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 and SFF by minority authors, but other stuff (especially anything that strikes me as ‘outside the box’) occasionally makes it in too. Corrections and suggestions are very welcome!

FORTY-FOUR books this week!!!

(Books are listed in order of pub date, then Adult SFF, Adult Other, YA SFF, YA Other, MG SFF.)

Sondrine: Ghost Assassin of Bijou by Jacqui Greaves
Genres: Adult, Queer Protagonists, Sci Fi
Representation: Queer menopausal MC, intersex secondary character
Published on: 19th October 2026
Goodreads

Climb aboard for a murderous journey through the known universe with the cantankerous menopausal ghost assassins of Bijou and their sometimes fickle partners, the belosa, sentient cuttlefish-like spaceships, in a series of fun, character-driven space operas.

Ghost assassin Sondrine and her belosa partner Alta land on the planet Polemor, only to be caught in the crossfire of a local rebellion. Fuck! Alta is injured and the pair are forced to hide in the blue desert while she recovers. If they‘re to have any hope of leaving the planet alive then Sondrine will have to drag a damaged thruster across the desert for repair.

Rescued by the strange, tattooed ‘second sisters’, Sondrine is delivered to the engineering workshop of Enris, where the routine repair turns into a fight for survival. Sondrine isn’t sure she can trust the enigmatic Enris, but what choice does she have?

Sondrine: Ghost Assassin of Bijou is perfect for fans of Martha Wells’s Murderbot Diaries and Becky Chambers Wayfarers series.

“Greaves’s debut series is a triumph of worldbuilding and an absolute jewel to read. Innovative, provocative, and action-packed, with quirky protagonists you want to root for, The Ghost Assassins of Bijou are tales for our times.”Bram Stoker Award-winner, Lee Murray ONZM, author of Grotesque Monster Stories

I didn’t love the prose in this one, but damn it’s an awesome premise!

You can read an excerpt here! (Where it says Preview Now beneath/beside the book cover)

Of Wurm and Witness (The Sealbreaker Saga, #1) by Joshua Peterson
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Queer MC/s
Published on: 19th October 2026
Goodreads

A World Yearns to Break

For those born in the Machine of Horologium, life is currency. Each moment of existence is measured in the divine substance known as Sand. The Machine's rigid systems and inequities ensure that Sand flows, trading hands to barter for everything from basic needs to the highest luxuries.

In the Seventh Hour, Nox works as a sorcerer to manage the ongoing care of his sister. Manipulating mind and memory for benefactors amongst the criminal underground, he finds himself asked to cross a line that will alter his heart.

In the Twelfth Hour, Nicolas's life of leisure is about to end. Burdened with the fate of judging society's sins by the angel Variel, he is thrust into intrigue and a burgeoning class war when his angelic obligation presents his family with the chance to shift the politics of the aristocracy in their favor.

Two strangers, brought together by a broken seal, bear witness to the end of an era, in a tense tale of action and consequence.

A magical take on dystopian romantasy, from the sound of it?

The Slantwise Histories: Collected Stories by Alix E. Harrow
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: (Some) queer MCs
Published on: 20th October 2026
Goodreads

From the award-winning and New York Times bestselling author of The Everlasting and Starling House comes a new fantastical collection of stories about tricksters and ghosts, magics ordinary and spectacular. Alix E. Harrow spins tales never-told and seen just outside the periphery of reality--in the tradition of Angela Carter, Anne Sexton, and Carmen Maria Machado, these hauntingly resonant and defiant stories leap from the page and dance in and out of a history that never was (but could have been) and into a future startingly like our own.

Before I was a liar I was a historian, which is a kind of storyteller who doesn’t make any money and likes footnotes.

These are stories about the past as it wasn’t quite, but might have been, from ancient battlefields all the way up through roadside attractions off I-70. They’re about the people caught in the mean jaws of history: the women and workers, the soldiers and mothers, everyone shoved into the margins of the world.

But these aren’t singular tragedies―these are the stories of the ones that got away. The ones who defected and dissented, who broke the rules, who ran and tossed a match behind them. SLANTWISE HISTORIES AND OTHER STORIES collects the best known short fiction of Alix. E. Harrow, including the Hugo-award winning "A Witch's Guide to Escape: A Practical Compendium of Portal Fantasies" and for the first time in print, Amazon original titles "The Six Deaths of the Saint" and "The Knight and the Butcherbird". Updated to reflect the author's preferred editions, Slantwise Histories also includes "The Long Way Up", "Roadside Attraction", "Mr. Death", "The Ransom of Miss Coraline Connelly", "The Sycamore and the Sybil", "Do Not Look Back, My Lion", "The Whisper in the Weld", "Dustbaby", and four all-new short stories.

NEW ALIX E HARROW, YESSSSSSSS!!! Though the UK has to wait until Thursday, which I think is terribly unfair!

Angel Country by Alex T. Singer
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Historical Fantasy, Horror
Representation: Queer author, neurodivergent-coded MC, Native American love interest, secondary Black character, secondary trans (or something???) character
Published on: 20th October 2026
Goodreads

In an alternate early 1900s, a scientist hunts down her former research partner after he steals her life’s work before his greed reshapes the world in this darkly wondrous cosmic horror—perfect for fans of The Starving Saints and Ring Shout.

One morning in 1904, scientist Ada Franklin wakes up in her own grave. After clawing her way out, she discovers her lab abandoned and her research partner gone—along with her life’s work: a prototype designed to enable human-angel communication.
Angelic infestations have kept the original thirteen colonies from expanding for generations, but Manifest Destiny is a growing force in the new century. Whoever controls Ada’s invention may gain the power not only to communicate with angels, but to command them.

With no one else to trust, Ada resurrects her former lover, now monstrously altered by the entities they once studied. Together they pursue the man who betrayed her across a country warped by celestial horror, where angelic contact remakes both flesh and mind. But the closer Ada comes to reclaiming her work, the more she suspects humanity’s greed could prove more terrifying than the divine.

A fever dream mash-up of alternate history, dark fantasy, and eldritch horror, Angel Country delivers a morally complex tale that asks a chilling question: when faced with unimaginable power, who is truly the monster?

This is freaking phenomenal – really cool horror, but the best part is how Singer splices past and present together, to incredibly clever and powerful effect. Splicing in a more literal sense than usual; we get flashes or asides during some scenes or chapters of scenes/events in the past or present, sometimes alternating paragraph by paragraph. IT’S SO COOL AND IT WORKS SO WELL! Seriously, as brilliant as the rest of it is, it’s the actual writing craft that’s gone into this one that makes me swoon. (Doesn’t hurt that we get excerpts from science reports and interviews and things, giving it a bit of a mixed/found-media feel, and the worldbuilding of this alt-history setting is so much fun!)

You can read an excerpt here! (Where it says Excerpt beneath the About The Book section)

My review!

