The best new fantasy books to lose yourself in, recommended by the experts

Why read this: Fairy-tale retellings are everywhere, but few authors reinvent them with as much wit, originality and unsettling magic as T. Kingfisher. Hemlock & Silver takes the familiar bones of Snow White and transforms them into something stranger, darker and far more inventive. At its centre is Anja, a healer whose habit of testing poisons on herself has made her an outsider and an unlikely hero. Summoned to save a dying princess, she finds herself drawn into a mystery involving cursed mirrors, hidden worlds and dangerous magic. Balancing gothic atmosphere with sharp humour and an irresistibly eccentric cast, this is fantasy for readers who like their fairy tales tinged with horror.

If you're looking for: Fairy-tale retellings, gothic fantasy, dark magic, quests,

Great for fans of: Alix E. Harrow, Naomi Novik, Katherine Arden.

What the experts think: 'A darkly enchanting tale of poison and power. Beautifully crafted and utterly spellbinding' – Holly Black, author of Book of Night

Why read this: Freya Marske combines dark academia, medical fantasy and a locked-room-style murder mystery in a high-pressure story where trying to pass an exam could be the least of five young healers’ problems. At the Academie of the Grand Duchy of Sieuxerr, students face a brutal five-day Grand Exam in randomly assigned groups. One cohort’s star scholar is found dead on day one. Every member of her exam group has a secret, every one has a connection to the victim, and all five must somehow solve the murder while proving their magical skill. Clever, tense and character-driven, this is academic fantasy with genuinely life-or-death stakes.

If you're looking for: Dark academia, magical medicine, murder mystery, competitive exams, ensemble casts, secrets and betrayals, intricate magic.

Great for fans of: Olivie Blake's The Atlas Six trilogy and R.F. Kuang's Babel.

What the experts think: ‘A captivating murder mystery and take on medical fantasy’ – Shannon Chakraborty, author of The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi.

Why read this: Inspired by the eighteenth-century legend of the Beast of Gévaudan, The Red Winter is a lusty, dark, queer historical fantasy that offers a blood-drenched hunt for redemption. In 1785, Professor Sebastian Grave, a monster-slayer who plays host to a demon named Sarmodel, is called back to the French countryside to face a nightmare he thought was buried twenty years ago. After witnessing its slaughter and nearly dying himself, he must now hunt down the Beast of Gévaudan a second time.

If you're looking for: Historical fantasy, monster-slayers, demons, eighteenth-century setting, queer romance.

Great for fans of: Andrzej Sapkowski’s The Witcher and Susanna Clarke.

What the experts think: ‘An absolute feast of a book: rich, red, sinfully delicious’ – Alix E. Harrow, author of Starling House.

Why read this: Dark fantasy thrives on conflicted loyalties, dangerous attraction and impossible choices, and Of Venom and Vengeance embraces all three. Set against the backdrop of a powerful criminal underworld, this YA fantasy pairs an ambitious crime heiress with a thief bent on revenge. Their uneasy alliance sparks into a romance complicated by family feuds, ancient magic and a legendary power that could reshape their futures. 

If you're looking for: Enemies-to-lovers romance, criminal underworlds, illusion magic, morally grey characters, revenge plots, dark fantasy, magical heists, YA romantasy.

Great for fans of: Chloe Gong, Leigh Bardugo.

Why read this: Picking up after the events of The Beasts We Bury, this sequel shifts the focus from rebellion to the far messier challenge of ruling. Newly crowned Queen Mancella may have overthrown her tyrannical father, but peace proves far harder to win than power. With her magic spiralling beyond her control, political enemies gathering in the shadows and a strategic marriage threatening the future she wants, Mance is forced to choose between duty and desire. 

If you're looking for: Love triangles, political intrigue, royal courts.

Great for fans of: Powerless by Lauren Roberts, The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

Why read this: Rooted in fairy tales, folklore, and sapphic romance, this is a dark, atmospheric, and riveting debut that reviewers are calling 'a love story like no other' (Samantha Shannon). When her mother is accused of murder by a zealot priest, healer’s daughter Malka strikes a bargain: bring the monster lurking in the blood-soaked woods to the priest to save her mother. But rather than a monster, Malka finds a disgraced golem who agrees to implicate herself if Malka will help free her imprisoned rabbi creator. As their desperate deal unravels a much more sinister threat, Malka must face her growing feelings for the very creature she was taught to fear.

