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O’Brien’s fiction debut is a highly intriguing vision of the near future that examines the role of memory in a functional aspect, which also underscores the utility of forgetting: “Funes the Memorious” by Jorge Luis Borges meets Total Recall by Philip K. Dick, with a wry narration that balances the grim reality.
This month features a lesbian vampire tale from bestselling V.E. Schwab, a historical portal fantasy from LJ Best Book author H.G. Parry, and two fairy-tale retellings.
Rival thieves, court intrigue, and monsters appear amid the romance in these anticipated romantasy reads.
PREMIUM
Lady Macbeth
This woman-centered portrait of Shakespeare’s complicated Lady Macbeth should appeal to listeners who love to hear the other side of the story.
PREMIUM
Strange Folk
Dyer’s multigenerational tale is ideal for Appalachian fiction fans and readers of magical realism seeking atmospheric new settings.
PREMIUM
The Lantern of Lost Memories
Beautiful and with plenty of lighthearted moments, this is a perfect listen for fans of Mitch Albom.
PREMIUM
The Scarlet Throne
Listeners who enjoy immersing themselves in richly described fantastical worlds will devour this. Share with fans of Ann Leckie’s The Raven Tower or Erika Johansen’s The Queen of the Tearling.
PREMIUM
The Full Moon Coffee Shop
This quick read is the first in a series, and readers will be eagerly waiting for the other books to be translated. Heartwarming and unusual, this is magical realism at its finest.
PREMIUM
In Our Stars
The initial “Doomed Earth” novel is predictable but stands as a fun time-travel concept with incredible narration. Recommended for fans of Campbell’s “The Lost Fleet” series and Glynn Stewart’s Ambassador for Mars.
PREMIUM
The Book of Elsewhere
Even with confusing opening chapters, staying with the story pays off in a major way, and the audio helps the audience to understand what “B” is going through. Sci-fi and weird-fiction fans will love this, and many will pick it up who are BRZRKR or Reeves fans.
PREMIUM
This Great Hemisphere
Though his debut was on point, this sophomore novel is a miss for an author who holds so much promise.
PREMIUM
Moonbound
Sloan’s work is sure to be well received by a wide audience of fantasy and science-fiction readers for its delicate balance of rich, original worldbuilding and intentional dalliances with genre tropes.
PREMIUM
Toward Eternity
A strong debut with a compelling premise that will do well in libraries where speculative science fiction is popular, though it may not make any converts to the genre.
PREMIUM
The Electric State
Fans of postapocalyptic sci-fi will eat up this excellent novel. Note that the audiobook’s PDF of illustrations (or a print version of the book) supports a more immersive experience; Stålenhag’s imagery is a key component of the story.
PREMIUM
The Spellshop
This sweet and cozy romantasy brims with lush imagery and a cast of quirky characters. Perfect for fans of whimsical fantasy, such as Travis Baldree’s Legends & Lattes and TJ Klune’s The House in the Cerulean Sea.
Wind and Truth by Brandon Sanderson is the top holds title of the week. LibraryReads and Library Journal offer read-alikes for patrons waiting to read this buzziest book.
A stand-alone fantasy from Tan’s world of the Celestial Kingdom provides all of the beautiful worldbuilding and heart-wrenching emotions of her previous books.
Sea dwellers, fortune tellers, tricksters, faeries, roving robots, and other fantastical creatures inhabit the pages of these out-of-this-world novels.
PREMIUM
We Speak Through the Mountain
Mohamed’s latest is a quick, thought-provoking listen that brings much-needed lightness to the series, even as grimmer horizons loom ahead.
A triumph of classic fantasy storytelling that embraces tradition just as much as it turns tradition on its head, this is sure to resonate with high-fantasy readers everywhere.
A wonderful companion novel that once again leaves listeners feeling all warm, fuzzy, and joy-filled.
PREMIUM
Running Close to the Wind
Rowland (A Taste of Gold and Iron) writes a weird, delightful, and layered fantasy romp for anyone interested in nested puzzles, unhinged characters, and sexy pirates.
PREMIUM
Blackheart Man
A fresh and original Caribbean-inspired fantasy that succeeds despite a nearly overcrowded plot.
Tchaikovsky delivers another resounding success that will find an audience anywhere science fiction is popular.
PREMIUM
The North Wind
The enemies-to-lovers trope shines in this lush romantasy. Listeners of Sarah J. Maas and Claire Legrand will want to add Warwick’s latest to their shelves.
PREMIUM
The Dissonance
A great listen for fans of Naomi Novik’s “The Scholomance” trilogy, where magic is hungry, and children are disposable.
