The most recommended new fiction books

Who picked these books? Meet our 589 experts.

589 authors created a book list connected to new fiction, and here are their favorite new fiction books.
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Book cover of The Pomegranate Gate

Douglas Weissman Author Of Girl in the Ashes

From Douglas' 3 favorite reads in 2024.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Passionate weirdo Thrilled storyteller Donut-lover

Douglas' 3 favorite reads in 2024

Douglas Weissman Why did Douglas love this book?

It was one of the rare books I've found that created full fantasy based of Jewish myths and legends, rather than stop at magical realism. It was incredibly immersive in its world-building with established characters and a great sense of wonder that permeated every page, with a pace that kept pushing both in the "real" world and in the magical one.

By Ariel Kaplan,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Pomegranate Gate as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The first adventure in the Mirror Realm Cycle, a Spanish Inquisition-era fantasy trilogy inspired by Jewish folklore, with echoes of Naomi Novik and Katherine Arden.

Toba Peres can speak, but not shout; sleep, but not dream. She can write with both hands at once, in different languages, but she keeps her talents hidden at her grandparents' behest.

Naftaly Cresques sees things that aren't real, and dreams things that are. Always the family disappointment, Naftaly would still risk his life to honor his father's last wishes.

After the Queen demands every Jew convert or face banishment, Toba and Naftaly are amongā€¦


Book cover of A Thousand Recipes for Revenge

Jamie Krakover Author Of Tracker220

From Jamie's 3 favorite reads in 2023.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Rocket scientist Sci-fi nerd Women in STEM mentor Kidlit reader Swimming in books

Jamie's 3 favorite reads in 2023

Plus, Jamie's 5-year-old's favorite books.

Jamie Krakover Why did Jamie love this book?

I tend to read quite a bit of fantasy in the MG and YA spaces but donā€™t read as much adult fantasy. When my book club suggested A Thousand Recipes for Revenge, it sounded up my alley.

What I found within the pages was a unique magic system based off food and taste and intriguing characters with high stakes. I enjoyed this one and am looking forward to the sequel.

By Beth Cato,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked A Thousand Recipes for Revenge as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"Cato has created a richly imagined world full of tasty surprises and thrilling adventure-I already hunger for more." -Kevin Hearne, New York Times bestselling author of The Iron Druid series

A world on the brink of war and a mother and daughter on the run, in a thrilling novel of swashbuckling adventure, culinary magic, and just desserts.

Adamantine "Ada" Garland has an empathic connection to food and wine, a magical perception of aromas, flavors, and ingredients. Invaluable property of the royal court, Ada was in service to the Five Gods and to the Gods-ordained rulers of Verdania-until she had enoughā€¦


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Book cover of The Blade in the Angel's Shadow

The Blade in the Angel's Shadow by Andy Darby,

Dr Dee has designs for a British Empire that will dominate the world for ages to come ushering in Revelation, and with the aegis of the Angels, he has the power to make it a reality.

But, two elements are missing, and through blackmail and occult ritual, infamous swordswoman Captainā€¦

Book cover of The Magician's Daughter

Mary-Jean Harris Author Of Night Of The Immortals

From Mary-Jean's 3 favorite reads in 2024.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Philosopher Reader Princess Entrepreneur Animal lover

Mary-Jean's 3 favorite reads in 2024

Mary-Jean Harris Why did Mary-Jean love this book?

This was such a wonderful book, charming and quaint, and with a world that completely drew me in.

It's enchanting magical system seemed to arise naturally from the earth, and Biddie was such a relatable and lovely character.

The audiobook was excellent as well, with perfect Irish accents and a great flow to the story.

By H G Parry,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked The Magician's Daughter as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"That most rare and precious thing: a brand-new classic, both wholly original and wonderfully nostalgic."  ā€”Alix E. Harrow, New York Times bestselling author

In the early 1900s, a young woman is caught between two worlds in H. G. Parryā€™s cozy tale of magic, miracles, and an adventure of a lifetime.

Off the coast of Ireland sits a legendary island hidden by magic. A place of ruins and ancient trees, sea salt air, and fairy lore, Hy-Brasil is the only home Biddy has ever known. Washed up on its shore as a baby, Biddy lives a quiet life with her guardian,ā€¦


Book cover of The Star and the Strange Moon

C.W. Rose Author Of Oceansong

From C.W.'s 3 favorite reads in 2024.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author

C.W.'s 3 favorite reads in 2024

C.W. Rose Why did C.W. love this book?

I really enjoyed this unique mashup of mystery, horror, dual-timeline, and romance. The prose is beautiful, and is a gorgeous story of finding your place in the world. It's also a story of obsession and how it can take over someone's life, and I found the characters to be well-written and fleshed out. And I was pleasantly surprised with the ending, and as a lover of HEAs, I was not disappointed.

