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Fantasy and Science Fiction October 2025 |
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Cinder house
by Freya Marske
Sparks fly and lovers dance in this gorgeous, yearning Cinderella retelling from bestselling author Freya Marske-a queer Gothic romance perfect for fans of Naomi Novik and T. Kingfisher. Ella is a haunting. Murdered at sixteen, her ghost is furiously trapped in her father's house, invisible to everyone except her stepmother and stepsisters. Even when she discovers how to untether herself from her prison, there are limits. She cannot be seen or heard by the living people who surround her. Her family must never learn she is able to leave. And at the stroke of every midnight, she finds herself back on the staircase where she died. Until she forges a wary friendship with a fairy charm-seller, and makes a bargain for three nights of almost-living freedom. Freedom that means she can finally be seen. Danced with. Touched. You think you know Ella's story: the ball, the magical shoes, the handsome prince. You're halfway right, and all-the-way wrong.
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Glow of the everflame
by Penn Cole
The threat of war has arrived at Diem's doorstep, along with a new discovery that could save her people. To use it, she must survive the next thirty days by bargaining with the people she hates most: the royal family of House Corbois. In a mortal world colonized by the gods and ruled over by their cruel, magical offspring called the Descended, Diem Bellator yearns to escape her poor village. Her mother's sudden disappearance--and the discovery of a dangerous secret about her past--offer Diem an unexpected opportunity to enter the dark world of Descended royalty and unlock a web of mysteries left behind by her mother.
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| The Lighthouse at the Edge of the World by J. R. DawsonAt the edge of Chicago sits a mysterious lighthouse, a waystation for the souls of the dead to reconcile with their lives before moving on. Nera, usually standing by watching her father ferry these souls, is drawn into a night of chaos when a living woman named Charlie has boarded the ferry, searching for someone she lost. Fans of the musical Hadestown will enjoy this "grim, authentic exploration of death for those who appreciate mythology-infused fantasy" (Library Journal). |
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| The End of the World as We Know It: New Tales of Stephen King's The Stand by Christopher Golden and Brian Keene, eds.Set during and after the events of Stephen King's highly acclaimed 1978 novel The Stand, this anthology collects new stories of human resilience after the apocalypse from authors like Poppy Z. Brite, Tananarive Due, Josh Malerman, and many more. Both a tribute to and an expansion of the original novel, fans of King's work will be delighted by the dedication on display from the contributors. |
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| If Wishes Were Retail by Auston HabershawTeenage Alex Delmore is desperate to escape her small town and go to her dream college. Thankfully a new business enterprise is opening at the local (dying) mall: a recently escaped genie is looking to sell wishes on demand, and needs human guidance to navigate the 21st century. For fans of: lightheartedly humorous but heartfelt cozy retail fantasy such as Miye Lee's The Dallergut Dream Department Store and Tsuchika Nishimura's The Concierge at Hokkyoku Department Store. |
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| The Library at Hellebore by Cassandra KhawAlessa Li has been forcibly enrolled at Hellebore Technical Institute, an elite academy for the dangerously powerful world-enders within its hallowed walls. On graduation day, Alessa is trapped in the library along with other students being forced to take part in the institute's grisly ritual: being devoured by the monstrous faculty. A harrowing and lore-rich tread into the darkest depth of dark academia fantasy, Khaw's latest is "a visceral symphony of body horror" (Booklist). |
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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.
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| The Adventures of Mary Darling by Pat MurphyIn this clever Victorian mashup, Mary Darling is beside herself when her three children go missing, and her uncle John Watson's dear friend Sherlock Holmes proves more hindrance than help. Mary takes matters into her own hands, recruiting friends from her past to help her find her way to Neverland and rescue Wendy, Michael, and John herself. With both fantastical adventure and thoughtful exploration of both sexism and colonialism, this book will be a delight for readers looking for another feminist retelling of classic tales. |
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| The Unkillable Frank Lightning by Josh RountreeTwenty five years ago, Catherine Coldbridge used her skills both as a doctor and an occultist to bring back her murdered husband; but being resurrected without a soul had violent consequences, and Catherine was forced to flee Texas. Now she has returned to finally put an end to her husband, who's traveling in a Wild West show as The Unkillable Frank Lightning. This weird Western Frankenstein tale is ideal for readers looking for offbeat speculative historical titles such as I Travel By Night by Robert R. McCammon. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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