Fantasy (not romantasy) Books on My Radar for Summer 2024
Updated: Jun 18
Summer's coming up soon, and the sooner it gets here, the sooner it will end! Even though I hate summer, I still have something to look forward to with these upcoming reads:
June 2024
Shadowstitch by Cari Thomas
I got the first book in this series from Goldsboro when it released; it's only natural for me to get the sequel as well.
Release Date: 6 June 2024
Publisher: HarperVoyager (HarperCollins)
Synopsis: Anna survived the attempt to bind her magic, but Anna and her coven aren’t free from danger yet.
Haunted by her aunt’s death, living in fear of her curse, and fated to love the one man she can never have, the last thing Anna needs is a witch hunt. Now she must conceal her magic once more or risk losing everything.
But when deadly hysteria strikes across the capital, and in her own school, the coven are left dangerously exposed. Delving deeper into the magical underworld of London, Anna and her twin sister Effie must find a way to work together to protect the coven.
But as the witch hunt intensifies and the hysteria spirals out of control, can Effie and Anna truly trust each other?
Breath of Bones by Tricia Goyer and Nathan Goyer
As usual, any Enclave book immediately goes on my TBR.
Release Date: 18 June 2024
Publisher: Enclave
Synopsis: Kateřina Dubová has always aspired to walk in her father's footsteps as a respected journalist, and the Second World War presents a unique opportunity for her to prove her worth to the world. A tip about an assassination attempt on a high-ranking Nazi official, Reinhard Heydrich, the "Butcher of Prague" leads Kateřina into the shadows of the Nazi occupation. Soon she discovers things are not as they seem.
As intrigue unfurls, Kateřina joins forces with Josef Loew, a descendant of the famous Rabbi Loew, renowned for creating a mystical guardian in the form of a golem to protect the souls of 16th-century Jews in Prague. In the chaos of war, some believe a new golem can once again bring help to those in need.
Like flickering candles in the abyss, Kateřina and Josef work to protect the innocent and end the evil that plagues their world. Yet, in their quest to save the Jewish people, have they inadvertently created a new danger? Could the very entity they had forged to protect become their greatest enemy?
July 2024
The Failures by Benjamin Liar
Science Fantasy is my new bookish jam, and this book sounds like it's some of what I'm looking for in a story: something I haven't read a million times. I may not purchase it, but I'll certainly check it out from the library.
Release Date: 2 July 2024
Publisher: DAW (Penguin Random House)
Synopsis: From a debut voice comes a genre-breaking blend of apocalyptic sci-fi and epic fantasy about a scattered group of unlikely heroes traveling across their broken mechanical planet to stave off eternal darkness. A tightly-coiled puzzle of a thrill ride, The Failures launches The Wanderlands trilogy.
Welcome to the Wanderlands.
A vast machine made for reasons unknown, the Wanderlands was broken long ago. First went the sky, splintering and cracking, and then very slowly, the whole machine—the whole world—began to go dark.
Meet the Failures.
Following the summons of a strange dream, a scattering of adventurers, degenerates, and children find themselves drawn toward the same place: the vast underground Keep. They will discover there that they have been called for a purpose—and that purpose could be the destruction of everything they love.
The end is nigh.
For below the Keep, imprisoned in the greatest cage ever built by magicians and gods, lies the buried Giant. It is the most powerful of its kind, and its purpose is the annihilation of all civilization. But any kind of power, no matter how terrible, is precious in the dimming Wanderlands, and those that crave it are making their moves.
All machines can be broken, and the final cracks are spreading. It will take only the careless actions of two cheerful monsters to tip the Wanderlands towards an endless dark...or help it find its way back to the light.
The Dallergut Dream Department Store by Miye Lee (Trans. by Sandy Joosun Lee)
2024 seems to be the year I'm seeing more and more fantasies from other countries popping up in the English language. I absolutely crave different takes on fantasy stories, and I find the best way to do that is to read fantasies from other countries. I'm so glad these gems are making their way into English.
Release date: 9 July 2024
Publisher: Harlequin (HarperCollins)
Synopsis: What if there was a store that sold dreams? Which would you buy? And who might you become when you wake up?
