Spring 2020 Books I’m Anticipating

Here are some books I’m excited about that are coming out March 2020-May 2020.

Disclosure: All links to Amazon will be affiliate ones. If you buy through those links, I will make a small amount of money on that sale (which I plan to use to buy books to review), but it will not add any to the cost of your product. It comes out of the company’s profits.

March Releases

• Disabled Voices ed by s.b. smith (Mar 1) I’m looking forward to reading this anthology of stories, poems and memoir by disabled authors.
• Every Reason We Shouldn’t by Sara Fujimora (Mar 3) YA romance about figure skating, and I hear it’s a joy to read.
• Witches of Ash and Ruin by E. Latimer (Mar 3) Bi teen witch with OCD coming into her magic, murder mystery, and questions of dark magic? Yes please.
• Salty, Bitter, Sweet by Mayra Cuevos (Mar 3) This YA centers a Cuban American girl who is competing for a job under a famous chef, while dealing with moving to France to live with her dad and new stepmother.

• Postcolonial Love Poem by Natalie Diaz (Mar 3) This poetry collection looks amazing, and I’m looking forward to giving it a try.
• Once Upon a Sunset by Tif Marcelo (Mar 3) This novel centers a Filipinx doctor who unearths new truths about her family and goes on a trip to The Phillipines to visit family she didn’t know existed.
• Only Mostly Devastated by Sophie Gonzales (Mar 3) A YA gay boy retelling of Grease, yes please.
• Everyone on the Moon is Essential Personnel by Julian K Jarboe (Mar 5) A collection of near-future dystopia short stories that captures what it’s like to live under capitalism while (gender)queer, disabled, mentally ill, when you are unwilling or simply – particularly – unable to climb higher in the great chain of oppression.

• Best Bondage Erotica of the Year, Vol 1 ed by Rachel Kramer Bussel (Mar 10) Rachel Kramer Bussel always puts together wonderful erotica collections, and this one has a great lineup.
• Femme Tales by Anne Shade (Mar 10) This f/f erotic fairy tale retelling collection includes a Beauty and the Beast retelling, and I basically want to read all of those. Plus I can’t resist this cover.
• The Only Black Girls in Town by Brandy Colbert (Mar 10) Middle grade novel centering a Black girl who was the only Black girl in town until a new family moves in. She becomes friends with the new girl, and they unearth secrets in the journals they find in the attic…
• When You Were Everything by Ashley Woodfolk (Mar 10) This YA about a friendship breakup seems just my kind of thing.

• A Phoenix First Must Burn ed by Patrice Caldwell (Mar 10) I’m so excited for this YA collection of Black SFF, which has an amazing lineup of authors.
• Love Hard by Nalini Singh (Mar 10) I love Singh’s contemporary romances, and I’m looking forward to this one quite a bit.
• From the Dark We Came by J. Emery (Mar 16) Monster/monster hunter romance with a demisexual MC by one of my favorite paranormal romance authors!

• Matzah Ball Surprise by Laura Brown (Mar 16) I feel like I’ve been anticipating this fake boyfriend for Pesach story forever, and I’m so excited it’s almost out!
• Stand Up, Yumi Chung! by Jessica Kim (Mar 17) A middle grade novel centering an aspiring stand up comedian whose lie snowballs into a double life.
• That Hair by Djaimilia Pereira de Almeida (Mar 17) This autobiographically inspired tragicomedy looks amazing.
• Goldie Vance: The Hotel Whodunit by Lilliam Rivera (Mar 17) This kicks off a middle grade mystery series with a sapphic detective.

• The Spectrum Girl’s Survival Guide by Siena Castellon (Mar 19) A teen autistic girl survival guide, by an autistic author. Need I say more?
• More Than Love by Sharon C Cooper (Mar 20) Friends to lovers romance where they’ve been friends for over 40 years? Sign me up.
• Playing House by Suzanne Clay (Mar 23) Polyamorous m/m/m NA romance where cis queer men open their relationship and connect with a polyamorous queer trans man. I definitely want to give this a try.
• Tenderness by Xan West (Mar 24) (me!) A short story centering a bisexual autistic women whose chosen queer family gathers to support her after she gets dumped by her girlfriend. (A prequel for Their Troublesome Crush.)

• Gone Wild series : Kissing Kendall, Gaming Grace, Attracting Aubrey, & Loving Liv (Mar 24) Four friends. One singles cruise. So many sexy shenanigans…I’m excited for this linked set of romances by authors whose work I’ve enjoyed.

• The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo (Mar 24) Queer feminist fantasy about women’s friendships and monarchy. Sign me up.
• The City We Became by NK Jemison (Mar 24) The first book in a new fantasy series about five New Yorkers coming together to protect the city from ancient evil.
• Kenzie Kickstarts a Team by Kit Rosewater (Mar 24) A middle grade novel about starting a roller derby team!