Stellar Smoke by Tanaïs
Genres: Adult, Sci Fi
Representation: Indian(?) MC
Published on: 20th October 2026
Goodreads

A hypnotically original and lush speculative novel from award-winning author Tanaïs about family secrets and the mother–daughter bond across generations—ultimately blurring the boundary between past and present, human and machine.

Qamar is a musician hustling in a near-future metropolitan city. Struggling to pay rent and heartbroken after a breakup, she decides to return to the island ashram of her childhood. It’s time to finally settle the rift she has with her estranged mother, Veda—a brilliant scientist, actress, and one of the leaders of a now-dissolved cult called the Endless Temple.

But when Qamar arrives, the land is verdant yet neglected, and, most troubling, there are no signs of her mother or sister, Palo. Behind a retina scan–locked door, Qamar encounters her mother’s last opus, a machine consciousness called VEDA (Virtual Experiences, Dreams and Afterlife), designed to reveal the story of Veda’s life. The descent into VEDA’s technoscape forces Qamar to confront the taboos and tragedies of their past, while bracing herself for the wild, unexpected possibilities that await.

Sounds fascinating! (And who else is creeped out by the mother naming VEDA after herself?!)

You can read an excerpt here! (Where it says Preview Now beneath/beside the book cover)

Hymn for the Forsaken by Megan Lynch
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Contemporary Fantasy, Horror, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Queer (sapphic?) MC
Published on: 20th October 2026
Goodreads

Some homes are worth fighting for. Others demand a price.

Generations of Appalachian magic kept Ina Klee's family land protected. Now a ruthless tech company—and a wealthy family hiding dangerous enchantments—threaten everything she's sworn to protect.

Hidden among overgrown fields and old traditions, the land she shares with her grandmother isn't just home—it's where generations of Klee women have crafted supernatural tinctures rooted in ancient power.

Determined to stop the massive data center from consuming her family land, Ina finds herself fighting a battle she can't afford to win—until Natalie Cuppy arrives.

Beautiful, intelligent, and connected to one of the region's wealthiest families, Natalie offers friendship, support, and a glimpse into a world Ina has never known. Wealth. Stability. Security. Everything she's gone without.

But beneath the Cuppy family's generosity lies something far darker. Their power wasn't built on money alone. Enchanted, ruthless, and willing to destroy anyone who stands against them, the Cuppys have been taking what they want for generations—and every favor they offer comes with a price.

As pressure closes in and buried secrets rise to the surface, Ina discovers that protecting her home may cost more than losing it. It may cost who she becomes.

I freaking LOVE the sound of (queer!) witchiness versus a data centre!!! BURN IT DOWN, WITCHES!!!

You can read an excerpt here! (Where it says Preview Now beneath/beside the book cover)

Needlemouth by K-Ming Chang
Genres: Adult, Horror, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Queer Asian-American MC/s
Published on: 20th October 2026
Goodreads

From the award-winning author of Bestiary, three cousins are forced to complete an impossible and violent task set by a vengeful demon.

Cousins Cindy, Yangyang, and Mandy’s hot, tedious summer unfolds in their grandmother’s hauntingly familiar house. Mandy, the eldest, seeks connection online and exchanges emails with a stranger. Yangyang, the youngest, retreats into her own imagination in search of meaning. But every morning Cindy wakes with strange objects in her mouth: a button, a berry, a coin.

One night, a starved figure with a mouth the size of a needle-tip appears at Cindy’s bedside. She is hunger-afflicted, a demon with no descendants to feed from: she is Needlemouth. Part vampire, part hungry ghost, Needlemouth forces the girls into a grim task to end a man’s life.

Cindy, Yangyang, and Mindy are plunged in and out of the demon realm, where they are called to break out of the indifference and numbness of their claustrophobic worlds, and where they are met with the most rageful and resistant parts of themselves. In a quest to satisfy the demon’s hunger, they unravel their shared grief and reckon with the cyclical violence that shaped their family. For readers of Akwaeke Emezi and Carmen Maria Machado, K-Ming Chang has crafted a reimagined coming of age novel that asks: what does it mean to become the monster instead of slaying it?

I love the sound of this, but the reviews are very mixed. Apparently there’s quite a lot of fecal grossness…

You can read an excerpt here! (Where it says Excerpt beneath the About The Book section)

What the Forest Devours by Elaine Vilar Madruga, Kevin Gerry Dunn
Genres: Adult, Horror
Published on: 20th October 2026
Goodreads

“Elaine Vilar Madruga is a powerful, elegant, and daring voice. I want to read everything she writes." — MARIANA ENRIQUEZ

In this award-winning horror novel from Latin America, a community of women and children—and one man—fight for survival in a harsh and terrifying Cuban rainforest where the gods require appeasement through brutal sacrifice.

The forest is a terrifying, hungry god with harsh rules and a ravenous appetite that must be fed. In this ruthless world mothers raise their children as food, a cannibalistic system of offerings and retribution from which there is no escape. For women, survival depends on becoming mothers. They must reproduce even as their children grow up trapped between life and death, heaven and hell. Such is life on the hacienda.

To ensure the forest’s protection, its inhabitants must renounce their rights and any trace of hope. Among them is Benedicta, a cruel and prolific “whelp” producer, now past her prime. The timid Lazaro, the community's only man, fears the forest, Benedicta, and the memory of his mother. Benedicta's daughter, Ifigenia, lives on borrowed time as she anticipates the forest's call. She loathes everyone, including the feral “she-dog” Ananda, whose fury has given way to madness. And then there’s Romina, a hardened newcomer to the forest who may just break the cycle.

A Caribbean-flavored novel of gothic horror from one of Latin America's most exciting young writers, What the Forest Devours is a macabre examination of what women must sacrifice to survive in a society with the power to destroy them at any turn. With its spine-tingling allegories, impressive imaginative vision, and a dazzling translation courtesy of acclaimed translator Kevin Gerry Dunn, English language readers can experience the dazzling masterpiece that has swallowed the Spanish literary world whole.

Sounds terrifying, and probably way too dark for me! But I really really want to try it…

You can read an excerpt here! (Where it says Preview Now beneath/beside the book cover)

Goblin Market by A.J. Hackwith
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Sapphic MC
Published on: 20th October 2026
Goodreads

A goblin changeling caught between the human and fey worlds must find a way to save her home in this warm and heartfelt fantasy from the author of Toto and the Hell’s Library series.

Being a changeling is hard enough, but Toast was older than most changeling children when her goblin parents stole her back from her human family and returned her to the harsh, bustling world of the Goblin Market, where anything from your fondest dream to your strongest talent can be bought—or sold.

 Nearly a decade later, Toast has grudgingly cobbled together a life there as the Market’s guide for mortal visitors. But when the next arrival is her long-lost sister and the ancient beast whose magic the Market depends on disappears under strange circumstances, everything starts falling apart.

Now the Market itself is dying. With the Summer Court of noble fey plotting to claim the weakened Market for themselves, Toast, her friends, and an infuriatingly charming fey knight with an agenda of her own must negotiate their differences to make the trade of a lifetime and win back the Market's future. To do so, Toast will have to decide what home--and the flawed community within--is ultimately worth.

