Witches, magic, wizards, Martians, curses, secrets, romance—this list contains all the fantasy and sci-fi new young adult reads you'll need to fill out your monthly TBR!
Check out the August 2023 titles (organized by release date):
August 1st
by Rachel Griffin
Tana Fairchild's fate has never been in question. Her life has been planned out since the moment she was born: she is to marry the governor's son, Landon, and secure an unprecedented alliance between the witches of her island home and the mainlanders who see her very existence as a threat.
Tana's coven has appeased those who fear their power for years by releasing most of their magic into the ocean during the full moon. But when Tana misses the midnight ritual—a fatal mistake—there is no one she can turn to for help…until she meets Wolfe.
Wolfe claims he is from a coven that practices dark magic, making him one of the only people who can help her. But he refuses to let Tana's power rush into the sea, and instead teaches her his forbidden magic. A magic that makes her feel powerful. Alive.
As the sea grows more violent, her coven loses control of the currents, a danger that could destroy the alliance as well as her island. Tana will have to choose between love and duty, between loyalty to her people and loyalty to her heart. Marrying Landon would secure peace for her coven but losing Wolfe and his wild magic could cost her everything else.
by S. Jae-Jones Magic flickers. Love flames. Chaos reigns. Magic is forbidden throughout the Morning Realms. Magicians are called an abomination, and blamed for the plague of monsters that razed the land twenty years before. Jin Zhara already had enough to worry about—appeasing her stepmother’s cruel whims, looking after her blind younger sister, and keeping her own magical gifts under control—without having to deal with rumors of monsters re-emerging in the marsh. But when a chance encounter with an easily flustered young man named Han brings her into contact with a secret magical liberation organization called the Guardians of Dawn, Zhara realizes there may be more to these rumors than she thought. A mysterious plague is corrupting the magicians of Zanhei and transforming them into monsters, and the Guardians of Dawn believe a demon is responsible. In order to restore harmony and bring peace to the world, Zhara must discover the elemental warrior within, lest the balance between order and chaos is lost forever.
August 15th
by Claudia Klein
A warrior queen, desperately trying to rule two kingdoms at once...
A wizard, newly trained in magic and eager to use his powers for justice...
A hidden darkness, ready to burst upon the world...
Kat and Thomas are preparing to travel to a tournament in a neighboring country when Kat receives a mysterious visitor. She welcomes him at first, then slowly realizes he's not all that he seems.
Despite here doubts, she invites him to travel to the tournament with them. It's an event no one wants to miss.
When trouble strikes at the tournament, it's up to Kat's mysterious visitor, a newly trained wizard to save the day.
But does he have what it takes to fight the darkness?
by Brenda Hiatt
A harrowing choice. When the vicious tyrant who killed her family escapes from a Martian prison, young Sovereign Emileia must delve into his twisted mind to stop him from wreaking havoc on her people. But is she strong enough to resist the pull of the dark side? Young Sovereign Emileia is increasingly overwhelmed by mounting pressures and responsibilities both on Earth and Mars. On her 17th birthday, she gets a double dose of bad news. Her Regent on Mars has suffered an unexpected complication during what should have been a routine procedure. Then, before she can even blow out her birthday candles, she learns that Faxon, the murderous ex-dictator who killed her family, has escaped from a Martian prison and has yet to be found. Coincidence? Almost certainly not! Though she’s currently millions of miles away on Earth, the Sovereign, known to her friends as M, is determined to do something to help her people on Mars…especially when Faxon starts making threats and wreaking havoc. She comes up with a plan to stop him and feels obligated to carry it through despite dire warnings from her soulmate Rigel and her best friends.
August 18th
by Casey L. Bond
Two Hearts. One Curse.
Once upon a time, in anger and desperation, a witch cursed Fate. It was not without consequence…
“Some things once damaged, cannot be made whole again. I fear I am one of those things.”
Cursed at birth, Mirren has grown up watching her loved ones suffer with worry, wondering when Death will come for her. Just as she begins to stretch her wings and seek out the future she never thought she’d have by accepting the honor of becoming Cauldron City’s emissary to the Kingdom of Nautilus, the curse takes root and her heart begins to falter…
In a moment of righteous fury, Mirren binds Fate into human flesh so that he will feel what it is to live and love and have it all ripped away. To know pain so deep, nothing and no one can ease it.
