[How it Works](https://notsowellread.binderybooks.com/how-it-works/) [Bookshop](https://notsowellread.binderybooks.com/books/bindery/) [Publishing](https://notsowellread.binderybooks.com/publishing/) [Team](https://notsowellread.binderybooks.com/team/) [Contact](https://notsowellread.binderybooks.com/contact/) Log in or Sign up The Incandescent Emily Tesh Save to Your Books [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/88231/9781250835017) [Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/1250835011) 100% of affiliate revenue supports Not So Well Read Naomi Novik's _Scholomance_ series meets _Plain Bad Heroines_ in this sapphic dark academia fantasy by instant national and international bestselling author Emily Tesh, winner of the Hugo and World Fantasy Awards. > “Look at you, eating magic like you're one of us.” Doctor Walden is the Director of Magic at Chetwood School and one of the most powerful magicians in England. Her days consist of meetings, teaching A-Level Invocation to four talented, chaotic sixth formers, more meetings, and securing the school's boundaries from demonic incursions. **Walden is good at her job—no, Walden is great at her job.** But demons are masters of manipulation. It’s her responsibility to keep her school with its six hundred students and centuries-old legacy safe. And it’s possible the entity Walden most needs to keep her school safe from—is herself. Show more Get the Bindery app * * * Posts about this title from Not So Well Read [Not So Well Read\\ \\ Courtney\\ \\ • May 28 2025](https://notsowellread.binderybooks.com/) [Four Fantasy Books I've Loved Recently](https://notsowellread.binderybooks.com/item/du9iAMr5lsPBDxpzeDZb/) 2025 has been and will continue to be an incredible year for fantasy! I typically mix up my genres, but this year’s releases have been so good that I can’t leave the fantasy genre unless someone forces me to. Here are 2 new releases, 1 quickly approaching release, and 1 fall release that I’ve absolutely adored. #fantasybookstagram #fantasybookrecs #fantasybook #fantasybooklover #bookstacks * * * 4 books 1 [Not So Well Read\\ \\ Courtney\\ \\ • May 11 2025](https://notsowellread.binderybooks.com/) [The Incandescent by Emily Tesh](https://notsowellread.binderybooks.com/item/MrNeoNSdawGd9d9Y6xZR/) Have you ever wondered what the heck was going on in the minds of all the professors at your favorite magic schools? If so, add The Incandescent to your TBR immediately! This book is basically my entire personality. It’s got a protagonist with major Emily Wilde vibes, a magic school that’s just as deadly as The Scholomance, an incredible evocation-based magic system…. AND IT’S SAPPHIC!!! I have absolutely torn through this book with the same ferocity of a centuries-old demonic entity. And luckily, it’s out Tuesday (5/13) so you can too! * * * 1 book [Not So Well Read\\ \\ Courtney\\ \\ • Mar 23 2025](https://notsowellread.binderybooks.com/) [2025 Summer Fantasy Book Releases](https://notsowellread.binderybooks.com/item/QTSZd5QPwCmREtMe2uap/) Y’all… May, June, and July is absolutely stacked with incredible fantasy/dark academia/romantasy releases. And, this is only the stack I’m fortunate enough to have a physical ARC of. There are like 8 more that I’m reading on my kindle right now. Hope you all are taking lots of vacation days, because summer reading is going to be very, very time consuming this year. What release are you most excited about? * * * 6 books 1 Posts about this book from across Bindery [ofpagesandprint\\ \\ Dahlia\\ \\ • Jun 22](https://ofpagesandprint.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [With a little over a week left in June, I wanted to share some more of my favorite LGBTQIA+ reads to continue the celebration:\\ \\ - _Aunt Tigress_ by Emily Yu-Xuan Qin - A creative, compelling, and strange (complimentary) urban fantasy with Chinese and First Nation mythology.