48 New Fantasy Books to Add to Your Magical Reading List

Maxym M. Martineau's "Shadows of the Lost" is the first installment in a new fantasy series set in a world of mysterious beasts, immortals, and forbidden love. When he was first alive, Gaige was a Charmer, with the power to bond with magical beasts. Then, he suddenly died and was reborn as one of the immortal assassins of Cruor, with more power than he ever dreamed of — and a darkness waiting to claim him. Kost, the leader of the assassins, bears the heavy burden of guilt over Gaige's fate, but that guilt is mixed with a powerful longing between the two of them — if they can learn to trust again.

Release date: June 6

"Secret of the Moon Conch" by David Bowles and Guadalupe García McCall toggles between modern-day Mexico and 1521 Tenochtitlan, where two people are bonded by a mystical conch shell. After her abuela's death, Sitlali is targeted by a gang and plans to flee to America to find her father, taking the conch as a memento of home. In 1521, Calizto is trapped in Tenochtitlan as it is besieged by the Spanish, and he uses his mother's conch to plead with the gods for aid. Somehow, the shell allows the two to connect across centuries, even as the dangers in their own times increase every day.

Release date: June 6

Alyson Noël continues the Stealing Infinity series with "Ruling Destiny." At a magical academy, Natasha finds herself thrown through time, with her mysterious power to "Trip" from era to era at a glance. Torn between loyal Killian and charming yet untrustworthy Braxton, she's on a mission to figure out the truth behind her strange abilities, all while investigating mysterious disappearances and webs of lies on top of lies. The eccentric billionaire who runs the school has an ambitious agenda that spells danger for them all, and if Natasha's suspicions are right, it's not just the school in danger — it's all of time.

Release date: June 6

The mystery and magic of the circus has inspired plenty of fantasy stories, and "The First Bright Thing" by J.R. Dawson is the latest to take advantage of this atmospheric setting. In the years after World War I, time traveler Rin and her trapeze-artist wife, Odette, lead a circus that serves as a safe haven for magical, mystical misfits. As the Circus of the Fantasticals brings magic to every town it visits, darkness threatens to catch up with them. Rin's past is about to catch up with all of them, along with a vicious rival ringmaster who rules his circus with dark power and won't stop until he gets what he wants.

Release date: June 13

Matt Wallace wraps up his Savage Rebellion trilogy with "Savage Crowns." Evie, the Sparrow General, has been captured by Skrian, Crache's vicious army, and is being brought back to the Capitol to be punished, but she hasn't been left all alone. Dyeawan, the former street urchin turned power broker, has found herself in the highest seat of power in the land. But whispers of rebellion are growing louder, and word of a martyr could lead to a coup that would end her rule before it has even begun. Evie and Dyeawan must face one another and either find a shared vision for the future of Crache or launch one final battle.

Release date: June 13

If mythological romances are your style, then pick up "Psyche and Eros" by Luna McNamara. Psyche, a princess of Mycenae, is prophesied to defeat a monster that even the gods fear, and she spends her early life training as a warrior to meet her destiny. When Psyche angers Aphrodite, the goddess sends Eros, god of desire, to enact a terrible curse. Instead, Eros pricks himself with the arrow meant for Psyche, dooming himself to yearn for a woman he cannot have. Together, the pair will face seemingly insurmountable challenges, and the looming Trojan War could tear them apart before they have the chance to find out what they could be if they were free.

Release date: June 13

Juno Dawson's "The Shadow Cabinet" picks up right where "Her Majesty's Royal Coven" left off, with the witch Niamh dead and her chaotic, vengeful twin, Ciara, masquerading as her. As Ciara struggles with amnesia and works to fool even Niamh's nearest and dearest, she also slowly comes to discover how the world remembers her after all these years. Meanwhile, the witches are in search of Dabney Hale, a renegade warlock seeking a dark means of gaining unlimited power, and a "Shadow Cabinet" of ordinary humans grows more and more suspicious. If the witches don't get answers soon, all of witch-kind — and all of humanity — could pay the price.