She assumes her magic, like her heart, is too weak to do as she commands until the night Fate finds her, rage simmering in his dark eyes as he demands she break her spell. He claims he never knew she existed, proposing that someone or something hid her from his sight, then vows to uncover who is truly responsible for her misery and make them pay for every second. In return, all she must do is unbind him.
If only she knew how…If only her heart wasn’t failing…
Their futures are uncertain, their presents interwoven. When Mirren tries to break the binding curse, she nearly dies, and Fate without his full power is unable to heal her. He must find a way to keep her heart beating, and she must find a way to break the spell. Not all curses die with their makers; some become eternal. The repercussions, should Fate be forever bound, are unspeakable.
August 22nd
by Adalyn Grace A duke has been murdered. The lord of Thorn Grove has been framed. And Fate, the elusive brother of Death, has taken up residence in a sumptuous palace nearby. He's hell-bent on revenge after Death took the life of the woman he loved many years ago...and now he’s determined to have Signa for himself, no matter the cost. Signa and her cousin Blythe are certain that Fate can save Elijah Hawthorne from wrongful imprisonment if the girls will entertain Fate’s presence. But the more time they spend with him, the more frightening their reality becomes as Signa exhibits dramatic new powers that link her to Fate’s past. With mysteries and danger around every corner, the cousins must decide whom they can trust as they navigate their futures in high society, unravel the murders that haunt their family, and play Fate’s unexpected games—all with their destinies hanging in the balance.
August 28th
by Marie-Hélène Lebeault
As they prepare for their journey to the mystical Silver Springs, Wickham's nervousness grows. Amidst the excitement, his family arrives, bringing immense joy to his heart. But something seems different about his brothers, while Tara can't stop talking about it all.
Herja, uncertain about her role with Wickham's family, distances herself from the welcoming ceremonies. Unexpectedly, she encounters King Lantos, the dragon king, who shows her kindness and warmth. Their conversation makes her question her path towards becoming queen.
As the pair set off, Wickham's worry intensifies, leading him and Herja to trail the children for their safety. They keep a watchful eye, maintaining a distance to ensure their well-being.
Together, they face danger and help others, strengthening their bond. Amidst uncertainty about their future, they share their dreams and aspirations. Herja discovers her passion for education and helping others understand neurodivergence, while Wickham supports her wholeheartedly.
Their journey concludes with a heartfelt realization, as Wickham seeks clarity about their relationship. Herja reciprocates his feelings, solidifying their commitment to face any challenges together.
August 29th
by Vanessa Montalban
In contemporary Miami, twins Delfi and Lela are haunted by a family curse that poisons any chance at romantic love. It’s no wonder their mother forbids them from getting involved with magic. When Lela and Delfi receive premonitions of a mysterious killer targeting brujas, however, the sisters must embrace their emerging powers to save innocent lives. Teaming up with their best friend Ethan and brooding detective-in-training Andres, Delfi and Lela set out to catch a murderer on a dangerous hunt that will force them to confront the dark secrets of their family’s past.
Meanwhile, in 1980s Cuba, Anita de Armas whispers to the spirits for mercy—not for herself, but for the victims of her mother’s cult. She’s desperate to rid herself of her power, which manifests as inky shadows and an ability to speak to the dead. As political tensions rise and Anita’s cult initiation draws near, she must make a decision that could change not only her fate, but the fate of the nation.
by J. Elle
BURY YOUR SECRET OR DIE FOR IT.
Seventeen-year-old Quell has lived her entire life on the run. She and her mother have fled from city to city, in order to hide the deadly magic that flows through Quell’s veins.
Until someone discovers her dark secret.
To hide from the assassin hunting her, and keep her mother out of harm’s way, Quell reluctantly inducts into a debutante society of magical social elites called the Order that she never knew existed. If she can pass their three rites of membership, mastering their proper form of magic, she’ll be able to secretly bury her forbidden magic forever.
If caught, she will be killed.
But becoming the perfect debutante is a lot harder than Quell imagined, especially when there’s more than tutoring happening with Jordan, her brooding mentor and— assassin in training.
When Quell uncovers the deadly lengths the Order will go to defend its wealth and power, she’s forced to choose: embrace the dark magic she’s been running from her entire life or risk losing everything, and everyone, she’s grown to love.
Still, she fears the most formidable monster she’ll have to face is the one inside.
This article was written by Allison Rose.
Allison Rose writes YA fantasy featuring magic and otherworldly beings. Her current series feature a truly unique world of Faerie. Click the covers below to check them out.
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