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!
TWENTY-SIX books this week!
(Books are listed in order of pub date, then Adult SFF, Adult Other, YA SFF, YA Other, MG SFF.)
Fortune's Wake by C.L. Clark
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Brown lesbian MC
Published on: 24th August 2026
Goodreads
Kill the beast.
Earn some coin.
Get the girl.Or at least, that’s how it was supposed to go. Kova of Stormwatch made a promise when she left her mother and sweetheart weeping on the shore back she’d earn her fortune slaying the beasts that haunt the woods and the horrors that lurk in the shadows, or she would die trying. But to do that, she needs an apprenticeship with a master monster hunter. The best of the Sayre Boarbane.
Pity that Sayre works alone.
When Sayre drags Kova home by the ear, they’re both in for a rude awakening. Kova’s mother? Missing. Kova’s lover? Taking long walks on the beach with a stranger.
And all those monsters Kova wanted to slay? They’re back in Stormwatch, dragging villagers into the ocean.
New CL Clark! I think this is a novella, like Fate’s Bane was, though as far as I know they don’t share a setting or anything!
You can read an excerpt here!
Daggerbound (Swordheart, #2) by T. Kingfisher
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romantic Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Gay MC, gay MC with PTSD
Published on: 25th August 2026
Goodreads
Learned Edmund, a disillusioned scholar, is transporting yet another precious relic from one stuffy temple to a different stuffy temple. Another great adventure for the ages…
But when Edmund is set upon by bandits, in desperation, he breaks the cardinal rule and grabs for the relic, an ancient sword. To his surprise, instead of unsheathing a rusty, ancient weapon, an alarmingly handsome man appears, wielding daggers of blue steel and cutting the thieves down.
This man is the Dervish, an immortal warrior who’s been trapped for centuries in a sword of enchanted steel, and is angry as hell about it. He hates the curse that put him there, and he wants to hate Edmund, just as he has hated every wielder before him.
But the damned scholar is just so sweet and clever and kind. And while the Dervish may be able to protect Edmund from bandits, cultists, dragons, and strange inhuman diplomats, he may find it much harder to protect his own heart.
AT LAST, THE SEQUEL TO SWORDHEART!!! I got to read an early copy and loved it, and plan on rereading it once the release-day version hits my Kobo!
You can read an excerpt here! (Where it says Read Excerpt beneath the book cover)
Heir of Prophecy (The Clash of Prophecies Duet, #1) by Analeigh Sbrana
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romantic Fantasy
Representation: Black MC, queer rep
Published on: 25th August 2026
Goodreads
The first thrilling novel in a new adult romantasy duology following a young woman who finds herself the Chosen One to two conflicting prophecies—from the author of Lore of the Wilds.
Magic has always been something at the periphery of Audra’s life. As a human, she knows that magic exists, but it is something that is beyond the mist. Until one day the mist comes to shore, bringing with it the all too real Fae and upending Audra’s life entirely.
She is kidnapped from her home and taken to a school to be trained as a soldier by the Priestesses, Fae beings who are an ominous presence with a cult-like mentality. Audra must band together with a group of other prisoners to survive their new world filled with guilds, magic, and danger. The Priestesses are searching for the mythical Heir of Prophecy who will save them from an eternal winter. They know the Heir is among the student prisoners at the school and are getting more and more desperate to flush out him or her.
What Audra needs to know is what exactly it means to be the Heir... because she’s pretty sure it’s her. Her magic is wonky in exactly the way it was foretold. As she tries to hide her true nature, something strange keeps happening. A vision, a very hot and very underwordly vision comes to her. And what he has to say will put her life in even more danger and force her to make a decision that puts the fate of the entire world at risk.
I’m trying to be braver about dipping my toe into Romantasy, and I’ve been hearing a lot of great things about this one. Fingers crossed?
You can read an excerpt here! (Where it says View Preview beside/beneath the book cover)
Hymn of the Hanging Albatross (The Dread South) by Sirius
Genres: Adult, Horror, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Gay MC
Published on: 25th August 2026
Goodreads
The devil has put a blight on the folks of Wicker, Alabama.
A shadow looms over the Church of New Lazarus’ doorstep, cast by the boughs of a champion oak tree where its reverend was left hanging during the heat of a fearsome revival. His remains didn’t come down until the rope rotted through. Now his spirit lingers, signaled by the sounds of groaning wood and straining fibers. The once-joyous congregation he left behind is now hollow and haunted, covered in sin and shame, unable to leave the church or the small town of Wicker.
