Most Anticipated Releases for 2025’s Second Quarter
Hello, fellow readers! Here’s another roundup of books releasing this quarter—some releasing next week! There are definitely a few of these I’ll be reading as soon as they release (or before, if I can get my hands on an advanced reader copy). 😁 Let me know in the comments if you’re excited for any of these!
For the Fantasy Fans:
King of Star-Cast Skies (Instanolde Chronicles | Book 2)
A love worth saving. A curse to break. One summer to live had become one night to die.
Lystra swore never to mourn a king again, her heart shattered by loss as her desert kingdom of Instanolde fights for survival. As its queen, she intended to save her people, and in forging a marriage alliance with its prince-heir, she vowed to save him from the deadly curse as well. But she never meant to fall in love again. Now, with Instanolde under attack and the curse growing more monstrous by the day, Lystra, along with Elerek and Rahzar, find themselves captives on an impossible journey across the desert. A journey to break the curse, one that comes with a steep cost, a cost Lystra isn’t sure her heart can pay.
Elerek never intended to survive, only to save his kingdom for his queen to reign in glory. But after watching Instanolde fall into ruin and a host of secrets and lies swarm the shadows, his numbered days may be the key to ensuring they survive. His curse, once a personal death sentence, has become a source of incredible power, one he intends to unleash upon his enemies. But, still reeling from a bitter betrayal by those he trusted most, Elerek finds himself wondering who the true threats to his kingdom are.
Razhar’s world has spiraled out of control. His comfortable life in the palace with a king had allowed him to keep his secrets deeply buried, but with Elerek’s curse becoming more deadly, and the kingdom on its knees before the invaders, one calculated risk brought his dark truths into the light. Leveraging the power of his own abilities while fending off the demons of his past, Razhar is forced to walk a fine line between saving those he loves––or saving only himself.
📜 Fantasy Romance releasing April 8, 2025 from Whimsical Publishing
I’m super excited for this one, because book 1, Queen of Shifting Sands, ended on an epic cliffhanger. I’m very lucky though, because I managed to snag an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) of this one! I’ve already started, and I can tell it’s going to be an epic ride.
The Elixir of the Green Willow Guard
To protect her sister’s life, Shylah will risk everything—even her heart.
Since their parents’ deaths in a fire three years ago, seventeen-year-old Shylah has one mission: keep her twelve-year-old sister, Trulian, safe from the ruthless Queen of Dimmet. Trulian is a Traveler, a rare gift that allows her to enter the dreams and memories of those she meets. If the Queen gains control of Trulian, no one’s secrets—past, present, or future—will be safe. Shylah designs a forbidden elixir to suppress her sister’s powers, but the ingredients are running out, and with the help of a mysterious figure intent on unlocking her sister’s true potential, Trulian is building up a tolerance.
Shylah’s plans unravel when her caretaker’s once-scrawny nephew, Durmad, returns from Green Willow Guard training. Now a confident, skilled soldier with his own dangerous ability, the Queen wants his loyalty, and she isn’t above manipulating him to secure it. As old frustrations and flirtations turn to undeniable feelings, Shylah can’t decide if Durmad is her salvation—or her ruin.
Shylah must decide where her true loyalties lie— before the Queen tears them apart for good.
📜 Young Adult Fantasy Romance releasing April 8, 2025 from Unearthing Treasure Press
I love a good fantasy with a touch of romance thrown in, so this sounds right up my alley. I’m also super intrigued by the idea of traveling through others’ dreams and memories, and I love a good sisterly bond.
Illuminary (The Sceptre & The Stylus | Book 1)
Glimpse the past, illuminate the future.
Yosarai Patican dreams of becoming an illuminator in a country that values art above all else. A lofty goal that finally seems within reach when she earns a position at the prestigious Academy of the Seven Arts. Although Yosarai loathes to leave behind her quiet country life, she travels to the capital, determined to live up to her mother’s fame as one of Indel’s greatest artists.
