Welcome to Future Fiction, my reimagining of the Waiting on Wednesday meme! There are so many amazing new books coming out, that I can no longer pick just one. My goal with Future Fiction is to share at least three new books each week, a combination of recent cover reveals and books that I’ve recently added to my TBR pile. I’m still going to be linking up with Wishful Endings/Can’t Wait Wednesday, and I also want to give a shout out to Jill at Breaking the Spine for starting the original Waiting on Wednesday meme. I hope you’ll find some new books to add to your TBR piles, and as always, I look forward to hearing what YOU’RE looking forward to:-D
Two new fantasies and one horror, take a look at this week’s new covers:
An intoxicating, haunting new novel from New York Times bestselling author Melissa Albert, in which the estranged adult children of a legendary author, written into their dead mother’s beloved fantasy series, contend with the vine-like creep of legacy, memory, and magic.
Guinevere Sharpe has two childhoods.
In one, she lives in the wooded shadow of her family’s isolated Vermont farmhouse; in the other, the pages of her mother’s world-famous Ninth City books, where her magical adventures have made her a household name. In reality, Guinevere’s childhood isn’t the enchanted idyll her mother’s readers imagine: she and her older brother are growing up near-feral, unwashed and underfed, escaping each day to the lichen-clotted woods they’ve made their playland. As Edith Sharpe’s books explode into epic popularity, the threats of a rural childhood give way to the escalating perils of fame—until the night it all goes up in flames, leaving Edith’s series unfinished and her children the sole survivors.
Now an adult coasting on her mother’s name, Guinevere is mid-promotion for a ghostwritten memoir when her estranged brother, an artist who has until now spurned his family’s legacy, announces an upcoming installation titled Mother. As rumors swirl around a death connected to his last show, unsettling recollections from Guinevere’s childhood begin to surface. Her public facade starts to crack, forcing her to confront the questions she’s spent the last twenty years running from: What really happened the night of the fire? And what dark history lies behind their mother’s creative genius?
Wise to the mythic weight childhood memories gather over time, The Children whispers to you from the hallway outside your bedroom, lights flickering as you turn the pages of a book that didn’t seem so scary a moment ago. It’s a story for anyone who’s ever revisited an old favorite and found it cast in a darker light, the line separating magic and memory blurring as the gap widens between the authors we imagined and the people they turn out to be.
The Children by Melissa Albert. Releases in June 2026 from William Morrow. I always get excited to see a new book by Melissa Albert, who wrote the amazing Our Crooked Hearts. I love the idea of adult children caught up in their parents’ legacy, and this sounds both magical and mysterious!
Marin is a supply runner with her own boat that she sails from island to island, delivering whatever anyone will pay her to deliver: letters, flour, even the occasional enchanted lemur. It’s a lonely life, but it’s hers, and she wouldn’t trade the freedom of the sea for anything. Her only companion is a sea serpent, Perri, whom she saved from a fisherfolk’s net.
One day, she sails to Alyssium and discovers the city is on fire. There’s been a revolution, and the empire has fallen. Marin, with Perri, begins transporting refugees, finding them new homes where they can start over. One such refugee is Dax, a composer who refuses to leave behind his instruments, no matter how much she tries to emphasize the gravity of the situation. Intrigued by his stubbornness, his passion for stories, and his charming smile, Marin discovers perhaps she isn’t saving him ― maybe it’s the other way around.
From the acclaimed author of The Spellshop, Sea of Charms is a delightful cosy fantasy for fans of Travis Baldree and TJ Klune.
Sea of Charms (Spellshop #3) by Sarah Beth Durst. Releases in July 2026 from Bramble. This is such a fun, cozy series, and I was surprised to see this book announced, since I didn’t realize the third book was already on the horizon! We met Marin in The Enchanted Greenhouse, so I’m excited to see a story revolving around her.
From visionary author Kim Bo-young comes a gruesome look at prejudice, fear, and transformation; perfect for our socially isolated modern world.
