Divine Traitors by Kamilah Cole
The Midnight Lie by Marie Rutkoski
Blood Debts by Terry J. Benton-Walker
Never-Tilting World by Rin Chupeco
These Witches Don’t Burn by Isabel Sterling
Tag Archives: Fantasy
Fave Five: Sapphic Romantasy
These are all Adult. For YA, click here.
The Isle in the Silver Sea by Tasha Suri
Call Me Traitor by Everina Maxwell
Deals of Dark Desire by Ruby Roe
A Kiss of Crimson Ash by Anuja Varghese
The Thorns We Wear Inside by Amy Avery
Authors in Conversation: Trip Galey and R.D. Pires
Today on the site I’m delighted to welcome Trip Galey and R.D. Pires, authors of the upcoming Science Fantasy The Fall of the House of Valenziaga and Epic Fantasy Before the Ghost Sea, respectively! With both books launching Kickstarters this month, the authors wanted to chat about their projects, so before we get started, here’s a little more on those!
Virtus is the handsome, golden-tongued heir to House Valenziaga. He has wealth, privilege, influence, as many lovers as he could want…and his life is a living hell. His mother, the ageless Vainglory Valenziaga, is a world-breaking tyrant and she holds Virtus’ very existence firmly in a razor-manicured fist.
Not all mothers love their children; not all rulers deserve their crown.
Continue reading Authors in Conversation: Trip Galey and R.D. Pires
Exclusive Cover Reveal: The Siren’s Kiss by Leslie Vedder
Today on the site I’m delighted to welcome Leslie Vedder to reveal the cover of her upcoming Sapphic YA Fantasy, The Siren’s Kiss, releasing September 1st from Amulet/Abrams! Here’s the story:
Perfect for fans of Daughter of the Pirate King and Our Flag Means Death comes a swashbuckling YA queer romantasy about a mermaid and a pirate who reluctantly join forces to find the Sea Witch.
Dead Shot Rayleigh has spent the last three years bound to a cursed ship after crossing the sea god Red-Handed Roger. Her only hope for freedom is to find his long-ago stolen heart—which means taking on his sworn enemy, the Sea Witch.
But Rayleigh’s not the only one with a score to settle… Fiery mermaid Maren is also searching for the Sea Witch, determined to bargain for the soul of her lost brother.
When Rayleigh and Maren’s separate missions bring them together, sparks fly, and all their plans go up in flames. Now they’ll have to join forces to survive.
Find the Sea Witch. Steal the heart. And don’t fall for your enemy, no matter how irresistible she is. How hard can it be?
And here’s the gorgeous cover, designed by Micah Fleming with art by Gilded Ruin!
Leslie Vedder (she/her) is a queer ace author who loves books with girl adventurers and heroes! She grew up on fantasy books, anime, fanfiction and the Lord of the Rings movies, and her debut YA The Bone Spindle was an indie bestseller. She lives in Colorado with her wife and her spoiled house cat Fox Mulder, who believes the treats are out there.
Exclusive Cover Reveal: Hollow Magic by Mars Lauderbaugh
Today on the site, I’m delighted to reveal the cover of Mars Lauderbaugh’s Hollow Magic, a queer YA Fantasy releasing August 11, 2026 from Feiwel & Friends! Here’s the story:
Seventeen-year-old Rosefinch has been traveling along the weather-beaten coast for two years on a quest to find a witch strong enough to help her control her magic. Her magic is volatile, hard to wield, and Rosefinch is tired of the pain of magical backlash. When she’s directed to the sea-side village of Harp, she discovers the ancient castle of a long-lost Witch Queen with the inhabitants long gone; the only remaining soul is a knight encased in solid ice guarding the door.
When she attempts to lift the curse, she frees Thierry, a human with no memory of who they are, wrapped in cursed magic so strong that they cannot leave the castle. Thierry is soft spoken, strong, and in possession of a fey sword that should be impossible for them to have. But they have secrets of their own, as do other members of the Harp family still hidden within the walls.
Harp castle was left in ruins for a reason, and Rosefinch must find a way to cure the curse or lose Thierry—and the chance to learn the truth about the Witch Queen—forever.
And here’s the stunning cover, done by the incredibly talented author/artist themself!
