Must-Have Monday is a feature where I gather together the books I think you should know about from the coming week’s new releases. It is not meant to be a comprehensive list of all books being published that week; only those I want to highlight out of those I’m aware of! The focus is diverse SFF, but other stuff occasionally makes it in too. Corrections and suggestions are very welcome!
EIGHTEEN books this week!
(Books are listed in order of pub date, then Adult SFF, Adult Other, YA SFF, YA Other, MG SFF.)
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: F/F
Published on: 15th June 2026
Goodreads
All Aderyn wants is to escape her abusive husband. On the run, she searches for a powerful source of nature magic to arm herself. And she finds it: Brenhines Glyn, a valley full of more magic than she’s ever felt before, and certainly enough to let the nature witch protect herself for good.
But Aderyn finds a monster living in the heart of the valley, one with heartbreaking secrets. Worse, the very land itself is being torn apart for the profit of the people living there.
With her husband on the hunt to reclaim her and Brenhines Glyn in agony, Aderyn will need to decide who the real monsters are—and what her freedom is worth.
This dark eco-fantasy novella is a quick read full of feminine rage, eco-rage, and sapphic kissing.
Haven’t heard much about this one, but it sounds like it has promise!
Genres: Adult, Horror
Representation: Autistic MCs
Published on: 15th June 2026
Goodreads
Autistic Ghost Stories and Other Chilling Situations is the possession of a mind, whose host summons an explorative seance.
An exorcism of thought, where misconceptions and misunderstandings are lured into metaphorical stories and investigated for the means of re-marrying the artistically lost and macabre expression of the neurotype.
Autism is a topic rarely explored through any artistic avenue, even when a creative venture has proven itself to be beneficial.
Topics of the macabre, tales laced with ghostly, gothic elements, are especially ignored when creatively positioned with autism; Autistic Ghost Stories and Other Chilling Situations is a fictional disruption.
This short story collection is made for others, interested in autistic and disabled pursuits that are written and explored through gothic themes.
Scary stories that speak to horror fans who love a spooky social investigation of our society.
For people who are interested in dynamically queer and ghostful relations. For autistic adults who've survived or still navigate the macabre, decayed nature of ableism, and horrors relating to their everyday lives.
Titles listed in Autistic Ghost Stories and Other Chilling Situations
The Compost, I Am the When and Does It End, They Travel Through the Touch, An Amusement of Witches, The Spot, The Resting Place, We Can't Go Back, Beneath the Voice, Spinner, Spinning, and The Spread.
Oh???
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Brown bi/pansexual MCs, brown nonbinary MC, M/NB, secondary F/NB, queernorm world
Published on: 16th June 2026
Goodreads
A talented heretic and the emperor she both loathes and loves will learn what monsters are really made of in the second installment of the Moon Heresies trilogy by New York Times bestselling author Tessa Gratton.
Iriset—prodigy, outlaw, now sunderer—has broken the Moon-Eater god’s prison at the heart of the empire. But the consequences of her actions land her in a city of monsters where the heretical magic of human architecture is freely practiced, and the only person she knows—and can trust—is Lyric, the emperor she’s lied to and loved in equal measure. As scheming kings and capricious gods drive them towards different extremes, they soon realize that to find their way home, they must remake the world…at the risk of breaking it forever.Praise for the Moon Heresies
"Laced with a vivid sensuality." —Jacqueline Carey, New York Times bestselling author of Kushiel's Dart"A beautiful, elegant, passionate novel. A triumph and a delight from start to finish." —Antonia Hodgson, author of The Raven Scholar
“Sensual and suspenseful.” —Publishers Weekly
"A lush story of dangerous intrigue in an intricate and utterly unique world." —C. S. Pacat, author of Captive Prince
THE MERCY MAKERS SEQUEL IS HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERE!!!
You can read an excerpt here! (Where it says Preview Now beneath/beside the book cover)
Genres: Adult, Horror
Representation: Lesbian MCs
Published on: 16th June 2026
Goodreads
Lesbian vixens from another dead world thread through moon-drenched cornfields and opulent drawing rooms in this literary horror remix of iconic gothic sagas.
Agnes is wasting away. In a bed of velvet and silk, she dreams of death—and Mary.
