Honestly, I shouldn’t do this post this month because I so need to not tempted myself to buy any more books!! I’ve acquired so many in May it’s positively shocking. But that is all to come in a post later this week.

REGARDLESS, I’m still super excited to look at all the beautiful books that are being released in June 2020. As always, this is NOT a complete list of all releases for June 2020, but simply the ones I am excited for. So let’s get cracking.

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FANTASY

Royal Decoy | Heather Frost

RELEASE DATE: 18 June
I’m not 100% convinced on this one but I’m definitely intrigued. We have a servant who is blackmailed into becoming a princess’ decoy and a bodyguard who is determined to keep her alive. Then there is a prince who is unhappy with his power and a prisoner used to keep the prince in line. Oh and a potential war. Actually, when I summarise it like that, this sounds fabulous.

Hunted by the Sky | Tanaz Bhathena

RELEASE DATE: 23 June

RELEASE DATE: 23 JuneRELEASE DATE: 23 June
A forbidden romance in a fantasy world inspired by Indian history and myth. This is slated as something for fans of Sabaa Tahir and Tomi Adeyemi and BOY and I excited. The main character has a birthmark, the exact birthmark that other girls with the same one had that have disappeared. Her parents are murdered because of her mark and she is forced into hiding to protect her life. Then we have rebel groups that train in warrior magic and are bent on revenge. Oh there is a lot going on in this.

Divine Blood | Beck Michaels

RELEASE DATE: 3 June
We have a shadow demon in this fantasy world who nearly took everything from the main character, Dyna. Dyna discovers a way to fight this demon and she goes on a perilous journey (I think to fight the demon, but am unsure). On her journey, she meets a prince with magic and wings (and I think he’s maybe bad) and he joins her journey with his own agenda. This is slated as for fans of Throne of Glass and The Lord of the Rings which I’m not convinced by because that is a MASSIVE statement but I’m definitely interested in this quest.

The Kinder Poison | Natalie Mae

RELEASE DATE: 16 June

RELEASE DATE: 16 JuneRELEASE DATE: 16 June
Now, this sounds fantastic. This is for fans of Victoria Aveyard and Holly Black (which just promises all the magic, doesn’t it?). This is set in a kingdom and follows a character called Zahru who is a Whisperer: she can communicate with animals. Her place is therefore in the royal stables . . . but then her magic runs dry. Okay but then the ruler invokes a death-defying race across the desert. There is an awful lot happening with this race with a great reward at the end. Honestly, just go read the blurb for yourself.

A Song of Wraiths and Ruin | Roseanne A. Brown

RELEASE DATE: 2 June
This is going to be a fantasy duology inspired by West African folklore. We have a grieving crown princess, a desperate refugee and a murder plot. One of the main character, Malik, strikes a deal to murder the Crown Princess in order to win his sister’s freedom. Meanwhile, the princess’s mother, the Sultana, has been assassinated and she wants to try and resurrect her through ancient magic. How will she do this? But using the beating heart of a king of course! But she needs a king, best offer herself for marriage to quickly source a husband. I love how dark this is.

Forest of Souls | Lori M. Lee

RELEASE DATE: 23 June

RELEASE DATE: 23 JuneRELEASE DATE: 23 June
I really love the cover of this one. This is a story of destiny and sisterhood supposedly good for fans of Naomi Novik and Susan Dennard (which has me very excited). The main character, Sirscha, is intent on becoming the queen’s next royal spy. However, the shamans kill her best friend which throws her plans because she somehow restores Saengo to life. Sirschai is the first soulguide in living memory and this catapults her on a path she never expected.

Sisters of Sword and Song | Rebecca Ross

RELEASE DATE: 23 June
This is another story about sisters and is a stand-alone fantasy. This is slated as perfect for fans of An Ember in the Ashes, Sky in the Deep, and Court of Fives. I always think it’s very ambitious/indecisive of publishers to pick three books to compare a title to. ANYWAY. Evadne will be reunited with her sister after eight years as she has been serving in the queen’s army. But instead of a happy reunion, her sister returns on the run, hunted by her commander, supposedly having committed murder.

The Court of Miracles | Kester Grant

RELEASE DATE: 2 June

RELEASE DATE: 2 JuneRELEASE DATE: 2 June
Okay but. This is slated as Les Misérables meets Six of Crows and I am SO INTRIGUED. This is a historical fantasy set in the “urban jungle” of 1828 Paris at the Court of Miracles. We follow characters who have names from Les Mes through burglaries as Nina tries to help keep her younger, adopted sister, Ettie, safe in the dark underbelly of the court. There’s a war between the guilds and I’m just very excited.

