Top new fantasy books in August 2025
Last updated:
August 31, 2025
August 2025 featuring new releases by R.F. Kuang, Laura Thalassa, Cassandra Clare, Cynthia Leitich Smith, David Alexander Robertson, Brigid Kemmerer, Chuck Wendig, Joe R. Lansdale, Susan Dennard, Melissa Caruso, T. Kingfisher, Alanea Alder and many more.
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Katabasis by R.F. Kuang
Katabasis, noun, Ancient Greek. The story of a hero's descent to the underworld.Two academic rivals from Cambridge must travel to hell to rescue the soul of their advisor. Getting there was easy. Surviving it – and each other – is another thing entirely.2025’s most unexpected love story is going to be hell in the new novel by Sunday Times Number One Bestseller R.F. Kuang. Coming August 2025...romance · fantasy · fiction · historical-fiction · mystery · myths · magic · dark-academia · poc-mc · poc-author -
![Bedeviled by Laura Thalassa]()
Bedeviled by Laura Thalassa
The third and final book in the Bewitched series... -
![Better in Black by Cassandra Clare]()
Better in Black by Cassandra Clare
Ten original love stories by the reigning queen of romantasy, featuring fan-favorite couples from her #1 New York Times bestselling Shadowhunter Chronicles—one of the most popular series of all time, with more than 50 million copies in print worldwide!Ten couples. United by love. Divided by danger...romance · fantasy · young-adult · urban-fantasy · paranormal · lgbtq · anthologies · historical-fiction · fiction · epic -
![Legendary Frybread Drive-In: Intertribal Stories by Cynthia Leitich Smith, David Alexander Robertson, Darcie Little Badger, Angeline Boulley]()
Legendary Frybread Drive-In: Intertribal Stories by Cynthia Leitich Smith, David Alexander Robertson, Darcie Little Badger, Angeline Boulley
Featuring the voices of both new and acclaimed Indigenous writers and edited by bestselling Muscogee author Cynthia Leitich Smith, this collection of interconnected stories serves up laughter, love, Native pride, and the world’s best frybread.The road to Sandy June's Legendary Frybread Drive-In slips through every rez and alongside every urban Native hangout...romance · young-adult · indigenous-mc · anthologies · fiction · contemporary · fantasy · literary-fiction · spirituality · found-family -
![Warrior Princess Assassin by Brigid Kemmerer]()
Warrior Princess Assassin by Brigid Kemmerer
‘Some authors excel at plot and others at character, but Brigid Kemmerer is a master of both, and her debut in the world of adult romantasy blisters like a bullet – mixing intrigue, yearning, surprises and spice to create a story unlike any you’ve consumed before...romance · fantasy · young-adult · new-adult · high-fantasy · fiction · royalty · arranged-marriage · lgbtq · slow-burn -
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![The End of the World As We Know It: New Tales of Stephen King's The Stand by Chuck Wendig, Joe R. Lansdale, Josh Malerman, Catherynne M. Valente]()
The End of the World As We Know It: New Tales of Stephen King's The Stand by Chuck Wendig, Joe R. Lansdale, Josh Malerman, Catherynne M. Valente
An original short story anthology based on master storyteller Stephen King’s #1 New York Times bestselling classic The Stand!Since its initial publication in 1978, The Stand has been considered Stephen King’s seminal masterpiece of apocalyptic fiction, with millions of copies sold and adapted twice for television...horror · fiction · anthologies · fantasy · dystopia · post-apocalyptic · apocalyptic · sci-fi · audiobook · mystery -
![The Executioners Three by Susan Dennard]()
The Executioners Three by Susan Dennard
From New York Times bestselling author Susan Dennard comes The Executioners Three, a mystery filled with rivalry, romance, best friends, and a gruesome curse that dates back centuries.Freddie Gellar didn't mean to get half the rival high school arrested. She’d simply heard shrieks coming from the woods, so she’d called the cops like any good human would do...fantasy · young-adult · mystery · horror · paranormal · fiction · historical · supernatural · witches-wizards · romance -
