Fantasy
October 2025

Recent Releases
Among the Burning Flowers by Samantha Shannon
Among the Burning Flowers
by Samantha Shannon

It has been centuries since the Draconic Army took wing, almost extinguishing humankind. Marosa Vetalda is a prisoner in her own home, controlled by her cold father, King Sigoso. Over the mountains, her betrothed, Aubrecht Lievelyn, rules Mentendon in all but name. Together, they intend to usher in a better world.

Review: "A testament to humankind's endurance and unending hope for a better future, this brief foray into Shannon's fantasy world adds a few additional layers to events mentioned in her other books. Recommended for fans seeking a return to this beloved world with some new perspectives." ~ Katie Lawrence, Library Journal 
The dragon wakes with thunder by K. X. Song
The Dragon Wakes with Thunder
by K. X. Song

After winning a war and facing imprisonment for defying tradition, Hai Meilin—guided by the sea dragon Qinglong—must navigate palace politics, rising rebellions, and conflicting loyalties as rival factions across the Three Kingdoms seek her power for their own ends.

Review: "Song's sequel to The Night Ends with Fire is a wonderfully immersive fantasy, filled with high-stakes action, political machinations, and intense consequences." ~ Kristi Chadwick, Library Journal
Kill the beast by Serra Swift
Kill the Beast
by Serra Swift

The night Lyssa Cadogan's brother was murdered by a faerie-made monster known as the Beast, she made him a promise: she would find a way to destroy the immortal creature and avenge his death. For thirteen years, she has been hunting faeries and the abominations they created. But in all that time, the one Beast she is most desperate to find has never resurfaced.

For fans of The Courting of Bristol Keats by Mary Pearson; The First Binding by R.R. Virdi; and For the Wolf by Hannah Witten.
The Finest Edge of Twilight by R. A. Salvatore
The Finest Edge of Twilight
by R. A. Salvatore

Determined to prove herself, Breezy Do'Urden trains at the Monastery of the Yellow Rose to master dragons, while in Westbridge's shadows, Dahlia Sin'felle embraces vampiric power, both carving fierce, fateful paths in a world of beauty and brutality.

Review: "Breezy’s coming-of-age story is an opportunity to expose Salvatore’s extensive world building and detailed fight scenes to the next generation of readers." ~ Frances Moritz, Booklist
Red City by Marie Lu
Red City
by Marie Lu

Among the gleaming skyscrapers and rolling foothills of Angel City, alchemy is controlled by two rival syndicates. For years, Grand Central and Lumines have been balanced on a razor’s edge between polite negotiation and outright violence. But when two childhood friends step into that delicate equation, the city--and the paths of their lives--will be irrevocably transformed.

Review: "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." ~ staff, Publishers Weekly
The magician of Tiger Castle by Louis Sachar
The Magician of Tiger Castle
by Louis Sachar

As political pressure mounts in the faltering kingdom of Esquaveta, Princess Tullia falls for a scribe, forcing disgraced court magician Anatole to choose between salvaging his reputation and protecting the one person who still believes in him.

Review: "Sachar tells the comical story with the slight detachment of a fairy-tale narrator, focusing less on the fantasy elements than on the relationships among the characters, which are straightforward and touching. As Anatole tries to manage the youthful antics of Tullia and Pito, he grapples with more mature themes of loss, regret, and hope for the future. A sensitive and sincere tale told with Sachar’s inimitable wit." ~ staff, Kirkus Review
Inspired by Harry Potter FanFiction
The below works were originally written as fanfiction inspired by the Harry Potter world. In order for their stories to be published, the authors had to rewrite or reimagine their stories removing all Potterverse from their work. Can you spot the Potterverse influences? Enjoy!
 
The irresistible urge to fall for your enemy by Brigitte Knightley
The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy
by Brigitte Knightley

When a deadly assassin seeks the help of a healer from a rival order, their uneasy alliance to cure his illness and combat a resurging plague forces them into dangerous territory—where unraveling a medical mystery tests their loyalties and fuels a forbidden attraction.

Review: "The first in the "Dearly Beloathed" duology is a wickedly humorous, slow-burn love story between two protagonists who epitomize the opposites-attract trope. It's sure to delight readers of debut novelist Knightley's popular fanfic and garner her a new audience." ~ Eve Stano, Library Journal

Originally titled: Draco Malfoy and the Mortifying Ordeal of Falling in Love
The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake
The Atlas Six
by Olivie Blake

Six magically gifted young people compete for five spots within the secretive Alexandrian Society, which guards the world's knowledge.
This dramatic and atmospheric novel kicks off the Atlas trilogy, which continues with The Atlas Paradox and concludes with The Atlas Complex.

For fans of Naomi Novik's Scholomance series; Leigh Bardugo's Alex Stern novels; and Lev Grossman's Magicians trilogy.

Original title: The Atlas Six
Rose in chains by Julie Soto
Rose in Chains
by Julie Soto

Captured as her castle is overrun by the enemy, and stripped of her Magic and her freedom, Briony Rosewood and the other survivors are quickly sold off to the highest bidders in an auction -- and as Evermore's princess, she fetches the highest price, but all is not lost as help -- and hope -- may yet arise in the most unlikely of places.

Review: "The worldbuilding is robust, with Soto not shying away from the realities of war, and the political intrigue and enemies-to-lovers romantic drama keep the pages turning. Readers will be eager for more." ~staff, Publishers Weekly

Original title: The Auction
Alchemised by Senlinyu
Alchemised
by SenLinYu

Alchemist Helena Marino, a prisoner with amnesia, fights to survive in a necromancy-ridden world as the ruthless High Reeve attempts to unearth the vital secrets hidden within her missing memories.

Review: ". In this high fantasy with very dark themes, SenLinYu weaves a tale of political intrigue with centuries of depth and nuance. Many readers will be fascinated by the story of a healer during a brutal war. While some readers may find the world and the many characters complicated or hard to follow, many will be drawn into the complex morality of two broken people finding love during a war." ~ Lindsey Allen, Booklist 

Originally titled: Manacled
City of bones by Cassandra Clare
City of Bones
by Cassandra Clare

Suddenly able to see demons and the Darkhunters who are dedicated to returning them to their own dimension, fifteen-year-old Clary Fray is drawn into this bizarre world when her mother disappears and Clary herself is almost killed by a monster.

For fans of The Beautiful by Renee Ahidieh; Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins; and Infinity Son by Adam Silvera

Original title: The Draco Trilogy
Contact your librarian for more great books!
Forsyth County Public Library
660 W. Fifth St., Winston-Salem, NC 27101
336-703-2665

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