Fantasy Books April 2023!
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Best New Release Fantasy Books in April 2023!
With April 2023 upon us, it's time to celebrate some new and exciting fantasy book releases!
Whether you're a seasoned fan of fantasy or just starting out, these upcoming novels are sure to whisk you away on a magical adventure full of mystical creatures, epic quests, heartwarming stories, and dark twists.
Grab a cup of coffee, get comfy, and get ready for an exciting month of reading ahead!
April 4th
1.To Poison a King by S.G. Prince
Fantasy | Adult | Fantasy Romance | Witches
S.G. Prince's new standalone is a breathtaking fantasy about sacrifice, self-discovery, and a girl tasked with saving the very man she aimed to kill.
Selene is the youngest daughter in a gifted line of healers, born to serve as the king's royal physician. Yet when Selene's mother Persaphe embroils her in a plot to kill the king, Selene finds herself poisoning the very man she is sworn to protect.
Things seem bleak, but there is another problem—the poison doesn’t work, and the king doesn’t die. Rather, he awakes from his coma paralyzed, aware of the attempt on his life, and furious.
With the palace in a state of upheaval and everyone hunting the king's poisoner, Persaphe flees, leaving Selene the task of rehabilitating the man she aimed to kill, all while hiding her true role in his demise. What follows is a journey spanning years and continents, as a king and his servant develop into unlikely friends…and more. Yet the closer Selene grows to the king, the more her secret weighs on her, as does her growing fear that Persaphe—having failed to kill him once—might return to try again.
2. The United Divines (Divine Witches #2) by J.J. Otis
Fantasy | Young Adult | Paranormal | Urban Fantasy
They’re destined to save the witches of Dark Boston, but they’ll need more than each other to prevent the city’s destruction.
Weeks after The Torven murdered their friends, Meg and Landen are still reeling from the betrayal that led them to that fateful night. Now, they must travel to the decaying and war-torn magical city of Dark Boston to fulfill the prophecy of the Destined Divines. But dealing with their grief, insecurities, and increasingly powerful Divine Witch bond isn't easy, especially when they’re immediately separated during an attack by an army of monsters.
Hiding amongst rebel witches, Meg becomes entangled in the search for the unique crystals needed to defeat The Torven’s conjurer, Carmith. During her explorations, Meg learns of Carmith's ominous rise to power and reign of magical suppression over Dark Boston. As she tries to find a way to free Landen from Carmith’s prison, Meg discovers a key to restoring the city. But saving Landen will force Meg to accept the inner truths she’s been hiding from herself and others for months.
Trapped in prison and fatally hexed by Carmith, Landen’s running out of time. But knowing Carmith’s estranged daughter has its advantages for Landen. New potential allies come to his rescue and guide Landen through the city in search of Meg, so she can use their magical bond to eradicate the hex. As Landen attempts to find Meg, his new friends are mortally wounded. While he fights for his life and theirs, shocking truths come to light that will force him to face the trauma of his past and accept his witch lineage.
To survive Dark Boston and return home, Meg and Landen must learn to use their bond and accept their destiny. Only united with their Divine Witch bond can they stop Carmith before she destroys the city and everyone in it.
Read Book #1- The Destined Divines
April 11th
3. Untethered Sky by Fonda Lee
Fantasy | Adult | Novella | High Fantasy | Epic Fantasy
Ester’s family was torn apart when a manticore killed her mother and baby brother, leaving her with nothing but her father’s painful silence and a single, overwhelming need to kill the monsters that took her family.
Ester’s path leads her to the King’s Royal Mews, where the giant rocs of legend are flown to hunt manticores by their brave and dedicated ruhkers. Paired with a fledgling roc named Zahra, Ester finds purpose and acclaim by devoting herself to a calling that demands absolute sacrifice and a creature that will never return her love. The terrifying partnership between woman and roc leads Ester not only on the empire’s most dangerous manticore hunt, but on a journey of perseverance and acceptance.
April 12th
4. The Mark of the Hunter Trilogy by Morgan Gauthier
Fantasy | Young Adult | Epic Fantasy | Pirates | Adventure | Romance
Niabi killed for it once and is prepared to kill again.
Crispin wants it and is determined to have his revenge.
Salome wants nothing to do with it, but has to fight for it.
After years of people insisting she must be cursed due to her discolored left eye, Salome starts to believe they might be right. But when Harbona the Seer unexpectedly visits her, he reveals not only has the Year of the Hunter begun, but Salome’s distorted eye is in actuality the Mark of the Hunter, and she is charged to avenge the blood of the innocent.
With the Immortal Seer, their axe-wielding guardian, and a dangerous bounty hunter known as the Wanderer in their company, Salome and her brother, Crispin, embark on a journey to defeat their sister and reclaim the White Throne.