\\ \\ - _The Manor of Dreams_ by Christina Li - A twisty, haunting gothic thriller with sapphic love, family drama, and a haunted garden.\\ \\ - _Roar of the Lambs_ by Jamison Shea - A dark, mysterious, and propulsive YA speculative thriller, perfect for fans of Andrew Joseph White.\\ \\ - _The Phoenix Keeper_ by S.A. MacLean - A cozy, sweet, and whimsical fantasy set in a magical zoo.\\ \\ - _The Devourer_ by Alison Ames - An addictive and cinematic YA fantasy with monsters and seaswept adventure.\\ \\ - _A Bánh Mì for Two_ by Trinity Nguyen - A sweet and tender YA contemporary romance set in Vietnam with mouth-watering food descriptions.\\ \\ - _The Girls I've Been_ by Tess Sharpe - A twisty, gripping YA thriller following the daughter of a con artist, perfect for fans of Lana Del Rey's "Doin' Time."\\ \\ - _Nobody in Particular_ by Sophie Gonzales - A witty and romantic YA contemporary romance set at an all-girls boarding school.\\ \\ - _Every Exquisite Thing_ by Laura Steven - A sharp, riveting YA retelling of _The Picture of Dorian Grey._\\ \\ - _Vesuvius_ by Cass Biehn - A captivating, immersive YA historical fantasy set in ancient Pompeii, perfect for fans of _The Song of Achilles_ and _They Both Die at the End_.\\ \\ - _The Incandescent_ by Emily Tesh - An atmospheric, spellbinding, and action-packed dark academia fantasy.\\ \\ - _Everything She Does Is Magic_ by Bridget Morrissey - A delightful, bewitching YA contemporary fantasy with magic and spooky joy, perfect to celebrate Summerween.\\ \\ - _This Is How You Lose the Time War_ by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone - A compelling, captivating, and propulsive epistolary SFF novel.\\ \\ - _Immortal Game_ by Allison Saft - An enrapturing, atmospheric YA contemporary fantasy with Irish folklore, chess, and romance.\\ \\ - _Maybe Tomorrow I'll Know_ by Alex Ritany - A gripping, heartfelt, and poignant YA speculative romance.\\ \\ - _Nemesis Mine_ by Amy Archer - A hilarious, charming, and magical cozy fantasy, perfect for fans of _Red, White & Royal Blue_ and _Legends & Lattes_.\\ \\ - _If All the Stars Go Dark_ by S.G. Prince - A cinematic, adventurous YA sci-fi novel with found family.\\ \\ \\ Happy Pride Month, and let me know what you're reading this month! 🫶\\ \\ Join for free or login](https://ofpagesandprint.binderybooks.com/item/DwITJCHxOnvG3Fzm5sze/) [Must-Reads for Pride Month (pt. 2)! 🌈](https://ofpagesandprint.binderybooks.com/item/DwITJCHxOnvG3Fzm5sze/) * * * 17 books 3 [ofpagesandprint\\ \\ Dahlia\\ \\ • Jun 11](https://ofpagesandprint.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [Happy Pride Month! To celebrate, I wanted to share some stories I love written by and/or featuring queer authors and characters:\\ \\ - _No Body No Crime_ by Tess Sharpe - An exhilarating thriller with cinematic adventure and a delightful sapphic romance.\\ \\ - _The Bone Spindle_ by Leslie Vedder - An action-packed and heartfelt YA retelling of “Sleeping Beauty,” perfect for fans of Indiana Jones.\\ \\ - _A Million to One_ by Adiba Jaigirdar - A simultaneously heartwarming and heart-wrenching YA historical novel set on the Titanic with a riveting heist and sapphic love.\\ \\ - _Anderson in Bloom_ by Jennifer Dugan - A fun, sexy second-chance sapphic romance with a hilarious cast and vivid small-town setting.\\ \\ - _The Incandescent_ by Emily Tesh - An atmospheric, enchanting dark academia fantasy with an addictive sapphic romance and captivating magic system.\\ \\ - _Hell’s Heart_ by Alexis Hall - A creative, strange (complimentary), and fever dream-esque sci-fi retelling of _Moby-Dick_.\\ \\ - _The Resurrectionist_ by A. Rae Dunlap - A gripping, gothic historical fiction novel with murder and a dark academia atmosphere set in Scotland, 1828.