It’s almost unbelievable that we’re already talking about next year’s book releases, but my fantasy and romantasy calendar for 2026 is already overflowing with magic, monsters, and morally-grey love interests.
Yep, that’s right – I have a calendar for books I’m excited about. Okay, technically it’s a spreadsheet, but I’m keeping track of all the 2026 upcoming release books that are on my TBR!
Every new year brings fresh new books, but something about 2026 feels different. Maybe because I only just really got back into reading in 2025 after a bit of a slump, maybe it’s the way authors are leaning into dark academia, forbidden love, and twisty cutthroat magical academy stories. Maybe it’s because more young women are leading their own epics, steering stories that blend heartbreak, political intrigue, and redemption. Or maybe it’s just that publishers know we’ll always say “just one more chapter” when the story drives us inot the early hours of the morning – I know that’s not just me!
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Either way, if you’re looking to fill your TBR with romantic fantasy and spellbinding fictional characters, you’ve come to the right place.
And looking at the dates on these, all I can say is that we really need to look forward to 6th January!!
🪄 Quick note: right now Waterstones is offering 25% off selected new releases and pre-orders, including many of these titles!
Waterstones 25% Off Pre-Order Offer
There’s nothing quite like unboxing a shiny new novel on release day. My first experience of a release day book, like many others, was with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – we were on an RV holiday in the US so I grabbed it off the shelves there then spent the day reading in it little snatches wherever I could. I remember going to the beach and seeing 90% of the people sat there reading it!
Nevertheless, I’ve never really been one for pre-ordering books, but Waterstones announced that some of my most anticipated books for 2026 were on their 25% off list if you preordered them this week, so I just couldn’t say no. I’ve only gone and placed my first pre-order! Take a look at the list below and see if you can figure out which of the 2026 fantasy books I’ve ordered in advance. I’ll let you know at the end of the post!
Here’s how you can claim the Waterstones discount:
- Visit Waterstones and log in (or create an account).
- Add any eligible 2026 fantasy or romantasy book to your basket – check out the list of 2026 fantasy and romantasies with 25% off here.
- Enter the 25% off code at checkout: OCTOBER25
- Confirm that your total has updated before paying.
The code works on most hardbacks and paperbacks, and even some special editions with new covers.
The offer ends 17th October. After that, you’ll need to wait for regular promotions or new reprints of old favourites.
And as a little tip, pre-ordering through Waterstones also helps boost an author’s early sales figures, which can mean chart placement on the New York Times or Sunday Times lists, so your discount actually supports them too!
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What to Expect from Fantasy & Romantasy in 2026
Fantasy in 2026 looks like a collision of magic sets, mental health reflections, and mystical pulls that blur the real world and realms beyond.
We’re seeing more crossovers between science fiction and historical fiction, where time travel, alternate histories, and parallel universes intersect with the yearning of forbidden love.
Here are are a few of my favourite tropes that I’ve noticed seem to be trending in 2026 fantasy books:
- Dark academia & cutthroat schools – rival groups, secret societies, and local university politics gone magical.
- Myth retellings with a twist – fresh takes on future saints, angels, and mythical creatures undone by desire.
- Fake relationships and second chances – because romantasy fans deserve both emotional damage and happy endings.
- High stakes and last breaths – finales that leave readers gasping.
Let’s skip to the good part, the actual book releases we’ll be devouring next year.
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Most Anticipated Fantasy and Romantasy Books of 2026
These Shattered Spires by Cassidy Ellis Salter
Release date: 10 March 2026
A debut novel already turning heads in the literary magazine world, These Shattered Spires drops us into a decaying kingdom of bone, blood, stone, and botany. When the king dies, rival groups at Fourspires Castle are thrown into a deadly contest known as the Slaughter.
At the heart is Nixie, a botanical familiar who’s supposed to stay silent and obedient – but rebellion is the only way to survive. With a mystical pull drawing her toward a mysterious figure among the arcanists, she teams up with enemies in a race through cursed towers and deadly gardens.
I’m very lucky to know the author in real life, as they’re another one of my best friend’s best friends (see also Tashan Mehta with her stunner of a book, The Mad Sisters of Esi) – I have very talented friends, okay?!
I’ve heard that fans of The Atlas Six and Gideon the Ninth will devour this wild ride of alliances, betrayal, and queer gothic fantasy.
Deathbringer by Sonia Tagliareni
Release date: 12 May 2026 (US release, at least)
Viola attends the elite Gorhail Institute of Magic, a cutthroat magical academy better known as a breeding ground for mystery, madness, and mental health breakdowns. Haunted by a family tragedy, the mysterious disappearance of her sister Olivia, Viola is determined to uncover the truth, despite hating magic.
