It is time to check out the best new sci-fi and fantasy book releases of December 2020. Can you believe 2020 is almost over? Thank God, right?
I think we can all agree that 2020 overall sucked—even though some good things might have happened in your life. Let’s hope 2021 will get better. It does seem hopeful, as last time I checked, there’s a vaccination available that seemed to work pretty well.
Anyway, that’s not what you’re here for. You’re here because you want to know what December 2020, the very last month, still has to offer you in terms of sci-fi and fantasy books. Not to worry, as always, I compiled a list of the best new fantasy & sci-fi book releases of the month for you. In the case of December 2020, it tallies a good 20.
Short Overview of the Best Sci-Fi & Fantasy Book Releases for December 2020
You can jump straight to the book’s larger synopsis, along with information on the release date and where to pre-order, by clicking on the title below.
- A Sky Beyond the Storm (An Ember in the Ashes #4) by Sabaa Tahir: YA Fantasy Dystopian Romance, where Nightbringer is attempting to destroy everyone while Laia and Soul Catcher are supposed to prevent it.
- The Last Resort by Susi Holliday: Adult Thriller, Sci-Fi. When an offer is to good to be true, it usually is. Amelia is trapped on an island with 6 strangers and forced to wear technology designed to uncover and show their dark deeds and secrets.
- The Ballad of Ami Miles by Kristy Dallas Alley: YA Dystopian Sci-Fi, LGBTQ Romance. A bit Handmaid’s Tale-ish, where Ami lives in a post-apocalyptic world as one of the few females still able to bear a child. Running from her fate and arranged marriage, she rediscovers herself.
- A Warm Heart in Winter (Black Dagger Brotherhood #18.5) by J.R. Ward: Urban Paranormal Romance, LGBTQ, Vampires. A proposal and a mating ceremony for Blay and Qhuinn. It’s all they wanted. But it gets ruined by an uninvited guest and they soon find themselves in danger.
- The Blade Between by Sam J. Miller: Adult Fantasy/Sci-Fi, LGBTQ. Ronan goes back to Hudson when his father falls ill, and unleashes the ancient angry spirits living under the city. Can he save the town he once loathed?
- God’s Eye: Awakening: A Labyrinth World Novel by Aleron Kong: Adult Epic Fantasy. A world where gods and demons live, and battle each other. Losing is a fate worse than death. Remy needs more followers to gain strength, but his tribe seems to be in a fight of their own.
- A Curse of Roses by Diana Pinguicha: YA Fantasy Retellings, LGBTQ. The story is based on a Portugese legend—so perfect if you love retellings that are different from the myths and fairytales you already know. Yzabella has a curse: when she touches food, it turns into flowers. Can she reverse the curse and save Portugal from the famine?
- Wizard of the Pigeons: The 35th Anniversary Illustrated Edition by Megan Lindholm & Tommy Arnold (Illustrator): Adult Urban Sci-Fi/Fantasy. A beautiful illustration version of the book, featuring Wizard: a wizard going to Seattle. His gift allows him to see the truth but in exchange, he can never have more than a dollar, remain celebrate, and feed and protect the pidgeons.
- Girls of Storm and Shadow (Girls of Paper and Fire #2) by Natasha Ngan: YA Fantasy Romance, LGBTQ. Lei has killed the monarch and must now flee with Wren to get help from the rebel clan.
- Defending the Galaxy (Sentinels of the Galaxy #3) by Maria V. Snyder: YA Sci-Fi Space Opera. Junior Officer Ara discovers the Q-net, but no one beliefs her. And then there are also incoming attacks from looters, a galaxy-wide conspiracy and an alien threat.
- Layla by Colleen Hoover: Adult Contemporary Paranormal Romance. With his lover changed by an accident, Leeds takes her away to the B&B they met. But she only acts stranger, and Leeds finds himself drawn to another—he needs to make a choice.
- D: A Tale of Two Worlds by Michel Faber: Middle Grade/YA Fantasy. The D disappears from language. How is this possible? Dhikilo is determined to find out.
