Must-Have Monday #247
Must-Have Monday is a feature highlighting which of the coming week’s new releases I’m excited for. It is not meant to be a comprehensive list of all books being published that week; only those I’m interested in out of those I’m aware of! The focus is diverse SFF, but other stuff sneaks in occasionally too.
FIFTEEN books this week!
(Books are listed in order of pub date, then Adult SFF, Adult Other, YA SFF, YA Other, MG SFF.)
Birth of a Dynasty by Chinaza Bado Genres: Adult, Fantasy
Representation: West African-inspired setting and cast
Published on: 29th July 2025
Goodreads
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Combining the political intrigue of She Who Became the Sun with the gorgeous world-building of Children of Blood and Bone, Birth of a Dynasty is the start of a thrilling epic fantasy trilogy centered around three families’ fight for power in Ahkebulin, a land where magic is feared, giants are real, and prophecy holds sway.
We shall not forgive. We shall not forget. We will have our vengeance.
After witnessing the massacre of everyone he’s ever known and loved, M’Kuru Mukundi, the sole surviving member of the High Noble House Mukundi of Madada, vows revenge. M’kuru flees to a small village where he hides under the guise of farm boy Khalil Rausi… unaware that the real Khalil’s father is the bloodthirsty General of Zenzele army, and under the direction of the King’s scheming son, Prince Effiom, was responsible for the murder of M’kuru’s people. When an imposter claiming to be M’kuru shows up in the village, the real M’kuru—now Khalil—must bide his time amongst his enemies, pretending to be everything that he hates in order to get vengeance.
In another part of the country where giants roam free, young Zikora Nnamani, the only daughter of Lord Nnamani, knows nothing of political intrigue—she wants little more than to be a fierce Seh Llinga warrior. But a well-known prophecy places too much potential power on her small shoulders, and—as far as Prince Effiom and the King know—she is the only living threat to their dynasty ruling forever. However, when a messenger arrives to “invite” Zikora to stay at the palace, her family is not in a position to refuse. Before she is taken away, she begins The Rite of Blessing, a magical inheritance that she will need to learn how to use, but that may also bring the world one step closer to the completion of the prophecy that Prince Effiom so fears.
Between scheming ladies at court, backstabbing princes on the prowl, and paranoid kings, M’kuru and Zikora must do what they can, no matter how terrible, to save their people and claim vengeance for their families. But they are just two young people against an entire kingdom—and a prophecy destined to thwart their dreams—and the last thing they can do is trust anyone…even each other.
I’ve heard very mixed things, but I can’t stop staring at that cover! Can I have it as a poster???
The Memory Hunters (The Consecrated, #1) by Mia Tsai Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Sapphic brown MC, bisexual MC, secondary bisexual and MLM characters
Published on: 29th July 2025
Goodreads
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Inception meets Indiana Jones in this propulsive fungal science fantasy following a headstrong academic and her equally stubborn bodyguard as they unearth an ancient secret that rocks the foundations of their society—and challenges their unspoken love for one another.
Kiana Strade can dive deeper into blood memories than anyone alive. But instead of devoting her talents to the temple she’s meant to lead, Key wants to do research for the Museum of Human Memory. . . and to avoid the public eye.
Valerian IV's twin swords protect Key from murderous rivals and her own enthusiasm alike. Vale cares about Key as a friend—and maybe more—but most of all, she needs to keep her job so she can support her parents and siblings in the storm-torn south.
But when Key collects a memory that diverges from official history, only Vale sees the fallout. Key’s mentor suspiciously dismisses the finding; her powerful mother demands she stop research altogether. And Key, unusually affected by the memory, begins to lose moments, then minutes, then days.
As Vale becomes increasingly entangled in Key’s obsessive drive for answers, the women uncover a shattering discovery—and a devastating betrayal. Key and Vale can remain complicit, or they can jeopardize everything for the truth.
Either way, Key is becoming consumed by the past in more ways than one, and time is running out.
I really enjoyed Tsai’s debut, but didn’t click with this one. Many other readers did, though!
