2025 has been a great year forfantasybooks, and it’s only halfway done. Lovers of the genre have had exciting new releases to look forward to sinceOnyx Stormhit shelves in January, and there are plenty more coming during the latter half of the year. Even with romantasy dominating the market as of late, there are still many high and urban fantasy narratives to enjoy.
And some of 2025’s biggest hits are from well-loved authors, like Joe Abercrombie and V.E. Schwab. Others continue gripping series, likeThe Legendborn Cycleand theFive Broken Bladestrilogy.The genre’s best additions from the first half of the year are releases fantasy fans won’t want to missout on. With so many other exciting books headed our way, now’s the time to catch up.
10The Devils
By Joe Abercrombie
Joe Abercrombie is a must-read fantasy author, and his 2025 novel takes readers outside hisFirst Lawuniverse for the first time in a while.The Devilstakes place in an alternate version of medieval Europe, following a band of outcasts as they escort a lost princess — one who has spent most of her life as a street thief — to her home and throne.
The Devilshas all the hallmarks ofAbercrombie’s best books: complicated but lovable characters, witty prose, and dark humor that will keep readers laughing aloud. Its commentary on faith and power is all too relevant, withThe Devilsrefusing to hold anything back.
The Devilsis an all-around fun time, in addition to being a well-crafted story.
The Devilsis an all-around fun time, in addition to being a well-crafted story. It’s easily a top 2025 fantasy book, just as its 4.30 averageGoodreadsrating suggests. It’s especially compelling for readers who appreciate a darker narrative. It seems it will be getting a follow-up, too, giving Abercrombie fans even more to look forward to after this year.
9The Raven Scholar
By Antonia Hodgson
The Raven Scholarby Antonia Hodgson is another standout fantasy release of 2025, and the book is getting high praise from readers (just look at its impressive 4.49Goodreadsrating).The Raven Scholartakes a familiar narrative — a tournament held to see who will replace an empire’s ruler — and puts a fresh and gripping spin on it.
One of the competitors inThe RavenScholarperishes early on, prompting High Scholar Neema Kraa to launch an investigation. Unfortunately for her, this also means getting wrapped up in the competition itself.The stakes are high throughoutThe Raven Scholar,and the politics and twists are certain to appeal to high fantasy lovers everywhere.
In addition to the incredible intrigue present throughout Hodgson’s narrative, there’s also plenty of action, great world-building, and exceptional character work. There’s a reason this novel is being touted as a standout of 2025. With any luck, it’s setting the stage for the rest of Hodgson’sEternal Path Trilogyto be just as good.
8Bury Our Bones In The Midnight Soil
By V.E. Schwab
V.E. Schwab has yet to pen a bad book, soit’s no surprise that the author’s 2025 release lands among the best fantasy stories of the yearso far. However,Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soilis arguablySchwab’s greatest novel to date. (My sincerest apologies to bothViciousandThe Invisible Life of Addie LaRue.)
Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soillives up to its catchy marketing — but it’s also so much more than that.
Frequently pitched as “toxic lesbian vampires,“Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soillives up toits catchy marketing — but it’s also so much more than that. A dark and atmospheric tale spanning hundreds of years,Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soilis a stunning exploration of feminine rage.
Schwab’s novel capitalizes on the strengths of her previous hits; the author excels at exploring morally complicated characters and existential topics like immortality. It also brings something new to the vampire category while giving readers a story that will hook them from start to finish. It’s worthy of its above-averageGoodreadsscore and spot on any 2025 fantasy round-up.
7Oathbound
By Tracy Deonn
The third book in Tracy Deonn’sLegendborn Cyclehit shelves in 2025, andOathboundis every bit as impressive as its predecessors. Indeed, its averageGoodreadsrating is basically tied with the first two books, confirming that Deonn is keeping the momentum going as she unravels Bree’s story.
Legendbornis one of the best young adult fantasy novels to debut in recent years, delivering a fresh and compelling take on Arthurian legend — along with great characters, an immersive backdrop, and gripping romance.Oathboundtakes Bree’s narrative to darker places thanLegendbornandBloodmarked, which isn’t surprising given book 2’s ending.
As always, Deonn does a masterful job tackling difficult topics, all while balancing an engaging fantasy plot and incredible character dynamics. Once again,Oathboundwill leave readers eager for more of the story. Deonn is on a roll with this series, andOathboundsets the stage for yet another great installment in the future.
6A Drop Of Corruption
By Robert Jackson Bennett
The Tainted Cupwas one of thebest fantasy books of 2024, andRobert Jackson Bennett looks poised to land among 2025’s top picks with its follow-up,A Drop of Corruption.Like the first book in the author’sShadow of the Leviathanseries,A Drop of Corruptionexpertly blends fantasy with the mystery genre, delivering something truly special.
In fact,A Drop of Corruptionmay even surpassThe Tainted Cupin its storytelling; its 4.52Goodreadsscore certainly suggests as much. The central mystery is once again difficult to solve, even for experienced thriller readers. And the dynamic between Ana and Din continues to be charming as ever, adding a bit of fun to an otherwise dark story.