Then there’s Sylas, a brooding boy with poison magic and three snakes as familiars. He thinks Viola is a desperate girl meddling with forces she can’t control. But when students start dying and a drop of corruption seeps through the school’s veins, the pair form a reluctant partnership that could heal or destroy them both.
It’s dark academia with true romantasy heat.
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People Magazine already called it “a brilliantly crafted fusion of necromancy, romance, and political intrigue.”
I’ve requested an ARC of this and have my fingers crossed!!
The Book of Blood and Roses by Annie Summerlee
Release date: 13th January 2026
I’ve been lucky enough to have this one as an ARC on my to-read shelf for a couple of months, ready to be read in the first week of December – I tend to keep my ARCs until a month before publication date!
If the title alone doesn’t scream romantasy, the premise will. It’s described as a seductive sapphic paranormal fantasy where a vampire falls in love with her roommate, a young woman who also happens to be a vampire.
Rebecca, the vampire hunter, is searching for a long lost book that details all the ways to kill vampires at what promises to be a stunning dark academia setting in the Scottlish Highlands.
This is Annie Summerlee’s debut book, and it sounds like a new novel destined to be one of next year’s favorite books for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Rebecca Ross.
The Faithful Dark by Cate Baumer
Release date: 19th February 2026
This one has shot straight to the top of my 2026 romantasy books list, and again, I’m very lucky to have an ARC just waiting for me!
The Faithful Dark is a queer gothic fantasy set in a holy city where sin can literally be seen, and where Csilla, a young woman born without a soul, is sent by the Church to assassinate a heretic descended from angels. Naturally, things spiral into forbidden love, political intrigue, and murder.
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Reviewers are calling it “angels, demons, and serial killers in a fantasy Vatican” and honestly, say no more. It’s giving dark academia, religion but make it gothic, and all the Jack the Ripper vibes you could want in one new novel. Ava Reid described it as “a twisty and beguiling gothic fantasy,” which is all I needed to hear!
With its slow-burn romance, chaotic bisexual angel energy, and richly atmospheric world, this sounds like the perfect read for fans of Ava Reid, Leigh Bardugo, or Katherine Arden. I’m expecting deep dark themes, messy faith, and a good dose of yearning for good measure!
The Ballad of Falling Dragons by Sarah A. Parker (Moonfall Book 2)
Release date: 28th April 2026
Let’s just hope that release date doesn’t move again!
This is one we’ve all been waiting for! Following the massive success of When the Moon Hatched, Sarah A. Parker returns with a sequel that’s already being dubbed as one of the most anticipated fantasy sequels of the decade.
Without spoilers (I struggle so hard to talk about anything that isn’t the first book in a series!), this installment dives deeper into the stunningly rich fantasy world of Raeve and Kaan Vaegor. If the first book was a slow burn, this one promises to be a wild ride through fire and shadow. Imagining even higher stakes, new alliances, and more than a few jaw-dropping twists.
Perfect for fans of Ty Blackthorn and the Shadowhunter world who like their adventures a little more grown-up and a lot more fiery.
Heir of Illusion by Madeline Taylor
Release date: 10th February 2026
Now this is the dark romantasy moment I’ve been waiting for! Heir of Illusion by Madeline Taylor is already making waves online, it’s the new novel everyone’s whispering (or shouting!) about, full of enemies-to-lovers tension, impossible choices, and that addictive forbidden-love energy that makes us all a little unwell.
Our young woman lead, Iverson “Ivy” Pomeroy, is a fae assassin bound by an enchanted collar to serve a king she despises. The only way to break it? An alliance with Thorne, a shadowy grim reaper who might just be her undoing. It’s packed with every romantasy trope we love, female assassin, shadow daddy, touch-her-and-die, slow burn, and he falls first.
Readers are calling this one “jaw-on-the-floor good” and comparing it to Fourth Wing meets Throne of Glass with a grittier, more emotional edge. The worldbuilding sounds lush, the magic sets feel original, and that banter-to-yearning pipeline sounds like perfection.
If you’re after fantasy books with morally grey MMCs, sharp-tongued heroines, and fictional characters who’ll live rent-free in your head, Heir of Illusion is going to be one of next year’s favourite books.
I can already see this one topping new releases lists across the United States and UK. It’s actually already been self-published but is now being traditionally published. I have an ARC requested – cross your fingers for me!
The Salt Bind by Rebecca Ferrier
Release date: 22nd January 2026
The Salt Bind feels like it might be one of those quietly devastating fantasy books that catch you off guard.
This new novel is part fantasy part historical fiction, set on the Cornish coast in 1779, drenched in superstition, sea mist, rich folklore and old magic.
