of covers that deserve to be framed and hung up on my bedroom wall.
I agree!! The covers are what we can’t resist 👀
There are so many books that look SO good but so little time to read them all, help! I have read Breath Like Water and I liked it. I also liked A Song of Wraiths and Ruin and Little Creeping Things. And SO many more are on my TBR. Like most of them haha. I need to read Sullivan SIsters, Burn Our Bodies Down, Ever Cursed, Today Tonight Tomorrow, Mayhem, and A Peculiar Peril soon for review. So hopefully they’re all decent haha.
I just got Breath Like Water from the library and I’m cautiously hopeful for it 👀but gah yes I feel this with wanting to read them all but who also has TIME for this
OKKAY this is not okay?! I just added like a ton of those to my already too big TBR pile? But like I forgive you because good books 🥰
your tbr is so welcome here 😌😌
Cinderella is dead is just screaming for me to come get it!! Thank you so much for sharing this list, it’s definitely tempting me to buy more books. Oops.
right?! it sounds SO GOOD
i’m honestly so out of the loop with book releases so thank you for this post, cg!! july looks like it’s going to kill me with all the good books coming out that month — i’m super excited for girl, serpent, thorn, unravel the dusk, and loveless!! i was lucky to read an arc of you should see me in a crown and it was SO good, i loved it a lot!! <3
aw I’m glad you liked it!! I kind of want everything but also I do not have time for this 😂
Let’s be honest, I haven’t been looking at many new releases lately because my TBR is huge, but I’m excited about so many titles on your list now! Thanks for the round up Cait! Gonna have to look for some now..
you’re being wiser than me 😂I can’t seem to stop adding even though, yes, I way have enough here. 😂
Yesssss, it is definitely time to absolutely STACK my TBR!! I know I can always count on you to make my TBR larger than it has any right to be. I’m super excited for I Kissed Alice, Loveless, and Breath Like Water, to name a few. I also just read Clap When You Land, and omggg it was so good 😭😭 Elizabeth Acevedo never fails to *deliver*.
I am terrible with “helping” everyone’s TBRs these days 😂😂
AH what a stunning list, I don’t even know WHERE TO START WITH ALL THESE BOOKS AHH. There are so many books I’m eagerly anticipating and I’m just wishing to discover that I’m rich and have all the time in the world to read everything now hahaha.
I’m especially eager to read The Fascinators, Loveless, Cinderella is Dead and Today Tonight Tomorrow!! 😀
we need like…a gold mine to be able to afford them. And then a time machine so we can read them all 😂