I saw this list on Buzzfeed ’30 of the best YA Speculative Fiction Novels of 2020’. So I thought I would go through that list and see what I think of those books and if I even read them!
Let’s go right in:
- A Song Below Water by Bethany C Morrow – Read it! This was okay to me.
- Ashlords by Scott Reintgen – Not read, don’t plan on it! I liked his Nyxia series, but I’m not sure if I would enjoy this one.
- Lobizona by Romina Garber – Not read, but want to! I’ve heard good things about this one, so very excited!
- Shadowshaper Legacy by Daniel José Older – Never heard about this one!
- Vicious Spirits by Kat Cho – Read it! Really enjoyed this duology!
- Crownchasers by Rebecca Coffindaffer – Never heard about this one!
7. Half Life by Lillian Clark – Read it! I think this one is quite underrated, surprised to see it here!
8. Rebel Sisters by Tochi Onyebuchi – Not read, but want to! But first have to read book one!
9. Court of Lions by Somaiya Daud – Not read, don’t plan on it! Did not like book one..
10. These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong – Read it! This was okay, expected to like it more!
11. A Sky Beyond the Storm by Sabaa Tahir – Read it! Favourite series!
12. Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger – Never heard about this one!
13. A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A Brown – Read it! Really liked this one, can’t wait for the next one!
14. Beyond the Ruby Veil by Mara Fitzgerald – Never heard about this one! (love the cover though!)
15. Incendiary by Zoraida Córdova – Not read, but want to! Sounds like something I would enjoy
16. Legendborn by Tracy Deonn – Read it! Really liked it!
17. The Sound of Stars by Alechia Dow – Never heard about this one!
18. Rebelwing by Adrea Tang – Never heard about this one!
19. Star Daughter by Shveta Thakrar – Not read, but want to! This one sounds very good!
20. Among the Beasts and Briars by Ashley Poston – Not read, but want to! But dubious about this one, since I’m not a big fan of her other works.
21. Each of us a Desert by Mark Oshiro – Never heard about this one!
22. Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron – Not read, don’t plan on it! I don’t think this one is for me.
23. Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust – Not read, but want to! I’m very curious to the Persian Mythology!
24. Agnes at the End of the World by Kelly McMillan – Never heard about this one!
25. The Other Side of the Sky by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner – Not read, don’t plan on it! I thought their previous work together was nice, but I think this one is not for me.
26. Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko – Not read, but want to! I just bought this book, need to read it soon!
27. Blazewrath Games by Amparo Ortiz – Never heard about this one!
28. How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories by Holly Black – Not read, don’t plan on it! I really don’t think this one is necessary..
29. Teen Titans: Beast Boys by Kami Garcia & Gabriel Picolo – Not read, don’t plan on it!
30. Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas – Not read, but want to! I’ve only heard amazing things, especially about the audiobook, so definitely will give this a listen!
Results:
Read: 7..
Not read, but want to: 8
Not read, don’t plan on it: 6
Never heard about: 9
I’m very surprised that I only read 7, and that I never heard about 9 of them! That is like a third of the list.. And I thought I was quite up to date on new releases haha.
But conclusion is, I do not really agree with these books being the best of 2020. Of course I’ve only read 7, but of those 7 most were 3 star reads.. There are 8 more books on this list that I expect to enjoy, but still my list would look different haha!
To give an idea, here is my ‘the best 2020 releases’ post!
I seriously can’t believe some of the books that aren’t included on this list. I think there’s only one that I hadn’t heard of at all but there are a few that I don’t have a clue what they’re about as I’ve either forgotten or only seen them in passing.
The Shadowshaper book is the last in a series I think. And I’m glad to hear you loved Wealth & Ruins as that’s a high priority book on my TBR right now. Hopefully I’ll get to it soon.
I hope you end up enjoying the unread ones that you plan to read.
Yeah there are so many other books that should have been included in this list!
Wraiths and ruin was really good, I hope you will love it!
It’s very odd.
Thank you. And I’m glad you knew which one I meant. Autospell changed it and I didn’t realize until I’d hit send /:
Haha there were not too many options haha!
I haven’t heard of 13 of these!! Which is unreal!! I’d like to know who at Buzzfeed is compiling this list!!
I was so surprised as well!
Wow, I’ve only read one of these, although I do have a few on my list…. Pretty interesting list they put together.
Yeah I was pretty surprised as well haha!
Blazewrath Games is such a good book! Definitely underrated.
I guess I will look it up!
You read 7? Thats amazing compared to what I just figured out (1). I have so many of these on my TBR and only a couple I’ve never heard of. Great post.
Haha, glad I’m not the only one who didn’t know all of these!