It follows red-haired Kensa, daughter of a notorious smuggler, discovers a dying sea monster beneath the full moon, her life is bound forever to the Old Ways, the ancient magic that ties land and tide.
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Under the guidance of her mentor Isolde, Kensa learns to wield that power, until Isolde falls ill and she’s forced to strike a dangerous bargain with the Bucka, a storm god chained to the sea. What follows promises to be a haunting, lyrical story of forbidden deals, desperate choices, and the kind of coastal witchcraft that seeps into your bones.
It’s apparently perfect for readers who loved The Bear and the Nightingale, Spinning Silver, or The Binding. I can already smell the salt air and candle smoke just thinking about it.
If you like your fantasy books steeped in myth and superstition, The Salt Bind is one you’ll want to preorder early. A stormy, sea-soaked standout among 2026’s new releases.
The Wings That Bind by Briar Boleyn (Bloodwing Academy #3)
Release date: 10th March 2026
I’ve just finished reading The Bond That Burns, book 2 of the Bloodwing Academy series, and I truly cannot wait for book 3!
Again, I struggle to tell you about books that are further along in the series, but the obsession I have over these books is just like how Blake obsesses over Medra. It’s dark academia, it’s got brand new worlds, it’s got angsty dragons, blood sacrifices, vampires and more.
There is some true enemies to lovers tensions going on throughout this series, and this, among other things, were absolutely tearing my heart to shreds in the other books, so I can’t wait to see where it goes in this final book (at least, I think it’s the last one!).
Throne of Nightmares by Kerri Maniscalco (Prince of Sin #3)
Release date: 10th February 2026
Kerri Maniscalco, and her upcoming new novel, Throne of Nightmares, sounds like everything I love about fantasy books in one gloriously chaotic package. I can’t believe I haven’t read anything by her yet!
This is the third book in her Prince of Sin series, which I still need to read, don’t judge me, but this one sounds epic enough to tempt anyone into catching up (here I go!).
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The story follows Prince Sloth, a brooding royal who’d rather be holed up in his enchanted library than dealing with actual people (mood). But when a forgotten goddess threatens to shatter the Underworld, he’s forced out of his comfort zone to hunt down the Book of Nightmares, a relic powerful enough to destroy worlds. Enter Lore Brimstone, a sunshiney librarian who accidentally falls into his realm and discovers she’s living through the plotlines of her favourite novels gone wrong.
It’s giving romantasy books energy with a twist of meta-fiction, imagine if your comfort reads suddenly turned on you! There’s of course the standard dark academia aesthetics that we all love right now, sizzling tension and more. I know those who love her books are dying for this one!
The Swan’s Daughter: A Possibly Doomed Love Story by Roshani Chokshi
Release date: 6 January 2026
First of all, can we take a moment to appreciate that subtitle? A Possibly Doomed Love Story – I love an author who’s in on the joke!
The Swan’s Daughter sounds like lush, glittering fantasy romance with a mischievous edge.
Prince Arris is cursed: the moment he marries, his bride must literally steal his heart. We’ve got a tournament of possibly murderous bachelorettes, balls held in caves, and a young woman who might finally break the curse, or doom him entirely. Demelza, a truth-singing swan in hiding, strikes a deal with Arris to help him tell genuine love from lust for power.
Roshani Chokshi is a New York Times bestselling author for a reason, and this sounds lyrical, playful, and just a bit wicked. Forbidden love, dazzling settings, and philosophical heart-versus-truth musings wrapped in wit. I can already tell it’ll be one of many people’s favourite new releases of early 2026, a sparkling fairytale about courage, honesty, and maybe falling in love when you really shouldn’t.
The Poet Empress by Shen Tao
Release date: 20 January 2026
Every so often a debut novel arrives that makes you stop scrolling, and this is one of mine recently.
The Poet Empress introduces a gorgeously imagined empire where poetry magic can topple dynasties.
Set in the dying days of the Azalea Dynasty, it follows Wei Yin, a desperate young woman who offers herself as concubine to a cruel prince to save her starving family. But inside the palace’s perfumed corruption, she discovers that words wield power and that even a poem can become a weapon.
It’s been compared to The Song of Achilles meets She Who Became the Sun – sweeping, emotional, and full of forbidden love and political intrigue. Richly woven historical fiction tones, tragic romance, lyrical prose that doubles as spellwork and epic fantasy. Definitely one of the fantasy books I can’t wait to lose myself in next year.
Rings of Fate by Melissa de la Cruz
Release date: 6th January 2026
If you love fake-engagement tropes, morally grey princes, and a bit of romantic fantasy chaos (I absolutely do!), Rings of Fate will be right up your street.
