Happy October! Is it me, or did September fly by? I can’t believe we only have a few months left in 2025. Where did the time go? lol Luckily, there are still a few months with a BUNCH of AMAZING books publishing. I have 15 October book releases on my radar. Let’s check them out!!
October 7th:
The Ordeals
Author: Rachel Greenlaw
Page Length: 384
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Synopsis: Twenty-year-old Sophia DeWinter has only known life bound to her cruel uncle, the Collector, thanks to a blood bond he exacted from her as a child. When she learns of Killmarth College, an elite academy for magic wielders outside of the Collector’s control, she knows it is her only chance to finally break free. But to gain entry, she will have to compete against other illusionists, masquiers, botanists, and alchemists in a series of brutal trials that many hopefuls don’t survive—the Ordeals.
Sophia knows her skills as an illusionist are weak; she only makes it through the first challenge by teaming up with a powerful (and insufferably sexy) botanist, Alden Locke. To make it out alive, she will have to hone her magic and learn to identify who is a rival, who could be an ally, and who is a murderer.
Because now, not only does she have to protect her heart, but her very life. Hopefuls are being viciously picked off one by one between the challenges. In her haste to escape the Collector’s trap, Sophia may have fled straight towards her own death sentence.
Mate
Author: Ali Hazelwood
Series: Bride #2
Page Length: 464
Publisher: Berkley
Synopsis: A Human hybrid and an Alpha Were claw against the bonds of fate in the highly anticipated companion novel to the New York Times bestselling Bride.
Serena Paris is orphaned, pack-less, and one of a kind. Coming forward as the first Human-Were hybrid was supposed to heal a centuries-long rift between species. Instead, it made her a target, prey to the ruthless political machinations between Weres, Vampyres, and Humans. With her enemies closing in on her, she has only one option left—if he’ll have her.
As Alpha of the Northwest pack, Koen Alexander commands obedience. His authority is so absolute, only a fool would threaten his mate. It doesn’t matter if Serena doesn’t reciprocate his feelings, nothing will stop him from keeping her safe.
But power-hungry Vampyres and Weres are not the only threats chasing Serena. Sooner or later, her past is bound to catch up with her—and Koen might be the only thing standing between her and total annihilation…
The Omen Girl
Author: Yueh Yang
Page Length: 288
Publisher: Wattpad Books
Synopsis: A chosen-one YA fantasy debut novel inspired by Asian culture with a richly developed world—perfect for fans of Elizabeth Lim, Amélie Wen Zhao, and Sue Lynn Tan.
In a world divided between respectable citizens and Omens—humans who can transform into monsters—Sozo is one of the cursed.
Abandoned by her parents when her Omen stain appeared, Sozo survives the streets under the guidance of Esp, a shadowy mentor. But Sozo hides a secret: she can conceal her stain, a rare talent that Esp sees as the key to infiltrating the Temple of Celestial Ichor and competing in the Decade Race of Stars.
The race is deadly, but the prize is irresistible—a single wish for anything. Esp dreams of using it to reshape the world, and Sozo convinces herself the risk is worth it. With a star-powered flying scooter called an anchor, Sozo becomes a fierce contender, but keeping her stain hidden—and her monstrous side in check—is harder with every challenge.
As Sozo fights to survive the race, doubts creep in. Should she claim the wish for herself to change life for Omens? Doing so would mean betraying Esp, who won’t let her go without a fight.
With monsters lurking inside and out, Sozo must decide whose future she’s fighting for—and if she’s willing to pay the price.
Alchemy of Secrets
Author: Stephanie Garber
Page Length: 336
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Synopsis: It starts with a class in an old movie theater.
Folklore 517: Local Legends and Urban Myths, taught by a woman called the Professor. Most students believe the Professor’s stories are just fiction, but Holland St. James has always been convinced that magic is real. When she tracks down a local legend named the Watch Man, who can supposedly tell you when you’ll die, the world finally makes sense. Except that the Watch Man tells her she will die at midnight tomorrow unless she finds an ancient object called the Alchemical Heart.
