Incredible New Release Fantasy Books in October 2023!
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Best new release fantasy books in October 2023!
This is a huge list of fantasy books coming out in October!
I’m looking forward to checking out Cassandra Clare’s new series, Sword Catcher. Also, The Scandalous Confessions of Lydia Bennet, Witch by Melinda Taub. I’m a sucker for anything Pride and Prejudice related!
Have a great month of reading! I hope you find something new and exciting to dive into.
October 1st
1.Valendi (Wintersea #2) by Liz Highland
Fantasy | New Adult | High Fantasy | Romance | Epic Fantasy
An ocean lies between them.
Rowan must learn to make a life in Wintersea Castle and find her place as a noblewoman and daughter of a revolutionary.
Quinn must face the consequences of betraying his family and figure out how to repair the kingdom that he broke.
With Wintersea and Thuedal on the brink of war, they each have to decide where their loyalties lie--to each other, to the legacies of their fathers, or to their people.
Magic abounds in this second installment of the Wintersea Trilogy.
Read Book #1- Wintersea
October 3rd
2. Throne of the Fallen by Kerri Maniscalco
Fantasy | Adult | Romance | Demons | Mystery
Sinner. Villain. Ruthless.
These are wicked names the Prince of Envy welcomes. They remind him what he isn’t: a saint. And when a cryptic note arrives, signaling the beginning of a deadly game, he knows he’ll be called much worse before it ends. Riddles, hexed objects, anonymous players, nothing will stand in his way. With a powerful artifact and his own future at stake, Envy is determined to win, though none of his meticulous plans prepare him for her, the frustrating artist who ignites his sin—and passion—like no other…
Talented. Darling. Liar.
The trouble with scoundrels and blackguards is that they haven’t a modicum of honor, a fact Miss Camilla Antonius learns after one desperate mistake allows notorious rake—and satire sheet legend—Lord Phillip Vexley to blackmail her. And now it seems Vexley isn’t the only scoundrel interested in securing her unique talents as a painter. To avoid Vexley’s clutches and a ruinous scandal, Camilla is forced to enter a devil’s bargain with Waverly Green’s newest arrival, enigmatic Lord Ashford ‘Syn’ Synton, little expecting his game will awaken her true nature . . .
Together, Envy and Camilla must embark on a perilous journey through the Shifting Isles—from glittering demon courts to the sultry vampire realm, and encounters with exiled Fae—while trying to avoid the most dangerous trap of all: falling in love.
3. Starling House by Alix E. Harrow
Fantasy | Adult | Horror | Gothic | Romance | Mystery
A grim and gothic new tale from author Alix E. Harrow about a small town haunted by secrets that can't stay buried and the sinister house that sits at the crossroads of it all.
Eden, Kentucky, is just another dying, bad-luck town, known only for the legend of E. Starling, the reclusive nineteenth-century author and illustrator who wrote The Underland--and disappeared. Before she vanished, Starling House appeared. But everyone agrees that it’s best to let the uncanny house―and its last lonely heir, Arthur Starling―go to rot.
Opal knows better than to mess with haunted houses or brooding men, but an unexpected job offer might be a chance to get her brother out of Eden. Too quickly, though, Starling House starts to feel dangerously like something she’s never had: a home.
As sinister forces converge on Starling House, Opal and Arthur are going to have to make a dire choice to dig up the buried secrets of the past and confront their own fears, or let Eden be taken over by literal nightmares.
If Opal wants a home, she’ll have to fight for it.
4. The Scarlet Alchemist (The Scarlet Alchemist #1) by Kylie Lee Baker
Fantasy | Young Adult | Historical Fiction | China
Zilan dreams of becoming a royal alchemist, of providing for her family by making alchemical gold and gems for the wealthy to eat in order to stay young forever. But for now, she’s trapped in her impoverished village in southern China, practicing an illegal form of alchemy to keep food on the table—resurrecting the dead, for a price.
When Zilan finally has the chance to complete her imperial exams, she ventures to the capital to compete against the best alchemists in the country in tasks she’ll be lucky to survive, let alone pass. On top of that, her reputation for raising the dead has followed her to the capital, and the Crown Prince himself seeks out her help, suspecting a coming assassination attempt.