Prince Xander never planned to become king. Indeed, he never wanted to become king. But when his father dies suddenly, he is thrust into the middle of coronation preparations—and assassination attempts. With everyone around him in increasing danger, Xander decides to hide in neighboring Indel until the time for him to be crowned king arrives.
Posing as an inventor struggling with aesthetics, Xander enlists Yosarai’s aid as part of his cover, but soon he suspects she knows more than she should. But when danger threatens and secrets are exposed, entering a competition reputed as cutthroat may be the only way for them to protect everything they hold dear.
📜 Fantasy releasing April 8, 2025 from Enclave Publishing
This sounds so intriguing! I’m super excited for this one (and I also love the cover).
Peaflower: A Princess and the Pea Retelling (A Garden of Fairy Tales)
Her kingdom is under attack. His brother is her betrothed.
Princess Marion Thornhill and her lady-in-waiting Emma flee their kingdom of Brecker with the hope of reaching the princess’s betrothed and garnering help against attacking forces. But along the way, Emma reveals her true loyalties. Left stranded in the woods during a spring storm, Marion crosses paths with her betrothed’s brother Rupert, a prince cursed by an angered fairy. Rupert helps Marion - but can they get help for Brecker before it’s too late? And what about their entangled hearts?
Spring has sprung with these seven swoony-sweet retellings. Each novella finds its happily ever after amidst themes of rebirth, hope, and new life. Each book is fully independent, and they can be read in any order. Peaflower is a retelling of The Princess and the Pea featuring tropes such as an evil lady-in-waiting and a princess with an animal sidekick.
📜 Fairytale Retelling releasing April 25, 2025
I love a good fairytale retelling, and this one is a fairytale that’s not retold often—which pulls me in even more! I’ll definitely be checking this one out.
The Enemy's Daughter
It’s been thirty-seven years since the Republic was destroyed. Now two settlements—the five clans and the Kingsland—fight for control of the untainted land. Though the five clans are outnumbered, they’ve finally struck, killing Kingsland’s brutal leader.
In the war that follows, Isadora, an eighteen-year-old healer, risks her life to help injured soldiers. But when she stops an attack from Tristan, a Kingsland assassin, his soldiers shoot her with a poisoned arrow. As Isadora lies dying, Tristan does the unimaginable: He offers to save her life using a rare magic.
In choosing to live, Isadora is unknowingly bound to the mysterious Tristan. Worse, even acknowledging the attraction between them allows him to glean fragments of her memories and the very knowledge he needs to destroy the five clans. But their magical connection works both ways. So to save her people, Isadora will have to open her heart to her most cunning enemy. Because in a race for ultimate survival, she’ll need to destroy Tristan and his people first.
📜 Young Adult Fantasy releasing May 6, 2025 from Quill Tree Books
This sounds like such an intriguing story! The tension is already there, and I’m on board.
The Creationist's Curse
When Evelyn Awbrey, Curator of Arcane Books and the Occult, discovers a long-lost tarot deck linked to the infamous Creationist, Elvira, ancient magic stirs—and something begins to awaken. With the autumn equinox fading, dark forces hunt the relic, eager to tear apart the city of Margoza.
Evelyn will do anything to keep it hidden. To protect her daughter. To bury the truth.
But secrets refuse to stay buried. And the deeper she digs, the clearer it becomes: the curse isn’t just in the cards—it’s in her blood.
📜 Young Adult Fantasy releasing May 6, 2025
This sounds like such a fun and intense read! I don’t know how long it’ll take me to get to it (hello, toppling TBR), but it’s definitely made the list.
Thief, Witch, and Liar
"Trust no one here, for we are all thieves, witches, and liars in our own right."
Helpless on the outskirts of the land Romí, the impoverished village of Casenga turns to the dreaded Witch of the Wood for help when their crops fail. Her help comes at a steep price, forcing all of Casenga into a plot of secrecy and fear.
Daniela, the daughter of a poor but respectable family, does her best to exist in this delicate balance, while caring for her parents and siblings to the best of her ability... until one day, a mistake is uncovered, and her world is changed in an instant.