PREMIUM
The Dead Cat Tail Assassins
Listeners desiring a world with a unique identity and a delightfully unexpected twist will want to pick up this novel reminiscent of T. Kingfisher’s A Sorceress Comes To Call and Kerstin Hall’s Asunder.
PREMIUM
The Captain
With wands and plasma pistols, sigils on spacesuits, magic and machines, possessive spaceships and power rangers, this is a chaotically fun space fantasy that revels in its playful and creative energy. Great for fans of Becky Chambers and John Scalzi.
PREMIUM
A Dragon of Black Glass
The penultimate volume of the “Moonfall” series, after The Cradle of Ice, has some exposition lag, but the fast pace of its action sequences will keep epic fantasy readers engaged.
Fawcett delivers a perfect new entry in this series, which will enrapture readers with fantastic worldbuilding. A great pick for those who are fans of both Marie Brennan’s A Natural History of Dragons and Jane Austen novels.
Anderson (The Remarkable Retirement of Edna Fisher) writes a curmudgeonly immortal protagonist and a (literally) haunting story full of heart; a delightful novel for those who enjoyed Sarah Pinsker’s Haunt Sweet Home.
PREMIUM
The Legend of Meneka
A balanced blend of sensuous romance with deeply felt meditation on crises of faith.
PREMIUM
Upon a Starlit Tide
This vividly reimagined fairy tale will enchant those who enjoy historical fantasies with a romantic streak, such as Leigh Bardugo’s The Familiar.
PREMIUM
Gifted & Talented
Blake’s (The Atlas Complex) command of morally gray characters and grim humor creates a dramatic, Succession-esque novel about a powerful, dysfunctional family.
Highly recommended for fans of thoughtful sci-fi about the relationships between humans, artificial intelligence, automated systems, and robotics.
O’Brien’s (George Washington Is Cash Money) fiction debut is a highly intriguing vision of the near future that examines the role of memory in a functional aspect, which also underscores the utility of forgetting: “Funes the Memorious” by Jorge Luis Borges meets Total Recall by Philip K. Dick, with a wry narration that balances the grim reality.
Newman’s (The Undying of Obedience Wellrest, under the name Nicholas Bowling) adult debut is a stiflingly beautiful blend of the personal apocalypse of Paul Tremblay’s The Cabin at the End of the World with the mysterious introspection of Susan Fletcher’s The Night in Question.
Told with wit and verve, this is the portrait of the old raconteur and rabble-rouser as a young man and will charm readers who enjoyed Marty’s previous outings. It’s also a fascinating portrayal of the early wild and woolly days of Silicon Valley, as seen from the perspective of someone in the trenches at the start of it all. Highly recommended for readers of the series and anyone fascinated by the era.
PREMIUM
Space Brooms!
Rodriguez (Stone Feather Fang) makes his adult debut with a space adventure that is light on plot and heavy on coincidences.
PREMIUM
The Empress (Deluxe Edition)
Cast (The Key to Fury) creates a uniquely magical otherworld based on tarot cards, excelling in depicting the passionate relationship between a dreamy, brooding hero and an impetuous heroine.
Readers of the series will enjoy this origin story for an earlier character, while those looking for a place to begin will find this an excellent entry point.
PREMIUM
The Starlight Heir
Howard’s (The Worst Duke in London) latest stands out from other romantasy offerings, with a magical world based on Indian and Persian myths.
This is complex science fiction for readers who love the compelling political drama of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine more than the lasers and photon torpedoes of The Next Generation.
PREMIUM
Wooing the Witch Queen
Burgis’s (Claws and Contrivances) clever romantasy is ideal for readers of Travis Baldree and Freya Marske.
PREMIUM
The Way Up Is Death
A compelling blend of science fiction and horror, conceptualized as reality TV with huge consequences. Readers of SF thrillers will be chilled and thrilled.
A stand-alone fantasy from Tan’s world of the Celestial Kingdom (which began with Daughter of the Moon Goddess) provides all of the beautiful worldbuilding and heart-wrenching emotions of her previous books. Romantasy and Eastern mythology enthusiasts will find this an excellent entry into the subgenre.
PREMIUM
Galaphile
Longtime fans of Brooks’s “Shannara” series will enjoy this sweeping chronicle about the origin of Paranor and its founder.
PREMIUM
When the Moon Hits Your Eye
This is chock-full of Scalzi’s (Starter Villain) trademark humor, and readers who love humorous science fiction in general and this author in particular are going to be rolling on the floor laughing out loud while reading.
Philip Fracassi offers a technothriller with a different take on time travel, while Andrew Ludington debuts with a time-travel caper wrapped around a slice of historical fiction.
Highly recommended for readers of sci-fi thrillers, cli-fi, and bioterrorism thrillers, and Tom Clancy fans who enjoy a bit of SF in their political thrillers.