IfA Drop of Corruptionis any indication of theShadow of the Leviathanseries' trajectory, readers have even more great narratives to look forward to in this world. Whatever comes next, book 2 will go down as one of the greatest additions to the genre in 2025.
5Three Shattered Souls
By Mai Corland
Mai Corland’sFive Broken Bladeshas gotten two sequels in 2025, butThree Shattered Soulsis easily the strongest installment in the series. After getting readers thoroughly attached to her lovable cast of characters, Corland takes them on an emotional ride in the trilogy’s finale. This novel gets darker than its predecessors, but it handles that shift masterfully.
At its core,Three Shattered Soulsis a story about grief and sacrifice — and it doesn’t pull its punches when addressing either.
At its core,Three Shattered Soulsis a story about grief and sacrifice — and it doesn’t pull its punches when addressing either. There’s also undeniably hope for a better world sprinkled in, with Corland striking an impressive balance. Readers will laugh and cry, and they may feel emotionally wrung out when it’s all over. Of course, that just means the book is doing its job.
AndThree Shattered Soulsis an especially strong releasefor those who love found families; the character dynamics are at their best here. It’s really no surprise the book has a 4.32 averageGoodreadsrating, with praise pouring in just one week after its release. It’s one of the best new fantasy books this year, proving how underrated Corland’s series is.
4The River Has Roots
By Amal El-Mohtar
Amal El-Mohtar,one of the authors behindThis Is How You Lose the Time War, released a fantasy novellathat’s gotten quite a bit of attention in 2025 — and rightfully so. A story about sisterhood,The River Has Rootsis gorgeously written and has a strong emotional core.
The River Has Rootshas a whimsical feel to it, which is only made stronger by its lush prose.
The River Has Rootshas a whimsical feel to it, which is only made stronger by its lush prose. But its approach to magic and faeries is also part of its appeal, and it manages to stand out, despite all the other stories about faeries in recent years.
LikeThis Is How You Lose the Time War,El-Mohtar’s latest also manages to accomplish a lot despite its shorter length. It manages to be memorable and fully immersive, explaining its 4.06 averageGoodreadsrating. The biggest complaint about this book is that it could be longer.
3Grave Empire
By Richard Swan
Richard Swan is well-known for hisEmpire of the Wolftrilogy, but the first book in his new series bodes well for it becoming just as big of a hit. Released in February 2025,Grave Empirekicks offThe Great Silenceseries with a politically charged narrative set in the same world(just 200 years later).
Grave Empirebuilds on the successes of Swan’s previous books, but it also sets itself apart by tackling new themes and showcasing more advanced technology. It’s impressive how Swan manages to alter the setting while still including details that will appeal to fans of the prior story.
AndGrave Empirekicks off this new era with high stakes, along with horror elements that will keep readers on edge throughout the novel. Its 4.11 averageGoodreadsrating speaks to its quality, with the book setting the stage for even more thrilling sequels.
2The Dark Mirror
By Samantha Shannon
Samantha Shannon continuedThe Bone Seasonseries withThe Dark Mirrorin 2025, andbook 5 is the strongest addition yet, cementing its place among the year’s best fantasyreleases.The Dark Mirroroutpaces all of Shannon’s previous installments in terms ofGoodreadsrating, with the sequel snagging a whopping 4.57 on the platform.
It probably goes without saying, then, thatThe Dark Mirrorups the ante on Shannon’s dystopian fantasy series, separating Paige from the Republic of Scion — but also leaving her with no memories and a massive undertaking to contend with. Shannon handles this brilliantly, weaving a narrative full of heart and wit.
The Dark Mirror’s strengths bode well heading into the remainder ofThe Bone Season.
The Dark Mirror’s strengths bode well heading into the remainder ofThe Bone Season,which is planned as a seven-book series. Shannon also has another new release coming in 2025 —Among the Burning Flowers— which meansshe could be responsible for two of the year’s best fantasy releases.
1The Ashfire King
By Chelsea Abdullah
Speaking of ramping up the stakes of a story, Chelsea Abdullah does exactly that in her follow-up to 2022’sThe Stardust Thief.Its 2025 sequel,The Ashfire King, cements the series as a must-read for fantasy lovers.The Ashfire Kingpicks right after book 1, taking Mazen and Loulie on yet another engaging adventure.
The world-building and characters in Abdullah’s series continue to shine in this second book, reminding readers why they fell for the first one. The plot and characters develop in interesting and sometimes unexpected directions, and it keeps the momentum going, ensuring readers want to pick up the next book as well.
The Ashfire Kingboasts an impressive 4.05Goodreadsrating, placing it ahead ofThe Stardust Thief.It’s no surprise readers are loving this one even more, especially after growing attached to thisfantasyworld and its characters. Abdullah’s series is shaping up to be a memorable one, and its second installment will go down as one of 2025’s biggest hits.