Accused of thievery by the vengeful witch and taken from all that she knows and loves, Daniela must survive not only her captor’s unpredictable temper, but also navigate the wiles of the witch’s son, Bensiabel, a sly and seductive man who seems to want more than he will say.
**Official cover will be revealed on April 18.
📜 Adult Fantasy Retelling releasing May 25, 2025
Inspired by Andrew Lang’s Prunella, this novel also includes elements of romance and mystery.
Silverborn: The Mystery of Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor | Book 4)
When Morrigan is invited into Nevermoor’s wealthy Silver District, she discovers a world of extravagance and a family mystery she’s eager to unravel. She could never imagine where it will lead: a white wedding, a golden dragon and a red pool of blood.
Embroiled in suspicion and danger, Morrigan leaps head first into a murder investigation, while also grappling with her ever-growing Wundersmith powers. And although her friends are there to help, she fears that could change if they learn she’s keeping a terrible secret of her own.
As shadowy forces awaken in Nevermoor, can Morrigan find a killer and solve the mystery in her own past … before the clock strikes midnight?
📜 Middle Grade Fantasy releasing June 24, 2025 (US release date) from Little, Brown Young Readers
This is book 4 of the Nevermoor series, and I’ve been eagerly awaiting Morrigan’s next adventure! The worldbuilding is rich, and the characters are entertaining and relatable. (As a side note, I love Gemma Whelan’s narration on the audiobooks.)
For the Steampunk Fans:
The Prisoner and the Pirate (Turrim Archive | Book 4)
Open war has begun.
Grayden and Beren head for the front lines to defend against the invading army. But the enemy has a devastating new weapon, and now the defenders must learn a new tactic in order to survive.
Imprisoned, mutated, and forced to learn her new abilities, Raisa fears she will become a weapon against the ones she loves. Desperate to free her, Captain Marik races his airship to find Raisa, but it may already be too late.
Tensions rise in the fourth book in the Turrim Archive. Airship pirates, wizards, robots, and now paratroopers race to collide in a battle for the fate of the world.
📜 Steampunk Adventure releasing April 30, 2025
I don’t usually read a lot in this genre, but the books I have read I thoroughly enjoyed, so I’ll definitely be checking out this series! You can find the entire series here.
For Superhero Fans:
Super Pinecones
Moving to a new town can be difficult.
When Tyler, Aiden, and Diego's parents decide to move their family from Greenville Spires to the bustling city of Everleaf, the three young pine cones have to learn to roll with the punches. Everything changes. A new school, new friends, a new house, a new pet slug. A new super villain.
Wait, what?
Time is running out for Everleaf. Will the Super Pinecones be enough to save the city?
📜 Middle Grade Superhero releasing April 26, 2025 — purchase here
I’m not usually much of a superhero reader, but this sounds like such a fun adventure!
Courting a Superhero (Superhero Romance Project | Book 7)
No father wants his little girl to marry a supervillain.
With his life of crime squarely in the rearview, reformed supervillain Switch is fully focused on his new life ... and his growing relationship with his superhero girlfriend Nixie aka Kaia Knight. All he needs to make it official is to actually propose—and to get her over-protective father’s blessing.
A trip back to Nixie’s small hometown for Christmas seems the perfect time to seek Duane Knight’s approval. However, Switch’s request is met with immediate refusal. Duane doesn’t want his daughter sharing the last name of a supervillain, reformed or not. Blindsided, Switch doubles down. Duane’s not getting rid of him that easily.
As the two men begin a struggle of wills with an unaware Nixie caught between them, Switch slowly learns how to navigate the close bonds and unfamiliar traditions of his would-be-in-laws’ large family. None of which has any effect on Duane’s less than positive opinion of him. However, when an anonymous source begins harassing the family, focusing primarily on Nixie’s non-verbal youngest brother, a supervillain might be just what the Knights need to overcome the attack.
📜 Superhero Romance releasing May 10, 2025
This is book 7 in the Superhero Romance Project series by Burke, and it sounds very entertaining. Burke is a rather prolific author, and if you’re a superhero fan, you need to check out her entire catalogue of superhero books.