• American Sweethearts by Adriana Herrera (Mar 30) This childhood crush to lovers queer m/f romance is the fourth in a series that I’ve been really enjoying and the heroine sells sex toys as her side hustle. Really looking forward to this one.
• Days of Distraction by Alexandra Chang (Mar 31) This novel centers a Chinese American woman in a relationship with a white man, who ends up questioning why she is in that relationship. I’ve heard it’s wonderful.
• We Are Totally Normal by Rahul Kanukia (Mar 31) Messy queer YA with a questioning MC who is grappling with a relationship with his best friend and his own internalized queer hatred.

• How to Make Friends with the Sea by Tanya Guerrero (Mar 31) A middle grade novel set in the Phillipines with a boy MC whose anxiety gets worse when his mother adopts a girl into the family.
• The Gospel of Breaking by Jillian Christmas (Mar 31) I’ve heard this collection of poetry is amazing.
• My Art is Killing Me and Other Poems by Amber Dawn (Mar 31) I love Dawn’s work and I’m really looking forward to this poetry collection.

April Releases

• My Autistic Fight Song by Rosie Weldon (April 1) A memoir centering an autistic woman trying to fulfill her dreams in an ableist world.
• Too Sticky: Sensory Issues with Autism by Jen Malia (April 1) This ownvoices picture book centers an autistic girl dealing with sensory issues.
• day/break by Gwen Benaway (April 2) This collection of poetry focuses on trans womanhood, post op intimacy, surgery, sexual violence, and the author’s first queer romance with another woman.

• Stim edied by Lizzie Huxley-Jones (April 2) A collection of stories, essays and art by autistic authors, including some personal faves.
• The Voyages of Cinrak the Dapper by AJ Fitzwater (April 6) Dapper lesbian capybara pirate. Need I say more?
• The Perfect Escape by Suzanne Park (April 7) YA romcom where the MCs work at a zombie escape room and enter a survivalist competition to win prize money.
• The Magic in Changing Your Stars by Leah Henderson (April 7) This middle grade time travel story is all about dance and 1930s Harlem and it looks amazing.

• The Breakbeat Poets Vol 4: Latinext ed by Felicia Rose Chavez, Jose Olivarez and Willie Perdomo (April 7) This poetry collection looks wonderful!
• Check, Please Book Two: Sticks and Scones by Ngozi Ukazu (April 7) I’m very excited for this book to finally be out! I loved book one so much!
• Lila and Hadley by Kody Keplinger (April 7) This middle grade novel centers a girl who is going blind, has to go live with her sister in a new place, and the connection she creates with a rescue dog.
• The Subtweet by Vivek Shraya (April 7) Musicians connect online and form an intense friendship, then firnd themselves at the center of an internet firestorm, their friendship imploding.

• What I Like About You by Marisa Kanter (April 7) In this YA a Jewish girl ends up moving to a new place and inadvertantly meeting her online best friend, without him knowing it’s her. He’s in love with his online BFF, while she’s falling for meatspace him…
• We Didn’t Ask for This by Adi Alsaid (April 7) In this ensemble YA, lock-in night plans must change when students stage an eco protest.
• Ghost Squad by Claribel A Ortega (April 7) I’ve been looking forward to reading this middle grade ghost adventure novel forever.
• Inked with a Kiss by Jennie Davids (April 13) Second in a series set in a tattoo parlor, this single parent f/f romance has the two MCs in forced proximity as they collaborate on a project. I enjoyed book one, so I’m looking forward to trying this.

• The Beast by Katee Robert (April 13) Fourth in the Wicked Villains series, this kinky erotic romance is a Beauty and the Beast retelling with a triad between Gaston, the Beast, and Beauty. I’ve been looking forward to this one.
• Sugar Summer by Hannah Moskowitz (April 14) Lesbian retelling of Dirty Dancing by one of my favorite authors, sign me up.
• Nerds, Goths, Geeks, and Freaks: Outsiders in Chicanx and Latinx Young Adult Literature by Trevor Boffone & Cristina Herrera (April 15) This collection of essays looks awesome.
• To the Boys Who Wear Pink by Revan Badingham III (April 17) This novel by a queer Filipinx author intertwines multiple stories about the same high school reunion, and sounds amazing.

• Three to Love by Rebel Carter (April 20) This polyamorous historical romance looks wonderful!.
• Rick by Alex Gino (April 21) A middle grade novel centering a boy questioning his sexual identity and trying to figure out if he might be on the ace spectrum.
• Late to the Party by Kelly Quindlen (April 21) Queer teen girl in a story about friendship? Sign me up.
• Girl Gone Viral by Alisha Rai (April 21) This centers a trauma survivor managing the stress of accidentally going viral, and her romance with her bodyguard, and I really enjoyed it

• Don’t Cry for Me by Rachel Lacey (April 21) This reality-show themed f/f romance looks like a lot of fun.
• Guarding Temptation by Talia Hibbert (April 22) I am so excited for the expanded edition of this brother’s best friend romance!
• Flying Gold by Vanessa North (April 27) I’m excited for this second chance romance, book two in this series set in a garage.
• Burn Zone by Annabeth Albert (April 27) His best friends brother who he’s been fighting an attraction to ends up on his smoke jumper team.

