Greetings YA and NA SFF addicts, and happy summer!
I recently discovered that this blog doesn't have a "New Releases" monthly post for New Adult books...and because I happen to have a New Adult series releasing this month that was deemed a liiiiiiittle too NA for the YA blog post, I was invited to start one!
So here you have it! The very first, very best, brand-spanking-new monthly NA New Releases post!
Spell Borne (April 17)
A fun standalone with a sassy female lead, this fairytale retelling mashup by Auden Llyr follows the adventures of Loren, a grad student attending classes in the magical town of Lointaine.
Unfortunately for Loren, the spell cast over the town forces all its inhabitants (including her) to act out fairytales. Unable to resist the curse, Loren must figure out how to break the spell while also dealing with her thesis, professors, and the good old fashioned police.
The book has small magical town, curses, fairytale retelling, friends to lovers, forced proximity, and fake engagement tropes, and comes with a long list of trigger warnings up front, including drug use, sexual assault, and homophobia.
Crown of Blood and Glass (May 26)
Book one in a brand new series by Lucinda Dark and Rebecca Grey, Crown of Blood and Glass is an hate-to-love romance featuring a fallen princess and the barbarian warrior who saved her life.
Betrayed by her best friend and a fugitive from her kingdom, Devonry was barely crowned queen before her life started falling apart. When she is forced to go on the run with her Solomon, the royal guard she's hated for her whole life, Devonry finds that once the line between hatred and passion blurs...there's no un-blurring it.
This book features forbidden romance, bodyguard romance, one-bed, soulmates, and goddess reincarnation tropes.
This is an extended edition of a previous release by Tara Gallina, including bonus spicy scenes not found in the original book.
When Lily kisses her best friend, the last thing she expects is for him to disappear. The next to last thing she expects is for him to reappear months later and tell her she is being pursued by dark forces. Lily must decide if she trusts her friend, while also keeping her magic safe and staying one step ahead of her pursuers.
This book contains fated mates, virgin romance, friends-to-lovers, and realms similar to fae courts. It also has a HEA (if that's what you're into.)
The Thalassic Series (June 1)
Okay, full disclosure: this is my series. It's the NA edition of my YA dystopian pirate series, with the characters slightly aged up and featuring bonus spicy scenes with a heat level approximately equivalent to the ACOTAR series.
Two friends are forced to sail across a dystopian water world after one of them ticks off a dangerous criminal organization in their hometown. Along the way they fight pirates, take down a biotech corporation, rescue a dog, banter snarkily, and engage in consensual first-time sex (and fun, sex-adjacent activities.)
The series is slow burn, with forced proximity, friends-to-lovers virgin romance, opposites attract, a badass heroine and a cinnamon roll hero with crispy edges. It deals with the potential triggers of alcoholism, mental health, immigrant identity, climate change, pandemics, and the future of humanity (but, like, in a fun way.)
The entire 4-book series drops June 1st for KU and Kindle.
Starry Kingdoms of the Fae (June 2 - August 11)
This is a multi-author series featuring standalone novellas written by your favorite best-selling romantasy authors, including Eliza Tilton, Alisha Klapheke, and Nicole Zoltack. Each book is designed to be read independently, but read together and in order they will keep you going through the entire summer.
There are eBooks and hardcovers available (and the covers are gorgeous!)
Each book follows a different fae character as they navigate romance, betrayal, politics, sinister secrets, and ruthless assassination attempts. The books range in heat level from YA up to upper-YA/NA with mature scenes. Tropes include enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, untamed magic, and a genderbent Jack and the Beanstalk retelling (what? yes.)
There are 11 books in the series, with a new one releasing each week throughout June, July and into August. You can join a reader group for the series, plus get awesome bonus goodies if you pre-order the books. A giveaway for the entire series opens June 2, which is also when the first book, Bound by Treason, releases.
Summer Break for Awkward Bears (June 8)
If you're into quirky, light-hearted paranormal romance, definitely check out Summer Break for Awkward Bears by USA Today best-selling author Laura Greenwood. This is part of the ongoing 14-book Obscure Academy series. The book can be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend checking out the rest of the series if you haven't already.
Ila is a polar bear shifter looking to get away for some summer fun with her friends. Jacob is the slightly awkward bear shifter she happens to meet at a party (that he didn't want to go to.) They strike up a quirky romance that they hope will last beyond their summer holiday.
This book features a m/f shifter romance, in a super upbeat, cozy paranormal university setting with no triggers. Perfect for a summer vacation poolside indulgence.
I for one am super curious to find out how a polar bear fares on a summer beach holiday...
Witch's Warning (June 15)
Another Laura Greenwood release, this time co-written with Arizona Tape, Witch's Warning is book 8 in the Purple Oasis series, a light paranormal romance series set in a post-apocalyptic world .
Max is a weather witch struggling to get people to listen to his apocalyptic storm predictions. Hugo is a hare shifter and although he makes it a rule not to get involved with newcomers, he may be Max's only hope to get anyone to listen to him before life at the Purple Oasis is completely destroyed.
This super sweet m/m romance is a coming-of-age tale between new adult-aged characters with a guaranteed happy ending and no triggers. Yay!
Molten Flux (June 17)
Book one of a brand new series by Jonathan Weiss, Molten Flux follows the adventures of Ryza, a sharpshooter living aboard a mobile fortress in a dystopian world called the Droughtland.
When his skills with a gun draw the attention of a clandestine faction within the fortress's walls, Ryza is plunged into a murky underworld that tests his loyalty and unearths secrets about his family's past that shake his conviction to the core.
Crown of Grief (June 22)
Laura Greenwood's third release of the month (dang, girl, you are prolific!) is a standalone companion story to her Apprentice of Anubis series. The series is an urban fantasy tale set in a modern day alternate-reality version of Cairo.
The main character is Iset, heir to the Egyptian empire, who receives the unexpected news that her father is sick. Not only does this mean she may be taking his place much sooner than she thought, but she also has to deal with grief and stress of his potential death - including a mummification ceremony. Fortunately, her trusted (and handsome) bodyguard is by her side to help her.
This book cleverly weaves Egyptian mythology with workplace romance and alternative realities, and sensitively handles the topic of grief and bereavement. Be aware that the death of a parent is a potential trigger in this one.
The Keeper of Flames (June 27)
Co-written by NYT best-seller Joss Walker and R.L. Perez, Keeper of the Flames is the third book in the Jayne Thorne, CIA Librarian series. For those who are unfamiliar, this series follows the exploits of a quiet, bookish librarian who joins the CIA only to discover a magical realm beyond our own (complete with its own magical terrorists.)
Keeper of the Flames sees Jayne struggling to track down her missing father, while also being assigned to Rome to work a new case with an infuriating magical partner. As Jayne gets closer to finding her father, she uncovers more about the secret society he was part of, and learns (against her better judgment) to trust her new partner and grow her own magic.
This article was written by Liz Shipton
Liz is a freelance writer, indie author, and full-time, off-grid, liveaboard sailor. She's currently sailing around the world with her boyfriend and her dog, turning her real-life adventures into YA and NA sci-fantasy books.
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