By day, Michael Nayak is Doctor/Major Nayak at DARPA (the United States Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency). He talks with LJ about his debut novel, Symbiote, his tenure at the South Pole, his writing inspiration, and the work of DARPA imagining the future.
This year’s investigation into the realms and labs of fantasy and science fiction reveals a genre with pure magnetic attraction, while genre blends—from romantasy to SF mystery to SFF horror—redefine what’s possible and rocket toward their day in the sun.
This momentous tour de force overtops existing works on robots by leaps and bounds, approaching the subject with a subtlety that allows readers to focus on the effects robots are sure to have in the future.
PREMIUM
Lightfall
A promising layered series starter that offers plenty for fantasy fans and mystery lovers alike.
PREMIUM
An Honored Vow
The climactic final volume of the “Halfling Saga,” after A Vicious Game, is filled with high-stakes action, choices, and consequences. Romantasy fans should add this series to their reading list.
Originally self-published and now being released by a traditional publisher, this gripping sequel to Spark of the Everflame finds Diem trying to defeat the Descended out to see her fail. Readers will be clamoring for the next in the series after the cliffhanger ending.
PREMIUM
The Martian Contingency
This well-paced novel and satisfying fourth title in Kowal’s series, after The Relentless Moon, brings back familiar characters and continues to balance scientific details with character relationships.
PREMIUM
Galaxy Raiders: Abyss
Douglas writes a thrilling military space adventure that pits a powerful woman captain against evil galactic overlords.
PREMIUM
Hammajang Luck
Fans of Ocean’s Eight and Leverage will find this a delightful ode to team heists. The enemies-to-lovers trope, queer characters, and Hawaiian culture and language create a unique backdrop for a familiar plot line.
PREMIUM
Gate to Kagoshima
Fans of Outlander will appreciate Kuroki’s (“Black Diamond” series) treatment of a familiar story, while the Japanese setting, language, and culture sprinkled throughout are a fresh addition to the genre.
This momentous tour de force overtops existing works on robots by leaps and bounds, approaching the subject with a subtlety that allows readers to focus on the effects robots are sure to have in the future; a meditation on and an illustration of human and robot relationships in which it is difficult to distinguish between them.
PREMIUM
Splinter Effect
Ludington’s thrilling debut is a time-travel caper wrapped around a slice of historical fiction, but the heart of this story is Rabbit’s desperation to fix the things and people that he broke even if he has to outrun shadowy criminal time-looters and shady government agencies looking for scapegoats, in the past and in the present.
PREMIUM
A Harvest of Hearts
Eames (The Secret Circus) offers a delightful modern fairy tale in which the heroine is determined to save herself. The atmospheric setting and layered plot will please fantasy readers.
PREMIUM
The Third Rule of Time Travel
Fracassi (Boys in the Valley) turns from horror to sci-fi in his latest. Recommended for fans of technothrillers and those looking for a different take on time travel.
Highly recommended for readers of sci-fi thrillers, cli-fi, and bioterrorism thrillers, and Tom Clancy fans who enjoy a bit of SF in their political thrillers.
PREMIUM
The Rainfall Market
A delightful story of friendship, found family, and the knowledge that happiness may merely require a change in perspective. Fans of cozy magical realism, such as The Dallergut Dream Department Store by Miye Lee and Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi, will love this.
PREMIUM
The Shutouts
Readers seeking cli-fi that celebrates queer characters and survival will find this a hopeful look at the future even after disaster.
PREMIUM
Tea You at the Altar
These charming novels model an emotionally resonant, deeply fun, and intelligent relationship.
PREMIUM
Motheater
Readers may get caught in the quirks of character identity and somewhat superficial romance in Codega’s debut, but the detailed worldbuilding and prose will inspire comparisons to Alix E. Harrow.
PREMIUM
The Black Orb
This English-language debut by an award-winning Korean novelist is great for speculative-fiction lovers fascinated by humanity’s depravity, but perhaps a pass for readers desiring a triumphant apocalyptic thrill ride.
PREMIUM
But Not Too Bold
Pueyo’s (A Study in Ugliness & outras histórias) novella is recommended for fans of dark fantasy and readers who wants to give monster romantasy a try.
LJ Andrews starts a new series set in a fantasy Viking world, Danielle Jensen returns with the second in a series, and debuts include the first in a Celtic-inspired duology and a cursed, shapeshifting prince.
Emily Tesh writes a sapphic dark academia fantasy while Tochi Onyebuchi and Adam Oyebanji offer mystery-infused SFF.
Leong’s debut is a delightful cozy fantasy that will appeal to fans of Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree and A Pirate’s Life for Tea by Rebecca Thorne.
