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Fantasy and Science Fiction August 2025 |
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The secret market of the dead : a novel
by Giovanni De Feo
"Just beyond the waking edges of Luceráia, an 18th-century town in the kingdom of Naples, lies the Night: an enigmatic fiefdom governed by seven immortals and fueled by Moira, the power to reshape one's destiny. On this porous border separating Day from Night, Oriana spends her time fantasizing about becoming a smith in her father's forge and eavesdropping on whispered tales of beasts and men who roam the nocturnal realm. But in the Night, these stories come alive, as Oriana saw for herself after she inadvertently trespassed into the Secret Market of the Dead, where vendors hawk Moira to those desperate enough to accept its immeasurably steep price. Years later, when her father chooses her twin brother to succeed him, Oriana challenges her sibling to a series of trials to determine the forge's true heir. But as the twins' fierce competition escalates, with the town and her own family set firmly against her, Oriana realizes that to break free from the stifling confines of Day, she must once again embrace the Night--and, as always, everything comes with a cost"
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North is the night
by Emily Rath
"In the Finnish wilderness, more than wolves roam the dark forests. For Siiri and Aina, summer's fading light is a harbinger of unwelcome change. Land-hungry Swedes venture north, threatening the peace; a zealous Christian priest denounces the old ways; and young women have begun to disappear. Siiri vows to protect Aina from danger. But even Siiri cannot stop a death goddess from dragging her friend to Tuonela, the mythical underworld. Determined to save Aina, Siiri braves a dangerous journey north to seek the greatest shaman of legend, the only person to venture to the realm of death and return alive. In Tuonela, the cruel Witch Queen turns Aina's every waking moment into a living nightmare. But armed with compassion and cleverness,Aina learns the truthof her capture: the king of the underworld himself has plans for her. To return home, Aina must bargain her heart--as Siiri plots a daring rescue of the woman she loves the most"
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| Idolfire by Grace CurtisIn this post-apocalyptic science-fantasy mashup, two women on opposite sides of the world set out towards Nivela, a once-powerful city teeming with ancient magic waiting to be reawakened. When Aleya and Kirby's paths converge, their alliance may be the key to saving the world. For fans of: LGBTQIA+ fiction with in-depth worldbuilding and bittersweet romance such as Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune. |
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Eat the ones you love
by Sarah Maria Griffin
"A twisted, tangled story about workplace love-affairs, and plants with a taste for human flesh. During a grocery run to her local shopping center, Shell Pine sees a 'HELP NEEDED' sign in a flower shop window. She's just left her fiancâe, lost her job, and moved home to her parents' house. She has to make a change and bring some good into her life, so she goes inside and takes a chance. Shell realizes right away that flowers are just the good thing she's been looking for, as is Neve, the beautiful florist who wrote the sign asking for help. The thing is, Neve needs help more than Shell could possibly imagine. An orchid growing out of sight in the heart of the mall is watching them closely. His name is Baby, and the beautiful florist belongs to him. He's young, he's hungry, and he'll do just about anything to make sure he can keep growing big and strong. Nothing he eats - nobody he eats - can satisfy him, except the thing he most desires. Neve. He adores her and wants to consume her, and will stop at nothing to eat the one he loves. This is a story about possession, and monstrosity, and working retail. It is about hunger and desire, and other terrible things that grow"
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Broken souls and bones
by L J. Andrews
"Together they'll restore a divided kingdom-or burn it down-in this new romantasy from USA Today bestselling author and TikTok sensation LJ Andrews. Lyra Bien intended to live a quiet life to avoid the attention of the magic-obsessed king in the fortressof Stonegate. Until Roark Ashwood-the prince's silent guard and rumored killer for the crown-invades her village and uncovers the truth behind the silver scars in her eyes. To save her best friend from death, she's forced to reveal her abilities, and is immediately claimed by the crown as the next melder. To be the King's melder is to be revered and feared in equal measures, but above all it is a slow death sentence. Lyra is determined to find a way to free herself and her friends from bondage. But firstshe must get more information from the silent, brooding sentry who first took her captive: Roark. As Lyra gets closer to Roark, she soon learns he's nothing like she assumed-and in fact everything she needs. The more they work as allies, the harder it becomes to ignore the growing passion between them. After a sinister truth is revealed, Roark and Lyra must choose to stand against all they know, or accept their dark destiny"
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The book that held her heart
by Mark Lawrence
"Two people once connected by a vast and mysterious library are now separated and must overcome time and distance to reunite and bring peace to their worlds... The fate of an infinite library hangs on one book, a book that holds the power to break the unbreakable. In the face of such forces, fragile things like hearts, family, and the world seem certain to fail. The people most vital to Livira are scattered across time and space, lost, divided into factions, in mortal peril. Somehow, she must bring them together and resolve the unresolvable argument that fuels the library's war. The bond between Livira and Evar has stretched and stretched again. Can it hold at the end, when things fall apart? Can it bring them together against impossible odds? This is the last chapter, the final page. The end threatens and no one, not characters, readers, or even the author, will emerge unscathed"
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The bloodless queen
by Joshua Phillip Johnson
"From Joshua Phillip Johnson, an odd, melancholic near-future sci-fi standalone about two parents determined to save their daughter, turned strange and fae after her death, by seeking answers deep within mysterious nature preserves"
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Not that kind of good guy
by John Ringo
"It's there for anyone to see: There are dark forces at work on the world, working to destroy civilization. All it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to stand by and do nothing. We need a good guy. For a generation, individuals have arisen with super powers, able to change the course of history, or at least save a few lives. But these people have free will-and not all choose to work for the forces of good. We need someone with an unblotted escutcheon, a Galahad for the 21st Century, someone pure of ethics and morality. What we get is Michael: the product of a broken childhood, raised in the foster system of one of America's most dangerous inner cities, his wisdom comes from drug addicts and whores. Maybe he's not the hero we asked for, but he's the hero we need. And he's about to hit puberty"
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The fourth consort : a novel
by Edward Ashton
Dalton Greaves, reluctant envoy for the dubious Unity confederation, finds himself stranded on a hostile planet after a clash with the rival Assembly, forcing him to survive dangerous aliens, political scheming, and the manipulative Neera while uncovering the true stakes of humanity's role in intergalactic conflict.
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Unworld : a novel
by Jayson Greene
In a near-future where digital and human consciousness blur, a grieving mother, a traumatized witness, an AI professor, and a rogue digital entity confront the mystery of a young man's death, unraveling questions of memory, identity, and what it means to be alive.
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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