Release date: June 20

RJ Barker launches a new fantasy trilogy with "Gods of the Wyrdwood." Cahan du Nahare is an expert forester, able to navigate the dangers of the Deepforest like few others can. He has a secret, though: long ago, he served a god of fire. When Udinny, who serves the goddess of the lost, needs help finding a lost child in the Deepforest, Cahan becomes her guide to the risky territory. Soon, however, their quest becomes part of a greater battle that pits the servants of one god against those of another, and Cahan will have to choose where his loyalties truly lie.

Release date: June 27

Claire Legrand launches a new trilogy with "A Crown of Ivy and Glass," set in a world of gods-blessed nobility, blood feuds, and mysterious magic. Gemma is the only member of her noble, magical family who cannot do magic, which leaves her constantly ill and on the sidelines. When she meets Talan, the lone survivor of a disgraced family, they strike a deal to restore his place in society and help her halt a blood feud. Nothing goes to plan, however, and attacks on a source of magic threaten them all, even as Gemma draws closer to Talan and learns more about her own potential power.

Release date: June 13

"The Magicians" meets "Game of Thrones" in "Fourth Wing," the new fantasy epic by Rebecca Yarros. Twenty-year-old Violet survived a near-deadly illness when she was younger, and she now looks forward to a quiet, studious life in the Scribe Quadrant of the kingdom. Her imperious mother, general of the army, has other plans, and Violet is forced to join the brutal, often-deadly college that trains elite dragon riders instead. Violet will need every bit of her courage, plus some allies, to survive the dangers posed both by the dragons themselves and by her classmates — including the children of former rebels who would rather see her dead.

Release date: May 2

"A Shadow Crown" by Melissa Blair is the second book in the Halfling Saga, picking up right where "A Broken Blade" left off. Keera lives a double life: in public, as the king's most feared and deadly assassin; in private, as an ally to Prince Killian and the Fae Riven, who together plot to kill the tyrannical king. Keera, a halfling, longs for acceptance and a place where she belongs, but even in the idyllic city of Myrelinth, where fae, elves, and halflings live in peace, Keera cannot escape her past. Even as she struggles to overcome past betrayals, a traitor lurks in their midst, and Keera herself becomes the prime suspect.

Release date: May 9

Moniquill Blackgoose combines dragon mythology with sharp commentary on colonization and the struggles of indigenous populations in "To Shape a Dragon's Breath." When the teenage Anequs finds a dragon egg and bonds with the newly-hatched beast, her people celebrate her and recall the days when their people lived in harmony with dragons. However, the conquerors of her people's land have a very different perspective, and they believe Anequs is not fit to raise and bond with a dragon. Finally, they come to a reluctant agreement. Anequs must enroll in one of their academies and conform to their ways, and if she fails, her dragon will be killed.

Release date: May 9

Andrea Robertsons's "Loresmith" trilogy comes to a conclusion with "Bound by Sword and Spirit." The evil Vokkans are descending on the world that our heroine Ara is desperate to protect, and she and her companions find themselves separated at the worst time. Teth has been betrayed by his supposed friend Eamon and must contend with a dark secret from the past, while Eamon struggles with his own plan to help his sister and redeem himself, if that's possible. Ara and her Loreknights could be the only thing standing between their world and utter destruction, and they'll need all the help they can get to succeed.

Release date: May 16

Tanaz Bhathena creates a fantasy universe inspired by Indian mythology in "Of Light and Shadow." Orphaned at birth and adopted by the king of bandits, Roshan now leads a clan of farmers-turned-bandits whose lives have been ruined by the corrupt government. She's out for revenge for her adopted father and justice for her people. When her Shadow Clan captures Prince Navin, the second son of the king, he hopes that he can get close to Roshan and escape. Instead, he learns more than he ever imagined about the corruption at the heart of the government and even his own family, and the duo's burgeoning attraction may or may not be enough to get past their mutual distrust.