For eighteen years since his husband’s death, Pastor Dallas Hackett has led the church. And in all that time, the devil has never once strayed from his side. In his youth they struck a deal at the crossroads, where Dallas asked for revenge against the congregation that killed his grandfather. As proof that their contract remains evergreen, no one in Wicker can leave or die without Dallas’ spoken permission. Through pain, loss, and sickness, he has forced even the most agonized to linger, only granting mercy when he is satisfied by their suffering.
Through it all, Dallas does not age, and he does not sleep.
And now, a new face has appeared in the congregation—a young columnist who wants a look behind the curtain of the Church of New Lazarus. He has his sights set on Dallas for more than just answers, but the darkness that waits may prove too hungry for either of them to conquer.
The Dread South series is a collection of (very queer) standalones within the same spooky setting, is my understanding. So you can jump in anywhere that catches your interest!
Blood Rising (The Blood Saga, #2) by Markus Redmond
Genres: Adult, Horror, Historical Fantasy
Representation: Black MCs
Published on: 25th August 2026
Goodreads
In a brilliantly terrifying blend of supernatural horror and alternate history for fans of Ryan Coogler's Sinners and readers of Victor LaValle, Tananarive Due, and Stephen Graham Jones, a vengeful vampire tribe formed of formerly enslaved Africans wages war across the Southern colonies in the ultimate battle of blood and betrayal.
Kwadzo Okoro never believed the bloody legend of Ramanga was real. Now, he stands as the leader of a new Ramanga Tribe, one that sieged the Barrow plantation in a storm of righteous carnage, liberating its formerly enslaved Africans. Reclaimed as the Crimson Plantation, it is now also home to the wronged Natives who fearlessly aligned with the Ramangans.
But Kwadzo knows that freedom is not secure. Bartholomew and Constance Crabtree, the most influential slaveholders in the region since the demise of Big Jim Barrow, are galvanizing the Lakeside community to strike back—violently. The threat they pose pales in comparison to the insidious menace of Penelope Knudsen. Her white-hot hatred, now fueled by Ramangan blood, and an ability to survive the sunlight—a power Kwadzo doesn’t have—threatens to upend Kwadzo’s advancement of Ramangan might throughout the colonies, especially as she builds a white vampire army of her own and wages an all-out war against him.
But the gravest threat comes from Rafazi. His blood fathered the rebellion, but he will not take orders from his own creation. And when Rafazi makes a deadly deal with the Crabtrees, Kwadzo is forced into a battle with his maker that he may not survive, while the everlasting freedom of every enslaved person in the colonies hangs in the balance.
This is the sequel to Blood Slaves, and it’s probably a good idea to read that first? Though the description of this one does make me think it might work okay if you started here!
You can read an excerpt here! (Where it says Look Inside beneath the book cover)
Love Me Like a Rock Song by Shelly Jay Shore
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Contemporary Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Jewish nonbinary MC
Published on: 25th August 2026
Goodreads
Delilah is a lyricist looking for a muse. Emmett is a golem ready to be unmade.
From the bestselling author of Rules for Ghosting comes a soul-stirring, romantic novel about a jilted singer-songwriter, her unexpected hitchhiker, and the road trip of a lifetime.
When Delilah Cohen’s much more famous fiancée leaves her at the altar right before Delilah is supposed to start recording her first solo album, she finds herself with a notebook full of love songs that no longer make sense. Picking up a hitchhiker two hours into the road trip that was supposed to be her honeymoon seems as good a way as any to get her groove back. The last thing she expects is to start falling for her mysterious new passenger, but what’s more inspiring than a rebound with a built-in expiration date?
But there’s more to Emmett than meets the eye. Emmett is a golem, a human-ish being of Jewish mythology who was created from clay to serve a now-deceased master. No longer needed, their final task is to make their way back to the California cave where they were made in order to undo the magic that brought them to life in the first place. But the longer Emmett spends with Delilah—who has plenty of secrets and insecurities of her own—as they cross the country to visit historical queer locales from Brooklyn to Los Angeles, the more their ending feels like something to fight, rather than something set in stone.
As the California coast brings Delilah’s writing deadline—and Emmett's fate—closer with every passing mile, Delilah has to decide just what song it is she wants to write...and whether writing the album of a lifetime is worth losing a love she never expected to find.
Part road trip romcom, part epistolary exploration of America's vibrant queer culture, and all a love letter to the phrase "it's about the journey, not the destination," Love Me Like a Rock Song is a glorious love story about discovering who we are and what we want, and what it means to be human.
I had no idea the author of Rules for Ghosting had a new book coming out – I only heard this past weekend! HOW COULD I MISS THAT? Love the sound of this, definitely grabbing a copy!
You can read an excerpt here! (Where it says Look Inside beneath the book cover)
The Last Room in Haven House by M. Kayes
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Cosy Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Queer MCs
Published on: 25th August 2026
Goodreads
The magical found family of Howl’s Moving Castle gets a D&D-flavored twist in this close-to-cozy debut fantasy by M. Kayes!
