My kids are back in school, so the holidays must be officially over.  Never mind the fact that my Christmas decorations aren't completely packed away or that my family is still nibbling on holiday treats.  I'm ready for the new year, darn it!  2020's not going to get away from me like 2019 did.  I hope.  

Today's Top Ten Tuesday topic is Top Ten Most Anticipated Book Releases for the First Half of 2020.  I already did a Winter TBR list that featured a lot of 2020 releases, so check that one out.  Never fear, though, I have more, which you will find listed below in order of release date.  Before you scroll down, though, take a minute to join in the TTT fun.  It's super easy—just click on over to That Artsy Reader Girl, scan a few quick instructions, write up your own list, then hop around the book blogosphere checking out other people's posts.  I promise it will be a good time!

Okay, here we go with Top Ten (Okay, Eleven) Most Anticipated Book Releases for the First Half of 2020 (not including those from my Winter TBR list):

1.  The Girls With No Names by Serena Burdick (available January 7)—An ARC of this novel is winging its way to me as we speak.  I can't wait!  This historical concerns two sisters who live near a home for wayward girls.  When the girls unearth a shocking secret about their father, everything changes.  Then, one of the sisters disappears.  Assuming their father has incarcerated his missing daughter at the nearby home, the other hatches a daring rescue plan.   

2.  The Hollows by Jess Montgomery (available January 14)—I loved The Widows, a historical novel about a woman who takes over as sheriff after her husband's death in 1920s Ohio.  The second book in the series, this one concerns an elderly woman who is killed by a train while walking through an underground railroad tunnel.  Who was the woman?  And what was she doing on the train tracks?  It's up to the sheriff to find out. 

3.  Big Lies in a Small Town by Diane Chamberlain (available January 14)—This dual-timeline novel is the story of an innocent convict who is released from prison early in return for restoring an old mural.  A lot of my favorite tropes are rolled up in this one, so I'm expecting to enjoy it.

4.  Remembrance by Rita Woods (available January 21)—This triple-timeline historical novel about slavery looks intriguing. 

5.  Grace is Gone by Emily Elgar (available January 24)—Teenager Grace is so ill that her mother, Meg, who is beloved and admired in her town, does little else but care for her.  When Meg is found brutally murdered, with Grace nowhere to be found, the confusing mystery befuddles the town.  What in the world happened to the mother and daughter?  Sounds good, no?  

6.  Behind Every Lie by Christina McDonald (available February 4)—After being struck by lightning, a woman wakes up in the hospital only to find out her mother has been murdered.  The police are suspicious of her convenient amnesia.  Desperate to prove her innocence, she sets out to find the truth.

7.  The Vanishing Deep by Astrid Scholte (available March 3)—In this YA novel, a teen raises her sister from the dead for one day as a desperate measure to get answers about their parents' deaths.  Without enough clues as to what really happened, the girls team up to find the truth while being pursued by ill-intentioned foes.  Sounds fun!

8.  The Lonely Heart of Maybelle Lane by Kate O'Shaughnessy (available March 3)—I just requested an e-ARC of this MG novel from NetGalley.  It's about a girl who discovers her estranged father will be judging a singing competition in Nashville.  She signs up to compete, but exactly how is she going to secretly get herself to Tennessee?  Adventure ensues ...  

9.  The Good Turn by Dervla McTiernan (available March 5)—I've enjoyed the first two books in McTiernan's Cormac Reilly series and I've been anxiously awaiting this third installment.  Looks like it's told from the perspective of both Reilly and another detective.  Interesting.

10.  Strike Me Down by Mindy Mejia (available April 7)—I'm a big fan of Mejia's thrillers, so I'm excited for her newest which centers around a forensic accountant hired to track down millions of dollars of missing prize money.

11.  Where the Lost Wander by Amy Harmon (available April 28)—I love me a good pioneer story and this one sounds excellent.  It's about a young widow crossing the Overland Trail who faces hardships along the way.  An unexpected romance with a man who is half-Pawnee adds challenges to her already full plate.