Another year means it’s time for another round of predicting which books I plan to pick up in 2020 will become 5 star reads for me. There’s a lot of amazing books that I’m hoping to read this year, so trying to narrow it down to just a few was pretty hard. I would love for all of the books that I read to be worth 5 stars but that’s just not possible. But hey, maybe I’ll be right with these!
Previous Posts:
Kingsbane (The Empirium Trilogy, #2) by Claire Legrand
Rielle Dardenne has been anointed Sun Queen, but her trials are far from over. The Gate keeping the angels at bay is falling. To repair it, Rielle must collect the seven hidden castings of the saints. Meanwhile, to help her prince and love Audric protect Celdaria, Rielle must spy on the angel Corien—but his promises of freedom and power may prove too tempting to resist.
Centuries later, Eliana Ferracora grapples with her new reality: She is the Sun Queen, humanity’s long-awaited savior. But fear of corruption—fear of becoming another Rielle—keeps Eliana’s power dangerous and unpredictable. Hunted by all, racing against time to save her dying friend Navi, Eliana must decide how to wear a crown she never wanted by embracing her mother’s power or rejecting it forever.
I immediately fell in love with the first book in this series and have been waiting for too long to finally pick up this sequel. I have a feeling that this book may wreck me in so many ways and I’m ready for it.
The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough
The Thorn Birds is a robust, romantic saga of a singular family, the Clearys. It begins in the early part of this century, when Paddy Cleary moves his wife, Fiona, and their seven children to Drogheda, the vast Australian sheep station owned by his autocratic and childless older sister; and it ends more than half a century later, when the only survivor of the third generation, the brilliant actress Justine O’Neill, sets a course of life and love halfway around the world from her roots.
The central figures in this enthralling story are the indomitable Meggie, the only Cleary daughter, and the one man she truly loves, the stunningly handsome and ambitious priest Ralph de Bricassart. Ralph’s course moves him a long way indeed, from a remote Outback parish to the halls of the Vatican; and Meggie’s except for a brief and miserable marriage elsewhere, is fixed to the Drogheda that is part of her bones – but distance does not dim their feelings though it shapes their lives.
Wonderful characters people this book; strong and gentle, Paddy, hiding a private memory; dutiful Fiona, holding back love because it once betrayed her, violent, tormented Frank, and the other hardworking Cleary sons who give the boundless lands of Drogheda the energy and devotion most men save for women; Meggie; Ralph; and Meggie’s children, Justine and Dane. And the land itself; stark, relentless in its demands, brilliant in its flowering, prey to gigantic cycles of drought and flood, rich when nature is bountiful, surreal like no other place on earth.
I’m always a sucker for a romantic saga, especially when with a historical setting. I’ve heard amazing things about this book and its miniseries adaptation, so I cannot wait to dive into it myself. I have a feeling that I may need to keep a box of tissues nearby…
The Silence of Bones by June Hur
1800, Joseon (Korea). Homesick and orphaned sixteen-year-old Seol is living out the ancient curse: “May you live in interesting times.” Indentured to the police bureau, she’s been tasked with assisting a well-respected young inspector with the investigation into the politically charged murder of a noblewoman.
As they delve deeper into the dead woman’s secrets, Seol forms an unlikely bond of friendship with the inspector. But her loyalty is tested when he becomes the prime suspect, and Seol may be the only one capable of discovering what truly happened on the night of the murder.
But in a land where silence and obedience are valued above all else, curiosity can be deadly.
This book sounds like everything that I love – unique setting, mystery, and friendship. It’s also already getting a lot of buzz for a debut which makes me even more excited. I’m also getting a little bit of spooky vibes from the synopsis and cover, which is always fun as well.
House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City, #1) by Sarah J. Maas
Bryce Quinlan had the perfect life—working hard all day and partying all night—until a demon murdered her closest friends, leaving her bereft, wounded, and alone. When the accused is behind bars but the crimes start up again, Bryce finds herself at the heart of the investigation. She’ll do whatever it takes to avenge their deaths.
Hunt Athalar is a notorious Fallen angel, now enslaved to the Archangels he once attempted to overthrow. His brutal skills and incredible strength have been set to one purpose—to assassinate his boss’s enemies, no questions asked. But with a demon wreaking havoc in the city, he’s offered an irresistible deal: help Bryce find the murderer, and his freedom will be within reach.
As Bryce and Hunt dig deep into Crescent City’s underbelly, they discover a dark power that threatens everything and everyone they hold dear, and they find, in each other, a blazing passion—one that could set them both free, if they’d only let it.
Let’s be honest, Sarah J. Maas can’t really do any wrong in my eyes. I have been waiting on this book ever since it was first announced and it’s so close to finally arriving! I’m glad marketing has finally labeled this book correctly as New Adult, which should have been the case as well for A Court of Thorns and Roses series.
What the Wind Knows by Amy Harmon
Anne Gallagher grew up enchanted by her grandfather’s stories of Ireland. Heartbroken at his death, she travels to his childhood home to spread his ashes. There, overcome with memories of the man she adored and consumed by a history she never knew, she is pulled into another time.
The Ireland of 1921, teetering on the edge of war, is a dangerous place in which to awaken. But there Anne finds herself, hurt, disoriented, and under the care of Dr. Thomas Smith, guardian to a young boy who is oddly familiar. Mistaken for the boy’s long-missing mother, Anne adopts her identity, convinced the woman’s disappearance is connected to her own.
As tensions rise, Thomas joins the struggle for Ireland’s independence and Anne is drawn into the conflict beside him. Caught between history and her heart, she must decide whether she’s willing to let go of the life she knew for a love she never thought she’d find. But in the end, is the choice actually hers to make?
Once again, we’ve got another historical fiction on this list. But can you blame me with that synopsis? And y’all know how much I love Ireland anyways, so everything about this book sounds right up my alley. This one was a Goodreads Choice Nominee this year and if that doesn’t excite you, I don’t know what will!
What are some books on your TBR that you think will end up being 5 stars? Have you read any of the books on my list? If so, what did you think of them? Are you surprised to only see two fantasy novels on my list? 😉
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