One of the best things about the start of a new year is getting to see what debut novels are coming out and making lists of all the new authors to support. 2020 is shaping up to be a stellar year for debuts and I’m here to bring you 20 science fiction and fantasy young adult debut novels to look out for!
The Sound of Stars by Alechia Dow (February 26, 2020)
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Can a girl who risks her life for books and an alien who loves forbidden pop music work together to save humanity? Ellie and M0Rr1S embark on a wild and dangerous road trip with a bag of books and their favorite albums, all the while making a story and a song of their own that just might save them both.
A Golden Fury by Samantha Cohoe (Release Date: October 13, 2020)
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In her debut novel, Samantha Cohoe weaves a story of magic and danger, where the streets of Oxford and London come to life, and the curse of the Philosopher’s Stone will haunt you long after the final page.
Jade Fire Gold by June C.L. Tan (Release Date: 2020)
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Told in a dual POV narrative reminiscent of Ember in the Ashes, Jade Fire Gold is a YA fantasy inspired by Chinese mythology and folk tales. Epic in scope but intimate in characterization, fans of classic fantasies by Tamora Pierce and the magical Asiatic setting of Avatar: The Last Airbender will enjoy this cinematic tale of family, revenge, and forgiveness.
Beyond the Ruby Veil by Mara Fitzgerald (Release Date: October 13, 2020)
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After endangering their city’s waning water supply, Emanuela and Ale must travel through the mysterious, blood red veil that surrounds the city in order to uncover the secrets of the watercrea’s magic and find a way to save Occhia–by any means necessary.
Star Daughter by Shveta Thakrar (Release Date: August 11, 2020)
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Neil Gaiman’s Stardust meets a rich landscape of Hindu mythology and celestial intrigue in this sparkling YA fantasy debut.
Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles (Release Date: June 2, 2020)
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Where Dreams Descend is the startling and romantic first book in Janella Angeles’ debut Kingdom of Cards fantasy duology where magic is both celebrated and feared, and no heart is left unscathed.
Goddess in the Machine by Lora Beth Johnson (Release Date: June 30, 2020)
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When a girl wakes from a cryogenic sleep on a planet she doesn’t recognize, she must team up with the mysterious soldier who woke her to navigate a future world where technology is considered magic and its practitioners revered as Deities.
Shielded by KayLynn Flanders (Release Date: July 21, 2020)
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For fans of Sorcery of Thorns and Furyborn comes a thrilling new fantasy about a kingdom ravaged by war, and the princess who might be the key to saving not only those closest to her, but the kingdom itself, if she reveals the very secret that could destroy her.
The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna (Release Date: May 26, 2020)
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The start of a bold and immersive West African-inspired, feminist fantasy series for fans of Children of Blood and Bone and Black Panther. In this world, girls are outcasts by blood and warriors by choice.
Crownchasers by Rebecca Coffindaffer (Release Date: September 29, 2020)
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Lara Croft meets Star Wars in this young adult space opera, in which a wisecracking intergalactic adventurer becomes the odds-on favorite to win a deadly, cross-galaxy contest to become the quadrant’s next emperor; too bad she has no intention of winning.
Don’t Call the Wolf by Aleksandra Ross (Release Date: April 28, 2020)
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A forest, besieged. A queen, unyielding. Fans of Leigh Bardugo and Holly Black will devour this deliciously dark Eastern European–inspired YA fantasy debut.
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn (Release Date: September 15, 2020)
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Filled with mystery and an intriguingly rich magic system, Tracy Deonn’s YA contemporary fantasy Legendborn offers the dark allure of City of Bones with a modern-day twist on a classic legend and a lot of Southern Black Girl Magic.
Elysium Girls by Kate Pentecost (Release Date: April 14, 2020)
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In this sweeping Dust Bowl-inspired fantasy, a ten-year game between Life and Death pits the walled Oklahoma city of Elysium-including a girl gang of witches and a demon who longs for humanity-against the supernatural in order to judge mankind.
Queen of Coin and Whispers by Helen Corcoran (Release Date: April 23, 2020)
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When teenage queen Lia inherits her corrupt uncle’s bankrupt kingdom, she brings a new spymaster into the fold … Xania, who takes the job to avenge her murdered father. Faced with dangerous plots and hidden enemies, can Lia and Xania learn to rely on each other, as they discover that all is not fair in love and treason?
In the Shadow of the Sun by EM Castellan (Release Date: February 11, 2020)
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France, 1661 – Henriette of England must navigate her arranged marriage to Louis XIV’s brother while keeping her magical abilities a careful secret from all at the Sun King’s court, but when a mysterious sorcerer uses a forbidden spell to murder royal magicians, she must decide if she will reveal her powers to help Louis defeat him and build a new, enchanted seat of power — the Palace of Versailles.
The Dark Tide by Alicia Jasinska (Release Date: June 2, 2020)
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The Wicked Deep meets A Curse So Dark and Lonely in this gripping, dark fairy-tale fantasy about two girls who must choose between saving themselves, each other, or their sinking island city.
A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne Brown (Release Date: June 2, 2020)
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The first in an immersive fantasy duology inspired by West African folklore in which a grieving crown princess and a desperate refugee find themselves on a collision course to murder each other despite their growing attraction.
Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas (Release Date: June 9, 2020)
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A trans boy determined to prove his gender to his conservative Latinx family summons a ghost who refuses to leave in this paranormal YA debut.
The Ninth Life by Taylor B. Barton (Release Date: September 15, 2020)
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Filled with heart, hope and beautiful prose, The Ninth Life is a wonderful, weird and unforgettable novel for readers looking for something unique, honest and real.
A Miracle of Roses by Diana Pinguicha (Release Date: December 1, 2020)
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A Miracle of Roses is an f/f #OwnVoices retelling of the Portuguese miracle of the same name, where the Princess of Aragon enters a bargain with an Enchanted Moura so she can reverse her gift that turns all the food she touches into flowers.
