The Most Anticipated Fantasy Reads of 2025 to Watch For!
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As we usher in a new year, the literary world is already excited for the upcoming book releases in 2025. From debut novels to captivating love stories and poignant memoirs, there’s something for every reader to look forward to. Whether you’re a book club member looking for the next great discussion or an avid reader eagerly awaiting the release of that long-anticipated novel, 2025 promises to deliver in spades. Let’s dive into the year’s most anticipated books, including works from Pulitzer Prize winners, New York Times bestsellers, and debut authors.
Enchantra by Kaylie Smith
Enchantra is one of those books that pulls you into its web of dark intrigue and never lets you go. Genevieve Grimm’s life is turned upside down when she’s invited to a cursed palace. A place where trust is a dangerous game. The moment she meets Rowin Silver, she knows she’s stepping into something far bigger than she ever expected. He’s arrogant, elusive, and dangerous, but as they’re forced into a deadly competition, something else blooms between them. A dangerous, forbidden desire that she can’t ignore.
The twisted labyrinth of Enchantra is both haunting and seductive, and every trial feels like a battle not just for survival but for control over their hearts. Rowin tells Genevieve that she can’t trust anyone here, but can she trust him? The chemistry between them crackles, and the line between betrayal and love is razor-thin. I love the tension, the game of deception, and the slow burn of their relationship. It’s a perfect mix of moral ambiguity, intense romance, and the kind of dark mystery that keeps you turning pages. If you’re into twisted love stories with high stakes and a dash of danger, Enchantra might just become your next obsession.
Where Did You Go? by Jeneane O’Riley
If you’re a fan of swoon-worthy, forbidden romance, and high-stakes fantasy, Infatuated Fae by Jeneane O’Riley is exactly what you’ve been waiting for. The third book in the series has finally arrived. And it’s a whirlwind of tangled emotions, dangerous secrets, and fae magic that will keep you hooked from the first page. There’s something irresistibly magnetic about the way O’Riley weaves these characters together. Passions collide, hearts shatter, and every turn feels like a betrayal waiting to happen. The magic is sharp, the romance forbidden, and the stakes higher than ever before.
What I love about this book is how O’Riley continues to deepen the world she’s created. Adding layers to the plot and revealing more about the fae realm that’s as dangerous as it is captivating. The forbidden love story at its core will have you holding your breath. Will they survive their love, or will the very thing that draws them together tear them apart? It’s a ride you won’t want to miss. If you’re ready for betrayal, magic, and a romance that might break your heart, Infatuated Fae is calling your name.
Ambessa: Chosen of the Wolf: A League of Legends: Arcane by C.L. Clark
Ambessa: Chosen of the Wolf is a gripping, high-stakes addition to the League of Legends: Arcane universe. And it delivers everything a fan of epic fantasy and political intrigue could ask for. Ambessa Medarda, a warrior, a mother, and a woman. Whose ambition knows no bounds, is thrust into a battle that is more than just physical. It’s a war for her very soul.
What I find fascinating about Ambessa’s journey is the unrelenting drive she has to claim her place at the top, not just of Noxus but in her own family. The political tension with her cousin, Ta’Fik, adds a layer of complexity, with both of them wielding secrets and past sins like weapons. But the heart of the story lies in Ambessa’s complicated relationship with her daughter, Mel, and the tension between expectation and reality. Ambessa wants Mel to be more like her, but Mel is a character in her own right. More than capable of breaking hearts and defying the rigid walls Ambessa has built around herself.
The blend of power, betrayal, and dark family dynamics makes this story a powerful exploration of what it means to be a leader, a mother, and a woman in a world that demands everything from you. Chosen of the Wolf will have you questioning the price of power and the true cost of ambition.
The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig
The Shepherd King Duology is ranked among my top reads of 2023! The atmospheric tones with just the right amount of romance made it the perfect read. So, when it was announced that Rachel would be returning with The Knight and the Moth, I immediately reached out to Orbit to see if I could get an ARC. And I ain’t too proud to beg!
“The Knight and the Moth” is a gothic, mist-cloaked tale that will captivate lovers of dark romance and fantasy alike. In a world where fate is written in the stars, a prophetess is thrust beyond the safety of her cloister, embarking on an impossible quest to defeat the gods themselves. Alongside her is the enigmatic knight, whose future remains hidden from her sight. A mystery even she, with all her gifts, cannot decipher. Their journey will test the limits of love, sacrifice, and destiny as they face an uncertain world and the looming shadows of the gods. This new novel is one of the most anticipated releases of 2025. Perfect for readers who crave a story where love, life, and fate intertwine in unexpected and thrilling ways.
The Knight and the Moth releases May 20, 2025!
The Nightshade God by Hannah Whitten
The Nightshade God is the kind of book that pulls you in with its mix of high stakes, dark magic, and fierce determination. Lore’s journey in the final installment of the series feels like it’s all or nothing. And I can’t help but root for her as she faces impossible odds. After everything she’s lost. Friends, city, and even herself. She’s been banished to a prison colony, forced to rely on every skill she’s honed just to survive.
What I love about this is the slow burn of her growing strength as she works to defeat the gods who’ve corrupted everything. The stakes are personal, the tension is palpable, and I can feel the urgency in her mission. With magic on the line, and an unexpected ally joining her, I’m hooked on how Lore will piece everything together. And whether she’ll be able to resist the powerful pull of her own growing magic. It’s a perfect blend of survival, power, and the emotional weight of the journey.
