Never Let May Go: 12 Marvelous New SFF Books Out May 2025

In this queer fantasy novella from the author of the Tensorate series, a legendary young dragonslayer must travel to a reclusive kingdom supposedly harboring a dragon. As Yeva searches for the dragon in Quanbao, she befriends the beautiful queen, who welcomes Yeva into the castle and makes her question her destiny.

This adventurous fantasy from the author of The Blade Itself is sure to be a hell of a good time. In the Sacred City, there’s a vampire, a werewolf, and many other murderers and monsters. And they’re the good guys. Brother Diaz must bring them all together and get them to cooperate in order to carry out his holy assignment: removing the wretched prince from power.

This is a sapphic dark fantasy about the head of a magic school! As Director of Magic at Chetwood School, Doctor Walden is charged with overseeing the six hundred students and all aspects of the academy. When you’re one of the most powerful magicians in England, it should be an easy job. But there’s a demon infestation, possessed printers, vape imps, magical tattoos, and more, which is a lot to ask of any magician.

For those of you who like mystery with your science fiction, check out this new thrilling tale from the author of Braking Day! As a detective investigates the drowning deaths of a father and son, hundreds of miles from any ocean, a woman named Hollie begins to think that her new friend, who says she’s from Nigeria and who handles technology Hollie’s never seen, might not be who she claims to be.

Lee Mandelo, the Lambda, Nebula, Goodreads Choice, and Hugo Award finalist, has edited twenty-two speculative stories that explore the possibilities for queer and trans futures. Among the amazing contributors to the anthology are Bendi Barrett, Maya Deane, Sarah Gailey, Margaret Killjoy, Wen-yi Lee, Jamie McGhee, Sam J. Miller, and Neon Yang.

Tochi Onyebuchi, the award-winning author of Goliath and Riot Baby, returns with a standalone hard-boiled noir fantasy! A down-on-his-luck private investigator finds himself pulled into a case in a dust-covered city after a bleeding woman appears in his office…and then disappears.

From the author of Dreadful comes a cozy fantasy about a magic school. Vivian didn’t even know magic existed until a werewolf bit her kindergartner, Aria, and she’s required to start sending Aria to a magic school. If Vivian thought the parents at her daughter’s original school were a lot of work, wait until she has to make something for a magical bake sale, shop for a sacrificial dagger, and deal with the literal demons on the PTA committee.

This is a new middle-grade fantasy inspired by Chinese folklore by the author of Where the Mountain Meets the Moon! It is Jin’s job to guard the Sacred Sphere at the Old City Gate, but he’d rather become a legendary kicker. While practicing his kick, he accidentally sends the Sphere flying through the Gate, and he has no choice but to go after it. This sends Jin on the adventure of a lifetime, in a realm unlike the human world, where he must find his way back home.

Did you know Spirited Away was inspired by a Japanese children’s book? It’s true, and it’s this one! This fifty-year-old novel that inspired Hayao Miyazaki’s film has now been translated into English for the first time. It’s about a young girl on summer break who begins exploring the woods near her grandmother’s house and winds up in a magical village called Misty Valley.

Last, but not least: In this YA revenge story, a teen descended from Death enters a gladiator-style competition in order to reach the gods responsible for killing their family. Crow is one of the few members of their family left and must hide their identity and magical abilities in order to rescue their imprisoned uncles and get the revenge they so desperately seek.