By Constance Sayers,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Star and the Strange Moon as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From the author of A Witch in Time comes a haunting tale of ambition, obsession, and the eternal mystery and magic of film.  

A vanished star. A haunted film. A mystery only love can unravelā€¦
 
1968: Gemma Turner once dreamed of stardom. Now the actress is on the cusp of obscurity. When sheā€™s offered the lead in a radical new horror film, Gemma believes her luck has changedā€”but her dream is about to turn into a nightmare. One night, between the shadows of an alleyway, Gemma disappears on set and is never seen again. Yet, Gemma is alive. Sheā€™s beenā€¦


Book cover of Girl, Goddess, Queen

Luciana Cavallaro Author Of Search for the Golden Serpent

From Luciana's 3 favorite reads in 2023.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Time traveller Ancient history enthusiast Amateur photographer Beach baby Wine appreciator

Luciana's 3 favorite reads in 2023

Luciana Cavallaro Why did Luciana love this book?

This is a different version of how Persephone and Hades became a couple.

It has humour but also deals with issues of mental and emotional abuse, arranged marriages, sexism, and female rights. I quite enjoyed the story, and the way the author addressed these ongoing concerns was effective. Worth reading.

By Bea Fitzgerald,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Girl, Goddess, Queen as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 13, 14, 15, and 16.

What is this book about?

To hell with love, this goddess has other plans...

Thousands of years ago, the gods told a lie: how Persephone was a pawn in the politics of other gods. How Hades kidnapped Persephone to be his bride. How her mother, Demeter, was so distraught she caused the Earth to start dying.

The real story is much more interesting.

Persephone wasn't taken to hell: she jumped. There was no way she was going to be married off to some smug god more in love with himself than her.

Now all she has to do is convince the Underworld's annoyingly sexy, arrogantā€¦


Book cover of Heaven Official's Blessing

R.M. Olson Author Of Redshift

From my list on restoring your faith in humanity.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a former journalist-turned-lawyer and a recovering news junky, Iā€™ve spent much of my life watching unhappy scenarios play out. But whatā€™s always astonished me me is how, no matter how bad things get or how difficult the situation, thereā€™s a spark of humanity, of kindness and compassion and optimism, that comes out in people at the most unexpected of times. Now, as an author and a parent, I find myself drawn to stories that remind me of thatā€”that no matter how bleak life may look, how cruel or arbitrary the circumstances, thereā€™s something good and beautiful and worth fighting for, not ā€œsomewhere out there,ā€ but inside us. 

R.M.'s book list on restoring your faith in humanity

R.M. Olson Why did R.M. love this book?

This book was my introduction to the xianxia and danmei genres, and what an introduction it was! Itā€™s a delightful mashup of creepy horror-esque vignettes, an adorably wholesome and swoon-worthy love story, an action-adventure, and a murder-mystery, that vacillates between laugh-out-loud funny and utterly heartbreaking.

But my favorite thing about this book is the deeply compassionate exploration of trauma, love, and forgiveness, where even the ā€œevilā€ characters are viewed with a type of grace that Iā€™ve rarely seen before. 

By Mo Xiang Tong Xiu,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Heaven Official's Blessing as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In this final book (Volume 8), read the conclusion to this epic historical fantasy about a prince and the mysterious man by his side, in English for the very first time. Also includes bonus stories!

White No-Face's mask is off, and the final conflict has begun. Deep in the ancient caverns and lava flows of Mount Tonglu, Xie Lian must face the one whose hatred has plagued him for centuries-but this time, he won't have to do it alone. His beloved, Hua Cheng, has spent his long existence amassing the power to protect him, and now with their feelings forā€¦


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Book cover of The Last Whaler

The Last Whaler by Cynthia Reeves,

This book is an elegiac meditation on the will to survive. Tor, a beluga whaler, and his wife, Astrid, a botanist specializing in Arctic flora, are stranded during the dark season of 1937-38 at his remote whaling station in the Svalbard archipelago when they misjudge ice conditions and fail toā€¦

Book cover of Daughters of Chaos

Diane Josefowicz Author Of L'Air du Temps (1985)

From Diane's 3 favorite reads in 2024.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Historian Francophile Literary truffle hunter

Diane's 3 favorite reads in 2024

Diane Josefowicz Why did Diane love this book?

I adored this whipsmart novel about Sylvie Swift, a bold and brilliant young woman who, in 1862, lights out for Nashville, Tennessee, where she is immediately recruited to work as a spy for the chief of the Union Army's Secret Service while also chasing down a mysterious manuscript that may or may not be a version of Aristophanes' Lysistrata. Not only that -- she also becomes absorbed in the threatened world of the city's prostitutes, who offer her company and shelter, and who really were threatened with exile by Nashville's government during the Civil War. Such a rich and complex story would be impossible to tell in the hands of a lesser storyteller, but Fawkes handles the multiplying characters and storylines with admirable ease.