Release date: May 23

James Islington launches a new fantasy series with "The Will of the Many," inspired by tales of ancient Rome. The Catenan Republic is ruled by the Hierarchy, which puts down rebellion without a second thought and drains the strength of the ordinary people in order to support those "higher up." A young fugitive, going by the name of Vis, enters an elite academy with a tale of being orphaned young and a promise to offer his strength (his Will) to add to the power of those on top. In reality, he's at the academy with a purpose: to solve a murder, find a weapon, and uncover the secrets that could tear apart the empire that destroyed his family.

Release date: May 23

Thomas D. Lee puts a new spin on the classic myths of King Arthur and the Round Table with "Perilous Times." Centuries and centuries ago, Sir Kay was a hero of Camelot, riding alongside his brother Arthur and the other Knights. He's also an immortal, having seen the great battles of human history and watched empires rise, fall, and reshape. Now, he finds himself in a nearly unrecognizable world, ravaged by climate change and transformed into a militarized dystopia. Marian, an ordinary woman struggling against a broken system, hopes Kay can help uncover and defeat an apocalyptic plot, but even an ancient knight may not be a match for the dangers of this future.

Release date: May 23

Kika Hatzopoulou puts a new and thrilling spin on Greek mythology with "Threads That Bind." In this world, the children of Greek gods inherit their parents' powers, and the world they inhabit resembles a fantasy noir setting, full of dangers and corruption. The Ora sisters are, like all descendants of the Fates, born in threes, and the youngest, Io, works as a private investigator in a half-sunken city. Then, she uncovers a conspiracy: someone is maiming women's life-threads and setting loose deadly wraiths in the city. She'll have to work with Edei, the boy with whom she shares a fate thread, and find out what's really happening, even as those closest to her prove they can't be trusted.

Release date: May 30

Kai, the protagonist of Martha Wells's "Witch King," doesn't quite seem like your typical fantasy hero at first. He's a demon — or, perhaps, he was a demon. After being assassinated, Kai's consciousness remains, floating in some in-between space until he is awakened by a lesser mage hoping to channel Kai's power for his own ends. Now, Kai must try to figure out what happened to get him murdered in the first place, how much has changed in the time that has passed since then, and why a mysterious, shady council is growing in power. It will take a lot of magic, and some useful allies, to uncover the truth in time.

Release date: May 30

Alexandra Bracken, best known for "Lore," returns with "Silver in the Bone," a new fantasy that puts a twist on Arthurian legends. Tamsin has no magic of her own, but when her foster father disappears without a trace, she dives headfirst into the pursuit of enchanted relics to provide for herself and her brother. A decade later, rumors swirl that her disappeared guardian had found a ring with roots in Arthurian lore — a ring that could free her brother from a dangerous curse. With powerful sorcerers closing in, Tamsin reluctantly teams up with her rival, Emrys, hoping to uncover the secrets of the past and find the ring before her hopes are dashed forever.

Release date: April 4

Terry J. Benton-Walker transforms modern-day New Orleans into the site of generations of magical feuds in "Blood Debts." Thirty years ago, a magical family were dethroned and massacred, and today, the would-be heirs are Clement and Cristina Trudeau, 16-year-old twins who have a complicated relationship with their magic and each other. Cristina has given up magic after a spell gone wrong led to tragedy, while Clement tries to lose himself in the magic to avoid his pent-up anger and pain. The siblings will have to put their own tensions aside to team up and figure out who's coming after their family again. If they can't, they're not the only ones in danger, and both the magical and nonmagical communities could pay the price.

Release date: April 4

Magical letters and a mysterious war between gods create the atmosphere of "Divine Rivals" by Rebecca Ross. Long after the gods were supposedly bested and put into a permanent slumber, a violent god has risen again, and he and his rival are both calling to mortals to fight for them. Iris, a young journalist, struggles to compete for a columnist role against her all-too-perfect rival, Roman, but finds solace in a blossoming closeness with a magical pen pal she discovers when trying to write to her brother, who's away at war. What she doesn't know is that the man on the other side of the correspondence is Roman, and both of them are about to be plunged straight into a battle neither of them could imagine.