Blood Slaves by Markus Redmond Genres: Adult, Horror
Representation: Black cast
Published on: 22nd July 2025
Goodreads
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What if a mystifying revolt precluded the Civil War and changed history as we know it? The vampire origin story is brilliantly reimagined in this terrifying novel of ancient lore, startling revenge, and immortal emancipation in eighteenth-century America.
In the Province of Carolina, 1710, freedom seems unattainable for Willie, for his beloved Gertie, and for their unborn child. They live, suffer, and toil under their brutal master, James “Big Jim” Barrow, whose grand plantation was built by the blood, sweat, and tears of the enslaved. To flee this hell on earth is be hunted and killed. Until one strange night Willie is offered a dark hope by Rafazi, an enigmatic slave with an irresistible and blood-chilling path to liberation.
Hailing from the Kingdom of Ghana, Rafazi is the lone survivor of the Ramanga, an African vampire tribe rendered nearly extinct by plague. Rafazi has roamed the world for centuries with an undying desire to replenish the power that once defined his heritage. In Willie, Rafazi has found his first biddable subject to be turned and to help in a hungry revolt. And Willie desires nothing more than to free his people from malicious bondage. Whatever it takes.
One by one, as an army of blood slaves thirsting for revenge is gathered, the headstrong Gertie fears that no good can come from the vampiric legacy that courses through Rafazi’s veins. Willie knows that only evil can fight evil. And when the woman he loves stands between the reemergence of the Ramanga and the justified slaughter of the oppressors, Willie must make an irreversible decision. Only one thing is certain: on the Barrow plantation, and beyond, blood will spill.
Part historical drama, part supernatural horror, and part alternate history, Blood Slaves is an ingenuous and defiant new creation myth of the vampire, one rooted in both justice and the sometimes-violent means necessary to achieve it.
I DNFed this, but mostly because it was too gory and horrific for me, not because it was objectively bad. Still a ridiculously cool premise!
The God Slayers (Manifestation Magician) by Patrick Bryce Wright Genres: Adult, Queer Protagonists, Science Fantasy
Representation: Trans Asian-American MC
Published on: 29th July 2025
Goodreads
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When gods fall... humanity rises.
In the dystopian year 2095, Kenzie Okuda flees the stifling theocracy of the United Republic of America, seeking refuge in the United States where magic is not condemned but embraced as a scientific marvel. As a transman, Kenzie hopes for acceptance and access to the freedom he deserves. Little does he know that this magical haven is about to face its darkest hour.
A mysterious sorcerer unleashes a malevolent force akin to Satan upon the enchanted halls of the magic university, sending shockwaves through the campus. Kenzie, alongside a diverse group of friends, discovers that their individual magical talents may hold the key to stopping the demonic onslaught. However, the elusive caster remains hidden, casting a shadow of despair over their efforts.
Amidst the chaos, Reverend John Paul Smith, Jr., the supreme religious ruler of the URA, arrives, exploiting the chaos to further his own agenda. He proclaims the attack as divine retribution, aiming to impose a tyrannical regime on the U.S. and snuff out the burgeoning magical community.
As Kenzie and his friends form a student taskforce to uncover the truth, they unearth hidden secrets that plunge them into a world darker than they could have ever imagined. Simultaneously, Rev. Smith seeks to fan the flames of a holy revolution, threatening to turn the U.S. into a mirror image of the oppressive URA.
To thwart the impending catastrophe, Kenzie and his friends must unveil the true extent of their powers and forge an unbreakable alliance. Only by facing the shadows within themselves can they hope to confront the external forces that threaten to plunge both their magical haven and newfound freedom into eternal darkness. The battle for liberation, identity, and the very essence of magic itself unfolds in this gripping tale of rebellion and self-discovery.
On the one hand, I’m excited for science fantasy, which we get too little of; on the other hand, this is apparently set in a sort of Christian Nationalist USA? Post a second civil war? Not sure it’ll be my cup of tea, but I’d like to give it a go!
Beasts of Carnaval by Rosália Rodrigo Genres: Adult, Fantasy
Representation: Puerto Rican-inspired setting and cast
Published on: 29th July 2025
Goodreads
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When night descends, el Carnaval de Bestias rises.
