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The morally gray, villainous characters in these stories are sure to find their way into readers’ hearts.
PREMIUM
Onyx Storm (Standard Edition)
While Yarros’s legion of fans will still thrill over each new development for Violet and Xaden, this entry is not as swoony as the first two books in the “Empyrean” series, and the precipitous cliffhanger ending wears thin.
Mary’s story is a dangerous and delightful adventure that turns the bigotry and misogyny of Victorian England on its head as she takes charge of her own life and rescues everyone with the help of her friends. Highly recommended for readers caught up in the recent trend of feminist retellings of well-known tales.
A relentless and beautifully balanced romantasy/legal thriller, offering blood and hope in equal measures. Recommended for fans of any of the genres it borrows from.
Fans will be clamoring for the series’ next book. A grimmer tone and lots of heat will appeal to fans of the morally gray protagonists of Rebecca Yarros and Sarah J. Maas.
PREMIUM
The Wind Weaver
Johnson’s (Bad Luck Charm) series launch is an action-packed romantasy with an engaging plot but a disappointing romance.
PREMIUM
A Fate Forged in Fire
While the novel’s premise and many beloved tropes will draw romantasy readers in and keep them till the end, the worldbuilding and character development are lacking.
PREMIUM
The Serpent Called Mercy
Readers looking for a clever and determined fantasy heroine motivated by platonic devotion will find much to enjoy in Lau’s debut.
YA author Griffin (Other Words for Smoke) makes her adult debut with a queer take on Little Shop of Horrors that offers a unique narrator, a celebration of dying malls, and all the facets of love and desire. Fans of John Wiswell’s Someone You Can Build a Nest In should pick this up.
PREMIUM
Don’t Sleep with the Dead
Vo once again vividly brings to life the world of Jazz Age New York City, intertwined with magic, devils, and ghosts of the past.
PREMIUM
House of Blight
The first in Martineau’s (Shadows of the Lost) gothic fantasy duology is filled with unique magic, romance, and intrigue. Strong characters, rich worldbuilding, and mounting tension make this a delightful read.
PREMIUM
Where the Axe Is Buried
Thought-provoking in the extreme, Nayler’s (The Tusks of Extinction) sci-fi cyberthriller will trap fans of technothrillers in its web.
PREMIUM
A Touch of Shadows
Originally self-published by Thorne (The Water Witch) and now picked up by a Big Five publisher, this steamy romantasy series starter is perfect for fans of slow-building and mysterious magic and will leave readers hungry for the next installment.
PREMIUM
Homegrown Magic
Full of flirty dialogue, strong conflict, and a heartwarming love story, this book feels like drinking a warm cup of tea and is perfect for fans of cozy queer romantasy.
The slow burn of the sapphic romance and the inch-by-inch growth of a relationship from contempt to reliance to love make this a story to savor, while the epic walking tour of the dead empire blends ancient history with fantasy in ways that will remind readers of Guy Gavriel Kay’s epic historical fantasy. Highly recommended for epic romantasy and historical fantasy fans who love a slow burn and the bitterest of bittersweet endings.
PREMIUM
The Book That Held Her Heart
Lawrence offers the final gut-wrenching book in his “Library Trilogy” (after The Book That Broke the World) with a storyline about the beginning of the Holocaust driving home the power of books to hold the past, present, and future.
Mary’s story is a dangerous and delightful adventure that turns the bigotry and misogyny of Victorian England on its head as she takes charge of her own life and rescues everyone with the help of her friends. Murphy’s (Women Up to No Good) latest is highly recommended for readers caught up in the recent trend of feminist retellings of well-known tales.
PREMIUM
The Tainted Khan
Matharu’s sequel to Dragon Rider is filled with action, intrigue, and commitment to family, friends, and land.
This Holmes and Watson–like investigative duo are compelling to follow, and the truly epic fantasy world where the series is set, with its falling empire, corrupt politics, and magic pharmacopeia engineered from monster blood, takes the familiarity of mystery and creates a truly fantastic fever-dream of a world and a story.
PREMIUM
Forged for Destiny
This engaging high fantasy from Knighton (The Executioner’s Blade) offers an inventive take on the classic chosen-one trope while weaving in themes of loyalty, loss, and the rebellious power of books and knowledge. Perfect for fans of Raymond E. Feist.
This is a rare anthology in which every story shines. A must have for anyone who loves speculative fiction.
PREMIUM
Notes from a Regicide
Fellman (The Two Doctors Górski) writes a literary sci-fi novel about trans identity that will appeal to fans of Charlie Jane Anders or Izzy Wasserstein’s These Fragile Graces, This Fugitive Heart and those who were fascinated with the play on histories and identities in T. Kingfisher’s “Sworn Soldier” series.