Magical narrating houses, meatloaf-making paladins, androids in sweaters, and demons who love doing the dishes
When a centuries-old sea elf claims an abandoned house in the human realm as his kingdom, he has only one goal in mind: To create a restful place for anyone who needs it. But a house can do more with an ocean of magic than Fane imagined, and providing a safe haven for some of the most persecuted people in the past, present, and future means his own rest is often hard to find. There is only one room left in Haven House, and this time, Fane fears even an ocean of magic may not be enough.
The Last Room in Haven House is a warmhearted slice-of-life fantasy perfect for fans of Travis Baldree, Rebecca Thorne, Sangu Mandanna, and TJ Klune!
Alas, this didn’t quite work for me – I found it kind of overwritten? But it’s a DELIGHT and I know it’s going to be a huge hit. I’d take Haven House over anything Tavis Baldree any day!
Ronin by Oscar Brady
Genres: Adult, Horror, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Queer Black MC
Published on: 25th August 2026
Goodreads
Welcome to the brutality of the wasteland, where it’s kill or be killed.
Meet Seph.
Seph is a badass outsider hero for a f*cked-up, rabid, and gruesome world. All her life, she has scraped by, choosing to fight to live over ending up on some mutant cannibal’s dinner table.
When she is assigned a big score to escort a truckload of trafficked sex workers across the country, she fends for her life… and the lives of her priceless cargo.
Accepting the seemingly impossible quest was the easy part of the mission. Seph never knows when she will come face-to-face with randy rape riders, monstrous mutants, and feral forest folk.
Will anybody make it out in one piece? Not if Seph has her say!
Ronin is a new take on the post-apocalyptic 80s exploitation/punksploitation pulp, mixed with the fem-action of Coffy, the playful sexuality of Super Vixens, and the cargo-hauling, coast-to-coast adventure of Smokey and the Bandit.
I’m getting Mad Max vibes, which probably means I’ll be too much of a wimp to get through this. But it does sound brilliant, if this is your genre!
Whispers of Shadows and Gold (The Shadowborn Saga, #1) by Meghan Saint
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: F/F
Published on: 25th August 2026
Goodreads
Failure will cost her more than love. It will cost her freedom.
Avelina Wright swore she would never return to Terridon—the city ruled by the Ruthless Divine Order. Her home.
But love has a way of making you break vows.
Already reeling from the death of her closest friend, when a warlock binds her sorceress lover to a lethal bargain, Avelina accepts a mission to save her. To do so, she must steal a forbidden artifact locked deep within Terridon’s vaults.
Gathering a team along the way—including a Fae warrior bound to her past, Avelina must risk becoming ensnared once more in the cult’s grip, uncover truths while guarding her own secrets, and face a power awakening within her that may prove just as dangerous as the enemies she faces. All to save the woman she loves.
But even love cannot overcome the truth.
Heist plotlines are usually not my thing, but I do like the sound of this!
You can read an excerpt here! (Where it says View Preview beside/beneath the book cover)
Hellbound by Stephanie Binx
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Contemporary Fantasy, Horror, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Bisexual MC (and love interest?)
Published on: 25th August 2026
Goodreads
Dying is all in a day’s work for a Hell-diver like Marian—until a routine round-trip to the afterlife goes wrong—for fans of The Wren in the Holly Library and TV’s Lucifer.
Hell is empty, and all the devils are here, but nobody knows why—not even the devils themselves. Now, sadistic demons roam the earth, offering small fortunes to any mortal sucker dumb or desperate enough to die on their behalf as they retrieve artifacts from a Hell they can’t recall. Washed-up journalist Marian Meyer is one of those mortal suckers dying for a living as she fetches clues for a demonic puzzle that she doesn’t care to solve.
Riddled with debt she'll never be able to pay off and guilt over her mother's death, Marian made her first lucrative deal with a demon and never looked back. Never mind that being a Hell-diver means that she must voluntarily drown herself—or that the human body wasn’t meant to die more than once—and she’s definitely feeling it.
Unfortunately, the last time Marian went to Hell, she came back wrong. Memories of that night are missing, and she'll do anything she can to find them, including teaming up with one of her mysterious (and oddly alluring) demonic patrons, Mr. Vale. But when their tenuous alliance thrusts Marian even deeper into a world of betrayal, humans with strange powers, and demonic politics, she’ll have to decide if allying with Mr. Vale is her ticket to freedom or damnation in disguise.
One part slow-burn romance and one part acerbic wit, Hellbound is a dark contemporary fantasy romance perfect for readers who prefer their casts morally grey and the stakes sky-high.
