The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of 2025 (So Far)

An unexpected heiress and her sworn protector fend off more than just her pushy relatives in this swoony romantasy from the author of Thornhedge. Adventure, playful banter and magic await! P.S. This cozy read is best paired with your favorite cup of tea.

Fans of Toshikazu Kawaguchi’s Before the Coffee Gets Cold series, this is the book for you! An unassuming Tokyo ramen shop contains a portal to another realm where customers can change their lives for the low price of one regret at a time. A breathtaking, magical story that feels like a dream.

The shocking ending to Iron Flame left us with a dizzying need for the third installment of Yarros’ phenomenal series. With love gained and lost, battles waged and won — Onyx Storm is another razor-sharp ride on dragon back.

An out-of-this-world romantasy adventure complete with dinosaurs, aliens and talking lions. What more could we ever need? Buckle up for the fun and expect the unexpected in this lovably wild tale that will have you asking for seconds.

An invasion of flesh-eating elves threatens Europe, and a special force of monsters is recruited to save the day in this first installment of a tongue-in-cheek epic fantasy. Laugh-out-loud funny and moving all at once, this dark fantasy delivers.  

From one of the bestselling authors of This is How You Lose the Time War comes an enchanting tale of sisterhood, language and folklore. At just under 150 pages, The River Has Roots is a short novel with a long-lasting impact for fairytale lovers and fans of Susanna Clarke and Holly Black.

Set over 500 years, this tale of three sapphic vampires is a story about hunger, rage and the ways in which women are told to be satiated even when they aren’t. Addictive and stimulating, Schwab’s melodic writing leaves a footprint.

Rachel Gillig (One Dark Window) weaves together romance, magic and folklore into an intoxicating gothic fairytale. This is perfect for fans of Naomi Novik and Ava Reid. With deeply satisfying tension and amusing banter, we can’t wait for the sequel. 

The Saga of the Unfated continues with another fiery, captivating romantasy where Freya fights for her kingdom — and her heart. This full-bodied tale goes all out with the banter, the tension and the high-stakes action we live for.

In a world this unforgiving, falling in love is strictly off limits — especially when it’s with your commanding officer. For fans of Fourth Wing’s vivid world-building and Jennifer L. Armentrout’s slow-burn romance comes a post-apocalyptic tale with an enemies-to-lovers twist.