With the clock ticking, Holland is pulled deeper into this magical world in the heart of Los Angeles—and into the path of a magnetic stranger. Everything about him feels like a bad idea, but he promises Holland that her sister sent him to protect her. As they chase clues and stories that take them closer to the Alchemical Heart, Holland realizes everyone in this intoxicating new world is lying to her, even this stranger. And if she can’t figure out whom to trust, not even the Alchemical Heart will save her.
October 14th:
Revolve
Author: Bal Khabra
Page Length: 416
Publisher: Berkley
Synopsis: The road to redemption is far from smooth as ice in this sweeping romance between a figure skater and hockey player from the USA Today bestselling author of Collide.
Sierra Romanova was an Olympian figure skater before a life-altering accident on the ice left her with panic attacks every time she enters the rink. Now, back for her final year at Dalton University, she’s ready to reclaim the spotlight, with all eyes on her…including those of hockey player Dylan Donovan, whose audacious words goad her back into her skates to prove him wrong.
After getting kicked off his hockey team for his reckless behavior, Dylan is left with slim chances of making it to the NHL draft. But Dylan’s whole world revolves around the ice, and if hockey is forbidden, well at least there’s figure skating. Even better, it means more time at the rink with Sierra. Sure, he’s helping her rebuild her confidence, but pushing her buttons along the way? That’s just a bonus.
As the figure skating world awaits Sierra’s comeback, she finds herself in need for a new pairs partner. The only person she knows who can match her skill on the ice is none other than the cocky hockey player who refuses to cut her any slack. Dylan’s a wildcard, Sierra’s a seasoned pro, but together, they might just be the perfect match on the ice.
Road Trip with a Vampire
Author: Jenna Levine
Page Length: 416
Publisher: Berkley
Synopsis: Reformed bad witch Grizelda “Zelda” Watson had hoped to never see another vampire again when she slipped away to sunny California for a fresh start. She’d grown tired of them and their nonsense ages ago. But when a vampire with amnesia unexpectedly shows up on her doorstep with a letter from her old friend Reggie, and asks for her help, she can’t say no. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that Peter Elliott is tall and gorgeous, looks great in yoga shorts, and has the kind of dark hair and surly expression Zelda’s been a sucker for for hundreds of years.
Peter isn’t completely harmless—he is fanged, after all—but he’s harmless enough, and soon becomes the only person in Zelda’s new life who knows the truth about what she is. If she can help him decipher the cryptic notes in his journal, the only clues to his lost memories, she might as well try before sending him on his way.
But when an alarming message from Peter’s past coincides with a clear sign that Zelda can’t keep running from her own, they embark on a cross-country road trip for answers—only to find what they’re looking for in each other.
Lost in His Spiderwebs
Author: Amber Daulton
Series: Lozano Cartel #1
Page Length: 338
Synopsis: Kidnapped by the enemy. Bought by the jefe. Will his smoldering touch thaw her frozen heart?
Rubén Lozano, the new leader of the Lozano Cartel, craves peace amidst a legacy of bloodshed and death. He never expected to find his ex-lover, Drina Cabrera, in the clutches of his vicious rivals. Her haunted eyes compel him to rescue her, but freeing her is another matter.
After five months of captivity, Drina trades one captor for another. Though she succumbs to Rubén’s masterful touch, the bittersweet memory of her daughter and the life she was stolen from is a constant wedge between them.
When Rubén’s darkest secret comes out, he will have to wash his hands in crimson. Will Drina let her king face the danger alone, or stand at his side as his cartel queen?
An Amateur Witch’s Guide to Murder
Author: K. Valentin
Page Length: 336
Publisher: Alcove Press
Synopsis: A wannabe witch tries to break a curse on a clueless client in this laugh-out-loud debut for fans of queer fantasy like TJ Klune and Tamsyn Muir.