Pretty sure I remember seeing a warning from the author that this is genuinely dark in places, which sounds extremely believable to me with that premise!
You can read an excerpt here! (Where it says View Preview beside/beneath the book cover)
The Sunken, the Adored by Donyae Coles
Genres: Adult, Horror
Representation: Black MC
Published on: 25th August 2026
Goodreads
A chilling Lovecraftian horror story from the author of Midnight Rooms, in which a recently freed slave from America making a new life for herself in 1700 Venice finds the mysterious plague that killed her former master may have followed her to Italy . . . and now stalks the canals.
Venice, Italy, 1700. The only survivor on a slave ship, Mercy disembarks in Italy, carrying two precious possessions: the first-ever camera that makes daguerreotype plates and a letter regarding an appointment meant for the dead slave holder.
The letter takes her to Umberto, an Anatomist. In his basement workspace, she learns he hired the man who formally owned her to capture images of dissected corpses. But that man is dead. With no other recourse for her or Umberto, Mercy assumes the position. In return for the sample plate she took, Umberto takes her to the home of the Contessa, a British woman who married into her title. Charmed by Marcy, she invites the young woman to stay for the season to take pictures.
Formally enslaved, Marcy finds this new life of freedom heady, as she takes on the mantle of a photographer and guest in a decadent house of pleasure under the hospitality of an aristocrat. Under the Contessa’s roof, she meets a diverse cast of friendly and strange individuals with whom she forms new bonds and friendships.
But all is not well in her new life. Something dark and hungry stalks the canals that snake through the city, biting at her heels. The same death that rode the waves with her now surrounds her in this strange place. What is this malevolence that haunts her? As she tries to understand this macabre force, she must grapple with a greater that the horror that endangers her friends is herself.
The Sunken, The Adored is dark, eerie, and wholly original—at once unsettling and irresistibly addictive.
The reviews I’ve seen for this have been a bit mixed, though the prose is apparently beautiful! I have no idea if ‘Lovecraftian’ is meant literally, as in the monsters are the creations of HP Lovecraft, or if it’s meant as an adjective for something eldritch but original to this author.
You can read an excerpt here!
The Twelfth House by Robert de la Chevotiere
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Historical Fantasy
Representation: Igbo (Nigerian) MCs, major Kalinago character
Published on: 25th August 2026
Goodreads
In the aftermath of Haiti’s independence, the vengeful unborn spirit of a child named Etta draws her father from the Bight of Biafra onto a slave ship bound for the harshly colonized Caribbean island of Dominica in this lush historical novel infused with magical realism and rooted in West African mythology for readers of Ta-Nehisi Coates’ The Water Dancer and River Sing Me Home by Eleanor Shearer.
1794, Benin, Africa. Bako is one of 162 men stolen from their homeland. After a harrowing voyage across the sea, penned like livestock, and enduring brutal beatings, Bako survived when many of his fellow countrymen did not. On the Caribbean island of Dominica, he is sold to William Blackwell, sentenced to a life of forced servitude on a sugarcane plantation. Rechristened Ivan, his true identity and defiant nature cannot be tamed. When an indigenous Kalinago woman named Mary is threatened by Blackwell’s cruel son, Bako fights back, escaping with her into the mountains—where she will give birth to their daughter.
Etta is an ogbanje, an unborn soul, trapped in a cycle of conception and death in the wombs of one family. She is not of this Earth, existing among the stars, bearing the names of Queen Mother and Iyoba. A gifted siren, her voice unleashes ethereal songs that consume listeners with fear. Her desperate desire to live compelled Bako into the hands of his captors—and his fateful meeting with Mary. They are but vessels brought together to ensure Etta’s birth into the mortal world.
But Etta bears the physical scars of her many spiritual deaths. The Kalinago do not accept her into their clan. Her father suspects the truth of his daughter’s origins. And the landowners and tradesmen who enslave Etta’s people will feel her wrath as she compels rebellions, the one within, the gravest.
Anything Erewhon Press publishes gets a LONG look from me – they’re my favourite indie press, even stuff that doesn’t sound interesting to me I’ll give a try, if they publish it. And this DOES sound interesting. Plus, my gods, that COVER!
You can read an excerpt here!
MAYA: Seed Takes Root (Maya #1) by Anand Gandhi, Zain Memon
Genres: Adult, Science Fantasy
Published on: 25th August 2026
Goodreads
Blending science fiction, fantasy, and philosophy, MAYA: Seed Takes Root is a new mythology for the 21st century—not of gods and monsters, but of us. For readers of Children of Time, Dune, and An Immense World.
The Divya Trials have been announced. Billions will compete. One will ascend to godhood.
