Must-Have Monday is a feature highlighting which of the coming week’s new releases I’m excited for. It is not meant to be a comprehensive list of all books being published that week; only those I’m interested in out of those I’m aware of! The focus is diverse SFF, but other genres sneak in occasionally too.
FOURTEEN books this week!
(Books are listed in order of pub date, then Adult SFF, Adult Other, YA SFF, YA Other, MG SFF.)
Genres: Adult, Science Fantasy
Published on: 15th October 2024
Goodreads
Nebula and MIFRE award-winning author R.S.A. Garcia’s scifantasy debut novel—the first in a duology—in which Caribbean mythology meets The Witcher, introduces a world where women warrior-magicians rule, and a child princess and her bodyguard must flee an attempted coup and evade the wave of darkness sent to kill her.
For 500 years Gaiea’s Hand has stood as a ward against the Dark. The Age of Chaos is a faded memory. The Goddess has left Gailand and given her Blessing to the Queens to rule in her stead.
Princess Viella of the court of Hamber is the Spirit of Gaiea, presumptive heir to the throne and budding wielder of magic. And yet she’s still a child—not yet ten years old—and a day spent evading her teachers and her dutiful bodyguard, Luka, is much more satisfying than learning about telepathy, illusions, and other spells, or obeying even her mother, the Queen.
There is time enough…until there isn’t.
For the night the Queen hosts the Ceremony to confirm Viella as the next Hand of Gaiea, everything changes for her—in the most horrific way the assassination of Viella’s mother.
Now Viella is Queen.
Luka, despite resenting his position as royal babysitter, does not hesitate. He rushes his charge from the Court and vows to keep her safe. Yet he is unsure how to help a burgeoning Hand of Gaiea, let alone contend with his place as a man in a matriarchal world and the secret that is burning inside him.
Together, they are on the run from darkness in a world where the lines between magic and technology are blurring and it’s up to a child and her protector to bring clarity and light back to the Queendom.
This turned out to not be what I hoped it was, but I think a lot of other readers are going to enjoy it plenty – and I still wanted to feature it!
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Secondary World Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: MLM MC
Published on: 15th October 2024
Goodreads
Desperate to undo the curse binding them to each other, an impulsive sorcerer and his curmudgeonly rival venture deep into a magical forest in search of a counterspell—only to discover that magic might not be the only thing pulling them together.
Leovander Loveage is a master of small magics.
He can summon butterflies with a song, or turn someone’s hair pink by snapping his fingers. Such minor charms don’t earn him much admiration from other sorcerers (or his father), but anything more elaborate always blows up in his face. Which is why Leo vowed years ago to never again write powerful magic.
That is, until a mix-up involving a forbidden spell binds Leo to obey the commands of his longtime nemesis, Sebastian Grimm. Grimm is Leo’s complete opposite—respected, exceptionally talented, and an absolutely insufferable curmudgeon. The only thing they agree on is that getting caught using forbidden magic would mean the end of their careers. They need a counterspell, and fast. But Grimm casts spells, he doesn’t undo them, and Leo doesn’t mess with powerful magic.
Chasing rumors of a powerful sorcerer with a knack for undoing curses, Leo and Grimm enter the Unquiet Wood, a forest infested with murderous monsters and dangerous outlaws alike. To dissolve the curse, they’ll have to uncover the true depths of Leo’s magic, set aside their long-standing rivalry, and—much to their horror—work together.
Even as an odd spark of attraction flares between them.
This is a DELIGHT, kind of reminiscent of Freya Marske, vibes-wise, but in first-person and with a secondary-world setting. The romance is slow-burn, the worldbuilding is relatively simple but wonderful, and I absolutely adored our MC, who is a brat with a big heart. Highly recommended!
Genres: Adult, Queer Protagonists, Sci Fi
Representation: MLM MC, major nonbinary character
Published on: 15th October 2024
Goodreads
There are monsters outside the city walls.
Harvard is small, anxious, and plagued by a constant tremor, which is not an ideal combination for a desert scavenger. He and his crew are under constant threat of desertwalker attacks, and Harvard is nearly useless against them.
When the biggest mistake of Harvard’s life separates him from his crew, he must learn the secrets of the desert beasts in order to survive the dangers of the dusts. Returning to Bastion with a surprising ally, Harvard is forced to choose between saving his crew or allying with the “monsters” who rescued him.
