July’s sci-fi and fantasy novel releases are as hot as the temperatures. Lev Grossman returns with a gorgeous rendering of Arthurian legend, while Peng Shepherd’s latest is an inventive exploration of physics and altered realities. Cozy fantasy romance readers will love new books by Sarah Beth Durst and India Holton, while readers who prefer grittier fantasies won’t be disappointed by a Peter Pan retelling by P.H. Low and a novella based on Yoruban mythology by Tobi Ogundiran. Other books have dragons, witches, magical battles, and so much more.

We’ve tried to find something for every reader in this month’s sci-fi and fantasy roundup. Which ones are you looking forward to reading? If you're looking to save some cash, it might be worth picking up this special early Prime Day three-month free membership of Audible. It's worth almost $35 and nets you a free audiobook every month — well worth considering. Here are the best sci-fi fantasy books to consider in July 2024, or check out our top sci-fi and fantasy picks for June, May, and April if you're interested in even more great reads. It can get a little expensive to buy books.

The Sky on Fire by Jenn Lyons

There can never be too many dragon novels. at least for fantasy fans. This latest addition to dragon lore is an action-packed, fun read. It’s a heist novel about a group of misfits stealing from a dragon’s hoard, but this isn’t just any treasure; it belongs to the regent, Neveranimas.

Anahrod lives in the wild deep, far away from the cloud cities. She’s a mercenary whose best friend is a titan drake named Overbite, who helps her survive the deep’s many dangers. When a ragtag group of outsiders saves her, she reluctantly agrees to aid them on their quest—for pay, of course. Little does she know that she’s the person they seek, and they mean to take her back to the place she vowed never to return to.

See Here for UK - Tor

The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst

This cozy romantic fantasy is so sweet. Grumpy librarian Kiela flees her war-torn city with crates of spellbooks and her only friend, a sentient houseplant named Caz. Soldiers set fire to the library, and she had to take the books to save them, but it’s illegal to have spellbooks unless you’re an empire-approved magic users.

With nowhere else to go, Kiela and Caz return to the remote island where Kiela was raised, where a lack of magic has caused the village to fall on hard times. She moves into her family’s abandoned, derelict cottage and meets a handsome neighbor who herds merhorses. Kiela decides to help the villagers by using the spellbooks to create magical cures for the dying trees and blocked rivers, but she knows if she draws the empire’s eye, she could be put to death. She hides her spellshop behind the ruse of making jam.

See Here for UK - Tor

All This & More by Peng Shepherd

A reality TV show, All This & More, uses a physics breakthrough to allow contestants to alter their lives in search of their perfect reality. Anything can be changed, and at the season finale, contestants can choose their perfect life, for real. Season one’s star, Talia, hosts season three after a disastrous second season. 45-year-old divorcee and mother Marsh has been chosen for the third season. Marsh tends to put her own wishes last, but now, after a recent divorce, she’s ready to find something, anything, to help her feel fulfilled. But what changes should she make? The reader gets to decide. However, every reality Marsh chases is haunted by Season two’s mysterious catastrophe.

See Here for UK - William Morrow

These Deathless Shores by P.H. Low

Jordan and Baron were once lost boys—the twins, despite being unrelated. Jordan hid her gender from Peter so she could be accepted, and she and Baron lived happily in Peter’s world, addicted to pixie Dust and going on adventures, until Peter discovers Jordan is a girl and kicks the two out.

The novel opens with an adult Jordan, who has a prosthetic arm, in the fighting rink. She’s desperate to earn enough money to buy more Dust, an addiction she can’t seem to break. But a disastrous fight causes her boss to call in her debts. Meanwhile, Baron is struggling in engineering courses at college. His time as a Lost Boy means he’s woefully behind in education, and his chronic anxiety doesn’t help matters. Baron initially resists when Jordan proposes they try to find the island again. But what else does he have in life? This is a unique, grimdark retelling of the classic tale, humanizing one of the most well-known villains in British literature: Captain Hook.

See Here for UK - Angry Robot

A Rose by Any Other Name by Mary McMyne

This haunting, queer historical fantasy takes place in Elizabethan England and follows the woman who inspired William Shakespeare’s love sonnets.

More than anything, Rose wants to perform music at court, but even though she’s an excellent musician, no one will give her a chance because she’s a woman. Rose is also an expert in astrology and can glimpse into the past, present, and future by charting people’s astrological charts. Her mother is a witch, and when Rose’s father dies, a neighbor accuses her mother of witchcraft and burns down their house.

The family and Rose’s beloved friend, whom she harbors deeper feelings for, flee and find refuge with the sons of a recently deceased family friend. Rose’s mother casts a spell for the eldest son to fall in love with Rose, with disastrous results. Rose refuses to bow to convention and sneaks out to play music at a brothel. She meets William Shakespeare there, and the two begin a turbulent relationship.