Mateo Borrero has ninety-nine problems, and all of them hinge on the fact that his terrifying and currently-missing bruja mother trapped a demon in his body when he was born. His mother forbade him from ever using magic, but now that she’s gone, magic’s his only marketable skill, and he’d really like an exorcism—which costs money he doesn’t have. What’s the harm in making a quick buck by calling himself an Occult Specialist and chanting a few half-remembered spells in his crappy Spanish?
Enter Topher, a naive nepo baby with a curse that keeps killing people around him. Most importantly, he’s rich, and too clueless to clock that Mateo–and his (absolutely-not-the-assistant) astral-projecting best friend Ophelia–have never actually had a client before. Lifting Topher’s bad luck curse should be simple, but as luck would have it, nothing is simple, and Topher–who Mateo sort of, kind of likes–might be at the center of a deadly magical conspiracy.
To make matters worse, the more magic Mateo does, the stronger the demon inside him grows and the more he wants to eat people. But would caving to the urges of an ancient evil really be that bad if it helps him get a payday?
Legends and Lattes meets A Grim Reaper’s Guide to Catching a Killer in this hilarious and charming contemporary fantasy readers won’t want to miss.
Female Fantasy
Author: Iman Hariri-Kia
Page Length: 416
Publisher: Cosmo Reads
Synopsis: All’s fair in love and lore.
Joonie is living in a fantasy—at least that’s what people tell her. Men in the real world have done nothing but disappoint her time and time again, so she keeps her heart reserved for Ryke, the fictional male lead of her favorite romance series, who just happens to be a merman. And so far, her book boyfriend is meeting her needs more than any other “real” man ever has.
But when she learns that Ryke’s character is based on a friend of the author, Joonie is determined to track him down and take her shot at a happily ever after.
She’ll need to borrow her brother’s car for the road trip, with the one condition that his annoying (but also hot) best friend can catch a ride to New York with her. But as she makes her way to her male lead, she’ll learn that once you wish fantasy into reality, you have to take all the tropes that come with it—not just the fun ones.
As unhinged as it is brilliant, Female Fantasy is both a self-aware dive into the concept of genre and a wild, steamy romp. Most of all, though, it’s a heartfelt love letter to romance readers everywhere.
October 21st:
A Curious Kind of Magic
Author: Mara Rutherford
Page Length: 368
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Synopsis: Everyone in Ardmuir knows that Willow Stokes is a charlatan, including Willow herself. Her father’s shoppe hasn’t sold anything magical in decades, and it’s only hanging on by the skin of the fake dragon’s teeth Willow sells as charms, along with “enchanted” ostrich eggs, taxidermied chimeras, and talismans made of fools’ gold.
Until outlander Brianna Hargrave appears and turns Willow’s fakes into exactly what they’re purported to be. But try as Willow might to enlist Bri’s help, she wants nothing to do with Willow and her curiosities.
Because Brianna is harboring a secret of her own: everything she touches turns to magic, and the consequences have chased her all the way to Ardmuir. All she wants to do is find a particular missing grimoire, which contains a spell that can finally put an end to her curse.
Desperate to keep her father’s shoppe, Willow proposes a bargain that could save them both. Together with the frustratingly handsome printer’s assistant, the girls will uncover a plot that goes far deeper than either could have imagined. But when Willow is forced to participate in an ambitious collector’s quest for the rarest magical object in the world-a quest that risks almost-certain death-she learns that not all treasure is for sale, and that true magic is closer than she ever could have imagined.
The Forsaken and the Fated
Author: Camilla Raines
Series: The Hollow and the Haunted #2
Page Length: 432
Publisher: Titan Books
Synopsis: In this thrilling sequel to The Hollow and the Haunted, Miles and Gabriel find themselves ensnared in a web of dark magic beyond their wildest imaginings. Time is running out to change their future, and the dead are hungry…
Perfect for fans of atmospheric queer fantasy romance, including The Raven Cycle, Cemetery Boys and Sixteen Souls.