Red God by Pierce Brown
There isn’t much on the seventh and final book in the Red Rising Saga. But know this I am foaming at the mouth for this book. Red Rising is the best entry into the Sci-Fi genre. And I will not be complete without an ARC copy of this book!
Our Infinite Fates by Laura Steven
“Our Infinite Fates” is a fantastical love story that defies the boundaries of time and death. In the vein of The Invisible Life of Addie La Rue and This Is How You Lose The Time War, this hauntingly beautiful tale follows Evelyn. A young woman who remembers every one of her past lives. And every time, she’s been murdered by Arden, a supernatural being whose fate is inextricably linked to hers. As the centuries unravel, their love remains constant, yet always doomed.
In this life, Evelyn is determined to break the curse that binds them. Especially when her sister’s survival depends on her. But to do so, she must find the centuries-old devil hunting her, uncover why she’s been cursed, and try. Impossibly—not to fall in love again.
With time as their greatest enemy. Evelyn must navigate a perilous path where love, life, and death collide in a race against fate. This book is one of 2025’s most anticipated new releases for readers who adore epic love stories, supernatural suspense, and soul-stirring romance. And I just happen to be among them!
Our Infinite Fates releases on March 4, 2025!
Oathbound by Tracy Deonn
If you’ve ever read a book that completely twists your emotions, leaving you feeling torn between characters, decisions, and the pull of a fate you can’t escape. Oathbound is that book for me.
Oathbound is one of those books that pulls you in with its complex characters and the high stakes they face. Bree Matthews, trying to protect herself and those she loves, cuts ties with the Legendborn Order. But it comes at a steep cost. A dangerous, unbreakable deal with the Shadow King. As she trains to control her powers, she’s bound to do his bidding. And I couldn’t help but feel the tension between wanting to see her fight back and understanding the gravity of her situation. With the Scions on the brink of war, the Round Table in chaos, and a string of kidnappings and deaths unfolding, Bree’s past. And her curse. Are never far behind. The way this book explores power, trust, and survival makes it impossible to put down. Leaving me thinking about Bree’s journey long after I finished.
Oathbound releases on March 4, 2025.
Mistress of Bones by Maria Z. Medina
Mistress of Bones has all the ingredients of a book I can’t wait to dive into. Romance, adventure, and a touch of the fantastical with high stakes. Azul del Arroyo’s quest to resurrect her sister sounds both heartbreaking and intense. Especially when you throw in the tension of facing off against the Emissary of Lord Death, who seems like an impossible obstacle. I love the idea of Azul being caught in a world that’s bigger than her personal grief. With gods, necromancy, and mysterious forces all at play. The blend of romance and loss in a world where the gods are still very much active feels like it’s going to be deeply emotional. I’m really drawn to stories where the stakes are high, and the characters have to wrestle with fate and their own choices. And I have a feeling this one will do that in spades.
Rebel Witch by Kristen Ciccarelli
Rebel Witch is the kind of book that grabs you by the heart and doesn’t let go. Rune Winters is on the run, betrayed by the boy she loved, and now bound to a dangerous alliance with Cressida Roseblood, who has plans that could shatter everything Rune’s fought for. The stakes feel personal and intense. Especially as Rune’s path collides with Gideon Sharpe’s, the witch hunter whose betrayal of her now haunts him. Their reunion is charged with tension.
He wants to stop the witches, she’s fighting for survival, and the world they once knew is teetering on the edge. What I love is that Rune and Gideon are stuck in this impossible, emotional tug-of-war, where every decision feels like it could destroy them both. It’s a deadly dance between love, loyalty, and survival, and I can’t wait to see how their story plays out in this epic, romantic conclusion to the Crimson Moth duology.
Rebel Witch releases February 18th.
Upon a Starlit Tide by Kell Woods
Upon a Starlit Tide blends dark magic, forbidden love, and betrayal in a way that feels like stepping into a haunting fairy tale. Lucinde Leon’s desire to escape the constraints of her life as the youngest daughter of a wealthy ship-owner pulls me in right from the start. The quiet defiance of her dreams to sail the seas rather than marry well resonates deeply, especially when her path crosses with Morgan de Chatelaine, a charismatic, adventurous soul who will change everything.
I’m drawn to how this story combines elements of The Little Mermaid (I am an Ariel STAN!!!) and Cinderella but with a deeper, more intense edge. The fae, the growing tension with the English, and Luce’s growing powers all weave together to create this world where magic and danger are inseparable. The idea of a sea-glass slipper or a sea-maid’s tail has me intrigued. There’s something powerful and unsettling waiting beneath the surface of this enchanting world, and I can’t wait to see how it all unfolds.
Upon a Starlit Tide releases on February 18, 2025
The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Finally, In The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, danger, and witchcraft span three generations, weaving an eerie tale that spans decades. Minerva is drawn into the chilling mystery of Beatrice Tremblay, an obscure author whose most famous novel, The Vanishing, was inspired by a real-life tragedy. As Minerva digs into Tremblay’s life and the strange disappearance of her roommate during the Great Depression. She uncovers a dark force that seems to haunt the campus. One that echoes the terrifying stories her grandmother, Nana Alba, told her about witches in 1900s Mexico.
The deeper Minerva goes, the more she realizes that this ancient malevolent presence might be stalking her as well, threatening everything she holds dear. With its haunting atmosphere and compelling twists. The Bewitching will pull you into a web of mystery, witchcraft, and danger that spans generations.
The Bewitching releases on July 15th
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