Stories about changelings always interest me, and Hackwith proved with her Hell’s Library trilogy that her imagination is really fun!

You can read an excerpt here!

Fangs for Listening by Maya-Gawonii Shabazz-Saleh
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romantic Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Sapphic Hawaiian MC with bipolar disorder, sapphic Hawaiian MC, F/F
Published on: 20th October 2026
Goodreads

Ava Blake is a goth girl sweating through four layers of black at a Hilo, Hawai'i art school, where everyone assumes she's a vampire. She's just an insomniac trying her best to manage her bipolar diagnosis, and hopelessly devoted to an anonymous, medical ASMR podcast and the calm voice behind it that whispers "fangs for listening."

Then an off-camera classmate unmutes to say the fangs in Ava's in-development video game are on the wrong teeth. Ava knows that voice.

Lei-Ānuenue is Native Hawaiian, deadpan, guarded, and an actual vampire. She considers herself straight edge: she's never bitten anyone and she has a fridge full of sort-of ethically sourced blood bags. She does not date fans. How could either of them know which part of the wanting is real?

A sexy, sapphic vampire romcom with jokes, fangs, and a recording closet that hears everything.

Human x vampire
Fan x creator
Opposites attrac
tGrump & sunshine
Bipolar rep
Open door, high heat
College setting
Quick read

cover art by @ney.tui and @whatphoebereads_ on Instagram

Kinda heartbroken this is only a short, because it sounds AMAZING! Can I have 10 please???

The Turning of Sally-Mae by Nuzo Onoh
Genres: Adult, Horror, Historical Fantasy
Representation: Nigerian MC and setting
Published on: 20th October 2026
Goodreads

A historical African-Wild West horror story of supernatural vengeance and terrifying occultic magic from the winner of the Bram Stoker Award® for Lifetime Achievement. Two fearsome deities battle each other for the souls of white twins destined to either bring vengeful devastation or salvation to their community in Texas, USA, for a great injustice done to their mother.

When Sally-Mae Jenkins is violated and impregnated by the twin scions of a wealthy rancher, she’s sent to join the African missionary ship as a widow. Pregnant and terrified, Sally-Mae vows vengeance on all those who abused her and her family. 

Amara is a young woman with the body and face of an old hag. The village outcast, Amara can ‘eat’ the diseases ravaging the villagers and cure the most deadly ailments. But her powers drain her youth and her strength and the only help she has is the fearsome entity that claimed her soul, the spirit known as Aja-Mmọ, the death-giver and physician of the dead.

When Sally-Mae arrives in Amara’s village, her unborn twins become the focus of both the Python-Goddess, Asata, who wants the twins dead, and Aja-Mmọ, who wants the twins alive in her service, just like Amara. And suddenly, Sally-Mae finds the boys, with their unearthly and fearsome powers, have become the weapons of her vengeance against the unsuspecting citizens of her home town back in Texas….

A gripping tale of supernatural horror, bitter revenge and battling deities, suffused with Onoh’s trademark thrilling storytelling, wit and dark humor.

Um, HERE FOR IT!

You can read an excerpt here! (Where it says Preview Now beneath/beside the book cover)

These Bright and Perilous Designs by Felicia Martinez
Genres: Adult, Queer Protagonists, Sci Fi
Representation: Neurodivergent and asexual MCs
Published on: 20th October 2026
Goodreads

A layered, lyrical, and heartbreaking novella.

In the near future, a grieving son uncovers the secret journal entries of his genius mother-and the life and love story she tells is layered across multiple universes.

In one universe, Phaedra falls in love--tragic and doomed--with Hippolytus. In another, the pair are brilliant and misunderstood software engineers whose creations threaten the world.

In ancient Greece, in the near future, in every world, some things remain Phaedra and Hippolytus' love is doomed, and Phaedra's scorned husband Theseus will do anything to seize their designs.

A novella written in vivid nonlinear prose perfect for fans of NK Jemisin's The Broken Earth Trilogy and the myth-laden heartbreak of Hadestown, These Bright and Perilous Designs reimagines the Greek myth of Phaedra and Hippolytus with neurodiverse and asexual characters. It is a love story spanning lifetimes and a study of grief for those left behind.

Such a cool premise!!!

You can read a (very short) excerpt here!

Lethal Kiss by Taylor Grothe
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Contemporary Fantasy, Horror, Queer Protagonists
Representation: F/F
Published on: 20th October 2026
Goodreads

A blood-soaked love story of rage, revenge, and belonging, Taylor Grothe's adult debut is a sapphic horror/romance that's as grotesque as it is beautiful.

Something ravenous lurks below the marble floors of Preston University…

Marcella might be a monster, but she’s careful. After getting hired at Preston University, she intends to lay low and keep her meals discreet.

Trapped in the rat race of academia, all Lacie wants is to make tenure. This will be her year, and nothing is going to stand in her way.

That is, until bodies start dropping.

Marcella swears it isn’t her doing—as if she’d be that sloppy. Whatever’s killing their coworkers is older, and far less restrained. Lacie doesn’t know who to trust, but better the monster you know…

The deeper they dig, the more they’re drawn to each other… and the more something else is drawn to them.

After all, desire has teeth of its own.

Loved what this was going for, but alas, it wasn’t quite for me. I’m very much an outlier, though!

You can read one excerpt here, and another here!

The City That Shattered the World (The Cursed Mage, #2) by Fiona Fenn
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romantic Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: M/M
Published on: 20th October 2026
Goodreads

Happily ever after isn't all that magical...

With Hell’s chasm closed and magic sealed away, Orpheus and Fenrir find themselves at the center of the Empire’s reconstruction. But when mysterious assailants kidnap Orpheus to a city once powered by the chasm he closed—the redeemed villain discovers all magic may not be lost...only his.

Presented with a choice: Fix the city or die, Orpheus comes face-to-face with a young mage named Gwen whose magic is too weak to cast a spell, let alone help the broken city. Enamored by the former dark sorcerer, Gwen offers to help keep Orpheus’ missing powers a secret in exchange for magical tutelage, buying Orpheus the time he needs for Fenrir to come to his rescue.

But when weeks pass without Fenrir’s arrival while Gwen only grows stronger, Orpheus looks to his unlikely student and wonders…

Is there a way to steal Gwen’s magic and save himself?

The City that Shattered the World is the epic second book in the LGBTQ+ romantic fantasy series, The Cursed Mage. Fans of Critical Role and Arcane will be swept away by Fiona Fenn's emotional, character-driven story, where morally gray villains fight to earn their redemption.

One of my book besties adored the first book in this series, so I should probably take another look at it…

You can read an excerpt here! (Where it says Preview Now beneath/beside the book cover)

Haunting of Hoh River by Keenan A Taylor
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Queer MC/s
Published on: 20th October 2026
Goodreads

Two months ago, Faith learned that she and her sister Sophie are witches. 

