Hope you’ve turned the last of those April book pages, because there are nearly as many new releases coming in May. Haunted houses, haunted ships, homesick aliens, magical friends, time loops, royal quandaries, forbidden romances, and more fantastical, terrifying, and adventurous tales await!
May 6
Ace in the Hole by Rhett C. Bruno and Jaime Castle
The final Black Badge series entry brings a “culmination of supernatural powers and old foes in an epic finale stretching from the wild west to the nation’s capital.” (May 6)
The Adventures of Mary Darling by Pat Murphy
“In this smartly subversive Victorian mash-up of the legendary literary novels Peter Pan and Sherlock Holmes, the intrepid mother of the Darling children is on the case―and always one step ahead of her inept husband and a famous detective.” (May 6)
Brighter Than Scale, Swifter Than Flame by Neon Yang
“A stunning queer novella about a dragon hunter finding home with a dragon queen.” (May 6)
The Butcher’s Daughter: The Hitherto Untold Story of Mrs. Lovett by David Demchuk and Corinne Leigh Clark
“The story of the vengeful barber Sweeney Todd has gripped fans across literary, stage, and screen renditions—but little has been told of Mrs. Lovett, Todd’s partner in crime. Until now. Enclosed herewith: a bloodcurdling correspondence of horror and intrigue, based on the original Victorian penny dreadful that started it all.” (May 6)
Cradle of Secrets by Jasmine Wigham
“When an intrepid American with a dark past becomes a hired gun for a mysterious woman in London, he’s shocked to discover a world crawling with monsters.” (May 6)
A Letter from the Lonesome Shore by Sylvie Cathrall
“Dive into the charming conclusion to the Sunken Archive duology, a heart-warming magical academia fantasy filled with underwater cities, romance of manners, and found family.” (May 6)
The Manor of Dreams by Christina Li
A “haunting novel about the secrets that lie in wait in the crumbling mansion of a former Hollywood starlet, and the intertwined fates of the two Chinese American families fighting to inherit it.” (May 6)
Modern Divination by Isa Agajanian
“A magical cozy fantasy with witches, featuring an academic rivals-to-lovers romance, found family and yearning.” (May 6)
The Night Birds by Christopher Golden
In this horror tale, a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department worker stationed aboard a half-sunken freighter is preparing for a storm when he has a shocking encounter: an ex-girlfriend, with a strange mother and child in tow, begs for help hiding from the witches they claim are chasing them. (May 6)
Overgrowth by Mira Grant
A woman has claimed she’s actually an alien her entire life, but nobody believes her—until an extraterrestrial signal announces invaders are coming to reclaim her. (May 6)
Rhymer: Hel by Gregory Frost
In this third entry in the Rhymer series, “Thomas the Rhymer, immortal, shape-changing foe of the diabolical Elf Queen and her merciless Yvag knights, continues his one-man war into the reign of England’s “Faerie Queen”—Elizabeth I.” (May 6)
Shield of Sparrows by 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.” (May 6)
Silver Elite by 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.” (May 6)
A Spell for Change by Nicole Jarvis
“In this sumptuous, atmospheric historical fantasy set in post-World War One Appalachia, three outcasts with misunderstood magical gifts search for their place in the world while battling the dark forces that circle their community.” (May 6)
The Sun Blessed Prince by Lindsay Byrd
In this first entry in a new duology, “a battle-weary prince meets a reluctant assassin. But could their bond end their war?” (May 6)
A Thousand Natural Shocks by Omar Hussain
A reporter on the trail of a serial killer unwittingly gets mixed up with a cult when he seeks out a pill designed to erase traumatic memories. Things don’t go as planned—and he’s soon “in a race against time to evade the cult, unveil the killer, and reconcile his past before his own memories fade away.” (May 6)
Time Loops & Meet Cutes by Jackie Lau
“A thoroughly unique love story about a woman reliving the same Friday over and over again—and the intriguing man who can’t quite remember her.” (May 6)
May 13
Anima Rising by Christopher Moore
“A hilariously deranged tale of a mad scientist, a famous painter, and an undead woman’s electrifying journey of self-discovery.” (May 13)
Anji Kills a King by Evan Leikam
“An unlikely assassin struggles to escape a legendary bounty hunter in this breakneck fantasy debut that will grab you by the throat.” (May 13)
Bochica by Carolina Flórez-Cerchiaro
This gothic horror debut features “a real-life Latin American haunted mansion. A murky labyrinth of family secrets. A young, aristocratic woman desperate to escape her past.” (May 13)
A Charming Touch of Tarot by Melissa Holtz
“Four friends discover that their new magical skills may not be enough to save them from a stalker hell-bent on turning their lives upside down.” (May 13)