\\ \\ - _To the Bone_ by Alena Bruzas - A heartbreaking and unsettling YA historical fiction novel with a tender sapphic romance and powerful portrayal of Colonial America.\\ \\ - _An Arcane Study of Stars_ by Sydney J. Shields - A sweeping, irresistible dark academia fantasy set in a queer-normative world.\\ \\ - _No Better Than Beasts_ by Z.R. Ellor - A vicious, darkly mesmerizing retelling of "The Nutcracker."\\ \\ - _Lies We Sing to the Sea_ by Sarah Underwood - An achingly beautiful and wildly entertaining fantasy infused with Greek mythology, love, and tragedy.\\ \\ - _This Ravenous Fate_ by Hayley Dennings - A sumptuous yet gritty YA historical fantasy set in Jazz Age Harlem with vampires, sapphic romance, and female rage.\\ \\ - _The Marble Queen_ by Anna Kopp; illustrated by Gabrielle Kari - A swoony, stunning YA fantasy graphic novel with gorgeous illustrations and sapphic romance.\\ \\ - _Girl, Goddess, Queen_ by Bea Fitzgerald - An empowering, romantic, and fierce YA retelling of Hades and Persephone.\\ \\ \\ What are you reading this Pride Month? 🫶\\ \\ Join for free or login](https://ofpagesandprint.binderybooks.com/item/zLPynZGKuwgnS4QVVgIa/) [Must-Reads for Pride Month (pt. 1)! 🌈](https://ofpagesandprint.binderybooks.com/item/zLPynZGKuwgnS4QVVgIa/) * * * 14 books 5 [Ezeekat Press\\ \\ Jaysen\\ \\ • Jul 28 2025](https://ezeekat.binderybooks.com/) Join for free \\ \\ Upgrade for $5 or login](https://ezeekat.binderybooks.com/item/46z5Z6ca0FBLW70xJNw8/) [VOTE NOW - September Book Club Poll](https://ezeekat.binderybooks.com/item/46z5Z6ca0FBLW70xJNw8/) * * * 5 books [4](https://ezeekat.binderybooks.com/item/46z5Z6ca0FBLW70xJNw8/#comments) [The Inkborne Society\\ \\ Azhangia\\ \\ • May 29 2025](https://azhangia.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [**My Top 5 of the Month** \\ \\ ⭐ 4.50 - The Grace of Kings (Ken Liu)\\ \\ I finally picked up _The Grace of Kings_ this month after years of having it on my TBR and was NOT disappointed. The first book of the Dandelion Dynasty series, TGoK is a silkpunk fantasy tale of rebellion, treachery, sacrifice, and dynamic politics. One of my favorite things about this book was the minor characters - even though you don’t necessarily spend that much time with them, they all feel so three-dimensional, with rich lives of their own that piece together into the greater tapestry of the story. The book also featured exciting action sequences, fascinating biomimetic technology, and complex relationships that really brought the tale to life. I think this series will likely become one of my all-time favs, and I can’t wait to read the rest of the books!!!\\ \\ ⭐ 4.50 - House of the Beast (Michelle Wong)\\ \\ I’m always on the hunt for a good standalone fantasy, and _House of the Beast_ is the latest gem I wanted to share. Full of morally complex characters and set in an Asian-inspired world with an anime vibe that I really enjoyed, this was a captivating dark fantasy tale of revenge, codependency, and obsession that I could not put it down. The book also features illustrations done by the author herself (she was the illustrator of _The Legend of Korra_ graphic novels!), and they were such a delight to look at throughout the course of the story. \\ \\ ⭐ 4.50 - The Devils (Joe Abercrombie)\\ \\ _The Devils_ by Joe Abercrombie is now what I would consider the best starting point for readers new to Abercrombie’s works, and is a delightful story of found family and adventure that somehow managed to be tragic, hilarious, and thought-provoking all at once. It’s grimdark fantasy, so yes, there is the violence, the brutality, the futility, but Abercrombie does a fantastic job amping up the humor and wit without losing the core of the story, which in _The Devils_, is about finding self, belonging, purpose in a cruel and chaotic world. Additionally, the book delves into the hypocrisy of the Church, the blurred