We’ve got dungeons, dragons, and Dungeons & Dragons. We’ve got aliens, shape-shifters, ghosts, demons, assassins, and space cats. August is jam-packed with new books, so if you’re still in need of some summer reading material to take you to Labour Day and beyond — we’ve got you covered.
The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean
A woman who hails from a secretive clan that literally consumes books as food realises her son was born with a more disturbing appetite: a hunger for human minds. (August 2)
A Broken Blade by Melissa Blair
The hit BookTok title about a royal assassin who uncovers a devastating secret while tracking her latest target gets a re-release with more content. Read an excerpt here. (August 2)
Dauntless by Elisa A. Bonnin
In this Filipino-inspired fantasy, a teenager is raised to fight the beasts who hunt her people — until she meets a stranger who’s able to communicate with the beasts, and realises her world is far more complex than she knew. (August 2)
The Devil Takes You Home by Gabino Iglesias
This genre-bending thriller follows a Texas father who reluctantly becomes a hitman to save his family — and then gets pulled into a job robbing a cartel while also tangling with potentially supernatural elements along the way. (August 2)
Dragons of Deceit: Dragonlance Destinies: Volume 1 by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman
This Dungeons & Dragons novel sees the veteran authors introduce a new heroine on a quest to go back in time and prevent her father’s death. Read an excerpt here. (August 2)
Eversion by Alastair Reynolds
This book follows explorers whose trips go horribly wrong in 1800s Norway, 1900s Antarctica, and in far-future outer space — with a certain chaos-cursed Dr. Silas Coade present on each voyage. (August 2)
Face by Joma West
This sci-fi drama is set in a decidedly dystopian world where people’s appearances are genetically engineered for success — but as one married couple begins to realise, it’s an an imperfect system that doesn’t account for emotional fulfillment. (August 2)
Fault Tolerance by Valerie Valdes
Captain Eva Innocente and the crew of La Sirena Negra head out on another cat-filled adventure, this time tracking down a mysterious villain who’s threatening to vaporise most everyone in the universe. (August 2)
The King Will Kill You by Sarah Henning
The Kingdoms of Sand & Sky series continues as Princess Amarande and her beloved Luca set out to make their realms into the idyllic lands they want them to be. However — as the book’s title suggests — there are some rather powerful forces still working against them. (August 2)
The Mystical Murders of Yin Mara by Marshall Ryan Maresca
A brilliant couple heads to a special college to study magical and mystical theory, but soon gets pulled into a murder mystery with certain elements that fall right into their area of expertise. (August 2)
Sleepless by Victor Manibo
A strange outbreak means a quarter of the people in the world aren’t able to sleep, with no apparent side effects — they’re just awake, all the time, something that ostracizes them from the rest of society. When his boss dies, a man who’s one of the so-called “Sleepless” investigates, uncovering truths he’s not sure he’s ready to face. Read an excerpt here. (August 2)
Small Angels by Lauren Owen
As a group of childhood friends prepare for a wedding among their circle, they must confront a dark moment in their past involving a fateful trip into the magical woods adjacent to their hometown. (August 2)
The Stars Between Us by Cristin Terrill
In this space opera, a barmaid on a backwater planet finds her life turned upside down when she’s unexpectedly named in a billionaire’s will — but finds the good life is not what it seems when a bomber starts targeting the dead man’s heirs. (August 2)
Wild Cards: Full House by George R.R. Martin
This collection gathers stories in the series that were previously published on Tor.com, with entries by Daniel Abraham, Cherie Priest, David D. Levine, Walter Jon Williams, and more. (August 2)
Delta by Tom Starita
In this horror tale, a man grieving his recently deceased stepdaughter must figure out what to do when he realises there’s a girl who somehow claims to be her trapped in his basement. (August 4)
The Art of Prophecy by Wesley Chu
A new fantasy saga begins with a prophecy about a child who will grow up to save his kingdom — but as this martial arts-infused novel explores, the prophecy is actually wrong, and the heroes required to save the day turn out to be far more surprising. (August 9)
The Awoken by Katelyn Monroe Howes
In this speculative tale, a woman with terminal cancer decides to undergo cryogenic preservation — only to wake a century later to discover the “resurrected” have been declared illegal and are targeted for murder. (August 9)
Blood Like Fate by Liselle Sambury
The sequel to Blood Like Magic finds Voya — now a full-fledged witch — struggling to find her place in her family and win back her love, while also dealing with a vision that signals certain doom on the way. (August 9)
The Bruising of Qilwa by Naseem Jamnia
“In this intricate debut fantasy introducing a queernormative Persian-inspired world, a nonbinary refugee practitioner of blood magic discovers a strange disease that causes political rifts in their new homeland.” Read an excerpt here. (August 9)
Councilor by L.E. Modesitt, Jr.