The Kingdom of Liars | Nick Martell

RELEASE DATE: 23 June
An adult fantasy! Wow! Who knew I wasn’t always a child. This is a debut and it’s a story of secrets, rebellion and murder. What is it with murder this month? So much murder. Can’t wait. We have magic that costs memory and a secret held by an enemy. The main character is this enemy, considered a traitor because his father murdered the king’s nine-year-old son. I think there’s going to be a lot of wealthy world-building in this story and I’m very excited. Also, it’s over 600 pages. GLORIOUS.

Seasons of the Storm | Elle Cosimano

RELEASE DATE: 23 June

RELEASE DATE: 23 JuneRELEASE DATE: 23 June
Another magical book! This time the main character, Jack, has a choice to make: he can live forever according to the ancient, magical rules of Gaia, or die. Yikes. Wait…oh my god I’ve just realised this is a Jack Frost retelling. GUYYYYS. Omgomgomgomg. Okay so. Jack chooses to live and becomes Winter (I’M SO EXCITED). His task is to hunt the season that comes before him, as all the season must do to move the seasons forward. But Winter and Spring fall for each other which means they have to try and escape the cycle that forces them apart. Oh god. I need this book.

Queen of Coin and Whispers | Helen Corcoran

RELEASE DATE: 1 June
This is an LGBT+ fantasy with a teenage queen who has inherited a bankrupt kingdom. She recruits a new spymaster whose job it is to avenge her murdered father. I think this sounds super dark and interesting and I’m really excited to see what’s within its pages.

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SCI-FI

Agnes at the End of the World | Kelly McWilliams

RELEASE DATE: 9 June
This is described as The Handmaid’s Tale meets Wilder Girls which is a very big statement but totally has me hooked. It’s set in a quiet, sunny town where the main character, Agnes, cares for her siblings and is law-abiding. But the twon is controlled by a madman who believes himself to be a prophet. An outsider arrives, who also happens to be a boy, and Agnes begins to questions things. This becomes a story of escape with the added element of a viral pandemic which is taking out the population. But there’s a mysterious connection between Agnes and the virus. AND HONESTLY THIS SOUND MAD. I need this.

Goddess in the Machine | Lora Beth Johnson

RELEASE DATE: 30 June

RELEASE DATE: 30 JuneRELEASE DATE: 30 June
This blurb sounds wild. The main character wakes up drowning in a hot, dirty cave a thousand years in the future. This is set in 3102 where Andra wakes up from a cryonic sleep that she originally went into for a trip across the galaxy. Her family and friends are dead and she is being worshipped like a god by the generations now alive. There’s a whole other story with a missing glass coffin as well and a dying planet. This sounds like there’s a lot going on!

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HISTORICAL FICTION

Rebel Spy | Veronica Rossi

RELEASE DATE: 23 June

RELEASE DATE: 23 JuneRELEASE DATE: 23 June
A new book by Veronica Rossi! How exciting! This is a historical reimaging of a New York society girl who is also a spy for George Washington. It is set in 1776 and goes through war, courtship and espionage.

The Angel of Crows | Katherine Addison

RELEASE DATE: 23 June

RELEASE DATE: 23 JuneRELEASE DATE: 23 June
This is also a fantasy novel but it’s set in the 1880s in London and we have killers stalking the night and there is power in names. My favourite thing about this is the style of blurb because it says “This is not the story you think it is” and I looooove those types of hints! We have vampires, and werewolves in this fantastic utopia and I am so intrigued.

Deadly Curious | Cindy Anstey

RELEASE DATE: 23 June

RELEASE DATE: 23 JuneRELEASE DATE: 23 June
This has some average advance ratings but you just never know. It’s set in 1834 and the main character, Sophia, wants to be a famed Bow Street Runner – an elite corps of detectives. But she’s a woman. But then an opportunity arises for her to prove herself when a friend asks her to look into her brother’s death. I love this, I’m getting a mixture of Gentleman’s Guide vibes and Stalking Jack the Ripper.

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THRILLER & MYSTERY

The Guest List | Lucy Foley

RELEASE DATE: 2 June
This is basically a retelling of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None combined with Murder on the Orient Express. Which is very exciting because those stories are amazing. This is set on an island off the coast of Ireland. There’s a guest list that no-one wants to be on. People assemble for a wedding and then we find out each of the characters has a reason to want someone else dead. And theennn A MURDER. YAY!

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And that’s a wrap!

What books are you looking forward to?

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~~ Kirstie ~~

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