Release date: April 4

"Wings Once Cursed & Bound" by Piper J. Drake combines familiar fantasy elements with Thai mythology. Peeraphan lives a seemingly normal life in Seattle, unaware that she's actually a Thai bird princess of legend. When she's attacked, she's rescued by vampire Bennett Andrews, but not in time to prevent her from falling victim to a curse. The pair venture deep into the magical underworld in search of a solution before the curse can progress any further, even as Peeraphan's powers develop in unexpected ways. Even if she can break the curse, she's not sure she can ever return to the life she knew before.

Release date: April 11

V. Castro's "The Haunting of Alejandra" weaves together Mexican folklore, fantasy, and a touch of horror in its tale of demons and curses. On the outside, Alejandra seems like a perfectly normal wife and mother. But on the inside, she's haunted by ghostly visions of La Llorona, a vengeful spirit of Mexican legend. As she looks for answers, diving into her family history, Alejandra soon learns that the women in her family have a history with the spirit; she is not the first to see it, nor to be tempted by its call. She will have to summon the strength of generations to banish La Llorona forever — or be lost to its darkness.

Release date: April 18

Andrea Stewart brings her Drowning Empire trilogy to an end with "The Bone Shard War." Lin Sukai has survived — and won — her first battle as Emperor, but the fate of the Phoenix Empire is far from certain. She'll need plenty of allies to hold on to her victory, but she seems to be running low on those, too. Her governors conspire against her, rebellions brew, and old enemies seem to be gaining strength at every turn. To turn the tide in her favor, she sets out on one more quest: to find seven mythical swords forged in past eras. If she can't reach them in time, though, her empire may fall.

Release date: April 18

New York City is home to an underworld of powerful magicians in "A Sleight of Shadows," Kat Howard's second book in her "Unseen World" series. Sydney has successfully destroyed the source corrupting the Unseen World, but it's come at a price: her powers are almost entirely drained. It couldn't happen at a worse time, as the deadly House of Shadows is slowly rebuilding itself and the magic of the Unseen World is behaving strangely. She's determined to keep the House of Shadows from returning, but powerful forces are fighting against her, and this time, her determination and courage might not be enough.

Release date: April 25

Brittany N. Williams crafts an epic fantasy with a Shakespearean backdrop in "That Self-Same Metal." At the age of 16, Joan is a talented enough craftswoman to be entrusted with making and maintaining all the blades for Shakespeare's plays. Her talent comes from her magical ability to control metal, and her entire family is Orisha-blessed. The other side of her family's powers is the ability to sense the presence of the Fae among humans, and when it seems like there is a sudden uptick in violent Fae attacks, Joan finds herself right in the middle of a potential war that bridges two worlds.

Release date: April 25

From Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti, authors of the BookTok-beloved Zodiac Academy series, comes "A Game of Malice and Greed," the first book in a new fantasy saga. The new series puts a fresh spin on fairy tales and fae mythology for an adventure full of romance, mystery, and, of course, plenty of magic. It's packed to the brim with twists on the classic elements that you know and love from the fantasy genre: a competition for the hand of a princess, a cursed kingdom, a forbidden love with devastating consequences, and tales of monsters, gods, and immortals all woven together.

Release date: March 3

C.L. Clark continues her Magic of the Lost saga with "The Faithless," the second book in the series. After a successful rebellion, princess Luca returns home to claim her throne, but her uncle refuses to let go of power without a fight. She'll need allies, and they're fast disappearing, so she turns again to Touraine, the soldier who saw her through her first adventures. Touraine is trying to help her land recover from the ravages of the empire but struggles to find ways to lead in a time of peace. If Luca isn't on the throne, or can't convince her uncle to ratify a peace treaty, all their battles could be for nothing.