The more Zilan succeeds in her alchemy, the more she gets caught in the dangerous political games of the royal family. There are monsters lurking within the palace walls, and it’s only a matter of time before they—and secrets of Zilan’s past—catch up with her.
5. The Hurricane Wars (The Hurricane Wars #1) by Thea Guanzon
Fantasy | Adult | Fantasy Romance | Magic | High Fantasy
The heart is a battlefield.
All Talasyn has ever known is the Hurricane Wars. Growing up an orphan in a nation under siege by the ruthless Night Emperor, Talasyn has found her family among the soldiers who fight for freedom. But she is hiding a deadly secret: light magic courses through her veins, a blazing power believed to have been wiped out years ago that can cut through the Night Empire's shadows.
Prince Alaric, the emperor's only son and heir, has been forged into a weapon by his father. Tasked with obliterating any threats to the Night Empire's rule with the strength of his armies and mighty Shadow magic, Alaric has never been bested. That is until he sees Talasyn burning brightly on the battlefield with the magic that killed his grandfather, turned his father into a monster, and ignited the Hurricane Wars. In a clash of light and dark, their powers merge and create a force the likes of which has never been seen.
Talasyn and Alaric both know this war can only end with them. But a greater threat is coming, and the strange new magic they can create together could be the only way to overcome it. Thrust into an uneasy alliance, they will confront the secrets at the heart of the war and find, in each other, a searing passion--one that could save their world...or destroy it.
An exquisite fantasy brimming with unforgettable characters, sizzling enemies-to-lovers romance, and richly drawn worlds, The Hurricane Wars marks the breathtaking debut of an extraordinary new writer.
6. The Scandalous Confessions of Lydia Bennet, Witch by Melinda Taub
Fantasy | Adult | Historical Fiction | Witches | Romance | Pride and Prejudice Retelling
A sparkling, witchy reimagining of Pride and Prejudice, told from the perspective of the troublesome and—according to her—much-maligned youngest Bennet sister, Lydia.
In this exuberant reimagining of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, Lydia Bennet puts pen to paper to relate the real events and aftermath of the classic story from her own perspective. Some facts are well known: Mrs. Bennet suffers from her nerves; Mr. Bennet suffers from Mrs. Bennet, and all five daughters suffer from an estate that is entailed only to male heirs.
But Lydia also suffers from entirely different concerns: her best-loved sister Kitty is really a barn cat, and Wickham is every bit as wicked as the world believes him to be, but what else would you expect from a demon? And if you think Mr. Darcy was uptight about dancing etiquette, wait till you see how he reacts to witchcraft. Most of all, Lydia has yet to learn that when you’re a witch, promises have power . . .
Full of enchantment, intrigue, danger, and boundless magic, The Scandalous Confessions of Lydia Bennet, Witch, has all the irreverent wit, strength, and romance of Pride and Prejudice—while offering a highly unexpected redemption for the wildest Bennet sister.
October 6th
7. Kingdom of Forgotten Curses (The Stolen Royalty Series #1) by A.R.Kaufer
Fantasy | Adult | Paranormal Romance | Gothic Beauty and the Beast Retelling
The prince is a bloodthirsty soldier who enjoys death, fine wine, and the company of beautiful women. Until one fateful night, when everything changes.
80 years later, the king's barrister, Marius, discovers a reference to the prince and is immediately sent upon a mission of discovery by the king, much to the dismay of his three daughters.
At the chateau, Marius makes a deadly mistake, and now someone must pay the price...
For fans of Beauty and the Beast, Dracula, and romantic fairytales, this is for you. A gothic tale as old as time...
October 7th
8. House of Blood and Whispers by Natalina Reis
Fantasy | Adult | Epic Fantasy | High Fantasy
Kidnapping Cahki might have been the worst mistake of Emperor Min’s life. Cahki I was kidnapped and brought south across the seas to warm Emperor Min’s bed. I may be small, but inside of me live the strength and ferocity of a fjord dragon. When the prince offers me a way back to freedom, I take it. Even if it means marrying him, a stranger and an enemy. I can always kill him if things go awry. One thing is I’ll be a slave to no one! Sung-jin I’m the sole heir to the throne of the Southern Kingdom, the one thing that keeps me alive.