- When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain (The Singing Hills Cycle #2) by Nghi Vo: Adult Sci-Fi/Fantasy, LGBTQ, Short stories. A band of hungry tigers has Chih and their companions trapped. To survive, they need to weave a compelling story.
- Crosshairs by Catherine Hernandez: Adult Dystopian Sci-Fi, LGBTQ. In a dystopian near-future, floods render people homeless, and the communities of color, disabled, and LGBTQs are sent to labor camps. Within these camps, the resistance rises.
- Oculta (A Forgery of Magic #2) by Maya Motayne: YA Fantasy/Sci-Fi. Finn wants to enjoy her freedom, while Alfie wants peace for Castallan. Neither of these things go as planned.
- The Notorious Virtues (The Notorious Virtues #1) by Alwyn Hamilton: YA Urban Fantasy. When her mother dies, Nora is pitted against her cousins in a contest to determine the family heir. It becomes even more complicated when a surprise guest shows up.
- Your Lion Eyes (Alphaville #2) by Christine Warren: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Shapeshifters. Molly is a lioness on the prowl for Grady, but can he really start something with his best friend’s sister?
- Fairy Godmothers, Inc. by Saranna DeWylde: Adult Fantasy Romance. The Fairy Godmothers think the city of Ever After needs a reboot, which involves a fake wedding between Lucky and her first-love and ex Ransom. What could go wrong?
- Black Canary: Breaking Silence (DC Icons #5) by Alexandra Monir: YA Graphic Novel, Fantasy/Sci-Fi, DC Comics. In a city where singing is forbidden, Dinah discovers just how powerful her voice can be.
- The Dark Archive (The Invisible Library #7) by Genevieve Cogman: Adult Urban Fantasy. Training a new assistant is difficult when there are numerous assassination attempts. Irene needs to find information about their new enemy fast, while uncovering secrets that change the course of the library forever.
20 Best Sci-Fi & Fantasy Book Releases of December 2020
A Sky Beyond the Storm (An Ember in the Ashes #4) – Sabaa Tahir
Genre: YA Fantasy Dystopian Romance
Pubdate: 1st of December
Publisher: Razorbill
Already the fourth installment of the An Ember in the Ashes series. It picks up only a few months after the events of ‘A Reaper at the Gates.’ The jinn, who’ve been imprisoned for a long time, are wreaking havoc in village and cities. Moreover, the Nightbringer wants revenge, and Commandant Keris Veturia declares herself Empress, beheading anyone against her.
Laia of Serra is now allied with the Blood Shrike while grieving the loss of the two people closest to her. She throws herself into the destruction of Nightbringer, awakening an ancient power in the process. It could lead her to victory—or unimaginable doom.
Let’s also not forget about the Soul Catcher, who wants to forget the life and love; he left behind. But can he really ignore the murderous trail left by the Nightbringer and his jinn? He needs to uphold his oath and protect the human world.
The Last Resort – Susi Holliday
Genre: Adult Thriller, Sci-Fi
Pubdate: 1st of December
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Amelia is invited to an all-expenses-paid retreat on a private island, along with six other strangers. They need to test a brand-new product for Timeo Technologies. But that’s not the real reason they’re there.
They all have a secret. And when they’re forced to wear a memory-tracking device, their dark and shameful deeds are revealed to their fellow guests. There’s no escape from the island—just a count-down to the end-of-day party. But injuries and fighting split the group. Amelia suspects her only hope is to be the last one standing. Can she confront her dark past and uncover the truth before it’s too late?
The Ballad of Ami Miles – Kristy Dallas Alley
Genre: YA Dystopian Sci-Fi, LGBTQ Romance
Pubdate: 1st of December
Publisher: Swoon Reads
Ami Miles was raised in isolation at the Heavenly Shepherd—her family’s survival compound. She knows she’s lucky to be born into a safe place rather than after the old world ended and chaos began. But then her grandfather arranges a marriage to a cold-eyed stranger, and she realizes her purpose is to bring new children to this world—something that only a few females are still able to do.
Ami flees with the help of one of her aunts and sets off to find her long-lost mother. In her journey, she discovers many new things about the world and herself.