Mary—a wraith with bloodstained gown and mouth—drips mystery and menace. She materializes beside a lake, beneath a pear tree, outside the window. She turns servants feral and plunges the manor into anarchy. Since her arrival, nothing is right. The maids snarl. The nights grow strange. Agnes swoons.
Her brother, Arthur, calls it a sickness. A curse. He stalks the halls with scissors in his fist. He wants purity and order. He’ll strike out the unintelligible. He is not the only one. Others have begun to stir—jilted lovers, disgraced doctors, moralists with sharpened knives. The disorder is spreading. It’s riotous. Contagious. They’ll purify the world in flame.
Written partially through footnotes and with a mystery of interwoven red text, Agnes, We’re Not Murderers! is an atmospheric gothic vampire journey for fans of Kathe Koja and Mark Z. Danielewski.
I am gutted to discover there isn’t going to be an ebook edition, so I don’t know when or if I’ll be able to read this. But it sounds magnificent!
Genres: Adult, Horror, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Lesbian MCs
Published on: 16th June 2026
Goodreads
Someone has been collecting newspaper articles, CIA files, medical records, and other documents of bizarre and horrific stories from 1885 to1995 about 'female inverts'. Read stories connected to these records and see the documents for yourself. Obese u-hauls, aliens who see through hidden identities, a sexy lake creature captivates a 70's butch, and more. It's like the National Enquirer but for lesbians!
Been a while since I read a kind of ‘found footage’ story; this one sounds like fun!
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Portal Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: M/M
Published on: 16th June 2026
Goodreads
When John opens a letter addressed to his missing roommate, Kyle, he expects to find a house key, but instead he is swept into a strange realm of magic, mysticism, revolutionaries and assassins. Though he struggles to escape, John is drawn steadily closer to a fate he share with Kyle—to wake the destroyer god, the Rifter, and shatter a world.
The Rifter series was originally released in many, many smaller parts; this month we’re getting the omnibuses! Volume one and two are out this Tuesday; the rest will be out later in the month!
You can read an excerpt from Shattered Gates here, and from Witches’ Blood here! (Where it says Preview Now beneath/beside the book cover)
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, High Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: M/M
Published on: 16th June 2026
Goodreads
As this city burns, so does his heart...
Cas Nightbrook lives on a knife's edge, surviving by precision, cunning, and grit. A thief in the brutal City of Analon, his only goals are protecting his younger sister and avenging his parents' murder at the hands of the crown. So when Cas is invited to The Emberlight Trials--a deadly initiation run by a rebel order tied to a forbidden and hunted magical race--he doesn't hesitate. It may be his best chance at justice.
What he doesn't anticipate is Darion Thorne.
Charming, infuriating, and always one step ahead, Darion keeps showing up in places Cas doesn't expect. As the riddles and danger of the Trials intensify, Darion becomes a complication Cas never planned for: someone who sees through Cas's defences and tempts him to want something more than just survival. And that's exactly what terrifies him.
But Darion's secrets run deep. As the rebellion breaks into the streets and the city burns, Cas must choose between vengeance, his sister's life, and falling for a man whose hidden past could destroy everything Cas has built to survive.
Not gonna lie, that cover is very much working for me!
You can read an excerpt here! (Where it says Preview Now beneath/beside the book cover)
Genres: Adult, Queer Protagonists, Sci Fi
Representation: Gay biracial MC, major brown trans character
Published on: 16th June 2026
Goodreads
An alternate 1970s science fiction romance blending first contact and queer counterculture in the Los Angeles disco scene, perfect for readers of Vajra Chandraseker and Victor Manibo.
In 1977 — a world where America launched its space program shortly after WWII — Mitch Ward is a grunt in the US Spaceguard. Stationed in a backwater base on the Moon, his only friend is Gloria, who performs "Lady Moondust" for fellow soldiers, until he's briefly reunited with Flynn, a love from his youth who has never been far from his heart.
Following a visit from an unseen, terrifying but also maybe euphoric being, Mitch and Gloria find themselves quickly discharged from the Guard, and sent back to Earth. Moving to Los Angeles to chase their dreams, the duo scrape by, dancing between joy and defiance at the discos in a rapidly changing city that's unwelcoming to those who don't fit the Golden Age of Hollywood standard.