Alive but not unharmed. My father is a believer in ruling by fear, and that applies even to me. I have the scars to prove it. The white-haired woman my father kidnapped could be the answer to all my prayers. As long as she doesn’t kill me first. No matter what, I will free my people from my father’s cruelty or die trying. A people who lives in fear. A court that hates its ruler. A cruel emperor with unsavory appetites and no morals. When Prince Sung-jin and his new wife, Cahki set out to rescue the kingdom and its people, the odds are not on their side. But they are still willing to give it a try. There are only two win or die!
October 9th
9. Misplaced Magic by Jessica Dodge
Fantasy | New Adult | Magical Realism | Historical Fantasy Fiction | Autumn Vibes
Working as a journalist in the quiet corners of a Maine town, Ionna Bellmore receives an estate letter that unravels her reality. A mysterious grandmother, an inherited estate, and a journey to the enchanting landscapes of northern Wales await her. But what she uncovers there fractures her perception of her family, revealing a darkness lying just below the surface.
Simultaneously, Kate, a London teenager, flees to her grandmother’s house in the quaint Welsh town of Beddgelert. She's there to figure out her future away from the grasp of her controlling mother, but what she finds are forgotten memories and powerful magic lying dormant within her.
Bound by the threads of fate and the age-old Welsh myth of the Lady of the Lake, Ionna and Kate's lives intertwine. With the help of Owen, a local farm boy, and Zeke, a charismatic swordsmith, they must unravel their connection to the encroaching evil threatening to wreak chaos on humanity.
October 10th
10. Sword Catcher (Sword Catcher #1) by Cassandra Clare
Fantasy | New Adult | High Fantasy | Romance
In the vibrant city-state of Castellane, the richest of nobles and the most debauched of criminals have one thing in common: the constant search for wealth, power, and the next hedonistic thrill.
Kel is an orphan, stolen from the life he knew to become the Sword-Catcher—the body-double of a royal heir, Prince Conor Aurelian. He has been raised alongside the prince, trained in every aspect of combat and statecraft. He and Conor are close as brothers, but Kel knows he has one destiny: to die for Conor. No other future is possible.
Lin Caster is one of the Ashkar, a small community who still possess magical abilities. By law, they must live behind walls in the city, but Lin, a physician, ventures out to tend to the sick and dying of Castellane. Despite her skills, she cannot heal her best friend Mariam without access to forbidden knowledge.
After a failed assassination attempt brings Lin and Kel together, they are drawn into the web of the mysterious Ragpicker King, the criminal ruler of Castellane’s underworld. He offers them each what they want most; but as they descend into his world of intrigue and shadow, they discover a conspiracy of corruption that reaches from the darkest gutters of Castellane to the highest tower of its palaces. As long-kept secrets begin to unravel, they must ask themselves: Is knowledge worth the price of betrayal? Can forbidden love bring down a kingdom? And will Lin and Kel’s discoveries plunge their nation into war—and the world into chaos?
11. Secret Project #4 by Brandon Sanderson
Fantasy | Adult | Fiction | Epic Fantasy
Years ago he had comrades in arms and a cause to believe in, but now the man who calls himself Nomad knows only a life on the run. Forced to hop from world to world in the Cosmere whenever the relentless Night Brigade gets too close, Nomad lands on a new planet and is instantly caught up in the struggle between a tyrant and the rebels who want only to escape being turned into mindless slaves—all under the constant threat of a sunrise whose heat will melt the very stones. Unable to understand the language, can he navigate the conflict and gain enough power to leap offworld before his mind or body pay the ultimate price?
October 12th
12. Bloodfeather Lullaby (Blood Song Trilogy#1) by Amber L. Werner
Fantasy | Adult | Epic Fantasy | Adventure
Would you venture into the unknown to save someone you love?
After her aunt goes missing, Violet teams up with her uncle Nox, and his bonded cat to save her. With only a mystery map and an injured falcon to guide them, they set sail for unexplored waters.