Once again Abdullah deftly conjures magic. The middle book in Abdullah’s adventure is no less thrilling or expansively conceived than the first.
PREMIUM
Asunder
With expansive worldbuilding, an intriguing magic system, and a character-driven story, Hall’s latest will make fantasy fans craving horror feel at home.
PREMIUM
Full Speed to a Crash Landing
Listeners will enjoy this lively space heist brimming with action, drama, politics, and a dash of romance. “Across the Universe” series author Revis’s first installment in her “Chaotic Orbits” series will leave listeners eager for more.
PREMIUM
Bringer of Dust
Grim but not bleak, with a deliberate emphasis on compassion, this second in a series shines.
PREMIUM
A Sorceress Comes To Call
Excellent narrative performances keep listeners engrossed in this somber, psychological fairy tale retelling. Good listening for those looking for character-focused fantasies who don’t mind a slower pace and somber themes. For a similar experience, check out Ava Reid’s Juniper & Thorn.
This delightfully magical historical fantasy combines creatures out of folklore (including the lake-dwelling monster Jenny) with a desperate quest, a sad tale of magic leaving the world, and a soul-quaking battle between quiet good and vast evil, all set in a beautiful story of sisterhood and found family among the most disparate of creatures.
Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros is the top holds title of the week. LibraryReads and Library Journal offer read-alikes for patrons waiting to read this buzziest book.
El-Mohtar’s solo debut is a heart-wrenching fairy tale about the bonds of love and family. It’s a murder ballad in book form that will linger long after the final page is turned.
PREMIUM
Firebird
Cross (“Stay a Spell” series) mixes royal debauchery, political machinations, and hot sex in her new epic romantasy, a sort of mash-up of TV’s Rome and House of the Dragon. For fans of Carissa Broadbent, Rebecca Yarros, and Sarah J. Maas.
PREMIUM
Emberclaw
Lam concludes the duology that began with Dragonfall in this action-filled novel with the highest of stakes. A delightful dragon story.
Fans of Mary Robinette Kowal’s The Spare Man and Grace Curtis’s Floating Hotel will love this opening entry in a new space-cruise SF mystery series from Waite (The Hellion’s Waltz).
Osworth (We Are Watching Eliza Bright) offers a joyously queer urban fantasy about finding power, identity, and family at any age. Perfect for fans of Shaun Hamill’s The Dissonance or Annalee Newitz’s The Future of Another Timeline.
Qin’s delightful debut is full of witty, snarky characters in a fantastical Calgary; a good pick for urban fantasy readers.
PREMIUM
Once Was Willem
An original and expertly written medieval fantasy that’s perfect for fans of RJ Barker, Sebastien de Castell, and Katherine Kurtz and also touches upon the emotional and heartbreaking themes found in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.
This delightfully magical historical fantasy combines creatures out of folklore (including the lake-dwelling monster Jenny) with a desperate quest, a sad tale of magic leaving the world, and a soul-quaking battle between quiet good and vast evil, all set in a beautiful story of sisterhood and found family among the most disparate of creatures. Readers who love the creatures, magic, and mythic settings of T. Kingfisher’s Thornhedge and Nicola Griffith’s Spear will find something similar and beautiful in O’Neill’s debut.
Kennington’s gripping debut romantasy starts with the risky, disobedient act of a princess, follows with an abduction, and keeps the action going until the blood-soaked end, leaving readers eager for more from the novel’s pair of doomed lovers.
El-Mohtar’s solo debut (after cowriting This Is How You Lose the Time War with Max Gladstone) is a heart-wrenching fairy tale about the bonds of love and family. It’s a murder ballad in book form that will linger long after the final page is turned.
Readers who are enthralled with the new cozy fantasy trend or love a cozy mystery will be delighted with Celehar and his latest investigation.
PREMIUM
The Prince Without Sorrow
A taut, character-focused first installment in an epic fantasy series that promises a refreshing look at survival and empire.
PREMIUM
The Mercy of Gods
A somber, steady tale of alien empire and resistance from within that sets up a promising trilogy.
This audio will appeal to listeners seeking a short but cinematic story of witchcraft and womanhood. Recommended for fans of Deborah Harkness and Freya Marske.
PREMIUM
Signal to Noise
While Moreno-Garcia’s debut is somewhat uneven, it is well executed in audio. Expect this to be warmly received by the author’s many fans and those seeking a fantasy-laced historical fiction hearkening back to the days of LPs.