lines of good and evil, and concepts of damnation and redemption. One chapter in particular, “A War in Miniature,” stood out to me as especially well-written, and it’s one of the most memorable chapters I’ve read in recent years. \\ \\ ⭐ 4.25 - Coldwire (Chloe Gong)\\ \\ I grew up during the peak era of YA dystopia (YA books in the early 2010’s just hit different), and _Coldwire_ was a book that felt conceptually fresh, but also nostalgic of that time. Given the rise of AI, this book felt particularly fascinating and relevant, and my favorite thing about it was the premise of the world being separated into “upcountry” and “downcountry” - those with financial resources can escape the economic and environmental catastrophes of “downcountry” by living almost entirely in a virtual reality known as “upcountry”. I am eagerly awaiting book 2 of this series, because man, there were so many twists and turns in the last 30% of the book and I need to see how the full story plays out!!\\ \\ ⭐ 4.25 - Royal Assassin (Robin Hobb)\\ \\ Robin Hobb sure knows how to write a compelling character-driven story, and I enjoyed this second leg of Fitz’s journey. This series has such a classic fantasy feel to it, and while I’m slightly terrified to see where this story is going (must protect Fitz at all costs), I am excited to see how this trilogy concludes in the next book!\\ \\ **Other May Reads & Ratings** \\ \\ ⭐ 4.25 - A Treachery of Swans (A.B. Poranek) \\ \\ I grew up doing ballet and am a sucker for Swan Lake retellings, so I was super excited to pick up this book. The writing was so lyrical and lush, and the gothic atmosphere was perfect for the story. I loved this sapphic twist on the Swan Lake tale, and thought the writing was engaging throughout. I do wish this had been a duology rather than a standalone, because there was a lot of potential at the end to expand the story, rather than force a conclusion, but overall, I enjoyed my time with this one!\\ \\ ⭐ 4.00 - A Forgery of Fate (Elizabeth Lim) \\ \\ YA books are a hit or miss for me these days, but this was a hit! I loved how Asian folklore was woven into this undersea Beauty and the Beast retelling, and really enjoyed the enchanted, aquatic vibes. This is a super-digestible, action-packed book and is very suitable for those looking to get more into the fantasy genre.\\ \\ ⭐ 4.00 - The Incandescent (Emily Tesh)\\ \\ The Incandescent features an older FMC (late 30’s), a highly detailed and well-developed magic system, and sapphic relationships all tied together in a story of self-discovery, belonging, and power. I have never read a dark academia fantasy book told from the perspective of the faculty, rather than the students, and I really appreciated this fresh perspective - if you're a teacher, I think you will especially like this one! \\ \\ ⭐ 4.00 - My Friends (Fredrik Backman)\\ \\ This was a beautiful story about how special childhood friendships are, and the beauty and power of art. I particularly loved the dedication of the book, so I wanted to share it below:\\ \\ _"To anyone who is young and wants to create something. Do it."_\\ \\ ⭐ 3.75 - Behooved (M. Stevenson)\\ \\ I was devastated when _My Lady Jane_ was canceled on Prime Video after one season, but this book slightly eased the pain (yes, there is somehow another fantasy in which the MMC turns into a horse after sunset). Wish there was a little more depth to the story, but overall, this was a delightful romp of a story, and I had a lot of fun reading it!\\ \\ ⭐ 3.75 - A Man Called Ove (Fredrik Backman)\\ \\ Stories about the elderly always wreck me, and this was no exception. That said, I didn’t find this one quite as moving as _And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer_, another one of Backman’s books about an elderly man, but thought it was still beautifully written overall.