With Gabriel missing and the death premonition still unbroken, Miles and Charlee race to work out where he is. Armed with the grimoire, they might stand a chance of breaking the curse on Gabriel’s family and preventing his death—but only if they can find him.
Miles’s parents are furious to learn he’s been helping Gabriel—and they don’t even know the half of it. Miles is sure understanding the feud between their families is key to lifting the curse. Plus, he’d like them to get to know the boy he’s hoping he’s maybe, sort-of dating.
With new premonitions changing everything they thought they knew and the dark power of the grimoire whispering in their ears, Miles and Gabriel are running out of time. Both their lives are on the line, and danger might be closer to home than they realize…
A Fae in Finance
Author: Juliet Brooks
Series: How to Do Business in Faerie #1
Page Length: 414
Synopsis: When investment banker Miri is purposely trapped in Faerie by her client, the Princeling of the Faerie realm, she does what any 20-something would: cries, eats cake, and worries loudly about her cat, Doctor Kitten. Instead of rescuing her, her boss simply confirms that she has solid internet access, leaving Miri stranded in a strange land with only a warning that the quality of her work should not decrease because of a change of address.
But Miri grew up reading fantasy, and she knows there are always ways to work around magic—she just needs to find them. To affect a daring escape, Miri must navigate Faerie political drama, lies by omission, deteriorating mental health, and a mother who never hangs up the phone.
The Isle in the Silver Sea
Author: Tasha Suri
Page Length: 384
Publisher: Orbit
Synopsis: In a Britain fuelled by stories, the knight and the witch are fated to fall in love and doom each other over and over, the same tale retold over hundreds of lifetimes.
Simran is a witch of the woods. Vina is a knight of the Queen’s court. When the two women begin to fall for each other, how can they surrender to their desires, when to give in is to destroy each other?
As they seek a way to break the cycle, a mysterious assassin begins targeting tales like theirs. To survive, the two will need to write a story stronger than the one that fate has given to them.
But what tale is stronger than The Knight and the Witch?
October 28th:
An Unlikely Coven
Author: A.M. Kvita
Series: Green Witch Cycle #1
Page Length: 379
Publisher: Orbit
Synopsis: The outcast daughter of a powerful family of witches returns home to New York City and is immediately embroiled in a supernatural power struggle in this wickedly funny fantasy debut from AM Kvita.
After seven long years Joan Greenwood is finally returning home. Unfortunately, her family totally forgot about it.
Joan’s homecoming is lukewarm at best, but soon turns disastrous when news hits that someone has created a spell that can turn an ordinary human into a powerful witch, threatening the balance of the magical world and the Greenwood’s place at the top of it.
When her best friend confesses that he has secretly, accidentally, saved this human-turned-witch from an uncertain fate, Joan is thrust headfirst into a desperate race to undo the spell before it does permanent damage to its unwilling host.
Soon, Joan finds herself drawn deeper into the heart of the city’s magic, into an uncertain alliance with a (very attractive) family rival, and far beyond the limits of everything she thought her own magic capable of.
The Everlasting
Author: Alix E. Harrow
Page Length: 320
Publisher: Tor
Synopsis: From Alix E. Harrow, the New York Times bestselling author of Starling House, comes a moving and genre-defying quest about the knight whose legend built a nation, and the cowardly historian sent back through time to make sure she plays her part–even if it breaks his heart.
Sir Una Everlasting was Dominion’s greatest the orphaned girl who became a knight, who died for queen and country. Her legend lives on in songs and stories, in children’s books and recruiting posters—but her life as it truly happened has been forgotten.
Centuries later, Owen Mallory—failed soldier, struggling scholar—falls in love with the tale of Una Everlasting. Her story takes him to war, to the archives—and then into the past itself. Una and Owen are tangled together in time, bound to retell the same story over and over again, no matter what it costs.
But that story always ends the same way. If they want to rewrite Una’s legend—if they want to tell a different story–they’ll have to rewrite history itself.