If you're looking for: Sapphic romance, fairy tale retelling, folklore and mythology, morally complex decisions, atmospheric setting

Great for fans of: Katherine Arden, Ava Reid's A Study in Drowning, Naomi Novik

What the experts think: 'A gorgeous dark fantasy rendered in detail sharp as a tailor's needle' – S. T. Gibson, author of A Dowry of Blood

Why read this: This is the deliciously twisty and seductive epic follow up to the number one bestselling A Tempest of Tea, forming a gritty duology about an orphan girl and her crew who get tangled in a heist with vampires. The city of White Roaring is sharpening its fangs after a deadly night, and Arthie Casimir has no time to mourn, even for herself. She has no time for love either, but it has saved her life. She must navigate new emotions and reassemble her crew for one last fight, facing the ghosts of her past to do it.

If you're looking for: Gritty fantasy, seductive vampires, heist plot, found family crew, dark romance, fast-paced action

Great for fans of: Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, The Crimson Moth by Kristen Ciccarelli

What the experts think: 'Filled with phenomenal prose, impeccable world building, and a mesmerizing found-family cast embarking on the heist of their lives!' Ali Hazelwood on A Tempest of Tea

Why read this: This high-stakes YA romantic fantasy is packed with sharp banter and Gilded Age glamour. In the industrious city of Basalton, seventeen-year-old reporter Vesper distrusts magic and the wealthy sorcerers who wield it. When she witnesses a murder that threatens her newspaper’s survival, her only lifeline is Maximilian Kite, a rich, arrogant sorcerer heir who offers to save her livelihood if she uses her investigative skills to prove his innocence. The complication is that reaching Basalton’s elite means pretending the pair are courting.

If you're looking for: YA romantic fantasy, rivals to lovers, fake dating, forced proximity, murder mystery, Gilded Age glamour, magical class divides, witty banter.

Great for fans of: Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

What the experts think: 'Ayana Gray’s writing shines with charm and whimsy, and the deftly woven mystery is thrilling and engrossing.' – Rebecca Ross, author of Divine Rivals. 'The sort of book you will want to live in.' – Stephanie Garber, author of the Caraval series

Why read this: This is the latest heart-stopping romantasy in the bestselling Crowns of Nyaxia series from BookTok sensation Carissa Broadbent, and the first of the Bloodborn Duet. There have now been ten years of war between humans and vampires. Kyrene survives as a bounty hunter, but, driven by grief, has now committed a crime that has left her extremely vulnerable. Forced to make a pact with a vampire, Septimus, he gives her one last job: kill the gods themselves. And so Kyrene sets off on a hunt for survival, and revenge.

If you're looking for: Vampires, gods and goddesses, epic fantasy world-building, dark magic, high stakes quest, underworld setting.

Great for fans of: From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout, A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas.

What the experts think: 'Morally grey men, vampires who bite, and a heroine who bites back twice as hard . . . Smoldering with heat, Broadbent leaves us begging for more in the best way!' K. A. Linde, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Wren in the Holly Library on the first book in the Crowns of Nyaxia series

Why read this: Jennifer K. Lambert takes familiar fantasy archetypes – the gifted sorceress, the charming prince, the hidden rival – and reshapes them into a story driven by ambition, longing and the intoxicating pull of forbidden magic. At its heart are two dream sorceresses whose lives become dangerously entwined as they compete for a future only one of them can claim. Rich in romantic tension and packed with beloved genre tropes, this is a fantasy that understands the appeal of yearning, destiny and impossible choices.

If you're looking for: Witches and sorcerers, forbidden romance, hidden identities, romantic fantasy.

Great for fans of: The Witch's Heart by Genevieve Gornichec and Madeline Miller's Circe.

What the experts think: 'Absolutely exquisite . . . you will not be able to stop reading until you have savored every delicious word' – Darynda Jones, author of the Charley Davidson series.

Why read this: Emily Varga blends the sweeping adventure of classic fae fantasy with the pace and tension of a treasure hunt. The story follows a scholar determined to restore magic to her conquered homeland who comes into conflict with a Fae captain looking for the same relic. To survive, they must work together, which comes with its own dangers. . . Beyond the action lies a richly imagined conflict between empire and rebellion, where every alliance carries a cost. 

If you're looking for: fae courts, enemies-to-lovers romance, relic hunting, dangerous quests, political fantasy.

