Recently arrived fantasy fiction
The Amber Owl by Juliet Marillier
In an isolated village bordering the perilous Heartwood Forest, the animal-gifted Stasya is an outcast, finding solace only with her dog and the goatherd Lukas, a fellow storyteller. Their peace shatters with the arrival of soldiers seeking fabled treasure deep within the forest, a task deemed impossible due to its dangers and dark legends. Protesting this decree, Stasya is taken to the Ruler's court where the Lady Elisabeta enlists her unique skills, but Stasya refuses to betray her vow to protect Heartwood. Amidst courtly secrets and hidden enemies, Stasya and unlikely allies embark on a dangerous mission, discovering that the forest's uncanny tales might hold truth.
In 2019, Lucy flees to her estranged sister Jess's coastal Australian home after a terrifying sleepwalking incident where she attacks her ex. Jess is missing, but Lucy uncovers her diary from 1999, revealing shared experiences of strange dreams and a rare water allergy. In 1800, Irish sisters Mary and Eliza are forcibly transported to Australia on a brutal convict ship. As their journey progresses, they undergo mysterious physical transformations. The stories converge as Lucy investigates the eerie disappearances of men in Jess's town and local legends of a shipwrecked convict vessel, hinting at a mystical connection to the "siren" myth reimagined as women transformed by hardship. A haunting tale of sisterhood and inherited power, blending magical realism with historical fiction.
The Secrets of Maiden's Cove by Erin Palmisano
Following her father's death, Grace leaves her controlling husband Richard and returns to her childhood home of Maiden's Cove on t he stunningly picturesque Chesapeake Bay, with her daughter Bayla, inheriting the struggling Cleary's Crab Shack. Her estranged childhood best friend Isla's return reignites old mermaid rumors, giving them one last chance to mend their fractured bond. However, the summer's promise darkens as Richard's presence looms, threatening Grace's newfound independence and her reconnection with her past, where delicious food, summer romance, and a touch of local magic intertwine. Erin is a local Nelson writer and author of the hugely popular The Secrets of the Little Greek Taverna.
Wren Darlington is a "Mod" with forbidden psychic abilities in a world where such powers are persecuted. After her uncle's execution for being a Mod, Wren is forced into the elite military program, Silver Block, of her oppressive nation with mission: infiltrate and dismantle the system from within, while keeping her own powerful abilities hidden. This dangerous undertaking is complicated by her developing, forbidden attraction to her commanding officer, Cross Redden. As Wren navigates the brutal training and political machinations of Silver Block, she must decide how far she's willing to go and what she's willing to risk to achieve freedom for herself and others like her.
The River has Roots by Amal el-Mohtar
Ester and Ysabel are sisters in a family tasked with caring for 'The Professors', guardian willow trees that keep the entrance to Arcadia/fairyland safe. Through word and song the family have protected the crossing between worlds for generations. But when Esther falls in love with Rin, a shapeshifer who sometimes comes as a storm system, sometimes as a person in human form, evil threatens the lives of those on both sides of the border. Amal el-Mohtar, author of the fan favourite This is How you Lose the Time War is renowned for her ability to play with form and language, here taking on the classic fairytale and making it new.
When the Tides Held the Moon by Venessa Vida Kelley
At the famous Coney Island, in 1910s New York City, Benigno "Benny" Caldera, an orphaned Boricua blacksmith, finds himself entangled with a sideshow act after building a tank for their newest exhibit: a captured merman named Río. As Benny and Río's relationship deepens, Benny must confront the moral implications of Río's captivity and decide whether to risk everything to set him free. A lush and buoyant story of found family and queer love.
The Incandescent by Emily Tesh
Sapphire "Saffy" Walden is the Director of Magic at Chetwood School, a prestigious English institution where magic is openly practiced. Her days are a chaotic blend of teaching A-Level Invocation to talented, sometimes reckless, teenagers, navigating bureaucratic nightmares, and diligently maintaining the ancient wards that protect the school from demonic incursions. But the school's defences are weakening, and Saffy begins to suspect the greatest danger might not come from external demons, but from a deeper, more personal source connected to her own past and identity. For readers of Naomi Novik and Seanan McGuire.
The Wind Weaver by Julie Johnson
In the war-torn realm of Anwyvn, where magic is feared, "halflings" like the protagonist, Rhya Fleetwood, are hunted. Facing execution Rhya is unexpectedly "rescued" by the formidable, morally grey Commander Scythe. This turns into a perilous journey where Rhya learns she's a "Remnant," one of four fated individuals with elemental powers destined to restore balance to their dying world. Lush world building, fast-paced action, and an engaging "enemies-to-lovers" slow-burn romance makes this a a strong debut in a new series, promising more elemental magic and intriguing plot twists.