This omnibus contains the trilogy in its entirety.
Read Book #1- Wolves of Adalore
April 14th
5. The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King (Crowns of Nyaxia #2) by Carissa Broadbent
Fantasy | Adult | Fantasy Romance | Paranormal | Vampires
Love is a sacrifice at the altar of power.
Oraya and Raihn's story continues in book 2 of the Crowns of Nyaxia series, The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King.
Read Book #1- The Serpent and the Wings of Night
April 17th
6. Under Darkened Skies by H.E. Bauman
Fantasy | New Adult | Fantasy Romance | 1920s Inspired World
A librarian with a secret. A prince looking for redemption. A dark discovery that will force them to confront their truths.
Astrea Sovna is destined to die. As a Lightbringer, she’s expected to serve the Helosian government as a battlefield healer; but when the court seer—Astrea’s uncle—has a vision of her being killed in the line of duty, he forbids her to reveal her powers.
Until now, Astrea has gone unnoticed as a junior librarian. But when she gets reassigned to a diplomatic project to strengthen ties between Helosia and one of its neighbors, she finds herself saddled with her past, in the form of returned war hero and her ex-best friend, Prince Varojin Auris.
Forced to work together, Astrea soon learns that although Varojin has been out of her life for years, he’s still the kind, patient friend she remembers. As they navigate old friendships and imperial politics, the pair discovers that the mysterious shadows stalking the city are leaving a trail of murder victims in their wake. And when Astrea becomes a target, a dear friend gets caught in the crossfire…
As Astrea and Varojin begin searching for answers, they realize there is much more to the emperor’s project than political niceties. If the shadows aren’t stopped, Astrea’s future—and the security of the entire continent—hangs in the balance.
April 18th
7. Apprentice (The Shadow Atlas #2) by Jenny Sandiford
Fantasy | New Adult | Urban Fantasy | Magic school | Mages | Dark Fantasy
A bond that could change the fate of the world…
Azalea Sharp just wishes her life would go back to normal. But what’s normal when you’re being hunted by the House of Ravens and spirits are using you as a doorway to another world?
Forced to apprentice to a Shadow Mage she wants nothing to do with, Azalea must put aside the past and join his hunt for a set of powerful relics to prevent a dangerous gateway opening to the Echo Dimension.
But fate has other ideas, and Azalea grows closer to the man she desperately wants to hate. To save the world from an onslaught of destructive magic, she is forced to make a choice: let him sacrifice himself or watch the world burn.
Apprentice is the gripping sequel to Initiate in this new adult urban fantasy series.
Read Book #1- Initiate
April 19th
8. Eyes of a Snake (Royal Blood #2) by Adina Chiles
Fantasy | Young Adult | Magic | Found Family | Slowburn
POWERS ARE RISING.
AND SECRETS ARE JUST AS DEADLY.
Successfully obtaining the chalice in Noel has put Mellana at risk. Prince Lorian has ordered everyone to turn over those who possess gifts, and a bounty looms over her head. Mellana may have the help of her friends, but when trouble strikes, the group finds themselves separated. Stumbling upon a hidden fortress filled with people who have powers like herself, she learns Lorian isn't the only one she needs to fear.
In search of the next article, Emery’s Emerald, Mellana makes it to the kingdom of Emery. But when the Queen and article come up missing, all eyes are on her sister, Princess Opal, who has a deadly obsession with snakes and mirrors. Making Opal a deal, Mellana agrees to find the article in exchange for protection. When the deal creates a countdown, Mellana must deliver her side of the bargain before her reality becomes twisted, and her plans of stopping Lorian are shattered.
Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon
Read Book #1- Secrets of a Rose
April 20th
9. The Bone Shard War (The Drowning Empire #3) by Andrea Stewart
Fantasy | Adult | Epic Fantasy | High Fantasy | LGBT
Lin Sukai has won her first victory as Emperor, but the future of the Phoenix Empire hangs in the balance – and Lin is dangerously short of allies.
As her own governors plot treason, the Shardless Few renew hostilities. Worse still, Lin discovers her old nemesis Nisong has joined forces with the rogue Alanga, Ragan. Both seek her death.
Yet hopes lies in history. Legend tells of seven mythic swords, forged in centuries past. If Lin can find them before her enemies, she may yet be able to turn the tide.
If she fails, the Sukai dynasty – and the entire empire – will fall.
Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon
Read Book #1- The Bone Shard Daughter
April 21st
10. The Remarkable Retirement of Edna Fisher by E.M. Anderson
Fantasy | Adult | High Fantasy | Cozy Mystery | Dragons | LGBT
You're never too old for adventure.