![The Last Soul Among Wolves by Melissa Caruso]()
The Last Soul Among Wolves by Melissa Caruso
The Last Soul Among Wolves is the dazzling second instalment in Melissa Caruso's bestselling Echo Archives series, a whip-smart fantasy adventure packed with murder, mystery and mind-bending magic.All Kembral Thorne wants is to finish her maternity leave in peace... -
![Hemlock & Silver by T. Kingfisher]()
Hemlock & Silver by T. Kingfisher
From New York Times bestselling and Hugo Award-winning author T. Kingfisher comes Hemlock & Silver, a dark reimagining of “Snow White” steeped in poison, intrigue, and treason of the most magical kind.Healer Anja knows little of politics but much of poisons... -
![My Haven by Alanea Alder]()
My Haven by Alanea Alder
Caiden Ironwood has been multitasking as a Unit Leader and Elder for so long, that when his father resumes his responsibilities as Elder, Caiden is left feeling restless, with too much time on his hands. Tensions are running high in the city and the amiable peace with Éire Danu has been shattered. Yet, despite his worries, he eagerly awaits the arrival of the mate he has been dreaming of...romance · paranormal · witches-wizards · vampires · shapeshifters · fae · fantasy · urban-fantasy · military · action-adventure -
![The Magician of Tiger Castle by Louis Sachar]()
The Magician of Tiger Castle by Louis Sachar
The beloved author of Holes presents his first adult novel, a modern fantasy classic of forbidden love, a crumbling kingdom, and the unexpected magic all around us.Long ago and far away (and somewhere south of France) lies the kingdom of Esquaveta. There, Princess Tullia is in nearly as much peril as her struggling kingdom...fantasy · fiction · cozy · historical-fiction · historical · action-adventure · humor · magic · myths · paranormal -
![A Touch of Treachery by Jennifer Estep]()
A Touch of Treachery by Jennifer Estep
New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Estep serves up a new, action-packed adventure in her Section 47 urban fantasy world. This series features secrets, lies, and superspies with amazing magical abilities, along with dangerous missions, double crosses, and a swoon-worthy romance. Perfect for fans of Alias, James Bond, Jason Bourne, Nikita, True Lies, and Netflix’s Bodyguard...romance · urban-fantasy · fantasy · magic · suspense · espionage · audiobook · urban · paranormal · fiction -
![Moderation by Elaine Castillo]()
Moderation by Elaine Castillo
A bold and inventive novel about real romance in the virtual workplace—bringing Castillo's trademark wit and sharp cultural criticism to an irresistible story about the possible future of love.Girlie Delmundo is the greatest content moderator in the world, and despite the setbacks of financial crises, climate catastrophe, and a global pandemic, she’s going places: she’s getting a promotion...romance · fiction · literary-fiction · sci-fi · contemporary · audiobook · season-summer · poc-mc · mental-illness · family -
![The Bell Witches by Lindsey Kelk]()
The Bell Witches by Lindsey Kelk
YOU’LL WANT TO BE ONE. UNTIL YOU KNOW THEIR SECRETS.After Emily’s father tragically dies, she is forced to live with the only family she has left, an aunt and grandmother in the heart of Savannah, Georgia in a house as beautiful as it is mysterious.But all is not what it seems with the Bell family; they’re hiding a magical secret...romance · fantasy · witches-wizards · young-adult · audiobook · gothic · fiction · paranormal · season-autumn · supernatural -
![Full Bloom by Francesca Serritella]()
Full Bloom by Francesca Serritella
The power to be seen. The power to be heard. The power to be adored. . . A woman's life is forever changed by a mysterious perfume in this stunning novel about ambition and untapped desire from the New York Times bestselling author of Ghosts of Harvard...urban · new-york-state · romance · fiction · mystery · magical-realism · contemporary · literary-fiction · audiobook · fantasy -
![The Incredible Kindness of Paper by Evelyn Skye]()
The Incredible Kindness of Paper by Evelyn Skye
