12 Exciting New Sci-Fi and Fantasy Books Out in January 2026

Isabel Ibañez is making her adult debut with this fantasy romance about dangerous magic. In an attempt to save her brother, sculptress Ravenna Maffei enters a dangerous competition. But when her forbidden magic is revealed, she is taken captive by the city’s most powerful family, including its cruel, immortal heir.

The most recent entry in the “magical establishments” genre, this fantasy is about a young woman who inherits a bakery that is visited by spirits just before they move on to the next plane. Yeon-hwa is responsible for finding them the perfect pastry to unlock a significant memory for them before they can leave.

Up next is a queer urban fantasy about a government worker in Singapore. Benjamin Toh works for the Division for Engagement of Unusual Stakeholders, helping to keep supernatural inhabitants happy and away from the human citizens. But when a whole neighborhood disappears, he and his team will have their hands full trying to keep the rest of the city from disappearing as well.

In this sci-fi thriller, a group of astronauts attempts the first mission to Titan, one of Saturn’s largest moons. When the ship experiences a series of explosions on the trip out, they have to return to Earth—and quickly discover that the Earth they landed on is not the same as when they left it.

It wouldn’t feel like a year of new SFF books if T. Kingfisher didn’t release at least two of them! This fun novella is about the Goblin War and nine goblins (who are, to put it nicely, not smart in the slightest) who find themselves trapped behind enemy lines by an evil wizard.

And speaking of goblins, there’s this cozy fantasy headed our way. When a halfling and a goblin both think they’ve inherited the same cottage, instead of fighting, they decide to live together until one of them can’t take it anymore and forfeits ownership. And then comes the forced proximity romance…

In this dark fantasy debut, a young woman is willing to do anything to help her starving family. Even if it means becoming a concubine for the barbaric prince of their village. But with the palace headed towards a civil war, she finds herself trapped, with forbidden poetic magic her only salvation.

The month wouldn’t be complete without witches! In this fantasy debut, a young woman named Vic learns that her long-missing mother belonged to a secret society of witches, and that her younger brother possesses her powers. In order to keep an eye on her brother, who has been recruited to the Order’s academy, Vic joins as well. But as someone without magical abilities, she is not welcome there and soon makes enemies.

NYT bestselling author Roshani Chokhshi returns to YA with this gorgeous fairy tale. On the Isle of Malys, in order to rule the kingdom, one must wed and then murder the heir. When Prince Arris begins the search for his bride, he knows his time is up. But then he meets Demelza, who possesses a secret power that Arris discovers, and in exchange for keeping her secret, Demelza agrees to help him keep his life.

This is an ecological fantasy translated from Japanese. The Umar Empire has been sustained for centuries by a magical rice grain that is impervious to destruction. But when a sinister infestation somehow penetrates the supplies, two young women with special abilities must join together to save their kingdom.

Next up, a queer enemies-to-lovers space romance! Keller Hartman is beyond thrilled to be accepted into the Legion’s galactic unit. Unfortunately, the pilot he is assigned to partner with hates him. As he and the pilot, Lament Bringer, are forced to work together to investigate a mysterious visionary, they can’t help but catch feelings.

All Priscilla has ever wanted to do is go to space. So when a student research trip to the moon is announced, she trains harder than anyone to be able to go. But soon it begins to feel like the lucky few making the trip are there because they’re rich and famous. So Priscilla decides it’s time to fight back and show them why she and the other kids interested in science deserve the spots.