Elle made a deal with the devil to save her sister: Live on a desolate spit of land as a lighthouse keeper, steering unsuspecting sailors to their destruction. Her sister need never know the cost. Until the day a woman washes ashore. Is she a soul to be sacrificed, or part of a darker design? As her sister and the stranger grow closer, Elle faces an impossible choice: kill, and break her sister’s heart, or forfeit her own soul? Danger arises from all sides: the merciless sea, ruthless men on the mainland, and the infernal bargain itself. What must be sacrificed for the devil to get his due?
Is your TBR feeling a little empty?
Right. You’re here on Book Riot, so probably not. But there’s always room to add to your TBR, right? Maybe your TBR shelf is in need of a refresh by way of a fresh injection of new books. Mine always is. And maybe (probably), you need some speculative fiction to help you escape this world as you dive into the pages of a new book.
I’m right there with you. I’m always looking for more fantasy, science fiction, and more nebulous members of the speculative fiction family to bolster my reading. And the more queer, the better. So here are seven great new speculative fiction books for your TBR. And every one of them is delightfully queer.
Bodies of Magic by Freya Marske
Marske has been making a name for herself with spicy queer fantasies for a while now, but Bodies of Magic shows a different side to Marske. This dark academia book takes a medical school turn. In this world, if you’re a mage with the power to heal, you cannot just march onto a battlefield or into a hospital and start casting. No, you have to go to school and pass the Grand Exam. Five young scholars are thrown together, each with a secret, and all trying to pass the Grand Exam or die trying.
The Dragon Has Some Complaints by John Wiswell
Wiswell’s newest fantasy outing brings his usual sense of whimsy and infuses queerness into all aspects of his story. This book stars a three-headed dragon named Garrodigh. He pretends to be tame so that he can eat for free, but with three heads, everything is more complicated. One head is addicted to snacks and scritches from their rider. One head hopes to infiltrate humanity and burn it down. The third head thinks he’s actually human, waiting to wake from this delusion. If only they could get along, they might help their rider fend off an invasion and even learn to fly again.
Earthly Playing Field by Radhika Singh
Finally, some science fiction! Roma lives in the center of a vast galactic empire, more worried about her mortgage than the wars fought along the empire’s edges. But when her stepbrother entrusts her with a plant, she soon discovers it’s actually a bioengineered tool that offers a glimpse of a peaceful future. All the while, her other stepbrother is entrenched in local farmers’ protests. Together or apart, this family finds purpose in rebellion, and perhaps only in this rebellion.
Hell’s Heart by Alexis Hall
A science fiction retelling of Moby Dick? You got it. In this terrifying future, Earth is pretty much dead. What remains of humanity live in domes fueled by the cerebrospinal fluid of dangerous and huge space monsters. This tale focuses on the crew of one fateful ship hunting the biggest, baddest space monster of them all. And given the source material, it’s not going to end well.
Love, Gods & Sinners by Camille Chong
We need at least a little romantasy up in this list, right? How about one in an alternative modern-day Singapore, where Tia and Harper are on opposite sides of a great and magical conflict. One is with the Foxes and the other is a Sentinel. But as civilians, they don’t know the others’ identities, and they’re falling for each other. Along with their prowess to rise in their respective ranks, their loyalties will be tested as identities are revealed, and they’ll have to battle their own hearts.
The Obake Code by Makana Yamamoto
Always down for some science fiction heist action, right? In this book, Malia is the greatest hacker of all time, the Obake. After pulling off the Atlas job, she’s set for life. But…that’s boring. When her new gig runs her aground because of a dangerous gang, she’s forced into pulling off one last job. Problem is, both the gang employing her and the target are equally bad, and success or failure are both lose-lose propositions. There has to be another way…
Our Untamed Core by Sonido Reyes
Finally, some dystopian YA to fill out your TBR. Temo lives under the thumb of a brutal and archaic rule. He tries to keep his head down, but he does break one rule: hiding that he’s trans. If found, the punishment is entry in a fight-to-the-death tournament that no one ever wins. But when Temo’s boyfriend is arrested and tossed into that very tournament, Temo sees no other way to save him than to enter himself. There’s more to this tournament than fighting, though, and Temo will have to risk far more than his life to save his boyfriend.
What amazing queer speculative fiction books have you added to your TBR this year? Which ones coming out later this year are you still anticipating?
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