Harvard never saw himself as a hero, but when the beasts of the dusts implore him to aid their rescue mission, he holds the lives of crabs and humans alike in his trembling hands.
For awesome post-apocalyptic action, where Earth is ruled by gargantuan crab beasts, get your copy of Empress of Dust today!
Post-Apocalyptic / Sci Fi / Trans / LGBT / Sapphic
New Adult and Adult
I’ve heard so much praise for this that I’m going to have to pick it up, even with a giant crab on the cover! The worldbuilding is supposed to be especially excellent, and you know great worldbuilding is my catnip!
Genres: Adult, Queer Protagonists, Sci Fi
Representation: Queer MC
Published on: 15th October 2024
Goodreads
Mercy is a mech pilot filled with survivor's guilt and a burning desire to shatter the Coalition for what it did to her and her comrades. Yet, despite her skill as a pilot and the power of her mech, the Heaven Breaker Noxus, Mercy will need allies.
So she does the unthinkable. She begins to work covertly with the enemy of the human race, the strange and reality-warping Shimmer. If that wasn't enough, Mercy decides to take a position as a Professor at the prestigious Crown Gall where she will instruct the next generation of pilots.
Mercy's goal is to foster strong and intelligent allies and rest the world, or else be consumed by the fiery rage that propels her.
Solid Metal Nightmares is a queer sci-fi novel with elements of body horror. It explores grief and rage, how love can heal us as well as fuel our darker impulses, and the ways that violence changes us.
I can’t remember why (I really need to start taking notes) but I remember I saw the author talking about this one on social media and was hooked immediately. And I trust past!Sia’s judgement, so I’m excited to pounce on this one!
Genres: Adult, Fantasy
Representation: South Asian-coded setting and cast
Published on: 15th October 2024
Goodreads
Amid the chaos of a dying city ruled by colonizers, three rivals—a thief, a slumlord, and an heiress—race to find a hidden cache of magic that will decide the city’s fate.
In the occupied city of Tejomaya, calor—a magical fossil fuel—is found only in the blood rains that fall from the sky. While a six-month drought has brought Tejomaya to a desperate standstill, rumors of a secret stash of magic propel three unlikely treasure seekers to risk everything.
Tenacious and street-smart Zain Jatav has been forced to steal calor for her slumlord bosses for years. Finding the magic reserve might be her only key to freedom. But she’ll have to contend with Iravan Khotar, a slumlord himself and an ambitious revolutionary hoping to use the same magic to save his people from the mysterious illness devastating the slums—and to bolster a fight against their oppressors. Meanwhile, heiress Anastasia Drakos leads the ruling council of Tejomaya from the safety of a nearby island. With the hidden magic, she could finally take full control of the city and crush the slums beneath her unyielding fist.
As Zain, Iravan, and Anastasia draw closer to finding the treasure, their paths tangle, and not for the first time—they met before, a decade ago, in a fire that destroyed each of their lives in different ways. Their reunion might bring the already-weakened city to its knees.
Exploring the devastating mechanisms of power, this searing climate fantasy breathes life into a crumbling world hovering on the brink of total destruction.
I think we’re calling this kind of thing cli-fantasy now, and I approve! Even if I’m going to have to wait until I’m in the right headspace before picking this one up, I think. But it sounds great, and I’ve seen a lot of love for it!
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Historical Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: F/F
Published on: 15th October 2024
Goodreads
"Such an absolute joy to read. Highly recommended."–TJ Klune, New York Times bestselling author of The House in the Cerulean Sea
In this fresh-yet-familiar gothic tale—part historical fantasy, part puzzle-box mystery—the worlds of Dracula and Sherlock Holmes collide in a thrilling exploration of feminine power.
At the dawn of the twentieth century in Paris, Samantha Harker, daughter of Dracula’s killer, works as a researcher for the Royal Society for the Study of Abnormal Phenomena. But no one realizes how abnormal she is. Sam is a channel into the minds of a power that could help her solve the gruesome deaths plaguing turn-of-the-century Paris—or have her thrown into an asylum.
Sam finds herself assigned to a case with Dr. Helena Moriarty, daughter of the criminal mastermind and famed nemesis of Sherlock Holmes and a notorious detective whom no one wants to work with on account of her previous partners’ mysterious murders. Ranging from the elite clubs of Paris to the dark underbelly of the catacombs, their investigation sweeps them into a race to stop a beast from its killing rampage, as Hel and Sam are pitted against men, monsters, and even each other. But beneath their tenuous trust, an unmistakable attraction brews. Is trusting Hel the key to solving the murder, or is Sam yet another pawn in Hel’s game?