Release date: March 7

For a subtler take on the fantasy genre, pick up Emilia Hart's "Weyward." The story alternates between three women in the same family, separated by centuries, and all of whom have a powerful connection to the natural world. In 1619, Altha writes her memoirs as she awaits her trial for witchcraft. During World War II, Violet struggles against the limits placed on her because of her gender and tries to learn the truth about what happened to her mother. In 2019, Kate flees an abusive relationship to a cottage inherited from her great-aunt, where she begins to uncover the secrets of her family — and potentially her own power, too.

Release date: March 7

Hannah Whitten launches a new fantasy series with "The Foxglove King," centered on Lore, a girl with death magic. She's been living underground (literally) since she escaped a cult at age 13, working as a poisons runner to earn food and shelter. When one run goes wrong, her highly prized — and highly dangerous — power is revealed, and she's taken by an order of warrior monks who are permitted to use death magic in service to the king. Instead of being executed or imprisoned, Lore is brought into the court, guarded by a noble-turned-monk, and wary of the king's heir. She's soon sent on a misson: to find out why entire villages have been dying and to pinpoint who's responsible, all while navigating the power plays at this treacherous court.

Release date: March 7

G.R. Macallister continues her epic Five Queendoms series with "Arca," the second book in a planned series of five. The Drought of Girls has ended, but its ramifications are still causing upheaval throughout the Five Queendoms. In Paxim, Queen Heliane plans to make her son the first-ever male ruler, causing dissent at every level. Arca's succession crisis has left a young, uncertain queen on the throne, and she struggles to find her footing, while the army of Scorpica, their warrior-culture neighbors, lurk at their borders. Elsewhere, hidden heirs and magical beings wait in the shadows for their time to come. It's "Game of Thrones" without dragons but with a matriarchal society packed with power plays and epic battles.

Release date: March 7

"The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi" brings "The City of Brass" author Shannon Chakraborty into adult fantasy with a vibrant new adventure. Amina al-Sarafi, who has spent years becoming one of the Indian Ocean's most notorious pirates, retires to a lifetime of peace and satisfaction — or so she thinks. She's pulled out of retirement when the wealthy mother of a former crewman offers her an enormous reward to rescue her old colleague's kidnapped daughter. Tempted by the reward and the possibility of one last adventure with her crew, Amina agrees. She soon realizes, however, that there's much more behind the kidnapping, and there are supernatural plots afoot.

Release date: March 7

For anyone who loves faerie mythology but is looking for something more "cozy" than "epic," check out "The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill" by Rowenna Miller. Generations ago, the farmers and villagers of Prospect Hill learned to barter with the Fae who live on the other side of the veil, but that knowledge was lost with the dawn of industrialization. Today, Alaine's family still hold onto some of the old superstitions. When her sister Delphine confides that her intended husband is not who he seems to be, Alaine will stop at nothing to help her break free, even if it means calling upon the magic that hasn't been touched in centuries.

Release date: March 28

"Chaos & Flame" is the first in a planned duology from Tessa Gratton and Justina Ireland. Darling, an orphan girl, sets out to save her adoptive father, who has been captured by House Dragon, the faction that killed her birth family. Talon, a prince and younger brother of the ruling House Dragon prince, grows frustrated with his brother's cruel and erratic rule. When their paths cross, Darling and Talon become unlikely allies — and possibly more — as they work to unravel what the High Prince Regent is doing, but even their newfound alliance might not be able to withstand the devastation about to be unleashed on their world.

Release date: March 28

Lauren Blackwood's eerie fantasy novels draw loosely upon classic Gothic literature, and her latest, "Wildblood," is like an anticolonialist take on "Heart of Darkness." Deep in a haunted Jamaican jungle, Victoria is pressed into service to use her magic to protect tourists who want to explore the wilderness. When she's passed over for a promotion, she is determined to prove herself on the next expedition, where Thorn, a gold miner, seeks a legendary treasure. Thorn is nothing like the men (and women) Victoria has worked for before, but the dangers that lurk in the jungle make no exceptions for love, and she soon must decide whether to forge her own path or stick to the life she knows.