On the planet Neh, the living forest called Maya is the planet’s neural network. Each citizen tethers daily to Maya, entering shared dreamscapes for work, play, and learning. The immortal Divyas harvest the data. Every thought and memory; predicting futures and bending reality itself. Everyone is connected. Everyone is tracked. Everyone is controlled.
Everyone except Yachay. An ordinary nineteen-year-old manushya raised in isolation by his ailing grandfather, Daddu, Yachay has never tethered to Maya—making him invisible to the gods of data. Daddu urges him to enter the upcoming Divya Trials, a once-in-a-lifetime competition where billions compete for immortality and omnipotence. Yachay wants no part of it—until his grandfather’s death uncovers an ancient resistance and a lifetime of secret training.
MAYA: Seed Takes Root, the first novel in the expansive MAYA universe, fuses science fiction, fantasy, and philosophy into an epic of thrilling adventure and urgent allegory. Drawing on South Asian mythology, hard science, and sharp social commentary, it asks the questions that define our time: Who controls our stories? Who profits from our data? And in an age of perfect prediction; is freedom still possible?
This made crowdfunding history on Kickstarter – it was the most-funded debut novel ever (and as far as I know, nothing since has beaten its record yet). I don’t know much about it, beyond the worldbuilding is supposed to be absolutely incredible, which is more than enough for me! (Also I think it’s also a tabletop game? Or is going to be? Either way the authors/creators seem to be planning for a MASSIVE multi-media universe, which is extremely cool.)
You can listen to the first chapter read aloud here!
Enheduanna's Song From the Sands by Ellen Rachlin
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Historical Fantasy
Representation: Mesopotamian setting and cast
Published on: 25th August 2026
Goodreads
Discover the untold story of Enheduanna, the world’s first named author, as she navigates power, betrayal, and divine destiny in ancient Mesopotamia. A mesmerizing fusion of history, myth, and female leadership that challenges how we see the past—and ourselves.
A high priestess dethroned. A rebel with a dangerous plan. One empire hanging by a thread.
When Enheduanna is named High Priestess of Ur, her connection to the gods makes her a target. Lugalanne’s coup strips her of robes, power, and home, casting her into the perilous underworld. There, amid forests of shadows and treacherous trials, she discovers that divine favor alone won’t save her—only cunning, courage, and a willingness to embrace the ruthlessness of her enemies can restore her.
Drawing on history and myth, Enheduanna’s Song From the Sands follows the world’s first named author as she fights to reclaim her voice and her destiny. Political intrigue, betrayal, and divine tests collide as Enheduanna must decide whether to forgive, to fight, or to harness the power that could shake the foundations of an empire. For readers who love The Song of Achilles’s intimate heroism, Circe’s mythic depth, or The Daughters of Sparta’s fierce women, this is a mesmerizing dive into ancient Mesopotamia where courage and cunning are the only paths to survival.
Enheduanna is a real historical figure, one who’s even made it into my own fiction before! So I’m very interested in Rachlin’s take on her story. It’s not clear from the description how fantastical this is going to be, but from checking out early reviews, it sounds like the gods show up and also Enheduanna goes to the underworld at some point, so it definitely warrants being shelved as Fantasy!
You can read one excerpt here and another here!
Farah's Familiars: A Creature Cafe (Chronicles of Ferndell, #1) by Holland E. Armeta
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Cosy Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: F/F
Published on: 25th August 2026
Goodreads
Magic is in the air when a halfling and a ratkin convert a coffee shop into a magical cat cafe...and (maybe) fall in love along the way.
Ferndell is a slow place. At least, that's what Farah thought for the last three years. She has a comfortable but directionless routine behind the counter at Ambrewsia Cafe; it’s a quiet life, but an upgrade from being dumped on the street by her coven when she failed to develop magical abilities.
Then her boss decides to retire, a talking cat shows up behind the compost with a broken leg, and whispers begin to spread about a magical spring that can awaken dormant powers.
With a slew of would-be familiars barging into her tidy café, resulting in an unexpected bargain with her reclusive neighbor Rune, Farah must make an impossible choice: inherit the café and the quiet life she’s come to love, or risk everything to win back her family.
Lots of cosy fantasy this week, and I am not complaining!
You can read an excerpt here! (Where it says View Preview beside/beneath the book cover)
The Burn Line by Jonathan Sims
Genres: Adult, Horror, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Queer MC/s
Published on: 25th August 2026
Goodreads
There's something lurking in the stifling darkness and labyrinthine tunnels that run below London... something old, something vicious, and something very, very hungry.