The Country Under Heaven by Frederic S. Durbin
“Louis L’Amour meets H.P. Lovecraft in this thrilling western epic about a former Civil War soldier wracked by enigmatic visions.” (May 13)
A Curse Carved in Bone by 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 13)
The Devils by Joe Abercrombie
“A brand-new epic fantasy featuring a notorious band of anti-heroes on a delightfully bloody and raucous journey.” (May 13)
Dungeons & Dragons: Ravenloft: Heir of the Strahd by Delilah S. Dawson
“A party of adventurers must brave the horrors of Ravenloft in this official Dungeons & Dragons novel.” (May 13)
The Eye of the Bedlam Bride by Matt Dinniman
The Dungeon Crawler Carl series continues as Carl and his ex-girlfriend’s cat, Princess Donut, head to the eighth level, where they encounter such perils as “a pantheon of forgotten gods. An old grudge between a talk show host, an heiress, and the man they shattered along the way. A rapidly deteriorating AI system. An inconvenient tiara upon the head of a friend.” (May 13)
A Goddess Unraveled by Morgan Rider
“A steamy romantasy about a lovestruck demigoddess, unaware of her royal status, who makes a shocking discovery and attempts to flee to the underworld with Hades to escape Zeus’s wrath.” (May 13)
The Incandescent by Emily Tesh
In this “sapphic dark academia fantasy,” a powerful magician and professor works to keep her students safe from invading demons But can she protect her school from a possibly far greater enemy: herself? (May 13)
Isabella Nagg and the Pot of Basil by Oliver Darkshire
“A delightful and entertaining story of self-discovery―as well as fungus, capitalism, and sorcery―[and] a story for those who can’t help but find magic even in the oddest and most baffling circumstances.” (May 13)
Metallic Realms by Lincoln Michel
“Fantastic universes and personal dramas collide as a group of friends blur the line between real life and fiction with delightfully disastrous results.” (May 13)
Portalmania by Debbie Urbanski
A collection of short stories drawing on sci-fi, fantasy, horror, and realism to “dive bravely into the shadowy depths of betrayal, parenthood, revenge, murder, coercive sex, open marriages, asexuality, neurodiversity, and second chances.” (May 13)
The Secrets of Maiden’s Cove by Erin Palmisano
After she inherits her late father’s struggling seafood restaurant, a woman leaves her unhappy marriage and sets out to make a new start. Part of that involves mending fences with her long-lost best friend—who might secretly be a mermaid. (May 13)
Sestia by G.R. Macallister
The Five Queendoms series trilogy wraps up its tale in which “a centuries-long peace is shattered in a matriarchal society when a decade passes without a single girl being born.” (May 13)
A Simple Twist of Fate by April Asher
“A witch and a shifter get a second chance at love in this new paranormal romantic comedy.” (May 13)
Something I Keep Upstairs by J.D. Barker
Best friends think spending the summer on a nearby island will be a fun last adventure before they head off to college—until they realize the home where they’re staying is not only haunted, it’s a nexus of ancient evil that’s recently awakened. (May 13)
The Sorrow of the Sea by Stephen Aryan
The epic conclusion to Stephen Aryan’s The Nightingale and the Falcon trilogy, a bloody and magical reimagining of the Mongolian Empire’s invasion of Persia. (May 13)
What Sleeps Within the Cove by Harper L. Wood
The Of Flesh & Bone series continues as the protagonist realizes “to survive, I must discover who I am―who I’m fated to be. Human, and Fae, and something… other. Embracing all the sides of magic, light and dark.” (May 13)
Where You Once Belonged by Lorna Graham
“A cynical TV news producer sells out her principles to rise to her network’s top job, and comes face-to-face with what appears to be her idealistic teenage self.” (May 13)
May 20
Aftertaste by Daria Lavelle
This novel set amid New York’s culinary scene is billed as “a whirlwind romance, a heart-wrenching look at love and loss, and a ghost story about all the ways we hunger—and how far we’d go to find satisfaction.” (May 20)
Behooved by 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.” (May 20)
Esperance by Adam Oyebanji
This mystery thriller follows “a seemingly impossible crime rooted in racism, intergenerational trauma, and an inhuman concept of justice.” (May 20)
Feeders by Matt Serafini
“A would-be influencer whose dreams of online fame spiral into nightmare territory when she encounters a mysterious and dangerous social media platform.” (May 20)
Going Home in the Dark by Dean Koontz
“When hometown horrors come back to haunt, friendship is salvation in a novel about childhood fears and buried secrets.” (May 20)
The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig
“A gothic, mist-cloaked tale of a young prophetess forced on an impossible quest with the one knight whose future is beyond her sight.” (May 20)