“[Kim Bo-young’s] fiction is a breathtaking piece of a cinematic art.” —Bong Joon-ho, Academy Award-winning director of Parasite
While waiting for a train to Haewon, an isolated Korean seaside village, bodyguard Mu-young gets a disaster alert on her phone. TVs throughout the station report breaking news of a massive earthquake on the eastern coast. Despite the danger, Mu-young boards the train with her niece: she’d rather face the earthquake than leave the girl in her mother’s care. That choice haunts her for the rest of her life.Three years later, Haewon Village is home to horrors. The earthquake unleashed an ancient plague that transforms its victims into fishy monsters, and the government’s lockdown has cut off any hope for help. Mu-young’s niece is dead, and all that’s left for her is to hunt villagers who break isolation. When an officious bureaucrat from Seoul arrives in the village, he stirs up even deeper trouble. Will Mu-young survive? Does she even deserve to?
A Plagued Sea by Kim Bo-Young. Releases in August 2026 from Tor Nightfire. I am in love with this creepy cover—check out the fish at the bottom. The story is a bit on the vague side, but I’m eager to check out some Korean horror!
Ooh, The Children sounds fascinating!
I didn’t love The Spellshop as much as I hoped to, but sometimes that cosiness is fun anyway, so I might pick up the other books in the series eventually.
I cannot wait for The Children:-)
The Children sounds like a really great read and I love that it has an old school kinda cover. I’m definitely intrigued by it! I love this part of the synopsis: Wise to the mythic weight childhood memories gather over time, The Children whispers to you from the hallway outside your bedroom, lights flickering as you turn the pages of a book that didn’t seem so scary a moment ago. Just gives me chills!
Yes exactly! There’s a fairytale, lost childhood vibe going on, and I need it!
I have yet to read An Enchanted Greenhouse but I need A Sea of Charms all the same!!
I love how it goes with the rest of the series:-)
I’m excited to see that Melissa Albert has a new one coming out. A Plagued Sea sounds pretty interesting too. I’ll have to keep my eye out!
Melissa Albert doesn’t write books that often so it’s exciting there’s a new one next year:-)
always great covers, enjoy!
Thanks Emma!
OK, I’m interested in The Children now! and the cover for A Plagued Sea is awesomely creepy.
When I noticed the fish at the bottom of A Plagued Sea, it caught me off guard, lol. Now I need to read it!
The Children sounds great and is completely new to me. I love the cover of Sea of Charms but have yet to read anything in that series. Great picks this week!
Thanks Barb! I hope we both get to read The Children.
A Plagued Sea sounds interesting, what an intriguing premise and creepy cover! These Future Fiction posts of yours always introduce me to something different and I love that!
I’m glad I can introduce you to new books! I’m very curious about A Plagued Sea too.
In a twist of events, the horror book here looks the most interesting to me! But idk I’m probably too chicken to read it.
Ha ha then I think it did it’s job if it’s scaring you:-)
A Plagued Sea is one I am curious about. I really want to get into more translated books. So many worlds out there I have yet to explore.
I’ve had good luck with the translated books I’ve read, and I agree, it’s nice to expand your world view by reading them.
I’ll definitely have to check The Children out, and I love the cover too. Its an odd blend of fairytale and unsettling almost with the moon giving it an odd touch of modernity too. Im surprised to see the new Sarah Beth Durst title too, that makes two 2026 releases for her. I’ll have to get on and read the second book before the third releases. Great selection as always.
I’m very excited about The Children. Melissa Albert was a new author for me a few years ago, and ever since I can’t wait to read her new books.
Love the first two! The last one is only okay for me. Hope you get to read and enjoy these!
I hope I do too!
As ever, a really great selection. I am tempted by Sea of Charms – even though I was slightly unwhelmed by The Spellshop. The premise sounds fascinating.
The cover is so pretty, and I’m looking forward to more of the character Marin:-)
All of these look really good! More for my TBR list. The evergrowing, neverending bookish monster in my life. ;D
Ha ha, “monster” is a great way to describe it:-)
I still haven’t read any of the Spellshop books, but I’m really hoping to pick them up soon. They all look so cozy and relaxing!
They are a nice change of pace, and I love the characters.
The Sea of Charms cover makes me feel tingly all over!
Ooh a new Melissa Albert. and a Sarah Beth Durst – we are being spoilt with all these good books.
Lynn 😀