It's the hottest summer on record and London is dying. Prices are high, pay is low, and stressed commuters are packed onto London Underground trains again like the pandemic never happened. To add to the misery, the temperatures underground just keep climbing and climbing, the heat trapped in the clay with nowhere to go.
Then one fateful morning five travellers on an unlucky tube carriage find themselves bound together as witnesses to a single horrific event - an event they can't quite seem to remember.
They make an unlikely team - a weary tube driver, a disillusioned civil servant, an ambitious city trader, an overwhelmed hotel worker, and an unhoused young man just trying to get by - but now they must come together to confront what they have seen and stop it in its tracks before it kills them all.
From the dark and twisted mind behind Thirteen Storeys, Family Business, and podcast sensation The Magnus Archives, The Burn Line is a sinister and socially conscious horror masterclass perfect for fans of Stephen King, Jordan Peele, and Black Mirror.
I discovered and fell down the rabbit hole of the Magnus Archives and Magnus Protocol this year, so naturally I’m interested in anything else Sims writes!
You can read an excerpt here!
Folk of the Foundling (Foundling Folk, #1) by Liv Evans
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Cosy Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Lesbian MC
Published on: 25th August 2026
Goodreads
Paloma thought that coming home to the Foundling Inn would mean warm meals, familiar faces, and a chance to grieve her father's passing.
Just when it feels like life might get back to normal, a horde of skeletons bursts through the front door and ruins it all.
But the attack is more than just a random act of violence. The dead are rising, small towns are falling, and the power-hungry regent is too busy preparing for his coronation to do anything about it. Luckily, Paloma's mother and her best friend are no strangers to fighting. Once, they stood alongside their fellow adventurers to stop the regent from seizing control of the realm. Their rebellion might have failed, but their courage did not. After rising from the ashes of their defeat to build the Foundling Inn, a sanctuary for misfits and free spirits, they refuse to let a little something like necromancy tear it down.
Together with old family, new friends, and a talking skillet, Paloma sets out to uncover the cause of the undead threat. Because while the thought of saving the realm may seem a bit too ambitious, protecting their home is non-negotiable.
Showing up PURELY for the talking skillet!
The Art of Charming a Changeling (Pigments and Paramours, #1) by Sylvie Cathrall
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Cosy Fantasy
Representation: Neurodivergent MCs
Published on: 25th August 2026
Goodreads
A cozy slice-of-life romantic fantasy set in a Regency-inspired world where humans and fairies compete for artistic supremacy, from Sylvie Cathrall, author of A Letter to the Luminous Deep.
On her first day working in the prince’s galleries, art conservator Florrie Hyverfell discovers that the most famous portrait in the collection is not only a fake—it’s also inhabited by Vern, a fairy trapped in the forged painting.
Tracking down the stolen original is the only way for Florrie to save her job and for Vern to escape his canvas. Yet as they journey to a famed fairy museum to find the missing artwork, Florrie finds herself taking more than an art historical interest in the changeling painting’s charming inhabitant.
Cathrall is the author of the Sunken Archive duology, and this is the start of her new series! Sounds very sweet.
You can read an excerpt here! (Where it says Read a free chapter beneath the book cover)
Any More Questions for the Corpse? by J.J. Unthank
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Contemporary Fantasy
Published on: 25th August 2026
Goodreads
When a young necromancer investigates a string of deaths in the hidden magical capital of England, the dead come back to haunt him—in more ways than one.
Twenty-one-year-old Malowin Gladstone was raised by the dead—two skeletons to be precise. While his parents keep a close eye-socket on him, he just wants to get through the rest of university without using any more of his much-loathed necromancy. A hope that gets all the more difficult when he’s recruited by a secret Order to hunt a serial killer.
Dunwich, the hidden magical capital of England, has its fair share of oddities, its most recent being a series of murders that have the police at a dead end. But Detective Walters has an unorthodox suggestion. Who better to find a killer than someone who can talk to the dead? He proposes Mal use his necromancy for good, and solve the case before it goes stone-cold.
As more bodies begin to drop, Mal befriends several misfits who help him unearth the culprit. Among them, Des, a fledgling vampire; Hala, a magical empath; and Yu, a shapeshifting genius.
The team put their unique set of skills to the task, but as they get closer to digging up the truth, the group’s ghosts come back to haunt them and the killer won’t rest until they’re all dead and buried.
This description has delighted me since I first read it, and I’m very curious to finally get my hands on this!
You can read an excerpt here! (Where it says View Preview beside/beneath the book cover)
All the Queens’ Curses by Alyssa Hollingsworth
Genres: Fantasy, YA
Representation: Disabled (chronically ill?) MC
Published on: 25th August 2026
Goodreads
It’s time for Kit’s dear stepsister, Princess Catharine, to meet her intended, Prince Idris, at a ball. Chronically ill Kit doesn’t expect to connect with Idris there, but he quickly sees through Kit’s defenses and into her terrible The king, her stepfather, has been abusing her.
