Intrigued? Read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt from War by Eoin Colfer, Andrew Donkin, and Giovanni Rigano, which releases on September 15th in the US and releases August 13th in the UK.

When her city is invaded, Kat suddenly finds her life ripped apart, her family divided and her father taken captive. Adam has been forcibly conscripted into the invading army. When their worlds collide can they trust each other long enough to win freedom for Kat’s father?

WAR is not a story about any one specific war. It is a story about the effects of each and every war on the most vulnerable group of people in the world – children.

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About Queens of the Crypt: E. M. Carroll meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer with a dash of The Rocky Horror Picture Show in this debut young adult graphic novel that is a celebration of horror, queerness, and figuring out who you want to be. Out August 25th 2026.

Watching Uma Thurman, remove a neon pink gorilla suit whilst also serving face and elaborate hand choreography and then descend, in her full Poison Ivy costume onto a stage and greet George Clooney’s Batman and Chris ‘O’ Donnell’s Robin with a ‘Hello Boys’. That was the moment I knew I became obsessed with the idea of a femme fatale. To me, they weren’t monsters, they were misunderstood icons. 

Growing up, like any other pre-teen destined-to-be-a-diva-but-stuck-in-their-awkward-pre-coming-out-phase-with-a-bad-fringe-era, I loved Britney Spears and Beyoncé, but you know whom else I adored? Xenia Onatopp, Emma Peel, Batgirl and of course, Halle Berry’s Catwoman, (yes, you did read that correctly) and without a doubt, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Fierce and dynamic female characters, drag artists and creatures have always inspired me, especially in creating my first graphic novel, Queens of the Crypt. 

Set in the sleepy, gothic town of Widow’s Creek, Queens of the Crypt tells the story of teenager Barnaby Jones. Not only do they struggle with their identity and coming out to their parents, but also that their best friend Fi has been added to the list of missing teens in town and…is that a Crypt that they’ve mistakenly unlocked that exists inside their closet…

Unintentionally summoning the Queens of the Crypt, Barnaby must work with them to solve the disappearances in Widow’s Creek, find Fi and unmask the Faceless Frightener. 

THE OPERA PHANTOM

She’s beauty, she’s grace, she’s the most Cryptastique diva around. The Phantom is the leader of the queens, overly dramatic and opinionated, this spooky siren won’t dare leave her chamber if she isn’t wearing couture darling! 

Beware her sonic vibrato though, those high notes are killer. 

Lipsync For Your Afterlife Song: The Phantom of the Opera – The Phantom of the Opera (of course) 

THE COUNTESS 

Vampire royalty that serves face, looks and can reanimate your corpse? Tens across the board! With a penchant for satanic demon blood and an army of bats, The Countess is the most powerful of the queens. However, let’s not mention the three ex wives to her…it’s a touchy subject. 

Lipsync For Your Afterlife Song: Queen of the Night – Whitney Houston

THE BOGEYWOMAN

Stalking your night terrors and stealing your dreams, you’ve probably met The Bogeywoman before. Made of fears, frights and all things not so nice, you are just another plaything to her. No killer clown or nightmare slasher can compare, she is the OG icon of the Nightmare Realm.

Lipsync For Your Afterlife Song: Wuthering Heights – Kate Bush

LADY INVISIBLE

If you need a crime solving, then Lady Invisible is your broad! She’s a tough talking, wise cracking ex private investigator who lives for the thrill of the danger and the buzz of a case closed. With a killer right hook, beware of her famous Tizzi Blooms Tailspin Kick. Oh, and did she mention she had a bottomless brunch with Poirot once? 

Lipsync For Your Afterlife Song: A Little Party Never Killed Nobody – Fergie

MILDRED aka THE CREATURE 

Hailing all the way from the Swamp of Shadows, it’s our amphibian and fiercely fin-tastic MILDRED. Once a top scientist who unfortunately ended up turning into THE CREATURE, Mildred relishes working alongside a team like the queens. But don’t let her terrifying appearance fool you, she’s actually got a heart of gold. And a pet kraken. 

Lipsync For Your Afterlife Song: Bring Me To Life – Evanescence 

Meet all of these queens in the new graphic novel Queens of the Crypt by Dom & Ink, on sale August 25, 2026.

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Intrigued? Read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt from Arcana: The Cursed Fate by Sam Prentice-Jones, which is out June 23rd 2026.

After uncovering harrowing secrets about their pasts and enduring a devastating loss, James, Daphne, Koko, Sunny, and Eli are determined to break the bonds of the ancestral curse that holds their futures in limbo. Confronting the secretive Majors leads to a vital revelation: a group of rebel witches known as the New Moon Order was responsible for casting the curse, and the Majors are not quite as all-powerful as they seem.

With the might of the Majors now on their side, the group sets out to undo the curse, once and for all, returning to the place where everything began: the seemingly abandoned farm house where Eli first began exploring his magic. The five friends must face their ghosts, both real and imagined, in this compelling examination of generational trauma, power, and what it means to craft a family of your own making.

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Intrigued? Read on to discover the synopsis and a sneak peek from To Dance The Moon and Stars by Tasia M S and Barbara Perez Marquez, which releases on July 14th 2026 and is available now for preorder.

Eighteen-year-old Myra has spent her entire life training to replace her grandmother as High Priestess. But with the day of her ascension rapidly approaching, she’s not sure if she’s meant for this path. How can she become the herald of the god Alrun when he forbids the thing she loves most: dancing?

