January and February New Releases: A Duo of Bewitching New Young Adult Reads
Ready to pack your TBR full of fantastical new young adult reads? Perfect. Here’s an epic list of fresh and exciting fantasy and sci-fi YA books to help you out.
Check out the January and February 2023 titles (organized by release date):
January 1st
A Speck of Dawn (A Speck of Darkness Book 2, Paperback edition)
by C.K. Franziska
A speck of Darkness is enough to destroy an entire world. Six months have passed since Cassandra, and her friends faced the Shadow World in a brutal battle. While everything seemed to return to normal, something changed.
Too many unanswered questions plague Cassandra, and she struggles to imagine a life without her family.
Searching for answers, Cas seems to spiral further and further away from the normal life she longed for when she awakens powers that are far beyond hers and has to face the biggest decision yet.
Is it worth staying to fight for the people she loves or would fleeing ensure the survival of the Magical and Human World?
January 3rd
by Holly Black A runaway queen. A reluctant prince. And a quest that may destroy them both. Eight years have passed since the Battle of the Serpent. But in the icy north, Lady Nore of the Court of Teeth has reclaimed the Ice Needle Citadel. There, she is using an ancient relic to create monsters of stick and snow who will do her bidding and exact her revenge. Suren, child queen of the Court of Teeth, and the one person with power over her mother, fled to the human world. There, she lives feral in the woods. Lonely, and still haunted by the merciless torments she endured in the Court of Teeth, she bides her time by releasing mortals from foolish bargains. She believes herself forgotten until the storm hag, Bogdana chases her through the night streets. Suren is saved by none other than Prince Oak, heir to Elfhame, to whom she was once promised in marriage and who she has resented for years. Now seventeen, Oak is charming, beautiful, and manipulative. He’s on a mission that will lead him into the north, and he wants Suren’s help. But if she agrees, it will mean guarding her heart against the boy she once knew and a prince she cannot trust, as well as confronting all the horrors she thought she left behind.
Song of Silver, Flame Like Night (Song of the Last Kingdom Book 1)
by Amélie Wen Zhao Once, Lan had a different name. Now she goes by the one the Elantian colonizers gave her when they invaded her kingdom, killed her mother, and outlawed her people’s magic. She spends her nights as a songgirl in Haak’gong, a city transformed by the conquerors, and her days scavenging for what she can find of the past. Anything to understand the strange mark burned into her arm by her mother in her last act before she died. The mark is mysterious—an untranslatable Hin character—and no one but Lan can see it. Until the night a boy appears at her teahouse and saves her life. Zen is a practitioner—one of the fabled magicians of the Last Kingdom. Their magic was rumored to have been drawn from the demons they communed with. Magic believed to be long lost. Now it must be hidden from the Elantians at all costs. When Zen comes across Lan, he recognizes what she is: a practitioner with a powerful ability hidden in the mark on her arm. He’s never seen anything like it—but he knows that if there are answers, they lie deep in the pine forests and misty mountains of the Last Kingdom, with an order of practitioning masters planning to overthrow the Elantian regime. Both Lan and Zen have secrets buried deep within—secrets they must hide from others, and secrets that they themselves have yet to discover. Fate has connected them, but their destiny remains unwritten. Both hold the power to liberate their land. And both hold the power to destroy the world. Now the battle for the Last Kingdom begins.
by Kaylie Smith
Fate does not choose the weak. Fate chooses the ready.
Illustros is a cursed realm ruled by the ruthless Gods of Fate, and no one understands the Fates' wrath more than Calliope Rosewood. Blessed with unspeakable powers that terrify even the most dangerous witches and fae, Calla hides her forbidden magic in shame and fear that one wrong touch could send her to her death. With only her two best friends in tow, Calla deserted her coven and has been on the run ever since. Worse, Calla is concealing an even darker secret: fate has chosen her as the final prophesied Blood Warrior, the being destined to start the Fates' War, which will decimate her people and eradicate their magic.