The night of the ball is also Idris’s birthday, and at midnight a fae messenger reveals to Idris the crime his ancestor committed against the fae queen, and the curse she gave his family. Idris accepts her trial to end the curse, though it will kill him.
Meanwhile, the queen seeks out the fae to swap Kit and Catharine’s bodies to save Kit from the king. Changed and horrified, the girls flee to the prince’s lands. With Idris’s help they must all try to undo their curses and see justice done for their families’ wrongs.
This is apparently inspired by some very not-well-known fairytale? I can’t place it based on the book’s description, but I’m curious!
The City of Slaughter by Aden Polydoros
Genres: Fantasy, Historical Fantasy, Horror, YA
Representation: Gay Jewish MC, M/M
Published on: 25th August 2026
Goodreads
The World’s Fair has packed up, the tents and food stalls disappeared. And the dybbuk, a restless spirit that possessed Alter, is gone. Life returns to normal for Frankie and Alter, as both boys inspire each other to start a detective agency—using skills from Frankie’s dark past and Alter’s desire to do good in their community. But when children start to go missing, Frankie is certain the supernatural is once again to blame, as they race to track down a sheyd, a demon-like entity. But in order to save his future with Alter, Frankie will have to confront his past.
Sequel to The City Beautiful.
This is the sequel to Polydoros’ The City Beautiful, and I have no idea whether or not it works as a standalone. Starting with the first book is probably a good idea!
You can read an excerpt here! (Where it says View Preview beside/beneath the book cover)
The Harrow Home for Wayward Girls by Jessica Spotswood
Genres: Horror, Queer Protagonists, YA
Representation: Bisexual MC
Published on: 25th August 2026
Goodreads
In this gothic historical tale full of mystery, two girls must uncover the secrets of their haunted home before it's too late.
THE HARROW HOME FOR WAYWARD GIRLS has long stood as a place of secrets. The estate has housed hundreds of young women hidden away during their pregnancies, their homesick cries echoing through the halls, providing a haunting score to Grace Harrow’s childhood.
Now, in the summer of 1947, the Home has been sold to a wealthy hotelier. Grace expects the new owner's daughters to be spoiled. Yet Rose, the eldest daughter—unaware of Mr. Harrow's abusive tendencies—is jealous of Grace's seemingly easy confidence. But as they’re drawn into each other's lives, an unlikely friendship begins to form. Fortunately so, because not all of the wayward girls made it out...
One still lingers. Lurking in the shadows. Looking for vengeance.
To expose the truth buried in the walls of the Harrow Home, Grace and Rose must unravel a legacy of silence and cruelty. But Grace’s father will stop at nothing to keep the past hidden, and if the truth comes to light, it could destroy both their families.
I’ve really loved some of Spotswood’s earlier books, so I mean to give this a try too!
You can read an excerpt here! (Where it says Read Excerpt beneath the book cover)
If We Survive the Night (The Dead Weight, #1) by Jo Salazar
Genres: Horror, Queer Protagonists, YA
Representation: Sapphic MC
Published on: 25th August 2026
Goodreads
It's kill or be killed in this heart-pounding apocalyptic horror. The first book in a new series, If We Survive the Night combines the ruthless zombie perils of The Last of Us with the every-woman-for-herself angle of Yellowjackets. What type of person does it take to survive the end of the world?
Sixteen-year-old Quinn is used to being told that what she feels inside isn't quite right. After getting kicked out of multiple foster homes and narrowly escaping juvenile detention, she's undergoing therapy at a residential treatment center for "troubled" girls. Looking for a night of freedom, Quinn sneaks onto the roof with her best friend Keisha, and what she sees changes everything…
She witnesses the start of the zombie apocalypse.
As zombies, or "carriers" as the news calls them, infiltrate the treatment center, escape becomes crucial. Quinn and Keisha make a pact to leave together, but several unexpected complications screw up their plans.
As the girls battle the carriers and wrestle with their doubts about each other, Quinn realizes she has never felt more alive. Maybe this is exactly the kind of world she was built for. And part of thriving in this cutthroat environment means cutting off the dead weight – even if that means putting other lives at risk…But even if she's willing to sacrifice everything, can anyone really outlive the apocalypse?
I will probably never get tired of ‘troubled’ people versus zombies, it is a genre convention I fully endorse.
You can read an excerpt here! (Where it says View Preview beside/beneath the book cover)
Queens of the Crypt, Vol 1 Genres: Fantasy, Horror, Queer Protagonists, YA
Representation: Nonbinary MC
Published on: 25th August 2026
Goodreads
E. M. Carroll meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer with a dash of The Rocky Horror Picture Show in this debut young adult graphic novel that is a celebration of horror, queerness, and figuring out who you want to be.