She is filled with questions, yet has already exhausted the limits of her ability to study magic at home. Their uncle Ernest shares their talents and teaches his nieces what he can, but his practical and reserved approach to magic barely scratches the surface of Faith's curiosity. To Ernest, magic is something that helps now and then, but is best kept on reserve. Her boyfriend Declan is a shapeshifter, but he doesn't have any interest in understanding how he can become a giant hound. That it happens, and does so reliably, is enough for him.

Hartsfield University is an academy of the Assembly, a clandestine society of enchanted beings like witches, shapeshifters, and vampires. Faith's acceptance to Hartsfield could lead to answers for her every question and more. However, it is dangerous path. The Assembly is universally feared by all enchanted beings she has met since her magic awakened. Ernest is particularly afraid of the of them. Faith and Sophie's parents died while employed at Hartsfield. Even so, getting her answers might just be worth the risk. 

As Faith weighs the pros and cons of enrolling at Hartsfield and flying to Upstate New York from Seattle, a decision she will have to make soon, she takes a few opportunities to learn more about magic beyond the strict control of the Assembly. Not every enchanted being is beholden to their every law, and some are entirely independent from this secret society. Some are helpful, others far more defensive, and while Faith is more powerful by the day, hers is hardly the most formidable magic she will encounter...

I really like that the revelation the characters are witches happens before the book starts! That’s an interesting writerly choice and I want to see how it plays out!

You can read an excerpt here! (Where it says Preview Now beneath/beside the book cover)

Real Sugar is Hard to Find: Stories by Sim Kern
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Queer Protagonists, Sci Fi
Representation: Queer MCs
Published on: 20th October 2026
Goodreads

A collection of short stories by Sim Kern, Real Sugar is Hard to Find explores intersections of climate change, reproductive justice, queer identities, and family trauma. Whether fantasy, science fiction, or terrifyingly close-to-home, the worlds of these stories are inhabited by flawed characters whose lives are profoundly impacted by climate change and environmental degradation.

Arranged in a progression from dystopian to utopian worlds, the stories chart a path from climate despair towards resilience and revolutionary optimism. Even in the bleakest of futures, however, Kern offers reasons to hope, connect, and keep fighting for a better world.

Like Kelly Link’s Magic for Beginners or Karen Russell’s Vampires in the Lemon Grove, Kern's stories are unflinching, intimate explorations of trauma and our deepest fears, rendered irresistible through the infusion of fantastic speculative elements and a dark sense of humor.

We have been promised ‘reluctant witches, sugar smugglers, and soil thieves bravely exploring our world’, all of which sounds fab to me! I may need to skip the first few stories, though, if they’re arranged in order of bleakest to utopian!

The Unsolvable Case (The Undetectables, #4) by Courtney Smyth
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Sapphic MC with fibromyalgia, brown sapphic MC with hearing damage, bisexual MC, gay MC
Published on: 20th October 2026
Goodreads

The queer witchy fantasy murder mystery series concludes in one last mystery for Mallory, Cornelia and Diana, as they have to solve their biggest, and most important case of all - who killed Theodore. Perfect for fans of supernatural mysteries and cosy crime by authors such as Ben Aaranovitch, Josiah Bancroft and Tammie Painter.

It’s three days until Samhain, and the Undetectables are going to die. No longer taking magical cases (not that anyone would hire them), they’ve well and truly given up the ghost.

Meanwhile, Theodore (the relinquished ghost in question) is on the run. Wanted in connection with the Undetectables’ last case, he’s hiding in the last place anyone would think to look, keeping secrets (badly) and forming unlikely alliances (slightly less badly).

When a copycat killer emerges and history appears to be repeating itself, the Undetectables are called up for one last case. Mallory, Diana and Cornelia find themselves in a final race against the clock – but this time, the whole of Occulture is at stake.

The ebook edition came out a little while ago, but this week is the paper release!

You can read an excerpt here! (Where it says Preview Now beneath/beside the book cover)

Unchained: An Epic Feminist Fantasy (Fate Untethered, #3) by Elisse Hay
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, High Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Polyamory
Published on: 20th October 2026
Goodreads

For lovers of Tamora Pierce's Tortall series who want that magic as an adult, Unchained is a story about breaking cycles, navigating forbidden love, and claiming your power. For readers of Robin Hobb and From Blood and Ash.

I am the weak link, built to break. But when I shatter, so do their chains.

I haven’t been able to find out much about this one – I’m not sure if this is a standalone within its series, or if this features the main characters from previous books, or what. I do know the first book isn’t marked as queer, and this one is.

Earth Apple by Sofi Claythorn
Genres: Adult, Horror
Representation: Queer MC
Published on: 20th October 2026
Goodreads

Fourteen-year-old Apple has two fathers, one friend, and a beetle living in her ear. Quality over quantity, right? She’s not sure why Daddy keeps her in La Maison Jaune. She used to go to school, dance lessons, movie premieres... It wasn’t her world, but it sure was Daddy’s.

Once, he was a popular actor in the hit series Heartfield Farm. Three box office flops and a Hollywood scandal later, he’s struggling to land a role. The public thinks they know the truth. They see the headlines, the interviews… but the real story lives off-camera.

Behind the set lights lurks a creature with a hunger for young blood, and a father who’ll do whatever it takes to stay relevant. As Apple is plunged into child stardom, her obsession with insects evolves into something dangerous. Insects moult. Survive. People lie.

Earth Apple is a psychological horror novel about power imbalances, toxic dynamics, and the monstrous things that grow in the dark.

WELP, DADDY SOUNDS AWFUL.

You can read a (very short) excerpt here!

The Tarot Trials (The Tarot Trials, #1) by Katee Robert
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Queer (bisexual?) MC
Published on: 20th October 2026
Goodreads

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Dark Olympus series, this high-octane, fast-paced epic fantasy of tarot magic and deadly competition launches an explosive new series perfect for fans of V.E. Schwab and Carissa Broadbent.The deck has always been stacked against her.

Kestrel has trained her whole life to compete in the Tarot Trials. Her mother won once, earning a place among the five ruling Cinque—then paid for it with her life, executed for alleged treason against the Minor Court.

But fortune favors the bold.

Now it falls to Kestrel to take up her mother’s mantle as Champion of the Moon, enter the Trials, and face her fate. If she can master her new powers of shadow and illusion, navigate the poisonous game of alliances and lies, and corner the fellow Champion who dealt the killing blow to her mother years ago, she may uncover the truth she’s seeking without losing her head… or her heart. But in the Trials, betrayal is a question of when, not if. And winning the game isn’t about what she must do to win, but who she needs to survive.

As a tarot reader, I admit to being very interested in the idea of – competitive tarot?! Oh I so hope it’s competitive tarot!

You can read an excerpt here!

Tatratea by Alex Woodroe
Genres: Adult, Horror, Queer Protagonists, Sci Fi
Representation: Queer MC
Published on: 20th October 2026
Goodreads

From Shirley Jackson Award-nominated editor Alex Woodroe, comes an eco-horror novel of hyperactive flora, ancient manors, and the terrifying wilderness of Transylvania.

