10 of the Best Fantasy Books of Summer 2023

Fantasy books involving magic and circuses must be its own sub-genre by now, yes? In this debut set after World War I, the Circus of the Fantasticals wows the midwest with their show night after night. But its ringmaster Rin is being pursued by a dark, shadow circus that hunts her wherever they go — and it’s getting closer.

Gong is a bestselling author of YA fantasy books inspired by Romeo and Juliet. For her adult debut, she’s taking another page (book pun!) from Shakespeare’s book. In this Antony and Cleopatra-inspired tale, the citizens of the kingdom of Talin gather to watch the palace games. Competitors win big in a fight to the death, but the losers, well, die. Three strangers with scores to settle enter the games for different reasons, but find they can advance by relying on each other…to a point.

In this Egyptian-inspired debut fantasy, the last heir of the ruined kingdom of Jasad is seeking vengeance. Having been in hiding for ten years, Sylvia is ready to get her revenge. No one even knows she’s still alive after all the destruction. But to carry out her plan, she may have to rely on the help of her greatest enemy, the heir to the kingdom responsible for destroying everything she loved.

Two young women, both very different. One is kept alive by the magic of a dark sorceress, and the other is trying to fight the tempting lure of magic’s call. Both very different, but both on a quest. They will have to fight monsters, curses, magic, and temptation, to survive in this colonial South American-inspired debut fantasy.

What do you do if you’re a vampire real estate agent who can’t get a ghost to stop haunting a house you want to sell? If you’re Viola, you call a medium. Enter Fox D’Mora, ghost remover — and godson of Death. Okay, so he’s a liar and a fraud, but as he and Viola work together to get rid of the pesty poltergeist, the magic they feel is real. This paranormal fantasy romance is penned by the author of the runaway hit The Atlas Six!

Fairy tales are filled with curses, but what if a curse was actually cast for a good reason? That’s the set-up behind this exciting “Sleeping Beauty” retelling by Kingfisher, a bestselling, award-winning storyteller. Toadling is tasked by faeries with protecting a new child. But things don’t quite work out that way. Now she spends her life hanging around the tower where the princess sleeps a forever slumber in an empty kingdom. Prince after prince has attempted to enter the tower, to no avail. But not one has ever thought to ask if she should be woken up…

In one of the most anticipated fantasy books of the year, Huang has delivered an exciting martial arts adventure! For years, Lin Chong has trained the Emperor’s soldier in the art of war and battle. But all that is taken away from her by a jealous man. Now branded a criminal, Lin joins up with an order of bandits with a thirst for justice against the empire and those who harm the vulnerable. And together, they just might be able to get it.

From the bestselling author of the Six Crimson Cranes series comes an exciting new YA fantasy about two sisters. Channa was cursed with the visage of a monster to appease the Demon Witch. Only her beautiful sister Vanna has never treated her like a monster. When Vanna is to be married off in a horrible contest for the village’s profit, Channa takes on the worst suitor in a battle to save her sister that will consume their lives.

After a plague of creatures wreaked havoc on the Morning Realms two decades before, magic was banished from the lands. Its practitioners now must keep to the shadows, keep their gifts a secret. Zhara hides her talents from her wicked stepmother, but when the rumors of a new plague turning magicians to monsters reach her ears, she knows she must do something to protect herself and her younger sister. It’s a magical Cinderella monster mash (up)!