Great for fans of: Holly Black's The Cruel Prince, The Mummy.

What the experts think: 'An enthralling, twisty fantasy set in a dangerous world on a knife's edge between rebellion and tyranny' – Ava Reid, author of A Study in Drowning.

Why read this: Called 'Fourth Wing meets Throne of Glass' and from No. 1 Sunday Times bestselling author K. A. Linde, House of Dragons is the start of a new series filled with magic, mayhem, and a thrilling enemies-to-lovers, slow-burn romance. Half-Fae, half-human Kerrigan Argon has trained at the elite House of Dragons. But when everyone else is chosen by one of the twelve tribes of Alandria, Kerrigan is left behind. So, she strikes a bargain: convince a tribe to select her, or lose her birthright forever. She finds an unlikely ally in Fordham Ollivier, the cursed Fae prince. Together, they must chart her destiny and reshape their world.

If you're looking for: Enemies-to-lovers, slow-burn, Fae and magic, elite training programme, high-stakes bargain

Great for fans of: Sarah J. Maas, Holly Black and Rebecca Yarros

What the experts think: 'An epic foray into a world of power and mystery that caught me from the first page.' – Carrie Ann Ryan, author of The Elements of Five series

Why read this: This is the stunning conclusion to the duology that began with The Courting of Bristol Keats, packed with swoon-worthy romance, faeries, and non-stop action. After Bristol nearly loses Tyghan to the monsters her mother unleashed, their love deepens as they work to save Elphame. Bristol must confront the fact that her mother is more powerful and dangerous than she ever imagined. Tyghan's past, meanwhile, is thrown into question when a new secret is revealed.

If you're looking for: Faeries and monsters, action and adventure, high stakes, moral dilemmas, questions of loyalty, magic as a birthright

Great for fans of: Leigh Bardugo and Sarah J. Maas

What the experts think: 'Mary E. Pearson is the new queen of Faerie' – Stephanie Garber, No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of Once Upon a Broken Heart.

Why read this: This Norse-inspired fantasy romance from Rachel Van Dyken is filled with ancient secrets and perilous desire. The Gods aren't dead, they're merely sleeping in mortal bodies, and Rey Stjerne's ruthless father is the most powerful of them all. He sends Rey to Endir University, a place steeped in ancient bloodlines and deadly secrets, with one mission: to steal the legendary hammer, Mjolnir. But Aric Erikson, the distant and dangerous heir of her family's nemesis, wasn't part of the plan. He's the one person she absolutely cannot afford to fall for, and now a war that will decide the world's fate stands between her and the man she was never meant to love.

If you're looking for: Norse-inspired fantasy, fantasy romance, myth retelling, hidden gods and magic, enemies-to-lovers, secret mission, high-stakes, university setting

Great for fans of: Neon Gods by Katee Robert

What the experts think: 'Rachel Van Dyken will tear your heart out, slice it in half with a machete and hand it back. Then, you‘ll thank her.' Kristen Proby, author of Come Away with Me

Why read this: For readers who want their fantasy sweeping, romantic and devastating, this is the unforgettable finale to the War of Lost Hearts trilogy. Tisaanah, Max and Aefe are thrust into the centre of a cataclysm between the human and Fey worlds. The unique magic they share is key to either winning the war or ending it. But that power demands sacrifice. Tisaanah may be forced to choose between love and duty. Max cannot forge his future without confronting his past. And Aefe must decide between reclaiming who she was or embracing who she has become. The choices they make will either reshape this world for ever . . . or end it.

If you're looking for: Slow-burn romance, fated love, war between realms, strong female characters.

Great for fans of: Sarah J. Maas, Jennifer L. Armentrout, Carissa Broadbent’s Crowns of Nyaxia series.

Why read this: Your new favourite romantasy trilogy starts here with a charming, blend of political machinations and enchanting slow-burn romance. The feared Witch Queen Saskia is holed up in her chaotic library of magic, experimenting with spells to keep her people safe from the empire next door. However, she's finding herself a little distracted by her new librarian, who is, in fact, an archduke in disguise, hiding from his enemies in plain sight. When she finally discovers the truth, will their love save them both, or will it be their ultimate doom? 