A Warm Heart in Winter (Black Dagger Brotherhood #18.5) – J.R. Ward
Genre: Urban Paranormal Romance, LGBTQ, Vampires
Pubdate: 1st of December
Publisher: Pocket Books
Blay and Qhuinn always wanted to do a proper mating ceremony, but life kept getting in the way. Responsibilities to the King and a grueling fighting schedule makes them exhausted and overwhelmed. But Qhuinn does give Blay the proposal of a lifetime, and they’re excited about their special night and more love than ever.
Everyone in the Black Dagger Brotherhood’s mansion starts the preparations with an epic after-party. It’s promising to be a great celebration until a Nor’easter land locks Caldwell in a fierce storm, and things become extremely dangerous. In the battle, Blay and Qhuinn get separated while their lives are in jeopardy. The night they had so looked forward to could mean the end of everything.
The Blade Between – Sam J. Miller
Genre: Adult Fantasy/Sci-Fi, LGBTQ
Pubdate: 1st of December
Publisher: Ecco
Ronan Szepessy goes back to Hudson when his father is ill, and the NYC distractions have become too much. Even though the sleepy town is no place for a restless gay photographer, he does reconnect with two high school friends: Dom—his first love— and his wife, Attalah. Gentrifiers and corporate interests overrun their town. Ronan and Attalah create a plan to rattle the newcomers but unleash something far more mysterious and uncontainable. As it turns out, the real estate developers aren’t the only threatening forces: the spirits undergirding the town are enraged. Can Ronan shed his own demons and save the city he once loathed?
God’s Eye: Awakening: A Labyrinth World Novel – Aleron Kong
Genre: Adult Epic Fantasy
Pubdate: 1st of December
Publisher: Tamori Publications, LLC
This is the second series of the Labyrinth Universe, where Telos is a world at the center. A world that gods and demons call home at the beginning of a new age. Remy is a new deity, struggling to survive in a Battle Royale, where losing means a fate worse than death. He needs a tribe of worshipers to live—he needs it to gain strength. It becomes a deadly race of technology and power, faith and corruption, and commoners and legends.
A Curse of Roses – Diana Pinguicha
Genre: YA Fantasy Retellings, LGBTQ
Pubdate: 1st of December
Publisher: Entangled: Teen
A retelling based on a Portugal legend.
With a famine plaguing the land, Princess Yzabel is wasting food just by trying to eat. Before she can swallow, her curse has turned her meal into a bouquet. She’s on the verge of starving, with the people of Portugal enduring the same pain. If only she could reverse it, and turn flowers into food.
Fatyan, a beautiful enchanted Moura, is the only one who can help. But she’s trapped by magical binds. All Yzabel has to do is set her free with a kiss, and Fatyan can help her control the curse. But the kiss has Yzabel yearning for more, but as the King of Portugal’s betrothed, that would be treason.
Wizard of the Pigeons: The 35th Anniversary Illustrated Edition – Megan Lindholm, Tommy Arnold (Illustrator)
Genre: Adult Urban Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Pubdate: 1st of December
Publisher: Grim Oak Press
Not exactly a new release, but a new edition of the book written by Megan Lindholm, also known as Robin Hobb.
This new edition has some gorgeous illustrations featuring Seattle. A place where subtle magic seeps through the cracks, but only the inhabitants who possess the gift are open to it. They can find portents in the graffiti, read messages in the rubbish, or listen to warnings in children’s skipping-rope chants.
Wizard is bound to Seattle, having the gift of the Knowing—a powerful enchantment allowing him to know the truth of things. But the magic has its price: Wizard must never have more than a dollar in his pocket, must remain celibate, and must feed and protect the pigeons.
Seattle is threatened by a malevolent force, born of Wizard’s forgotten past, to prey on his power and taunt him with images of his obscure history. He is the only wizard in Seattle who can face the evil and save the city, his friends, and himself.
Girls of Storm and Shadow (Girls of Paper and Fire #2) – Natasha Ngan
Genre: YA Fantasy Romance, LGBTQ
Pubdate: 1st of December
Publisher: jimmy patterson
So, after the events of Girls of Paper and Fire, Lei and Wren have escaped the Hidden Palace’s oppression, but they have to pay the price. Lei is now the Moonchosen—the commoner who managed to do what no one else could. Slaying the monarch. She has a massive bounty on her head, so she travels the kingdom with her love Wren to gain support from the far-flung rebel clans. But a plot to eliminate the rebel uprising is taking shape, all with dark magic.