In elementary school Chloe Hanako Quinn is assigned Oliver Jones as her pen pal. Before sending her letter she also whispers a note into it…and he hears her. It is the beginning of a friendship that blooms into something more—that is, until disaster strikes... -
![Nooit gedacht by Relinde de Graaff, Latoya Morris]()
Nooit gedacht by Relinde de Graaff, Latoya Morris
Aarde, vierentwintigste eeuw. Ruimtereizen en handel drijven met andere planeten behoren tot het alledaagse leven. Ingenieur en pilote Eavan is een afstammelinge van een meisje genaamd Wendy, dat meer dan drie eeuwen geleden door een vliegende jongen met een panfluit mee is genomen naar een prachtig eiland, waar je nooit volwassenen wordt... -
![I Know How This Ends by Holly Smale]()
I Know How This Ends by Holly Smale
If you knew how your life would turn out, what would you change now?The second brilliantly uplifting and page-turning novel from the multi-million bestselling author of Geek Girl and Reese's Book Club Pick Cassandra in Reverse.Margot Wayward is in manically gleeful self-destruct mode...romance · magical-realism · fiction · audiobook · contemporary · fantasy · time-travel · womens-fiction · humor · family -
![Dark & Darker Still: A Vane and Roc Origin Story by Nikki St. Crowe]()
Dark & Darker Still: A Vane and Roc Origin Story by Nikki St. Crowe
Vane and the Crocodile AKA the Madd Brothers, have been stripped of their titles and their assets after their father’s failed coup of the Darkland Court. Immortal, powerful and monstrous, it doesn’t take them long to make their way back up the ladder, but this time it’s not in the manors and mansions of the Darkland elite, it’s the dark underbelly known as the Umbrage...romance · fantasy · retellings · dark · reverse-harem · lgbtq · found-family · fiction · fairy-tale · paranormal -
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![All Fun and Games by Honor Raconteur]()
All Fun and Games by Honor Raconteur
It’s all fun and games until someone gets murdered.Well, the Queen’s Own certainly isn’t having fun, because what’s worse than one case? Two, of course. And what’s worse than two? Whatever madness Jamie’s currently in.The body count is rising, all the MO’s are different, and cleaning charms have wiped the murder scenes of clues...romance · fantasy · mystery · steampunk · industrial-era · urban-fantasy · humor · crime · paranormal · magic -
![Ravaged Wolf by Cate C. Wells]()
Ravaged Wolf by Cate C. Wells
They tell the story of our mating as a warning…IzzyIn my pack, I’m a cautionary tale, the female who made her mate wait too long and drove him into rut.After that terrible night, Trevor was exiled, and I became a lesson to others that Fate always wins. Fight, and you’ll lose.But maybe I don’t want my life to be a lesson to others. Or a tragedy...romance · shapeshifters · paranormal · fantasy · slow-burn · abuse · fated-mates · angst · sexual-assault · female-mc -
![Love's a Witch by Tricia O'Malley]()
Love's a Witch by Tricia O'Malley
From the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Tricia O’Malley, a cozy romantasy about a Scottish witch returning to her ancestral village to break a family curse—only to clash with one stubborn warlock determined to protect his town from her haywire magic.She’s hexed. He’s vexed. And for Scotland’s most magical small-town, their feud might just spell disaster...romance · witches-wizards · paranormal · fantasy · fiction · cozy · family · enemies-to-lovers · contemporary · humor -
![Fated to the Alpha Warrior by Sadie Moss]()
Fated to the Alpha Warrior by Sadie Moss
“I reject you.” With those three words, Kieran McCade shattered my heart. In front of the entire pack, the alpha’s son rejected our bond. As a shifter whose wolf has never appeared, I was deemed too weak, too broken for him...romance · fantasy · shapeshifters · small-town · fated-mates · enemies-to-lovers · paranormal · fiction · book · adult -
![The Banning of Bath Bombs by A.J. Sherwood, Devon Vesper]()
The Banning of Bath Bombs by A.J. Sherwood, Devon Vesper