After a betrayal from her infuriating ex Ezra leads her one step closer to fulfilling that age-old prophecy, Calla is desperate to do whatever it takes to reset her fate. So when a mysterious and charming witch offers to help Calla do just that, she immediately agrees to his plan. Only catch? That plan includes journeying into the deadly Neverending Forest with Ezra and said witch, who just so happens to be Ezra's tempting older brother.
Torn between her past desires and alluring new possibilities, Calla brings along her best friends to fight what lies ahead. As the group ventures into the enchanted woods together, they'll all soon learn that choosing your destiny comes with dire consequences . . . and the Fates are not to be tested. Calla believes the Fates have it out for her, while others believe they have chosen her for a reason. But in the end, Calla will have to fight to forge her own destiny and decide if the risk of choosing herself is worth the possibility of damning everyone else.
Unseelie (The Unseelie Duology Book 1)
by Ivelisse Housman
Iselia “Seelie” Graygrove looks just like her twin, Isolde…but as an autistic changeling left in the human world by the fae as an infant, she has always known she is different. Seelie’s unpredictable magic makes it hard for her to fit in—and draws her and Isolde into the hunt for a fabled treasure. In a heist gone wrong, the sisters make some unexpected allies and find themselves unraveling a mystery that has its roots in the history of humans and fae alike.
Both sisters soon discover that the secrets of the faeries may be more valuable than any pile of gold and jewels. But can Seelie harness her magic in time to protect her sister and herself?
January 10th
Wren and the Tarnished Tiger (Game of Gods Book 1)
by E. M. Leander A girl whose magic doesn’t fit the mold. A tarnished golden boy. The journey that will unite them. Orphaned Wren is contented with her life as a lighthouse keeper – but when war encompasses her country, she will be thrust into a world she never imagined. Bound in an unlikely partnership, she will find the gods have bigger plans for her than she could ever have imagined. Handsome and arrogant Aris is descended from a line of Shields, animal shifters whose sole purpose is to guard their paired Mages. As the story unfolds, the influence of mercurial gods will gift Wren and Aris an incomparable journey through magic, betrayal, and love.
A Crucible of Fire and Steel (Heirs of War Book 2)
by Jamie Edmundson
A war that engulfs two worlds.
Sent to unknown lands on a mission to save Dalriya, Sanc must find his feet fast if he is to survive. As he discovers others who share his powers, he becomes embroiled in the conflicts of this new world. What is Sanc prepared to do, to defeat Ezenachi?
Back in Essenberg, Liesel is still at the mercy of her brother and the witch, Inge. As the Empire slides towards civil war, she must find a way to change the course of events. Before it's too late.
Peyre, now Duke of Morbaine, will do anything to rescue Liesel from her predicament. But what price will he pay to save the woman he secretly loves?
Belwynn Godslayer. A legend thought long dead. More dead than alive, in truth. But once destiny has its claws so deep, it rarely lets go. The futures of kingdoms, empires, and the peoples of two worlds hang in the balance in book two of Heirs of War. Featuring new adult character journeys, bloody medieval battles, warring states, and dark sorcery.
January 17th
by Margaret Rogerson Elisabeth Scrivener is finally settling into her new life with sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn. Now that their demon companion Silas has returned, so has scrutiny from nosy reporters hungry for gossip about the city’s most powerful sorcerer and the librarian who stole his heart. But something strange is afoot at Thorn Manor: the estate’s wards, which are meant to keep their home safe, are acting up and forcibly trapping the Manor'’ occupants inside. Surely it must be a coincidence that this happened just as Nathaniel and Elisabeth started getting closer to one another… With no access to the outside world, Elisabeth, Nathaniel, and Silas—along with their new maid Mercy—will have to work together to discover the source of the magic behind the malfunctioning wards before they’re due to host the city’s Midwinter Ball. Not an easy task when the house is filled with unexpected secrets, and all Elisabeth can think about is kissing Nathaniel in peace. But when it becomes clear that the house, influenced by the magic of Nathaniel’s ancestors, requires a price for its obedience, Elisabeth and Nathaniel will have to lean on their connection like never before to set things right.