• Island Affair by Priscilla Oliveras (April 28) This book is by one of my favorite romance authors, and centers a social media influencer recovering from an ED, a fake relationship, and a Miami family vacation.
• Peta Lyre’s Rating Normal by Anna Whateley (April 28 in Australia) YA contemporary about an autistic girl who falls for another girl while on a school ski trip, as she tries to decide which rules on “normal behavior” to follow and which to break.
• Ways to Make Sunshine by Renée Watson (April 28) This middle grade book centers a girl trying to make the best out of hard things who loves to cook, and it’s by a fave author.

• All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M Johnson (April 28) I’ve been anticipating this queer YA memoir for a long time, so excited it’s almost out.
• Please Don’t Hug Me by Kay Kerr (April 28) YA centering an autistic girl dealing with hard stuff like losing her job & making new friends.
• Office Hours by Katrina Jackson (April 30) Burnt out sociology professor falls for cinnamon roll historian, by one of my most favorite romance authors, yes please.

May Releases

• Harvest of Sighs by Sierra Simone (May 1) The long awaited next installment in her Thornchapel series seems to center the f/f couple that I’ve been hoping might get more attention, so I’m very excited for this one.
• The Mermaid, the Witch and the Sea by Maggie Tokuda-Hall (May 5) Queer girl pirates, mermaids, double agents. Need I say more?
• Keep It Together Keiko Carter by Debbie Michiko Florence (May 5) A middle grade book about crumbling friendships, crushes, and finding your way through seventh grade.
• Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo (May 5) This YA in verse centers a girl who’s life is overturned when her father dies in a plane crash.

• Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender (May 5) A YA novel about a transgender teen grappling with identity and self-discovery while falling in love for the first time.
• Vanishing Monuments by John Elizabeth Stinzi (May 5) In this novel, a non-binary protagonist grapples with reconnecting with their estranged mother now that she has dementia.
• Any Day with You by Mae Respicio (May 5) A middle grade novel about a girl who hopes that by winning a filmmaking contest, she’ll convince her great-grandfather not to move back home to the Philippines.

• Meet Cute Club by Jack Harbon (May 5) Bookstore set m/m romance with MCs trying to resurrect a romance book club by one of my favorite authors.
• Once Upon an Eid: Stories of Hope and Joy by 15 Muslim Voices, edited by SK Ali (May 5) This anthology looks amazing.
• The Trouble with Hating You by Sajni Patel (May 12) This rom com centers a biochemical engineer heroine who flees when her parents try to set her up on a date, but then shows up at her job the next week to try to save her company.

• The Henna Wars by Jaguirdar Adiba (May 12) I’m so excited for this f/f YA romance about girls with competing henna businesses.
• He’s Come Undone: A Romance Anthology (May 12) Romances by some of my favorite authors, yes please I need this collection which includes romances by Emma Barry, Olivia Dade, Adriana Herrera, Ruby Lang, and Cat Sebastian.
• Beautiful and Dirty by Katrina Jackson (May 15) This is the first in the author’s new mafia erotica series, and I’m excited to read it!
• The Bad in Each Other by Tasha L Harrison (May 18) I really enjoyed the first book in this series and this one has a single mom entering a cooking contest.

• Starcrossed by Allie Therin (May 18) I cannot wait for book two in this series, I adored the first book so much.
• Real Men Knit by Kwana Jackson (May 19) Very excited for this knitting themed romance where the heroine helps the hero as he is trying to save his foster mother’s knitting store.
• A Taste of Sage by Yaffa Santos (May 19) This foodie romance between two chefs looks wonderful.
• Chaos Reigning by Jessie Mihalik (May 19) I can’t wait for book three in this unputdownable series, which is a bodyguard/protectee romance with lots of intrigue.

• Banned Book Club by Kim Hyun Sook (May 19) This graphic novel memoir looks amazing.
• Trans and Autistic ed by Noah Adams and Bridget Liang (May 21) This anthology looks amazing; I’m excited to read it.
• Fairest by Meredith Talusan (May 26) This memoir is by a disabled Filipinx non-binary trans woman author whose non-fiction I’ve really enjoyed reading.
• Camp by LC Rosen (May 26) This YA set at a queer summer camp takes on toxic masculinity. Can’t wait to read it.

• Something to Talk About by Meryl Wilsner (May 26) This contemporary f/f workplace romance looks like a lot of fun.
• Out Now: Queer We Go Again! edited by Saundra Mitchell (May 26) This queer YA collection looks wonderful!
• Ghosting: A Love Story by Tash Skilton (May 26) This contemporary m/f romcom centers two online dating ghostwriters who to fall for each other while working out of the same cafe.

• The Girl Next Door by Chelsea M. Cameron (May 26) This summer fling romance looks right up my alley.
• Pregnant by the Playboy by Jackie Lau (May 26) This romance is the first in her new Fong brothers series and looks delightfully tropetastic.
• Wonderland by Juno Dawson (May 28 in Australia) An exploration of mental health, gender and privilege, this YA is an Alice retelling with a trans girl MC.