But when Flynn crashes back into their lives, he comes with a warning. He claims to be the host for a traveler and emissary of a utopian civilization, who has caught notice of Earth. This civilization is either the source of humanity's salvation - or its destruction. And they're on the way.
With the strange new powers blooming in Mitch and Gloria and Flynn's motives perhaps as hazy as those fog-filled LA dancefloors, it's up to this community of disco-loving misfits to stand up for what is beautiful and right. And save those who maybe wouldn't do the same for them.
They're not going down without a fight - and one hell of a party.
This turned out to not be for me – I found it too bleak, and it took way too long for the aliens to show up. But lots of other early readers have loved it!
You can read an excerpt here, or here! (Where it says Read a free chapter beneath the book cover)
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Cosy Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Queer MC, trans love interest, queernorm world
Published on: 16th June 2026
Goodreads
A magical florist journeys from the kingdom’s capital to its wild woods to fulfill an unusual request, and stumbles upon friendship, conspiracy, and the buds of new love in this debut cozy fantasy.
The book contains hand-drawn floral sketches inside!
Cursed from birth to always tell the truth, magical florist Felicity “Fliss” Farrow chooses her words carefully to avoid trouble. But when she receives an anonymous request for a mysterious flower, her search leads her directly into trouble’s path: to Willoh Vane.
Fliss knows the outcast—yet teasingly handsome—sorcerer is rumored to have used dark magic to corrupt the northern forest five years ago. She’s witnessed the resulting feud with Prince Bastion, whom her best friend, Card, is soon to marry. Despite her divided loyalty, Fliss reluctantly accepts Will’s help with gathering rare flowers and finds herself increasingly drawn to him.
As the royal wedding approaches, Fliss fears the flowers she’s delivered are intended for a sinister purpose. But when her warnings are ignored, can she and Will save the kingdom from disaster, and ultimately discover what Fliss has sought for so long—the truth.
Sounds very sweet!
You can read an excerpt here! (Where it says Look Inside beneath the book cover)
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Historical Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Bisexual MC with learning difficulties
Published on: 16th June 2026
Goodreads
Queenswood is a lush, lyrical historical fantasy debut that transports readers to twelfth century Ireland.
In twelfth-century Ireland, girls go missing—fleeing arranged marriages, carried off by outlaws, abducted by faeries. Rhiannon, treasured daughter of nobility, believes herself secure, shielded by her parents’ stone manor and friendship with the king. But as her beauty grows and suitors jostle for her dowry, she watches her father’s tenants wrung dry in order to supply the banquet for her older sister’s wedding, and realizes the marriage market is a game she does not want to win. A convent offers a life of books and learning, although it means turning her back on mortal men for good.
Angus, Crown Prince of Faerie, grew up in the Queenswood, the enchanted old-growth forest that feeds all the woodlands of Earth and Faerie. Even once he comes of age, Angus much prefers roaming the wilds over the High Court and the responsibility of choosing a bride. But when he sees his mother fading—and the Queenswood dropping its leaves in mourning—he knows he cannot put it off any longer. He must do his duty as the prince and journey to the human world to find a maiden who can become the next Queen of Faerie.
Set in an Ireland still reeling from the Norman invasions, Queenswood combines a deep and immersive historical world with folkloric fantasy adventure.
This one didn’t work for me either, it’s very slow and the faeries weren’t otherworldly enough for me. But it’s quite lovely if you don’t mind a slow pace!
You can read an excerpt here! (Where it says Read a free chapter beneath the book cover)
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Historical Fantasy
Published on: 16th June 2026
Goodreads
Medieval Europe. A world of darkness. Of Gothic castles, isolated monasteries, of monks and knights and things that go bump in the night. A world where vampires can roam at will... At least, as long as they obey the rules! For a vampire may not murder another vampire. Not unless they have a really good reason to, anyway.
Enter Judge Dee. Ancient. Immortal. Ascetic. His cold intellect draws him wherever a mystery is present, and he will rest at nothing to solve the puzzle. Jonathan, the judge’s human assistant, on the other hand, mostly just wants cheese. With bread, if possible. And some pickles would be nice. After all, it’s not easy spending your life in the company of murderous vampires who only see you as a tasty snack...
Their adventures take them from the warm Italian valleys to the heights of the French Alps as they come face to fang with fiendishly complicated puzzles—not the least of which is love! But as they are drawn inexplicably onwards to London, Jonathan wonders what awaits them when they finally arrive—and what choices he may have to make once they get there.