Release date: Feb. 7

If you like your fantasy a little more horror-tinged, pick up Roshani Chokshi's "The Last Tale of the Flower Bride," an eerily Gothic story about the dark side of fairy tales. A scholar of myth and fairy tale marries a beautiful, wealthy, and mysterious heiress named Indigo. All seems well, except for one promise she demands of her new husband: never ask about her past. When the couple returns to Indigo's childhood home to care for her ailing aunt, he cannot resist exploring the secrets lurking in the manor's crumbling, haunted rooms. Soon, he uncovers another mystery: what really happened to Azure, Indigo's childhood friend who disappeared under strange circumstances.

Release date: Feb. 14

"These Infinite Threads" picks up where Mafi's "This Woven Kingdom" leaves off, with star-crossed lovers Alizeh and Kamran struggling with their shared attraction amid a brewing conflict between their people. Alizeh is the heir to the Jinn throne, destined to free her people from the oppression they have suffered at the hands of humans, and now she is the captive of Cyrus, king of a neighboring kingdom. He plans to marry her and help her restore her throne — with some benefits to him, of course — but she wants no part of his plot and seeks another way to save her people. Kamran's grandfather lies dead at Cyrus's hands, and Kamran knows he is obligated to exact revenge, but he's more concerned about finding Alizeh before it's too late.

Release date: Feb. 7

Powerful saints and their disciples rule the city of Ombrazia in "Seven Faceless Saints" by M.K. Lobb, leaving ordinary citizens vulnerable to their whims. After her father's murder by the Ombrazian military, Rossana embraces her own powers as a disciple, joins the rebellion, and tries to forget the boy who broke her heart: Damian, the youngest captain in history, who nevertheless can't help questioning the things he's supposed to believe in. When a serial killer strikes down a disciple as its latest victim, Damian and Rossana must team up to solve the case and protect their people, but their investigations uncover something darker than they imagined.

Release date: Feb. 7

Dana Schwartz follows up her haunted romance "Anatomy" with a sequel, "Immortality: A Love Story." In Regency-era London, Hazel, a young physician, tries to recover from the past year's events, in which she uncovered a plot, fell in love, discovered the existence of immortality, and seemingly lost her true love. After being arrested for a medical intervention gone wrong, Hazel is instead personally requested by the king to tend to his sickly and precious heir, Princess Charlotte. As Hazel learns more about the secrets kept at court — particularly a mysterious society — she is reunited with Jack, her lost love who is now searching for a cure to his immortality. Their search will put them in danger's way because behind the glamour of the monarchy hides something dark.

Release date: Feb. 28

Swashbuckling pirate adventure meets haunted Latinx queer YA fantasy in "The Wicked Bargain" by Gabe Cole Novoa. Mar, a transmasculine nonbinary young pirate, is hiding their magical ability to manipulate fire and ice, but their powers aren't enough when el Diablo comes to collect on a bargain made by Mar's father, costing the souls of everyone on the ship. A pirate crew miraculously rescues Mar, but el Diablo returns and tracks them down, issuing an ultimatum: Mar can sacrifice their own soul to save their father, or never see him again. Outmatched and desperate, Mar turns to a team of unexpected and mysterious allies in hopes of finally gaining the strength to harness their magic — if it's not too late.

Release date: Feb. 28

"A Day of Fallen Night" takes place in the same universe as Shannon's bestseller "The Priory of the Orange Tree." A prequel that delves further into that book's rich mythology and world building, the story follows the intersecting lives and fates of four women: Tunuva, a sister of the Priory during a time when some question the need for its existence; Sabran, a queen who marries to save her kingdom; Glorian, her daughter who watches from the shadows; and Dumai, who has spent her life trying to wake the gods. When the Dreadmount erupts, chaos and violence follow, and these four women will be pivotal in ensuring that humankind survives.

