Seven fantasy novels to get you through 2025: From Rebecca Thorne to Hannah Nicole Maehrer

Hindustan Times

3 days ago

Books give flight to your imagination, but fantasy teleports you there. Assemble, readers! With rich and diverse magical plots, we are in for a wild ride. From the heavy mythological, historical, and dark academia goodness to light-hearted romance and modern fantasies, the year 2025 is packed with wonders for every reader. From Beasts of Carnaval and Alchemy and a Cup of Tea to Hemlock & Silver, these books are on top of out 2025 TBR list
Get ready to update your TBR list with the 7 most anticipated fantasy books, promising an escape to the world of the magical and the supernatural!
1. Beasts of Carnaval by Rosália Rodrigo
For the fans of The Night Circus, Rodrigo brings forth a new historical fantasy with a lush, Puerto Rico-inspired setting. Readers are set to venture into a magical blend of Caribbean carnival culture and the mythology of the Taíno through magical realism.
The nights of Isla Bestia call upon el Carnaval de Bestias.
Its shores boast of a colourful utopia, enrapturing guests from outside with fine music, grand feasts, and beautiful monsters. Few ever leave, for the revelry is endless. Born an enslaved mestiza of the colonised island of Etérea, Sofia is now a freedwoman with neither wealth nor a title to her name. She embarks on a journey to el Carnaval de Bestias to find her twin brother, who disappeared five years ago. This legendary island calls out to her, flaunting an alluring familiarity that threatens to drown her purpose. Will Sofia be able to unveil the dark history of the carnival and save her brother and herself? Or will she lose herself in the false glamour?
The book will be released on July 29.
2. The Magician of Tiger Castle by Louis Sachar
The author of Holes returns with his first adult novel, a classic forbidden love fantasy with interesting modern sensibilities.
Years ago, a struggling kingdom of Esquaveta existed somewhere in the south of France, desperately in need of an alliance. An ominous marriage is thus arranged by the King, tying his daughter, Princess Tullia's fate to a revolting prince. However, Tullia faces a different peril. As fate would have it, she falls for a lowly apprentice scribe a month before the wedding.
Enter Anatole, a past prodigy turned into a disgraced magician after seventeen years of constant failures. Now an object of utter ridicule, Anatole finds Tullia as his sole believer. Ordered by the King to brew a potion that binds Tullia to her dire fate, Anatole is stuck at an impossible crossroads. Between the kingdom's well-being and his reputation, or friendship and true love, which will be his road not taken?
The book will be released on August 5.
3. Accomplice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
For the readers of the instant #1 New York Times Bestselling Series, Book 3 of the Assistant to the Villain series is set to join your TBR list with a long-awaited romantasy conclusion to the trilogy.
Evie Sage never saw it coming. One minute, she was applying for a mere entry-level position and the next, she was the right-hand woman to the kingdom's notorious Villain. Featuring a hilarious grumpy/sunshine trope, join Evie with an unveiled magical prophecy and way too many crowned frogs giving her a wild ride. Enjoy a read of strange murder plots sprinkled with utter chaos. Nursing an inappropriate crush on your villainous boss is quite taxing on your dignity, really, and Evie agrees.
The book will be released on August 5.
4. Alchemy and a Cup of Tea by Rebecca Thorne
From the USA Today, Sunday Times, Indie bestselling author Rebecca Thorne, this Book 4 brings the Tomes & Tea series to an adventurous yet cozy end.
When Reyna wanted to enjoy a cup of tea, she did not expect the fickle finger of fate to fling away her peace. Now kidnapped and unceremoniously locked in a hidden cell, Reyna is nothing if not flexible. With worse situations in the past, adapting to the current one is not the issue. No, the problem is Reyna's cell being booby-trapped and now sporting a mysterious alchemical circle.
Meanwhile, a new trouble finds Kianthe and Reyna's hometown. A sudden influx of tourists floods into Tawney, wishing to meet the celebrity owners and their bookshop. With Tawney's peace drowning in peril, Kianthe and Reyna are in a serious pickle, because closing their business for the town's safety might be the only solution….
The book will be released on August 12.
5. Hemlock & Silver by T Kingfisher
With a dark re-imagining of 'Snow White', Hugo Award-winning author T Kingfisher returns with an intriguing fantasy donning a magical garb and horror undertones.
Living a herb-obsessed life, healer Anja is an unusual figure. She consumes poisons regularly. Not to die, but to save others. Seeking cures for those everyone else has lost hope for, Anja continues to live a quiet life. That is, until this quiet is suddenly intruded by the King's summoning. With his daughter, Snow's life nearing its end, Anja's unorthodox skills become imminent to save her.
Followed by a grumpy guard and an imperious cat, Anja rushes to treat a dying Snow, but her attempts bear no fruit. That is, until she chances upon a magic mirror concealing a mysterious world inside. Now, Anja must search this world for the key to Snow's illness, which may or may not cost her and her companions their own lives.
The book will be released on August 19.
6. The Good Vampire's Guide to Blood & Boyfriend by Jamie D'Amato
After recovering from a suicide attempt, turning into a vampire was definitely not in Brennan's bingo card. So, the nineteen-year-old deals with it like he deals with life- pretend nothing is wrong. And really, it cannot get any worse when Cole, the cute librarian and campus crush, catches Brennan drinking from a blood bag. Fortunately, Cole seems more than willing to keep his secret. And maybe even like him…?
Struggling with vampire puberty and the addition of a strange clan of 'good' vampires, Brennan is off to a not-so-charming start with his new relationship. But as rumours of a missing kid rise and the mysterious 'animal attacks' near campus reach a new high, will Brennan be able to balance vampirism and humanity and unveil the clan's secrets? Or will it cost him his first-ever real friends in life?
The book will be released on August 26.
7. Katabasis by RF Kuang
From RF Kuang, the author of Babel and Yellowface, this dark academia fantasy follows the descent of two academic rivals into hell for a much-needed recommendation letter.
Her whole life, becoming one of the brightest minds in the field of Magick has been Alice Law's sole goal. She has forsaken everything to make it a reality. But sacrificing her health, love, or sanity meant nought if she could be mentored by Professor Jacob Grimes at Cambridge, the greatest magician in the world.
That is, until said sacrifices may all be in vain, following Grimes' death in a magical accident. Alice is now determined to find Grimes' soul in Hell, even if it is with her rival, Peter Murdoch, who reached the same conclusion beside her. Can they team up to survive a Hell different from what philosophers claim, or will their rivalry best their goal?
The book will be released on August 26
Story by Pragati Vishwakarma