DOSA Files: Tales from the SVR Universe | Volume 2
The Award-Winning Supervillain Rehabilitation Project series expands with this new nine-story anthology of exciting superhero (and villain!) tales.
Enter a world of superpowered heroes... and villains. Of epic adventure and hope.
In this collection you'll find tales of humor, action, and suspense. Meet brave heroes, quippy villains, and desperate vigilantes.
All featured stories are PG or lower, making this a great read for all ages, but especially for fans of superhero fiction, heartfelt moments, and snarky humor.
Featuring New Superhero Stories from Award Winning authors as well as exciting new voices in the genre.
Each anthology in the DOSA Files contains one short story by series originator, H.L. Burke, as well as multiple stories from other authors writing in the world.
Suit up, Sables! Superhero adventure awaits!
📜 Superhero Anthology releasing May 17, 2025
An anthology of authors writing within H.L. Burke’s world of the Supervillain Rehabilitation Project series. You can check out Volume I here.
DOSA Files: Tales from the SVR Universe | Volume 3
The Award-Winning Supervillain Rehabilitation Project series expands with this new eight-story anthology of exciting superhero (and villain!) tales.
Enter a world of superpowered heroes... and villains. Of epic adventure and hope.
In this collection you'll find tales of humor, action, and suspense. Meet brave heroes, quippy villains, and desperate vigilantes.
All featured stories are PG or lower, making this a great read for all ages, but especially for fans of superhero fiction, heartfelt moments, and snarky humor.
Featuring New Superhero Stories from Award Winning authors as well as exciting new voices in the genre.
Each anthology in the DOSA Files contains one short story by series originator, H.L. Burke, as well as multiple stories from other authors writing in the world.
Get ready for a journey into a world of superpowers and super fun!
📜 Superhero Anthology releasing May 17, 2025
An anthology of authors writing within H.L. Burke’s world of the Supervillain Rehabilitation Project series. You can check out Volume I here.
Stretched Thin (SVR Files | Volume 1)
Pulled between crime and the law, the Rubber Bandit is about to snap.
It's hard enough keeping a job as a former supervillain without every gang initiate, cocky teen, and local tough trying to pick a fight with the notorious Rubber Bandit.
Elam Bentley has worked at the bar as a bouncer for 3 months. His criminal background makes spotting a fake ID easy. When an under-aged, super-powered teen's escapades cause havoc, his employer reluctantly has to let him go. Unemployed and still under scrutiny from the local superhero team, what is he going to do?
Though Elam would love to see the look on his superhero nemesis Byte's face, there's no way he's joining the Department of Super-Abled. At least that's what he thinks until recently promoted Detective Fang asks him to go undercover.
Feeling he owes Fang, Elam agrees, but because he is a Sable, he has to go through DOSA to do it. Can he suck it up and do the job, or will the temptation to return to criminal life be too strong?
📜 Superhero & Supervillain releasing June 7, 2025
This is a story from H.L. Burke’s world from the Supervillain Rehabilitation Project series, and written by another author. It sounds so fun and intriguing! (I think I have a lot of books to catch up on first, though. 😂)
For the Romance Fans:
The Hidden Guardian
Autumn Hemming’s life is a quiet fight for survival in Rocky Falls, a remote town where dreams go to die. Between raising her rebellious younger brother Colton and working at a hunting store, she’s always shouldered the weight of her fractured family. But when a tragic night shatters her world, it awakens something deep within her—a connection to a hidden realm she never imagined.
A mysterious pull leads Autumn to a wounded wolf in the woods, only to discover he’s no ordinary creature. Renall, an enigmatic wolf-man, belongs to a pack that doesn’t take kindly to outsiders. As Autumn is drawn into their dangerous world, she must navigate shifting alliances and the startling powers emerging within her.
But trust is a rare currency among wolves, and survival requires more than courage. As tensions within the pack rise and Autumn’s connection with Renall deepens, she must learn to wield her newfound strength or risk becoming a pawn in a deadly game she can’t escape.