The Grand Illusion series continues as newly appointed Council of Sixty-Six member Dekkard — a man with the rare ability to resist emotional surveillance and manipulation — faces political chaos while dodging assassination. (August 9)
Furysong by Rosaria Munda
The dragon-filled trilogy that began with Fireborne concludes amid a revolution, which sees Griff, Delo, Annie, and Lee figuring out where they stand and what’s most worth saving — all while doing their best to survive. (August 9)
Glacier’s Edge by R.A. Salvatore
The Dungeons & Dragons Way of the Drow series continues with more adventures featuring Drizzt, Catti-brie, Jarlaxle, Artemis Entreri, and Zaknefein in the Forgotten Realms. (August 9)
High Times in Low Parliament by Kelly Robson
In a magical version of 18th century London, a scribe assigned to Low Parliament must team up with a cranky fairy and an alluring human to try and keep humanity from spiraling into war. (August 9)
Midnight on the Marne by Sarah Adlakha
This World War I tale set in an alt-history version of occupied France follows a French spy who falls for an American soldier — and explores what happens years later when the soldier tests out time travel to change a mistake in his past. (August 9)
The Monsters We Defy by Leslye Penelope
In 1925 Washington, DC, a woman who finds herself indebted to the spirit world after tapping into her psychic abilities. To be free again, she’ll need to steal a magical ring — and she’ll need to assemble a crew of similarly gifted people to help her. (August 9)
Dance With the Devil by Kit Rocha
The post-apocalyptic Mercenary Librarians series continues as the team strikes at the struggling TechCorps: Maya from her position on the inside, Dani and Refe with outside ambushes and undercover missions, and Nina organising the community that supports their cause. (August 16)
Demon Dagger by Russell James
A demon hunter must figure out how to fight one particularly determined evil foe if he wants to save his son’s soul. (August 16)
The First Binding by R.R. Virdi
A storyteller and a singer on the run share their tales of stealing magic, unleashing evil, and starting wars — until their pasts begin to catch up with them. (August 16)
The Honeys by Ryan La Sala
After his twin dies, a grieving teen decides to attend a prestigious summer retreat in her place. What he discovers is a socially toxic place — with an underlying horror that just might explain his sister’s sudden passing. (August 16)
Night Shift by Eileen Gunn
“Wry, dark humour burnishes visionary SF in these often prophetic, sometimes troubling, but always fascinating tales that combine and masterfully conflate the disparate worlds of corporate tech and literary art.” (August 16)
The Oleander Sword by Tasha Suri
As a sister plots against her royal brother in a country slowly succumbing to a strange sickness, a priestess hopes to use her magic for healing — but she’ll need to align herself with the vengeance-minded princess to succeed. (August 16)
Run Time by Catherine Ryan Howard
When a struggling actor signs on to star in a horror film, she begins to suspect life is imitating the script when sinister happenings begin to plague the isolated film shoot. (August 16)
Second Spear by Kerstin Hall
This follow-up to The Border Keeper finds the warrior Tyn charting a new life path after discovering more about her true identity. (August 16)
Tune in Tomorrow by Randee Dawn
Another tale of a struggling actor forced to make a questionable career choice, this one follows a woman who agrees to star on a reality show that’s produced for the entertainment of the Fae. To her surprise, she becomes a fan favourite — and then she learns some dark truths about what goes on behind the scenes. (August 16)
The Year’s Best Fantasy: Volume One edited by Paula Guran
“With tales of living ball gowns and timid monsters, of modern witches and multidimensional magic, these 24 stories will transport you from fantastical realms that push the limits of imagination to alternative realities mirroring much of our own.” (August 16)
Babel: Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of The Oxford Translators’ Revolution by R.F. Kuang
In 1828 London, a brilliant Chinese student enrolls at Oxford’s magical Royal Institute of Translation. But when Britain and China gear up for war, he must pick sides in this tale of “student revolutions, colonial resistance, and the use of language and translation as the dominating tool of the British empire.” (August 23)
Beguiled by Cyla Panin
After her loom breaks, a young weaver makes a deal with a spirit to improve her desperate circumstances — but her sudden good fortune is matched by her unease over her new, magical loom’s demands for blood and worse. (August 23)
Belladonna by Adalyn Grace
A wealthy orphan springs into action to protect her adoptive family from a killer, but it’ll involve striking a deal with Death himself. (August 23)
Darling by Mercedes M. Yardley
After her mother dies, a woman and her children are forced to move back to her hometown — a sinister place where no child is safe, including her own daughter. (August 23)
The Endless Skies by Shannon Price
In this standalone fantasy, a community of shapeshifters lives under the protection of its elite warriors. But before she’s able to take her oath joining their ranks, a young woman is left behind when the warriors head out on a crucial mission. Soon, secrets come to light that will shape her future forever. (August 23)
The House of Always by Jenn Lyons
The Chorus of Dragons series continues in the wake of the Ritual of Night. The King of Demons is one step closer to being freed, while Kihrin and his allies face tough choices about where they’ll direct the fight next. (August 23)
Into the Broken Lands by Tanya Huff