January 18th
Courting Fae Thieves and Crowns
by Joanna Reeder
A tournament for the prince’s heart. Fifteen fae hopefuls chosen, vying for the crown. But the king has planted a beautiful spy in their midst…
Half-fae Amberle is a thief, but there’s nothing she can steal that will buy her father’s freedom. When she’s invited to enter a glamorous competition to become the potential mate and bride of the prince, her every instinct blares a warning. After all, the king can’t be trusted. And worse, she knew Prince Rion as a youngling, and he hates her.
The feeling is mutual.
But when the very King of Fareie who holds her father prisoner offers to free him in exchange for Amberle’s compliance, will she strike a bargain?
How hard can it be to spy on a few royals and noble wannabes? It’s not like she’s at risk of falling in love.
January 24th
by Maiya Ibrahim In the hidden desert city of Qalia, there is secret spice magic that awakens the affinities of those who drink the misra tea. Sixteen-year-old Imani has the affinity for iron and is able to wield a dagger like no other warrior. She has garnered the reputation as being the next great Shield for battling djinn, ghouls, and other monsters spreading across the sands. Her reputation has been overshadowed, however, by her brother, who tarnished the family name after it was revealed that he was stealing his nation's coveted spice—a telltale sign of magical obsession. Soon after that, he disappeared, believed to have died beyond the Forbidden Wastes. Despite her brother’s betrayal, there isn’t a day that goes by when Imani doesn’t grieve him. But when Imani discovers signs that her brother may be alive and spreading the nation's magic to outsiders, she makes a deal with the Council that she will find him and bring him back to Qalia, where he will face punishment. Accompanied by other Shields, including Taha, a powerful beastseer who can control the minds of falcons, she sets out on her mission. Imani will soon find that many secrets lie beyond the Forbidden Wastes—and in her own heart—but will she find her brother?
A Sword from the Embers (An Heir Comes to Rise Book 5)
by Chloe C. Peñaranda When a true heir awakens, a returning past can break. And when war follows, a lifelong vow may shatter. A RISE… Awakening from a dark defeat, Faythe discovers a greater threat to the life she took back. Staggering truths will challenge her and reveal that some bonds were forged to defy. With the battle lost, the war has just begun, and as an enemy is captured, it soon becomes clear a storm can be tamed but never bottled. A THRONE… Her return to Rhyenelle stirs Faythe’s rival to the throne. In this new twist of fate, against the pressures of the court, it’s a test of strength and will to keep her cunning cousin at bay. Two hands reaching for a crown is a challenge bound to end in blood, but which one will bleed for their right to reign? A PHOENIX… Still, no conflict in the realm can match that which began long ago. The time is now for Faythe to face her title of heir before kingdom. But not without the help of those tied in destiny may the Phoenix Queen rise should all burn and fall.
January 31st
False Earth: A YA Fantasy Adventure to the Demon Overlord's Planet (Arch Mage Series Book 5)
by Cami Murdock Jensen
Trapped, hunted, and stripped of her magic. Can she save the universe from enslavement and her friends from certain death?
Agnes is an escaped prisoner struggling to survive inside the castle of the Demon Overlord Sharir. As his soldiers close in, she relies on her cleverness, but without her magic or friends for support, her self-doubt and depression are raging.
Meanwhile, Sharir has other plans for Agnes and the universe. He’s been gathering a massive army of magical creatures in order to conquer all the Earths. And he has a bizarre laboratory where he’s experimenting on creatures to make super demon soldiers using tainted magic.
Agnes desperately needs to contact her friends before they attack and meet their certain death in Sharir’s trap. Will she restore her magic, save her friends, and stop Sharir in time to save the universe?
