I remember the night I got swamped with ARCs: a single email and suddenly my desk was a small mountain of covers and blurbs. The pile is a loaded deck, each title a marked card daring me to pick it. If you trust me, I’ll point you to the ones that will keep you reading past your usual bedtime.
It’s almost spring, and publishers have timed a flood of new sci-fi, fantasy, and horror to hit bookstores and apps all month. I’ve read early notes, skimmed advanced copies, and chased blurbs across Goodreads and Amazon so you don’t have to. Below are 86 titles arriving across March, organized by week so you can plan preorders, Audible saves, or NetGalley requests.
What are the must-read sci-fi releases in March?
I’ll flag the books I’d bet on for re-read value and awards chatter—expect entries from Adrian Tchaikovsky, Richard Morgan, and Alexis Hall that will generate online conversation on Twitter and Reddit.
March 3
A bookstore window fogs when a snowstorm surprises the city; someone presses their palm to the glass and reads the display. Here’s the week’s lean, sharp list—perfect for quick preorders on Amazon or grabbing a review copy via NetGalley.
Aubrey Wants to Die by Pip Knight
A vampire who desperately wants to stop being undead finds fragile hope in human love—and then heartbreak. Expect dark humor and elegant ruin. (March 3)
Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman
A disgraced knight and a plague-orphan claim the Black Death is only the prelude to fallen angels stirring a second war on heaven. Buehlman’s voice gives moral chaos a grimly humane center. (March 3)
The Body Builders by Albertine Clarke
A Borgesian debut that blurs the boundaries between mind and body with uncanny, intellectual chills. (March 3)
Black as Diamond by U.M. Agoawike
A winged warrior follows his brother into the human world and meets a curse that could doom an entire people. Epic stakes, mythic atmosphere. (March 3)
The Debtor’s Game by Isabelle Mongeau
Court intrigue and dangerous loyalties as a palace faerie must secure both survival and a coronation she cannot control. (March 3)
Green and Deadly Things by Jenn Lyons
A standalone of necromancy and chaotic magic that keeps pages flipping—pure mischief and consequence. (March 3)
The Heartless One by Emma Hamm
Romantasy continues: princes, resurrection, and the messy aftermath of bringing someone back. (March 3)
An Impossibility of Crows by Kirsten Kaschock
A feminist, uncanny story of mothers, memory, and the brittle line between care and control. (March 3)
The Last Starborn Seer by Venetia Constantine
A romantic fantasy launching a new trilogy: fractured kingdoms, perilous quests, and secret magic. (March 3)
River of Bones and Other Stories by Rebecca Roanhorse
A collection from a major voice in modern speculative fiction, including a new novella tied to Trail of Lightning. (March 3)
Strange Buildings by Uketsu, translated by Jim Rion
Eleven twisted architectures, one connecting secret—an eerie mystery from a beloved author of the uncanny. (March 3)
To Cage a Wild Bird by Brooke Fast
A dystopian prison where the rich hunt inmates; think forbidden romance slammed into survival thriller. (March 3)
Turn Off the Light by Jacquie Walters
Two women centuries apart tied by one dark secret—haunting and quietly devastating. (March 3)
The Valley of Vengeful Ghosts by Kim Fu
Grief and internet-age absurdity collide in a novel that lingers after the last page. (March 3)
Which fantasy novels debut this month?
I’ll spotlight sequels, standalones, and the smaller presses that matter—expect picks from Tor, Del Rey, Ace, and independent houses that are already getting trade buzz.
March 10
A commuter drops a paperback on the platform and five people pause to read the back cover. That small communal moment is the pulse of this week’s releases: series continuations, oddball sci-fi, and cozy weirdness.