When you’re a geriatric armed with nothing but gumption and knitting needles, stopping a sorcerer from wiping out an entire dragon-fighting organization is a tall order. No one understands why 83-year-old Edna Fisher is the Chosen One, destined to save the Knights from a dragon-riding sorcerer bent on their destruction. After all, Edna has never handled a magical weapon, faced down a dragon, or cast a spell. And everyone knows the Council of Wizards always chooses a teenager—like the vengeful girl ready to snatch Edna’s destiny from under her nose.
Still, Edna leaps at the chance to leave the nursing home. With her son long dead in the Knights’ service, she’s determined to save dragon-fighters like him and to ensure other mothers don’t suffer the same loss she did. But as Edna learns about the abuse in the ranks and the sorcerer’s history as a Knight, she questions if it’s really the sorcerer that needs stopping—or the Knights she’s trying to save.
11. Essence (Shadow Fractures #3) by Bethany Arliss
Fantasy | Young Adult | High Fantasy | Epic Fantasy | Portal Fantasy
The Daughter of Three will divine the prophecy and ignite the Essence.
Kelsey’s heart is shattered. She has lost the people she holds most dear, and the weight of the world sits on her shoulders.
Taken to the capital city, Kelsey is summoned by the Rex and commanded to fulfill her destiny. Kelsey accepts the role, but a surprising discovery causes her to question what kind of saviour she will be.
But the Vaa have infiltrated Aracron and their evil taints the land. Citizens and protectors are dying, and the Vaa are evolving. Despite struggling with her growing doubt in the prophecies, Kelsey must meet the High Lord, Irapra, and his minions in battle.
In a fight to save the world, will Kelsey fulfil the prophecy, or be forced to watch the destruction of Aracron?
Read book #1- Aracron
April 25th
12. Tsalmoth (Vlad Taltos #16) by Steven Brust
Fantasy | Adult | Science Fiction Fantasy | Adventure
First comes love. Then comes marriage…
Vlad Taltos is in love. With a former assassin who may just be better than he is at the Game. Women like this don’t come along every day and no way is he passing up a sure bet.
So a wedding is being planned. Along with a shady deal gone wrong and a dead man who owes Vlad money. Setting up the first and trying to deal with the second is bad enough. And then bigger powers decide that Vlad is the perfect patsy to shake the power structure of the kingdom.
More's the pity that his soul is sent walkabout to do it.
How might Vlad get his soul back and have any shot at a happy ending? Well, there’s the tale…
Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon
Read book #1- Jhereg
13. In the Lives of Puppets by T.J. Klune
Fantasy | Adult | Retelling | Science Fiction Fantasy | LGBT
In a strange little home built into the branches of a grove of trees, live three robots--fatherly inventor android Giovanni Lawson, a pleasantly sadistic nurse machine, and a small vacuum desperate for love and attention. Victor Lawson, a human, lives there too. They're a family, hidden and safe.
The day Vic salvages and repairs an unfamiliar android labelled "HAP," he learns of a shared dark past between Hap and Gio-a past spent hunting humans.
When Hap unwittingly alerts robots from Gio's former life to their whereabouts, the family is no longer hidden and safe. Gio is captured and taken back to his old laboratory in the City of Electric Dreams. So together, the rest of Vic's assembled family must journey across an unforgiving and otherworldly country to rescue Gio from decommission, or worse, reprogramming.
Along the way to save Gio, amid conflicted feelings of betrayal and affection for Hap, Vic must decide for himself: Can he accept love with strings attached?
14. Her Dark Enchantments by Rosalyn Briar
Fantasy | Adult | Fairytale Retelling- Sleeping Beauty Villain
The Wicked Fairy. The Mistress of All Evil. The villain of Sleeping Beauty goes by many names, but where did she come from?
Myravelle Spinner grew up in a tower with only spiders, spindles, and stone walls for friends while her mother spun gold for the king. She wondered why her mother refused to teach her fairy magic until one fateful mistake led Myravelle to become the healer in the king’s Sleepy Wood Company…
Drained from years of waking soldiers from a cursed sleep, Myravelle must now choose a new canvas–a man whose life she drains with a dagger to fuel her healing powers. A ritual binds her to Byzarien Dumont, who loathes fairies for the fires that left his family impoverished and his body riddled with scars. His burning hatred causes Myravelle’s enchantments to wilt, leading the king to threaten her mother’s life.
Byzarien can only see Myravelle as a beautiful spider who strings men along her web, while Myravelle considers love a weakness for the king to exploit. With their families in danger and soldiers rotting in a death-like sleep, the pair must learn to trust one another before the dark magic spinning in Myravelle’s soul unravels once and for all.
The Wicked Fairy never asked to become a monster…
Make sure you add the ones you like to your TBR pile! Which ones do you like the look of? Let me know in the comments☺️
