Amélie Wen Zhao was born in Paris, grew up in Beijing, and attended college in New York City, where she currently resides. Blood Heir is her first novel. To learn more about Amélie and Blood Heir, go to ameliezhao.com or follow @ameliewenzhao on Twitter and Instagram.
Dominion (2026) (Silk and Iron Trilogy, book 1) Jean Kwok "Romantic and action-packed, Kwok serves a searing entry into the genre of romantasy. Dominion is a feast for the senses with deadly magic tournaments, mythical companion animals, and Chinese-inspired elements - with a burning romance and shocking twists. At the story's heart, Kwok draws a fierce yet tender character of diaspora in Rubi Morningtail as she grapples with fitting in to a new world and new identity."
Deathbringer (2026) (Deathbringer, book 1) Sonia Tagliareni "Sumptuous, decadent, and gripping, Deathbringer is a genre-bending feast of dark academia, murder mystery, and forbidden romance. Tagliareni bewitches with her richly-crafted world of necromancy and poison while masterfully layering in suspense. Gorhail ensnared me from the first page; this is one to be savored."
Thorn Season (2025) (Thorn Season, book 1) Kiera Azar "Sharply written and utterly gripping, Thorn Season ensnares with its tangled vines of political schemes, its breathtakingly alluring yet dangerous romances, and fiercely clever protagonist who is in turns charming and prickly like the titular thorn. Azar is one to watch in the YA fantasy landscape; readers won't want to put this one down."
I Killed the King (2025) (I Killed the King, book 1) Andrea Hannah and Rebecca Mix "Hannah and Mix serve up a sharp, slick, and genre-bending magical murder mystery of epic proportions and twists. While vengeful gods and glittering beasts dazzle, what steals the show is the depth and vividness with which each character is crafted in the ensemble cast of this pacey, darkly humorous read. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough."
Immortal Consequences (2025) (Souls of Blackwood Academy, book 1) I V Marie "Clever, sharp, and deathly decadent, Immortal Consequences is a brilliant debut into dark academia. Marie has written a master class in character and voice, with heart-pounding twists as terrifyingly beguiling as the shadows of the Ether."
The Knight and the Moth (2025) (Stonewater Kingdom, book 1) Rachel Gillig "A gothic, romantic fairytale that feels like falling into a dark, strange dream - one you won't want to wake from. With twisty parables, monstrous divinities, a slow-burn romance and magic with a deadly cost, the story of The Knight and the Moth unfolds like peeling back a gossamer shroud. Gillig has done it again - I'm obsessed."
Our Infinite Fates (2025) Laura Steven "Vividly beautiful and brilliantly transcendent... Laura Steven's imagination is endless, her prose brimming with a magic that threads emotion and meaning into the ordinary everyday."
The Legend of Meneka (2025) (Divine Dancers Duology, book 1) Kritika H Rao "Effervescent, passionate, and romantic, The Legend of Meneka is a brightly-burning flame of a tale set in a world gleaming with magic and helmed by a woman on a journey to self-discovery. With prose that reads like hymn, Rao beautifully brings to life Indian mythology in a novel sure to set fire to the fantasy landscape."
Breath of the Dragon (2025) (Breathmarked, book 1) Fonda Lee and Shannon Lee "A tale in equal turns powerful and gripping, inspiring and meaningful, and with vividly cinematic combat scenes that felt like movie sequences. Lee and Lee have forged a new classic born of legacy and show themselves to be grandmasters of the martial arts genre."
The Teller of Small Fortunes (2024) Julie Leong "Joyful, heartwarming, and utterly charming, Leong's cozy fantasy debut is a cup of hot (fortune-telling) tea straight to the soul. Readers will delight in road-tripping with Tao, her found family, and their adorable animal companions in this whimsical, healing tale."
Zodiac Rising (2024) (Descendants of the Zodiac, book 1) Katie Zhao "A rollicking heist adventure filled with epic twists and political intrigue."
Fledgling (2024) (Keeper's Records of Revolution, book 1) S K Ali "A richly-imagined futuristic world tipping into revolution, a fiery yet tender love story, and unyielding courage in the search for truth and justice, S. K. Ali's entry into science fiction is powerful in every sense. Raw, inspiring, and unputdownable."
The Monstrous Kind (2024) Lydia Gregovic "Lushly atmospheric and exquisitely gothic, Gregovic's world of haunting gray mist will ensnare you with its intricate web of politics, sinister monsters, and brooding romance. A deliciously dark, genre-bending tale to sink your teeth into and devour."
The Girl With No Reflection (2024) Keshe Chow "A fairy tale at once ornate and lovely yet filled with sharp edges... Keshe Chow's enchanting entry into Chinese fantasy is eerily beautiful, wickedly romantic, and delightfully twisty!"
