A Fantasy Romance Lover’s Most-Anticipated Releases of 2018

When people say fantasy, most tend to think of titles like The Hobbit or Harry Potter. Likewise, when people say romance, most think of titles like Pride and Prejudice or Fifty Shades of Grey. And if you ask people what books are in the middle, in that sweet spot where fantasy meets romance, they’ll almost always answer Twilight.

Fantasy romance as a genre might be misunderstood, but it has a strong following. Series like Daughter of Smoke and Bone, The Lunar Chronicles, The Raven Cycle, and The Mortal Instruments have cultish followings and die-hard fans. So for those of us in who like supernatural creatures in our love affair or secondary world settings for our hero to be swept off his feet by a spunky heroine, here are the ten most-anticipated releases of 2018 by one of your own!

Author’s Note: Titles are listed in order of release.

Iron Gold by Pierce Brown

(Red Rising #4)
January 16

That’s in a month! Eeek! Red Rising is technically science fiction, but it is dripping on amazing culture, cool tech, and some serious action sequences. I need more Darrow and Mustang in my life and I’m super stoked Brown is willing to give it to me. Not going to lie, I’ve had this one pre-ordered for months. And it’s almost here!

Hero at the Fall by Alwyn Hamilton

(Rebel of the Sands #3)
March 6

I have so much love for Rebel of the Sands. It’s the Wild West set in the Middle East with tons of great fantasy elements. The djinni are stunningly amazing and the way the story was told made me wish I could forget it all and read it for the first time again. With the third book in the series releasing in a few months, Alwyn Hamilton is establishing herself as a force in the fantasy romance genre.

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

March 6

Boy is this going to be a busy day! Tomi Adeyemi’s debut novel will be released I just don’t know what I’m going to do with myself. This book has been causing a ruckus since its publication announcement and all the ARC readers and early reviewers are swooning. Combine that with Tomi’s no-nonsense spunk and willingness to help up-and-coming authors and you have a community chomping at the bit to get to this book. I’m really stoked to see how it turns out!

Obsidio by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

(The Illuminae Files #3)
March 13

Okay, I know. This one more solidly falls into the science fiction romance genre. But who cares? Not me! Illuminae broke the internet when it released, and for good reason! It’s the story of Kadie, a hacker and wild-child who survives a planetary explosion and finds herself living on a space ship along with a few hundred survivors, who also includes the boy who broke up with her the day of the incident. And, most awesomely, the whole series is told via emails, IM conversations, video transcriptions, public announcements, and the records of a quirky AI system called AIDEN. The second book, Gemina, brought just as much to the table and left this reader swooning and waiting for more! Only three more months to wait!

A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas

(A Court of Thorns and Roses #4)
May 1

Um, if you haven’t read this series, put down everything you’re doing and go get it now! A Court of Thorns and Roses is a really decent book with tons of competent writing and a few interestingly broken writing rules. But the sequels, A Court of Mist and Fury and A Court of Wings and Ruin are two of the best books I’ve ever read. I mean, the sheer complexity and dimension going on here is staggering. I cried at the end, not because it was all that sad, but because I was just devastated it was over. Major, MAJOR book hangover. So when SJM announced a fourth book, my brain nearly exploded. A Court of Frost and Starlight promises to be a stunner, and I will be counting the days until May!

War Storm by Victoria Aveyard

(Red Queen #4)
May 15

I only read Red Queen a few weeks ago, and while it started off a little predictable, there were twists and turns I didn’t see coming. I enjoyed the characters and the read overall, and with all the hype surrounding this series, I’m eager to dive into the next three books. What better excuse than the release of the latest one? I’m still rooting for Cal.

Legendary by Stephanie Garber

(Caraval #2)
May 22

After the landslide of a Caraval, readers are eagerly anticipating the sequel. Hailed as one of the best books of the year by nearly every blogger I know, Caraval definitely left a mark on the fantasy romance community. With the promise of the sequel on the horizon, the buzz is going again and readers are ready to get their hands on the continuation.

These Rebel Waves by Sara Raasch

(Stream Raiders #1)
August 7

From the author of Snow Like Ashes comes a new title and a new series. What more could a fangirl want? Oh, well, it has pirates too! While little is known about this upcoming release, all signs point to awesome and the SLA fans out there are eager to see what else Raasch has up her sleeve.

Vengeful by VE Schwab

(Villains #2)
September

Vengeful is the sequel to Schwab’s quietest project: Vicious. However, Vicious was such a delight to read with a unique cast and mind-blowing world building with gah-mazing writing makes this sequel on the top of my list. Almost nothing about this book is known other than the title and approximate release day, but that just makes me itch to read it all the more. While the first book only touched on some romance elements, I’m holding out hope for the sequel!

Untitled by Maggie Stiefvater

(The Ronan Trilogy #1)
Unannounced

I’m not sure I know of an untitled, new series that has garnered as much attention as this one has, either by the community at large or the mega-nerd writing this article. I. AM. FREAKING. OUT. The Ronan Trilogy unsurprisingly follows a character named Ronan who dreams things into reality. He’s one of the four main characters of The Raven Cycle series and clearly a fan favorite. Stiefvater has already announced the book will not feature a Ronan/Adam break-up (making it safe to read) and promises to focus on the Lynch brothers and dreaming. While it has no solid release date, title, or cover, I’m SO EXCITED.

– – –

These are the books that have me checking my calendar and itching to run to a bookstore, but there are so many other titles coming out. Here are a few:

Witchmark by CL Polk
Daughter of the Siren Queen (Daughter of the Pirate King #2) by Tricia Levenseller
The Muse of Nightmares (Strange the Dreamer #2) by Laini Taylor
The Winter of the Witch (The Winternight Trilogy #3) by Katherine Arden
Untitled (Throne of Glass #7) by Sarah J Maas
Artificial Condition (The Murderbot Diaries #2) by Martha Wells
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

My 2018 calendar is quickly filling with so many stunning books, I have no idea how I’m going to get to them all. But have no fear! This fantasy romance lover will give up chocolate AND vodka to get her hands on these books!

Print Friendly