This seems like a very new direction for Tidhar? I’m not complaining; from what I’ve heard this is a lot of fun!
You can read an excerpt here! (Where it says Read a free chapter beneath the book cover)
Genres: Adult, Science Fantasy
Representation: Lesbian MCs
Published on: 16th June 2026
Goodreads
From the Sunday Times-bestselling author of Floating Hotel and Idolfire comes a science fantasy tale of history and myth, magic and mystery, perfect for fans of Shelley Parker-Chan and A. K. Larkwood
Two thousand years after the events of Idolfire, the world is on the brink of war, and the discovery of the enchanted city of Nivela threatens to push it over the brink
"What do you want to know?"
It’s been 2,000 years since the events of Idolfire, and we’re in a whole new Kite-drawn cargo ships race across thoroughly chartered seas, hauling the latest innovations in convenience and slaughter. It is developed, learned, interconnected, and on the brink of catastrophic war.
Archeologist Cod couldn’t care less about the conflict brewing between neighboring powers. She spends her days in happy obscurity, cataloging relics in the Republic of Asha and searching for clues about her lifelong obsession, the mythical hero Aleya Ana-Ulai.
Then a letter arrives summoning her home. Cod’s old teacher has made the discovery of a lifetime. But her home is Palgaro, and the discovery—the ruins of the enchanted city of Nivela—is set to change the world. And not for the better…
Heaven's Graveyard is a sinister lesbian history mystery bringing the magic of Idolfire into a dangerous new century.
Curtis’ books have been very hit or miss for me thus far; I’m hoping this will be another hit!
You can read an excerpt here! (Where it says View Preview beneath/beside the book cover)
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Contemporary Fantasy, Romantic Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: M/M
Published on: 16th June 2026
Goodreads
Hope is a dangerous thing for gods. Even former ones.
From the highly beloved author of “contemporary romance magic” (Christina Lauren) Winging It with You comes a Hades-inspired gay rom-com, in which the former god of the Underworld turned grumpy funeral director must find a loophole in the Immortality Retirement Act that banished him to Earth, until the florist next door who sees life in full bloom begins to unravel all his carefully laid plans.
Hayden Harlow, once the mighty Hades, has spent centuries quietly resenting his fall from immortality. Stripped of his godhood by the allegedly irreversible Immortal Retirement Act, he now runs Harlow and Sons Funeral Home—a front for his eternal sentencing among mortals, and a bleak reminder of the purpose he’s lost. Still, he’s determined to claw his way back…if only the Fates at City Hall would stop toying with him.
Enter Levi Wilder: a florist with an artist’s heart, an infectious smile, and a gift for finding beauty in life’s messiest moments. When Hayden storms into Levi’s shop to complain about a bouquet of sunflowers—an offensive choice for a funeral, in his opinion—their worlds collide. Hayden is all restraint and shadows; Levi is all sunshine and charm. But beneath the clash lies an undeniable spark neither can ignore.
As their connection blossoms, Hayden finds himself caught between the life he once knew and the bright future Levi dares him to imagine. But trusting Levi means risking the walls he’s kept in place all these years—and it’s not just his heart on the line.
Because in the threads of fate, one choice can change everything.
This review makes it pretty clear this isn’t going to be for me, but perhaps it’ll be for you!
You can read an excerpt here! (Where it says Look Inside beneath the book cover)
Genres: Fantasy, Secondary World No Magic, YA
Representation: M/M
Published on: 16th June 2026
Goodreads
A charming nobleman accidentally joins a pirate ship and falls for its debonair captain in this swashbuckling queer debut that’s perfect for fans of F.T. Lukens and Our Flag Means Death.
Kit Davenport is in trouble—not that this would surprise anyone who knows him. Headstrong, reckless, and utterly unsuited for the stodgy House of Lords, Kit has spent years dodging his father’s stern disapproval and delighting in clandestine rendezvous. But time is running out. With an arranged marriage looming and the confines of white wigs and stiff decorum closing in, Kit is desperate to escape a life that feels completely wrong for him.
