Explore 42 fresh Sci-Fi, Horror, and Fantasy novels to expand your collection in January.
Happy New Year and happy new reading material! If "reading more" is a goal you have in mind for 2025—kudos to you! And we have 42 suggestions of where to start flipping the pages, with science fiction, horror, and fantasy tales aplenty.
January 7
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*Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear by Seanan McGuire*
The latest installation in the author’s Hugo and Nebula-winning Wayward Children series features “giant turtles, impossible ships, and tidal rivers ridden by a Drowned Girl in search of a family.” (January 7)
*The Capital of Dreams by Heather O’Neill*
“A grim dystopian fairytale about an idyllic country ravaged by war—and a girl torn between safety and loyalty.” (January 7)
*Cold Storage by Michael C. Grumley*
In this standalone near-future thriller, an army veteran goes on the run from the shadowy group that brought him back from the dead. (January 7)
*A Conventional Boy by Charles Stross*
“In this new Laundry Files adventure, the fate of the world will literally depend on the roll of dice... twenty-sided dice, that is.” (January 7)
*The Dryad Storm by Laurie Forest*
“Magical forces clash and Erthia hovers on the brink of ruin in the must-read finale of Laurie Forest’s epic fantasy series, the Black Witch Chronicles.” (January 7)
*Immortal by Sue Lynn Tan*
“A young ruler must forge a delicate alliance with the untrustworthy yet magnetic God of War to protect her kingdom in this thrilling romantic fantasy filled with dangerous secrets, forbidden magic, and passion.” (January 7)
*Mother of Rome by Lauren J.A. Bear*
“A powerful and fierce reinterpretation of the earliest Roman legend: the twins, Romulus and Remus, mythical founders of history’s greatest empire, and the woman whose sacrifice made it all possible.” (January 7)
*A Sea of Unspoken Things by Adrienne Young*
“A woman investigates her twin brother’s mysterious death while grappling with the ghosts of her own haunted past.” (January 7)
*The Starlight Heir by Amalie Howard (January 7)*
In this romantic fantasy, a bladesmith accepts an invitation to court mostly because she’s longing for adventure. She instead finds trouble in the form of the crown prince’s alluring half-brother, and things get even more complicated when her forbidden powers begin to awaken, attracting the interest of a dark god.
*Wake Up and Open Your Eyes by Clay McLeod Chapman*
In this social horror tale, a man and his nephew race against time to escape “a demonic possession epidemic” that affects those who consume too much toxic media. (January 7)
January 14
© Harper Voyager, HarperVia, Del Rey
*Aurora Fragment by Brian Shea and Raquel Byrnes*
The Memory Bank techno-thriller series continues; in this installment, “investigative detective Morgan Reed grapples with the intrusive memories of a dead killer and is drawn to a remote and troubled Alaskan town.” (January 14)
*Babylonia by Costanza Casati*
This novel offers a blend of “myth and ancient history to give Semiramis, the only female ruler of the Assyrian Empire, a voice, charting her captivating ascent to a throne no one promised her.” (January 14)
*Daughter of Chaos by A.S. Webb*
The Dark Pantheon Trilogy begins in this tale set in ancient Greece, where a fisherman’s daughter realizes she has magical powers—and might just be the key to setting humankind free from the tyrannical gods. (January 14)
*Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor*
In this new novel described as “a book within a book” from the author of Who Fears Death, “a disabled Nigerian American woman writes a wildly successful sci-fi novel, but as her fame grows, she loses control of the narrative—a thought-provoking, yet tender drama about art, love, identity, and connection, and what makes us truly human.” (January 14)
*Hammajang Luck by Makana Yamamoto*
“Ocean’s 8 meets Blade Runner in this trailblazing debut science fiction novel and love letter to Hawaii about being forced to find a new home and striving to build a better one.” (January 14)
*Heavenly Bodies by Imani Erriu*
A new romantic fantasy series begins with this tale that “blends mythology and shadow magic with a tantalizing enemies-to-lovers romance that will rewrite the stars.” (January 14)
*The Last Room on the Left by Leah Konen*
“The caretaker of an isolated mountain hotel must fight for her life—and her sanity—in this twisty, addictive thriller.” (January 14)
*The Night Is Defying by Chloe C. Peñaranda*
The second installment in the author’s Nytefall trilogy is set “where history is destined to repeat itself, and star-crossed lovers must make a choice between their hearts or the world.” (January 14)
*Strange Pictures by Uketsu, translated by Jim Rion*
This Japanese best-seller offers “an intriguing take on mystery-horror in which a series of seemingly innocuous pictures lead you down a chilling path of unsolved mysteries and shattered psyches.” (January 14)
Vow of the Shadow's Embrace by Sylvia Mercedes*
This romantic tale, the latest installment in the Queen of the Shadow King series, revisits Princess Faraine. She finds herself trapped in the Shadow Realm alongside her new husband, King Vor, who remains skeptical of her intentions despite the deepening connection between them. (January 14)
*Moonlit Tears by Samantha Sotto Yambao*
A woman inherits a pawnshop, where individuals can sell their regrets, and embarks on a magical journey when a captivating young physicist wanders into her shop. (January 14)
