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Fantasy and Science Fiction August 2025 |
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| Wooing the Witch Queen by Stephanie BurgisQueen Saskia, though a feared sorceress, is only concerned with keeping her people safe from the nearby empires. When she hires a new librarian, an archduke in disguise, their growing forbidden love will unravel both their secrets and threaten the uneasy peace between their lands. For fans of: atmospheric enemies-to-lovers fantasy romance such as The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig and The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy by Brigitte Knightley. |
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| Once Was Willem by M.R. CareyIn 12th century England, recently deceased 12-year-old Willem returns from the grave in the village of Cosham, only to be ostracized and outcast to the forest. As Once-Was-Willem befriends other supernatural creatures, the sorcerer who brought him back claws for more magic and more power...even if it means the lives of all the children of Cosham. M.R. Carey's latest is "a dark and hopeful fable with obvious contemporary resonance" (Kirkus Reviews). |
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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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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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| The Two Lies of Faven Sythe by Megan E. O'KeefeWhen star navigator Faven Sythe's beloved mentor goes missing, she has no one to turn to but famed space pirate Bitter Amandine. The starpath of Faven's mentor leads to a space graveyard known as the Clutch, a place of which only Amandine knows the true secrets. "Nuanced characterization and a clever mystery keep the pages flying" (Publishers Weekly) in this space opera that fans of Adrian Tchaikovsky and James S.A. Corey will enjoy. |
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| Greenteeth by Molly O'NeillWhen Temperance, falsely accused of witchcraft, is thrown into a lake, she is unexpectedly rescued by a sharp-toothed monster lurking within its depths. This monster, Jenny Greenteeth, forms an unlikely alliance with Temperance to save the town and Britain from an encroaching evil. For fans of: richly detailed fantasy laden with monsters who are more than their fangs, such as Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher. |
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Infinite Archive
by Mur Lafferty
Mallory Viridian has had a quiet few months. Even with the increased influx of humans visiting Station Eternity, she hasn't seen so much as a bar brawl. Used to people dying left and right around her, the lack of murders to solve has left her unexpectedly... bored. But humanity's favorite way to waste time is on its way to her sector of the galaxy. A giant, one-of-a-kind data ship called Metis is bringing the entire Internet from Earth-as well as a mystery fan convention. On top of that, Mallory's literary agent is aboard, and he tells Mallory that she's the keynote speaker. It's almost a relief when a killer decides to strike at the convention. When Mallory finds her agent dead, she knows she has to work fast to find the murderer. With a strange new alien with unknown motives, a ship with impossible abilities, a lonely living, comprehensive Internet, and a deadly crime to solve, Mallory has her work cut out for her.
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Birth of a Dynasty: A Novel
by Chinaza Bado
After witnessing the massacre of everyone he's ever known and loved, M'Kuru Mukundi, the sole surviving member of the High Noble House Mukundi of Madada, vows revenge. M'kuru flees to a small village where he hides under the guise of farm boy Khalil Rausi... unaware that the real Khalil's father is the bloodthirsty General of Zenzele army, and under the direction of the King's scheming son, Prince Effiom, was responsible for the murder of M'kuru's people. In another part of the country where giants roam free, young Zikora Nnamani, the only daughter of Lord Nnamani, knows nothing of political intrigue-she wants little more than to be a fierce Seh Llinga warrior. But a well-known prophecy places too much potential power on her small shoulders, and-as far as Prince Effiom and the King know-she is the only living threat to their dynasty ruling forever. Between scheming ladies at court, backstabbing princes on the prowl, and paranoid kings, M'kuru and Zikora must do what they can, no matter how terrible, to save their people and claim vengeance for their families. But they are just two young people against an entire kingdom-and a prophecy destined to thwart their dreams-and the last thing they can do is trust anyone...even each other.
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| Shroud by Adrian TchaikovskyWithin the vast reaches of the galaxy lies the Shroud, a pitch black moon that is hostile to human life but ripe for exploitation. A catastrophic accident leaves Juna and Mai stranded there, forced to make a grueling trek across the planet and contend with the true dominant species of the Shroud. This engrossing science fiction teems with tension and danger, and will be a hit with fans of Semiosis by Sue Burke or The Terraformers by Annalee Newitz. |
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| The Incandescent by Emily TeshDoctor Walden is the Director of Magic at Chetwood School, and one of the most powerful magicians in all of England. Demonic forces converge on the school, and Doctor Walden must balance her considerable power, uphold her responsibility to keep the students safe, and even confront a potential evil from within. Fans of sapphic fantasy and dark academia "won’t want to miss this thoughtful exploration of privilege, power, and private school education" (Publishers Weekly). |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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