Readers who have been swept up in the cozy charm of Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi and The Dallergut Dream Department Store by Miye Lee will fall hard for the mix of magical realism, fantasy mystery, and star-crossed romance in this novel.
Juliette Cross launches a series featuring a dragon shapeshifter, Venessa Vida Kelley debuts with a historical romantasy about a Coney Island merman, and RuNyx offers a twist on the Hades and Persephone myth, set in a dark academia world.
Olivie Blake returns with the story of three telepathically and electrokinetically gifted siblings, and Nghi Vo continues the story of Nick Carraway and Jay Gatsby from her acclaimed novel The Chosen and the Beautiful.
PREMIUM
The Serpent and the Wolf
With intricate worldbuilding and a unique magic system, Robinson draws readers in and delivers a compelling debut that will captivate fans of Nicola Tyche’s North Queen.
Readers who have been swept up in the cozy charm of Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi and The Dallergut Dream Department Store by Miye Lee will fall hard for the mix of magical realism, fantasy mystery, and star-crossed romance in this novel from Sotto Yambao (The Beginning of Always). Highly recommended.
Vaughn’s (Questland) historical fantasy captures both the science and the magic of the natural world, as well as 19th-century sexism. With a unique magic system and engrossing character arcs, this novel will speak to fantasy and lit fic readers alike.
Readers who found the struggle to communicate in Ray Nayler’s The Mountain in the Sea will enjoy the equally fraught miscommunications between the minarchs, the “stickmen,” and the humans, while fans of the classic Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “Darmok” will find this to be a familiar and similarly complex and heartbreaking tale.
PREMIUM
Twisted Shadows
Will satisfy those looking for more momentum in the series’ central romance as well as fans compelled by the investigation. Second-act revelations will have readers clamoring for the next installment; those new to the series should begin with book one, Liar City.
Lakshminarayan (The Ten Percent Thief) offers an engaging story that dives into themes about the appreciation of food, colonization, and xenophobia and features two morally gray queer women attempting to find their footing with each other.
PREMIUM
At the Fount of Creation
Readers still reeling from the plummet off the edge of the cliff-hanger ending of the first book will be desperate to get their hands on this epic conclusion to the “Guardians of the Gods” duology, while those who have loved the African-inspired epic stories of lies, secrets, and powerful tricksters found in the works of Moses Ose Utomi and Nnedi Okorafor will be thrilled to add Ogundiran to their lists of must-reads.
Even as the character arcs pack emotional punches and the plot builds with intensity, the story is balanced with the humor and wry character introspection Klune (In the Lives of Puppets) is known for. Previously self-published, this reissued stand-alone only solidifies Klune’s reputation for skillful prose and worldbuilding.
Leong’s debut is a delightful cozy fantasy that will appeal to fans of Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree and A Pirate’s Life for Tea by Rebecca Thorne.
PREMIUM
How To Steal a Galaxy
Readers who love an old-fashioned heist story, anyone who loves witty, banter-driven romps, and those who have gotten caught up in SF/mystery stories, such as The Spare Man by Mary Robinette Kowal or Floating Hotel by Grace Curtis, will love the fluffy but ultimately dangerous misdirection of this one.
PREMIUM
The Shiver Tree
Searcy’s debut novel is a fun romp that will feel nostalgic to players of Dungeons & Dragons, as it seems to be the first adventure in a larger campaign. This will appeal to readers (teens and up) who love a good fantasy with a mix of humor and interesting worldbuilding.
Highly recommended for readers who love mythological retellings like Madeline Miller’s Circe or those who enjoy tales of fierce women seizing control of their own destiny.
PREMIUM
A Sky of Emerald Stars
This sequel to A River of Golden Bones carries forward its intriguing relationships and high-stakes adventures, along with exploring gender and race in a high-fantasy setting.
PREMIUM
Boudicca
The real history of the red-haired warrior queen is given new life in Cast’s (Out of the Dawn) well-told reimagining and worldbuilding, with prose that allows readers to see both a battle-hardened leader and a mother fighting for those she loves.
PREMIUM
All This and More
Despite the thought-provoking premise and outstanding narration, Shepherd’s choose-your-own-adventure novel is somewhat confusing in audio and may be better experienced in print.
PREMIUM
The Wren in the Holly Library
Fans of fairy tales and romantasy will be delighted. Perfect for those who enjoyed the sexy intrigue of Kerri Maniscalco’s Throne of the Fallen.
Bittersweet, tender, and ruthless, Bradley’s captivating debut examines the personal frictions between people, between global and personal understanding, and within one’s self.
An incandescent, nail-biting adventure set at a flooded American Museum of Natural History and an epic journey through a near-future, ravaged landscape that blends extreme suspense with serene meditation.
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