*Water's Shadow by Alex Pheby*
The Cities of the Weft trilogy concludes as Nathan Treeves assumes the role of Master of Waterblack, the City of the Dead, and wages war against the God-Killer who has marked him as her target. (January 14)
*Lived on the Horizon's Edge by Erika Swyler*
This story follows a top bio-prosthetic surgeon and her AI companion as they become tangled in a revolutionary uprising. (January 14)
*Witchcraft for Rebellious Girls by Grady Hendrix*
Set in 1970s Florida, an occult book on witchcraft awakens a mysterious and dangerous power within the teenage girls at a home for unwed pregnant teens. (January 14)
January 21
© Erewhon Books, Ace, CLASH Books
*Boudicca's Vengeance by P.C. Cast*
An epic, erotic, and magical tale of the legendary British warrior queen Boudicca. (January 21)
*Tale of Meneka's Love by Kritika H. Rao*
Inspired by one of the most popular romances in Hindu mythology, this fantasy follows the tale of a celestial dancer tasked with seducing a human sage. As she grows to love him, she must choose loyalty towards herself or her duty. (January 21)
*Moth Theatre's Witch by Linda H. Codega*
This queer fantasy, set against the backdrop of the Appalachian Mountains in Virginia, follows the last witch of the Ridge as she confronts the conflicts between industry and nature. (January 21)
*Stormborn's Fury by Rebecca Yarros*
The Empyrean series continues with Violet's journey as she departs Basgiath War College and enters the battlefield, both searching for allies and willing to defend her loved ones and dragons. (January 21)
*Market of the Rainy Season by You Yeong-Gwang, translated by Slin Juno*
Woman's surprise discovery of a mysterious ticket grants her entrance to the Rainfall Market, where one can alter the course of their life on the first day of the rainy season. (January 21)
*Cursed by Love's Folly by Edward Lee and Mary SanGiovanni*
This story tells the tale of a resentful horror fanboy who crosses paths with the wrong woman, leading to his descent into a horrifying dimension hijacked by Lovecraftian creatures. (January 21)
*Tongue's Whispers in the Wind by Anita Kopacz*
This sequel to Shallow Waters sees the revival of Oya—the Yoruban deity of weather—in 1870s America. (January 21)
January 25
*Flowers of Deadly Desire by Shannon Ives*
This intense and passionate adventure explores Greco-Roman mythology and the disappearance of the Roanoke colony, woven together with themes of sapphic passion and vengeful wrath. (January 25)
January 28
© Del Rey, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, Penguin Books
*Garden's Hidden Secret by Camilla Bruce*
A notorious murderer finds herself in charge of guarding two peculiar young girls in this mesmerizing and dark gothic novel. (January 28)
*Future of the Orishas by Tobi Ogundirian*
With the final volume of the Guardians of the Gods duology, the fate of the Orishas hangs in the balance. (January 28)
*Door to Kagoshima by Poppy Kuroki*
In this historical romantic fantasy, a young Scottish woman is transported to the age of the last Samurai, where she encounters the ghosts of her past, her Japanese roots, and an enduring love that transcends time. (January 28)
*Elder Soul by Susan Barker*
Combining elements of horror, western, and thriller, this radical and genre-defying tale follows a man on his quest to put an end to centuries-long human destruction. (January 28)
*Winter's Chilling Monster by Dennis Mahoney*
A distraught couple flees from their trials, only to find themselves confronted by an otherworldly creature during the holiday season. (January 28)
*Outcast's Magical Destiny by Annabel Campbell*
A mage who has lost her powers questions her identity as she seeks to uncover if she is meant to save the world or destroy it. (January 28)
*Queen of the Dark Forest by Mira Frears*
Set against the background of a Malian fairy tale, this dark fantasy follows the story of a princess whose suitors are tested in gruesome trials. (January 28)
*Echoes of the Everlasting Observer by Josh Mendoza*
A hapless private investigator who frequently encounters demonic forces finds out he possesses an unexpected talent: the ability to manipulate space-time, which might be his ticket to the life he's always yearned for. (January 28)
*Abyssal Pit, and Other Incomprehensible Depths: Tales by Leyna Krow*
Located in the Pacific Northwest, these tales mesh high-concept magic with the at times subtle, at times blatant, effects of climate change. (January 28)
*The Fangs of Dawnbreak by Marina Lostetter*
The Five Penalties fantasy series reaches its conclusion as "a rebellion tries to strip away the deceptions and enchantments concealing a society cloaked in layers of mystery." (January 28)
Looking for additional io9 updates? Find out when to anticipate the next Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what's coming up for the DC Universe in film and television, and all the details you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
In the year 2025, if you're interested in science fiction, you might find the latest technology-driven thriller titled "Cold Storage" by Michael C. Grumley to be an intriguing read. The protagonist in this story goes on the run from a shadowy group after they bring him back from the dead.
Furthermore, in 2025, Io9 readers eagerly anticipate the release of "Aurora Fragment" by Brian Shea and Raquel Byrnes. This installment in the Memory Bank techno-thriller series sees investigative detective Morgan Reed grappling with the intrusive memories of a dead killer and being drawn to a remote and troubled Alaskan town.