When Nox is abducted, leaving Violet stranded, a kind stranger steps in. But the magic he wields triggers unusual consequences, and his hidden motives soon become hard to ignore.
Can they rescue Violet's family before it's too late?
13. Heir To The Empire: The Path Not Taken by Jonathan Taylor
Fantasy | Young Adult | Action Thriller | Coming-of-age
Martha has learned a great deal in her first semester at a prestigious military university, yet her most intriguing lesson didn’t come from her professors. As she returns home for spring break, she takes it upon herself to lift the curse inflicted upon her family, despite the dangers that goal can bring upon her. The curse-lifting ritual Martha performs brings her to a different world, a world similar to her own, but with changes she struggles to work around. Once she finds her bearings in this new world, as well as some unlikely allies, Martha goes on the quest she was meant to undertake, a quest which will test her to the full extent of her wisdom, might, and abilities, along which she must battle strange and powerful enemies in order to overcome her family’s blood curse.
October 15th
14. Brighde Redefined by Leslie Sommers and Janice Sommers
Fantasy | Young Adult | Academy | Fantasy Romance
Bridget’s Checklist – Updated:
Pass final exams CHECK
Graduate OCHS CHECK
Find the Amulet
Save the world - again
Bridget, freshly graduated from Ocean City High School, is now on her way to start her magic training—in Switzerland. Without Cay or Logan, who are busy looking for the Amulet, Bridget is forced to make new friends at Danann Academy. It's just as awkward and drama-filled as any average first day of school, only now, her peers have powers. Bridget finds herself being attacked at every turn, from having her stuff set on fire to fighting off Beira's descendants. To make matters worse, she discovers that Trip is now dating her newly sworn enemy.
Starting a new romance is the perfect escape from her magical reality. As she explores new feelings, Bridget faces a journey with someone she didn’t see coming: herself. With her half of the Amulet slowly dying, Bridget is running out of time to reunite the pieces and save the people she cares about. Will she be able to rise to the challenge and stop Trip and Beira’s descendants from plunging the world into eternal winter?
Is it too late to reconsider this whole thing?
This book is perfect for fans of mythology, Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief Series, any books by Sarah J. Maas, or The Summer I Turned Pretty.
October 17th
15. Flower and Thorn by Rati Mehrotra
Fantasy | Young Adult | Romance
One girl. One boy.
A promise broken.
A magic stolen.
Irinya has wanted to be a flower hunter ever since her mother disappeared into the mysterious mist of the Rann salt flats one night. Now seventeen, Irinya uses her knowledge of magical flowers to help her caravan survive in the harsh desert. When her handsome hunting partner and childhood friend finds a priceless silver spider lily--said to be able to tear down kingdoms and defeat an entire army--Irinya knows this is their chance for a better life.
Until Irinya is tricked by an attractive imposter.
Irinya's fight to recover the priceless flower and to fix what she's done takes her on a dangerous journey, one she's not sure she'll survive. She has no choice but to endure it if she hopes to return home and mend the broken heart of the boy she's left behind.
16. Lilith by Nikki Marmery
Fantasy | Adult | Mythology | Historical Fiction
In the tradition of Madeline Miller and Claire North, Lilith is the story of the first woman, who was expelled from Paradise for disobedience. In this retelling of the Hebrew myth [NM1] that justified and explained woman's subjection to man, Lilith will have her revenge - however long it takes.
In the Garden of Eden, at the beginning of time, an outrageous lie is born: that women are inferior.
Lilith and Adam are equal and happy in the Garden of Eden. Until Adam decides Lilith should submit to his will and lie beneath him. She refuses - and is banished forever from Paradise.
Demonized and sidelined, Lilith watches in fury as God creates Eve, the woman who accepts her submission. But Lilith has a secret: she has already tasted the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. Endowed with Wisdom, she knows why Asherah - God's wife and equal, the Queen of Heaven - is missing. Lilith has a plan: she will rescue Eve, find Asherah, restore balance to the world and regain her rightful place in Paradise.
