In this delightfully cozy romantasy, Leong (The Teller of Small Fortunes) introduces mage-in-training Certainty “Cert” Bulrush, who has the ability to communicate with objects via touch to determine their purpose and alter them in minor ways. (“She could sweet-talk a cup of tea into being less bitter; she could shame a shirt into unwrinkling—but, unfortunately, that was about the extent of her powers.”) Her limited abilities make it unlikely she’ll ever be promoted to full mage—until the Mage Guild assigns her a small but vital task: to accompany a shipment of magical artifacts to the remote village of Shpelling for identification, cataloging, and storage. Do it well and she may earn that promotion. Unfortunately, accompanying her is the brilliant but frosty mage Aurelia Mirellan, and winning over the locals in desolate, unwelcoming Shpelling proves a challenge. Though Cert and Aurelia initially butt heads, the two find common ground—and unexpected love—as they work together. There’s a tongue-in-cheek playfulness to Leong’s magic system as Cert and Aurora reinvent simple pleasures like steam baths and tasty cuisine using enchanted objects. Themes of companionship and community undergird the sweet romance as the heroines discover what they truly value in life. The result is a quietly satisfying tale set in a world readers will be eager to return to. (Oct.)

Reviewed on 08/15/2025 | Details & Permalink

Magic and machinations abound in bestselling YA author Lu’s vibrant adult debut (after Icon and Inferno), the first in her New Alchemists series. In the 1980s, a pair of alchemists succeeded in creating the Philosopher’s Stone and distilled it into a powerful drug called sand, which “enhances everything about who you are.” The use of this performance-enhancing drug underpinned the creative tech boom of the decades that followed and led to the development of fabulously wealthy, fiercely competitive, often criminal, and deeply secretive alchemical guilds. In present-day Angel City, two childhood friends keep parallel secrets: Ari was recruited away from his family in India to train with the powerful Lumines syndicate as a master of charisma; Sam’s search for a solution to her single mom’s financial desperation led her to discover an aptitude for transformations and become a star student within rival syndicate Grand Central. Lu puts these two on a collision course as they both rise in the ranks of their respective organizations, whose violence against each other simultaneously ramps up. Lu builds a rich alternate present that pulls tropes from both magic school and crime drama literary traditions to tell an addictive double “chosen one” story that successfully keeps readers’ sympathies divided. It’s truly enthralling. Agent: Kristin Nelson, Nelson Literary. (Oct.)

Reviewed on 08/15/2025 | Details & Permalink

A fae princess fights a patriarchal system in this sizzling romantasy from Davenport (the Blood Gift series). Kadeesha Mercier, princess of the Aether fae dominion, has been promised in marriage to Rishaud Timmu, king of the Hyperion fae and ruler of all fae dominions, since infancy. Dreading the thought of being tied forever to the cruel Rishaud, Kadeesha sneaks out on the eve of their wedding for “one final night of freedom” at a sex club. There, she enjoys an explosive encounter with a man she doesn’t realize is Malachizrien “Malachi” Diamundis, king of the Apollyon fae, who’s come to the wedding on a mission of revenge on behalf of his disenfranchised people. The next day, Kadeesha’s infidelity comes to light just as the ceremony is about to begin. Rishaud lashes out, murdering Kadeesha’s father and many other Aether royals. Malachi intercedes, fighting off Rishaud before taking Kadeesha as his somewhat willing hostage. The pair initially resent each other, but, after lots more hot sex, tender feelings grow. This unexpected alliance is not without danger, however, as Rishaud marches to Apollyon lands to reclaim what he believes is his. Davenport never takes her foot off the gas, with high-heat love scenes and gripping tension from start to finish. This is bound to be a BookTok smash. (Oct.)