Butterfly Effects by Seanan McGuire
The InCryptid series returns—cryptozoology, family politics, and a cast that feels lived-in after 15 books. (March 10)
Cabaret in Flames by Hache Pueyo
An alternate-Brazil nightlife where flesh-hungering Guls puppeteer power—vampiric glamour with political teeth. (March 10)
Entwined by H.M. Long
Three sisters on a Gilded Age hunt for a stolen artifact; think whispered secrets in ballrooms and blood under satin. (March 10)
The First Step by Tao Wong
Cultivation, spirit beasts, a farmer invited into an elite school—this print edition includes an exclusive bonus story. (March 10)
Forged for Royalty by Andrew Knighton
The trilogy finale: full-scale war and the fate of Estia on the line. (March 10)
The Fox and the Devil by Kiersten White
Gothic obsession, a sapphic romance, and an immortal serial killer’s shadow. (March 10)
Haven by Ani Katz
A taut consideration of progress, innovation, and the prices we pay when systems fail. (March 10)
Hell’s Heart by Alexis Hall
Space-hunting and body horror: domes, psychic space monsters, and a hunt that smells like payback. (March 10)
Intergalactic Feast by Lavanya Lakshminarayan
The culinary and political sequel to Interstellar MegaChef—food as soft power in space. (March 10)
Magic and Mischief at the Wayside Hotel by Elizabeth Everett
A magical hotel appears in the unlikeliest place—romance follows, complications bloom. (March 10)
No Friend to This House by Natalie Haynes
A fierce reimagining of Medea, told with classical bite and modern fury. (March 10)
Nobody’s Baby by Olivia Waite
Cozy sci-fi mystery vibes—Becky Chambers warmth meets Miss Marple’s shrewdness. (March 10)
Nonesuch by Francis Spufford
Occult plots, time-traveling fascists, and Blitz-era London doing its strangest work. (March 10)
Old Guns by J.N. Chaney and Nicholas Sansbury Smith
Two battle-scarred Marines pulled back into service against an ancient alien threat—grit, humor, and hard-won skill. (March 10)
Partially Devoured: How Night of the Living Dead Saved My Life and Changed the World by Daniel Kraus
A hybrid of memoir and film criticism that traces why a zombie classic still matters. (March 10)
Phantom of the Opera: Sing the Night by Megan Jauregui Eccles
Musical magicians, lethal competition, and a contest for the King’s Mage—high stakes and higher notes. (March 10)
Pretenders to the Throne of God by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Tchaikovsky returns with philosophical magic and a campaign to impose reason onto enchantment. (March 10)
Red Empire by Jonathan Maberry
Bioengineered plagues and Joe Ledger’s Rogue Team International—thrills for readers of military sci-fi. (March 10)
Ruinous Creatures by Jessi Cole Jackson
A romantasy where siphoning magic binds two fates with painful cost. (March 10)
Spoiled Milk by Avery Curran
A girls’ boarding school, death, and a slow horror about repression and queer desire. (March 10)
Voidverse by Damien Ober
Space opera with a Dune and Wool pulse—grand collisions and high-octane adventure. (March 10)
The Witch Without Memory by Maithree Wijesekara
Epic fantasy of memory, betrayal, and a plan to burn and remake an empire. (March 10)
You Should Have Been Nicer to My Mom by Vincent Tirado
Twelve hours trapped in a house with demons and messy family inheritance—horror and claustrophobia in one package. (March 10)
How can I preorder these March horror books?
Use major retailers: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and the publishers’ pages—Tor, Del Rey, Ace—plus save to your Audible wishlist for audiobook alerts.
March 17
A friend texts a photo of a new paperback spine peeking from a café tote; the caption is one word: “ordered.” Week three brings mythic reworkings, quiet horrors, and the odd crossover that’s already trending on BookTok.
The Book of Fallen Leaves by A.S. Tamaki
A Samurai saga retold with ambition and sacrifice—characters that stick with you. (March 17)
A Breath of Time by various authors
Romantic fantasy collection about love across eras and the cost of conquering Time. (March 17)
Children of Strife by Adrian Tchaikovsky
The next volume in the Children of Time sequence—first contact and the nature of intelligence reimagined. (March 17)
Crawlspace by Adam Christopher
A team preparing a test flight into untrained dimensions finds everything they didn’t expect. (March 17)
Daughter of the Hunt by K. Arsenault Rivera
A haunting retelling of Iphigenia and Artemis—lyrical and fierce. (March 17)
How to Hold Someone in Your Heart by Mizuki Tsujimura
Seven years after a bestselling supernatural novel, the go-between returns with a gift that reunites life and death. (March 17)
Innamorata by Ava Reid
Necromantic houses and the stubborn survivors of an extinguished order—grim, lush, and political. (March 17)
Mayhem and the Mortal by Shanora Williams
A sister’s desperate quest through the Shallows with a dangerous guide—romance with sharpened teeth. (March 17)
Mother Is Watching by Karma Brown
An art conservator’s obsession becomes a fracture point between sanity and supernatural ruin. (March 17)
Mother of Death and Dawn by Carissa Broadbent
The finale of a trilogy of love, vengeance, and redemption. (March 17)
Of Love and Dragons by various authors
Dragon stories and fierce leads—short fiction with big heart. (March 17)
Only Spell Deep by Ava Morgyn
A witch on the run, rediscovering power while hunted—think eerie domestic dread. (March 17)
Queen of the Night Sky by Amalie Howard
Concludes an Indian- and Persian-inspired romantasy duology with mythic flair. (March 17)
The Somewhat Wicked Witch of Brigandale by C.M. Waggoner
A practical witch saboteurs her son’s throne bid to save a kingdom—cozy, cunning, and kind of funny. (March 17)
Wayward Souls by Susan J. Morris
A dark sequel to a gothic supernatural mystery—think slow-burn menace and sharp reveals. (March 17)
Where Dreams Fall by R.L. Caulder
A society that polices dreams; one woman’s breakdown may be the key to an empire’s fears. (March 17)
You Did Nothing Wrong by C.G. Drews
Domestic suspense meets haunted-house horror—tight, claustrophobic, and thoroughly unnerving. (March 17)
March 24
A barista stamps your receipt and smiles while recommending a new release; indie bookstores are already curating displays. This late-March stack leans into eerie literary horror, folk epics, and inventive fantasy on small and big presses.