PREMIUM
Daughter of Chaos
Webb debuts with a reimagining of Greek mythology that is engaging, despite its pacing issues.
PREMIUM
The Watermark
Mills’s (The Fragments of My Father) latest is a creative, genre-hopping literary journey.
PREMIUM
The Sea Eternal
Robin writes another queer space opera (a sequel to The Stars Undying) that showcases complex characters inspired by ancient history and set in the stars. This science-fiction interpretation of Mark Antony and Cleopatra’s relationship is woven together in a tight plot of false gods, technology, and legacy.
PREMIUM
Chaos
The space opera’s mercantile empire setting creates plenty of rapacious villains and provides endless backdrops for the never-ending chaos, while the madcap romance is perfect for readers of Valerie Valdes, K.B. Wagers, Rachel Bach, or Cat Rambo, this time with elements of Martha Wells’s “Murderbot Diaries” series.
PREMIUM
Cold Iron Task
The third outing for Butcher’s troubled magical protagonist (after Long Past Dues) continues to provide answers and also ask more questions. Solid action and quippy dialogue will keep readers engaged for the long haul.
PREMIUM
One Level Down
Readers fascinated with the pocket worlds of Brenda Peynado’s Time’s Agent or the costly approach to poorly placed colonies in Edward Ashton’s Mickey7 will find much to ponder in Thompson’s (The Word) adult fiction debut.
PREMIUM
The Antlered King
Gordon offers a striking sequel to her dark fantasy debut, The Gilded Crown.
PREMIUM
The Gilded Crown
With strong voice acting, this dark fantasy debut is sure to be well-received by fans of books like Adalyn Grace’s “Belladonna” trilogy. Listeners will be eager for more from this talented writer.
PREMIUM
Chaos Terminal
An unpredictable and uproarious tale, sure to please both mystery and sci-fi fans.
O’Brien’s fiction debut is a highly intriguing vision of the near future that examines the role of memory in a functional aspect, which also underscores the utility of forgetting: “Funes the Memorious” by Jorge Luis Borges meets Total Recall by Philip K. Dick, with a wry narration that balances the grim reality.
This month features a lesbian vampire tale from bestselling V.E. Schwab, a historical portal fantasy from LJ Best Book author H.G. Parry, and two fairy-tale retellings.
Rival thieves, court intrigue, and monsters appear amid the romance in these anticipated romantasy reads.
PREMIUM
Toward Eternity
A strong debut with a compelling premise that will do well in libraries where speculative science fiction is popular, though it may not make any converts to the genre.
PREMIUM
The Electric State
Fans of postapocalyptic sci-fi will eat up this excellent novel. Note that the audiobook’s PDF of illustrations (or a print version of the book) supports a more immersive experience; Stålenhag’s imagery is a key component of the story.
PREMIUM
The Spellshop
This sweet and cozy romantasy brims with lush imagery and a cast of quirky characters. Perfect for fans of whimsical fantasy, such as Travis Baldree’s Legends & Lattes and TJ Klune’s The House in the Cerulean Sea.
PREMIUM
The Full Moon Coffee Shop
This quick read is the first in a series, and readers will be eagerly waiting for the other books to be translated. Heartwarming and unusual, this is magical realism at its finest.
PREMIUM
In Our Stars
The initial “Doomed Earth” novel is predictable but stands as a fun time-travel concept with incredible narration. Recommended for fans of Campbell’s “The Lost Fleet” series and Glynn Stewart’s Ambassador for Mars.
PREMIUM
This Great Hemisphere
Though his debut was on point, this sophomore novel is a miss for an author who holds so much promise.
PREMIUM
The Book of Elsewhere
Even with confusing opening chapters, staying with the story pays off in a major way, and the audio helps the audience to understand what “B” is going through. Sci-fi and weird-fiction fans will love this, and many will pick it up who are BRZRKR or Reeves fans.
PREMIUM
Moonbound
Sloan’s work is sure to be well received by a wide audience of fantasy and science-fiction readers for its delicate balance of rich, original worldbuilding and intentional dalliances with genre tropes.
PREMIUM
Lady Macbeth
This woman-centered portrait of Shakespeare’s complicated Lady Macbeth should appeal to listeners who love to hear the other side of the story.
PREMIUM
Strange Folk
Dyer’s multigenerational tale is ideal for Appalachian fiction fans and readers of magical realism seeking atmospheric new settings.
PREMIUM
The Scarlet Throne
Listeners who enjoy immersing themselves in richly described fantastical worlds will devour this. Share with fans of Ann Leckie’s The Raven Tower or Erika Johansen’s The Queen of the Tearling.