If you're looking for: Hidden identity, witches, political tension, cosy fantasy elements, royal intrigue, witty banter

Great for fans of: Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehre, Stephanie Garber, Disney's Maleficent

Why read this: For readers who never wanted to leave the world of Legends & Lattes, Travis Baldree opens the door once more with a beautifully illustrated collection of cosy fantasy stories. Familiar faces and new adventures abound: chaos goblin Zyll investigates a murder while stealing cutlery, baker Thimble takes another step towards cinnamon-roll fame, Viv makes a life-changing discovery, and Tandri becomes entangled in a university project where art meets science. Warm, playful and full of the kindness that made Baldree’s series a cosy fantasy favourite, this deluxe collection offers another chance to linger over coffee, baked goods and low-stakes magic.

If you're looking for: Cosy fantasy, short stories, found family, familiar characters, gentle humour, illustrated editions.

Great for fans of: TJ Klune, Katherine Addison and T. Kingfisher

Why read this: Lucy Jane Wood returns with a warm, fairytale-infused cosy fantasy about finding your way back to the parts of yourself you would rather ignore. Sage Hemlock wants nothing more to do with magic, but when a mysterious historical book unleashes a curse on her small town, fairy tales begin spilling into real life – complete with an enormous beanstalk and a friend who is starting to look suspiciously like a handsome prince. To put things right, Sage must embrace the powers she has spent years trying to escape before her world is lost to a fairytale forever.

If you're looking for: Cosy fantasy, light academia, grumpy x sunshine, reluctant heroine, small-town mysteries, accidental curses, fairytale-inspired magic.

Great for fans of: Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree, Rewitched by Lucy Jane Wood, Practical Magic. 

Why read this: Sarah Beth Durst returns to the beloved world of The Spellshop with another warm-hearted fantasy brimming with charm. This time, the story follows an independent sailor whose carefully ordered life is disrupted by a rescue mission, a fake relationship and the possibility of opening her heart again. While the romance sparkles, the novel's real strength lies in its sense of community, adventure and found family. 

If you're looking for: Cosy fantasy, fake dating, found family, magical creatures, romantic fantasy, seafaring adventures, uplifting reads.

Great for fans of: The Spellshop, The Enchanted Greenhouse, Travis Baldree.

Why read this: Alexandra Rowland has built a devoted readership by combining emotional depth with warmth, humour and richly imagined worlds. Yield Under Great Persuasion may begin with a long-running grudge and a deeply reluctant romance, but it evolves into something far more tender. When Tam discovers that Lord Lyford (his nemesis and also his lover) is favoured by the goddess Angarat, he packs up and decides to leave. Now set on a quest for self-care and forgiveness, will Tam recognise that there is at least one person who loves Tam for exactly who he is, and always has?

If you're looking for: queer romance, cosy fantasy, humour, second chances.

Great for fans of: Freya Marske, Alexandra Rowland's A Taste of Gold and Iron.

What the experts think: 'Evocative, emotional and endlessly entertaining' – Jules Arbeaux, author of Lord of the Empty Isles.

Why read this: Reimagining Rumpelstiltskin with warmth, humour and a slow-building romance, A. J. Lancaster creates a magical world filled with eccentric charm. Princess Gisele has spent her life waiting for an evil fae sorcerer to claim her, but it’s been decades, and he still hasn’t shown up. So Gisele marches into the fae realm to hunt down her ‘Malediction’. Yet instead of a monster, she finds a scholarly, cat-eared sorcerer and his meddling, sentient house, who want nothing to do with her. Unfortunately, the magic that binds them won’t let them go that easily. 

If you're looking for: Fairy-tale retellings, magical houses, slow-burn romance, fae magic, whimsical worlds.

Great for fans of: Rebecca Thorne, Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett and The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst.

Why read this: Ann Liang blends divine intrigue, doomed romance and a journey across celestial realms in a lush historical fantasy about two gods bound together by an impossible bargain. When the beautiful and merciless Death God comes to claim healer Rujia’s soul, she persuades him to grant her one more month in exchange for helping to lift his agonizing curse. But their deal has disastrous consequences, bringing down the Celestial Palace and leaving its crown prince missing. Forced to search for him together, the pair find their uneasy alliance deepening into something far more dangerous: a love that could challenge fate itself.

If you're looking for: Historical fantasy, gods and immortals, enemies-to-lovers tension, bargains with Death, star-crossed romance, celestial realms, fate versus free will, lyrical fantasy.

Great for fans of: She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan and Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan.