\\ \\ ⭐ 3.75 - The Summer Palace and Other Stories (C.S. Pacat)\\ \\ This was a collection of short stories set in the same universe as the _Captive Prince_ series, and I enjoyed getting to learn more about some of the side characters from the original trilogy, as well as glimpse the lives of Laurent and Damen following _Kings Rising_.\\ \\ ⭐ 3.25 - A Song of Legends Lost (M.H. Ayinde)\\ \\ This book had a really intriguing magic system centered around ancestral summoning and featured a cool sci-fi element called techwork, but I had a difficult time getting emotionally invested in the story because of how flat the characters felt. That said, if you’re more of a plot-driven reader, you may still really enjoy this one!\\ \\ Join for free or login](https://azhangia.binderybooks.com/item/z6vOIAPNDo39CHpCfTr4/) [May Reading Wrap-Up (Reviews & Favorites)](https://azhangia.binderybooks.com/item/z6vOIAPNDo39CHpCfTr4/) Reviews and ratings of the 13 books I read in May - quite a few that I enjoyed this month! * * * 12 books 4 [Not So Well Read\\ \\ Courtney\\ \\ • May 28 2025](https://notsowellread.binderybooks.com/) [Four Fantasy Books I've Loved Recently](https://notsowellread.binderybooks.com/item/du9iAMr5lsPBDxpzeDZb/) Here are 2 new releases, 1 quickly approaching release, and 1 fall release that I’ve absolutely adored. #fantasybookstagram #fantasybookrecs #fantasybook #fantasybooklover #bookstacks * * * 4 books 1 [Not So Well Read\\ \\ Courtney\\ \\ • May 11 2025](https://notsowellread.binderybooks.com/) [The Incandescent by Emily Tesh](https://notsowellread.binderybooks.com/item/MrNeoNSdawGd9d9Y6xZR/) I have absolutely torn through this book with the same ferocity of a centuries-old demonic entity. And luckily, it’s out Tuesday (5/13) so you can too! * * * 1 book [The Inkborne Society\\ \\ Azhangia\\ \\ • May 1 2025](https://azhangia.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [Here is a list May 2025 book releases across the sci-fi and fantasy genres, including a short publisher synopsis for each book as well as my thoughts + ratings of the ones I've already read (tagged to this post). As I read more of these throughout the month, I'll update this list with additional reviews. Happy reading! :)\\ \\ ****MAY 6TH:**** \\ \\ **_Silver Elite (Dani Francis)_**\\ \\ In the first book of a sizzling dystopian romance series, psychic gifts are a death sentence and there are rules to survival: Trust no one. Lie to everyone. And whatever you do, don’t fall for your greatest enemy.\\ \\ My Thoughts & Rating:\\ \\ ⭐ 3.75 - This book was A LOT of fun (especially in the first 50%), and reminded me of Tris and Four from Divergent (the banter was ON POINT). Unfortunately, the characters continued to feel one-dimensional as the story progressed, and the plot armor got a little too thick for my liking. That said, if you’re just looking for a good time, this may still be for you! I also feel like this will be the next big "booktok book" given how commercial it is so I'm curious to see if it does blow up after its release... 👀\\ \\ **_His Face is the Sun (Michelle Jabès Corpora)_**\\ \\ A new reign is coming...romance, magic, adventure, and horror collide in the start to this lush, epic, Ancient Egyptian inspired trilogy. Four strangers—a princess, a young priestess, a rebel, and a tomb robber—are ripped from their lives and thrown into the conflict. Amid murder and betrayal, magic and monsters, gods and visions, love and war, these four unlikely heroes find themselves connected by a forgotten oracle that whispers insistently across the land. Only together can they save the kingdom from destruction, but when the bloodshed is done, who of Khetara’s children will sit on the throne?\\ \\ **_The Lost Queen (Aimee Phan)_**\\ \\ A heroine like no other, ancient magic unleashed, a fated epic battle–the first book in an enchanting YA fantasy duology inspired by Vietnamese lore, weaving magic, sisterhood, and self-discovery.