The end of the year has snuck up on us and I’m actually relieved to be bidding goodbye to 2020. My focus for the last two months will be to get caught up on all the books I pushed to the back burner this year. However, there are still a few books that I’m really looking forward to that I hope will end this year on a positive note for me. It’s an even split between young adult and adult titles this time and some popular ones are missing because I’m not personally excited for them. With that little tease, let’s get into my most anticipated SFF books coming out in Nov & Dec 2020!
SFF of November 10th, 2020
The Ever Cruel Kingdom by Rin Chupeco
✨Genre: Fantasy
✨Series: 2nd book in a duology
✨Why I’m excited for it: I’ve been waiting for this book ever since I read and loved the first one, The Never Tilting World. It has a really unique premise and setting, in my opinion. I’m also looking forward to seeing more of the commentary on the fractured environment and how to recover from that.
✨Community review: (Coming soon)
✨Links: Goodreads | Publisher’s Website | Book Depository
The Fires of Vengeance by Evan Winter
✨Genre: Fantasy
✨Series: 2nd book in a quartet
✨Why I’m excited for it: This is a series I’ve heard great things about, especially from Kate @ Your Tita Kate. The first book has been on my TBR since last year and I want to finish both the books before the year ends. This is an African-inspired epic fantasy story about war, revenge and fighting against oppression.
✨Community review: Petrik @ Novel Notions (5 stars)
✨Links: Goodreads | Publisher’s Website | Book Depository
SFF of November 17th, 2020
Rebel Sisters by Tochi Onyebuchi
✨Genre: Science fiction
✨Series: 2nd book in a duology
✨Why I’m excited for it: Again, this book is on my radar because the first one, War Girls, comes heavily recommended from Krisha @ Bookathon. What initially drew me in were the stunning covers for this series, featuring Black girls front and centre. The story follows two sisters set in a futuristic, war-torn Nigeria.
✨Community review: Lili @ Utopia State of Mind (5 stars)
✨Links: Goodreads | Publisher’s Website | Book Depository
These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong
✨Genre: Fantasy
✨Series: 1st book in a duology
✨Why I’m excited for it: I feel like the entire YA fandom is eagerly waiting for this book to come out. I received an ARC of this book because I’m on the blog tour organised by Caffeine Book Tours and I cannot wait to dive into it! This is a Romeo and Juliet-inspired historical fantasy set in 1920s Shanghai with rival gangs, blood feuds and star-crossed lovers.
✨Community review: CW @ The Quiet Pond (5 stars)
✨Links: Goodreads | Publisher’s Website | Book Depository
The Burning God by R. F. Kuang
✨Genre: Fantasy
✨Series: 3rd book in a trilogy
✨Why I’m excited for it: This is probably my most anticipated book of the entire year and I was incredibly fortunate to read an early copy. I would like to report that it doesn’t disappoint and is an epic conclusion to a series that has firmly become one of my favourites. This is a grimdark fantasy trilogy following Rin, a peasant girl turned soldier, inspired by modern Chinese history.
✨Community review: Review @ Novels and Nebulas (5 stars)
✨Links: Goodreads | Publisher’s Website | Book Depository
SFF of December 1st, 2020
A Sky Beyond the Storm by Sabaa Tahir
✨Genre: Fantasy
✨Series: 4th book in a quartet
✨Why I’m excited for it: I binged the other three books in the series a few months ago and cannot wait to see how this series wraps up! While this is quite a popular series, I think it really deserves the hype because it’s so well-written. If you like amazing characters, intense plot and a brutal martial empire setting, this one is definitely worth checking out.
✨Community review: (Coming soon)
✨Links: Goodreads | Publisher’s Website | Book Depository
King of the Rising by Kacen Callender
✨Genre: Fantasy
✨Series: 2nd book in a series
✨Why I’m excited for it: It’s a crime I haven’t read any of Kacen Callender’s books yet because they write amazing books in many different genres. However, I’m most interested in this Caribbean-inspired fantasy series of theirs, which started with Queen of the Conquered. I’ve heard that this series tackles important themes such as colonialism, power and privilege in a nuanced way, so it is absolutely on my TBR.
