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Fantasy and Science Fiction December 2025
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The Ever Queen
by Lj Andrews
Enemies took her from the man who holds her heart. They might see her as weak, as a pawn in wicked games, but they're no match for the first Ever Queen. Let them think they've won. Her heart belongs to a beautiful monster, and she will never stop fighting until she's back in his arms. His enemies stole the woman who claimed his soul. They betrayed him out of greed and desire for the crown, but they won't die for that betrayal. No. They'll die for touching her. His heart belongs to a stunning little bird. He will never stop searching for her light across the skies. Not until the blood of his enemies spills at her feet, and his queen wears their bones around her neck.
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| Thief of Night by Holly BlackIn this conclusion to the Charlatan duology that started with Book of Night, Charlie Hall has to hunt down a mass murderer at the behest of a Cabal leader while dealing with the memory loss of her monster lover, Red. For fans of: urban fantasy with suspenseful intrigue and romance such as Magic For Liars by Sarah Gailey and One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig. |
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Destiny's Way
by Jack Campbell
Earth was destroyed on June 12th, 2180. Lieutenant Selene Genji watched it happen. And only she can prevent it. Hurled forty years into the past, into a time before the Universal War began, Genji can only guess what to do to change the events that led to the death of all humanity. She has no way of knowing the long-term impacts of her actions and can only depend on her instincts. But many of the people she's trying to save want Genji dead. Her creation was an experiment: a fusing of human and alien DNA. To them, she's a monster who can't be trusted, a tool of the aliens who have just made first contact. Fortunately, she has an unshakeable ally in Lieutenant Kayl Owen, who has risked everything to help her mission. Declared a traitor to humanity by Earth Guard, Owen is determined to help Genji save the Earth. Even if he dies trying.
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Exiles
by Mason Coile
The human crew sent to prepare the first colony on Mars arrives to find the new base half-destroyed and the three robots sent to set it up in disarray--the machines have formed alliances, chosen their own names, and picked up some disturbing beliefs. Each must be interrogated. But one of them is missing. In this barren, hostile landscape where even machines have nightmares, the astronauts will need to examine all the stories--especially their own--to get to the truth.
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Deadly Storms
by Christine Feehan
Shabina Foster does her best to lead a normal life. She takes comfort in her friends and her dogs and finds passion in running her own small-town cafe in the eastern Sierras. But she can't help always looking over her shoulder, not after what happened in her past. Since then Shabina has worked very hard to build herself up and live life to the fullest. Still, there's no denying the scars she carries. Truly opening up her guarded world seems like an impossible dream--especially when it comes to the one man who makes her feel safe. Shabina already feels like she's ruined his life and is determined to keep her distance, even as the ghosts of her past emerge from the shadows.
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Higher Magic
by Courtney Floyd
Dorothe Bartleby has one more chance to pass her committee exam before she's kicked out of her higher magic program. Between her advisor's suggestion to try a new methodology and her anxiety-fueled panic attacks, it won't be easy. Then, students with disabilities start disappearing from campus, and administrators aren't taking it seriously. Bartleby can focus on polishing her research project or risk expulsion by digging deeper into the disappearances, but with a prophecy foretelling her greatest failure, she fears that whatever she does will end in disaster.
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Alchemy of Secrets
by Stephanie Garber
It starts with a class in an old movie theater. Folklore 517: Local Legends and Urban Myths, taught by a woman called the Professor. Most students believe the Professor's stories are just fiction, but Holland St. James has always been convinced that magic is real. When she tracks down a local legend named the Watch Man, who can supposedly tell you when you'll die, the world finally makes sense. Except that the Watch Man tells her she will die at midnight tomorrow unless she finds an ancient object called the Alchemical Heart. With the clock ticking, Holland is pulled deeper into this magical world in the heart of Los Angeles--and into the path of a magnetic stranger.
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The Deathless One
by Emma Hamm
Jessamine was raised to be a leader for her people, but when the land is overrun by an incurable plague, she must enter a political marriage to save them all. A union that should have brought hope only brings death as her new husband murders her at the wedding altar and seizes the throne. But her death is just the beginning. Her spirit is met by the Deathless One, a god of death yearning to return to the mortal plane, and he needs her help. The two of them make a deal—her life and the return of her kingdom in exchange for his resurrection. But the Deathless One is a known trickster, and a deal with him is one made in blood. Jessamine knows the Deathless One is a dangerous ally, but the longer they work together, the more she wants him and the less she can stay away. As their connection deepens, soon she wonders if she even wants this contract to end. Perhaps the more appealing throne is the one by his side, but she’d have to turn her back on her people to get it.
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The Phoenix Pencil Company
by Allison King
In this dazzling debut novel, a hidden and nearly forgotten magic--of Reforging pencils, bringing the memories they contain back to life--holds the power to transform a young woman's relationship with her grandmother, and to mend long-lost connections across time and space.