\\ \\ **_Brighter than Scale, Swifter than Flame (Neon Yang)_**\\ \\ With an armored, oath-bound hero reminiscent of The Mandalorian and the Asian-inspired epic fantasy of She Who Became the Sun, Brighter than Scale, Swifter than Flame is a stunning queer novella about a dragon hunter finding home with a dragon queen.\\ \\ **_The Survivor Wants to Die at the End (Adam Silvera)_**\\ \\ In this third book of the They Both Die at the End series, two strangers—each with their own complicated relationship to Death-Cast—help each other learn to live.\\ \\ **_For Whom the Bell Tolls (Jaysea Lynn)_**\\ \\ A hotter-than-hell romantasy about forbidden love, dark magic, and a young woman’s fiery adventure in the Afterlife, perfect for fans of Sarah A. Parker and Callie Hart.\\ \\ **_Shield of Sparrows (Devney Perry)_**\\ \\ A slow-burn, high-stakes romantasy where enemies become lovers, monsters stalk a cursed realm, and a forgotten princess finds the strength to tear off her crown and become the warrior she was never meant to be.\\ \\ **_A Letter from the Lonesome Shore (Sylvie Cathrall)_**\\ \\ The charming conclusion to the Sunken Archive duology, a heart-warming magical academia fantasy filled with underwater cities, romance of manners and found family, perfect for fans of Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries.\\ \\ ****MAY 13TH:**** \\ \\ **_The Devils (Joe Abercrombie)_**\\ \\ An epic fantasy featuring a notorious band of anti-heroes on a delightfully bloody and raucous journey…holy work sometimes requires unholy deeds.\\ \\ My Thoughts & Rating\\ \\ ⭐ 4.50 - The Devils by Joe Abercrombie features what I now consider to be one of the best chapters written in fantasy ("A War in Miniature") and somehow manages to be tragic, hilarious, and thought-provoking all at once. It’s grimdark fantasy, so yes, there is the violence, the brutality, the futility, but something Abercrombie does well, especially in this book, is amp up the humor and wit without losing the core of the story, which in _The Devils_, is about finding self, belonging, purpose in a cruel and chaotic world. It’s also about the hypocrisy of the Church, the blurred lines of good and evil, damnation and redemption, and is overall a highly entertaining, rambunctious adventure that also had some really moving moments of found family.\\ \\ **_The Incandescent (Emily Tesh)_**\\ \\ A razor-sharp sapphic dark academia fantasy told through the eyes of the faculty in a story of self, belonging, and power.\\ \\ My Thoughts & Rating\\ \\ ⭐ 4.00 - _The Incandescent_ features an older FMC (late 30’s), a highly detailed and well-developed magic system, and sapphic relationships all tied together in a story of self-discovery, belonging, and power. I have never read a dark academia fantasy book told from the perspective of the faculty, rather than the students, and I really enjoyed this fresh perspective - if you're a teacher, I think you will particularly love this book! I listened to an advanced listener copy (ALC) of this book on Netgalley and thought the audiobook narrator, Zara Ramm, was wonderful - would highly recommend the audio version of this book if you’re interested in it!\\ \\ **_Anji Kills a King (Evan Leikam)_**\\ \\ An unlikely assassin struggles to escape a legendary bounty hunter in this breakneck fantasy debut that will grab you by the throat—perfect for fans of Joe Abercrombie, R.F. Kuang, and Christopher Buehlman.\\ \\ **_A Curse Carved in Bone (Danielle L. Jensen)_**\\ \\ A shield maiden fights to break the shackles of prophecy—and to overcome the betrayal of the man who broke her heart—in this searing conclusion to the Norse-inspired fantasy romance duology that began with the bestselling A Fate Inked in Blood.