Tatratea, a manor home reclaimed by nature deep in the Romanian wilderness, has stood in isolation for decades. Researcher Errata's sole mission is to track down the strange signals coming from inside and uncover why the whole world's gone insane.

With the doors locking shut behind her, and the local flora very much determined to keep her from leaving, her sanity check protocols, voice recorder, and a bit of camping gear are all she can use to figure out what's crashed in the hedge maze, and why it's disrupting reality. Relying on her intuition, Errata must solve the mystery and escape Tatratea before it’s too late.

With an unsettling and dread-filled atmosphere, Woodroe crafts a novel about a researcher trying to make sense of the unexplainable and survive the deadly manor.

Reviews have been mixed for this one, but I’m in it for the worldbuilding!

You can read an excerpt here! (Where it says Preview Now beneath/beside the book cover)

The Bishop of Durham Attempts to Surrender the City by Susanna Clarke
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Historical Fantasy
Published on: 20th October 2026
Goodreads

From the bestselling and prize-winning author of Piranesi, an enchanting, beautifully illustrated short story set in the world of Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell.

'He had already served three kings. He did not see why he should not be useful to a fourth.'

During the conquest of Northern England, the fairy host sweeps across the countryside. The city of Durham finds itself surrounded. But the encircling forces are not fairies, nor even other humans, but trees that trap the city within an eerie wood.
Ranulf, Bishop of Durham-a consummate politician-understands that the survival of the Northern English people depends on his finding a way to unite the two races, human and fairy. And he's not averse to improving his own position at the same time. With these aims in view, he sets off for the New Castle, in search of the new King-the leader of the fairy host, rumored to be a mysterious human boy, no more than fourteen years old, who speaks no word of any human language.

Set 700 years before the events of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, The Bishop of Durham Attempts to Surrender the City is a bewitching, must-have addition to any fantasy reader's shelf, featuring beautiful illustrations throughout.

Not a novel, but still: new Susanna Clarke!

A Lake with No Bottom by H.D. Hunter
Genres: Horror, YA
Representation: Black MC
Published on: 20th October 2026
Goodreads

When Sidney Cromwell moves to rural Forsyth County, Georgia from the big city of Atlanta, all he wants is to fit in at his new high school. But when Sidney nearly drowns in Lake Lanier, an allegedly haunted lake that is the site of numerous inexplicable freak accidents and deaths, he becomes a social pariah as he starts to suffer terrifying visions from the past and hauntings by apparitions calling him to Lanier.

Sidney returns to the lake for answers, and he finds in its murky depths the spirits of former residents from Oscarville, the Black town that lies beneath the man-made lake. They enlist Sidney to remind Forsyth of its devastating history and push its citizens to make amends so that the souls in Oscarville can finally rest.

But Sidney soon learns that people will go to great lengths to avoid facing truths they’d rather not hear. The people of Forsyth County refuse to acknowledge the past, and as Oscarville’s populace starts to lose their patience, their rage and thirst for vengeance rise like a tidal wave.

Poignant, timely, and utterly terrifying, this gripping supernatural thriller is perfect for fans of Internment, She Is a Haunting, and You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight.

I love it when real history is used for horror, and this sounds fantastic!

You can read an excerpt here! (Where it says Read Excerpt beneath the book cover)

An Auction of Souls (An Auction of Souls, #1) by Amber Chen
Genres: Fantasy, YA
Representation: East Asian-inspired cast and setting
Published on: 20th October 2026
Goodreads

A start to a new duology from Of Jade and Dragons author Amber Chen, perfect for fans of The Scorpion and the Night Blossom and A Forgery of Fate!

Meng Lingxi and her grandmother run a legendary auction house, Meng Wu—the House of Dreams. But when a mysterious traveler arrives bearing a fragment of a soul, all that Lingxi knows changes in an instant. Her grandmother mysteriously vanishes, and restless spirits descend upon Meng Wu.

Then two unlikely allies—Yan Jun and Yan Shan, guardians of hell itself—come to Lingxi's aid, revealing a shocking secret about the only home she's ever known: Meng Wu sits upon the gateway to hell, and her grandmother serves the god of the underworld himself.

Soon, Lingxi joins her two companions on a perilous journey to find her grandmother and unravel the mystery behind the dangerous fragment of soul. Along the way, the trio must outsmart humans, gods, and demons alike who try to stand in their way—before hell is let loose on earth.

The early reviews are glowing!

You can read an excerpt here!

Soot & Sacrifice by Qurratulayn
Genres: Fantasy, Queer Protagonists, YA
Representation: Brown MC, queer (+genderqueer?) nonhuman MC
Published on: 20th October 2026
Goodreads

Evan Wilde has had her revenge. After using her devil Jack to kill many members of the ruling class—she finds herself in love with the very person who tried to sacrifice her. And unbeknownst to her, her vengeance has freed many devils from their masters. Those devils are now free to roam the earth and do what they will.

Now Evan must decide what comes next. Freeing devils has weakened the veil between humanity and devils, and to kill any more peoplewould bring the whole world to ruin. She cannot stop her devil alone so when Jack’s old flame Rhys catches wind of her plans, he steps in to help her. Rhys knows that Jack craves chaos more than anything, and to restore balance between their worlds, Jack must die.

With the help of their allies, Evan and Rhys must find a way to restore the veil between their worlds, end the system of sacrifices forever, and kill Jack before he can destroy them all.

A reminder I should give the first book in this duology another try! (I soft-DNFed it, not because it wasn’t great – it was! – but I got distracted and wandered away from it…)

You can read an excerpt here! (Where it says Preview Now beneath/beside the book cover)

Knight of the God King by Lauren Blackwood
Genres: Fantasy, YA
Representation: Black author, not sure of the cast
Published on: 20th October 2026
Goodreads

A powerful knight and her handsome squire must stop the deadly schemes of a savior king in this romantic fantasy of dark deeds and court intrigue.

Calliope’s wish has always been to become a knight, an elite healer and protector who uses music to summon magic. Yet despite her exceptional skill, she’s stuck lifting up her talentless cousin, whose family begrudgingly took Cali in as a child. But when an opportunity to become the royal knight of the immortal God King arrives, Cali finally gets a chance at a fairytale life - until her cousin blackmails her.

Forced to bring her cousin to court so she won’t share Cali’s shameful past, Cali immediately snubs Beric, the alluring, handsome squire tending to her. Now she must contend with his ire, even while feeling helplessly drawn to him. If that wasn’t enough, her duty means accompanying the king into The Dark, a demonic entity that only the king’s magic is powerful enough to battle - a battle he has been waging for centuries. She must also keep the king’s secret under pain of death: that he’s not a god at all, and every royal knight’s magic that came before her was the only thing keeping him alive. It seems serving the God King isn't a fairytale at all, and when people start dying around her, she and Beric realize that they have no choice but to take their fate - and that of an entire kingdom - into their own hands.