By Jen Fawkes,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Daughters of Chaos as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

An epic novel about Civil War-era Nashville's "public women," an age-old secret society, and the earth-shaking power of the female

"A beautiful spinning knife of a story that whirls back through the 1800s, the 1500s, the 4th century BC, and the age of myth to slice out an image of the pain and the power that women have inherited from antiquity." --Kevin Brockmeier, O. Henry Prize-winning author of The Ghost Variations

In 1862, after a tragedy at home, twenty-two-year-old Sylvie Swift parts ways with her twin brother to trace the origins of an enigmatic playscript that's landed on their doorstep.ā€¦


Book cover of Heartless Hunter

K.M. Krenik Author Of Danger Lies Within

From my list on thrillers with slow burn love and fantastic worlds.

Why am I passionate about this?

I get a fuzzy, euphoric feeling when I see a room full of books I can smell and touch. Thrillers, mysteries, epic fantasies, classics, romanceā€¦ Ah, to find narratives with strong characters, amazing worlds, and thick plots that I can get lost in! A little spice is always nice, but please donā€™t violate me with explicit obscenities. My soul is not meant for these modern times. Iā€™m especially impressed when writers have the ability to paint sensual scenes in a subtle, crafty way that leaves the details to a readerā€™s imagination. My happy place is reading in a treehouse library that overlooks my forest. One day Iā€™ll go there.

K.M.'s book list on thrillers with slow burn love and fantastic worlds

K.M. Krenik Why did K.M. love this book?

I immediately found myself lost in this enemies-to-lovers adventure. The bewitching storyline and mystery kept me engaged from the start. I couldnā€™t put the book down. The writer, Kristen Ciccarrelli, was new to me when I began this series, and she made a beautiful impression by capturing my interest from page one.

Crimson Moth was the first in the Heartless Hunter series, and I look forward to reading the next one!

By Kristen Ciccarelli,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Heartless Hunter as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 14, 15, 16, and 17.

What is this book about?

Enemies-to-lovers doesn't get more high stakes than a witch and a witch hunter falling in love in bestselling author Kristen Ciccarelli's latest romantic fantasy.

On the night Rune's life changed forever, blood ran in the streets. Now, in the aftermath of a devastating revolution, witches have been diminished from powerful rulers to outcasts ruthlessly hunted due to their waning magic, and Rune must hide what she is.

Spending her days pretending to be nothing more than a vapid young socialite, Rune spends her nights as the Crimson Moth, a witch vigilante who rescues her kind from being purged. When aā€¦


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Book cover of Dragon Disciples: Resurrection

Dragon Disciples by Christina Weigand, Rhomda Chieduch (editor),

When the head of an ancient Samaritan family is injured, it throws the family into turmoil. There isnā€™t enough money to pay the hefty Roman taxes.

The daughter, Chana, is taken as compensation and forced into slavery inside a cruel centurionā€™s home. As a slave, Chana witnesses the miracles ofā€¦

Book cover of Lies We Sing to the Sea

J. S. Fields Author Of Queen

From J.'s 3 favorite reads in 2023.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Scientist Sculptor Sarcasm expert Space opera lover

J.'s 3 favorite reads in 2023

Plus, J.'s 9-year-old's favorite books.

J. S. Fields Why did J. love this book?

This was a surprising find for me. Iā€™m not generally a YA reader, and Iā€™d argue this isnā€™t exactly a YA book. Itā€™s a new take on part of Odysseus lore, told by one of the twelve maidens sacrificed to the sea.

Itā€™s beautifully queer, with the main character interested in both the prince and another former sacrifice. It has gods, curses, political intrigue, and blends Greek lore with modern speech patterns (Iā€™m guessing this is why itā€™s in YA). Itā€™s strangely accessible and imminently enjoyable.

I love a good ā€˜letā€™s find hidden stuff in a castleā€™ adventure, and this filled those shoes as well. As a hidden bonus, one of the romantic scenes had a very realistic depiction of what nudity on a beach entails. That alone is worth the price of admission.

By Sarah Underwood,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Lies We Sing to the Sea as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 14, 15, 16, and 17.

What is this book about?

A fantasy romance, by dazzling new talent Sarah Underwood, inspired by Greek mythology and the tale of Penelope's twelve hanged maids.

'A lavish epic of power, vengeance, love and fate.'
YA Book of the Month in The Observer (2/4/2023)

'A lovely, lyrical fantasy which takes the fate of the hanged maids of the Odyssey and weaves something brand new. A story overflowing with emotion and full of magic.'
Jennifer Saint, bestselling author of Ariadne and Elektra

In the cursed kingdom of Ithaca, each spring brings the hanging of twelve maidens, a gift to the vengeful Poseidon. But when Leto awakensā€¦


Book cover of The Pomegranate Gate
Book cover of A Thousand Recipes for Revenge
Book cover of The Magician's Daughter

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