List

Summer Reading Suggestions for Science Fiction and Fantasy Readers

By Skokie Staff Advisory Services

Do you want to escape reality? Try one of these amazing sci-fi and fantasy titles that range from cozy stories to epic quests.

  • Splinter Effect

    2025 by Ludington, Andrew

    In this action-packed, cinematic, debut sci-fi thriller series opener, a time traveling archaeologist named Dr. Robert “Rabbit” Ward maneuvers through the past to recover a long-lost, precious menorah hidden in ancient Rome and hopes to fix his past mistakes. Recommended for readers who love adventure, time travel, and history. Suggested by Rummanah.

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  • The River Has Roots

    2025 by El-Mohtar, Amal

    Next to Faerieland, two sisters are tasked each day with singing to their lands’ willow trees in order to fuel their magic. One sister is pursued by a relentless, greedy suitor, but her heart has already been won by one of the neighboring fae. A beautiful, lyrical, and spellbinding original fairy tale that celebrates sisterhood, the promises we keep, and the sacrifices we make for love. We loved this novella. Suggested by Aubree and Rummanah.

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  • Malinalli

    2025 by Chapa, Veronica

    Blending history and myth, this book reimagines the story of Malinalli, the controversial Nahua interpreter for Spanish conquistador Hernan Coretes, who many people in Mexico believed to be a traitor. The author interrogates and reclaims Malinalli’s story as a quest for justice. Recommended for fans of historical fantasy and magical realism. Suggested by Rummanah.

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  • Brighter Than Scale, Swifter Than Flame

    by Yang, Neon

    Yeva has trained all of her life to be a dragon hunter and has now become a legendary knight. When she is ordered by the emperor to travel to Quanbao, a place known to worship dragons, she is confronted by their girl-king Lady Sookhee and the two strike up an unexpected romance. A fantastic, sapphic romantasy novella full of dragons and yearning. Suggested by Aubree.

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  • Harmattan Season

    by Onyebuchi, Tochi

    Noir meets fantasy in Tochi Onyebuchi’s standalone novel. A chronically unlucky private eye gets roped into a simmering war in French-colonized West Africa after a woman shows up bleeding at his house, mysteriously vanishes, and then reappears floating in the sky, dead. Suggested by Rummanah.

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  • Murder by Memory

    2025 by Waite, Olivia

    This fantastic queer, sci-fi cozy mystery series opener is set on a fascinating ship that is on a centuries-long interstellar voyage, where passengers' consciousness can be downloaded into fresh bodies whenever needed. Our ship detective, Dorothy Gentleman, finds herself in a body that is most definitely not her own, and awakes to investigate a murder that is mysteriously connected to the body she is inhabiting. Suggested by Rummanah.

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  • The Devils

    by Abercrombie, Joe

    Joe Abercrombie’s newest epic fantasy follows Brother Diaz and his band of antiheroes as they navigate a world riddled with plague to complete a bloody mission with a righteous outcome. A dark fantasy with paranormal characters and a medieval setting. Suggested by Aubree.

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  • Aunt Tigress

    2025 by Qin, Emily Yu-Hsuan

    Demons, ghosts, and gods all inhabit this unique new fantasy read. After Tam's aunt is found murdered and skinned, Tam, who is a descendant of ancient tiger spirits, must face threats from her past, as well as her feelings for her mysterious classmate, Janet. A supernatural urban fantasy that includes both Chinese and First Nation mythology as well as queer representation. Suggested by Aubree

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  • House of Blight

    2025 by Martineau, Maxym M.

    Magic always comes at a price, and for Edira Brillwyn, the cost to heal others is a sliver of her own life. However, when her brother contracts the blight, a terribly destructive illness she is unable to cure, help comes in the form of a powerful ally: Orin Fernglove, a member of the notorious magical Fernglove family. A brand new romantasy for fans of Rachel Gillig and Danielle L. Jensen. Suggested by Aubree.

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  • Hammajang Luck

    2025 by Yamamoto, Makana

    After eight long years, Edie is finally out of prison on early parole, trying to find a way home from the icy prison planet. Angel, the only person Edie trusted and the one who sold them out, shows up with one more job; one last chance to take down the wealthy transhumanist tech mogul they couldn’t beat eight years ago for a payout Edie can’t turn down. Together, they assemble a team of hackers, hitters, grifters, and thieves–but can Edie trust Angel to have their back? An action-packed sci-fi heist thriller that beautifully weaves Hawaiian culture and language in with a great cast of diverse and inclusive characters. Suggested by Amy G and Rummanah.

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  • The Incandescent: A School Story

    2025 by Tesh, Emily

    2024 Hugo Award winner Emily Tesh’s newest release is a fascinating, sapphic, dark academia fantasy. It takes place at a school for magicians where the Director of Magic must protect her students from a rising demonic threat. Suggested by Aubree.

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  • The Prince Without Sorrow

    2025 by Wijesekara, Maithree

    Prince Ahsoka is the son of a violent, tyrannical emperor who is known for his ruthless treatment of witches, but the prince desires change and, more important, peace. Shakti is a witch sworn to pacifism, but after witnessing the murder of her aunt by the emperor, she becomes bent on revenge and releases a curse, with unforeseen consequences. Book one in a new dark fantasy series filled with political intrigue. Suggested by Aubree.

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  • The Grimoire Grammar School Parent Teacher Association

    by Rozakis, Caitlin

    A fantasy that focuses on nonmagical parents of magical children as they navigate the world of elite magic academies, ominous prophecies, and PTA bake sales. A clever, charming new fantasy read. Suggested by Aubree.