Aren Bellamore just wants a quiet life running her tavern, until an injured prince literally bleeds magic all over her floor. Prince Dietan is cursed by ancient rings slowly killing him, and when Aren accidentally activates one, she’s bound to him by magic and, inconveniently, attraction.
To survive, they’ll have to solve a centuries-old mystery, outwit a usurper, and fight the curse that ties them together. Along the way there’s witty banter, fireside glances, and that glorious touch-her-and-die energy romantasy fans live for.
Did I hear fake relationship here?! Forbidden love, fast-pace, emotion, tension – it’s everything we all want in a new novel that will keep us up until 2am for just one more chapter!
Dragon Cursed by Elise Kova
Release date: 6th January 2026
Yes please, give me more Elise Kova in 2026!!
Dragon Cursed looks ready to break hearts and burn villages (in a good way!). Set in Vingard, the last surviving human city after dragons returned to scorch the world, it’s a tense, emotional fantasy book about secrets, survival, and the terror of transformation.
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The narrator fears she’s infected with the dragon curse, a slow metamorphosis that turns humans into mindless beasts. Only one person might know her secret: Lucan, her infuriating shadow of a companion who could be her protector…or executioner.
Kova’s previous series, Arcana Academy, mixed dark academia and romantasy flawlessly, so I’m thrilled we’re getting both this new story and hopefiully Arcana Academy Book 2 in 2026. This sounds like more layered world-building, forbidden love, and all the cutthroat magical academy drama we adored in the first. If you like morally grey MMCs and high-stakes emotion, this new release is going to hit hard.
A War of Wyverns by S. F. Williamson (A Language of Dragons #2)
Release date: 6th January 2026
The sequel to A Language of Dragons is finally taking flight! A War of Wyverns picks up after the events that turned Vivien Featherswallow’s world upside down. Once a code-breaking linguist, now a reluctant spy, Viv must navigate rebellion, propaganda, and the blurred lines between truth and weaponised words.
Where A Language of Dragons felt like Fourth Wing meets The Hunger Games by way of 1920s Bletchley Park, this promises an even more explosive blend of dark academia, espionage, and dragon warfare. Williamson’s writing is smart and layered – heavy on political intrigue but grounded by Viv’s emotional growth and the hint of slow-burn romance that started in book one.
I can’t wait to see how she develops the themes of morality, language, and love under fire. Definitely one of my most anticipated fantasy books of 2026, and I hope it lands on the New York Times list to get the attention it deserves!
An Arcane Inheritance by Kamilah Cole
Release date: 30 December 2025 (but let’s be honest — it’s a 2026 read for most of us!)
If Babel and A Deadly Education had a lovechild with Get Out, this would be it. An Arcane Inheritance is a dark academia fantasy that dives deep into privilege, power, and the sinister underbelly of the Ivy League.
Ellory Morgan has finally made it to Warren University, an elite school built on centuries of forbidden magic and the exploitation of its most gifted BIPOC students. But as she wanders the campus’s shadowed paths, she can’t shake a creeping sense of déjà vu. She’s been here before somehow.
When brooding legacy student Hudson Graves becomes her reluctant ally, the two uncover a chilling mystery: Warren’s secret society is willing to do anything to keep their magic burning, no matter who has to die for it.
This has academic rivals-to-allies, wild magic, and a tangle of memory, identity, and power that’ll haunt you long after you close the book. With Black and bi main characters and razor-sharp social commentary, this is one of the most exciting modern dark academia fantasies on the horizon. And after Annie Summerlee’s glowing five-star review on Instagram, it shot straight to the top of my TBR.
That wraps up my roundup of the most anticipated fantasy and romantasy books coming in 2026. Whether you’re drawn to cutthroat magical academies, creeping curses, necromancers, or epic court intrigue, this list has something for you.
Preorder your musts now (especially the confirmed ones) so you’re ready when they launch. Check the Waterstones and Amazon links above for release dates and discounts.
Quick reminder – here is where you’ll find all the 25% off books in the Waterstones sale, there are more new 2026 books than just fantasies and romantasies!
Which upcoming release are you most excited to read? Drop your top pick in the comments , maybe you’ll convince someone else to preorder it too!
(Bonus: need a 2026 TBR tracker, release-date calendar, or reminder email when these books go live? Let me know and I’ll try to make one!)
I loved reading your list so many exciting romantasy releases coming in 2026! I already have a few of these on my pre-order wishlist. The mix of magic, slow burn romance, and fantasy worlds sounds perfect for cozy winter reading. I recently came across some great book deals on rabattdigga.de, so this post came at the perfect time to update my list!