In Lauren Blackwood's thrilling fantasy, Knight of the God King, a knight's power and her squire's love are the only things that can help her defeat a man playing at being a god.

Probably not for me, but maybe for you?

You can read an excerpt here! (Where it says Read Excerpt beneath the book cover)

The Queen’s Command by Sarah Raughley
Genres: YA
Representation: Black MC
Published on: 20th October 2026
Goodreads

The Inheritance Games meets Bridgerton in the riveting companion novel to The Queen's Spade, where our heroine must play a deadly game and risk everything to get to the truth that’s poisoning Victorian England’s royal court.

Favored by Queen Victoria, Vicky Davies has survived royal courts, financial ruin, and the loss of her mother, Sarah Forbes Bonetta — the famous African princess turned royal goddaughter — but Cheltenham Ladies’ College is about to test her in new and wicked ways.

Every Thursday evening, the senior girls of Miss Hugo's homeroom play a secret game and Vicky just became their latest pawn. Truths must be confessed, commands obeyed, and whoever claims the coveted title of winner will have her wish granted, no matter how outrageous and seemingly impossible it may be.

But when the game yields frightening and fatal results, Vicky vows to put an end to this ghoulish tradition that twists minds and makes enemies out of friends. With dangerous foes closing in and truths that could shatter her world clawing to the surface, Vicky must uncover the secrets buried not only in Cheltenham but by her own mother. In a school where survival is a gamble, will she emerge victorious — or fall victim to its deadly game?

I haven’t read Queen’s Spade, but I think this one is supposed to stand alone just fine!

You can read an excerpt here!

Dragonborn: The Twilight Child (Dragonborn, #2) by Struan Murray
Genres: Fantasy, MG
Published on: 20th October 2026
Goodreads

Soar back into the world of dragons in the thrilling, fiery sequel to New York Times bestseller Dragonborn.

“Their fate rests in the hands of the Twilight Child.”

Having discovered her true identity as dragon, Alex Evans must embark on a dangerous quest to stop Drak Midna and his war against humanity.

When tragedy strikes the island of Skralla, Alex and her friends journey north to the heart of Scotland, where dark plots are in motion, and humans and dragons fight side-by-side against a rising storm of ancient demons.

Sinister forces are growing stronger every day, and as friendships fall apart and enemies old and new strike from the shadows, Alex must master her own fearsome power, and unravel a mystery that might just be the key to the legend of the Twilight Child.

YES PLEASE. Gonna buddy-read this one with a sibling!

You can read an excerpt here! (Where it says Preview Now beneath/beside the book cover)

Lore of Yore: 10 Folk Tales and Legends to be Proud Of by Cassandra Jules Corrigan, Gabriella Buba, Mercedes Barletta, Sam Wise, Wolfberry Studio, Shannon Seng Dian Hui, awo dufie föfie, Silpa Kona, Sofía Aguilar, Oli Swamp, Natalie Kovacs
Representation: Queer and QBIPOC MCs
Published on: 21st October 2026
Goodreads

Folk tales and legends are like a mirror - they reflect the cultures who create them, and tell us about people who might have lived hundreds of years ago on the other side of the world.

The stories in this collection reflect a side of folklore that you might not have seen before. They talk about heroes who love people of the same gender, gods who change between male and female to suit their needs, and beings who don't bother with either in the first place.

These tales of love, loss, and adventure from across the world show how queer identities are as old and varied as the legends they're woven into. Do you hear the songs of the rusałkas in the river? Maybe you see yourself in clever Loki's quick thinking and flexibility, or maybe steadfast Cú Chulainn's enduring love for Ferdia speaks to you. These are our stories. Come and share them.

I’m not 100% sure this is out this week, and if it IS, it’s only an ebook edition. (Different places are giving me different release dates.) I also can’t figure out why Cassandra Jules Corrigan is the only author name on the cover, since I think 9 other authors contributed short stories to this?

The White North Has Thy Bones by Dorian Ravenscroft
Genres: Adult, Horror, Queer Protagonists
Representation: M/M
Published on: 22nd October 2026
Goodreads

London, 1860, and crowds flock to witness a hanging. The condemned man is one of the survivors of HMS Melpomene, an Arctic exploration ship whose bitter fate was to be gnawed by ice and swallowed by the depths, with just five men miraculously rescued to return to wonder and acclaim. And now, one of them has murdered his family, with no explanation except his cryptic last words from the gallows: An act done by me against my will is not my act.

Newspaperman Harry Lambert is fascinated by the case. His search for answers takes him to the door of Sidney Blakely: Melpomene carpenter's mate-turned-expedition-leader, and now celebrated Spiritualist medium - a power granted to him, he claims, by the thin veil of the Arctic itself.

But after attending one of Blakely's séances, Harry meets Lieutenant Taylor, who offers Harry his own version of the story of the doomed ship. Blakely tells of courage and conviction, human heroism triumphing against the merciless Arctic. But Taylor's tale whispers of unquiet ghosts, savage beasts, sedition, and strange meat. Harry must tread a dangerous path between them, where what is true and who can be trusted is as shifting and unstable as the ice itself.

Harry knows what Melpomene's crew left in the Arctic. But what did they bring back?

One of my book besties got to read this early, and has been clamouring for me to read it for – almost a year? Seriously excited I can finally pounce on it!

The Blood on Our Hands by M.M. Tixier
Genres: Adult, Horror, Queer Protagonists
Representation: M/M
Published on: 22nd October 2026
Goodreads

London, 1831. When Leopold receives his acceptance letter from a Surgical Academy far from home, he is ready to leave everything behind to follow his dreams. Within the echoey halls of the school, he meets three other students who will change his life forever.

One night, they sign a secret and dangerous pact—to be the best scholars the Academy has ever seen. And if that means making illegal transactions with gravediggers, using rusty knives to slice into rotten flesh, or losing their sanity in the process of uncovering all the mysteries of the human body, nothing will stop them.

In the shadows of operating theatres and dissecting rooms, where ambition breeds obsession and success demands a terrible price, only one thing is their downfall.

The Blood on Our Hands is a tale of passion, love, and loss, of heartbreak, hysteria, and numbness. It’s about finding a family in the most unconventional places, and the bonds made out of desperation—of not exactly knowing where the limits are, and yet pushing them once found.

I don’t think this has any supernatural elements, but it sounds like it won’t need them to be plenty horrifying!

The Storm-Forged Throne (The Sword-Breaker Trilogy, #3) by Joel Cornah
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Black queer MC, M/M
Published on: 22nd October 2026
Goodreads

"Nobody thinks they’re the villain of their own story. Except for him. He knows it.”

Pirate hunter. Sky-Slayer. Sword Breaker. Rob Sarden wanted to be a hero, but the reality was more than he could bear. The Pirate Lord Mothar has reigned over the seas for years, and Rob is his last undefeated foe. As the chase draws to a close, Rob finds his mother’s ex-lover, a pirate in her own right, who can show him the way to finally end the conflict. Together, they can put an end to the horror of Mothar’s obsession with building his villainous legend, but the cost is friends, family, and lives will be sacrificed.