They come chasing paradise…
Within the shores of Isla Bestia, guests from around the world discover a utopia of ever-changing performances, sumptuous feasts and beautiful monsters. Many enter, but few ever leave—the wine is simply too sweet, the music too fine and the revelry endless.
Sofía, a freedwoman from a nearby colonized island, cares little for this revelry. Born an enslaved mestiza on a tobacco plantation, she has neither wealth nor title, only a scholarly pragmatism and a hunger for answers. She travels to el Carnaval de Bestias in search of her twin brother, who disappeared five years ago.
There’s a world of wonder waiting for her on the shores of this legendary island, one wherein conquerors profit from Sofia’s ancestral lands and her people’s labor. But surrounded by her former enslavers, she finds something familiar in the performances—whispers of the island’s native tongue, music and stories from her Taike’ri ancestors…a culture long hidden in the shadows, thrust into the light.
As the nights pass, her mind begins unraveling, drowning in the unnatural, almost sentient thrall of Carnaval. And the sense that someone is watching her grows. To find her brother and break free, Sofia must peel back the glamorous curtain and face those behind Carnaval, before she too loses herself to the island…
Most of the reviews I’ve seen for this have been really positive, though I admit it didn’t work for me.
A Covenant of Ice (The Crowns of Ishia, #3) by Karin Lowachee Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Indigenous MC, MLM Indigenous MC, MLM amputee MC
Published on: 29th July 2025
Goodreads
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The exciting conclusion to the gunslinging dragonrider trilogy!
After years of separation, Havinger Lilley has finally reunited with his lover, Janan. He now hopes to heal from the experience that changed his life forever: being bonded to the soul of a king dragon and to the man Raka who died to save it. But this bond is consuming him, making his thoughts and feelings not his own.
Compelled by this to return to the frozen north that was once Raka’s home, Lilley and his companions Janan and Meka make the arduous journey toward a confrontation with the power-hungry Kattakans that could result in another devastating war.
In this final chapter of *The Crowns of Ishia *series, the survival of the Ba’Suon people, their dragons, and the land itself rests on the decisions of Lilley, Janan and Meka.
I’ve adored this trilogy and am so excited for the finale – but I don’t want it to be over!
My review of book one, The Mountain Crown !
The Lighthouse at the Edge of the World by J.R. Dawson Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: F/F
Published on: 29th July 2025
Goodreads
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The Lighthouse at the Edge of the World by J. R. Dawson is a powerful and poignant contemporary queer fantasy. Perfect for fans of Hadestown and Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune.
Love doesn’t die, people do . . .
At the edge of Chicago, nestled on the shores of Lake Michigan, there is a waystation for the dead. Every night, the newly-departed travel through the city to the Station, guided by its lighthouse. There, they reckon with their lives, before stepping aboard a boat to go beyond.
Nera has spent decades watching her father – the ferryman of the dead – sail across the lake, each night just like the last.
But tonight, something is wrong.
The Station's lighthouse has started to flicker out. The terrifying, ghostly Haunts have multiplied in the city. And now a person – a living person has found her way onto the boat.
Her name is Charlie. She followed a song. And she is searching for someone she lost.
From the author of The First Bright Thing, The Lighthouse at the Edge of the World is a moving and emotional story of magic, family and those who leave us alone - but who might not remain lost.
I didn’t get along with Dawson’s debut, but there was enough promise in it that I knew I wanted to check out her future books. And now we get a new standalone from her! I’m cautiously interested.
Angel Down by Daniel Kraus Genres: Adult, Horror
Published on: 29th July 2025
Goodreads
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The critically acclaimed author of the “crazily enjoyable” (The New York Times) Whalefall returns with an immersive, cinematic novel about five World War I soldiers who stumble upon a fallen angel that could hold the key to ending the war.
Private Cyril Bagger has managed to survive the unspeakable horrors of the Great War through his wits and deception, swindling fellow soldiers at every opportunity. But his survival instincts are put to the ultimate test when he and four other grunts are given a deadly venture into the perilous No Man’s Land to euthanize a wounded comrade.
What they find amid the ruined battlefield, however, is not a man in need of mercy but a fallen angel, seemingly struck down by artillery fire. This celestial being may hold the key to ending the brutal conflict, but only if the soldiers can suppress their individual desires and work together. As jealousy, greed, and paranoia take hold, the group is torn apart by their inner demons, threatening to turn their angelic encounter into a descent into hell.