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When the Moon Hatched
by Sarah A. Parker
A fast-paced fantasy romance features an immersive, vibrant world with mysterious creatures, a unique magic system and a love that blazes through the ages.
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Death On the Caldera
by Emily Paxman
The Linde siblings--Kellen, Davina, and Morel--are anxious to return to the kingdom of Halgyr before their father dies, leaving Kellen to assume the throne as king. They book tickets on a luxury express train, expecting a swift journey home--but disaster strikes when the train engine explodes, stranding the siblings atop a caldera bubbling with volcanic magic. The crash triggers Davina's latent witch powers, but her magic disrupts her ability to remember what she was doing when the explosion took place. While a witch would be the prime suspect for the catastrophe, the only ones who knew Davina might become one are her brothers--who never warned her. And, to add insult to injury, somebody is bumping off the surviving train crew and passengers. But it can't be Davina, can it?
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Alchemy and a Cup of Tea
by Rebecca Thorne
On the night of her kidnapping, all Reyna wanted was a relaxing cup of tea. She didn't expect to be dropped in a hidden prison cell, but what the hells. She's flexible. With appropriate fanfare, Kianthe 'rescues' her wife--but Reyna's actually a terrible damsel in distress. Even worse, Reyna's cell was booby trapped with a mysterious alchemy circle. What does a radical alchemist want with the Arcandor's wife? And why did they think they could get away with this? While they investigate, another problem surfaces in their hometown. Word of New Leaf Tomes and Tea--and its celebrity owners--has finally spread. Tourists are everywhere, harassing the locals and ruining the charm of Tawney. As their friends struggle with the sudden influx, Kianthe and Reyna have to face a bigger conundrum than rogue alchemists: the fact that closing their bookshop might be the only way to save their town. Things can't just be simple, can they?
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| A Philosophy of Thieves by Fran WildeIn a heavily divided post-climate change future, the ultra rich hire thieves to pull off elaborate heists more as entertainment than crime. When their father's latest scheme goes awry and he ends up in custody, siblings Dax and Roosa must figure out how to buy his freedom. This will appeal to fans of Robert Jackson Bennett's Foundryside and the works of V.E. Schwab. |
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| Hole In the Sky by Daniel H. WilsonIn this first contact story set on a Cherokee reservation, a long dormant piece of alien technology awakens while a probe hurtles towards Earth. The effects of these close encounters are told from the perspectives of a father and daughter, a NASA scientist, an isolated eccentric, and a CIA investigator. Author Daniel H. Wilson calls on both his Cherokee heritage and his experience as a threat assessor for NASA to craft this thrilling and intricately plotted novel. |
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| Sunward by William AlexanderIn this cozy science fiction, space courier Tova Lir decides to start training "baby bots," young emergent AI machines who behave more like teenagers than computers. When Tova and her latest charge, Agatha Panza von Sparkles, accidentally catch the attention of an assassin, the two must race across the solar system to evade death and save the rest of her foster bots. For fans of: LGBTQIA+ space opera with memorable characters such as Riley August's The Last Gifts of the Universe. |
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| Brigands & Breadknives by Travis BaldreeFoulmouthed bookselling rattkin Fern has moved into the city of Thune in hopes of revitalizing her spirits. But that all changes when a drunken night walk leads to her stumbling directly into the path of an adventuring team. This third book in Travis Baldtree's series that began with Legends and Lattes. |
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| The Keeper of Magical Things by Julie LeongNovice mage Certainty Bulrush wants to be useful to the Guild, but her lack of power hasn't made it easy for her to keep up. When she is assigned to work with chronic overachiever Aurelia, the two of them form an unlikely bond moving magical artifacts -- and may learn that magic is stronger when shared instead of hoarded. |
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| Witches of Dubious Origin by Jenn McKinlayWhen humble librarian Zoe Ziakas discovers a strange grimoire, she learns that she's descended from a long line of powerful witches. With the assistance of the staff of the Museum of Literature, Zoe discovers what it takes to decipher the tome and learn her family's deepest secrets. With outlandish characters and vivid inventive worldbuilding, this series opener will enchant fans of Emily Krempholtz's Violet Thistlethwaite Is Not a Villain Anymore. |
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| Best Wishes from the Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai MochizukiThe cats welcome you back to the Full Moon Coffee Shop, where you may find answers to your problems if you are kind to its enigmatic owners. Three new customers find themselves at a crossroads at Christmas, and the mysterious Kyoto coffee shop may be the key to helping them sort through their problems. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Centerville Library 111 W. Spring Valley Rd Centerville, OH 45458 (937) 433-8091
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Woodbourne Library 6060 Far Hills Ave Centerville, OH 45459 (937) 435-3700
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Creativity Commons 895 Miamisburg Centerville Rd
Centerville, OH 45459 (937) 610-4425
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