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Polk’s (Witchmark) foray into a society of magic and politics places the woman in the secondary role, but neither Beatrice nor Ysbeta will stay in place. Fans of romantic fantasy set in a multicultural world will find this a fascinating read.

The sixth “Wayward Children” title (after Come Tumbling Down) is a gorgeous standalone. The prose is emotional and moving and will speak to the hearts and minds of readers.

The second of the “Poison War” series (after City of Lies) raises the stakes with a plot of thrilling suspense and characters who are dynamic. Readers will be clamoring for the next book in the series.

The stories here are offbeat and dark, skewing either horror (“The Milkman,” “The Mask of Cajolo,” “Magellan”) or postapocalyptic dystopian (“The Franklin Thesis”). Readers with a penchant for the weird and feverish will enjoy, but this is not an essential purchase.

The second half of this duology (after The Queen of the Conquered) is a powerful look at colonialism, oppression, and rebellion, and all that it can cost the individuals involved.

This electrifying planetary adventure features a hardscrabble family that earnestly addresses issues of addiction, gender, sexuality, and disability while surviving storms of all sorts in the hostile clouds of Venus. Highly recommended.

Dystopian novels are abundant these days, and this quirky entry feels timely and should appeal to readers who aren’t looking for romantic triangles or teen angst.

Wong (“John Dies at the End”series) once again achieves the perfect balance between sardonic humor and satirical digs at the digital age in the sequel to his award-winning Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits. Filled with laugh-out-loud moments and philosophical and ethical questions about the nonstop advancements of technology, this novel reminds us of an oft-forgotten question: Just because we can do something, does that mean we should??

Not only the perfect choice for fans of Matt Ruff’s Lovecraft Country or Victor LaValle’s The Ballad of Black Tom, but also of other dual-threat fun and thought-provoking speculative fiction such as Sarah Gailey’s River of Teeth or Justina Ireland’s Dread Nation.