Last Updated on January 3, 2024 by Taylor
This year’s new releases have been fabulous, so I’m excited to share the most popular and best books of spring 2020!
I’ve hunted Goodreads and the internet to find the most buzz-worthy and highly rated books released in April and May this year. There are SO many great options – you’re bound to find something you like!
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Popular April 2020 Book Releases
The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix
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Set in the 1990’s, a Southern housewife goes up against a (suspected) modern-day vampire with the help of her neighborhood book club.
The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez (The Friend Zone #2)
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A woman who recently lost her fiancee finds a missing dog, brings it home, and becomes attached to it. But the dog’s owner, a musician, returns from a tour in Australia and wants it back. Will their mutual love for the dog bring them together, or push them apart?
Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier
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A woman’s son – her entire world – was taken from her, with no explanations. A year later, the woman (Marin) is determined not to give up looking, even without the support of the people closest to her. When the private investigator Marin hires finds out her husband is having an affair with a younger woman, even more secrets come to light.
Pretty Things by Janelle Brown
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Two young women – a con artist and an heiress – are brought together by a dangerous scam on the shores of Lake Tahoe.
Conjure Women by Afia Atakora
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From Goodreads: “A mother and daughter with a shared talent for healing–and for the conjuring of curses–are at the heart of this dazzling first novel. Conjure Women is a sweeping story that brings the world of the South before and after the Civil War vividly to life.”
If It Bleeds by Stephen King
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This novella collection by Stephen King features four stories, including a standalone sequel to his novel, The Outsider.
Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson (A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder #2)
(Update May 29th, 2020: this book is currently only published in the U.K. – the U.S. release date was delayed and is unknown at this time. You may be able to get a U.K. version if you’re in the U.S.)
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, this novel’s predecessor, was a huge YA mystery hit in 2019. This highly-anticipated sequel follows Pippa Fitz-Amobi, a modern-day Nancy Drew and true-crime podcaster, as she works to solve a disappearance.
Popular May 2020 Book Releases
All Adults Here by Emma Straub
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This novels follows a woman, her three grown children, and her granddaughter as they struggle with parenthood, adulthood, growing up, and everything in between.
A Good Marriage by Kimberly McCreight
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When Lizzie, a federal prosecutor, is asked to defend a friend who’s been accused of murdering his wife, she’s about to find out just how many lies can hide within a marriage – including her own.
Ghosts of Harvard by Francesca Serritella
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Cadence Archer’s brother, Eric, developed paranoid schizophrenia and took his own life at Harvard. Now, a year later, she arrives on campus as a freshman, determined to find out exactly what happened. But when she starts hearing voices, too, she worries she might be heading down the same path.
What Lies Between Us by John Marrs
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Nina and Maggie live together – but Maggie isn’t there by choice. Nina keeps her in the attic as penance for what she’s done to Nina. But Nina doesn’t know the whole story, and Maggie is determined to keep it that way.
Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo
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From Goodreads: “Separated by distance—and [their] Papi’s secrets—two girls are forced to face a new reality in which their father is dead and their lives are forever altered. And then, when it seems like they’ve lost everything of their father, they learn of each other.”
Aurora Burning by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff (The Aurora Cycle #2)
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The second book in a new series by the authors of The Illuminae Files, Aurora Burning follows a squad of ragtag misfits as they attempt to save the galaxy from an ancient evil.
The Library of Legends by Janie Chang
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From Goodreads: The Library of Legends is “a captivating historical novel in which a convoy of student refugees travel across China, fleeing the hostilities of a brutal war with Japan.”
Beach Read by Emily Henry
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A jaded romance author and a literary writer with writer’s block challenge each other over the summer to write in the other’s preferred genre – and hopefully pen their next great novels.
(pub date: May 19th, 2020)
The Wife Stalker by Liv Constantine
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A man’s wife (Joanna) and the ritzy, New-Age woman who wants to steal him (Piper) are pitted against each other in an all-out battle. To save her marriage and her family, Joanna’s only choice is to dig into Piper’s secret past, and she finds out Piper has a LOT to hide.
(pub date: May 19th, 2020)
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins (prequel to The Hunger Games)
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This one doesn’t need much explanation: it’s a prequel to The Hunger Games, following a young President Snow as he attempts to prove himself as a mentor in the 10th annual Hunger Games.
(pub date: May 19th, 2020)
Brave Girl, Quiet Girl by Catherine Ryan Hyde
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Brooke’s life is shattered when her two-year-old daughter, Etta, is taken during a car-jacking. When Molly – a teenage girl living on the streets – finds Etta abandoned, she puts herself in danger to protect Etta. But will it be enough? And if so, will Brooke ever be reunited with her child?
(pub date: May 19th, 2020)
The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner
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After World War II, a disparate group of people come together to save a threatened Chawton estate – the final home of Jane Austen. Forming the Jane Austen Society, they vow to keep Austen’s legacy alive, even as they each endure their own personal struggles.
(pub date: May 26th, 2020)
There you have it: the best books of spring 2020. I’ve already ordered some of these myself, and I can’t wait to dive in. If you’ve read any of these, I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Looking for even more awesome new releases? Check out my list of the best thrillers of 2020 (so far)!
Have you heard about my Bookstagram Ultimate Guide?
