Need a little magic in your life? Perhaps an intergalactic adventure? We thought so! Below you’ll find four science fiction and fantasy books featuring queer characters you can request now on NetGalley, and four that you can pick up from your favorite bookstore or library.
Request these while you can:
Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon
Rivers Solomon’s third novel is already receiving rave reviews, so don’t hesitate to hit that request button. Vern runs away from the cult she grew up in at the age of 15 to give birth to twins, Howling and Feral. She raises her small family far from the Blessed Acres of Cain, but they’re pursued relentlessly by a being known as the fiend. When Vern’s past catches up with her, she transforms in unbelievable ways to protect her family.
Flash Fire by T.J. Klune
Young adult readers who loved The Extraordinaries can request the sequel now. In Flash Fire, Nova City is welcoming new heroes left and right. It falls to Nick and his friends to learn if they’re here to help the city, or to further their own villainous agenda. While you’re requesting this one on NetGalley, you may also want to check out Under the Whispering Door, Klune’s adult contemporary fantasy hitting shelves in September.
Star Eater by Kerstin Hall
If you like a bit of horror with your fantasy, Star Eater is the book for you. Elfreda Raughn is looking to escape from the Sisterhood of Aytrium, knowing that she’s certain to die if she stays. When a cabal offers her a chance at freedom, in exchange for spying on the Sisterhood, she agrees and finds herself drawn into more danger than she could’ve imagined.
Gearbreakers by Zoe Hana Mikuta
Fans of Pacific Rim will find a lot to love in this young adult debut. Windups enforce the Godolia rule over the Badlands, but these mechanized weapons aren’t impenetrable. Gearbreakers like Eris Shindanai can sneak inside and take them down, and unfortunately, her latest attempt landed her in prison. There she meets Windup pilot Sona Steelcrest, who has her own ideas about how to take down Godolia.
Check out these 2021 releases on shelves now:
Winter’s Orbit by Everina Maxwell
“Ancillary Justice meets Red, White & Royal Blue”—yes, please! This science fiction debut follows an unlikely duo, pushed to marry to create peace between their worlds, who come together to solve the murder of the Imperial Prince. As the prince’s widower, Jainan is seen as a suspect, and though he and Kiem don’t get along, Kiem agrees to help him clear his name and uncover the true killer.
Sweet & Bitter Magic by Adrienne Tooley
Adrienne Tooley’s YA fantasy debut follows two magical heroines who make a risky bargain that changes their lives forever. Tamsin is exiled and cursed with the inability to love. She can steal it though, and that’s what Wren tempts her with. Wren needs to save her father from a deadly sickness, and she offers Tamsin the love she has for him in exchange for her help to find the witch who sent a plague across their land.
Fireheart Tiger by Aliette de Bodard
Readers looking to dive into a novella won’t want to miss Aliette de Bodard’s latest. Princess Thanh was sent to Ephteria as a bargaining chip to keep her family’s home of Bình Hải safe. Now, she’s returned as a diplomat to her mother’s court. When she reunites with Princess Eldris of Ephteria, Thanh finds herself torn between what her heart wants and what is best for her country—especially as it becomes clear that Eldris wants far more than Thanh’s love.
Infinity Reaper by Adam Silvera
Adam Silvera’s Infinity Cycle series continues with Infinity Reaper. The books follow brothers Emil and Brighton as they’re swept up into a war between celestials and specters. Picking up where the first left off, Infinity Reaper finds Emil searching for a cure to the Reaper’s Blood that’s poisoning Brighton. Check out our interview with Silvera for more on the inspiration for the series and what it means to be a hero.
