Lucha of the Night Forest by Tehlor Kay Meija
Sixteen-year-old Lucha Moya lives with her sister and sometimes present mother in a city in the world of Robado where she makes a living hunting monsters. Lucha and her sister Lis end up homeless after her mother disappears again and is forced to make a dangerous bargain. An inspiring, empowering story of fantasy, romance, and lyrical prose.
The Midnight Lie by Marie Rutkoski
Nirrim is a girl from the ‘worst part of town’ in this epic fantasy of class difference, self-discovery, and greed, an indelible romance at the center makes this beautifully written first in a series a must read.
Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust
Get ready for this Persian fairy tale based on the sleeping beauty classic. Soraya has lived with a curse that keeps her hidden away in her gardens while her twin brother lives out his life, soon to be married. Soraya must find the truth in herself and fight the all too real dangers around and in her. Dark and twisty is this novel of antiheros, adventure, and queer fairy tale.
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
Bree Matthews, a black sixteen–year–old, decides to attend her mother’s alma Mater, UNC Chapel Hill, after her mother’s death from an accident. Bree witnesses a magical attack that sets her on a course to infiltrate a centuries old racist secret society of demon hunters, the Legendborn. A fantasy sure to be a cultural gem with its unapologetic, suspenseful, and haunting storytelling.
A Dark and Hollow Star by Ashley Shuttleworth
Four queer teens come together in a tenuous alliance in this fae and human fantasy that draws inspiration from Greek mythology, Irish folklore, and Dungeons and Dragons. This is Ashley Shuttleworth’s debut novel, one they thoughtfully lovely crafted with rich detail.