Fantasy and science fiction books transport us beyond the ordinary. Beyond the usual. Far into the beyond. These are the stories that expand our imaginations, ask us to question reality, explore strange new worlds, and dive into the magic of the unknown. 

2025 brought us a spectacular array of new releases, with bestselling favourite authors returning alongside dazzling debuts. These are books that bend genres, challenge expectations, and sweep readers into extraordinary realms. Whether you prefer your fiction dark and haunting, lush and magical, or sharp with satire, our hand-picked selections will keep you spellbound all year, with a new fave added each and every month.

We Who Will Die - SciFi / Fantasy Pick, December 2025

We Who Will Die is an intense, daring, and delicious start to a new Romantasy series, discover a magic world, vampires, enemies-to-lovers romance, gladiatorial battles to the death… and Arvelle. Author Stacia Stark has created the most beautiful balance in this start to what promises to be a fabulous new series. The romance element sits as equals among the fight for survival and social justice, political intrigue, battle scenes, developing friendships, and understanding of self.

The world building is vividly colourful, enabling you to comprehend the swirling magic and dangerous vampires that surround you as you read. Arvelle is a wonderful main character, well-rounded and someone you can develop a relationship with. The surrounding characters are equally as interesting to get to know. Liz Robinson comments: "passionate, bold, and oh-so compelling, We Who Will Die is an immensely rewarding read. Highly recommended. 

Lightbreakers - SciFi / Fantasy Pick, November 2025

In Lightbreakers, Aja Gabel takes readers on a slow, shimmering journey through love, time, and the choices that define us. At its centre are Maya, the artist and Noah, the physicist. In the beginning, there was happiness. She remembers the first time she met him, giving a student talk on a Japanese photographer. He crept into her life quietly, brilliantly, and she thought he was fixable. She thought love might heal him.

But beneath his charm and intellect lay sadness. Pure sadness. A lost child. A first marriage. He’s haunted by his loss. Time is unable to erase it. When a mysterious offer arrives from a billionaire philosopher to join a lab in the Texan desert working on The Janus Project, Noah says yes. The novel begins to crack open, bending light and memory to explore impossible possibilities: what if we could move through time?

It’s a novel of sliding doors, tethered souls, and the jigsaw puzzle of selfhood. This is a story of impossible things made possible, of love that transcends time, and of grief. This is a novel that will make you feel. Feel deeply, devastatingly, beautifully about the people who shape us and the choices we make. It’s absolutely stunning.

The Three-Body Problem - SciFi / Fantasy Pick, October 2025

Merging scientific discovery with the threat of war, this is an outstanding and hugely epic story of revolution, conspiracy, and betrayal. This is a blow-your-mind reading experience according to LoveReading's Liz Robinson. "I first read The Three-Body Problem about ten years ago, it was originally published as a novel in China in 2008, with the English translation arriving in 2014. It forms part of the Remembrance of Earth’s Past trilogy, and in 2024 was made into a TV series. My second deep dive was just as awe-inspiring as the first. Cixin Liu is such an exciting author to read, his mind really does work in a unique and inspiring way and I find myself pondering life, the world, and universe after spending time immersed in his words. This story is quite simply epic, I found it almost exquisitely painful in terms of the concept. Earth is in danger after a scientist takes action because she believes humans are not capable of living in harmony. The plot moves in a non-sequential timeline which actually allows a greater understanding to grow. The Three-Body Problem throws wide open a thrilling reading experience, go on, try it, I dare you!"

The Naked Light - SciFi / Fantasy Pick, September 2025

Bridget Collins, bestselling author of The Binding, returns with a luminous new novel. The Naked Light is a spellbinding exploration of truth, vulnerability, and the transformative power of storytelling itself. LoveReading's Charlotte Walker commented: "A village reeling from war, an ancient chalk talisman left neglected and an unconventional connection between an artist and a spinster blend together in an eerie, compelling tale."

Bittershore - SciFi / Fantasy Pick, August 2025

Immersive, atmospheric, and deeply compelling, Bittershore conjures a world where survival hinges on power, loyalty, and dangerous secrets. V.V. James is a master of weaving political intrigue with human drama, and this gripping fantasy will sweep you into tides of treachery and temptation. Deborah Maclaren described it as "Witch-tastic: A powerful, unflinching magical thriller that will stay with you long after you turn the final page"

Human Rites - SciFi / Fantasy Pick, July 2025

Bold, biting, and fiercely imaginative, Juno Dawson’s Human Rites is speculative fiction at its most provocative. Exploring questions of identity, freedom, and justice, Dawson blends gripping storytelling with urgent social themes. A thought-provoking read that pulses with energy and insight. LoveReading MD Deborah Maclaren shared: "If Her Majesty’s Royal Coven cast the first spell, Human Rites delivers the full cosmic explosion. A blistering, brilliant finale that’s fierce with feminist fire, fuelled by friendship, and funny as hell."

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil - SciFi / Fantasy Pick, June 2025

V.E. Schwab, one of the most imaginative voices in fantasy today, returns with Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil, a haunting tale that promises to break hearts as well as boundaries. With her signature lyricism, Schwab weaves a story of memory, loss, and what it means to be human. Expect dark beauty, aching tenderness, and unforgettable magic. As Liz Robinson commented: "Sharp and pointed, passionate and bloody, feel the bite of three very different female vampires over the centuries...it's a bold, angry scream of a novel."

Spellbound - SciFi / Fantasy Pick, May 2025

Romance, revenge, and magic intertwine in Spellbound, a lush fantasy brimming with atmosphere and intrigue. Georgia Leighton crafts a world of hidden danger and irresistible temptation, where secrets simmer and sorcery comes at a price. An intoxicating story for fans of dark academia and gothic fantasy. Liz Robinson shared: "Singing an enchanting tale that highlights the lives of the women within, as darkness, perseverance, and hope make themselves known in this retelling of Sleeping Beauty."

The Serpent Called Mercy - SciFi / Fantasy Pick, April 2025

A searing debut blending myth, magic, and moral ambiguity. The Serpent Called Mercy by Roanne Lau explores power, justice, and the costs of compassion through a richly imagined world of gods and mortals. LoveReading's Liz Robinson called it "a thrilling and rewarding action-packed fantasy novel that showcases the importance of friendships as conquessors fight to the death in a bloodsport arena."

From the darkly enchanting to the dazzlingly bold, these books prove that fantasy and sci-fi in 2025 are as imaginative and boundary-breaking as ever. Whether you want to be swept into epic battles, tangled in webs of sorcery, or confronted with thought-provoking visions of the future, our monthly picks promise unforgettable journeys into the fantastic. Keep checking back as the year progresses to see which new book is added each month.

If you're looking for more recommendations, check out our Science Fiction or Fantasy categories.