Angel Down plunges you into the heart of World War I and weaves a polyphonic tale of survival, supernatural wonder, and moral conflict.
I love non-fluffy angels, and I suspect one that is at the centre of WW1 horror story will be anything but cherubic!
Bones at the Crossroads (Blood at the Root, #2) by LaDarrion Williams Genres: Fantasy, Contemporary or Urban Fantasy, YA
Representation: Black MC
Published on: 29th July 2025
Goodreads
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In the sequel to the explosive, instant New York Times bestseller Blood at the Root, Malik returns to Caiman University, the HBCU for the young, Black, and magical, only to find new dangers and new secrets.
It's his freshman year at Caiman University, and all 17-year-old Malik wants to do is be a normal college student. Go to parties, choose a major, talk to girls, and learn some new magic.
But instead, he's reeling from a summer of discovery, loss and betrayal, and still uncovering the truth about his powers and his legacy as the descendant of a powerful magical lineage. The family he only just discovered is already fractured beyond repair, and the mother he thought he knew—and risked everything to find—might be the biggest danger to the new life he's building. Malik is trying to find his footing in a world threatened by intertribal tension and the rising power of the Bokors. But how he can he use his power to protect a world he's not sure he'll ever fully belong to...
In a wholly unique and electric saga of magic, heritage, and community, Malik confronts the dark cracks of the magical world, and the darkness in himself. Exploring the roots and secrets that connect us in an unforgettable contemporary setting, this heart-pounding fantasy series is a rich tapestry of atmosphere, intrigue, and emotion.
This is the sequel to last year’s Blood at the Root, which I’ve seen recced for fans of Legendborn!
The Fall Before Flight by Kristine Castillo Negron Genres: Adult, Fantasy
Representation: Amputee MC, queer MC with asthma
Published on: 30th July 2025
Goodreads
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Rhu Farrier is determined to save her best friend and end the war between the Risen Union and the Kedrel Empire. She isn’t about to let losing a leg stop her.
Two thousand years after a powerful mage Lessened dragons from enormous beasts to scaled humanoids, war ravages the land of Obsthea once again. Rhu’s mission is kill the Kedrelli emperor, no matter the cost. But when Rhu loses her leg in battle, her best friend Loren is sent to complete the mission in her stead. Rhu and Loren both know he won’t make it to the Kedrel capital alive. He’s not an assassin. He’s a simple soldier—honest and forthright and a terrible liar. Despite her new disability, Rhu journeys to Kedrel to help Loren complete the assassination that should have been hers to carry out.
Daxian Cloud is a loyal dragon. Not like the Oathbreakers—rebels who have forsaken the Oath of Servitude all dragons took during the Lessening. A dragon without the Oath is a dragon without honor. So, when Oathbreakers strike his mistress’s estate, Daxian doesn’t question the order to execute them. Until the hood falls from an Oathbreaker’s face. Until his beloved little sister is revealed to be one of them.
Everest Naught is a frail, asthmatic orphan—a little "nothing" in the world. When he meets a blacksmith's apprentice, his lonely life changes. Everest longs to be powerful, to be more than nothing. But when the time comes to make sacrifices, is Everest prepared for them now that he has something to lose?
The lives of millions depend upon the decisions of these three disparate people. But are the oaths they made to the world ones they can keep?
Wait wait wait, not only do we get dragons, we get a dragon for a pov character?!
The Tree Who Lived: Tales from the Digital Dryad by Jennifer Kyrnin Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Contemporary or Urban Fantasy
Published on: 30th July 2025
Goodreads
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The Tree Who Lived – Tales from the Digital Dryad
A short story collection of eco-fantasy, magical realism, and ancient spirits in a modern world.
Dryads still walk among us.
They whisper through fiber-optic roots. They bloom in forgotten corners of concrete jungles. And in these nine powerful tales, they fight to survive—and to connect.
In this collection of speculative fiction blending fantasy and environmental themes, dryads adapt to our changing world with fierce grace. From a grove threatened by invasive fungus to a dryad who loses her tree on 9/11, these stories reimagine mythology for the digital age.