Turns out bath bombs are actually magical portals. Or at least, in the hands of Master Mage Declan, they became portals. Even he’s not sure why.Said magical portal connects to Ross’s bath tub.Which means this is also now the Unholy Trifecta’s problem because Ross absolutely refuses to deal with portal magic by himself. Thanks muchly...romance · fantasy · paranormal · mlm · vampires · humor · magic · lgbtq · action-adventure · supernatural -
![Savage Sacrifice by K.C. Kean]()
Savage Sacrifice by K.C. Kean
Dear Diary,Trinity Falls is nothing like I expected it to be. I never could have imagined that I would be a witch and find my magic. I never expected to find friends who have become family. And I certainly never expected to fall in love with five men who have become the center of my world... -
![My Big Fat Vampire Wedding by Jessica Gadziala]()
My Big Fat Vampire Wedding by Jessica Gadziala
Fake wedding + vampires = happily ever after? Vampires live forever…and so do his in-lawsPandora has real problems. She’s working a dead-end job as the night barista at a 24/7 coffee-shop, she still lives with her parents, and, oh yeah, she’s a vampire who has to get married by the end of the year or she won’t inherit her ancient family fortune. One slight catch: she’s single... -
![Kingdom of Tomorrow by Gena Showalter]()
Kingdom of Tomorrow by Gena Showalter
From New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter comes a fusion of modern and fantastical worlds, where a young woman must navigate a secret society, uncover a shocking enemy…and resist an undeniable attraction.Twenty-year-old Arden Roosa knows only Ourland...romance · magic · contemporary · fantasy · new-adult · urban-fantasy · paranormal · religion · military · spirituality -
![Claimed by the Cowboys by Melissa Huxley, Violet Braxe]()
Claimed by the Cowboys by Melissa Huxley, Violet Braxe
Sometimes all a heartbroken Omega could do was start over…After the last year, I was a mess, thinking I was the problem, a broken Omega unable to give us everything we wanted. Well, that turned out to be a blessing in disguise.With a shattered heart, I ran from them, finding my way into a new life with a roof over my head and an adorable little girl to care for. Life was looking up...romance · omegaverse · reverse-harem · western · fantasy · small-town · alpha-mc · marriage-of-convenience · contemporary · children -
![The Inheritance by Ilona Andrews]()
The Inheritance by Ilona Andrews
We are at war. The interdimensional invasion brought us unimaginable suffering, but it also awoke talents slumbering deep within us, a means to repel and destroy our enemy. Every day new gates open, leading to breaches filled with monsters and valuable resources. If you are a Talent, your country needs you. The world needs you. Be the hero you were born to be. Adaline is a Talent...fantasy · urban-fantasy · magic · paranormal · aliens · action-adventure · fiction · dystopia · urban · female-mc -
![The Art of a Lie by Laura Shepherd-Robinson]()
The Art of a Lie by Laura Shepherd-Robinson
In 18th-century England, a widowed confectioner is drawn into a web of love, betrayal, and intrigue and a battle of wits in this masterful historical novel from the author of the USA TODAY bestseller The Square of Sevens. Following the murder of her husband in what looks like a violent street robbery, Hannah Cole is struggling to keep her head above water...romance · historical-fiction · mystery · historical · fiction · suspense · crime · fantasy · literary-fiction · book -
![Zomromcom by Olivia Dade]()
Zomromcom by Olivia Dade
Teaming up with your neighbor during a zombie outbreak is a no-brainer, but if it turns out he’s a vampire . . . the stakes couldn’t be higher, in this infectious new paranormal romance from the USA Today bestselling author of Spoiler Alert...romance · fantasy · zombies · paranormal · vampires · fiction · horror · contemporary · urban-fantasy · womens-fiction -
![A Beautiful Evil by Bea Fitzgerald]()
A Beautiful Evil by Bea Fitzgerald