Lilith's quest for justice drives her throughout history, from the ziggurats of Ancient Sumer to the court of Israel's Queen Jezebel, and to the side of a radical preacher in Roman Judea. In the modern age, as she observes the catastrophic consequences of a world built on inequality, Lilith finally understands what must be done to correct the wrong done to women - and all humankind - at the beginning of time.
Inspired by ancient myths and suppressed scriptures, Lilith is a thought-provoking and ambitious novel with an evocative literary voice and a triumphantly engaging heroine.
October 23rd
17. 23 by Rosa Hernández
Science Fiction Fantasy | Adult | Dystopian
He’s manipulative.
Controlling.
And only half-human.
And they just agreed to be a part of his experiment.
Shauna Sloane has been on the run for twenty years. She’s survived an alien Invasion. An extraterrestrial war. And eight years of martial law set by the one and only ruling entity for humans on Earth: the World Militia. The extraterrestrial life that are still on Earth have divided – some on their own and some bide their time in the Revolt – an extremist group of extraterrestrials and fanatic humans, waiting to strike back.
But now, Shauna has to stop running. Her mom is sick and needs medicine. And for that, Shauna needs money. She agrees to do a sleep study by Dr. Robert Ryder at Independent Labs with five other individuals. But within the facility are hidden agendas and secret identities that catapults Shauna and the other participants right into the middle of the ever-rising tension between the World Militia and Revolt.
October 24th
18. A Curse for True Love (Once Upon a Broken Heart #3) by Stephanie Garber
Fantasy | Young Adult | Fantasy Romance | Magic | High Fantasy
Two villains, one girl, and a deadly battle for happily ever after.
Evangeline Fox ventured to the Magnificent North in search of her happy ending, and it seems as if she has it. She’s married to a handsome prince and lives in a legendary castle. But Evangeline has no idea of the devastating price she’s paid for this fairytale. She doesn’t know what she has lost, and her husband is determined to make sure she never finds out . . . but first he must kill Jacks, the Prince of Hearts.
Blood will be shed, hearts will be stolen, and true love will be put to the test in A Curse for True Love, the breathlessly anticipated conclusion to the Once Upon A Broken Heart trilogy.
Read Book #1- Once Upon a Broken Heart
19. Traitor of Redwinter (The Redwinter Chronicles #2) by Ed McDonald
Fantasy | Adult | Epic Fantasy | LGBT
The power of the Sixth Gate grows stronger within Raine each day—to control it, she needs lessons no living Draoihn can teach her. Her fledgling friendships are tested to breaking point as she tries to face what she has become, and her master Ulovar is struck by a mysterious sickness that slowly saps the vitality from his body, leaving Raine to face her growing darkness alone. There’s only one chance to turn the tide of power surging within her—to learn the secrets the Draoihn themselves purged from the world
The book can teach her. She doesn’t know where she found it, or when exactly, but its ever changing pages whisper power that has lain untouched for centuries.
As the king’s health fails and the north suffers in the grip of famine, rebellious lords hunger for the power of the Crown, backed by powers that would see the Crowns undone. Amidst this growing threat, Raine’s former friend Ovitus brings a powerful new alliance, raising his status and power of his own. He professes support for the heir to the throne even as others would see him take it for himself, and desperately craves Raine’s forgiveness—or her submission.
But the grandmaster has her own plans for Raine, and the deadly training she has been given has not been conducted carelessly. In Raine she seeks to craft a weapon to launch right into her enemy’s heart, as Redwinter seeks to hold onto power.
Amidst threats old and new, Raine must learn the secrets promised by the book, magic promised by a queen with a crown of feathers. A queen to whom Raine has promised more than she can afford to give…
Read Book #1- Daughter of Redwinter
20. Shade of Light by Kimberly Grymes
Fantasy | Young Adult | Dark Fantasy | Medieval | Angels and Demons
Not all monsters are evil. Some choose to do better. So, which one am I?
Eighteen-year-old Adele believes she’s a monster because of her ability to infiltrate minds. For years, she’s been kept captive at Castle Forge, living comfortably under the watchful eye of a tyrant general. But after secretly witnessing her aunt heal someone with her blood, Adele knows the only way to get answers is to escape. Even if that means leaving behind the one person who’d shown her compassion during her captivity.
