ICYMI: August 2025 Bestsellers

Bastian Balthazar Bux never expected to find a book that would change his life. Alone in an old shop, he discovers The Neverending Story—and as he reads, he’s pulled into the magical realm of Fantastica. What begins as a boy escaping into pages soon becomes something more: Bastian himself is part of the tale. Fantastica is dying, threatened by a creeping Nothing that swallows all in its path. Its heroes falter, its lands crumble, and only one person can restore hope. But the chosen savior isn’t a fearless knight or wise magician—it’s Bastian, armed only with imagination and courage he doesn’t yet believe he has. Michael Ende’s timeless classic is a coming-of-age adventure about stories, dreams, and the power to shape your own destiny.

A gifted young knight named Collum arrives at Camelot to compete for a place at the Round Table, only to find that he’s too late. King Arthur died two weeks ago at the Battle of Camlann, and only a handful of the knights of the Round Table are left. The survivors aren’t the heroes of legend like Lancelot or Gawain. They’re the oddballs of the Round Table, like Sir Palomides, the Saracen Knight, and Sir Dagonet, Arthur’s fool, who was knighted as a joke. They’re joined by Nimue, who was Merlin’s apprentice until she turned on him and buried him under a hill. But it’s up to them to rebuild Camelot in a world that has lost its balance, even as God abandons Britain and the fairies and old gods return, led by Morgan le Fay. They must reclaim Excalibur and make this ruined world whole again—but first they’ll have to solve the mystery of why the lonely, brilliant King Arthur fell.

Nizzara is the reluctant heir to the Kingdom of Zarr. She can see spirits. She can channel their magic. And she would do anything to avoid marrying a man she doesn’t love, even if it means entering a deadly tournament where failure could cost her soul. Dagen is a half-ghost assassin, bound to the god of death and desperate for freedom. When he’s offered a deal to win back his life by claiming Nizzara’s soul, he agrees without hesitation. But she must give it willingly. And Nizzara is nothing if not defiant. As they battle deadly challenges and simmering desire, their fates begin to entwine. Love was never the plan. Neither was betrayal. And the clock is ticking toward a choice that could doom them both.

On her twenty-fifth birthday, Libby Jones receives the letter she has been waiting for all her life. In it, she learns the identity of her birth parents—and that she has inherited a mansion in London’s exclusive Chelsea neighborhood, worth millions. But Libby is not the only one who has been waiting for this moment. Twenty-five years earlier, police discovered a baby in that same house, healthy and alone in her crib. Downstairs, three bodies lay dressed in black, with a cryptic note nearby. The four other children who lived there had vanished. As the truth about what happened at 16 Cheyne Walk slowly emerges, three families’ fates converge in a chilling story of secrets, obsession, and the dark side of love.

Hadrian Blackwater is a warrior with no cause. Royce Melborn is an assassin with no future. They have nothing in common but mutual disdain—and an impossible mission that binds them together. An old wizard hires them to steal from the Crown Tower, a fortress so impenetrable that even whispers of breaking in are laughed off as madness. Its walls hold treasures beyond imagination, but wealth isn’t what their employer seeks. The true prize is hidden, dangerous, and worth risking everything. Hadrian and Royce must survive not only the fortress, but each other. Their uneasy alliance could collapse at any moment, yet if they succeed, they may forge a partnership that becomes legend. The story of Riyria begins with blood, betrayal, and an impossible heist.

Under the blistering sun of Thales, Saeris Fane survives by stealing from the Undying Queen and guarding the dangerous magic pulsing beneath her skin. Secrets have kept her alive—until one mistake exposes her to Death himself and tears her from the desert she knows. Dragged through a shattered gateway into the frozen kingdom of the Fae, Saeris becomes a weapon in a war centuries in the making. Bound by blood and power to Kingfisher, a ruthless Fae warrior with secrets of his own, she must decide who to trust as desire turns to peril and survival demands impossible choices. A #1 New York Times bestseller, Quicksilver burns with dark magic, razor-sharp tension, and a fierce enemies-to-lovers romance.

Empires crumble, prophecies clash, and the next generation takes the stage. Nine years after Paul Muad’Dib vanished into legend, his children—twins Leto and Ghanima—hold the future of Arrakis in their hands. Born with prophetic abilities and royal blood, they’re both revered and exploited by an empire on the edge of chaos. Their aunt Alia rules in their father’s name, but her grip is faltering. Plagued by whispers of rebellion, hunted by enemies within and beyond, Alia sees the twins not as heirs, but as threats—and she’ll stop at nothing to control them. As conspiracies converge and an enigmatic figure known only as The Preacher fans the flames of revolt, Leto and Ghanima must decide whether to follow their visions… or shatter them to change the future. Destiny doesn’t wait for permission.

