Andrea Stewart the daughter of immigrants, and was raised in a number of places across the United States. Her parents always emphasized science and education, so she spent her childhood immersed in Star Trek and odd-smelling library books. When her (admittedly ambitious) dreams of becoming a dragon slayer didn't pan out, she instead turned to writing books. She now lives in sunny California, and in addition to writing, can be found herding cats, looking at birds, and falling down research rabbit holes.
The Girl with a Thousand Faces (2026) Sunyi Dean "The Girl with a Thousand Faces is astonishing and clever, unfolding in layers that cross time and space and identities. Dean has crafted a tale that explores-with wisdom and empathy-the devastating effects of conflict and the ghosts it leaves behind."
Robbie McNeil's Hit List (2026) Brianna Heath "Robbie McNeil's Hit List is the witty, heartwarming, and twisty embodiment of 'be gay, do crimes.' With a karaoke bar, a musical, and an abundance of assassins, this is a read that never ceases to entertain!"
The Book of Fallen Leaves (2026) (Book of Fallen Leaves, book 1) A S Tamaki "The Book of Fallen Leaves is lyrically told, rife with history and political intrigue. This is the rare book that is somehow both vast and intimate - with battles that leap off the page and characters who yearn to do what's right."
City of Others (2026) (DEUS Files, book 1) Jared Poon "City of Others delights and charms with a ragtag group of magical bureaucrats doing their best to save an entire city from being dragged out of reality. Poon seamlessly blends action, magic, romance, and the tight bonds of an understaffed workplace that truly believes in the good they're doing. I absolutely adored this!"
The Memory Hunters (2025) (Consecrated, book 1) Mia Tsai "The Memory Hunters is a gripping examination of who has the right to keep a culture's history, set in an eerie dystopian future suffused with memories and fungal spores. The characters here jostle for power, for one another's hearts, for control of key moments that will determine which direction the future takes. A lush and dynamic read!"
A Song of Legends Lost (2025) (Invoker Trilogy, book 1) M H Ayinde "A Song of Legends Lost is stunning and vividly told, an incredible blend of tech and magic in a world where the characters are rediscovering the truth. It is impossible not to be swept away, to yearn as hard as the characters do, to feel both dread and joy as the events unfold. Ayinde is a master storyteller."
The Legend of Meneka (2025) (Divine Dancers Duology, book 1) Kritika H Rao "The Legend of Meneka is seductive and sensual, an utter delight, with the yearning turned up to eleven and the choices difficult and heart-wrenching. Rao deftly weaves together romance, conflict, and magic, transporting readers to a world that glitters as surely as the blood in an immortal's veins. This is a downright feast of a book, and its heat will linger on your tongue."
The Last Hour Between Worlds (2024) (Echo Archives, book 1) Melissa Caruso "The Last Hour Between Worlds is a masterpiece - filled with excitement, romance, and characters you would protect with your life. The wobbly time effects in this book reach past its pages, making hours of reading blink by in a moment. Unmissable!"
A Song to Drown Rivers (2024) Ann Liang "Poignant and devastating, A Song to Drown Rivers is filled with yearning, a breathtaking story that examines, with both gentleness and relentless honesty, those caught up in the violent ambitions of people in power."
The Last Shield (2024) Cameron Johnston "Johnston's The Last Shield is gritty, action-packed, and ceaselessly clever, with a heroine who uses her considerable determination and wit to claw her way closer and closer to rescuing the people she loves. Briar is the underdog you can't help but root for, and who you would always, always want to have on your side."
The Spice Gate (2024) Prashanth Srivatsa "The Spice Gate is a book a reader can fall into, infused with lush surroundings, memorable characters, and sensory delights. Turning the pages uncovers a treasure trove of mysteries, secrets, and a world on the brink of an extraordinary change."
Daughter of Calamity (2024) Rosalie M Lin "Darkly atmospheric and richly layered, Daughter of Calamity fuses the luxury of 1930s Shanghai, its criminal underbelly, and the powers of the gods themselves. This is a story that seeps into your imagination and persists to the very last page."
Road to Ruin (2024) (Magebike Courier, book 1) Hana Lee "Road to Ruin is an absolute thrill ride, and the most fun I've had reading all year. Messy yet soulful characters, an atmospheric Mad Max world, cool creatures, and imaginative worldbuilding make this book a top-tier experience - one that will have you lining up for the next one!"
To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods (2024) (Gods Beyond the Skies, book 1) Molly X Chang "To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods is desperate, grasping, breathless, filled with hard choices and characters who seek some measure of peace in an unforgiving land. Intensely riveting character dynamics in a truly unique world make this debut an absolute stunner!"
