Fantasy and Science Fiction December 2025 |
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Meet Me at the Crossroads
by Megan Giddings
A LIBRARY READS PICK from the award-winning, critically-acclaimed author of Lakewood and The Women Could Fly, a dazzling novel about two brilliant sisters and what happens to their undeniable bond when a mysterious and possibly perilous new world beckons. On an ordinary summer morning, the world is changed by the appearance of seven mysterious doors that seemingly lead to another world. People are, of course, mesmerized and intrigued: A new dimension filled with beauty and resources beckons them to step into an adventure. But, perhaps inevitably, people soon learn that what looks like paradise may very well be filled with danger. Ayanna and Olivia, two Black midwestern teens--and twin sisters--have different ideas of what may lie in the world beyond. But will their personal bond endure such wanton exploration? And when one of them goes missing, will the other find solace on her own? And will she uncover the circumstances of what truly happened to her once constant companion and best friend? Megan Giddings brings her customarily brilliant and eye-opening powers of storytelling to give us a narrative that dazzles the senses and bewitches the mind. Meet Me at the Crossroads is an unforgettable novel about faith, love, and family from one of today's most exciting and surprising young writers.
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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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| Katabasis by R.F. KuangAlice Law has sacrificed everything to climb to the top of the field of Magick, all to work with world famous magician Jacob Grimes. But then Grimes dies, and Alice may have caused the accident that killed him. Now Alice must travel through Hell to get her advisor back, because not even death will keep her from getting a recommendation. R.F. Kuang's latest delves back into dark academia with her usual atmospheric and thought-provoking flair. |
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The White Octopus Hotel
by Alexandra Bell
Journey to a magical hotel in the Swiss Alps, where two lost souls living in different centuries meet and discover if a second chance awaits them behind its doors. Have you travelled a long way? she asked carefully..A smile twitched at the corner of his mouth. Well, yes, he said slowly. Yes, you could say that. But it was worth the wait. London, 2015. When reclusive art appraiser Eve Shaw shakes the hand of a silver-haired gentleman in her office, the warmth of his palm sends a spark through her. His name is Max Everly--curiously, the same name as Eve's favorite composer, born one hundred sixteen years prior. And she has the sudden feeling that she's held his hand before . . . but where, and when? The White Octopus Hotel, 1935. In this belle époque building high in the snowy mountains, Eve and a young Max wander the winding halls, lost in time. Each of them has been through the trenches--Eve through a family accident and Max on the battlefields of the Great War--but for an impossible moment, love and healing are just a room away . . . if only they have the courage to step through the door.
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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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The River Has Roots
by Amal El-Mohtar
In the small town of Thistleford, the two youngest Hawthorn sisters tend to the magic on the edge of the Faerie with more devotion than anyone else. However, when Esther abandons an arranged marriage for her lover from the Faerie, her bond with Ysabel is not the only thing in danger. Heart-wrenching and spellbinding, this enrapturing family fairy tale is the solo debut from one of the co-authors of the viral sensation This Is How You Lose the Time War.
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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 is "[a] truly entertaining romp with the assurance of warmth, welcome, and delicious treats at the end of the road" (Booklist). |
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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. For fans of: queer romantic fantasy with charm and whimsy such as Maiga Doocy's Sorcery and Small Magics or Rebecca Thorne's Can't Spell Treason Without Tea. |
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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. Fans will enjoy the "whimsical tone with time-worn wisdom and copious astrological chart readings" (Publishers Weekly) in this lighthearted and calm sequel. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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