Every hundred years, the island of Lightlark rises from the sea—and with it, a deadly competition. Only six rulers are invited to the Centennial, a high-stakes game where one must die for the rest to break the curses that have plagued their realms. For Isla Crown, ruler of Wildling, the curse is cruel: anyone she loves will die. And love is her greatest weakness. To win, Isla must lie, cheat, and betray the very people she might care for. The problem? Someone might be lying better. With enemies in every corner and secrets thick as blood, Lightlark is a razor-sharp YA fantasy packed with twists, romance, and dangerous magic. A #1 national bestseller and BookTok sensation, this is the beginning of the storm. And Isla’s running straight into it.

Elowen Atarah was a princess with dragons, until her father ripped them away and locked her in a gilded cage. Now she rules in exile, leading a secret kingdom and plotting vengeance. Her chance comes with an unlikely ally: Cayden Veles, the most feared commander in all Ravaryn. He promises to help her infiltrate the impenetrable castle of Imirath and reclaim her dragons if she will stand with him in the coming war. Their alliance is fragile, their attraction dangerous, and the stakes higher than either dares admit. With war looming and enemies everywhere, one wrong move could cost Elowen her freedom, her people, and the creatures she loves. Her vengeance is a promise signed in blood, and she intends to keep it.

Sloane thought she was signing up for summer adventure. Widow Falls, a whitewater rafting camp tucked deep in the wilderness, promised fun, freedom, and escape. What it didn’t mention was the string of disappearances. The guide she’s replacing vanished. Locals whisper about dark legends. Her roommates laugh it off as folklore. But when Sloane discovers a hidden message under the floorboards—Don’t trust anyone at Widow Falls—she realizes the truth is far more sinister. Every clue ties her closer to the girl who went missing before her. Every step forward tightens the trap. Someone doesn’t want the secrets of Widow Falls exposed. Kiersten Modglin’s Widow Falls is a gripping psychological thriller where lies, legends, and fear converge. This summer, survival is anything but guaranteed.

Adelina Amouteru survived the blood fever that killed thousands—but survival came at a cost. Her hair turned silver, her lashes pale, and her left eye was lost to a jagged scar. Branded a malfetto, her cruel father sees her only as shame, an abomination. Yet whispers tell of survivors with more than scars: strange powers that defy nature. They are the Young Elites. Hunted by the Inquisition and its ruthless leader, Adelina is torn between survival and vengeance. When she’s discovered by the Dagger Society, a secret sect of Elites, she learns her abilities are darker—and more dangerous—than anyone imagined. In a world of persecution and betrayal, Adelina must decide if she will be hero, villain, or something far worse.

London, 1920. Magic thrives in shadows, where gangs wage war and secrets are currency. Cora, known only as the Unweaver, hides her necromancy behind whispers and corpses, feeding information to the ruthless gang boss called Mother. Her power keeps her alive but discovery would mean execution. When her twin brother vanishes, survival is no longer enough. To find him, Cora strikes a dangerous bargain with Malachy Bane, a rival gang leader and portal mage. Their alliance is uneasy, their attraction forbidden, and their enemies everywhere. Elizabeth Zoba’s The Unweaver blends gothic horror, forbidden magic, and a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance. Dark, atmospheric, and seething with tension, it’s Peaky Blinders with mages, where one woman’s secrets could unravel London itself.

Wynter Dellavale once sought sanctuary in Devil’s Cradle, the notorious haven for witches, fugitives, and monsters. Now she wears the eternal brand of Cain, the infamous Ancient who claimed her soul and refuses to let go. Together, they’ve crushed powerful enemies and survived impossible odds. But their deadliest threat is still to come. Adam, the last Aeon, wants revenge. His terms are simple: hand over Cain and Wynter or watch Devil’s Cradle burn. With immortals caught in the crossfire and a community ready to fracture, every choice comes with ruin. Suzanne Wright, bestselling author of The Dark in You, delivers her spiciest, most dangerous fantasy yet. As Wynter and Cain face the ultimate battle, they must unleash the monsters inside, or lose everything they love.

