5 Awesome Recent Fantasy Books You May Have Missed

If you love gorgeous, inventive details in your fantasy novels, pick this up now! Demelza is a Vertitas swan, but does not have the same abilities or interests as her sisters. She can just tell when people are lying. But when Prince Aerys of a neighboring kingdom announces that he is looking for a bride, Demelza agrees to help him by telling the evil suitors whether what they say is true or false, and preventing him from marrying the wrong person. Now, Demelza has a place in the castle, new friends, a job, and a slight crush on the prince. But that won’t be a problem, right?

I can’t do any better than this quote from Emma Straub called “tuck Everlasting For adults.” That’s the perfect description. It’s a bittersweet story about love and loss. Vera Van Valkenburgh is an immortal woman who has lived for centuries. It’s not easy, always moving around, hiding her secrets, and losing the people she cares about. So after two hundred years, she returns to the Catskills, where it all began, to try to discover what caused her immortality and reverse it. But when she gets there, she learns of a company that is buying up all the property in the area. Can they learn the reason for her immortality, and might they have the answers she needs?

This might be my favorite book of the year. It is a historical dark fantasy based on the legend of the Beast of Gevaudan, which reportedly terrorized a town in 18th century France. Sebastian Grave has tangled with the beast before and thought it was dead. When it comes up again, he is contractually obligated to return and finish the job. The monster Sarmodel also accompanies him on the journey, as he lives inside Sebastian. It’s the bananapants buddy comedy I didn’t know I needed, a wild, bloody, hilarious romance with a high body count that’s also steeped in history. I can’t wait for the next one!