Buy it: Bookshop | Charlie’s Queer Books | Always Here Books | Third Place Books
Exclusive Cover Reveal: Undeniable by Jes Honard and Marie Parks
Today on the site I’m delighted to welcome back Jes Honard and Marie Parks to reveal the cover of Undeniable, a paranormal thriller with an asexual MC and the second book in the Grigori Cycle, as well as the new cover of Unrelenting, which was originally revealed here! First, here’s the story behind Undeniable, which releases October 28th from Not a Pipe Press:
A lifeless body awaiting immortality.
Magic that erodes a sister’s identity.
Enemies bent on retribution.
Bridget has saved her sister, Dahlia, from imprisonment. But their reunion has come with enormous costs. Their friend was murdered in the rescue efforts, and Dahlia herself is no longer fully human.
Together, they seek to grant their friend a second chance at life. But the magic that will save him also paints a target on their backs.
As the sisters race to uncover the key to resurrection, Dahlia’s former captors pursue them—coveting the ancient powers and seeking justice for their own fallen companions.
At the same time, they must also contend with Dahlia’s immortal life, new abilities, and fracturing personality.
Undeniable is the second book in The Grigori Cycle. Multi-Hugo Award-winning author Mary Robinette Kowal called Unrelenting “a tapestry of emotion that effortlessly weaves together the threads of grief and obsession.”
Here’s the ethereal cover, illustrated by Lauren Raye Snow, with a background symbol designed by Gigi Little!
Buy Undeniable: Bookshop | Amazon | B&N
Continue reading Exclusive Cover Reveal: Undeniable by Jes Honard and Marie Parks
Exclusive Cover Reveal: Clock Hands by Marieke Nijkamp and Sylvia Bi
Today on the site I am utterly delighted to be revealing the cover of Clock Hands by Marieke Nijkamp and Sylvia Bi, a middle grade graphic novel with a nonbinary protagonist releasing April 21, 2026 from Greenwillow Books/HarperCollins! Clock Hands is a companion to Ink Girls, but can be read entirely on its own. Here’s the story:
Raising your voice can change everything.
Vale has always dreamed of being a metalworker’s apprentice. But in Siannerra, the guilds rule with an iron fist, and their apprenticeship fees are impossibly high. So Vale and their guildless family must make do with the pennies and scraps they’re able to cobble together from work on the docks or in the market.
Until Maestro Giuseppi arrives from abroad, determined to build the city’s first astronomical clock. He doesn’t care for fees or exclusionary practices—and he sees Vale’s talent. He invites Vale into his workshop, and for a while Vale believes all their dreams are coming true. But everything in Siannerra belongs to the guilds, and if anyone tries to break free, there are consequences. Sometimes the gravest of consequences. Still, Vale refuses to stop dreaming. Or fighting. With the help of their friends, they plan to take on the might of the guilds. And together, they may just be strong enough to bend iron to their will.
A stand-alone companion to the acclaimed Ink Girls.
And here’s the fabulous cover, illustrated by Sylvia Bi and designed by Sylvie Le Floc’h!
Marieke Nijkamp (she/they) is the author of Splinter & Ash; Ink Girls, a middle grade graphic novel illustrated by Sylvia Bi; as well as several books for young adults, which include #1 New York Times bestsellers, a critically acclaimed anthology, graphic novels, and comics. She studied philosophy and medieval history, and when she isn’t writing, she loves to garden, roll dice, and daydream. Marieke Nijkamp lives and writes in Small Town, the Netherlands.
Sylvia Bi is the illustrator of the graphic novel Ink Girls, written by Marieke Nijkamp, and loves drawing stories with expansive, vibrant worlds, an undercurrent of chaos, and girls running on rooftops. A graduate of Rhode Island School of Design, she explores and shares diverse stories and experiences through the power of a (digital) pen. She is also a book designer, a frog enthusiast, and an avid earring collector. Sylvia Bi lives in Brooklyn, New York.
Exclusive Cover Reveal: One Morning Sun by Avi Silver
Today on the site, I’m delighted to welcome back Avi Silver to reveal the cover of One Morning Sun, the final book in the polyamorous and aroace YA fantasy Sãoni Cycle trilogy, releasing September 23, 2025! Here’s the story:
Sohmeng Parminhal is ready to face the unknown.
The mountain community of Ateng is safe at last, but Sohmeng and her partners have a new challenge ahead: defending Gãepongwei from the invading Qiao Sidhur Empire. While Soh is convinced that open conversation can turn her adversaries into allies, Prince Ahnschen isn’t so sure. His older sister, the charming and ruthless General Ólawen, has never been one to concede defeat.