📜 Dark Paranormal Romance releasing May 12, 2025 from Enchanted Flame Press
**Please note the author’s content warnings here, including graphic sexual content
Although I love a good wolf-inspired romance and this sounds so intriguing, I personally will unlikely read it (due to the content warnings). I tend to prefer sweet, clean romances, mostly because I find them far more compelling. But to each their own. 🙂
The Second Chance Romance Club: An R.H.S Anthology
Some love stories burn bright and never fade—others are lost to time, mistakes, and missed moments… until fate offers a second chance.
In The Second Chance Romance Club, love finds its way back through time, through trials, and through unexpected twists of fate. This heartwarming anthology brings together tales of rekindled romance, redemption, and the kind of love that refuses to be forgotten. From swoon-worthy historical romances to laugh-out-loud rom-coms, from high-stakes romantic suspense to the coziest of small-town love stories, these pages are filled with irresistible reunions, long-lost lovers, and love that gets better the second time around.
The best love stories don’t start at the beginning—they start when you’re given another chance.
📜 Romance Anthology of Red Herrings Society authors releasing June 3, 2025 from The Writer’s Sanctuary
Several authors have come together to bring you romances centered on a second chance.
The Space Between Our Hearts
After eighteen years in the foster system, Rindy is ready to put down roots and ditch her backpack for good. But when she gets off the bus in Tinlee Bay, California she’s crushed to find that her bad-luck-life traveled with her. Only this time it’s worse because now she’s homeless.
Enter Nolan, a young man with eyes bluer than the skies who loves forests as much as she does. But he’s leaving at the end of the summer. Which should not be a problem since nobody has ever wanted Rindy in the first place, so why start now? And yet, every day she spends with Nolan feels like home.
When Rindy finally achieves the security she’s always craved, Nolan asks her to leave with him. Now she’ll have to choose—the life she carved out for herself. Or. The boy who chose her.
📜 Contemporary Romance releasing June 25, 2025
I’m not usually a big romance reader, but this book sounds so good! I’m definitely excited to give it a try!
For the Contemporary Fans:
The Making of a Beauty (The Sacred & The Scarred | Prequel)
Calysta Daniels is a shadow aching, but scared, to be seen. Her smile is quiet, uncertain — a mask for pain she carves into her own skin. When her father’s ships sink, so do the lies holding their family together.
They flee to an island of wolves, but for the first time, she starts to feel at home. Here, she comes face-to-face with a quiet truth: In one’s ugliness, can faith comfort? Transform? Hold?
Before she’s brave enough to learn to love a beast, Calysta must learn she was never just a duckling — she’s always been a swan, named ‘most beautiful’ by the King.
The Making of a Beauty is a coming-of-age novel that stares pain in the face and dares to believe God can rewrite the scars we fear we can’t erase.
📜 Contemporary Christian releasing April 25, 2025
This prequel novel to The Sacred & The Scarred series will be free on Amazon on release day.
The Beauty in Their Scars (The Sacred & The Scarred | Book 1)
A mysterious messenger. An imperfect beauty. A perfect beast.
He would've laid waste to kingdoms had God not granted her wish.
Life yanks Calysta Daniels out of her comfort zone when an odd request from a stranger becomes the only option to keep her father out of jail.
Brendan Ashthorn is perfection-turned-beast. The last thing he wants is to grovel at the feet of this young woman who is the flawed replica of the perfect stranger who cursed him.
Will Calysta's own scars help reach out to a beast who considers himself beyond redemption? Or will Brendan's pride deprive him of the love he so desperately longs for?
In this contemporary retelling of the classic tale, two fated souls discover in each other a Love that makes even ashes and scars beautiful in its time.
📜 Contemporary Christian Retelling releasing May 25, 2025
The first book in The Sacred & The Scarred, a new series from the author, and a Beauty & the Beast retelling.
There are so many good books releasing this year, guys! Let’s all hope our To-Be-Read piles can keep up. 😂 I know there are other books releasing in the coming quarter I haven’t listed here—but honestly, I doubt anyone could pull together a list of all the books releasing in a quarter (and keep their sanity).
So tell me—do any of these intrigue you? Or is there a book you’re excited for I don’t have listed?