20 upcoming YA books we can’t wait to read in 2020

The Faithless Hawk – Margaret Owen

This follow up to one of 2019’s best fantasy novels, The Merciful Crow, continues the story of the kingdom of Sabor, where all residents are divided into hierarchical Castes based on their magical abilities known as Birthrights and those at the top look down on all those below them, particularly those known as Crows. The kingdom’s undertakers, mercy killers and plague doctors, they’re largely shunned by the very people they serve thanks to their deeply creepy magic, which involves using the teeth of the dead.

The Faithless Hawk picks up pretty much where its predecessor left off. Fie is now Chief of her Crow clan, and determined to force the rulers of Sabor to stop persecuting her people. Phoenix Prince Jasimir has promised to help, but with the widowed Queen Rhusana fighting to claim the throne for herself that’s going to be a lot easier said than done. And what’s become of Hawk warrior Tavin, Fie’s love interest and Jasimir’s former bodyguard, captured at the end of the previous novel? The title of this story doesn’t sound like anything good is headed his way…..

Here’s the official synopsis, which promises that we’ll learn a lot more about the Crows and their history in this installment.

"As the new chieftain of the Crows, Fie knows better than to expect a royal to keep his word. Still she’s hopeful that Prince Jasimir will fulfill his oath to protect her fellow Crows. But then black smoke fills the sky, signaling the death of King Surimir and the beginning of Queen Rhusana’s merciless bid for the throne. With the witch queen using the deadly plague to unite the nation of Sabor against Crows—and add numbers to her monstrous army—Fie and her band are forced to go into hiding, leaving the country to be ravaged by the plague. However, they’re all running out of time before the Crows starve in exile and Sabor is lost forever. A desperate Fie calls on old allies to help take Rhusana down from within her own walls. But inside the royal palace, the only difference between a conqueror and a thief is an army. To survive, Fie must unravel not only Rhusana’s plot, but ancient secrets of the Crows—secrets that could save her people, or set the world ablaze."

The Faithless Hawk is available on July 28.

What are you looking forward to reading in 2020?