Anequs, a young Indigenous woman, and her dragon, Kasaqua, return home to Masquapaug after excelling at Kuiper’s Academy, where she defied expectations and earned top honors. Accompanied by Theod, the only other Native student at the Academy, Anequs hopes for a peaceful summer. However, her growing fame has drawn unwanted attention: for the first time, Anglish colonizers have established a presence on Masquapaug.

Anequs, fiercely protective of her people’s sovereignty and traditional way of life, refuses to accept Anglish control. As tensions rise, she becomes a catalyst for resistance, even if it risks igniting a civil war. The novel explores themes of colonialism, cultural identity, and the fight for self-determination, blending epic fantasy with a powerful, politically charged narrative. Anequs’s bond with Kasaqua and her unwavering commitment to her homeland drive the story forward, making it a compelling sequel to To Shape a Dragon’s Breath.

Prince Arris of the Isle of Malys faces a deadly curse: whoever marries him will likely murder him to claim his heart and hand—literally—thanks to a twisted wish made to a sea witch. To survive, Arris must find true love before his wedding day. His parents organize a tournament of brides, inviting a host of beautiful, ambitious, and possibly murderous suitors to compete for his affection.

Amidst the opulence of Rathe Castle—with its glittering balls, enchanted menageries, and glass boats—Arris struggles to discern who genuinely loves him and who craves power. His life changes when he meets Demelza, a veritas swan whose song reveals the truth. Demelza, forced into hiding, strikes a bargain: she’ll use her gift to help Arris navigate the deadly tournament in exchange for his protection.

As Arris and Demelza grow closer, they confront not only external threats but also their own fears. Survival means more than outwitting assassins—it means daring to chase a life worth living, even if love and truth are perilously entwined. Chokshi weaves a lush, magical tale of romance, danger, and self-discovery, where the bravest act might be trusting in love.

Set in the 1960s, The Starseekers by Nicole Glover follows Cynthia Rhodes, a talented arcane engineer at NASA’s Ainsworth Research Labs, where magic and science fuel the race to the moon. Cynthia, who also hosts a magical educational show, teams up with the charming Theodore Danner, a professor of arcane archaeology, to investigate a cursed museum curator and a mysterious theft. Their sleuthing takes a deadly turn when a colleague dies in a lab accident—one Cynthia suspects is murder.

As they dig deeper, Cynthia and Theo uncover a dangerous conspiracy linking the theft, the accident, and a threat to the space program itself. With deadly enchantments, rumors of pirate treasure, and high-stakes sabotage, Cynthia must use her wit, magic, and family legacy of solving mysteries to protect her work, her life, and the future of space exploration. This adventure blends history, fantasy, and intrigue, making it a standout in the Murder & Magic series.

She Is Here by Nicola Griffith is a bold, genre-blurring collection of essays, poetry, art, and fiction that pushes the boundaries of speculative fiction. Griffith’s work reimagines reality through a lens of "what if"—whether by exploring alternate social structures, challenging cultural norms, or crafting surreal, futuristic, and magical narratives. The fiction in this collection, like the cosmic journey in "Glimmer" or the eerie, otherworldly tension in "Many Things in Dumnet," transports readers to worlds that bend or break the rules of our own, inviting them to question power, identity, and possibility. Even her essays and poems, while rooted in real-world issues, speculate on how society could—or should—evolve, making this a must-read for fans of thought-provoking, boundary-defying storytelling.

In Graceless Heart by Isabel Ibañez, Ravenna Maffei, a gifted sculptress, hides a dangerous secret: she possesses forbidden magic in a city where its use is punishable by death. When her brother’s life is at stake, she risks everything by entering a high-stakes competition hosted by Florence’s ruthless immortal family, the dei Luni. Her power exposed, Ravenna becomes a captive—and a weapon—in their deadly games.

Under the watch of Saturnino dei Luni, the family’s enigmatic and merciless heir, Ravenna is forced into a perilous mission where failure means death. But as she navigates the treacherous politics of Florence, she uncovers a greater threat: the Pope’s crusade against magic is escalating, and Ravenna is now a coveted prize in a war she never chose.

Caught between the Pope’s obsession and Saturnino’s seductive danger, Ravenna must decide who to trust—and whether to surrender her power or fight for survival in a city on the brink of chaos. Graceless Heart is a dark, intoxicating tale of magic, betrayal, and the cost of defiance.

Nancy, the former student of Eleanor West’s School for Wayward Children, never expected to return to the Halls of the Dead after being cast out years ago. But when she finally found her door again, she left the school behind without a second thought—until now.

A creeping darkness has infected the Halls, and its living statues are being slaughtered by the restless dead. The Lord and Lady of the Halls, powerless to stop the carnage, force Nancy to seek help from the one place she swore she’d never return to: Eleanor West’s school.

But convincing her former classmates to venture into a world ruled by the dead is no easy task. As Nancy races to rally allies, she must also uncover why the dead are so determined to swell their ranks—and whether the Halls can be saved before they’re lost forever. This action-packed installment of the Wayward Children series brings back a fan-favorite character for a chilling, high-stakes adventure.

Happy reading!

/rae/