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Speculative Fiction March 2026 |
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Spoiled Milk by Avery CurranIn 1928, Emily Locke's final year at the isolated Briarley School for Girls is derailed when Violet, the school's brightest star (and a cunning beauty for whom Emily would do anything), falls to her death on her eighteenth birthday. Emily and her buttoned-up rival Evelyn are, for once, in agreement: Violet's death was no accident. There's an obvious culprit, the French schoolmistress with whom Violet was getting a little too close--they only need to prove it. Desperate for answers, Emily and her classmates turn to spiritualism, hoping for a glimpse of wisdom from the great beyond. Avery Curran channels the intrigue of the classic boarding school novel while turning the beloved genre on its head in this visceral, exuberant debut. |
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Not for the first time, Jill Doll Blaine finds herself hurtling toward earth, reconstituting as she falls, right down to her favorite black pumps. She plummets towards her newest charge, yet another soul she must usher into the afterlife, and lands headfirst in the circular drive of his ornate mansion. She has performed this sacred duty 343 times since her own death. Her charges, as a rule, have been greatly comforted in their final moments. But this charge, she soon discovers, isn't like the others. The powerful K. J. Boone will not be consoled, because he has nothing to regret. He lived a big, bold, epic life, and the world is better for it. Isn't it? |
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| Snake-Eater by T. KingfisherSelena is desperate to escape her horrid past. With nothing but her dog in tow, she flees to her late aunt's homestead in Quartz Creek. But strange ancient spirits linger along the edges of Selena's home. One of them, known as "Snake-Eater," has come to collect a debt from Selena's aunt; with Selena being the new owner of the home, his attention -- and obsession -- turns to her. Fans of strange and intriguing horror-adjacent fantasy such as Chuck Tingle's Camp Damascus and Jennifer Thorne's Diavola will thrill at T. Kingfisher's latest. |
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The Ganymedan
by R.T. Ester
Having killed the creator of all sentient technology in the galaxy, Verden Dotnet is on the run with nothing but a secret burning a hole in his pocket. The sentient cargo ship TR-8901 gives him a lift, but TR begins to suspect there's something up with his shifty passenger as rumors of the creator's death begin to spread. R.T. Ester's debut title will be a treat for "both hard sci-fi fans and readers looking for thought-provoking insights into an all too possible future" (Publishers Weekly).
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Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather FawcettAgnes Aubert leads a meticulously organized life, and she likes it that way. As the proudly type-A manager of a cat rescue charity, she has devoted her life to finding forever homes for stray cats. Now it's the shelter that needs a new home. And the only landlord who will rent a space to a cat rescue is a mysterious man called Havelock--who also happens to be the world's most infamous magician, running an illegal magic shop out of his basement. Havelock is cantankerous and eccentric, but not not handsome, and no, Agnes absolutely does not feel anything but disdain for him. After all, rumors swirl about his shadowy past--including whispers that his dark magic once almost brought about the apocalypse. Then one day a glamorous magician comes looking for Havelock, putting the magic shop--and the cat shelter--in jeopardy. To save the shelter, Agnes will have to team up with the magician who nearly ended the world . . . and may now be trying to steal her heart. Havelock is everything Agnes thinks she doesn't need in her life: chaos, mischief, and a little too much adventure. But as she gets to know him, she discovers that he's more than the dark magician of legend, and that she may be ready for a little intrigue--and romance--in her life. After all, second chances aren't just for rescue cats. . . .
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| City of Others by Jared PoonBenjamin Toh is a middle manager for the Department for Engagement of Unusual Stakeholders (DEUS), charged with managing supernatural nuisances so no one else has to deal with them. When an entire block of flats goes missing, Ben will have to deal with a scorned demigod who isn't particularly inclined to help the Singaporean government ... |
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All colonist Oliver Lewis ever wanted to do was run the family ranch with his sister, maybe play a gig or two with his band, and keep his family's aging fleet of intelligent agriculture bots ticking as long as possible. He figures it will be a good thing when the transfer gate finally opens all the way and restores instant travel and full communication between Earth and his planet, New Sonora. But there's a complication. Even though the settlers were promised they'd be left in peace, Earth's government now has other plans. The colossal Apex Industries is hired to commence an eviction action. But maximizing profits will always be Apex's number one priority. Why spend money printing and deploying AI soldiers when they can turn it into a game? The game is called Operation Bounce House. Oliver and his friends soon find themselves fighting for their lives against machines piloted by gamers who've paid a premium for the privilege. With the help of an old book from his grandfather and a bucket of rusty parts, Oliver is determined to defend the only home he's ever known. |
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| Audiobook and eBook available on Libby.
This new collection from acclaimed author Brandon Sanderson includes short stories written over the course of twenty years, some appearing in print for the very first time. Such stories include: two police detectives entering VR to catch a serial killer; a dragon hunter getting into a debate about grammar with his quarry; and many more. |
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Book discussion meets: Tuesday, March 31 - 6:30 PM @ Portsmouth Public Library! An orphan's life is harsh--and often short--in the mysterious island city of Camorr. But young Locke Lamora dodges relentless danger, becoming a thief under the tutelage of a gifted con artist. As leader of the band of light-fingered brothers known as the Gentlemen Bastards, Locke is soon infamous, fooling even the underworld's most feared ruler. But in the shadows lurks someone still more ambitious and deadly. Faced with a bloody coup that threatens to destroy everyone and everything that holds meaning in his mercenary life, Locke vows to beat the enemy at his own brutal game--or die trying. |
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Book discussion meets: Tuesday, April 28 - Time and Location TBD! Emilio Sandoz is a remarkable man, a living saint and Jesuit priest who undergoes an experience so harrowing and profound that it makes him question the existence of God. This experience - the first contact between human beings and intelligent extraterrestrial life - begins with a small mistake and ends in a horrible catastrophe. Sandoz is a part of the crew sent to explore a new planet. What they find is a civilization so alien and incomprehensible that they feel compelled to wonder what it means to be human. The priest is the only surviving member of the crew and upon his return he is confronted by public inquisition and accusations of the most heinous crimes imaginable. His faith utterly destroyed, crippled and defenseless, his only hope is to tell his tale. Father John Candotti has been charged with discovering the truth, but the truth may be more than Earth is willing to accept. |
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Contact your librarians for more great books! |
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