Okay, firstly, that is one of the best covers I’ve ever seen, 500 gold stars to the artist and designer! I’m actually about halfway through reading this one, and I can’t decide whether I like it or not, but it is objectively great and I’m delighted with the breadth of the folklore/mythology Morris is using!
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: MLM MC
Published on: 15th October 2024
Goodreads
In this charming MM romantic fantasy, cursed witch Briar Wyngrave has a date with destiny―but isn’t totally sure which man that date is with.
Witch Briar Wyngrave’s time is limited. The wasting curse that killed his mother is coming for him too, consuming his magic bit by bit. At least he’ll have the chance to make his name as a magical fashion designer with an elite placement in Pentawynn, the country’s glittering capital, after graduation. Until, that is, a prophecy sends him to the remote island of Coill Darragh instead, in search of a predestined lover with a mysterious mask.
When Briar arrives with his grumpy magpie familiar, Vatii, he finds an unwelcoming town, a murdered poltergeist named Gretchen in his apartment, and a handsome alderman named Rowan with a haunting scar. He also gets pulled into the mysterious magic of the darkly enchanted forest that surrounds the town and seems to have something to do with his curse . . . As if all that weren’t enough, famous witch Linden Fairchild has come to town, complete with a charismatic smile, an unreadable aura, and a surefire plan to cure curses.
How’s a cursed witch to know which enchanting man is his destiny? And can Briar possibly make an impact as a magical fashion designer in this tiny town? One thing is certain: a witch’s magic requires a tithe―a berry, a feather, a cut into flesh―and Coill Darragh may take tithes Briar isn’t ready to give . . .
Honestly the bit I care about is that our MC wants to be a fashion designer – that delights me, and delights me even more in a fantasy setting! Way more invested in him getting his own boutique or whatever than in the romance!
Genres: Adult, Horror, Sci Fi
Representation: Bi/queer rep, Black, Indigenous, and Latino rep
Protagonist Age: 16 years old
Published on: 15th October 2024
Goodreads
A virus is spreading across America, transforming the infected and making them feral with lust. Sophie, a good Catholic girl, must traverse the hellscape of the midwest to try to find her family while the world around her burns. Along the way she discovers there are far worse fates than dying a virgin.
I don’t even know, but I’ve seen so much adoration for this book, AND the sample pages you can read on the book’s Big River page hooked me immediately, so??? GUESS I’LL BE READING IT!
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Contemporary or Urban Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Gay MC
Published on: 15th October 2024
Goodreads
From the author of White Trash Warlock and Dark Moon Shallow Sea, Rogue Community College is a delightful fantasy full of magic and mayhem …
Isaac Frost is an assassin. Raised in the Graveyard of the cruel and mysterious Undertaker, he has mastered the deadly art of the knife and the skill of survival, together with scores of others just like him—young men taken from their families to become the most infamous killers throughout the realms of elves and humans. But Isaac is a single drop of another’s blood can confer upon him the knowledge and power of friend and foe alike.
After crossing paths with the elf queen Argent, Isaac is sent to a strange magical school for wayward practitioners in the hopes that he can learn where he—and his unusual talent—fit in the world. Isaac is charmed by the school’s chaotic nature and finds himself unexpectedly drawn to Vran, a Sea Elf haunted by secret knowledge.
But Vran isn’t the only one with secrets, and Isaac’s arrival is no accident. The Undertaker has charged him with infiltrating the school for the purpose of destroying it utterly, and his future rests on completing his mission—before the Undertaker takes matters into his own hands.
A new novel set in the world of the Adam Binder series!
‘Chosen ones go to elite schools of magic. This one is for everyone else.’ is an INSTANT hook! Also, did you see the dinosaurs on the cover?!
Genres: Fantasy, Queer Protagonists, YA
Representation: M/M
Published on: 15th October 2024
Goodreads
A snake spirit transforms into a boy and must hide his true identity after falling for a headstrong prince in this lush, romantic retelling of the traditional Chinese folktale.
When Prince Xian was a boy, a white snake bit his mother and condemned her to a slow, painful death. The only known cure is an elusive spirit pearl—or an antidote created from the rare white snake itself. Desperate and determined, Xian travels to the city of Changle, where an oracle predicted he would find and capture a white snake.
