I have been looking forward this month's new releases for a while. I was lucky enough to get an advance copies of several of them and there are three titles I would clear my schedule for.
Let's get into it.
馃巵 A New Monthly giveaway: comment the August release you're most excited for, and why, at the bottom of this post to enter. One winner gets a copy of the book they named. Commenting is free once you join as a member, so you're entered and on the list in one step. Winner drawn September 1. US & Canada, 18+. Full rules below.
The Lion & the Deathless Dark by Carissa Broadbent
The Lion & the Deathless Dark by Carissa Broadbent
Preorder: Amazon 路 Bookshop.org 路 馃帶 Try Audible free
Genre: Adult Romantasy / Vampire Fantasy
If you read one book in August, make it this one. The Lion & the Deathless Dark is the fifth book in Carissa Broadbent's Crowns of Nyaxia world, and it opens a brand-new duet inside that universe, so it works whether you are a longtime Nyaxia devotee or a curious first-timer. Bramble is backing it with a reported 750,000-copy first printing, which tells you everything about how big this launch is expected to be.
The setup: a hardened bounty hunter and a vampire prince, thrown together across a divide of blood and old gods, in the lush, brutal world Broadbent fans already love. Expect the signature Nyaxia blend of aching slow burn, high-stakes court politics, and prose that reads like velvet with a knife hidden inside.
馃搶 Why you'll love it:
- It is peak vampire romantasy from a #1 New York Times bestselling author at the top of her game.
- The new-duet structure means a fresh entry point, not a wall of backstory.
- Bounty hunter heroine plus morally gray immortal love interest is the enemies-to-lovers dynamic this genre was built for.
I have a physical ARC of this one, so a full spoiler-free review is coming to the blog before release day.
Out August 4, 2026 (Bramble).
Immortal Rose by Alexandra Bracken
Immortal Rose by Alexandra Bracken
Preorder: Amazon 路 Bookshop.org 路 馃帶 Try Audible free
Genre: Adult Fantasy Romance
Alexandra Bracken is a #1 New York Times bestseller, and Immortal Rose is the first book in a new duology built around one of the most original magic systems I have seen in a while: magic worked through perfume. Think forced proximity, royal intrigue, and a heroine with fae ancestry navigating a court where the right scent can start a war.
This is also a special-edition event. A deluxe limited hardcover is part of the release, so if you collect sprayed edges and foiled covers, plan ahead and preorder the edition you want before it sells through.
馃搶 Why you'll love it:
- A genuinely fresh premise: fragrance as magic, with all the atmosphere that implies.
- Forced proximity plus slow-burn court romance from a proven bestseller.
- A collectible deluxe edition makes this a shelf centerpiece.
Out August 18, 2026.
Adversary to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
Adversary to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
Preorder: Amazon 路 Bookshop.org 路 馃帶 Try Audible free
Genre: Fantasy Romance / Comedy
The Assistant to the Villain series has been a runaway hit since it jumped from serialized fiction to the shelves, and Adversary to the Villain is book four. If you have been following Evie and The Villain's slow-burn, banter-soaked romance, you already have this on preorder. If you have not started the series, August is the perfect excuse to binge the first three.
Maehrer's whole appeal is the tonal balance: laugh-out-loud workplace comedy set inside a genuinely dark fantasy kingdom, with a romance that keeps raising the stakes. Book four promises more of the tension the series has been building toward.
馃搶 Why you'll love it:
- One of the most beloved cozy-adjacent fantasy romance series on BookTok.
- Sharp, funny, and swoony in equal measure.
- A must for anyone who likes their villains competent and their romance earned.
Out August 4, 2026.
Try a Book of the Month Pick This August
Not sure which August release to start with? Book of the Month regularly features new fantasy and romance titles the month they drop, and it is one of the easiest ways to snag a hardcover for less. Try your first month for $5
More Fantasy and Romantasy Releasing in August
The tentpoles get the headlines, but August is loaded with fantasy and romantasy worth your shelf space. Here are the ones I am watching.