Chain of Thorns (The Last Hours Book 3)
by Cassandra Clare Cordelia Carstairs has lost everything that matters to her. In only a few short weeks, she has seen her father murdered, her plans to become parabatai with her best friend, Lucie, destroyed, and her marriage to James Herondale crumble before her eyes. Even worse, she is now bound to an ancient demon, Lilith, stripping her of her power as a Shadowhunter. After fleeing to Paris with Matthew Fairchild, Cordelia hopes to forget her sorrows in the city’s glittering nightlife. But reality intrudes when shocking news comes from home: Tatiana Blackthorn has escaped the Adamant Citadel, and London is under new threat by the Prince of Hell, Belial. Cordelia returns to a London riven by chaos and dissent. The long-kept secret that Belial is James and Lucie’s grandfather has been revealed by an unexpected enemy, and the Herondales find themselves under suspicion of dealings with demons. Cordelia longs to protect James but is torn between a love for James she has long believed hopeless, and the possibility of a new life with Matthew. Nor can her friends help—ripped apart by their own secrets, they seem destined to face what is coming alone. For time is short, and Belial’s plan is about to crash into the Shadowhunters of London like a deadly wave, one that will separate Cordelia, Lucie, and the Merry Thieves from help of any kind. Left alone in a shadowy London, they must face Belial’s deadly army. If Cordelia and her friends are going to save their city—and their families—they will have to muster their courage, swallow their pride, and trust one another again. For if they fail, they may lose everything—even their souls.
February 1st
Fate's Curse (Sixth Sense Series Book 3)
by Whitney Morsillo
Controlling the wolf inside is hopeless when you’re cursed…
Sasha never dreamed her life would bring anything but pain, but after the rival pack risks their lives to rescue her, she decides to forget the worries of her cursed future and embrace her true self. As she discovers what it means to have friends by her side, her world has never felt so clear—until a black she-wolf with golden eyes crashes into her. Now, she has to fight to win the heart of a girl that hates her on sight, while keeping the suddenly aggressive side of her wolf at bay.
Hati has fought for years to become the best mercenary the Elders Council has ever seen, but when her family continues to reject her because of the witch’s curse and she becomes the subject of O’Nery’s latest experiments, she’s forced to bond with the wolf she's spent her whole life trying to forget—and crawl back to her fated mate's pack that sees her as the enemy.
Forced to confront the trauma of their pasts, embrace the hope of their futures, and bond with the wolves inside them, Sasha and Hati must discover what their curses really mean… the death of their kind or a love that lasts forever?
February 3rd
Well of Eida (The Fallen Kingdoms Book 1)
by KB Benson
Everyone hides a monster inside. I tore mine from the inside out.
Two years have passed since Ari was taken as a prisoner to the troll realm. Two years of blood staining her hands, killing as the troll king’s mercenary. In Eida, it’s kill or be killed, and Ari will do anything to survive.
But survival does not come easy in Eida, especially for a young woman with fire in her blood.
When Ari’s sold to one of Eida’s most notorious training masters, her survival comes with a price: unleash the monster she’s buried inside. A very real and very dangerous creature no opponent can defeat.
Ari expects to kill. She expects to survive. But she doesn’t expect her growing feelings for the man who has claimed her as his. Together, Ari and her master will cut down every opponent in the arena seeking to win a wish from their king.
Until a man from her past challenges her within those walls, and everything Ari has fought for crumbles. All for a man she once loved. But if she is to save her own life, she must take his.
After all, everyone dies in Eida.
February 7th
These Infinite Threads (This Woven Kingdom Book 2)
by Tahereh Mafi
With the heat of a kiss, the walls between Alizeh, the long-lost heir to an ancient Jinn kingdom, and Kamran, the crown prince of the Ardunian empire, have crumbled. And so have both of their lives.
Alizeh, the heir to the Jinn throne, is destined to free her people from the half-lives they’ve been forced to live under human rule. When Kamran, the heir to the human throne, falls in love with her, he’s forced to question everything he’s been taught about Jinn.
Kamran’s grandfather lays dead at the hand of Cyrus, ruler of the neighboring kingdom of Tulan. Cyrus has stolen Alizeh away to his homeland and plans to marry her there, giving her everything she needs to become the Jinn queen—and when she assumes the throne he will have fulfilled his own bargain with the devil.
Alizeh wants nothing to do with Cyrus’s deal or the devil. But without a way to escape Tulan, and with the fulfillment of her own destiny tantalizingly close, she’ll have to decide whether she can set aside her emotions to become the queen her people need.