PREMIUM
The Lantern of Lost Memories
Beautiful and with plenty of lighthearted moments, this is a perfect listen for fans of Mitch Albom.
Wind and Truth by Brandon Sanderson is the top holds title of the week. LibraryReads and Library Journal offer read-alikes for patrons waiting to read this buzziest book.
A stand-alone fantasy from Tan’s world of the Celestial Kingdom provides all of the beautiful worldbuilding and heart-wrenching emotions of her previous books.
Sea dwellers, fortune tellers, tricksters, faeries, roving robots, and other fantastical creatures inhabit the pages of these out-of-this-world novels.
PREMIUM
We Speak Through the Mountain
Mohamed’s latest is a quick, thought-provoking listen that brings much-needed lightness to the series, even as grimmer horizons loom ahead.
A triumph of classic fantasy storytelling that embraces tradition just as much as it turns tradition on its head, this is sure to resonate with high-fantasy readers everywhere.
A wonderful companion novel that once again leaves listeners feeling all warm, fuzzy, and joy-filled.
PREMIUM
Running Close to the Wind
Rowland (A Taste of Gold and Iron) writes a weird, delightful, and layered fantasy romp for anyone interested in nested puzzles, unhinged characters, and sexy pirates.
PREMIUM
Blackheart Man
A fresh and original Caribbean-inspired fantasy that succeeds despite a nearly overcrowded plot.
Tchaikovsky delivers another resounding success that will find an audience anywhere science fiction is popular.
PREMIUM
The North Wind
The enemies-to-lovers trope shines in this lush romantasy. Listeners of Sarah J. Maas and Claire Legrand will want to add Warwick’s latest to their shelves.
PREMIUM
The Dissonance
A great listen for fans of Naomi Novik’s “The Scholomance” trilogy, where magic is hungry, and children are disposable.
PREMIUM
The Dead Cat Tail Assassins
Listeners desiring a world with a unique identity and a delightfully unexpected twist will want to pick up this novel reminiscent of T. Kingfisher’s A Sorceress Comes To Call and Kerstin Hall’s Asunder.
PREMIUM
The Captain
With wands and plasma pistols, sigils on spacesuits, magic and machines, possessive spaceships and power rangers, this is a chaotically fun space fantasy that revels in its playful and creative energy. Great for fans of Becky Chambers and John Scalzi.
PREMIUM
A Dragon of Black Glass
The penultimate volume of the “Moonfall” series, after The Cradle of Ice, has some exposition lag, but the fast pace of its action sequences will keep epic fantasy readers engaged.
Fawcett delivers a perfect new entry in this series, which will enrapture readers with fantastic worldbuilding. A great pick for those who are fans of both Marie Brennan’s A Natural History of Dragons and Jane Austen novels.
Anderson (The Remarkable Retirement of Edna Fisher) writes a curmudgeonly immortal protagonist and a (literally) haunting story full of heart; a delightful novel for those who enjoyed Sarah Pinsker’s Haunt Sweet Home.
PREMIUM
The Legend of Meneka
A balanced blend of sensuous romance with deeply felt meditation on crises of faith.
PREMIUM
Upon a Starlit Tide
This vividly reimagined fairy tale will enchant those who enjoy historical fantasies with a romantic streak, such as Leigh Bardugo’s The Familiar.
PREMIUM
Gifted & Talented
Blake’s (The Atlas Complex) command of morally gray characters and grim humor creates a dramatic, Succession-esque novel about a powerful, dysfunctional family.
Highly recommended for fans of thoughtful sci-fi about the relationships between humans, artificial intelligence, automated systems, and robotics.
O’Brien’s (George Washington Is Cash Money) fiction debut is a highly intriguing vision of the near future that examines the role of memory in a functional aspect, which also underscores the utility of forgetting: “Funes the Memorious” by Jorge Luis Borges meets Total Recall by Philip K. Dick, with a wry narration that balances the grim reality.
Newman’s (The Undying of Obedience Wellrest, under the name Nicholas Bowling) adult debut is a stiflingly beautiful blend of the personal apocalypse of Paul Tremblay’s The Cabin at the End of the World with the mysterious introspection of Susan Fletcher’s The Night in Question.
Told with wit and verve, this is the portrait of the old raconteur and rabble-rouser as a young man and will charm readers who enjoyed Marty’s previous outings. It’s also a fascinating portrayal of the early wild and woolly days of Silicon Valley, as seen from the perspective of someone in the trenches at the start of it all. Highly recommended for readers of the series and anyone fascinated by the era.
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