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  • Dissolution

    2025 by Binge, Nicholas

    A woman dives into her husband's memories to uncover a decades-old feud threatening reality itself in this thought-provoking and suspenseful sci-fi thriller that invokes the nightmarish atmosphere and paranoia of Philip K. Dick and explores the lines between memory and time. Suggested by Rummanah.

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  • Greenteeth

    2025 by O'Neill, Molly

    This fantasy adventure stars Jenny Greenteeth, a common villain from English folklore, as she saves a life and goes on a quest to save her town from pure evil. Making some unlikely friends along the way, she travels to the fae realm and works to compete quests. This debut novel is unique, surprising, and a fun read. Suggested by Aubree.

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  • Esperance

    by Oyebanji, Adam

    Police detective Ethan Krol is tasked to solve an impossible murder—two victims drowned in seawater, found in a Chicago high-rise more than 600 miles from the nearest body of saltwater. More murders follow in Rhode Island and Nigeria. History, science fiction, and mystery collide brilliantly in this suspenseful read. Suggested by Rummanah.

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  • Silver Elite

    2025 by Francis, Dani

    This brand-new science fiction romance is set in a dystopian future where having psychic powers is a death sentence. Wren, who is able to hide her powers well, decides to infiltrate the ranks by joining an elite military program where she plans to start its downfall. The only problem: her ruthless, irresistible commanding officer. A steamy, fast-paced debut. Suggested by Aubree.

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  • Death of the Author

    2025 by Okorafor, Nnedi

    A disabled Nigerian-American author finds herself facing years of rejection and a failing career and decides to make one last attempt at success in literature. She begins penning a science fiction novel and is surprised to find that her own reality has begun blending with fiction. This book is a brilliant blend of sci-fi and lit fic. Suggested by Aubree and Andrew.

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  • When the Moon Hits Your Eye

    2025 by Scalzi, John

    John Scalzi brings his trademark humor to this hopeful and thought-provoking sci-fi romp in which the moon is discovered to be made of cheese. The focus is not on this odd phenomenon but rather on humanity’s reaction to it. How do we cope when something shakes our fundamental understanding of our world? Suggested by Rummanah.

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  • The Knight and the Moth

    by Gillig, Rachel

    For years, Sybil has lived in a cathedral and trained as a Diviner, a person who receives omens in their dreams. Near the end of her service, a heretical, handsome, and sharp-tongued knight named Roderick arrives at the cathedral with his own ulterior motives, but once Sybil's Diviner sisters begin to go missing, he is the only one who can help her search for them. A new, spellbinding romantasy from the author of One Dark Window. Suggested by Aubree.

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  • North Is the Night

    2025 by Rath, Emily

    Set in the Middle Ages in the Finnish wilderness, two friends named Siiri and Aina try to protect each other against what lurks in the darkness as young women around them begin to disappear. While Siiri vows to protect her friend, even she cannot face off with a death goddess, who soon comes calling. A haunting, bleak historical fantasy tale. Suggested by Aubree.

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  • Swordheart

    2025 by Kingfisher, T.

    After accidentally making enemies of her in-laws, Halla becomes desperate. Trapped in her newly inherited estate, she finds and draws a magic sword, which summons an immortal who is sworn to protect the sword’s wielder. A totally unique, funny, low-stakes fantasy romance with wonderful characters. Suggested by Aubree.

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  • Water Moon

    2025 by Sotto, Samantha

    A pawn shop hidden in Tokyo trades for their patron’s deepest regrets and sorrows. Hana is the new owner of the pawn shop, and she wakes her first day to find that the shop has been ransacked and a choice has gone missing. A book for fans of Studio Ghibli who enjoy whimsical fantasy worlds. Suggested by Aubree.

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  • The Sapling Cage

    2024 by Killjoy, Margaret

    The Sapling Cage feels right at home alongside Tamora Pierce’s Emelan and Ursula K. LeGuin’s Earthsea. When the witches come to take her aspiring-knight friend as a new member of their coven, Lorel, a trans girl, takes her place. With its unique magic system and intriguing sociopolitical worldbuilding, this trilogy is off to an excellent start. Suggested by Amy G.

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  • Blood of the Old Kings

    2024 by Kim, Sŏng-il

    This high fantasy is set in a corrupt world where necromancy reigns and dead sorcerers are taken and drained for their magic. Sorcerer Loran does not wish to have this fate befall her and begins a quest across the world to find the seven-eyed dragon. An epic, immersive fantasy recently translated from Korean. Suggested by Aubree.

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  • The Butcher of the Forest

    2024 by Mohamed, Premee

    "Leave your two most cinacth men with her family. If she is not back here in a day, kill them first, then destroy the village." The Tyrant has commanded Veris Thorn to rescue his children from Elmever Forest. But Veris knows that Elmever isn’t just the only place in the land where The Tyrant’s power doesn’t reach–it’s a terrifying, eldritch domain whose rules and creatures defy human understanding. A 2025 Hugo, Nebula, and Locus Award nominee by an emerging star of the genre. Suggested by Andrew.

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  • The Teller of Small Fortunes

    2024 by Leong, Julie

    Tao is a fortune teller and immigrant who travels Eshtera in her wagon and tells small fortunes for small prices. On the road, she accidentally becomes tangled in the search for an ex-mercenary's missing daughter. A warm and heartfelt story that is perfect for fans of cozy fantasy. Suggested by Aubree.

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  • Blood over Bright Haven

    2024 by Wang, M. L.

    Sciona Freynan has worked for decades to become her country’s first woman Highmage. When the time to take her official test comes, she feels confident in her chances. However, her years of studying and training could never have prepared her for what comes next. An unforgettable standalone fantasy with a unique magic system and phenomenal characters. Suggested by Aubree.

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