Kamran, meanwhile, is picking up the pieces in Ardunia. Facing betrayal at every turn, all he knows is that he must go to Tulan to avenge his grandfather. He can only hope that Alizeh will be waiting for him there—and that she hasn’t yet become the queen of Tulan.
Stardust in Their Veins (Castles in Their Bones #2)
by Laura Sebastian Princesses Daphne, Beatriz, and Sophronia have trained their entire lives for one purpose: to bring down nations. Their mother, Empress Margaraux of Bessemia, is determined to rule the continent of Vesteria, and her daughters are her weapons. Promised for marriage since birth, they are her ticket across enemy lines. And also her decoys. Still, not even Empress Margaraux can control the stars. Sent to their new kingdoms, orders in hand, the princesses have found their own paths, changing the course of their mother’s plans entirely—and tragically. Sophronia chose love, and for that, she lost her life. Daphne and Beatriz can hardly believe their sister is dead, but both are determined to avenge her. And now, separated by a continent—and their mother’s lies—they see more clearly with every passing day that they might not be working toward the same end. The stars whisper of death, but Daphne and Beatriz are just beginning to understand the true power coursing through their veins. And their mother will do anything to keep them under her thumb—even if it means killing them all.
by M.K. Lobb In the city of Ombrazia, saints and their disciples rule with terrifying and unjust power, playing favorites while the unfavored struggle to survive. After her father’s murder at the hands of the Ombrazian military, Rossana Lacertosa is willing to do whatever it takes to dismantle the corrupt system—tapping into her powers as a disciple of Patience, joining the rebellion, and facing the boy who broke her heart. As the youngest captain in the history of Palazzo security, Damian Venturi is expected to be ruthless and strong, and to serve the saints with unquestioning devotion. But three years spent fighting in a never-ending war have left him with deeper scars than he wants to admit…and a fear of confronting the girl he left behind. Now a murderer stalks Ombrazia’s citizens. As the body count climbs, the Palazzo is all too happy to look the other way—that is, until a disciple becomes the newest victim. With every lead turning into a dead end, Damian and Roz must team up to find the killer, even if it means digging up buried emotions. As they dive into the underbelly of Ombrazia, the pair will discover something more sinister—and far less holy. With darkness closing in and time running out, will they be able to save the city from an evil so powerful that it threatens to destroy everything in its path?
by Leslie Vedder
Which threads of fate will hold—and which will break? Fi has awakened the sleeping prince, but the battle for Andar is far from over. The Spindle Witch, the Witch Hunters, and Fi’s own Butterfly Curse all stand between them and happily ever after. Shane has her partner’s back. But she’s in for the fight of her life against Red, the right hand of the Spindle Witch who she’s also, foolishly, hellbent on saving. Briar Rose would do anything to restore his kingdom. But there’s a darkness creeping inside him—a sinister bond to the Spindle Witch he can’t escape. All hopes of restoring Andar rest on deciphering a mysterious book code, finding the hidden city of the last Witches, and uncovering a secret lost for centuries—one that just might hold the key to the Spindle Witch’s defeat. If they can all survive that long…
February 14th
by Natalie Mae
War has come to Orkena.
Zahru has risen as Mestrah, and she is determined to peacefully end the escalating tensions with Wyrim, her country’s long-time enemy. Yet diplomacy proves to be futile, and when Zahru turns to Orkena’s allies for help, she finds that none are willing to come to her aid—not without Kasta ruling at her side.
As Wyrim advances on the capital, Zahru is desperate to protect her people, even if that means accepting Kasta’s help. But her enemy is merciless. And as ambushes and betrayals push Zahru to increasingly dark tactics, she wonders if perhaps Kasta had it right all along: maybe peace was never an option ... and maybe she was never meant to do this alone.
Can Zahru spare her enemy without sacrificing her kingdom? Or will Orkena’s salvation only come if Zahru becomes the monster her people need?
by Lyssa Mia Smith
On the island of Charmant, magic flows like bootlegged champagne, and fantasies can be bought for the price of a gemstone.