Devour Me by Emily Rath
Devour Me by Emily Rath
Preorder: Amazon 路 Bookshop.org 路 馃帶 Try Audible free
Genre: Dark Paranormal Romance
Emily Rath, best known for her wildly popular hockey romances, steps fully into paranormal territory with Devour Me, the first book in a new trilogy with polyamorous elements. Expect the emotional intensity Rath fans know, dialed into a darker, more supernatural register.
馃搶 Why you'll love it: A beloved contemporary author's paranormal pivot, a fresh trilogy to get in on early, and a why-choose dynamic done with real heart. Out August 4, 2026.
Eyes of Kings by Chloe Gong
Eyes of Kings by Chloe Gong
Preorder: Amazon 路 Bookshop.org 路 馃帶 Try Audible free
Genre: Dark Fantasy Romance
Chloe Gong continues her run of atmospheric, politically charged fantasy with Eyes of Kings. If you love court intrigue, morally complicated leads, and prose with real teeth, this is an easy add. Out August 4, 2026.
Immortal Game by Allison Saft
Immortal Game by Allison Saft
Preorder: Amazon 路 Bookshop.org 路 馃帶 Try Audible free
Genre: YA Sapphic Fantasy Romance
A chess grandmaster enters a high-stakes tournament in the fae realm to rescue her sister and finds herself falling for her rival. Allison Saft writes some of the most swoon-worthy slow burns in YA fantasy, and a sapphic rivals-to-lovers hook is catnip. Out August 4, 2026.
These Vile Hearts by Melody Robinette
These Vile Hearts by Melody Robinette
Preorder: Amazon 路 Bookshop.org 路 馃帶 Try Audible free
Genre: Romantasy (Debut)
A mortal woman and a cursed fae prince, bound by a bargain neither of them saw coming. If you are always hunting the next fae-bargain romantasy, this debut belongs on your radar. Out August 11, 2026.
Bedeviled by Laura Thalassa
Bedeviled by Laura Thalassa
Preorder: Amazon 路 Bookshop.org 路 馃帶 Try Audible free
Genre: Paranormal Romance (Series Finale)
USA Today bestseller Laura Thalassa brings the Bewitched series home with Bedeviled. Series finales are always emotional, and Thalassa's devil is one of the genre's most magnetic love interests. Start the series now if you want to be caught up by release day. Out August 18, 2026.
Daggerbound by T. Kingfisher
Daggerbound by T. Kingfisher
Preorder: Amazon 路 Bookshop.org 路 馃帶 Try Audible free
Genre: Cozy Fantasy Romance
T. Kingfisher returns to the beloved Swordheart world with Daggerbound, bringing the same warm, funny, deeply human fantasy that made the original a favorite. Enchanted weapon, unlikely romance, and Kingfisher's unmatched voice. Out August 25, 2026.
The Dark in Her Veins by M.K. Lobb
The Dark in Her Veins by M.K. Lobb
Preorder: Amazon 路 Bookshop.org 路 馃帶 Try Audible free
Genre: Noir Fantasy
Morally gray characters, an assassin lead, and a shadowy world of sin and disease. M.K. Lobb writes fantasy with a hard edge, and a deluxe edition is part of the launch. Out August 25, 2026.
Quick Hits: More Fantasy on the Shelf
A few more fantasy launches worth a look: Steelborn by Taylor J. LaRue (immortal hero, enemies-to-lovers, series opener, Aug 4), The Iron Hex by Victoria S. Walsh (plus-size heroine, outlawed magic, trilogy opener, Aug 4), Heir of Prophecy by Analeigh Sbrana (war academy, prophecy duet, Aug 25), and The Calamities by Chuck Wendig (dark family fantasy, Aug 18).