“Shattered by mage wars, the Broken Lands will test the bonds of family and friendship, strength and sanity. To save their people, the Heirs of Marsan have no choice but to enter, trusting their lives and the lives of everyone they protect to someone who shouldn’t exist, who can’t be controlled, and who will challenge everything they believe about themselves.” (August 23)
Lightlark by Alex Aster
Every 100 years, the rulers of six realms are compelled to compete in the Centennial — a game that might help them break the curses on their kingdoms, but also might mean the end of their lives. One young ruler from a land where love spells doom is determined to do whatever she can to win. (August 23)
Reluctant Immortals by Gwendolyn Kiste
This tale imagines that Dracula’s Lucy Westenra and Jane Eyre’s Bertha Mason — immortal BFFs — get their chance to confront Dracula and Mr. Rochester against the backdrop of 1967 San Francisco. (August 23)
Silver Queendom by Dan Koboldt
The owner of the Red Rooster Inn — a dive in Old Queendom — is tempted by a heist that’ll wipe out his debt to the local crime boss. But is stealing an entire shipment of imperial dream wine ever a good idea? (August 23)
The Silverberg Business by Robert Freeman Wexler
In 1888, a Chicago private eye heads to Texas for a wedding, then gets swept into a new case — chasing down a swindler and eventually encountering “a malevolent white-haired gambler, monstrous sand dune totems, and a group of skull-headed poker players trapped in an endless loop of cards and alcohol.” (August 23)
Terminal Peace by Jim C. Hines
The Janitors of the Post-Apocalypse trilogy concludes as our gang of unlikely heroes rallies to battle the human victims of a zombie plague — as well as a pair of decidedly unfriendly alien species. (August 23)
The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen
After they become secret pen pals, an unlikely friendship (and maybe more) blooms between a magical land’s lonely marshal and its most overworked undertaker. (August 23)
A Venom Dark and Sweet by Judy I. Lin
A young practitioner of magic delivered through tea-making brings her skills to help a princess in exile — with the hope of finding allies to help her regain her throne. (August 23)
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
A witch who’s long been forced to hide her magic is thrilled when she’s hired to teach a trio of young witches to control their powers — and then must tap into her skills to protect her found family when trouble stirs. (August 23)
The Warrior: The Quest for Heroes, Book II by Stephen Aryan
Kell Kressia’s story continues as the reluctant king decides to accompany an old friend on a perilous journey — leaving his own land in peril in the process. (August 23)
All of Our Demise by Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman
The All of Us Villains duology concludes as the tournament to control the most powerful magic in the land rages on, with one contender plotting to break the curse that hangs over them all — at any cost. (August 30)
Centres of Gravity by Marko Kloos
The Frontlines series continues as Major Andrew Grayson and his crew find themselves stranded hundreds of light-years from home, with their supplies dwindling at a rapid rate. Desperate to survive, they visit a nearby moon — but it proves a far more hostile place than they realised. (August 30)
Galaxias by Stephen Baxter
“By the middle of the 21st century, humanity has managed to overcome a series of catastrophic events and maintain some sense of stability” — until the sun suddenly goes out, and Earth begins to fall out of its orbit. (August 30)
Holiday Heroine by Sarah Kuhn
The Heroine Complex series continues as demon-hunter Bea prepares to celebrate the holidays with her visiting family — until monster-related circumstances toss her into a parallel-universe Christmas that’ll require her to save the world again. (August 30)
Moon Dark Smile by Tessa Gratton
When the Emperor’s daughter secretly takes her best friend, a great demon, on her coming-of-age journey, she’s forced to reconsider who she really trusts. (August 30)
Number One Fan by Meg Elison
This horror tale of a bestselling novelist who gets kidnapped by a deranged fan is “set against the backdrop of convention culture and the MeToo reckoning,” and “examines the tension between creator and work, fandom and source material, and the rage of fans who feel they own fiction.” (August 30)
The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez
After a palace guard and a young outcast band together to free a captive god from the cruel royal family, the three of them set out on a dangerous quest to help the god gain freedom forever. (August 30)
Suburban Hell by Maureen Kilmer
When a quartet of snarky suburban mums accidentally unleash a demon, they must band together to save the suburbs from the forces of evil. (August 30)
A Taste of Gold and Iron by Alexandra Rowland
Seeking to prove his loyalty to the queen, who’s also his sister, a prince and his bodyguard turn detective after a break-in — only to discover both a conspiracy afoot and the fact that they just might have feelings for each other. (August 30)
Wildbound by Elayne Audrey Becker
The Forestborn fantasy duology concludes in a land where rebellion is rising in the wake of the king’s assassination — and even more alarmingly, a magical illness has taken hold. (August 30)
Want more Gizmodo news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel and Star Wars releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about House of the Dragon and Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
Editor’s Note: Release dates within this article are based in the U.S., but will be updated with local Australian dates as soon as we know more.