Liberty Hardy is an unrepentant velocireader, writer, bitey mad lady, and tattoo canvas. Turn-ons include books, books and books. Her favorite exclamation is “Holy cats!” Liberty reads more than should be legal, sleeps very little, frequently writes on her belly with Sharpie markers, and when she dies, she’s leaving her body to library science. Until then, she lives with her three cats, Millay, Farrokh, and Zevon, in Maine. She is also right behind you. Just kidding! She’s too busy reading.
Twitter: @MissLiberty
Friends, you are going to fall (sorry, not sorry) for these September books! There are all kinds of SFF flavors on the menu this month: reimaginings, romantasy, myths, folklore, cozy sci-fi, cli-fi, heists, political intrigue, wormholes…you get the picture. Below, you’ll find a wonderful selection of exciting new sci-fi and fantasy reads out in September that will have your TBR begging for mercy.
There’s a dark fairytale about a woman who must rescue her love from the dangers of the forest; a cozy sci-fi debut about a courier who mentors baby bots; a reimagining of the Greek myth of Hekate; a debut YA romantasy from an author who once appeared in a YA fantasy adaptation; performance thieves who must pull off a magnificent heist to save their father; and much more.
Now get a fork and napkin, grab that comfy corner booth, and get ready to eat these great SFF books all up!
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The Best New Science Fiction and Fantasy Books Out in September 2025
A Land So Wide by Erin A. Craig (Pantheon, September 2)
Up first, a dark fairytale-ish fantasy! In the town of Mistaken, which keeps its citizens trapped inside its borders, one woman will have to go up against the dark things in the woods in order to get back her true love.
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Honeyeater by Kathleen Jennings (Tor Books, September 2)
In keeping with the unusual town theme, in this dark fantasy, Charlie is looking to leave Bellworth, a town reclaimed by nature, but is drawn back in by a woman looking to uncover the dangerous secrets of Bellworth—and about Charlie himself.
Wild Reverence by Rebecca Ross (Saturday Books, September 2)
This highly anticipated fantasy is an adult title set in the same world as Ross’s Divine Rivals YA series. In it, a young goddess fights for her survival while being drawn to a boy in the mortal world who has been dreaming of her.
Sunward by William Alexander (S&S/Saga Press, September 16)
A cozy sci-fi debut? Yes, please! It’s about a planetary courier named Tova who mentors baby bots—so cute already—and her race across the solar system to escape an enemy of her family, with her latest charge, Agatha Panza von Sparkles, along for the ride.
Fate’s Bane by C. L. Clark (Tordotcom, September 30)
Agnir has grown up a captive of an enemy clan, a part of their world for as long as she can remember. When her love for the chieftain’s daughter reveals a magic that could bind her family and their enemy together—or destroy them—they must decide what they will sacrifice to keep the peace.
Saltcrop by Yume Kitasei (Flatiron Books, September 30)
In a future where the oceans have covered the coasts, two sisters answer a cryptic distress call from their other sister, who set off a decade ago to find crops for their failing planet. As they journey across the waters to find her, they learn more about her work and the enemies she may have made.
A Philosophy of Thieves by Fran Wilde (Erewhon Books, September 30)
How do you say no to a book called “Robin Hood meets Parasite meets Six of Crows?” King Canarvier’s children are performance thieves, combining daring and acrobatics with theft. When the King goes missing, they’ll have to pull off a Grand Heist if they want to see him again.
The Best New Children’s and YA Science Fiction and Fantasy Books Out in September 2025
Thorn Season by Kiera Azar (Storytide, September 2)
How cool is this? Kiera Azar once appeared in an episode of Shadow and Bone, and now she has written her own YA romantasy! In this debut, a young woman who possesses an outlawed magical ability works to hide it, which becomes harder when she’s summoned to the royal court for the debutante season.
Candace, the Universe, and Everything by Sherri L. Smith (G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, September 9)
In this speculative middle grade story, three generations of young Black women are connected by a wormhole in their school locker. When a notebook in her locker leads Candace to Tracy, and then Loretta, they will work together to get to the bottom of the locker and the secret it holds.
Hekate: The Witch (Goddesses of the Underworld Book 1) by Nikita Gill (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, September 16)
To wrap things up, here’s a reimagining of a Greek myth! Left behind while the men are at war, Hekate and her mother must flee when the Olympians begin to enslave the Titans. But to ensure Hekate’s safety and to keep her from Zeus and Poseidon, she leaves her with Styx and Hades in the underworld, where Hekate must forge a new life for herself.
Bonus New Science Fiction and Fantasy Books Out in September 2025
Because I can’t just stop at 10 books: in September, be sure to also watch for Cat Dragon by Samantha Birch, The Faerie Morgana by Louisa Morgan, The Maiden and Her Monster by Maddie Martinez, Audition For The Fox by Martin Cahill, and Dinner at the Night Library by Hika Harada and Philip Gabriel (translator).
There are also a bunch of excellent sci-fi and fantasy titles out in paperback this month, including A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang, The Naming Song by Jedediah Berry, Swordcrossed by Freya Marske, The Tusks of Extinction by Ray Nayler, and Blood of the Old Kings by Sung-il Kim and Anton Hur (translator).
Don’t forget the sequels! Amazing continuations of great stories are hitting the shelves, like Nic Blake and the Remarkables: The Book of Anansi by Angie Thomas, Scepter of Memories (Witchlings #4) by Claribel A. Ortega, Among the Burning Flowers (The Roots of Chaos) by Samantha Shannon, Thief of Night by Holly Black, and The Sovereign (Magic of the Lost) by C. L. Clark.
If you want to learn about more sci-fi and fantasy books, check out 9 Fantasy Books with Magic Systems Based On Blood and Bones, 6 Immersive New Space Operas, and Mystery Books: Time Loop & Time Travel Edition! And be sure to sign up for our SFF newsletter, Swords and Spaceships!
Finally, you can also find a full list of new releases in the magical New Release Index, carefully curated by your favorite Book Riot editors, organized by genre and release date.
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