The Storm-Forged Throne holds more than the soul of a god, it is what holds the Pirate Empire together. All gods die, and heroes too. Rob must break the Throne, but the cost may break his heart.

This series is published by one of my favourite indies, so I definitely need to check it out!

You can read an excerpt here! (Where it says Preview Now beneath/beside the book cover)

The Hopeful Wanderer by Summer G. Baker
Genres: Adult, Queer Protagonists, Science Fantasy
Representation: Nonbinary asexual aromantic MC
Published on: 22nd October 2026
Goodreads

Wander a world driven from mundane to magical by a secret hidden at its heart.

A slow apocalypse has corroded a distant planet, with the uncanny living in uneasy commune alongside those remaining. On a forgotten quest from the stars, the Wanderer roams among them, through crumbling societies and vibrant wildernesses, navigating a murky path toward an incredible past.

While helping and receiving help-or hindrance-from strange denizens of unusual destinations, the Wanderer must finish righting a wrong that threatens to extinguish the universe itself. Should memory of the responsibility return at all.

Featuring
100 Hopeful Wanderer tales
20 new short stories
10-episode revelatory ending
100% revised and expanded

A far-future science fantasy with sub-tones of soft-apocalypse and climate change, this hopeful adventure combines exploration, eeriness, and wonder across 100 short tales.

Join readers who loved the web series and journey alongside them in discovering the Wanderer's wondrous past and hopeful mission to save the stars.

Woven through with themes of acceptance, kindness, beauty in difference, and the wonder and strangeness of nature, this story will charm and delight readers of Mushishi by Yuki Urushibara and fans of The Cryptonaturalist and Strange Animals by Jarod K. Anderson.

Oh this sounds LOVELY!

You can read an excerpt here! (Where it says Preview Now beneath/beside the book cover)

Drowned Gods and Bloody Skies (Scarlet Skies, #1) by Megan Melland
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, High Fantasy
Representation: F/F
Published on: 23rd October 2026
Goodreads

What if a little mermaid went to land to end a war between land and sea?

Drowned Gods and Bloody Skies is a "The Little Mermaid" reimagining with a twist of James Bond.

War rages between the people under the sea and the people of land.
Kailani Areefa, a recently appointed Master Scholar by the King of Trit
hus, has spent her underwater life studying artifacts of the land-dwelling enemy. To change the tides of war Kailani volunteers for an espionage mission to the surface. Tasked to find a way to end the conflict, Kailani is willing to sacrifice everything to save her people from coming destruction.

Above the waves, Halston Aelwick, Crown Princess of Veneralia, feels an irresistible pull toward the sea. Torn between her royal duties and the call of the ocean, Halston must choose where her heart truly belongs: with the people she is destined to lead or out on the open sea, where freedom and danger await.

Kailani and Halston find their fates entwined as an omen from an angry god turns the sky a bloody scarlet and puts the opposing forces on a path to end the war one way or another. Together, they must navigate a world divided by fear and hatred. They must forge a path toward peace before the tides of war consume everything they hold dear.

The Little Mermaid plus…James Bond?! Not a pitch I was expecting!

You can read an excerpt here! (Where it says Preview Now beneath/beside the book cover)

Until Fire Turns To Gold (Of Light And Darkness, #1) by Fiore Mae Belle
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romantic Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: M/M
Published on: 22nd October 2026
Goodreads

Can love burn stronger than fire?

Teigan might be considered lazy—but sleeping in, day-drinking, staring at his ceilings, and the occasional magical arson take some rigid dedication. He's stuck in a life he hates, until his brother—the Archimage—orders him to get back to work—or back to the mountains. With a grand plan of only doing the bare minimum to get his brother off his back, he meets someone who makes him want to love again and gives purpose to his fire.

Cynece is human, alone, and constantly exhausted. He had to work for every scrap in his life and has definitely no patience for the spoiled tavern owner who has nothing better to do than stare at him all night long. He wants one thing only: to pay off his brother’s debts and go home. But when gifts begin appearing in his house, Cynece is forced to question his sanity… and why Teigan would care about him at all. Especially when whispers of fated mates begin to surface.

Teigan has made up his mind. But before he can convince Cynece he’s worth the risk, powerful mages start turning up dead—and somehow, both of them are in the middle of it.

Between kidnappings and killings, can Teigan convince Cynece that mages are not that bad? And—most importantly—that they’re meant to be together, if they make it out alive?

Until Fire Turns To Gold is an MM Romantasy filled with humor, emotions, and explicit content intended for adult readers. It’s the first in a series that follows different couples—each ending with an HFN—and an overarching storyline.

I usually steer clear of the fated mate trope, but this does sound sweet!

Aloe (Tales From The Night Garden, #2) by Artemis Quinn
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Nonbinary MCs
Published on: 23rd October 2026
Goodreads

Acanthus and Cypress, an age old Vampire and a young new Werewolf, have accidentally started a war. Nekane, the Werewolf in charge, will go to any means necessary to capture Acanthus; meaning even humans are in danger. On the run, our non-binary heroes encounter others caught up in Nekane's hatred of vampires, witches, and any werewolves that fraternize with them! As Acanthus and Cypress regroup with the Night Garden, an underground organization committed to liberating any in Nekane's crosshairs, they're tasked with some of the hardest challenges they've faced yet!

Friend or foe? It's hard to judge just who to trust in a world wrought with danger. In this second book of the Tales From The Night Garden universe, our protagonists continue their adventure in this game of chess with very real consequences. A gaggle of strays begin to expand their found family and a love that blazes bright in the night starts to break out of the darkness.

What can Acanthus and Cypress do to convince Nekane to stand down, or are words not enough? How will these two fugitives handle inviting more refugees into their growing resistance? How will The Night Garden continue to save the disenfranchised Supernaturals when Nekane shows up at their Head Quarters' door!?

No one knows, but both Cypress and Acanthus have decided they can't run anymore. It's time to stand up for what is right and just. Will you stand up with them on their next journey?

I have the first book on my ereader right now and am WILD to get to it!

You can read an excerpt here! (Where it says Preview Now beneath/beside the book cover)

Exequial: Exhumed by Hannah Graves
Genres: Adult, Horror, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Queer MC/s
Published on: 23rd October 2026
Goodreads

Every story is a eulogy.

The clown has been with Morgan since she was eleven years old. She's learned not to talk about him. ("A Girl and Her Clown")

A woman attends a family dinner for the first time in a decade. It will be "liberating", her therapist insists, and so she's going to record the whole thing. ("Reconcile with Your Family Today")

It is a perfectly ordinary day for the mistress of the house. Today. Tomorrow. Every day. Until 2:28 a.m.. ("Life in Repetition")

There are lights in the forest. Everyone sees them. Everyone wants to know what they are. Everyone who tries to find out never comes back. ("The Lights of Northwood")
Encounters with ghosts, cursed books, incriminating VHS tapes, entities from the skies, and questions that are best left unasked. Now featuring illustrations, six new stories, and a bonus guest story.