She travels far to her childhood village, and while trying to uncover the mysteries of her past, she encounters the Shade. The same mysterious attackers who changed her life eight-years ago. The Shade have been raiding Adele’s childhood village, capturing its inhabitants for their queen, the ruler of the Under Realm. It isn’t long before Adele realizes these attackers possess similar powers, drawing more questions about who she is, where she comes from, and how she’s connected to these evil beings.
After a childhood friend is captured and taken to the Under Realm, Adele must decide whether to stay and help the village or return to Castle Forge, where a dear friend might be in danger from the general’s wrath. With evil all around, Adele must choose who she wants to be and what her future holds.
This young-adult dark fantasy story promises a captivating and thrilling journey filled with action, suspense, and unexpected twists. Book one in the THREE SHADES TRILOGY explores themes of self-discovery, acceptance, and the power of choice as Adele navigates a dangerous medieval world to find her place in it.
October 25th
21. A Love Lost by C.R. Rice
Fantasy | Young Adult | Tragic Fantasy Love Story
This is not a love story: it’s a tragedy.
Radnar knew he didn’t want to lead armies like his war-mongering father. He didn’t really know what he wanted until he met Nessa the summer before his 16th birthday. From the moment their eyes met, his dark world was filled with light and his bitter heart swelled with hope. In her, he saw his always and forever.
But in the Realm, forever is fleeting. When Radnar let her go, he became his own worst nightmare.
Now a commander with an army at his back, cursed with a terrible gift, Radnar crosses paths with Nessa again years later. Like the first rays breaking through the darkness, he sees his salvation creeping above the horizon. Light has been brought back into his life, but with the shadows closing in, can the light prevail?This is not a love story: it’s a tragedy.
22. A Fire in the Flesh (Flesh and Fire #3) by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Fantasy | New Adult | Fantasy Romance | High Fantasy | Vampires
The only thing that can save the realms now is the one thing more powerful than the Fates.
After a startling betrayal ends with both Sera and the dangerously seductive ruler of the Shadowlands she has fallen madly in love with being held captive by the false King of the Gods, there is only one thing that can free Nyktos and prevent the forces of the Shadowlands from invading Dalos and igniting a War of Primals.
Convincing Kolis won’t be easy, though – not even with a lifetime of training. While his most favored Revenant is insistent that she is nothing more than a lie, Kolis’s erratic nature and twisted sense of honor leave her shaken to the core, and nothing could’ve prepared her for the cruelty of his Court or the shocking truths revealed. The revelations not only upend what she has understood about her duty and the very creation of the realms but also draw into question exactly what the true threat is. However, surviving Kolis is only one part of the battle. The Ascension is upon her, and Sera is out of time.
But Nyktos will do anything to keep Sera alive and give her the life she deserves. He’ll even risk the utter destruction of the realms, and that’s exactly what will happen if he doesn’t Ascend as the Primal of Life. Yet despite his desperate determination, their destinies may be out of their hands.
But there is that foreseen unexpected thread—the unpredictable, unknown, and unwritten. The only thing more powerful than the Fates…
Read Book #1- A Shadow in the Ember
October 31st
23. The Bone Needle by Rosalyn Briar
Fantasy | Young Adult | Dark Fantasy | Dark Grimm’s Fairy Tales
The sacrifice never ends.
With the witch-goddess possessing her body, Gisela’s soul remains trapped inside a bleak, endless void. Without her memories to sustain her, she spends countless days building a castle of bones, walking the abyss, and going mad. That is, until one day, she discovers a tapestry door that leads her to an odd yet familiar place.
After nearly a year of being hunted and tortured by the witch-goddess, Brahm’s last threads of hope begin to fray. When he discovers a secret map stitched into the fairy tale tapestries, though, Brahm’s hope of finally rescuing Gisela returns.
Traveling through the Otherworld with the help of the fairy tale characters, Gisela must remember who she is and find a way to defeat the witch-goddess. All the while, Brahm, Bergot, and a crew of rebels must find the storyteller god and weave a new tale for Gisela before she is lost forever.
Stories keep her alive.
This novel is the sequel to The Crown of Bones.
Read Book #1- The Crown of Bones
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☺️
