Science Fiction & Fantasy
The Genesis of Misery
By Neon Yang
Misery Nomaki, possessed of vast powers, is thrust into the limelight when the people in the moon colony where she lives, start to think of her as the Last Messiah. Now she must confront the path laid before her: a war between the Faithful and the Heretics, and she is at the center of it all. She is this generation’s Joan of Arc—in space! I loved the fresh approach to LGBTQ+ representation. Highly recommended for anyone who loves a futuristic twist on a classic tale.
—Kailey Jo
The Hollow Kind
By Andy Davidson
Andy Davidson (The Boatman’s Daughter) returns with another Southern Gothic horror tale to make your skin crawl. A long-lost granddaughter and her son inherit a foreboding Georgia estate haunted by an ancient evil, and the family secrets begin to unravel. Davidson makes his prose slither and lurch through the pages as he marches you through the cursed soil of Redfern Hill, where both human and inhumane evils tear a family apart. —Josuè
Thistlefoot
By GennaRose Nethercott
When Baba Yaga’s great-grandchildren inherit her house—complete with chicken feet—the two estranged siblings are forced to confront the generational traumas that have been haunting their family. With its stunning prose and hilarious dialogue, this novel about memories and magic is one of my favorites of the year. —Zoe
The Spare Man
By Mary Robinette Kowal
This was so much fun! A Martian cruise. An incognito heiress (with chronic pain and PTSD) and her definitely-retired-PI spouse on honeymoon. A murder, and said retired-PI arrested for the crime. Secrets, false identities, robots, cocktails, and the adorabl-est service dog. Mary Robinette Kowal has crafted the most fun whodunnit I’ve read since The Thin Man, in a beautiful, inclusive, space-born future. I hope this is just the beginning of Tesla Crane and Shal, but meanwhile, join me in reveling in this delightful caper. —Jocelyn
Lonely Castle in the Mirror
By Mizuki Tsujimura,
Translated by Philip Gabriel
Finally translated into English, this moving, award-winning Japanese novel follows the lives of the girl Kokoro and six other students as they are pulled from their disconnected lives into a fantastical sanctuary. This novel chronicles the cyclical nature of loneliness with playful prose and emphasizes the need we all share for human connection. Fans of Ruth Ozeki, Sayaka Murata, and Helen Oyeyemi will feel at home in the prose and themes and will put this book down feeling hopeful for the chance at connection we all have within each other. —Brooks
Station Eternity
By Mur Lafferty
This is a wild whodunit. A locked room intergalactic murder. A sentient space station that’s having an identity crisis. Strange aliens including symbionts and hive minds. Our hero, Mallory, is an amateur sleuth by necessity. Death seems to follow her everywhere, including into space. This is a great start to a new series by the talented author Mur Lafferty. Once again, she hits the sweet spot between sci-fi and mystery. —Trey
The Story of the Hundred Promises
By Neil Cochrane
This elegant, gentle, and above all fiercely loving tale of a trans man’s gratitude to a mysterious Enchanter will captivate any fan of fantasy retellings. I had to stop many times and take a do-not-cry-in-public break at philosophical musings just a little too poignant and quiet moments just a little too personal, wondering repeatedly at the fact that my own experiences were suddenly reflected so easily. A long-needed warm embrace of a book. —Yves
Dead Man’s Hand
By James J. Butcher
James J. Butcher’s debut novel is fast-paced and just plain fun. In this urban fantasy, a young man must throw out the rule book to find the killer of his former mentor. An action-packed murder mystery with magic—really, what more could you want? —Zoe