VERY EW COVER, WELL DONE TO THE COVER ARTIST!

You can read an excerpt here! (Where it says Preview Now beneath/beside the book cover)

Dido on the Edge by Bianca M Parker
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Trans MC
Published on: 24th October 2026
Goodreads

Dido Dahl is a lonely, closeted trans girl who's not sure she wants to stick around in this world any longer. So, it's not exactly unwelcome when she's pulled into another one altogether.

Plunged into the strange and dangerous land of Edgewise, Dido is made a promise: if she reaches the end of this story, she'll have every one of her deepest, unspoken wishes granted. All she needs to do is stay alive, and fortunately she's got some help in that department. A crack military team led by Wendy Darling and Dorothy Gale, both veterans of the worlds of fiction, are here to get her across the Edge and to the person she's always dreamed of being.

But her new friends aren't the heroes they once were. Wendy, stuck in her early 20s for a century after an overdose of fairy dust, is falling apart and Dorothy, now simply calling herself "Dee", is hiding something terrible. To get through the ending, Dido's not just going to have to save herself, but them as well.

Before the black rainbow lurking on the horizon takes them all...

Okay, LOVE the sound of this!

You can read an excerpt here! (Where it says Preview Now beneath/beside the book cover)

Turnt Owt Fin (Zombies, Love, and Hip Hop, #4) by Joi Miner
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Black lesbian MC
Published on: 24th October 2026
Goodreads

The award-winning Turnt Owt series comes to an explosive end.

The tribes are at war, blood is about to spill, and this time, love might be the only thing strong enough to save them.

Noxie “Snatcha” Graves may have been born undead, but her dreams are very much alive. With her music taking off and fame finally within reach, she should be on top of the world.

Instead, everything around her is falling apart.

While Snatcha has been chasing the dream she never thought possible, the war between the tribes has gotten deadlier. When tragedy strikes someone she loves, guilt sends Snatcha spiraling. She was so busy chasing the life she wanted that she wasn't there when her family needed her most. Now, the Crushers are making their move, the Underground is under threat, and there may be nowhere left to hide.

Naimah “Shyne” Venom has her own losses to answer for. She and Snatcha have never been friends—and probably never will be—but some enemies are too dangerous to fight divided. If the tribes have any chance of surviving what Mia Crusher has planned, old grudges are going to have to die before they do.

Then there’s MyKisha.

No matter how many women Snatcha entertains or how hard she tries to convince herself she doesn’t care, MyKisha Moore is the one woman she can’t get out of her head. Pride, hurt feelings, and unfinished business have kept them apart, but with everything Snatcha has ever known under attack, she may finally have to admit that what she feels for Kish is bigger than sex, fame, pride, or fear.

Because the curse that has followed their people for generations was never just about death.

And neither is the cure.

The final battle is coming. Enemies will become allies. Families will be tested. Blood will be spilled. Love will be pushed to its limits. And before the last beat drops, Snatcha and the rest of the tribes will discover that surviving the war may be the easy part.

Breaking the curse could cost them everything.

But sometimes, the one thing powerful enough to save you is the very thing you’ve been running from.

Love.

Zombies. Love. Hip-Hop. One last war.

It’s time to get Turnt Owt one final time.

Only just stumbled across this series, and I’m not usually into zombies, but the worldbuilding hints in the book descriptions for the series sound very promising!

Starseeds (Celestial Binds Duology, #1) by K.B. Wright
Genres: Adult, Science Fantasy
Representation: Black/African-coded cast
Published on: 25th October 2026
Goodreads

The Matrix meets The Broken Earth Trilogy in this show-stopping debut of The Celestial Binds Duology. A ruthless imperialist, a widowed mercenary, and two star-crossed lovers collide in an epic story of liberation, desire, and greed.

Across the universe…
Their nations have been at war for 800 rotations. A powerful Niesi warrior has dedicated his life to liberating his nation, while his sworn enemy, a saz-born soldier, has trained her entire life to oppress those very same people. But when a powerful alien force threatens the entire planet's survival, their unlikely allegiance becomes tantamount to their desire to gut one another.

In Earth year 2289,
life is great... for those high-born. Lab-grown amongst the most affluent wealth class in the galaxy, Tol owes his high status to the thousands of mining planets his family owns, including a super earth of powerful humanoids who possess ancestral power more profitable than Saturn oil. Backed by the force of Earth's most unstoppable conglomerate, Tol warps toward new horizons, prepared to earn his rightful ownership of The Milky way by any means necessary.

In this unforgettable Sci-fi Fantasy, Niesi humanoids discover the real terror is not the battles they wage with one another, but the Earth-colonies which ‘own’ them.
Starseeds is a breathtaking introduction to the Celestial Binds universe. This story will be impossible to put down for fans of complex characters, elaborate magic systems, and African mythology.

This sounds INCREDIBLE; pouncing on the preview the moment I’m done with this post!

You can download a preview here! (Where it says Download E-BOOK preview here beside the preorder link)

These Crimson Pyres by Hiram Alexander
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Horror, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Queer Latine MC/s
Published on: 25th October 2026
Goodreads

Vampires x Ninth House x Saltburn

A college for vampires. Shadow politics. Death.

Talon Barbet arrives at Vikberg with a dangerous the girl posing as his dead sister is a human. While she finds belonging, Talon remains desperate to claim a place of his own, until he’s granted a chance to join an exclusive Society. Talon is finally offered the acceptance he craves, but he could lose everything if they uncover the truth about his “sister.”

Cira Martorell refuses to believe her brother died from an overdose. When she discovers a journal hidden within Vikberg that hints at the truth, she becomes determined with uncovering what really happened the night he died. Only, the truth may be more devastating than she ever imagined.

Aaven Muro's world turns upside down when he’s ordered to enroll at Vikberg and sit alongside the girl destined to become their next leader. Trapped between the demands of the Cabinet and the life he desires, defiance could cost him the boy he loves. And in a world where loyalty is enforced, falling out of line is deadly.

Welcome to Vikberg.

Apparently this packs a lot of twists into the last 15% or so!

The Keepers and their Children (The Chronicles of Ardour and Valdis, #1) by Bethany Witte-Krantz
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Queer MC/s
Published on: 25th October 2026
Goodreads

A collection of stories to help deepen your connection to the Elven Realm; a realm of love, war, and adventure.

The Keepers of the Sun and Moon

A tale of love, loss, and yearning. The beginning of the world of the Alwyn Series was built with the love of two elves who chose to create balance over everything.

The Creation of Valdis

Please follow along with the adventures of Edeva, Bran, and Erik as they traipse through the untamed wilderness in the search of safety from warring clans and nature.

Will they be forced to say goodbye to the idea of a home?

Stories set within the world of the author’s Alwyn Series!

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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