Top Ten Tuesday | Most Anticipated Releases for the Second Half of 2020

Blimey! My book buying ban really went out the window during the lockdown; but my pre-order list is teeming with some fantastic, diverse fantasies that I cannot wait to sink my teeth into. So I'm saying this is a win-win. Today' I am going to be sharing my top 10 that are currently on my radar.

Top Ten Tuesday is the brainchild of The Broke and the Bookish and has since been taken over The Artsy Reader Girl. You can find upcoming topics, here.

From left to right:
1. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
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Release Date | October 12th

2. Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
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Release Date | September 15th

3. Forest of Souls by Lori M. Lee 
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Release Date | July 1st

4. A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown
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Release Date | July 9th

5. The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson 
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Release Date | July 21st

From left to right:
6. Star Daughter by Shveta Thakra 
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Release Date | September 3rd

7.  Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron 
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Release Date | August 6th

8. The Dark Tide by Alicia Jasinka
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Release Date | August 4th

9. The Bone Shard's Daughter by Andrea Stewart 
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Release Date | September 10th

10. Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhouse 
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Release Date | October 13th

Are any of these books you are looking forward to? Have I missed any that you think I would love? Let me know and come join me in the comments!

Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Favourite "Supernatural" Characters

This week is "Halloween freebie" so in great style I choose to convey some awesome and hot fiction "supernatural" characters that I've read over recent years.

1.

Magnus Bane (The Bane Chronicles)
Cassandra Clare

Magnus... Magnus... my bffl... I truely believe he'd be my best friend, if the word "fictional" didn't hold us back. I mean, who wouldn't want a warlock who gave "great" fashion advice and get you a cup of coffee with the click of his fingers?

2.

Manon Blackbeak (Throne of Glass #3)

Manon is cruel, manipulative and calculative; yet, she still has a honorable heart and that's why I love her.

3.
Dracula (Bram Stoker's Dracula)

I STILL haven't read the full novel by Bram Stoker. But, no "supernatural" character list isn't complete without where the ideology of Vampirism started to mold into today's modern literature.

4.

 Rhysand (A Court of Thorns and Roses #1)

By the Couldren! Am I blushing?

No! Never, it just got unbelievably hot in here.

5.
Ridley Duchannes (Dangerous Creatures #1)

Ridley- the bad ass Dark Caster. She's was just so fun to read about. A bad influence on any person, just make sure you don't jump off a cliff.

Okay, so the next couple aren't your typical "vampire, werewolf" supernatural character, however I disagree and think they count. After all, they are all beyond human.

6.

Lightsong (Warbreaker)

At this point, I haven't finished Warbreaker. What I do know about Lightsong is limited, but I love how Sanderson uses him to break the convention he has created. Creating this lighter humerous character to move away from the stronger, more serious plot parts.

7. Warden (The Bone Season #1)

Samantha Shannon does mention his actual name- but I forgot and I'm lazy.

This is the part where we have to consecutive cuties. Warden isn't strictly your typical "supernatural" hottie. Even so, there is something quite brooding about Warden.

8.

 Dimitri Belikov (Vampire Academy #1)

The second hottie... sorry, I meant cutie.

Who wouldn't put Dimitri Belikov on this list. He counts- born of Moroi and human blood. Plus, muscles, russian accent, caring and adorable. Yup, he qualifies. I checked.

9.
Karou (Daughter of Smoke and Bone #1)

The blue haired girl who learned the power of teeth. All the way through reading Karou's story I could feel the power of Karou and the will to keep going to reach the dream of lovers.

10.

Melisandre (A Game of Thrones #2)

"For the night is dark and full of terrors."

She's not "supernatural" in the sense we mean but I wanted to include her in this, because of the things that surrounds her. The shadow of Stannis in partake in Renly etc... They're elements of magic that centres on her it's just not explict "she has magic" but the things she can do add to that.

Top Ten Tuesday: Writing YA Fantasy 101

TTT is hosted by the wonderful blog: The Broke and The Bookish; where every week book bloggers come together to bring their teop ten on a given prompt.
This weeks TTT is:

Top Ten books on your syllabus if you taught X 101.

For this im going with Writing YA Fantasy 101.

Let's begin class!

10.) Harry Potter (I can't choose just one!)

Okay, this isnt exactly a "young adult" novel and is classed mostly as a children's book but this would be where we explore world building and seeing what we could extract and bring into our own understanding of this element.

9.) Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass #3)

I should put all three down because who just reads the 3rd book in a series? I want to teach you about a character who is deadly and a killer but not just consumed by one emotion like so many heriones are being written as in today's YA.

8.) Splintered (Splintered #1)

FAIRY TALE RETELLINGS!!
I am a sucker for them- particularly Alice in Wonderland. Exactly what Splintered is; only things are much darker than Carroll intended. I'd want you to turn in a 2,000 worded short story, going for a much darker twist on your own favourite tale.

7.) The Novice (Summoners #1)

The Novice by Taran Matharu was originally written on the writing social networking platform: Wattpad.
This I think we would have a play at. Writing a novel in a month through this and seeing the advantages and disadvantages with our own writing.

6.) Sabriel

I have never read a Garth Nix *hides* but I would really like to! I think it would be fun to read a book that the tutor has never read and share together. Being a bit spontaneous we'd make up a writing excersise.

 5.)The Knife of Never Letting Go (Chaos Walkng Trilogy #1)

"Dystopian" fiction I consider as a part of the "Fantasy" subgenre. As I continue to read Patrick Ness' Chaos Walking trilogy its slowly becoming one of my favourite YA dystopian novels. Ness has such a unique writing style which I think all potential writers should have the opportunity to develop- why not?

4.) Daughter of Smoke and Bone (Daughter of Smoke and Bone #1)

Wait! Is this an urban fantasy that isn't set in either North America OR Great Britian? 

Yes sure-ee!

Physical written proof you can set you fantasy anywhere. 

3.) Falling Kingdoms (Falling Kingdoms #1)

Multiple POV. Granted I have not read this one yet but doesn't mean it's not high on my TBR. But I hear this uses multiple POV- another good fantasy writing skill we all could study and inquire. Plus I just really would love to crack down and read it.

2.) His Dark Materials

All I have to say for this is no YA fantasy list is complete without a bit of PP. I believe this will soon follow as a mordern classic of our time and i'd be that mad tutor who would add a book just because they think everyone should read it.

1.) Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices #1)

I've seen a quote about Cassie stating she be "the new queen of YA Fantasy" so I had to put her in the list.

Sorry, what?

Am I sure that's the reason? 

Yes, of course! It has nothing to do with me being obsessed with everything Cassie writes, right? *nervous giggles*

So here is my list of books you would all need to read before this year classes begin.

What YA Fantasy books did I miss that you would want to study this year?