Reviewed on 08/15/2025 | Details & Permalink

In this lavishly erotic fantasy, Gibson (Evocation) brings to life the magic of the Scottish countryside. A mysterious letter that protagonist Adam’s late grandfather wrote, but never sent, brings Adam to Scotland in search of both the intended recipient, Arabella Kirkfoyle, and Craigmar, the mysterious manor that served as the setting of all his grandfather’s bedtime stories. Nicola, his best friend, has accompanied him on the adventure. At a pub, the pair catch the attention of Finley, who says he can bring them to Craigmar. Adam and Nicola go with him and meet the enigmatic Eileen, lord of Craigmar and Arabella’s granddaughter. Then the road washes away, preventing them from leaving. Stranded together, Eileen and Adam begin the search for evidence of his grandfather’s time at Craigmar—but all is not as it seems. As Adam and Nicola come to recognize a strange sexual dynamic between Finley and Eileen, they give into their own long-ignored desires. Meanwhile, a supernatural danger creeps ever closer, one that Eileen won’t be able to keep at bay much longer. Gibson sets the heat to high on the way to a surprising ending that will have readers clamoring for more. Fans of dark fantasy romance won’t want to miss this. Agent: Tara Gilbert, Jennifer De Chiara Literary. (Oct.)

Reviewed on 08/15/2025 | Details & Permalink

Wilson (Robopocalypse) draws on his Cherokee heritage to meld Native American and scientific knowledge into a stunning phantasmagoric first contact tale. When an encounter with deep-space Voyager crafts triggers an alien probe to race toward Earth, a long-dormant alien mechanism on the planet awakens and begins to bring its dreams to life, alerting a handful of sensitive people to its existence. Gavin Clark, chasing UFO reports, links up with NASA scientist Mikayla Johnson, who deciphers the alien probe signal as a series of human voices shrieking. Meanwhile oil field worker Jim Hardgray, while trying to reunite with his estranged daughter, Tawny, begins to see visions of his Cherokee ancestors and to wonder if the burial mound near his single-wide trailer is as charged with spirits as his mother-in-law warned. Wilson neatly entangles the most modern tech, like quantum computers that accurately foretell the future, with ancient beliefs that retain enough power to motivate contemporary folks. Like the best X-Files episodes, this story uses the alien character to bring out the human elements in vivid detail. It’s a masterful feat. Agent: Laurie Fox, Linda Chester Agency. (Oct.)

Reviewed on 08/15/2025 | Details & Permalink

A brilliant addition to the growing genre of trans horror, Byron’s debut is narrated by an unnamed trans woman struggling to make it as a writer in New York City. Her emotional demons stem from a stint in conversion therapy and a soul-sucking retail job, but she’s also matter-of-factly pursued by literal demons from the very first page. Meanwhile, her ex-girlfriend turned best friend, Ash, has started an all-trans-woman commune called Herculine in Indiana and is constantly trying to entice the narrator to join her there. But when the narrator tries to escape the monsters by leaving the city for Herculine, her demons give chase in increasingly frightening and unexpected ways. The result is a piercing portrait of trans community and solidarity. The author brings enough humor to the proceedings to prevent the horror from becoming too all-consuming while keeping the pages flying with a thrilling plot and a moving examination of loneliness, desire, and hope in the wake of trauma. Byron proves an exciting new voice in horror fiction. Agent: Julia Masnik, Watkins Loomis Agency. (Oct.)

Reviewed on 08/15/2025 | Details & Permalink

Daly’s strong debut uses a classic haunted house story to probe themes of chronic illness, religious trauma, and queer desire. Brigid, a young woman suffering from debilitating and undiagnosed chronic pain, sets about cleaning out her family home following the mysterious disappearance of her estranged mother. Brigid’s memories of her mother’s abuse, coupled with the resurfacing of childhood fears, cause reality to blur as a series of inexplicable and possibly supernatural events occurs within the house. Brigid is plagued by nightmares, a crow follows her around, and everyday objects are replaced by severed body parts. As the haunting ramps up, so does Brigid’s resolve to face her ghosts head on, exorcise her demons, confess her feelings to the woman she loves, and claim control over her own life. Daly’s description of female pain and how it is treated (or ignored) by doctors is unflinching and refreshing. Though the pacing feels a little wobbly at times, with a slow setup and a somewhat rushed conclusion as Daly attempts to juggle myriad themes, the ghostly imagery of the haunting is wonderfully eerie, complete with several effective jump scares. It’s a memorable first outing. (Oct.)