Luxe Revelle, star of her family’s fantastical show, knows the splendor is just an illusion. With Prohibition threatening their livelihood, her family struggles to make a living, watering down champagne and patching holes in their sequined costumes. So when the son of Charmant’s wealthiest family makes her an offer—everything the Revelles need to stay in business, in exchange for posing as his girl and helping him become mayor—she can’t refuse.
The moment Jamison Port sets foot in Charmant, he can’t shake the feeling of familiarity. An orphan with as few memories as gemstones, he’s desperate to learn what happened to his parents. But as he delves into the island’s secrets, he risks angering the wrong person and discovering a truth that just might break his heart.
When Luxe and Jamison accidentally meet, the sparks that fly are more than her magical enchantments. But keeping secrets from powerful people is a dangerous game . . . one that could destroy them both.
February 19th
Brave the Dark (Light of Faerie Book 3)
Firestorm (Light of Faerie Book 3.5)
by Allison Rose
The epic battle of the elements, courts, and ruling generations comes to an end in this edge-of-your-seat conclusion to the Light of Faerie series and its companion villain novella.
In the face of magical and courtly upheaval, heart-wrenching decisions, tested bonds, and sacrifices, Sevelle, Jae, and Liza must take control—of the courts, of the land, of their powers—and triumph over the diabolic mother figure that is the ruler of the Day, or Faerie may wither and die.
February 28th
The Itsy Bitsy Liar (Once Upon A Rhyme Book 1)
by Abigail Manning
What if the itsy bitsy spider could only weave a web of lies? Lacey Arachne has been cursed since she was a child to only speak lies and wants nothing more than to keep it unknown. As a common handmaiden, she’s learned how to navigate her twisted words fairly well. But that all changes when her mistress makes her switch places with her in the prince’s bride competition.
Unable to refuse her mistress’s plans, Lacey is forced to play the role of a noble and compete in a competition she has no interest in winning. Well, at least that’s the lie she tells herself after she meets the charming Prince Carlex...
With the punishment for impersonating a noble being death, Lacey must blend in with the other competitors at all costs. But how does a bold-faced liar avoid standing out amongst scrutinizing eyes? Especially when her childhood enemy certainly doesn’t seem keen on letting her go unnoticed... Can Lacey untangle herself from the webs she’s crafted? Or will she be doomed to fall with the coming storm?
by Kate J. Armstrong
The Nightbirds are Simta’s best-kept secret: Girls with a unique and powerful magic they can gift with just a kiss. Some would kill to possess them; the church would kill them outright. But protected by the Great Houses, the Nightbirds are well-guarded treasures. As this Season’s Nightbirds, Matilde, Æsa, and Sayer will spend their nights bestowing their gifts to well-paying clients. Once their season is through, they’re each expected to marry a Great House lord and become mothers to the next generation of Nightbirds before their powers fade away. But as they find themselves at the heart of a political scheme that threatens not only their secrets, but their very lives, their future suddenly becomes uncertain. When they discover that there are other girls like them and that their magic is far more than they were told, they see the Nightbird system for what it is: a gilded cage. Now they must make a choice—to remain kept birds or take control, remaking the city that dared to clip their wings.
by Gabe Cole Novoa On Mar León de la Rosa's sixteenth birthday, el Diablo comes calling.
Mar is a transmasculine nonbinary teen pirate hiding a magical ability to manipulate fire and ice. But their magic isn't enough to reverse a wicked bargain made by their father, and now el Diablo has come to collect his payment: the soul of Mar's father and the entire crew of their ship. When Mar is miraculously rescued by the sole remaining pirate crew in the Caribbean, el Diablo returns to give them a choice: give up their soul to save their father by the harvest moon, or never see him again. The task is impossible—Mar refuses to make a bargain, and there's no way their magic is a match for el Diablo. Then Mar finds the most unlikely allies: Bas, an infuriatingly arrogant and handsome pirate—and the captain's son; and Dami, a gender-fluid demonio whose motives are never quite clear. For the first time in their life, Mar may have the courage to use their magic. It could be their only redemption—or it could mean certain death.
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.