*Features bright neon purple sprayed edges that complement Dom&Ink’s stunning cover art!*There is a crypt that sits in the darkness... A crypt that exists across multiple realms, that houses your worst fears... And it's coming to Widow's Creek...
When seventeen-year-old Barnaby Jones comes out to their parents as nonbinary, they expect that to be the toughest part of their day. But it turns out the toughest part might actually be when their best friend, Fi, is kidnapped by a faceless killer who's been abducting teens all across the small town of Widow's Creek. Or is it when Barnaby unwittingly summons the undead and fabulous Queens of the Crypt through a portal in their bedroom closet?
Either way, the Queens—the Phantom, the Countess, Lady Invisible, the Creature, and the Bogeywoman—are here to help. As the horrors creep closer, can Barnaby work together with the scream queens to save Widow’s Creek from destruction and unmask the Faceless Frightener?
This looks like an awful lot of fun! Definitely going on the graphic novel tbr.
You can read an excerpt and see some sample pages on the book’s Big River page!
The Travelers by Greg Howard
Genres: MG
Representation: Gay MC
Published on: 25th August 2026
Goodreads
From Edgar nominee and author of critically acclaimed The Whispers comes a tale of friendship, found family, and the knowledge that even in death, those we love never really leave us.
When twelve-year-old Ben Turner’s mom unexpectedly passes away, he's forced into the care of the only living relative he has left—a grandmother he’s never met who lives in a place he’s never been. Rutledge, South Carolina is worlds from bustling Nashville.
Upon arriving at his grandmother's house, Ben is dumbfounded by the large, stone and brick building that greets him. Clifton House appears far more haunted mansion than house and Ben can’t get over the fact that this is where his mom grew up. Inside, Ben is surprised to see clocks—clocks of all shapes and sizes on the walls, mantels and tables. What’s even more surprising, is that none of the clocks tell the correct time and some even seem to be moving backwards.
Before Ben can ask too many questions, his stern grandmother tells him there are two rules that must be followed at Clifton never touch the clocks and never go up to the third floor. But on his very first night, Ben hears footsteps and hushed whispers—all seeming to come from the third floor.
Soon Ben begins to suspect there’s something more to Clifton House than broken clocks and dusty old furniture. Is it poltergeists? Hidden passageways? Or something to do with the very fabric of time itself? With the help of two new friends, Ollie and Ash, Ben embarks on a quest to solve the mystery of Clifton House and quickly finds himself in a race against time to save his family and possibly even himself.
Edgar-nominated Greg Howard returns with a heartening, twisty mystery that is also a profound journey of loss and healing.
Apparently the take on time travel is really fun here? I know no more details than that!
You can read an excerpt here! (Where it says View Preview beside/beneath the book cover)
The Infirmary for Dragon Burns and Midair Mishaps (The Ember Ridge Series #1) by Elizabeth Hrib
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Cosy Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Lesbian MC
Published on: 28th August 2026
Goodreads
When a burn nurse with a fear of dragon fire meets a gorgeous but reckless dragon wrangler, things burn hot enough to light their small mountain town on fire.
Burn nurse Eden has accepted a job from her old mentor at the Infirmary for Dragon Burns and Midair Mishaps, hoping for peace and quiet in Ember Ridge — a charming mountain town famous for singed tourists and reckless dragon riders. Instead, she arrives to find the infirmary in chaos.
Her mentor is stranded out of town, wild dragons are causing havoc and Eden is left running the infirmary on her first day. Worse, she keeps crossing paths with Vaela, the town’s dragon wrangler, whose talent for surviving impossible situations is matched only by a talent for getting under Eden’s skin.
Vaela is everything Eden hates: brooding, reckless and arrogant.
But when local dragons begin acting strangely and the kingsguard descends on Ember Ridge, whispers spread of the Wretch — the most feared dragon in the realm. Eden and Vaela are forced into an uneasy partnership to save the town, but every argument between them sparks into something hotter and far more dangerous than they expected.
Because falling for a dragon wrangler was never part of Eden’s plan. But neither is watching Ember Ridge — and her guarded heart — go up in flames.
Filled with cozy taverns, chaotic dragons and a fiercely lovable found family, this cozy romantasy is the perfect escape for readers who like their fantasy warm, whimsical and fiery.
Tropes:
Enemies-to-lovers
Small town
Grumpy x sunshine
Slow burn
Found family
Well this sounds entirely adorable!
You can read an excerpt here! (Where it says View Preview beside/beneath 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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