Afterbirth by Emma Cleary
A needle-sharp entry in “mommy horror” that unnerves with practical detail and mythic dread. (March 24)
Aicha by Soraya Bouazzaoui
A reimagining of Morocco’s warrior goddess: rebellion, strange magic, and a tragic romance. (March 24)
Beneath by Ariel Sullivan
A prequel to Conform: rebuilding after war, and a love story set against a fragile new order. (March 24)
Daughter of Crows by Mark Lawrence
A survivor of a brutal academy digs up the past to survive the future—Lawrence at his unforgiving best. (March 24)
Deep Black by Miles Cameron
Marca Nbaro’s space opera charges onward—artifact hunts and crew dynamics for fans of big sci-fi. (March 24)
Divine Descent by AdriAnne May
A Minotaur myth reimagined—underworld romance and heartache in equal parts. (March 24)
The Fortune Tellers of Rue Daru by Olesya Salnikova Gilmore
A 1920s Paris fortune teller must read the past to protect the living—a luminous historical fantasy. (March 24)
Heir of Twisted Lies by LJ Andrews
Curses and love that might be the only salvation—series readers, prepare for emotional payoffs. (March 24)
Honeysuckle by Bar Fridman-Tell
Autumnal magic, autonomy, and consent threaded into an enchanting debut. (March 24)
No Man’s Land by Richard Morgan
Post-WWI Britain occupied by fae—Morgan brings grit and philosophical bite to a dark fantasy setup. (March 24)
Seasons of Glass and Iron by Amal El-Mohtar
Lyrical stories and formats—letters, folktales, and found texts—El-Mohtar’s voice glows in short form. (March 24)
This Will Be Interesting by E.B. Asher
A quest comedy with strict romantic rules—don’t fall in love with your questmates. (March 24)
Trace Elements: Conversations on the Subject of Science Fiction and Fantasy by Jo Walton and Ada Palmer
Two leading writers unpack how speculative fiction works—essential reading for writers and critics. (March 24)
Wolf Worm by T. Kingfisher
Gothic menace in North Carolina woods—Kingfisher delivers atmospheric dread with a wink. (March 24)
Wretch by Eric LaRocca
Tech-gothic and memory-haunted romance—strange, uncompromising, and electric. (March 24)
March 31
A teacher assigns a book and half the class fights over who gets to keep the hardcover; month-end releases always ignite that same small fire. The final week brings cozy oddities, historical fantasies, and cliffhangers meant for bookmarks and late-night pages.
A Crime Through Time by Amelia Blackwell
Time travel meets Jane Austen in a cozy crime series opener—quirky, clever, and entirely charming. (March 31)
The Curse of Hester Gardens by Tamika Thompson
Horror set in public housing: a mother fights both gun violence and otherworldly threats to shield her sons. (March 31)
The Fourth Wife by Linda Hamilton
Historical gothic horror with feminist edges; a haunted Salt Lake mansion and forbidden tenderness. (March 31)
The Geomagician by Jennifer Mandula
A Victorian fossil hunter protects a baby pterodactyl—an intimate historical fantasy with fierce warmth. (March 31)
The Lighthouse at the End of the World by Philip A. Suggars
Warring gods, alternate realities, and a working-class protagonist at the center of a London unlike any you know. (March 31)
Morsel by Carter Keane
Folk horror about learning how to bite back when the world tries to eat you alive—grimly witty and sharp. (March 31)
Nothing Tastes as Good by Luke Dumas
A thriller about a weight-loss treatment with murderous side effects—medical paranoia with teeth. (March 31)
The Object by Joshua T. Calvert
A physicist discovers the foundations of space and time are wrong—hard-SF mystery meets existential terror. (March 31)
The Quarter Queen by Kayla Hardy
A Voodoo witch in nineteenth-century New Orleans fights to save her mother and the soul of a divided city. (March 31)
Ruins by Lily Brooks-Dalton
An archaeologist hunts a rare artifact that could change society—thoughtful adventure with moral questions. (March 31)
A Spell for Saints and Sinners by Emily Carpenter
Southern suspense and modern witchcraft: class, power, and the haunted geometry of Savannah. (March 31)
Starside by Alex Aster
Magic-wielding swords and a system of power that must be claimed rather than inherited—young-adult energy with high stakes. (March 31)
Steel Gods by Richard Swan
The second Great Silence novel: flintlock fantasy, creeping dread, and arcane puzzles. (March 31)
This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me by Ilona Andrews
A fan-obsessed protagonist wakes inside the unfinished fantasy series she’s read obsessively—a meta, dangerous ride. (March 31)
We Are All Monsters Here by Kelley Armstrong
A short story collection with varied voices—apocalypse survivors, resurrecting strangers, and dragons in the margins. (March 31)
A Widow’s Charm by Caitlyn Paxson
A widow tries to resurrect her husband and ends up leaning into unexpected love—necromancy meets rom-com timing. (March 31)
I’ll be tracking which of these titles climb bestseller lists, who gets audiobook deals on Audible, and which indie bookstores push surprise favorites—I’ll share picks on Twitter and in my Goodreads updates. Which cover are you adding to your cart first?