As fantasy readers, we’re drawn to books with stories that not only transport us to faraway realms but also crack open truths buried within our real-world experiences—identity, power, belonging, freedom. These five recent releases do just that, blending bold imagination with emotional intensity and cultural depth. From Caribbean witches in Brooklyn to a vengeful African princess in Victorian England, these novels challenge genre expectations and deliver unforgettable journeys.
Whether you’re in the mood for lyrical verse, mythic forests, royal schemes, or sisterly warfare, your next great read is right here. Let’s dive in.
(S)Kin by Ibi Zoboi
Genre: Contemporary Fantasy / Novel in Verse
Themes: Caribbean folklore, identity, mother-daughter relationships, transformation
From National Book Award finalist Ibi Zoboi comes a powerful and poetic novel about two teen girls linked by blood and bound by inherited magic. Marisol, a fifteen-year-old girl descended from a soucouyant, sheds her skin every new moon and becomes a fireball witch. Her life in Brooklyn feels like a prison—a place where magic is stifled, and freedom seems out of reach. Meanwhile, Genevieve, her estranged relative, is battling a mysterious skin condition and yearning for answers about her past.
When their worlds collide, both girls must confront a truth: the skin they inhabit is more than flesh—it’s a history, a legacy, and a potential.
Zoboi’s lush verse pulses with fury, yearning, and fire. As she told Teen Vogue:
“Joy is freedom, and freedom is joy. Joy can be a catalyst for change because you want to protect it.”
(S)Kin is a searing meditation on ancestral magic, the bonds of womanhood, and the painful beauty of becoming.
The Queen’s Spade by Sarah Raughley
Genre: Historical Thriller / Feminist Revenge Fantasy
Themes: Colonialism, power, agency, identity
In this thrilling reimagining of a real-life historical figure, Sarah Raughley paints a provocative portrait of Sarah Forbes Bonetta, a kidnapped African princess who became the goddaughter of Queen Victoria. In Raughley’s hands, Sarah—now 19 and burning with resentment—plots her vengeance against the Crown, playing a deadly game of court manipulation, romance, and underworld alliances.
Set in 1862, this story pulses with intrigue as Sarah seduces, deceives, and rises through a system that once claimed to civilize her. But when Queen Victoria suspects her motives, a royal marriage becomes the latest trap in an ongoing web of control.
Raughley, a scholar of postcolonial studies, infuses the narrative with sharp insight and historical nuance. She doesn’t just rewrite history—she reclaims it.
Perfect for fans of Belladonna, A Dowry of Blood, or Grave Mercy.
Divining the Leaves by Shveta Thakrar
Genre: YA Mythic Fantasy
Themes: Friendship, transformation, Indian folklore, environmental connection
If you loved the delicate magic of The Star-Touched Queen, Shveta Thakrar’s newest novel will wrap you in vines of myth and meaning. Seventeen-year-old Ridhi longs to become a yakshini—a nature spirit who can finally belong among the trees she reveres. Her former friend Nilesh, reeling from his parents’ failed marriage, stumbles into the same realm of magic he once mocked.
When a deal with a powerful Yaksha noblewoman goes awry, and Nilesh ends up trapped in the otherworld, Ridhi must decide: what is the cost of the destiny she so desperately wanted?
Sarah Beth Durst calls it:
“Beautiful and dangerous magic… This book swirls around you like irresistible perfume.”
Divining the Leaves is a vibrant, green-glowing fantasy that speaks to anyone who’s ever felt out of place—and found home in the wild.
Oathbound by Tracy Deonn
Genre: YA Contemporary Fantasy / Arthurian Retelling
Themes: Legacy, loyalty, sacrifice, Southern Black girl magic
In the third installment of her Legendborn Cycle, Tracy Deonn continues Bree Matthews’ struggle to reconcile her magical legacy with the high cost of power. Severed from her friends and oathbound to the Shadow King, Bree is both a weapon and a ticking time bomb. The emotional stakes are high as the remaining Scions must gather strength and secrets as war with the demon underworld looms.
Deonn’s blend of Arthurian legend, African American ancestral magic, and deep emotional stakes is unmatched in YA fantasy today.
While she hasn’t revealed much publicly about Oathbound yet, Deonn’s body of work speaks to a clear mission:
“I wanted to write a Black girl who could hold power, wield it, and still be vulnerable and real,” Tracy Deonn shares about her protagonist in Oathbound. This portrayal of a powerful yet vulnerable character is a testament to the depth and complexity of the characters in the book.
Fans of Legendborn will be on the edge of their seat.
This Ends in Embers by Kamilah Cole
Genre: YA Fantasy / Epic Finale
Themes: Sisterhood, war, sacrifice, blurred morality
The explosive conclusion to the Divine Traitors duology doesn’t pull punches. Faron Vincent, once her country’s saint, is now its traitor—kidnapped and soul-bound to a ruthless tyrant. Meanwhile, her sister Elara, the new Empyrean, is unraveling as war crashes down around her.
Kamilah Cole threads heartache and heroism into every chapter. Reflecting on her experience writing the finale, she shared:
“I just wasn’t sure how it would be received! I’m so, so happy that those who trusted me enough to check out how the story ends came out of it fulfilled.”
The story asks a crucial question: when love, power, and vengeance collide, how much of yourself can you sacrifice before there’s nothing left?
These five books are a testament to the expanding boundaries of the fantasy genre. Each one offers more than escapism—they offer reflections of our world, wrapped in rich language, fierce heroines, and impossible choices. Whether rooted in ancient myth or reimagined history, these stories challenge us to ask: what are we willing to become to claim our freedom?
Which one are you reading first?