\\ \\ ****MAY 20TH:**** \\ \\ **_The Knight and the Moth (Rachel Gillig)_**\\ \\ A gothic, mist-cloaked tale of a young prophetess who is forced on an impossible quest with the one infuriating knight whose future is beyond her sight. \\ \\ My Thoughts & Rating:\\ \\ ⭐ 4.25 - I loved the atmospheric setting, lyrical, prose, and unique magic system (based on six magical objects that grant users a specific set of abilities), and thought this was a well-paced story with clear stakes and defined conflicts. I wasn’t totally convinced by the romance of the two main characters, but overall, I really enjoyed my time with this one!\\ \\ **_Behooved (M. Stevenson)_**\\ \\ A charming slow-burn fantasy featuring a duty-bound noblewoman with a chronic illness, a prince who would rather be in a library than on a throne, and a magical ride through a world of cozy enchantment.\\ \[ON MY MAY TBR\]\\ \\ **_The Starving Saints (Caitlin Starling)_**\\ \\ _A_ transfixing fever dream of medieval horror following three women in a besieged castle that descends ravenously into madness under the spell of mysterious, godlike visitors.\\ \\ **_Cruel is the Light (Sophie Clark)_**\\ \\ A star-crossed, enemies-to-lovers saga about a war between demons and exorcists . . . and the forbidden love that could change the course of history.\\ \\ ****MAY 27TH:**** \\ \\ **_Written on the Dark (Guy Gavriel Kay)_**\\ \\ Both sweeping and intimate, a majestic novel of love and war that brilliantly evokes the drama and turbulence of medieval France.\\ \\ **_A Fate Forged in Fire (Hazel McBride)_**\\ \\ To become the first queen in centuries, a powerfully blessed blacksmith must use her wits and fire magic to overthrow the corrupt powers ruling her kingdom—while also fighting her growing desire for one of her dragon-riding adversaries—in the first book of a sizzling Celtic-inspired fantasy romance duology.\\ \\ **_The South Wind (Alexandria Warwick)_**\\ \\ A sizzling standalone fantasy of second-chance love inspired by Sleeping Beauty and the Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur from the author of The North Wind.\\ \\ **_When Devils Sing (Xan Kaur)_**\\ \\ Four unlikely allies in a small town investigate a local teen's disappearance, and what they discover festering at the core of their community is far more sinister and ancient than they could’ve ever imagined. For fans of _She is a Haunting_, _True Detective_, _Mexican Gothic_, and _Midsommar_.\\ \\ **_Harmattan Season (Tochi Onyebuchi)_**\\ \\ A new standalone novel that is hard boiled fantasy Raymond Chandler meets P. Djèlí Clark in a postcolonial West Africa…”Fortune always left whatever room I walked into, which is why I don’t leave my place much these days.”\\ \\ **_The Grimoire Grammar School Parent Teacher Association (Caitlin Rozakis)_**\\ \\ Two parents and their recently-bitten-werewolf daughter try to fit into a privileged New England society of magic aristocracy. But deadly terrors await them – ancient prophecies, remorseless magical trials, hidden conspiracies and the PTA bake sale.\\ \\ Join for free or login](https://azhangia.binderybooks.com/item/YZEitS72tVKF7ctm3FcX/) [May 2025 SFF Release Radar (+ My Ratings & Thoughts)](https://azhangia.binderybooks.com/item/YZEitS72tVKF7ctm3FcX/) A list of sci-fi and fantasy books releasing in May 2025 (including brief plot synopsis for each), plus my thoughts/reviews of the ones I've already read! * * * 4 books 8 [2](https://azhangia.binderybooks.com/item/YZEitS72tVKF7ctm3FcX/#comments) [Not So Well Read\\ \\ Courtney\\ \\ • Mar 23 2025](https://notsowellread.binderybooks.com/) [2025 Summer Fantasy Book Releases](https://notsowellread.binderybooks.com/item/QTSZd5QPwCmREtMe2uap/) Hope you all are taking lots of vacation days, because summer reading is going to be very, very time consuming this year. What release are you most excited about? * * * 6 books 1