Why read this: Tudor-inspired court politics, celestial magic and simmering rivals-to-lovers tension combine in Bel Banta’s sumptuous romantic fantasy debut. Bianca Mortlake is the first Moonborn magician in more than a thousand years, gifted with powers so rare that nobody knows what she can do. Summoned to a dangerous royal court alongside her infuriating Venusborn rival Roland, she enters a world where two queens have already gone to the executioner and one misstep could prove fatal. With sinister forces gathering and political loyalties shifting, Bianca may have to trust the one man she would most like to avoid.

If you're looking for: Rivals to lovers, Tudor-inspired fantasy, courtly intrigue, celestial magic, slow-burn romance, murder mystery, magic tournaments.

Great for fans of: The Knight and The Moth by Rachel Gillig, The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo and A Darker Shade of Magic by V. E. Schwab.

Why read this: Portal fantasy meets razor-edged political intrigue in this addictive new epic from No. 1 New York Times bestselling duo Ilona Andrews. When Maggie wakes up in Kair Toren – the brutal city from her favourite unfinished fantasy series – she realises two things: she knows how the story ends, and she cannot die. Armed only with her encyclopaedic knowledge of rival warlords, scheming nobles and looming catastrophe, Maggie dives headfirst into a world of assassins, duelling princes and dangerously alluring allies. Already causing a stir on BookTok and sure to be one of 2026's biggest books, this is pure wish-fulfilment fantasy with teeth.

If you're looking for: Isekai portal fantasy, metafictional twists, court politics, found family, slow-burn attraction, immersive world-building.

Great for fans of: Samantha Shannon, Sarah J. Maas, Danielle L. Jensen.

What the experts think: ‘Exciting, complex, with indelible characters and a heroine who cannot die: loved it’ – Charlaine Harris, author of The Southern Vampire Mysteries. ‘An irresistible plunge into another world. I was captivated from the very first line’ – Danielle L. Jensen, author of A Fate Inked in Blood.

Why read this: Veronica Roth, author of the Divergent series, returns with a sweeping new epic that fuses brutal warfare with an aching, slow-burn romance. When soldier Elegy Ahn and feared general Rava Vidar are bound by a prophecy that could crown either (but not both) as their peoples' saviour, their fates become dangerously entangled. With its haunting belief system (Vidar's people worship a murderous Fever), high-stakes political conflict and emotional intensity, this is fantasy at its most immersive – and most devastating.

If you're looking for: Prophecy and fate, military SFF, intricate world-building, political intrigue, sci-fi meets fantasy meets dystopia.

Great for fans of: V.E. Schwab, Holly Black, Leigh Bardugo.

What the experts think: ‘Her most compelling work to date . . . Veronica Roth knows exactly how to break your heart’ – Olivie Blake, author of The Atlas Six trilogy, ‘Epic in its stakes and intimate in its romance’ – Everina Maxwell, author of Winter's Orbit.

Why read this: If you crave epic fantasy that questions its own legends, this standalone is a thrilling, razor-sharp reinvention of necromancy, sure to grip readers in 2026. Centuries after undead sorcerers nearly ended the world, young knight-in-training Mathaiik discovers the truth is far more dangerous than history admits. As forests devour trespassers and beasts twist into monsters, he makes an unthinkable choice – awakening one of the dreaded Grim Lords beneath his order’s fortress. What follows is a breathless clash of faith, forbidden magic and creeping ecological horror, delivered with Jenn Lyons’ trademark flair for big ideas and bigger stakes.

If you're looking for: Necromancy, corrupted nature, ancient orders, ensemble casts, epic monsters, high fantasy.

Great for fans of: S. A. Chakraborty, Robin Hobb, Martha Wells’ Witch King.

What the experts think: ‘Incredibly compelling magical ideas pairs with deeply terrifying monsters’ – Daniel M. Ford, author of The Warden.

Why read this: Grimy and action-packed, this is a dark pub crawl through paranormal London. Gangland heir Freddie Burns just wants ten pints, a fight, and to take over his uncle's empire, but a hit gone wrong plunges him into a hidden supernatural underworld. Siphoning magical power from death, Freddie becomes the ultimate wildcard in a war between vampire royalty and ruthless power brokers. Violent, darkly funny and propulsive, this is a distinctly British fantasy with an antihero who may be dangerous enough to save the world – assuming he doesn't wreck it first.

If you're looking for: Urban fantasy, vampires, London underworlds, gangland crime, antiheroes, dark humour, brutal action, morally grey characters.