Defending the Galaxy (Sentinels of the Galaxy #3) – Maria V. Snyder
Genre: YA Sci-Fi Space Opera
Pubdate: 2nd of December
Publisher: HQ Young Adult – AU
The year is 2522, and there’s a critical situation for Junior Officer Ara Lawrence and her team, and everyone in the base. There’s a new attack coming from the looters, along with a galaxy-wide crime conspiracy and an unstoppable alien threat. And then there’s the discovery of the Q-net, but no one believes Ara that it exists.
Layla – Colleen Hoover
Genre: Adult Contemporary Paranormal Romance
Pubdate: 8th of December
Publisher: Montlake
Leeds falls heads-over-heels for Layla, and he knows he’ll spend the rest of his life with her until an attack leaves her fighting for her life. Layla does recover physically, but the mental scarring changes her. Leed wants back what they had, so he takes her away to the bed-and-breakfast where they met, but Layla’s behavior only gets stranger. Leeds finds solace in Willow, another guest, with whom he forms a connection. Leeds needs to make a choice: help Layla, or help Willow. The wrong choice could be detrimental to them all.
D: A Tale of Two Worlds – Michel Faber
Genre: Middle Grade/YA Fantasy
Pubdate: 8th of December
Publisher: Hanover Square Press
How strange would it be to wake up in a world where the D disappears from the language? Quite annoying also when your name starts with a D.
It happens to Dhikilo when her parents can’t say the letter any more in a breakfast conversation. Then it disappears from the road sings outside en school dinners. Even the Donkey Derby has been called off. She doesn’t know why, but she’s summoned to the home of her old history teacher Professor Dodderfield and his Labrador, Nelly Robinson. And that’s where the story begins. In a world between England and the wintry land of Liminus, it’s a world enslaved by the monstrous Gamp and populated by fearsome, enchanting creatures.
When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain (The Singing Hills Cycle #2) – Nghi Vo
Genre: Adult Sci-Fi/Fantasy, LGBTQ, Short stories
Pubdate: 8th of December
Publisher: Tordotcom
The cleric Chih finds themself and their companions at the mercy of a band of tigers. And they’re hungry. They need to stay alive for long enough for the mammoths to save them, so Chih must unwind the intricate, layered story of the tiger and her scholar lover—a woman of courage, intelligence, and beauty—discovering how truth can survive becoming history.
Crosshairs – Catherine Hernandez
Genre: Adult Dystopian Sci-Fi, LGBTQ
Pubdate: 8th of December
Publisher: HarperAvenue
If you’re looking to read more diversely—look no further. In a dystopian society, in the near future, massive floods lead to homelessness and devastation. The government has a sanctioned regime called the Boots, and they seize their opportunity to force communities of color, the disabled, and the LGBTQs into labor camps in Toronto.
Kay joins the resistance after his livelihood and love of his life are taken away, alongside Bahadur—a transmasculine refugee— and Firuzeh—a headstrong social worker. There to guide them in the use of weapons and combat is Beck, a rogue army officer.
This feels like a very important book in today’s day and age. It’s definitely added to my reading list!
Oculta (A Forgery of Magic #2) – Maya Motayne
Genre: YA Fantasy/Sci-Fi
Pubdate: 15th of December
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Alfie and Finn haven’t seen each other in months after joining forces to save Castallan from an ancient magical evil. Alfie accepts his role as heir and prepares for an International Peace Summit, while Finn is traveling and enjoying his freedom from Ignacio. Until she’s unexpectedly installed as the new leader of one of Castallan’s powerful crime families, she’s one of four Thief Lords and forced to preside over the illegal underground Oculta competition, which has a legendary prize.
Alfie’s plans are also derailed. Los Toros has resurfaced, and their newest target is the summit. The events all unexpectedly converge, and Finn and Alfie are once again forced to work together to save Castallan.