In a mysterious town hidden in our collective subconscious there's a department store that sells dreams. Day and night, visitors both human and animal shuffle in to purchase their latest adventure. Each floor specializes in a specific type of dream: childhood memories, food dreams, ice skating, dreams of stardom. Flying dreams are almost always sold out. Some seek dreams of loved ones who have died.
For Penny, an enthusiastic new hire, working at Dallergut is the opportunity of a lifetime. As she uncovers the workings of this whimsical world, she bonds with a cast of unforgettable characters, including Dallergut, the flamboyant and wise owner, Babynap Rockabye, a famous dream designer, Maxim, a nightmare producer and the many customers who dream to heal, dream to grow, and dream to flourish.
A captivating story that will leave a lingering magical feeling in readers' minds, this is the first book in a bestselling duology for anyone exhausted from the reality of their daily life.
The Nightmare Virus by Nadine Brandes
Brandes is another of my favorite authors. The only reason I haven't read ALL of her books boils down to a clogged TBR. Auto-read author for me.
Release Date: 16 July 2024
Publisher: Enclave Escape
Synopsis: Some viruses go after the body. But the Nightmare Virus goes after the mind.
When dream technology goes wrong, a virus spreads across the globe, trapping people in a universal dreamscape. They call it the Nightmare Virus.
Cain Cross is determined to find a cure . . . if he can decipher his brother’s chicken-scratch formula notes. But when he gets infected, he has only 22 days until he’s trapped in the mental prison forever. Now, every time he falls asleep, he must fight in a Nightmare Arena until he earns his freedom to live in the “new world” that exists only in the mind.
Then he finds a way to manipulate the Nightmare—to change it by mere thought.
Forced to navigate a world of nightbeasts, mistblades, and half-truths, Cain turns his focus to survival. When the Emperor offers him a LifeSuPod—and access to a cure—in exchange for a dangerous favor, Cain thinks he’s found a way out. But Cain’s new power threatens to take him on paths that jeopardize his very soul.
Will he continue searching for a cure, or will he swear allegiance to the Nightmare? And the bigger question might be . . . will he even have a choice?
The Spice Gate by Prashanth Srivatsa
Portal fantasy. Auto TBR add.
Release Date: US—16 July 2024/UK—18 July 2024
Publisher: HarperVoyager
Synopsis: How far would you go to find home?
Relics of a mysterious god, the Spice Gates connect the eight far-flung kingdoms, each separated by a distinct spice and only accessible by those born with a special mark. This is not a mark of distinction, but one of subjugation: Spice Carriers suffer the lashes of their rich masters and the jolting pain of the Gates themselves.
Amir is a Spice Carrier dreaming of escape. But something is stirring in the inhospitable spaces between the kingdoms. As Amir makes his plan for freedom, he’s drawn into a plot that threatens to unravel the power keeping the gates in balance.
Gods, assassins and thronekeepers all have a vested interest in the spice trade, and Amir will have to decide what kind of world he wants to live in … if the world survives at all.
August 2024
Winter's Maiden by Morgan L. Busse
What's better than summer coming to an end? Reading about snowy stuff as summer dies. Busse's books are among some of my favorites—her Ravenwood Saga completely took over my TBR for a week as I obsessively devoured it to the detriment of my ARC TBR and household upkeep. I've already preordered Winter's Maiden as well, as Busse is one of my few auto-read AND auto-buy authors.
Release Date: 6 August 2024
Publisher: Enclave
Synopsis: Warrior. Survivor. Daughter of the North.
From the moment she is born, Brighid fights to survive in the wastelands of Nordica as a clanless one. But when a new power arrives offering a trial to join the Nordic warriors, Brighid enters, hoping to rise above her station. Soon she becomes one of their fiercest fighters and joins the war against the south.
Kaeden carries the blood of the ancient Eldaran race in his veins but turns away from his heritage after the death of his parents. Years later, he is called back to his homeland and invited to be a healer for the southern forces. With the help of an old mentor, the power inside of him starts to awaken. However, his life is turned upside down when a mighty warrior of the Nordic forces is captured.