Great for fans of: Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff and Slow Horses.

Why read this: For readers craving sharp-tongued romance with a supernatural twist, Love, Gods and Sinners is a glittering New Adult urban fantasy that crackles with tension. By day, Harper and Tia are bickering interns; by night, they’re sworn enemies, bound to rival magical clans and tasked with each other’s destruction. What follows is a breathless game of secrets, shifting loyalties and undeniable attraction, set against a vibrant, neon-lit cityscape. Chong balances wit and heart, crafting a sapphic enemies-to-lovers story where love is as dangerous as the magic that binds them.

If you're looking for: Sapphic romance, enemies-to-lovers, secret identities, urban fantasy, magical clans, witty banter.

Great for fans of: Mr and Mrs Smith, Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao.

What the experts think: ‘A cinematic thrill ride . . . I devoured this outrageously fun debut in one night’ – Mikayla Bridge, author of Of Flame and Fury. ‘Flirtatious, cinematic, and sheer fun . . . a debut to watch’ – Wen-yi Lee, author of The Dark We Know.

Why read this: Few fantasy novels explore grief and love with as much imagination as The Lighthouse at the Edge of the World. Reimagining the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice through a sapphic lens, J. R. Dawson creates a haunting liminal world where the dead gather before passing on. When the lighthouse guiding souls begins to fail and a living woman appears among the dead, a journey unfolds that is as emotionally resonant as it is magical.

If you're looking for: Mythological retellings, sapphic romance, stories about grief and healing, liminal worlds.

Great for fans of: Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi, Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune.

What the experts think: 'An earnest, heartfelt read set in a moody, otherworldly Chicago steeped in loss and history' – Veronica Roth, author of the Divergent trilogy.

Why read this: This dark and deadly adult debut from the bestselling author of the iconic Legend series, offers a compelling mix of magical mob rivalry and star-crossed ambition, all set in an alternate, present-day Los Angeles. Alchemy is the hidden art of transformation, an exclusive power wielded by two rival crime syndicates, who market it to the world’s elite in the form of sand – a drug that enhances those who take it into a more perfect version of themselves. Childhood friends Sam and Ari find themselves on opposite sides of an escalating conflict between the two groups: Sam, desperate to claw her way into Grand Central for a better life, and Ari, a rising Lumines star. As the two alchemists face off against each other, will either of them be able to survive the coming war?

If you're looking for: Urban fantasy, rivalry, enemies-to-lovers, star-crossed romance, alchemy and transformation, high-stakes conflict

Great for fans of: V. E. Schwab's Shades of Magic series, One for my Enemy by Olivie Blake

What the experts think: 'As devastating as it is spellbinding. I loved it' – Olivie Blake, author of The Atlas Six.

Why read this: Dark academia and witchcraft make for an irresistible combination in this sequel to Modern Divination. In a world where ghosts drift through cottages and necromancy offers dangerous possibilities, Teddy Ingram is still searching for answers about a disappearance that refuses to let go of him. When an old rival returns bearing unsettling news, the pair are drawn into a mystery involving death, resurrection and a coven desperate to halt the decline of witchkind. Moody, romantic and richly immersive.

If you're looking for: Dark academia, witches and covens, ghosts, necromancy, academic magic, rivals-to-lovers tension.

Great for fans of: Deborah Harkness's A Discovery of Witches, Rebecca Ross's Divine Rivals.

Why read this: For readers who like their romantasy dark, emotionally charged and packed with impossible choices, The Raven at the Ash Door raises the stakes perfectly. The third instalment in K. A. Linde's addictive series plunges deeper into a world where ancient rivalries, monster politics and dangerous magic collide. Kierse McKenna finds herself caught between a curse, a god-like monster she cannot escape and a looming war that threatens to reshape everything she knows. Alongside the romance is an expansive fantasy plot driven by shifting loyalties, legendary relics and a sense that the world's fragile peace is about to shatter. This is romantasy at its most dramatic and compulsive.

If you're looking for: Retelling, dark romance, monsters and humans, New York setting, heist plot, high stakes.

Great for fans of: V. E. Schwab's Shades of Magic series, Leigh Bardugo's Six of Crows.

What the experts think: 'Extraordinary!' Rebecca Yarros, author of Fourth Wing. 'Action-packed and full of steam' Geneva Lee, author of Filthy Rich Vampire.