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A complex, yet succinct narrative of colonialism, trauma, and sapphic longing, FIREHEART TIGER is wonderfully beautiful. Princess Thanh feels out of place at home in the imperial court, which makes sense since she was sent away to live in the cold northern country of Ephteria as a hostage when she was a child. Now, she must navigate the negotiations not just with Ephteria, but with her old flame, Eldris. Throw in a fire elemental to the mix, and things are bound to go sideways.  This book is captivating, and raw, and perfect for fans of political intrigue. -Katherine

I’m a sucker for retellings and also for The Island of Dr Moreau, so I was expecting to love this book. After all, a murder mystery where the five main subjects are all members of a boyband and, oh yeah, also refugees from the Island of Dr Moreau? This was bound to be a good time. What I wasn’t expecting was the heart of the story, which explores the greed and exploitation of human nature, as well as what it means to be human at all.

One of the most thrilling and inventive vampire novels I have read in a long time (and trust me when I say I have read a lot), this new edition of CERTAIN DARK THINGS is a masterpiece. Atl flees to Mexico City after her family is slaughtered by a rival Vampire clan, teams up with a lonely garbage-collecting street kid. A classic noir with a twist, I couldn’t put this book down.

A Ghost in the Throat is a seance, summoning a keening woman drinking the blood of her murdered husband in handful gulps, the time both devoured and enriched by daily tasks, the haggard old woman who watches over so many last moments. This is a genealogy, a book-length translator's introduction, a bonfire. Ni Ghroifa's investigation of a famous Irish poem and its neglected author digs into the flesh a motherhood, womanhood, history, language, and poetry. A truly astonishing achievement. -Josh

I loved Red, White, and Royal Blue so my expectations were high going in. That being said, Casey McQuiston still managed to blow me away with this stunning love letter to queer communities and found families, not to mention the families you're born with and may leave but never can quite forget in all their complicated messiness. The romance was very good, but one of the place this book shines is in how wonderful the supporting cast is. I wanted to be friends with every person in it. -Shana

Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a master of genre fiction, and nothing exemplifies that more than The Beautiful Ones. This novel captures all the longing and intricate rituals of a historic romance with the fantastic world-building of a fantasy novel. When she was sent to stay with her cousin for her first season, Nina, a young girl with telekinetic powers, does not expect to enter a dance with the famous telekinetic performer, Hector Auvrey, and her own cousin-in-law, Camille. I read the last half of the book in one sitting because putting it down was nearly unthinkable.

The existential musings of a cat, Penny is sure to win over any cat lover...and that's not just the Toxoplasma gondii. Realistic pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations illuminate Penny's catnip fueled musings and daily monotony...something everyone coming out of a homebound state can appreciate. -Katherine

Every story in this book is filled with magic and legend and power. My favorite thing about a short story is when it captivates me so completely I forget that only a fraction of the book is dedicated to this one world, and Never Have I Ever accomplished this again and again. In one story, a woman befriends a kelpie while her husband convalesces in the hospital, in another a witch believes he has bespelled his boyfriend into loving him. Fans of folklore and myth will be swept up in this wonderful collection. 

Grace Porter has always been the best, always had a plan, and always worked five times as hard as everyone else. After getting her PhD in Astronomy, she’s supposed to go on to work at the most prestigious company there is—but a disastrous interview, and a drunken Vegas wedding to a girl she doesn’t know snaps the tension she’s been putting on herself and causes everything to come tumbling down. This book is by turns fiercely funny, and cathartically heartbreaking, with the poetic lyricism of This is How You Lose the Time War, and the witty banter of Red, White, and Royal Blue.

Three years ago, Ash’s mom left home and never returned, leaving behind a husband and child and a shed full of mystical curiosities related to the all-girl fantasy world she’d created as a child—Koretris. One day Ash invites a new group of friends from Pride Club over, and they try one of the spells to enter Koretris. To their amazement, they’re all transported to a magical realm filled with human-sized talking animals who are fiercely protective of their world and are ready to fight to protect it. But if Koretris is real, why is Ash there?