Fantasy
They Made Us Blood and Fury by Cheryl S. Ntumy
Pub date: April 14, 2026 | Rosarium Publishing | 288 pages
Compared to The Sovereign by C.L. Clark and Children of Anguish and Anarchy by Tomi Adeyemi
Evil spreads throughout the Kingdom, and the one woman who can save them may be the key to their survival … or their destruction.
About the author:
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Year of the Mer by L. D. Lewis
S&S/Saga Press | Pub Date: 4/7/2026 | $30 | 400 Pages
A dark, bloody epic fantasy reimagining of The Little Mermaid that goes far beyond the fairy tale to explore family legacy, war, and what we will sacrifice for vengeance—the perfect read for fans of The Priory of the Orange Tree and Circe.
This book is sapphic but promises to subvert any popular tropes…I certainly hope so! I am reading the ARC prior to release so stay tuned for a full review coming soon.
About the author:
L. D. Lewis is an editor, publisher, and Shirley Jackson Award–nominated writer of speculative fiction. She is the author of the novel Year of the Mer and the novellas A Ruin of Shadows and The Dead Withheld. Her published short fiction and poetry has appeared in several Neon Hemlock anthologies, numerous online publications, and Jordan Peele’s Out There Screaming. Past lives include roles as a founding creator and project manager for the World Fantasy and Hugo Award–winning FIYAH Literary Magazine, the director of FIYAHCON, and researcher for the LeVar Burton Reads podcast. She pays the bills as a literary nonprofit administrator. She lives in Georgia on perpetual deadline with her partner, two cats, and an impressive LEGO build collection.
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The Killing Spell by Shay Kauwe
DEBUT | S&S/Saga Press | Pub Date: 4/14/2026 $18.00 | 304 Pages
In this spellbinding fantasy debut set in a future where language magic reigns, a young Hawaiian woman must solve a murder to clear her name.
“An absolutely fantastic debut. A fantasy steeped in language magic and a murder mystery, The Killing Spell serves as a thoughtful exploration of the consequences of colonization and the choices the colonized are forced to make in order to survive. I tore through this book and loved every second. Shay Kauwe is a talent to watch.”
— Rebecca Roanhorse, New York Times bestselling and Hugo Award-winning author of the Between Earth & Sky trilogy
About the author:
Shay Kauwe was born and raised on the island of O‘ahu and grew up on the Hawaiian Homelands in Waimanalo. She worked in Russia as an English teacher but was eventually drawn back home. While she has a corporate job in telecommunications, Shay continues to educate with the Hawaii Literacy Project. She resides in Honolulu with her husband, Denis, and their poi dog, Iris. Learn more about Shay at ShayKauwe.com and on Instagram @ShayKauwe.
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Witch Queen Rising by Savannah Stephens
Ace | Pub Date: 4/21/2026 | $19.00 | 464 Pages
A reclusive witch who fled the burden of her bloodline rises to be the greatest among them in this lush and haunting fantasy debut.
About the author:
Savannah Stephens is a genre-blending fiction author, most notably dark and paranormal fantasy. She proudly creates the representation she did not have growing up. Her protagonists are warriors, queens, assassins, witches, dragon riders, and more. She hopes to not only give readers fantastical worlds to escape into, but tools to survive the real world they inevitably return to once the pages stop turning. Savannah lives in Central New York with her feline familiar, Sir Beaumont of Fluffbottom. When not writing, she indulges in any one of her ever-expanding hoard of hobbies.
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Horror
Japanese Gothic by Kylie Lee Baker
In this lyrical, wildly inventive horror novel interwoven with Japanese mythology, two people living centuries apart discover a door between their worlds.
Hanover Square Press | Pub Date: 4/14/2026 | 352 Pages
This is going to be everywhere. Aardvark already posted their special edition. An extensive marketing campaign is booked for this as both horror and Japanese lit are ‘trending’ per Edelweiss and Kylie is widely known for Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng.
About the author:
Kylie Lee Baker is the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Keeper of Night duology and The Scarlet Alchemist duology. She grew up in Boston and has since lived in Atlanta, Salamanca, and Seoul. Her writing is informed by her heritage (Japanese, Chinese, and Irish), as well as her experiences living abroad as both a student and a teacher. She has a BA in creative writing and Spanish from Emory University and a master’s of library and information science degree from Simmons University.
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