The eagerly anticipated new YA Greek myth re-imagining from Bea Fitzgerald, TikTok superstar and Sunday Times bestselling author of Girl, Goddess, Queen.Pandora is the first human woman – made by the gods on Olympus for one simple to love and be loved by her new husband, the titan Epimatheos.The only problem? He wants nothing to do with her...romance · fantasy · myths · retellings · young-adult · fiction · audiobook · lgbtq · historical-fiction · historical -
![Big Bad Bully by Renee Rose, Lee Savino]()
Big Bad Bully by Renee Rose, Lee Savino
THE BIG BAD BULLY DOESN’T FALL FOR HIS PREYEven if she smells like nutmeg, honey and sin.Even if her chaos and color drips into your black-and-white discipline—and leaves it bleeding.I was raised in a pack that worshipped bloodlines and power.Humans were beneath us—soft, fragile, fleeting things.Fine for entertainment. Never for mating... -
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![Rescued by the Pack by Nora Quinn]()
Rescued by the Pack by Nora Quinn
They pulled me from the ocean…now they’re drowning me in needNew Town. New job. No drama.That was the plan.Next thing I know, I’m falling off a boat into the Pacific Ocean and the surliest Alpha in existence is rescuing me.Turns out? We're scent matched. And he can’t stand me.Cass—the grumpy sea captain with stormy eyes...omegaverse · fantasy · steamy · small-town · fated-mates · reverse-harem · paranormal · contemporary · alpha-mc · multi-pov -
![Overeager by Grae Bryan]()
Overeager by Grae Bryan
Eli Miller worked hard to get where he’s at. He put in his time with academia, suffered through a contentious divorce, and now he’s months away from securing tenure. And sure, Eli’s let his life get a little small and a little boring, but that’s better than stumbling into another epic mistake like his first marriage...romance · omegaverse · mlm · contemporary · fantasy · university · paranormal · lgbtq · forced-proximity · age-gap -
![While the Dark Remains by Joanna Ruth Meyer]()
While the Dark Remains by Joanna Ruth Meyer
A young woman who escaped captivity in the court of a cruel king returns in disguise to bring him down for good, but her feelings for the king's son complicate matters...romance · fantasy · fiction · dark · dark-fantasy · young-adult · sci-fi · horror · myths · action-adventure -
![Lady Dragon by A.M. Strickland]()
Lady Dragon by A.M. Strickland
Rachel Hartman's Seraphina meets The Priory of the Orange Tree in Lady Dragon, a sapphic YA romantasy from A.M. Strickland...romance · fantasy · wlw · dragons · young-adult · lgbtq · lesbian-mc · high-fantasy · feminism · enemies-to-lovers -
![Bearly in Love by Lola Glass]()
Bearly in Love by Lola Glass
My car broke down in front of a grumpy bear shifter's cabin in the middle of nowhere. He just happens to be my older brother's best friend, and the last person I'd ever want to be trapped with.But it started snowing.And considering my brutal fiancé is hot on my heels, hiding out with the grizzly seems like a better option than risking my life to get away in the middle of a storm... -
![The Serpent's Bride by Kathryn Ann Kingsley]()
The Serpent's Bride by Kathryn Ann Kingsley
"I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH… I just couldn’t put it down… When I finished, I just screamed because that cliffhanger was perfection and so unexpected… I absolutely love this… I will be talking about it all the time… Fantastic." shelflife_bookreview, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I will disguise myself as the vampire’s bride. I will win over his family. And then I will murder every last one of them...romance · fantasy · vampires · audiobook · enemies-to-lovers · paranormal · fae · dark · fiction · organized-crime -
![Casual Felonies by Kelly Fox]()
Casual Felonies by Kelly Fox
At what point does casually stalking your hot barber become a felony?Look, I swear I’m harmless. Just a mildly obsessed, extremely hot influencer trying to figure out why my barber-slash-hookup-slash-possible-soulmate kicked me out after the best [redacted] of my life...romance · mlm · found-family · contemporary · suspense · action-adventure · lgbtq · assassins · genre-crime · poc-mc