Between the Dragons and Their Wrath (2024) (Shattered Kingdom , book 1) Devin Madson "Between Dragons and Their Wrath is wildly inventive, a world of glass and magic, filled with characters who each hold their own breathtaking secrets. Shifting alliances, revelations, and relationships full of love and lust make this a compelling read."
Orphia and Eurydicius (2024) Elyse John "Spins a bewitching tale of courage, love, and defiance, giving voice and agency to the women in Greek tales who are so often defined by the men they are associated with. Orphia's poetry may bring the gods to tears; John's words have the same effect on us mere mortals. Tragic and triumphant, a must-read!"
Hope Ablaze (2024) Sarah Mughal Rana "This is the kind of book you fill with bookmarks because you'll want to return to its pages over and over. GRIPPING AND STIRRING IN EQUAL PARTS, Hope Ablaze inspires both tears and hope as it takes apart a teenager's life and examines the struggle that so many immigrants face-should you stay silent in your attempts to fit in?"
Immortal Longings (2023) (Flesh & False Gods, book 1) Chloe Gong "Immortal Longings is a grab-you-and-won't-let-go sort of book, as brutal and merciless as its characters. Everyone has secret plans, and everyone's life exists on the edge of betrayal. Each page is fierce and filled with yearning - I loved it."
Ebony Gate (2023) (Phoenix Hoard, book 1) Ken Bebelle and Julia Vee "A wild, exhilarating ride through a living San Francisco populated with ghosts, magical beasts, and one tough-as-nails heroine. Adventurous and filled with heart, exploring the struggles of a bloody past and familial duty, Ebony Gate is a spectacular start to what promises to be an engrossing series."
The Magician's Daughter (2023) H G Parry "There are the best kind of fairytale elements in The Magician's Daughter - the ones that draw you in and make you believe that magic does exist. Animal familiars, an island that only appears on certain days, and a young heroine who learns the depths of her strength. I absolutely adored it!"
The Daughters of Izdihar (2023) (Alamaxa Duology, book 1) Hadeer Elsbai "The Daughters of Izdihar is a thrilling tale of two women's fight for rights in their patriarchal society, peppered with elemental magic, politics, and a relentless desire for that which is wrongly forbidden."
The First Binding (2022) (Tales of Tremaine, book 1) R R Virdi "The First Binding is epic fantasy at its finest -- an homage to storytelling and legend, richly told and endlessly engaging. Complex and luxuriant, this is an emotional, multifaceted gem of a book that examines the twists and turns a story takes on its journey from the truth."
The Final Strife (2022) (Ending Fire, book 1) Saara El-Arifi "El-Arifi tells a tale that is as fierce as its characters, plunging you into a sandy, stratified world until you can feel the grit between your teeth. Heart-wrenching and heart-pounding, The Final Strife is an unmissable debut."
God of Neverland (2022) (Defenders of Lore, book 1) Gama Ray Martinez "Charming and inventive, God of Neverland updates and expands on the mythos of Peter Pan. Martinez sprinkles fairy dust on his readers, takes them by the hand, and flies them through a rollicking adventure."
The Stardust Thief (2022) (Sandsea Trilogy, book 1) Chelsea Abdullah "The Stardust Thief is a dream written upon a page - absorbing, lingering and poignantly told. Abdullah weaves a sweeping adventure of tales within tales, while laying bare the ways those we love can both uplift us and break our hearts."
Daughter of the Moon Goddess (2022) (Celestial Kingdom, book 1) Sue Lynn Tan "Strikingly evocative, tense, and heartfelt, Daughter of the Moon Goddess is a difficult book to put down. It floats you into the Celestial Kingdom, introduces you to monsters both literal and figurative, and leaves you dreaming of dragons."
Star Eater (2021) Kerstin Hall "Hall paints a lush and haunting world with a terrifying magic that forms the very foundation of society. Gripping and absorbing, Star Eater will leave readers lingering over its themes of heritage and power."
Son of the Storm (2021) (Nameless Republic , book 1) Suyi Davies Okungbowa "An elaborately plotted tale of ancient magics and world-shattering politics. I, like many others, will be impatiently waiting for the next instalment!"
The Unbroken (2021) (Magic of the Lost, book 1) C L Clark "Clark gives us an unflinching story of colonialism and revolution and the people caught between. The Unbroken grabs you by the collar, breaks your heart over its knee, and mends it. An astonishing debut."