✨Community review: (Coming soon)
✨Links: Goodreads | Publisher’s Website | Book Depository
Hollow Empire by Sam Hawke
✨Genre: Fantasy
✨Series: 2nd book in a duology
✨Why I’m excited for it: I was only lowkey interested in this series until I heard Judith @ Dead Good Book Reviews gush about it on her BookTube. I love mystery stories and these books have that element in a fantasy setting – two of my favourite things combined! They also offer commentary on class, privilege and the flaws in a utopian society and I’m very curious to see how that’s woven into the plot.
✨Community review: (Coming soon)
✨Links: Goodreads | Publisher’s Website | Book Depository
SFF of December 8th, 2020
A Universe of Wishes edited by Dhonielle Clayton
✨Genre: Fantasy
✨Series: None (anthology)
✨Why I’m excited for it: I rarely feature anthologies on here but I had to put this one because it’s in collaboration with We Need Diverse Books. It has a fantastic lineup of authors – I’m personally looking forward to stories by Anna-Marie McLemore, Rebecca Roanhorse and Tara Sim. This anthology features each writer’s take on fantastical tropes in young adult literature with diverse elements that they’re #OwnVoices for.
✨Community review: (Coming soon)
✨Links: Goodreads | Publisher’s Website | Book Depository
When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain by Nghi Vo
✨Genre: Fantasy
✨Series: 2nd book in a series
✨Why I’m excited for it: The covers for this series are absolutely gorgeous and I’m a huge fan of this art style. I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of The Empress of Salt and Fortune and I’m looking forward to the second book as this was an excellent novella. This book follows cleric Chih once more as they peel back the layers of the story of the tiger and her scholar lover, which sounds so promising!
✨Community review: (Coming soon)
✨Links: Goodreads | Publisher’s Website | Book Depository
Further Reading
✨Lori @ The Reading Fairy – My Anticipated Releases of November 2020
✨[Website] – December 2020 Releases
✨Tor.com – New Young Adult SFF for October, November, and December 2020
Which SFF books are you hoping to read in Nov & Dec 2020? Are there any books that you want to get to before the year ends? Any of your favourites coming out towards the end of the year? Let me know in the comments section down below. Hope you are having a magical week, readers from Earth!
Save the Post for Later
You and I have a lot of the same books on our list of reads for the end of the year!
Oh yay, I’m so glad! 😍 Which are you looking forward to the most? (If you can pick one that is, there so many good ones!)
I have ARCs of “The Fires of Vengeance,” “The Burning God,” and “King of the Rising.” I’m very excited to read, “Rebel Sisters” and “Hollow Empire.” I have to read ” The Empress of Salt and Fortune” before I read its sequel.
That is such a fantastic lineup! I hope you love them all. I’ve read The Burning God and can totally confirm it’s amazing. 💖
I keep hearing great things about “The Fires of Vengeance,” too! And, Tochi Onyebuchi told me that I will cry again after finishing his book.
You know that I can’t wait for The Burning God!!!
Can’t wait for you all to finally read it and scream with me! 😅
These two months are going to give such gems of SFF! Loved reading the list and ah, I’m so excited for These Violent Delights & The Burning God this month <3
November 17th is indeed the best day for new releases here. 😍 I just saw your review for These Violent Delights – I’ll check it out as soon as I’m done reading it. 😊
I’m never going to come back from all these amazing books that keep getting added to my TBR and making it endless! I’ve preordered The Burning God and These Violent Delights and am now desperately waiting to read them!
I’m currently reading These Violent Delights and can confirm that both purchases are indeed excellent choices! 😍 Haha, sorry not sorry about the endless TBR. 😅
November and December are so dangerous for my wallet. *sobs* But luckily I have friends who celebrate the holidays, and when they ask me what I want (they know I don’t celebrate, but want the lists anyway), it’s either newest books or toys for my cats haha.
That’s awesome! I hope you have a great gift haul this time. 💕
I am really excited about Nghi Vo’s next
If the first was anything to go by, it’s going to be amazing! And I’ve heard good things from early reviewers, so fingers crossed it’s going to live up to my expectations. 😍
Yeah. I am halfway through the book right now
I’m bracing myself for THE BURNING GOD, it’s going to be my next read! So excited for Hollow Empire, I’ve been waiting for a while on that one!
I hope you enjoy The Burning God! It’s such a good end to the trilogy, in my opinion. 😊