Romance Releases to Watch in August
If contemporary romance is more your speed, August delivers across rom-com, sports, and slow burn.
Lost and Found by Tarah DeWitt
Lost and Found by Tarah DeWitt
Preorder: Amazon路 Bookshop.org 路 馃帶 Try Audible free
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Tarah DeWitt writes grief and tenderness better than almost anyone in the genre right now. Lost and Found leans into themes of loss and single parenthood, wrapped in the kind of emotional payoff her readers count on. Out August 4, 2026.
The Fall Affair by Vi Keeland
The Fall Affair by Vi Keeland
Preorder: Amazon 路 Bookshop.org 路 馃帶 Try Audible free
Genre: Contemporary Romance
A slow-burn romance set against a Tuscan backdrop from a reliably bestselling author. Perfect for the last stretch of summer. Out August 18, 2026.
The Magic We Made by Meg Cabot
The Magic We Made by Meg Cabot
Preorder: Amazon 路 Bookshop.org 路 馃帶 Try Audible free
Genre: Cozy Romance with a Mystery
Meg Cabot brings small-town charm and a cozy mystery twist to The Magic We Made. Comfort-read energy from a legend. Out August 11, 2026.
Quick Hits: More Romance on the Shelf
Also landing this month: The Pilot by Susan Stoker (small-town Maine contemporary, Aug 4), Long Story Short by Kat Singleton (Hamptons writer-neighbor romance, Aug 25), Puck, Marry, Kill by Lauren Landish (forbidden hockey romance, Aug 11), Bonfire and Bliss Bookstore by Brittan茅e Nicole (fake-dating rom-com, Aug 11), and Silver Sweet by Krista and Becca Ritchie (M/M musicians, enemies-to-lovers, Aug 4).
New in YA This August
Young adult readers are covered too. Standouts include Mirrorwoven by Bori Cser (a princess fakes her death and rebuilds her identity with mirror magic, Aug 25), Immortal Game by Allison Saft (spotlighted above), and a strong graphic-novel slate led by The Dream Thieves: The Graphic Novel adapting Maggie Stiefvater's Raven Cycle (Aug 4).
August Book Club Picks
Two of the month's biggest celebrity book club picks land August 4, and both deserve a spot on your literary TBR. For the full running list, see our 2026 Reese, Oprah, and Jenna Book Club Picks.
The Wild Beneath by Kelly Anderson
The Wild Beneath by Kelly Anderson
Preorder: Amazon 路 Bookshop.org 路 馃帶 Try Audible free
Genre: Literary Fiction (Reese's Book Club pick)
Reese Witherspoon tapped The Wild Beneath as her August book club pick, and it is exactly the kind of atmospheric literary debut the club loves to champion. Annie MacLeod, raised on a sailboat in the Pacific Northwest, is stranded on land after a tsunami when she rescues a mysterious wordless man whose touch reveals visions of a hidden underwater world. Torn between his magnetic secrets and her steadfast childhood friend, Annie has to confront who she really is and choose between two worlds. Out August 4, 2026.
Sunlight Finds You by Laura Moriarty
Sunlight Finds You by Laura Moriarty
Preorder: Amazon 路 Bookshop.org 路 馃帶 Try Audible free
Genre: Historical Fiction (Read with Jenna pick)
From the bestselling author of The Chaperone, Sunlight Finds You is Jenna Bush Hager's August Read with Jenna selection. Set in 1950s Florida, a tender first romance between a teenage girl and a shy, brilliant young man becomes a decades-spanning story of separation, sacrifice, and self-determination. Out August 4, 2026.
Prefer to Listen? Try Audible Free
Doing more listening than reading lately? You can start almost any of these August releases as an audiobook with an Audible free trial. It is the easiest way to dive in on release day, especially the longer fantasy titles.
August 2026 Release Calendar, Week by Week
Here is the month at a glance so you can time your preorders.