A thousand years ago, Dianna made a desperate choice to save her sister, invoking a dark power she barely understood. Now, bound to the ruthless Kaden, she’s tasked with retrieving a deadly relic from creatures that would happily see her dead. Dianna’s loyalty and survival hinge on completing this mission, no matter the cost. Liam, once known as Samkiel, the legendary World Ender, has hidden from his past and his crown. But when a vicious attack threatens those he loves, he’s forced to return to a realm he swore he’d abandoned. Haunted by old betrayals and enemies thought defeated, he must confront a threat that endangers all realms. Two powerful enemies are thrown together, bound by a common goal. But can they set aside centuries of grudges to save their worlds?

Trinity Marrow has a secret. At eighteen, she may be losing her sight, but she alone can see and speak to spirits. It is the reason she has spent years in hiding, protected by the Wardens, gargoyle shifters sworn to guard humanity from demons. If her secret is discovered, the demons will consume her and use her gift as their own. When Wardens from another clan arrive, their warnings of a growing threat shake Trinity’s fragile world. Among them is Zayne, infuriating and magnetic, whose presence stirs emotions she cannot afford. But as demons breach the compound, Trinity’s secret is exposed, and war ignites. Jennifer L. Armentrout’s Storm and Fury launches a romantasy of angels, demons, and unbreakable bonds that will leave readers breathless.

Eborby is a city steeped in history and shadowed by fear. A serial killer known as the Resurrection Man is terrorizing its streets, leaving bound and asphyxiated victims in desolate churchyards. Newcomer Carmel Hennessy hoped for a fresh start in the ancient city, but instead finds herself drawn into its darkest corners. As eerie threats begin to surface and a malevolent presence lingers in her flat, Carmel’s unease grows. Detective Inspector Joe Plantagenet is leading the investigation. He’s haunted by his own past, and the deeper he digs into the case, the more the lines blur between reason and the unexplainable. Occult rumors and buried secrets rise to the surface. Now, time is running out. The killer has a pattern. And Carmel may be next.

Lor has escaped the gilded prison of the Sun King only to fall into the hands of Nadir, the ruthless Aurora Prince. He believes she is hiding secrets, and he will do whatever it takes to uncover them. Lor, who has lived a lifetime guarding truths, refuses to break. Forced into a reluctant alliance, Lor and Nadir set out to recover a lost artifact tied to her past and her fate. Their uneasy partnership burns with tension, desire, and betrayal, each step drawing them closer to a destiny neither can control. But the Sun King is relentless, determined to reclaim what he believes is his. To survive, Lor must outwit kings, resist temptation, and seize her own power before Ouranos falls to ruin.

In 1910s Korea, young Sunja falls for a wealthy man with dangerous secrets. When she becomes pregnant, she chooses dignity over scandal, marrying a kind minister and starting a new life in Japan. But this decision reshapes everything. Across four generations, her family faces discrimination, poverty, ambition, and resilience as they navigate life as Korean immigrants in a hostile land. From boarding houses to backroom pachinko parlors, their journey unfolds with heartbreaking grace and sweeping scope. A New York Times bestseller and one of the paper’s 100 Best Books of the 21st Century, Pachinko is a masterful saga of identity, legacy, and quiet survival. Through war, love, loss, and sacrifice, one family endures. Because history forgets. But Pachinko remembers.

Prince Yarvi was never meant to rule. Born with only one good hand in a kingdom that values brute strength, he was destined for the ministry, not the throne. But when his father and brother are murdered, Yarvi is thrust into power—and betrayal. Cast out and chained, he vows vengeance with the only weapons he has left: his wits and his will. As he journeys through the brutal world of the Shattered Sea, Yarvi gathers an unlikely band of allies: thieves, exiles, and killers who just might believe in him more than he believes in himself. Sharp, dark, and unflinchingly clever, Half a King is a coming-of-age tale where weakness becomes strength and survival means outsmarting a world built to crush you.

Born to Helios, god of the sun, and a mother famed for her beauty, Circe is an unusual child. Lacking her father’s divine power and her mother’s enchanting allure, she turns to the world of mortals and discovers a different kind of strength: witchcraft. Her gift can transform rivals into monsters and challenge the will of the gods themselves. Fearing her power, Zeus exiles her to a remote island. There, Circe refines her craft, tames wild beasts, and encounters legendary figures like the Minotaur, Medea, Daedalus, and Odysseus. But a woman who stands alone draws danger from gods and men alike. In Circe, Madeline Miller delivers a spellbinding epic of love, loss, and the fierce will to choose one’s own destiny.