Top 5 authors I want to try in 2025

It’s actually embarrassing how long I’ve had The Falconer trilogy on my bookshelves for. So long, that I have the first edition hardcovers. And long enough that May has actually redrafted the entire trilogy and rereleased it. (I believe the revised trilogy, which was the original original trilogy before she had to rewrite it for a YA audience, has more of an Adult focus* — you now, now that romantasy is a thing… *focus being smut scenes…) Now I just need to figure out which trilogy to read….

Note: The cover to the right is from the 2013 editions, but the blurb below is the 2025 version.

Hunt the fae. Cage the monsters. Guard the prison.

In Edinburgh, a secret war rages between humans and fae, and the magic in Aileana Kameron’s blood is all that keeps the most lethal monsters imprisoned beneath the city.

But when the creatures she once pursued now hunt her, Aileana has no choice but to ally with Kiaran MacKay — the beautiful fae assassin with his own agenda.

The chemistry between them is as incendiary as the battles raging through the streets. And as the body count climbs, Aileana faces a choice: how much is she willing to sacrifice to save her city? Her friends? Herself?

Because the fae won’t stop until their kin are freed — and she’s the only thing standing in their way.

Wildly (although actually quite normal for me apparently), I am collecting the entire Crowns of Nyaxia series without having read a single word by Carissa Broadbent. To be fair, people whose recommendations I trust have told me that I will love it. Plus I have fancy editions, so if I do hate it, I can sell and hopefully recoup my money.

The adopted human daughter of the Nightborn vampire king, Oraya carved her place in a world designed to kill her. Her only chance to become something more than prey is entering the Kejari: a legendary tournament held by the goddess of death herself.

But winning won’t be easy amongst the most vicious warriors from all three vampire houses. To survive, Oraya is forced to make an alliance with a mysterious rival.

Everything about Raihn is dangerous. He is a ruthless vampire, an efficient killer, an enemy to her father’s crown… and her greatest competition. Yet, what terrifies Oraya most of all is that she finds herself oddly drawn to him.

But there’s no room for compassion in the Kejari. War for the House of Night brews, shattering everything that Oraya thought she knew about her home. And Raihn may understand her more than anyone – but their blossoming attraction could be her downfall, in a kingdom where nothing is more deadly than love.

Another author that I seem to be collecting books by is Axie Oh. I currently have XOXO, ASAP and The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea on my bookshelves. And all of them sound amazing!

Deadly storms have ravaged Mina’s homeland for generations. Floods sweep away entire villages, while bloody wars are waged over the few remaining resources. Her people believe the Sea God, once their protector, now curses them with death and despair. In an attempt to appease him, each year a beautiful maiden is thrown into the sea to serve as the Sea God’s bride, in the hopes that one day the “true bride” will be chosen and end the suffering.

Many believe that Shim Cheong, the most beautiful girl in the village — and the beloved of Mina’s older brother Joon — may be the legendary true bride. But on the night Cheong is to be sacrificed, Joon follows Cheong out to sea, even knowing that to interfere is a death sentence. To save her brother, Mina throws herself into the water in Cheong’s stead.

Swept away to the Spirit Realm, a magical city of lesser gods and mythical beasts, Mina seeks out the Sea God, only to find him caught in an enchanted sleep. With the help of a mysterious young man named Shin — as well as a motley crew of demons, gods and spirits — Mina sets out to wake the Sea God and bring an end to the killer storms once and for all.

But she doesn’t have much time: A human cannot live long in the land of the spirits. And there are those who would do anything to keep the Sea God from waking…

I actually picked up the first book in the Spellslinger series at the Dublin airport in January 2018. And then promptly put it in my backpack and forgot about it until I got home a few weeks later. Where upon I realised it was a series and set about collecting every book as they came out. And placed them on my bookshelf where they have all sat prettily. Quite unread. Until 2025 (hopefully).

There are three things that earn you a man’s name among the Jan’Tep. The first is to demonstrate the strength to defend your family. The second is to prove you can perform the high magic that defines our people. The third is simply to reach the age of sixteen. I was a few weeks shy of my birthday when I learned that I wouldn’t be doing any of those things.

Magic is a con game.

Kellen is moments away from facing his first mage’s duel and the start of four trials that will make him a spellcaster. There’s just one problem: his magic is gone.

As his sixteenth birthday approaches, Kellen falls back on his cunning in a bid to avoid total disgrace. But when a daring stranger arrives in town, she challenges Kellen to take a different path. Ferius Parfax is one of the mysterious Argosi — a traveller who lives by her wits and the three decks of cards she carries. She’s difficult and unpredictable, but she may be Kellen’s only hope…