As Kaeden interacts with the enemy, he discovers there is a darkness behind the Nordic Wars, one that is manipulating the people of the north. But who will believe him? And is there a power strong enough to break the hold of this hidden adversary? Or will the world burn in the flames of war?
Regency & Regicide by J.J. Fischer
I buy ANYTHING J.J. Fischer writes. On the list. On the shelf.
Release date: 15 August 2024
Publisher: Self-published
Synopsis: Regicide at Four. Supper Strictly at Eight.
When aspiring young novelist Miss Diana Crewe falls asleep on her manuscript in early nineteenth century England, the last thing she expects is to wake in the middle of the world she’s created…a world in which, she’s horrified to discover, she’s both venerated as a goddess and decried as a villain. Pulled into the story alongside her is her closest childhood friend and rival author, Ignatius (Nash) Sinclair, who has spent the last year keeping Diana at a distance, seeming to prefer the company of his abolitionist friends.
But when the dream doesn’t end as expected and the tumultuous world around Diana and Nash proves to be all too real, the friends must put aside their differences to find a way home…even as Diana’s budding attachment to the dashing outlaw Locke Moray rapidly erodes her desire to leave. But not all heroes are as they seem, and when the characters of Diana’s imagination overstep their bounds and threaten her very life, Diana is forced to realize that the resolution she so deeply desires might have been right in front of her this whole time…
Regency & Regicide is a standalone romantic historical fantasy adventure in which Jane Austen's Emma meets Sir Walter Scott's Ivanhoe. J. J. Fischer is the award-winning author of Calor, which won the 2023 Realm Award Book of the Year and the Realm Award for Best Fantasy.
Ignite by Kara Swanson
I read Swanson's Dust during the year when Peter Pan books were all the rage (even though it released before the fad picked up). I will be revisiting the Dust Duology and giving them both another look. I peaked at a chapter not too long ago and figured it was time to read them with a clean slate.
Release Date: 20 August 2024
Publisher: Enclave Escape
Synopsis: Can Mara survive in a world where the fire in her veins is worth killing for?
In a frozen wasteland suffocating beneath a dying sun, Mara is a young phoenix raised by her father to explode at his command. He’s the only one who can help her control her fire, and Mara desperately follows his orders to protect their phoenix family from relentless human hunters.
Her sheltered existence is shattered when her family mysteriously vanishes, thrusting Mara into a perilous quest to find them. Along the way, she unravels a devastating truth: her people may not be the innocent victims she's been taught to believe.
When she comes face-to-face with the kindhearted Eli, she begins to wonder if the humans aren’t the monsters she's always feared. What if the greatest danger doesn’t lie in the icy world outside—but in the truth of who Mara really is?
Fire and ice collide in this thrilling tale of a phoenix girl born with the power of a dying sun.
A Darkness Returns by Raymond E. Feist
I'm always on the lookout for new (to me) epic fantasy authors, and the synopsis on this, plus the mention of time and space, makes it of interest to me.
Release Date: 20 August 2024
Publisher: HarperVoyager (HarperCollins)
Synopsis: From legendary author Raymond E. Feist, the first installment in an epic new series that will join his acclaimed Firemane Saga with his signature Riftwar Cycle in a riveting, conclusive adventure.
As worlds collide . . .
Hatushaly, last scion of the Firemane dynasty; his beloved Hava, and their dubious friend Donte have been transported across space and time from their war-torn world of Garn to the relative peace of Midkemia.
There, on Sorcerer’s Isle, under the guidance of the great magician Magnus and his reincarnated father Pug, Hatu will explore and expand his unique magical abilities: for if Garn is to be saved, they will be needed.
With the evil Pride Lords defeated, the Church of the One has risen to bring death and destruction to Hatu’s home world. The kingdom of Ilcomen has fallen, and now the Church is sending forces to Marquensas, where Daylon Dumarch has declared himself king, and master swordsmith Declan Smith finds himself suddenly raised to the status of prince and war commander.
But there are even greater menaces than the Church of the One waiting in the wings, beings from the Void, creatures born of Darkness. . .
What are some upcoming fantasy (non-romantasy) releases coming up that you're interesting in reading? I'd love to clog my TBR some more!
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