The Notorious Virtues (The Notorious Virtues #1) – Alwyn Hamilton
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy
Pubdate: 18th of December
Publisher: Faber & Faber
Honora Holtzfall is the daughter of the most powerful heiress in all of Walstad—her family controls the money and the magic of the entire country. Still, Nora always felt like an outsider. But when her mother is dead, and the family throne and fortune are up for grabs, Nora is pitted against her cousins in the Veritaz, the ultimate magical competition for power that determines the heir.
But there’s a surprise contestant: Lotte. She’s the illegitimate daughter of Nora’s aunt. And when she arrives, most of her new family wants her dead. Meanwhile, Nora discovers her mother’s death was no accident but murder. Both girls are faced with incredible tests, impossible choices, and deadly odds.
Your Lion Eyes (Alphaville #2) – Christine Warren
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Shapeshifters
Pubdate: 25th of December
Publisher: St. Martin’s Paperbacks
Molly Buchanan is a lioness on the prowl, though it’s been through the same town for her entire life. She’s down to slim pickings for dating. Luckily, a new bachelor arrives in the form of Grady Emerson. He wants to settle in and do his job as the deputy. The moment he lays eyes on Molly, he knows she’s trouble. She might be hot, sharp, and funny, but she’s also his friend’s younger sister—some things you just don’t do.
Fairy Godmothers, Inc. – Saranna DeWylde
Genre: Adult Fantasy Romance
Pubdate: 29th of December
Publisher: Zebra Books
According to the resident fairy godmothers Petunia, Jonquil, and Bluebonnet, the town of Ever After in Missouri needs a reboot. Just blow some fairy dust in the direction of those who need romance—what could go wrong?
Lucky Fujiki ironically has a lot of bad luck, even the number seven steers clear of her. But when her godmothers ask for a favor, she can’t say no. Even if she has to promote Ever After as a wedding destination by faking a marriage to her first love and ex, Ransom Payne.
Ransom has spent years building a new reputation, and now his godmothers want him to pretend to wed the one girl he wants to forget? While weddings could be great for his chocolate business, risking personal time with Lucky might not be worth it. Yet, considering the stakes, he’s determined to give it a shot.
Black Canary: Breaking Silence (DC Icons #5) – Alexandra Monir
Genre: YA Graphic Novel, Fantasy/Sci-Fi, DC Comics
Pubdate: 29th of December
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
When she was seven, Dinah Lance overheard the impossible: the sound of a girl singing. She wasn’t supposed to hear it—not in Gotham City, which is taken over by the Court of Owls. This sinister organization rules Gotham as a patriarchal dictatorship while spreading its influence across the globe.
Now she’s seventeen, and she’s beginning to discover that her own voice is just as powerful—but singing is forbidden. Can she balance her father’s desire to keep her safe, a blossoming romance with the new student Oliver Queen, and her own desire to help other women and girls rise and be heard? Will her voice be powerful enough to destroy the Court of Owls?
This comic is definitely more than just entertaining: it gives off an important message. That a voice is powerful, and we shouldn’t let a government keep us from speaking up. While in the story it’s about women, this counts for every marginalized group.
The Dark Archive (The Invisible Library #7) – Genevieve Cogman
Genre: Adult Urban Fantasy, Steampunk
Pubdate: 29th of December
Publisher: Ace
Irene is a professional spy for a mysterious library that harvests fiction from different realities. She faces a series of assassination attempts, threatening to destroy her and her work. In the meantime, she’s training her new assistant but finds it difficult to train the young Fae. When they narrowly avoid getting killed, learning by doing is the only option left. To protect themselves, they search for information to defeat the threat they face and identify their enemy. Irene needs to delve deeper into her history than ever before, face an ancient foe, and uncover secrets that will change her life and the Library’s course forever.
What is your most anticipated Fantasy & Sci-Fi December 2020 book release?
Be sure to let me know in the comments!
Mine is definitely Crosshairs—it seems like it’s gonna be a gut-wrenching book, but the subject matter seems so incredibly important. It’s almost eery to think that something like that could actually happen.
Anyway, that’s it for the list of fantasy & sci-fi book releases of December 2020! I hope you found some great new books to add to your reading list.