See Here for UK - Orbit

The Bright Sword by Lev Grossman

I see reviewers say The Bright Sword is to Arthurian Legend what Grossman’s wildly popular The Magicians series was for The Chronicles of Narnia, but I disagree. Unlike The Magicians, his newest novel is a richly detailed historical fantasy that meanders through character backstories not to subvert the magic behind the legends but to humanize them, showing that becoming a knight of the Round Table is less about physical strength and wealth and more about found family and friendship.

Collum dreams of becoming a knight of the Round Table. An abused bastard of a remote isle, this seems like an absurd wish, but he seizes a chance to escape and makes his way to Camelot nonetheless. When he arrives, the great battle that kills Arthur and Mordred has already happened, and only a handful of knights remain. They’re not the ones people sing praises about, but as they struggle to decide who should be the next king of Britain, their stories unfold, stories of being queer and trans and foreign yet still finding a home at Camelot when no one else would accept them.

See Here for UK - Del Rey

Queen B by Juno Dawson

This super fun prequel to the Her Majesty’s Royal Coven series also gives a queer take on British history, this time during King Henry VIII’s reign. Because it’s a prequel, it works as a stand-alone, so if you haven’t read the other books in the series, you can still enjoy it.

Dawson alternates between two timelines. In the first, Anne Boleyn, not yet queen, is head of a secret royal coven. Grace Fairfax has recently fled an abusive marriage in the North to serve Queen Catherine as one of her ladies in waiting. The coven quickly notices her powers, and she joins them, slowly falling in love with Anne. In the second timeline, Anne has been beheaded, and Grace and the rest of the coven seek the woman who betrayed her. A witch hunter follows their steps.

See Here for UK - HarperVoyager

In the Shadow of the Fall by Tobi Ogundiran

This fantasy novella, the first in a duology, defies its slim format with rich world-building based on Yuroban mythology and well-defined character arcs.

Ashâke has been an acolyte for so long that she’s watched all her peers ascend to priesthood, yet an orisha has never spoken to her. She decides to take matters into her own hands by summoning and trapping an orisha in a forbidden ritual, one which goes horribly wrong. She has placed herself in the midst of a war she understands even less than she does herself.

See Here for UK - Titan Books

The Ornithologist's Field Guide to Love by India Holton

Holton’s newest romantic fantasy is an absolute delight, perfect for fans of Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries and Holton’s previous Dangerous Damsels series. I could not stop smiling as I read it.

Professor Beth Pickering, ornithologist, often accompanies wealthy fellow bird-lover Hippolyta on adventures to find rare birds. But the handsome Professor Devon Lockley, who also travels with a rich patron, often foils their attempts. Beth is determined to be named Birder of the Year by finding the endangered and magical caladrius bird, but Devon is right on her heels with the same goal.

See Here for UK - Penguin

The Night Ends with Fire by K. X. Song

Meilin longs to flee her abusive father, who declares she'll be engaged to an aging, violent man who has already killed one wife. After she comes to the aid of a prince of the Three Kingdoms, she poses as a man and answers the imperial draft to become a soldier. Before she goes, her stepmother gives her a necklace that belonged to Meilin’s deceased mother, who went mad before her death.

As Meilin trains, she hears a voice prompting her towards violence. She worries she might become like her mother, who also spoke of voices no one else could hear. Then Meilin begins causing things to happen through magic, and her necklace vibrates when she does so. Now Meilin needs to hide not only her gender but also her magical powers. Meanwhile, the more she trains for Sky, the deeper her feelings for him become.

See Here for UK - Hodderscape

Get 3 Months of Kindle Unlimited For Free Before Prime Day

Prime Day is officially kicking off this year on July 16 and 17, but there are quite a few early deals available now for Prime members to enjoy. For those who love to dig into a good book, and own a Kindle, you can score 3 months of Kindle Unlimited for free now. This is a fantastic deal, and my favorite from the early Prime Day deals so far.

With it, you gain unlimited access to millions of digital titles, audiobooks, and magazine subscriptions for three months before it goes back up to its monthly price of $11.99/month. With all that time you can spend the rest of the summer reading all of the classics, the latest hits, new bestsellers and so much more. Some of the books you can enjoy with Kindle Unlimited range from incredible comics like TMNT: The Last Ronin and All-Star Superman to absolute classics like The Fellowship Of The Ring. Plus, there's a massive selection of sci-fi fantasy books available via the service. What better way to get started on your Kindle adventure?

Margaret Kingsbury is a freelance writer, editor, and all-around book nerd based in Nashville, TN. Her pieces on books and reading have appeared in Book Riot, BuzzFeed News, School Library Journal, StarTrek.com, Parents, and more. Follow her on Instagram @BabyLibrarians and Twitter and Bluesky @AReaderlyMom