Can a dryad survive when her bonded tree is destroyed in the heart of New York City?
Will a young boy's telepathic connection with a houseplant reveal a new language of empathy?
What happens when ancient nature magic meets invasive algorithms and urban sprawl?
For fans of The Hidden Life of Trees, The Overstory, and The Paper Menagerie, this eco-magical short story collection blends nature, technology, and heart.
Step into the world of the Digital Dryad, where deep roots hold ancient wisdom—and every connection has power.
I don’t read UF too often… but mostly because very little of it actually gives me real urban magic. But dryads with fiber-optic roots?! YES PLEASE!
The Needfire by M.K. Hardy Genres: Adult, Horror, Queer Protagonists
Representation: F/F
Published on: 31st July 2025
Goodreads
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A Scottish sapphic Gothic horror debut for fans of Rebecca and The Hacienda.
You are afraid of the border places. You are afraid of the fork in the road.
Fleeing her mistakes in Glasgow for a marriage of convenience, Norah Mackenzie’s new home on an estate far in the north of Scotland is a chance for freedom, a fresh start. But in the dim, draughty corridors of Corrain House, something is very wrong. Despite their warm correspondence, her distant, melancholic husband does not seem to know her. She is plagued by ghost ships on the sea, spectres at the corner of her eye, by winding, grasping roots. Her only possible companion, the housekeeper Agnes Gunn, is by turns unnerving and alluring, and harbours uncanny secrets of her own.
As the foundations crumble beneath her feet, Norah must uncover the truth about Corrain House, her husband, Agnes, and herself, if she is to find the freedom she has been chasing.
I’ve heard so much pre-release praise for this! We’ve been promised top-tier yearning, a little bit of witchcraft, and female rage!
The Elysium Heist by Y.M. Resnik Genres: Adult, Queer Protagonists, Sci Fi
Representation: F/F
Published on: 31st July 2025
Goodreads
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A queer sci-fi heist for fans of Ocean’s 8 and Lady Eve’s Last Con!
The Elysium is a decadent, artificially intelligent, space casino where no pleasure is denied to patrons that can afford to pay. It’s easy to rack up debt, and the casino will always find a way to collect. Nobody knows this better than Psalome Shipmen, The Elysium’s highest earning hostess who is stuck working endless hours to pay off the debt she inherited from her deadbeat, gambler father. She’ll endure years of service before she earns her way out. Unless she can figure out how to rob the casino. Pull off the job, and she walks free that very night.
Joining her on the heist crew are a disgraced heiress seeking to rescue her family business, a recovering alcoholic card counter, a religious Jew whose husband refuses to grant her a divorce, and Psalome’s little sister who is dating The Elysium’s artificial intelligence. When sparks fly between Psalome and the would-be divorcee, her abusive husband threatens to drag her back to their home planet as his property. Meanwhile, the little sister struggles to reconcile her loyalty to Psalome with her desire to protect her romantic partner, The Elysium. To make matters worse, the card shark is drinking again and the heiress has a severe case of PTSD triggered by The Elysium’s many security cameras.
If Psalome can’t find a way to keep everyone from self imploding, she can kiss her freedom, her girlfriend, and her sister’s trust, goodbye.
This sounds like an IMMENSE amount of fun!
Hedesa (Tuyo #10) by Rachel Neumeier Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Epic Fantasy
Published on: 2nd August 2025
Goodreads
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Into the Starlit Land
Tano knew his people would need to return to the starlit country -- and he knew his friend Raga would be among those who crossed the mountains into that lovely and mysterious land. Where Raga goes, Tano will certainly go as well.
He looks forward to the journey -- mostly. He's almost certain every Ugaro who accompanies the expedition can be trusted, and he's almost certain the Lau who come along won't cause too much trouble. Most of all, Tano knows the gentle people of the starlit land offer no threat at all. Everyone knows the Tarashana are harmless ...
I am not caught up on this series, so I can’t dive right into Hedesa, but I mean to get to it asap! THEY’RE GOING BACK TO THE STARLIT LANDS AHHHH!
Will you be reading any of these? Did I miss any releases you think I should know about? Let me know!
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