Science Fiction/Fantasy

Revenge, intrigue, and unexpected magic live at the heart of this stunning debut. In an Asian-inspired fantasy world, rebellion foments against the mysterious and harsh Emperor who demands a literal part of every citizen to keep them safe from a nebulous threat. One young woman must seek out the secrets to her father’s magic, but the answers are much darker than she can imagine. Rich and truly surprising, this book stayed with me long after I put it down. —Ivy

This book is part of our Fall Reading Challenge. Read more here.

Ash is an indentured servant trying to earn her freedom. She’s in love with the Captain of her spaceship, but they can’t be together—not until the war ends. Ash soon discovers a powerful alien weapon that could turn the tide of the war, but at what cost? Cool world-building and endless action make for a page-turning thrill ride. The ending is full of surprises. Fans of The Expanse will love this nail-biter of a space opera.  —Jason

This book is everything early Stephen King was trying to be. What happens when you spend all summer bonding with a mannequin, only to leave him to gather dust for years in the garage? A group of seniors from a small town are about to find out. Horror fans, get ready for this twisty psychological tale. And be careful what you bring back from a creek...It can follow you in ways you'd never expect.  —MJ

Strap in, kids, this one is a wild ride. With a slow-burn horror, Lovecraftian beginning, you won't be able to put this one down. Part family drama, part spine tingling spookiness, the Turner family and their woes will make any horror fan happy. —Jae

I’ve been hooked on Louisa Morgan since I first picked up A Secret History of Witches last year. The Age of Witches is her third foray into magical historical fiction and, in my opinion, her best. Reconstruction-era New York and Victorian England are brought to vivid life as we weave our way through the social niceties (and not-so-niceties) of families and stepfamilies, marriage, and the social expectations of women of the era while expertly adding in a beautiful thread of magic and female companionship. 

From beginning to end Middlegame is the book you’ve been waiting for. I’ve been reading McGuire’s work for years and this is her best. The technical writing alone is masterful, then add in complex characters, and a plot that defies time and space, and you can see why it’s been nominated for a Hugo Award. Roger and Dodger, despite their ridiculous names, are characters to fall in love with even when they’re being their most exasperating. 

Three paragraphs were all it took to pull me all the way into this intriguing portal fantasy. The entire book, Alix Harrow’s debut novel, lives up to the promise of its auspicious beginning. Set in the early 1900s, The Ten Thousand Doors of January transports the reader through secret magic openings to places of wonder and mystery. This is a book about books, a story about stories, a tale of courage, love, and family ties across time and space. Imaginative and enchanting!

Topical for the COVID-19 era, this magical realist novel is inspired by the 1962 Tanganyika Laughter Epidemic and set in a fictional version of Cape Town, Ilze Hugo’s hometown. This time, the laughter never stopped; seven years later, everyone is wearing a mask, laughing is forbidden, taxi drivers are death collectors, and a little girl is trying to find her brother—who may or may not be a ghost. But when even the truth is up for debate, what is one to do but laugh?