Reviewed on 08/08/2025 | Details & Permalink

The deeply moving sophomore novel from de la Chevotière (We Were Not Kings) is a magical realist coming-of-age story chronicling a young man’s life in the West Indies. The lush island of Guadeloupe is the only home six-year-old Fidel Rossi has ever known. But when tragedy strikes and Fidel is orphaned, he moves to his mother’s homeland of Dominica. As Fidel is shuffled between extended family members, he learns more about his heritage and family secrets come to light. Sent to Catholic school, he must reconcile his teachers’ lessons with his family’s spiritual practice of Obeah and his own burgeoning ability to see and speak to spirits. After a brief stint in Canada for college, Fidel returns to Dominica and settles into life as a farmer. Following the collapse of the banana industry in the 1990s, an opportunity arises for Fidel to live in Canada with his childhood love, but he struggles with the thought of leaving home forever. De la Chevotière’s fluid and atmospheric writing easily draws readers into both the lush setting of Dominica and Fidel’s inner world. Themes of identity, colonialism, and racism bolster the sprawling plot, and though the magical elements are light, they fascinate. This is sure to impress. Agent: Lane Clarke, Ultra Literary. (Oct.)

Reviewed on 08/08/2025 | Details & Permalink

World Fantasy Award winner Suri (The Jasmine Throne) weaves a haunting tale of sapphic love and cyclical fate in an alternate Britain sustained by stories that play out again and again via reincarnation. In this folklore-rich realm, incarnates are born to fulfill specific tales, none more tragic than the Knight and the Witch, doomed lovers who fall for and die for each other across countless lifetimes. When the latest incarnations, Vina, a knight of the Queen’s court, and Simran, a forest witch, begin their fated romance, they’re determined to break the cycle and find a happy ending—especially as a mysterious assassin begins killing other incarnates, threatening the Isle’s very existence. Suri crafts a rich, atmospheric world steeped in faerie bargains and medieval folklore and uses her magic system to explore themes of colonial erasure and who gets to control their own narrative. Though the romance feels less developed than the intricate worldbuilding and the book’s ambitious scope might have benefited from being split into a duology, Suri’s gorgeous prose and inventive premise create an immersive experience. Readers craving sapphic fantasy with folkloric elements will find this hits the spot. Agent: Laura Crockett, Triada US. (Oct.)

Reviewed on 08/08/2025 | Details & Permalink

Bestseller Hill (The Fireman) masterfully sustains tension throughout this immersive doorstopper of a horror novel. On one of college student Arthur Oakes’s visits to his mother, Erin, in the Vermont prison where she is incarcerated, he recognizes Tana Nighswander, a pizza delivery person and campus drug dealer, in the waiting room. Tana and her older sister, Jayne, are also there visiting family, but Tana is denied admittance for wearing inappropriate clothing. Arthur offers her his hoodie—but that good deed is punished severely when Jayne threatens to have her prison associates blind Erin unless Arthur steals valuable books from his college library that she’ll then sell to pay off a debt. While Arthur initially accedes to that extortion, once he comes across an arcane ritual in a rare book, he decides to use it to summon a dragon, King Sorrow, from the realm known as the Long Dark, and sic it on Jayne. Arthur gets more than he bargains for, however, finding his life, and the lives of those dear to him, endangered by the beast. Hill makes accepting the supernatural easy through his pitch-perfect characterizations and doses of black humor. This reinforces Hill’s reputation as a titan of the genre. (Oct.)

Reviewed on 08/08/2025 | Details & Permalink