With the future of the rainforest at stake, the hmun are uniting for the first time in living memory—and the animal kingdom has its part to play. But as self-appointed guardian of Eiji, Hei questions if the relationship between humans and sãoni is indeed symbiotic as they walk the line between skin and scales.
The dark of Minhal is coming. Inside that darkness, infinite possibility. In the final heartfelt chapter of the Sãoni Cycle, Hei, Ahn, and Sohmeng must decide their place in the perfect system, and become who the world needs each of them to be.
And here’s the gorgeous cover by Haley Rose!
In celebration of the Sãoni Cycle’s conclusion, The Shale Project is holding a giveaway on The StoryGraph! Enter to win one of 50 digital copies of Two Dark Moons, the first volume in the trilogy. Giveaway closes July 18, 2025.
New to the series? Recommended to anyone who needs a little more hope in their storytelling. Set in a queernormative, gender-diverse world (and with a fantasy astrology system to match!), Two Dark Moons is about environmental stewardship, unconventional relationships, and capable teens changing their world. Plus, giant lizards.
Avi Silver is a speculative author, poet, editor, and co-founder of The Shale Project. One Morning Sun, the finale of their Sãoni Cycle trilogy is forthcoming September 2025. They are also author of the 2023 Aurora Award-nominated novella, Pluralities. Their poetry has been published in Strange Horizons and Uncanny Magazine, and received an honorable mention in the 2022 Rhysling Awards. Find their short fiction in Common Bonds: An Aromantic Speculative Anthology and Nothing Without Us Too. Avi currently lives in St. Thomas, ON with creative and life partner Sienna Tristen.
Exclusive Cover Reveal: The Keeper of Magical Things by Julie Leong
Today on the site I’m delighted to help reveal the stunning cover of The Keeper of Magical Things by Julie Leong, a Sapphic Fantasy releasing from Ace on October 14, 2025! Here’s the story:
An almost-mage discovers friendship—and maybe something more—in the unlikeliest of places in this delightfully charming novel from the author of The Teller of Small Fortunes.
Certainty Bulrush wants to be useful—to the Guild of Mages that took her in as a novice, to the little brother who depends on her, and to anyone else she can help. Unfortunately, her tepid magic hasn’t proven much use to anyone. When Certainty has the chance to earn her magehood via a seemingly straightforward assignment, she takes it. Nevermind that she’ll have to work with Mage Aurelia, the brilliant, unfairly attractive overachiever who’s managed to alienate everyone around her.
The two must transport minorly magical artifacts somewhere safe: Shpelling, the dullest, least magical village around. There, they must fix up an old warehouse, separate the gossipy teapots from the kind-of-flaming swords, corral an unruly little catdragon who has tagged along, and above all: avoid complications. The Guild’s uneasy relationship with citizens is at a tipping point, and the last thing needed is a magical incident.
Still, as mage and novice come to know Shpelling’s residents—and each other—they realize the Guild’s hoarded magic might do more good being shared. Friendships blossom while Certainty and Aurelia work to make Shpelling the haven it could be. But magic is fickle—add attraction and it might spell trouble.
And here’s the magically stunning cover, designed by Katie Anderson and illustrated by Devin Elle Kurtz!
Julie Leong is a Chinese-Malaysian-American fantasy author who grew up across both New Jersey and Beijing, China. She studied economics and political science at Yale and works in tech, but she has always nurtured a deep love for sci-fi/fantasy beneath her corporate exterior. Julie lives in San Francisco with her husband Drew, their rescue pup Kaya, and a magical Meyer lemon tree in the backyard that somehow always has ripe lemons. When she’s not writing, she enjoys making unnecessary spreadsheets and flambéing things.
Fave Five: Fiction with Sapphic Knights
The Afterward by E.K. Johnston (YA)
Where Shadows Bloom by Catherine Bakewell (YA)
A Knight to Remember by Bridget Essex
The Fireborne Blade by Charlotte Bond
Her Pretty Knight by Mariah Rae Birch
Bonus: Coming in June 2025, Lady’s Knight by Amie Kaufman and Megan Spooner (YA)
Double Bonus: For two MG series with nonbinary knights, check out Splinter & Ash by Marieke Nijkamp and Sir Callie by Esme Symes-Smith