Release date: Feb. 28

"The Magician's Daughter" by H.G. Parry takes readers to a magically hidden island off the coast of early-1900s Ireland, where a girl named Biddy lives with her guardian, the magician Rowan. When Rowan fails to return one night, Biddy decides to venture into the outside world for the first time in hopes of finding him. What she doesn't know, however, is just how many enemies Rowan has and how they've been hoarding the world's magic for themselves. Biddy could be the one person who can stop them, but there's a lot she has to learn about herself and about the world first.

Release date: Feb. 28

Bestselling fantasy author Holly Black launches a new duology with "The Stolen Heir." Set in the world of Elfhame, which was first introduced in the Folk of the Air trilogy, the story picks up eight years after the great Battle of the Serpent. In the Court of Teeth in the North, Lady Nore has taken power and uses an ancient relic to build an army to do her bidding. Meanwhile, Suren, the rightful young queen of the court, has fled to exile in the human world. When she is rescued from a frightening pursuit by Prince Oak, heir to Elfhame and her onetime betrothed, their lives and the fate of the North are changed forever.

Release date: Jan.3

Weaving together inspiration from Chinese folklore and mythology with a brand-new fantasy tale, Amélie Wen Zhao's "Song of Silver, Flame Like Night" creates a rich world in a tale of a people rising up against oppressive conquerors. When outsiders stormed in and conquered her kingdom, Lan lost everything: her name was changed, her magic was banned, and her mother was killed — but not before branding Lan with a mysterious mark as her last act. Now, Lan scavenges to get by and seeks answers about the mark. One night, Zen, one of the last magicians in existence, saves her life and recognizes the mark as designating her as a practioner with immense magic. Together, they'll journey through the kingdom to find a group of surviving magicians, who have their own plans to overthrow the invaders.

Release date: Jan. 3

Heather Fawcett puts a heartwarming spin on fantasy lore with "Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries." Emily Wilde is a talented professor who is compiling the first-ever encyclopedia of faerie lore, but the one thing she's terrible at is interacting with her fellow human beings. When she arrives in a small town to pursue more of her faerie studies, she doesn't plan on connecting with the townspeople — or her academic rival Wendell Bambleby, who also shows up in the same town. As Emily pursues a breakthrough in her research, she's also faced with figuring out what Wendell is up to and what she herself really wants out of her future.

Release date: Jan. 10

"The Daughters of Izdihar" launches Hadeer Elsbai's new duology, drawing inspiration from modern Egyptian history. Nehal is a waterweaver who desperately wants to attend an academy and join the first all-women military regiment. Unfortunately, her family can't afford to send her, instead marrying her off to a wealthy but indifferent merchant, Nico, who is already in love with Giorgina, a seemingly ordinary bookseller. Giorgina has a secret, though: she's an earthweaver with strong, unpredictable powers and an affiliation with a radical women's rights group. Nehal, Nico, and Giorgina's lives intersect thanks to this cause, but a threat from a foreign enemy could end weavers altogether.

Release date: Jan. 10

"Hell Bent," Bardugo's sequel to "Ninth House," takes readers on a journey from academia to hell and beyond. Alex, a scholarship student at Yale with supernatural powers, is on a quest: open a portal to hell and rescue her former mentor from the underworld. Without official backup, she and her allies will have to form a team of misfits in order to navigate a mysterious and dangerous mission. When faculty members start dying under strange circumstances, Alex knows that the seemingly random deaths must be connected to the supernatural secrets that lurk all around them.

Release date: Jan. 10

The Last Hours trilogy, the most recent series in Clare's sprawling Shadowhunter universe, wraps up with "Chain of Thorns." After losing her family, her marriage to James Herondale, her best friend, her Shadowhunter powers, and everything she holds dear — not to mention being bound to the ancient demon Lilith — Cordelia Carstairs flees to Paris with Matthew Fairchild. Then devastating news breaks: London is under attack by the prince of Hell, who has a devastating connection to the Herondale line. With secrets tearing friends and allies apart, Cordelia, James, and their friends will need all their strength and faith in each other to fight off this new evil once and for all.

Release date: Jan. 31