Out August 4: The Lion & the Deathless Dark (Carissa Broadbent), Adversary to the Villain (Hannah Nicole Maehrer), Devour Me (Emily Rath), Eyes of Kings (Chloe Gong), Immortal Game (Allison Saft), Steelborn (Taylor J. LaRue), The Iron Hex (Victoria S. Walsh), Lost and Found (Tarah DeWitt), The Pilot (Susan Stoker), Silver Sweet (Krista and Becca Ritchie), The Wild Beneath (Kelly Anderson), Sunlight Finds You (Laura Moriarty).
Out August 11: These Vile Hearts (Melody Robinette), The Magic We Made (Meg Cabot), Puck, Marry, Kill (Lauren Landish), Bonfire and Bliss Bookstore (Brittan茅e Nicole).
Out August 18: Immortal Rose (Alexandra Bracken), Bedeviled (Laura Thalassa), The Fall Affair (Vi Keeland), The Calamities (Chuck Wendig).
Out August 25: Daggerbound (T. Kingfisher), The Dark in Her Veins (M.K. Lobb), Heir of Prophecy (Analeigh Sbrana), Long Story Short (Kat Singleton), Mirrorwoven (Bori Cser).
Final Thoughts
August is a month to preorder early and clear your calendar. The Lion & the Deathless Dark is the headline, and with a 750,000-copy first printing, it is going to be everywhere, so grab your edition before release day. Immortal Rose and Adversary to the Villain round out the trio I would not miss, and the deeper bench of debuts, series continuations, and book club picks means there is something here for every kind of reader.
Watch the blog over the next two weeks for full reviews and edition guides on all three headliners, and tell me in the comments: which August release are you most excited for?
Monthly Giveaway Rules:
- One winner per calendar month.
- To enter: comment the August 2026 release you're most excited to read on this post. It does not have to be one we listed! Commenting requires a free Ink & Imaginings membership. One entry per person.
- Prize: one copy of the book you commented, any edition (standard or deluxe, your choice), shipped free.
- Eligibility: 18+, US & Canada (excluding Quebec).
- Entry window: now through August 31, 11:59 PM ET.
- Winner drawn September 1 at random via Random.org from all valid comments, notified by comment reply and member email, and must respond within 48 hours or an alternate is drawn.
- No purchase necessary. Not sponsored, endorsed, or administered by, or associated with, Instagram or Amazon.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the biggest book release in August 2026?
The Lion & the Deathless Dark by Carissa Broadbent, the fifth book in the Crowns of Nyaxia world, is the month's headline release, reportedly launching with a 750,000-copy first printing from Bramble on August 4.
Do I need to read the Crowns of Nyaxia series before The Lion & the Deathless Dark?
No. It opens a new duet within the Nyaxia world, so it is designed as a fresh entry point. Longtime readers will catch extra resonance, but new readers can start here.
When does Immortal Rose by Alexandra Bracken release?
August 18, 2026. It is the first book in a new duology and is releasing with a collectible deluxe edition, so preorder early if you want the special edition.
What is Adversary to the Villain about?
It is the fourth book in Hannah Nicole Maehrer's Assistant to the Villain series, a fantasy romance that blends workplace comedy with a dark kingdom and a slow-burn central romance. It releases August 4, 2026.
Which August 2026 books are celebrity book club picks?
The Wild Beneath by Kelly Anderson is Reese Witherspoon's August pick, and Sunlight Finds You by Laura Moriarty is the Read with Jenna selection. Both release August 4, 2026.
What are the best romantasy releases in August 2026?
Top romantasy picks include The Lion & the Deathless Dark (Carissa Broadbent), Immortal Rose (Alexandra Bracken), These Vile Hearts (Melody Robinette), and Bedeviled (Laura Thalassa).
Where should I buy August's new releases?
You can preorder through the Amazon and Bookshop.org links in this post, or start any of them as an audiobook with a free Audible trial.