The Quiet by Barnaby Martin
In a world encased by a mysterious, suffocating Soundfield, a mother becomes obsessively protective of her son—and keeping his dangerous abilities a closely guarded secret. (May 20)
Rebel in the Deep by Katee Robert
The Crimson Sails trilogy concludes as Nox learns from rebel leader Siobhan that their estranged ex, Bastian, has been kidnapped. Can they launch a rescue before Bastian spills all their secrets? (May 20)
The Starving Saints by 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.” (May 20)
Strange New World by Vivian Shaw
The Dr. Greta Helsing series concludes as the doctor to the undead faces “the latest and strangest challenge of her career… accompanying an anxious angel and a sullen demon on a road trip across America.” (May 20)
That’s All I Know by Elisa Levi
“When a stranger loses his dog on the first day after the end of the world, Little Lea warns him not to follow it into the forest, that people who enter never come out. Over a shared joint, she tells him about the burning in her gut, winding a tale of loss, desire, and conspiracies.” (May 20)
Then There Was One by Wendy Cross
“Every inhabitant in the Quadrant knows about the Pinnacle, a reality TV contest set on a remote planet with a huge cash prize. For three desperate entrants, winning would mean the world … but as the competition starts, the contestants are quick to discover that this year’s game has unscripted and deadly consequences.” (May 20)
We Live Here Now by Sarah Pinborough
“A haunting Gothic novel about a house―and a marriage―gone terribly wrong.” (May 20)
May 27
Death on the Caldera by Emily Paxman
In this “thrilling blend of classic murder mystery and fantasy,” siblings hurrying home to see their ailing royal father are stranded when their train crashes atop a volcano. As one sibling grapples with her emergent magic powers, the trio must also deal with the fact that a killer has started picking off the other passengers, one by one. (May 27)
Deliverance of Dragons by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory
“The Dragon Prophecy illuminates a time when long-lived Elves rule the Fortunate Lands. It is a time of dire prophecy, of battle and bloodshed, of great magics unlike any the Elvenkind have seen before. Deliverance of Dragons is the story of the end of one world and the beginning of the next.” (May 27)
Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler
“Dark Lord Davi rules the kingdom, but she must now break the time loop that binds her in this hilariously bloody conclusion to the Dark Lord Davi duology.” (May 27)
A Fate Forged in Fire by 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.” (May 27)
Harmattan Season by Tochi Onyebuchi
This release is described as “hard-boiled fantasy noir: Raymond Chandler meets P. Djèlí Clark in a postcolonial West Africa” as well as “dryly funny and unforgettably evocative.” (May 27)
The Grief Nurse by Angie Spoto
“Lynx is a Grief Nurse. Kept by the Asters, a wealthy, influential family, to ensure they’re never troubled by negative emotions. When news arrives that the Asters’ eldest son is dead, Lynx does what she can to alleviate their sorrow. But as guests flock to the island for the wake, tensions rise and Lynx finds herself trapped at the center of a family tearing itself apart.” (May 27)
The Grimoire Grammar School Parent Teacher Association by 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.” (May 27)
Heir of Light by Michelle Sagara
“With the Academia now awakened from its centuries-long slumber, Robin, a student who hails from a prestigious family, must own up to his destiny. As heir to the Gardianno seat, a highly coveted position within the human caste court, Robin stands to inherit great power when he assumes his birthright—but at what cost?” (May 27)
Kitemaster by Jim C. Hines
“Nial Sarnin is 21—far too young to have lost her beloved husband, Jika. One year after his death, Nial prepares to fly a kite sewn from his wedding shirt, believing it will carry Jika’s spirit to the stars. But instead of drifting gently skyward, the spirit kite moves under Nial’s direct control, revealing her as a Kitemaster—a rare gift in a world forever ruled by winds and magic.” (May 27)
Never Flinch by Stephen King
“From master storyteller Stephen King comes an extraordinary new novel with intertwining storylines—one about a killer on a diabolical revenge mission, and another about a vigilante targeting a feminist celebrity speaker—featuring the beloved Holly Gibney and a dynamic new cast of characters.” (May 27)
The South Wind by Alexandra Warwick
“A sizzling fantasy romance novel inspired by Sleeping Beauty and the Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur.” (May 27)
The Sword Triumphant by Gareth Hanrahan
“Gareth Hanrahan’s acclaimed epic fantasy series of dark myth, daring warriors and bloodthirsty vengeance concludes with The Sword Triumphant.” (May 27)
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