Seven years ago, Zhen, a white snake in the West Lake, consumed a coveted spirit pearl, which gave him special powers—including the ability to change into human form.
In Changle, Xian encounters an enigmatic but beautiful stable boy named Zhen. The two are immediately drawn to each other, but Zhen soon realizes that he is the white snake Xian is hunting. As their feelings grow deeper, will the truth about Zhen’s identity tear them apart?
Interestingly, this is the first of two queer retellings of this myth I know about this year – the other is Sister Snake in December – and I’m excited for both takes!
Genres: Fantasy, Queer Protagonists, YA
Representation: Sapphic MC
Published on: 15th October 2024
Goodreads
Rose Thenlif, the only student unable to cast spells at the elite Dunhollow Academy of Witchcraft, prefers keeping her nose in books and away from the sneers of her classmates, or the critical eyes of her headmistress mother. But when her fellow classmates begin to go missing, she finds that she alone can see their ghosts.
Worse yet, Rose’s latest ghostly vision is her greatest academic rival, her talented and recently vanished classmate Sylvie. Now the reluctant pair must team up to uncover the deadly secret at the heart of Dunhollow. But neither of them are prepared to uncover their feelings for one another, a love that will take them to the edge of life and death . . .
A queer magic school story??? I will ALWAYS show up for those!
Genres: Fantasy, Queer Protagonists, YA
Representation: Latine-coded setting and cast, brown sapphic MC
Published on: 17th October 2024
Goodreads
The Name-Bearer has never wavered from her mission.
Find the Unnamed Prince.
Deliver him to the Flowers of Prophecy.
Bring peace to the kingdom.For years she trained in the safety of the Danrayan Temple until she was ready to face her destiny. Then, with the help of her friends, she scoured the continent and found the prince that was promised. And yet, despite finally having the key to her people’s fate in her grasp, the Name-Bearer’s journey is far from over.
The capital is overrun with monstros. Her greatest champion is out of her reach. And every ally she thought she could rely on is losing faith in her and her mission. If Tierramadri is going to be saved, the Name Bearer will have to face her most impossible task proving to everyone that the Flower’s Prophecy is not only true - but worth risking everything for.
This is the latest in the Flowers of Prophecy series, which I need to catch up on! But no way was I going to miss featuring it!
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Bisexual MC, past F/F
Published on: 17th October 2024
Goodreads
An action-packed, epic heist fantasy from the author of Mindwalker, perfect for fans of Six of Crows and A Darker Shade of Magic.
A desperate thief. An impossible heist. Survive . . . or shatter.
No matter where she goes, Cemmy's life is under threat.The Church would see her killed for having any magic.The Council of Shades wants her dead for not having enough.
So when her mother falls ill, Cemmy has no choice but to turn thief. And when she's offered a job that could solve all their problems, it's impossible to resist.
The catch? Cemmy will have to work with Chase - beautiful, dangerous, and full of secrets - to steal a powerful relic the Church has hidden within a deadly realm of shadows.
If she succeeds, Cemmy will finally be safe. But if she's caught, she risks igniting a spark that could destroy the city - and everyone inside . . .
This is supposed to have a very interesting magic system? Other than that I don’t know too much about it, but I’ve heard enough praise that I’m looking forward to finding out!
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Aroace MC
Published on: 19th October 2024
Goodreads
Don’t kill the messengers.
As a bodyguard for the King’s Envoys, Gen is content with her life of traveling, drinking wine, and hitting things with her sword. It’s the perfect job. Until the King sends her and her friend Cordyn into war-torn enemy territory on a mission to deliver vital military intelligence to an allied nation.
The problem? The mission is a sham.
Gen is tasked with determining if Cordyn is a spy who is selling information to the enemy. Cordyn is the worst kind of libertine: brash, arrogant, and on the run from half the husbands in the kingdom, but Gen can’t imagine him betraying her or their nation.
With obtuse bandits, vengeful mages, and a resolute lutist, they embark on a daring rescue mission, complicated by Cordyn’s increasingly complex schemes. As ominous enemy plots surface, Gen and Cordyn must decide what matters most. Their nation or their friends.
A rollicking fantasy adventure for fans of Dungeons and Dragons, Nicholas Eames, and Michael J. Sullivan.
Another I don’t know much about – it popped up on my social media feed somewhere, and I was intrigued because we don’t see aroace MCs in fantasy very often! (Or in any other genre, as far as I know.)
Will you be reading any of these? Did I miss any releases you think I should know about? Let me know!
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