The Night Ends with Fire (2024) (Night Ends with Fire, book 1) K X Song "Sweepingly epic and tenderly romantic, The Night Ends With Fire is a fiercely feminist adventure about a young woman fighting to shape her destiny in a world of lore, magic, and war. One not to miss for fans of Mulan."
It's Only a Game (2024) Kelsea Yu "A twisty, heart-pounding story of betrayal, buried secrets and a hidden past unraveling as a high-stakes and deadly game seeps into reality. Kelsea Yu deftly weaves in the exploration of found family, love, and the Asian diaspora experience between layers of action, suspense, and revelations in this propulsive thriller."
Dragon Rider (2024) (Soulbound Saga, book 1) Taran Matharu "A dazzlingly epic and richly complex world of dragons, magic, and rebellion with an underdog-turned-hero protagonist - Taran Matharu serves high fantasy in style. A fresh and fiery entry to the shelves of dragon-lovers."
Snowglobe (2024) (Snowglobe Duology, book 1) Soyoung Park "Utterly unputdownable, Snowglobe is an out-of-this-world dystopian thrill ride. Soyoung Park has created an addictive, twisty tale perfect for fans looking for the next Squid Game or Parasite."
Kingdom of Without (2023) Andrea Tang "Sharp, sophisticated, and stirring, Kingdom of Without presents a brilliant tale of revolution crackling with action, wit, and humor and interlaced with moments that so poignantly explore what it means to be human - all set against the backdrop of a cyberpunk, futuristic Beijing. I am wholly in love with the gritty world and clever crew that Andrea Tang has created in one of her best works yet."
Gorgeous Gruesome Faces (2023) (Gorgeous Gruesome Faces, book 1) Linda Cheng "A darkly addicting and deliciously twisty tale of horror and romance infused with East Asian mythology and set in the dazzling world of idol competitions. Will make for a decadent addition to the YA thriller category."
What the River Knows (2023) (Secrets of the Nile, book 1) Isabel Ibañez "Magic and mystery, quests and romance sparkle in Ibanez's dazzling historical adventure novel. Prepare to be whisked on a whirlwind ride to the glittering banks of the Egyptian Nile by a plucky, courageous heroine!"
Nightbreaker (2023) (Nightbreaker, book 1) Coco Ma "Propulsive, action-packed, and wildly entertaining, Nightbreaker is an absolute page-turner of a tale that burns as brightly and fiercely as its protagonist. Coco Ma is a fresh and thrilling voice to watch in YA urban fantasy!"
Bring Me Your Midnight (2023) Rachel Griffin "Mesmerizingly atmospheric, achingly tender, and fiercely passionate, Bring Me Your Midnight holds the depths of an ocean within its spellbinding pages. Griffin weaves enchantment with lyrical prose that is at once intimate and bold, vulnerable and sweet, in a magical, romantic masterpiece."
Bonesmith (2023) (House of the Dead Duology, book 1) Nicki Pau Preto "Gripping and action-packed in its plot, tender yet fierce in its romance, haunting and gritty in its worldbuilding, Bonesmith is a dark fantasy thrillride from start to finish. Wren Graven is the perfectly stubborn, witty, and courageous heroine to navigate a world of ghosts and undead that will remain with readers long after the last page."
The Witch and the Vampire (2023) Francesca Flores "Flores conjures a bewitchingly atmospheric world of deadly magic, ancient rivalries, and cursed forests underpinned by a sumptuous, slow-burn romance that puts a fresh spin on the canon of witches and vampires."
Spice Road (2023) (Spice Road, book 1) Maiya Ibrahim "With an enchanting world of tea magic and desert monsters and a thrilling quest helmed by a girl whose wit is sharper than her blades, Maiya Ibrahim's Spice Road is a fantasy you don't want to miss."
Beasts of Prey (2021) (Beasts of Prey, book 1) Ayana Gray "Ayana Gray’s wonder-filled world of mythos and monsters and magic comes to life in the ensnaring, enchanting Greater Jungle. An unputdownable tale that unfolds in a maze of twists and turns, driven by the crackling wit of two protagonists on a quest to vanquish the beasts of their present and past."
Cast in Firelight (2021) (Wickery, book 1) Dana Swift "Cast in Firelight sparks with quick humor and crystal prose, a vivid elemental magic system, a burning romance, and a heroine whose courage and wit light up the pages. A fantasy with a fresh voice equal-parts fun, romance, and action."
These Violent Delights (2020) (Violent Ends, book 1) Chloe Gong "Chloe Gong’s These Violent Delights cuts to the heart of twentieth-century China with its scalpel-sharp prose and steel-spirited protagonists. Juliette Cai and Roma Montagov shine brighter than the glitz and glamour of historical Shanghai; sparks fly when they clash in this action-packed story set amidst a backdrop of blood feuds, gang wars, and political upheaval."
