Top Ten Tuesday: Anticipated Fantasy Releases for the First Half of 2020!

This week's topic is: Most Anticipated Book Releases for the First Half of 2020

This week's topic is one of those that's just not fair because there are so many upcoming releases I'm looking forward to. I decided to just pick ten at random (and a few I'm especially excited about) to share that I'm really looking forward to. I also couldn't help but share a few bonus future releases for the latter half of the year, but that's just as a fun sneak preview (I think it's pretty clear that I never manage to control myself on these posts anymore). Of all of these, I have to say that my most anticipated release is probably The Obsidian Tower because I loved Caruso's Tethered Mage series and I can't wait to get my hands on this!

The Obsidian Tower by Melissa Caruso - June 4th:

"The mage-marked granddaughter of a ruler of Vaskandar, Ryx was destined for power and prestige at the top of Vaskandran society. But her magic is broken; all she can do is uncontrollably drain the life from everything she touches, and Vaskandar has no place for a mage with unusable powers. 

Then, one night, two terrible accidents befall her: Ryx accidentally kills a visiting dignitary in self-defense, activating a mysterious magical artifact sealed in an ancient tower in the heart of her family’s castle." (continue on Goodreads)

The Shadow Saint by Gareth Hanrahan - January 9th:

"Enter a city of spires and shadows . . . 

The Gutter Miracle changed the landscape of Guerdon forever. Six months after it was conjured into being, the labyrinthine New City has become a haven for criminals and refugees. 

Rumors have spread of a devastating new weapon buried beneath the streets - a weapon with the power to destroy a god. As Guerdon strives to remain neutral, two of the most powerful factions in the godswar send agents into the city to find it." (continue on Goodreads)

The Golden Key by Marian Womack - February 18th:

"London, 1901. After the death of Queen Victoria the city heaves with the uncanny and the eerie. Séances are held and the dead are called upon from darker realms. 

Samuel Moncrieff, recovering from a recent tragedy of his own, meets Helena Walton-Cisneros, one of London’s most reputed mediums. But Helena is not what she seems and she’s enlisted by the elusive Lady Matthews to solve a twenty-year-old mystery: the disappearance of her three stepdaughters who vanished without a trace on the Norfolk Fens." (continue on Goodreads)

A Time of Courage by John Gwynne - April 2nd:

"The Demon-King of the Otherworld is finally free. And armed with mighty new starstone weapons, Asroth prepares to lead his demonic war-host south. With the help of his dark bride Fritha, he plans to crush the warrior-angels and their allies. 

In the shadows of Forn Forest, Riv and the surviving Ben-Elim hold a war council. After the catastrophic events at Drassil, they are desperate to unite those who would stand against Asroth and his army. So they fly west, to join the Order of the Bright Star. But Drem and the Order are besieged by a demon horde – and their fragile defence may soon shatter." (continue on Goodreads)

The Girl and the Stars by Mark Lawrence - April 30th:

"In the ice, east of the Black Rock, there is a hole into which broken children are thrown. 

On Abeth the vastness of the ice holds no room for individuals. Survival together is barely possible. No one survives alone. 

To resist the cold, to endure the months of night when even the air itself begins to freeze, requires a special breed. Variation is dangerous, difference is fatal. And Yaz is not the same." (continue on Goodreads)

The Unspoken Name by A.K. Larkwood - February 11th:
"What if you knew how and when you will die?
Csorwe does — she will climb the mountain, enter the Shrine of the Unspoken, and gain the most honored title: sacrifice. 

But on the day of her foretold death, a powerful mage offers her a new fate. Leave with him, and live. Turn away from her destiny and her god to become a thief, a spy, an assassin—the wizard's loyal sword. Topple an empire, and help him reclaim his seat of power. 

But Csorwe will soon learn – gods remember, and if you live long enough, all debts come due."

A Witch in Time by Constance Sayers - February 11th:
"In 1895, sixteen-year-old Juliet LaCompte has a passionate, doomed romance with the married Parisian painter Auguste Marchant. When her mother -- a witch -- attempts to cast a curse on Marchant, she unwittingly summons a demon, binding her daughter to both the artist and this supernatural being for all time. Juliet is fated to re-live her affair and die tragically young lifetime after lifetime as the star-crossed lovers reincarnate through history. The demon -- who appears to Juliet in all her reincarnations as a mysterious, handsome, and worldly benefactor-has been helplessly in love with her since 19th century France, even though she forgets him each time she dies. He falls for her in 1930s Hollywood, in 1970s Los Angeles, and finally in present-day Washington D.C. -- where she begins to develop powers of her own. In this life, she starts to remember her tragic past lives. But this time, she might have the power to break the cycle..."

Lady Hotspur by Tessa Gratton - January 7th:
"Inspired by Shakespeare's Henry IV, Lady Hotspur continues the saga of Innis Lear, centuries later, as revolution, love, and a betrayal corrupt the descendants of two warring kingdoms.
Hal was once a knight, carefree and joyous, sworn to protect her future queen Banna Mora. But after a rebellion led by her own mother, Caleda, Hal is now the prince of Lionis, heir to the throne. The pressure of her crown and bloody memories of war plague her, as well as a need to shape her own destiny, no matter the cost. 

Lady Hotspur, known as the Wolf of Aremoria for her temper and warcraft, never expected to be more than a weapon. She certainly never expected to fall in love with the fiery Hal or be blindsided by an angry Queen’s promise to remake the whole world in her own image—a plan Hotspur knows will lead to tragedy." (continue on Goodreads)

Seven Endless Forests by April Genevieve Tucholke - March 31st:
"On the heels of a devastating plague, Torvi’s sister, Morgunn, is stolen from the family farm by Uther, a flame-loving Fremish wolf-priest who leads a pack of ragged, starving girls. Torvi leaves the only home she’s ever known, and joins a shaven-skulled druid and a band of roaming Elsh artists known as the Butcher Bards. They set out on a quest to rescue Torvi’s sister, and find a mythical sword. 

On their travels, Torvi and her companions will encounter magical night wilds and mystical Drakes who trade in young men. They will sing rowdy Elshland ballads in a tree-town tavern, and find a mysterious black tower in an Endless Forest. They will fight alongside famous Vorseland archers and barter with Fremish wizards. They will feast with rogue Jade Fell children in a Skal Mountain cave, and seek the help of a Pig Witch. They will face wild, dangerous magic that leads to love, joy, tragedy, and death." (continue on Goodreads)

House of Dragons by Jessica Cluess - May 12th:
"When the Emperor dies, the five royal houses of Etrusia attend the Call, where one of their own will be selected to compete for the throne. It is always the oldest child, the one who has been preparing for years to compete in the Trial. But this year is different. This year, these five outcasts will answer the call.... 
THE LIAR: Emilia must hide her dark magic or be put to death. 
THE SOLDIER: Lucian is a warrior who has sworn to never lift a sword again. 
THE SERVANT: Vespir is a dragon trainer whose skills alone will keep her in the game. 
THE THIEF: Ajax knows that nothing is free--he must take what he wants. 
THE MURDERER: Hyperia was born to rule and will stop at nothing to take her throne."

...and just a few more from the latter half of the year to start getting excited about (most don't even have covers yet!)

A Peculiar Peril by Jeff VanderMeer - July 7th

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke - September 2020

The Space between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson - 2020

Master Artificer (The Silent Gods #2) by Justin Travis Call - August 20th

The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton - October 1st

The Burning God by R.F. Kuang


Are you looking forward to any of these books? What early 2020 releases are you looking forward to?