His solution? A wildly impulsive decision that lands him aboard the Deliverance, a galleon captained by the infuriatingly charismatic Reggie Sharpe. With a devil-may-care attitude and a delicious grin, Captain Sharpe commands the waves with his crew of misfits…who all turn out to be pirates. Before Kit can say “wrong ship,” he’s trading ballroom etiquette for rum-soaked camaraderie, explosive gunfights, and, perhaps most excitingly, heart-stopping kisses under the stars.
But life at sea holds just as many secrets as treasures. And when Kit’s past catches up with him, he’ll have to decide who he truly wants to be: a gentleman or a pirate?
Probably not for me, but very cute!
You can read an excerpt here!
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romantic Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: F/F
Published on: 19th June 2026
Goodreads
A deadly race could set them free... Or sentence them to a lifetime in chains.
Everyone knows winning the monster-racing Shahals means status, riches, and for an indentured servant like Sabine, freedom—except only men can compete. As her only means to a better life, Sabine must disguise herself as a man - Rider Nyx - and take her chances in the Shahals.
As an empath, Princess Ianthe is an abomination to her people. She’s desperate to find her mother’s tribe and learn to control the magic that could send her to an early grave. Instead, her father orders her to wed the winner of the Grand Shahala.
Two women with no choices, and only one way out - forming an unlikely alliance to beat the Shahals together, share the proceeds, and earn the freedom they both desire. Now Sabine is caught up in a web of lies and increasingly dangerous Shahals—made all the more difficult by her growing attraction to the sheltered princess.
Winning means freedom.
Failure means a life in chains.
And the most dangerous race is still ahead ...The Grand Shahala is the first book in the thrilling romantic fantasy duology, Daughters of Sand. If you love deadly competitions, sapphic romances, and epic fantasy worlds, dive into The Grand Shahala!
THERE ARE UNICORNS ON THAT COVER.
THAT’S ENOUGH FOR ME!
Genres: Fantasy, YA
Representation: Black MC
Published on: 19th June 2026
Goodreads
TJ Young never thought he'd matter in a world of magic.
His sister was the chosen one, the prodigy foretold to lead their people. But when she dies under mysterious circumstances, the oracles turn to TJ-the kid who's never shown a spark of power. To uncover the truth, TJ dives into a world of Ashe and ancient gods. His journey takes him from a swampy magic camp in New Orleans to the legendary halls of West Africa's greatest academy. Along the way he faces trickster spirits, impossible promises to deities, and trials that blur the line between mortal and divine.
This omnibus collects the first three adventures in TJ Young & The Orishas, a thrilling YA fantasy rooted in West African mythology, perfect for fans of Percy Jackson and Harry Potter.
It also includes exclusive character art, author commentary with footnotes, deleted scenes, and more!
I’ve been hearing amazing things about this series, and an omnibus of the first three books is a very tempting place to start…!
You can read an excerpt of book one, The Gatekeeper’s Staff, here! (Where it says Preview Now beneath/beside the book cover)
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romantic Fantasy
Representation: Deaf MC
Published on: 20th June 2026
Goodreads
In an unprecedented turn of events, Bastion emerges from his Trial of Knighthood a failure.
Certain the gods have abandoned him, he travels down the coast on a leave of absence, looking for solitude. Instead, he walks into trouble in the wake of a series of pirate attacks on seaside villages, where he meets Ulla, a deaf dragon-kin healer with secrets of her own.
Despite their initial, disastrous meeting, they’re drawn together by their mutual loneliness. Then, they discover the attacks aren’t random - they’re coordinated. The pirates are planning a large-scale attack on Moonwatch, the kingdom’s naval base, with the intent of stealing an ancient secret.
Together, Bastion and Ulla race to Moonwatch only to learn the commander has been drawn away by the attacks. Unable to deny his duty or his very nature, Bastion takes command of their diminished forces in the face of a pirate fleet armed with a mysterious weapon.
When Ulla is wounded, the world comes crashing down on Bastion and he must reveal his darkest secret to save her, even though it may mean losing her, after all.
This is a prequel that can be read as a standalone. It's an action/adventure, slow-burn romantasy featuring knights, pirates and semi-aquatic dragon people. It will appeal to fans of The Legend of Zelda, Tamora Pierce's Tortall books and Sabriel.
I am SO HERE for deaf river-dragon ladies!
You can read an excerpt here! (Where it says View Preview beneath/beside the book cover)
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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