Her kingdom can’t afford her hesitation though. Not only is the emperor looking for Alrun’s wisdom ahead of a peace treaty, but forces of darkness are seeping through the barrier between worlds. The only source of light Myra has is her childhood best friend, the crown prince. Without his support and…love, she may not be able to stop what’s coming.

To save her people, Myra must delve into her kingdom’s forgotten history, even if it means defying the laws of the land. But the key to salvation may just require her to make the biggest sacrifice of all.

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Intrigued? Well read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt from Huw Aaron’s Unfairies, which releases on January 6th 2025.

Some stories will tell you that fairies are sweet, beautiful, and kind creatures who fly around with sparkly wands. But they are WRONG! Fairies are horrible, rude back stabbers who are constantly at war with each other. (They’re not even magical, for crying out loud!)

And then there’s Pip, a clueless tree fairy who couldn’t give two hoots about power and would rather just have a party. But after being tasked with delivering an important message from the root stores all the way to the top of the tree, Pip is thrown into a whirlwind adventure involving a dubious ancient prophecy, epic acorn-based warfare, and sinister plots that could shatter the delicate peace among the fairies for good. The Garden may be in desperate need of a hero . . . Too bad it’ll have to settle for Pip.

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Intrigued? Well read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt from Marissa Meyer’s We Could Be Magic with illustrations by Joelle Murray, which is out now!

When Tabitha Laurie was growing up, a visit to Sommerland saved her belief in true love, even as her parents’ marriage was falling apart. Now she’s landed her dream job at the theme park’s prestigious summer program, where she can make magical memories for other kids, guests, and superfans just like her. All she has to do is audition for one of the coveted princess roles, and soon her dreams will come true.

There’s just one problem. The heroes and heroines at Sommerland are all, well… thin. And no matter how much Tabi lives for the magic, she simply doesn’t fit the park’s idea of a princess.

Given a not-so-regal position at a nacho food stand instead, Tabi is going to need the support of new friends, a new crush, and a whole lot of magic if she’s going to devise her own happily ever after. . . without getting herself fired in the process.

With art by Joelle Murray, the wonder of Sommerland comes to life with charming characters and whimsical backdrops. We Could Be Magic is a perfect read for anyone looking to get swept away by a sparkly summer romance.

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After finally escaping the chaos of her alcoholic mother’s home, Boo is searching for a sense of stability. But with her girlfriend Mimi’s disapproving mother looming, Boo starts to wonder: is trading one toxic environment for another really a step forward?

I don’t know why but the bubblegum pink happy colour vibes of the art paired with the darker themes this series portrays just vibes with me. It feels jarring at times yet at others it serves almost like a beacon of hope that brighter days are still to come, even when the present does not look like it. It reminds me a lot of She-Ra, so if you love that series’ artistic style, you’re sure to love Rainbow as well.

There are also so many small details in the art that I love—from Boo’s stretchmarks to the way Mimi’s hair just flops a certain way when her mood shifts, it makes the characters feel even more alive and as if they’re ready to jump off the page. You can tell the effort that went into this to make sure readers are fully immersed in this beautiful graphic novel.

Similarly, Boo’s vivid imagination is portrayed in such a lovely and heartwarming way. It’s her refuge when things in reality don’t make sense to her but also offers her a whole new perspective on who she is as a person. I especially enjoyed that Mimi just runs with it and engages with Boo’s fantasies rather than ignore or be annoyed by them. It shows that these two were a match made in heaven!

And speaking of Boo and Mimi: I loved the slow progression of their romance! While Boo realises quite quickly that she has feelings for Mimi, the scene where she comes to that realisation was just so heartwarming. I wish everyone got to experience that sort of safe setting when they choose to come out. Mimi, meanwhile, had a whole different struggle to face as her mother is very queerphobic and her father struggles to stand up to her. I loved how fiercely she protected her identity and called out her dad for having to do better if he truly loves her. A reminder that love is unconditional and should never be taken for granted.

What I will say is that the dark themes here hurt just as much as they did in volume one and I highly encourage readers not to be fooled by the cutesy art—there is real depth here that will make you either feel like you can relate or at the very least have empathy for Boo and Mimi’s personal struggles. The struggles are well-balanced with moments of levity and support from corners where you might not expect it from.

Overall, this is a wholesome, whimsical sequel to Rainbow! Vol. 1 that invites readers to dive back into the magic of Boo’s happily ever after – a hard-won, cathartic one at that!

Rainbow! Vol. 2 is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of May 6th 2025.

Will you be picking up Rainbow! Vol. 2? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

Heartstopper meets Magical Boy in this heartwarming YA graphic novel full of heart, adorable illustrations, and a storyline every teenager can relate to.

Teenager Boo Meadows’s story continues in this second volume! With pink hair and a very vivid imagination, Boo has trouble separating from the real world. In her daydreams, she dances beautifully at balls or fights monsters as a magical girl. In reality, she has a complicated home life, work stress, school stress, and a wicked crush on the girl of her dreams.

After life became too toxic to endure, Boo has moved out of her alcoholic mother’s house. Can Boo and Mimi stick together? And is dealing with Mimi’s unapproving mother any better than Boo’s mom?

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Intrigued? Well read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt from Barbara Mazzi’s Hourglass, which is out now!

The Hourglass is called many things: the perfect machine, the source of all life, the fountain of youth. It promises immortal comfort to the privileged, but it also looms over its creators, trapping them in its cycle. 

Martel knows that there are other, inexplicable things that give life meaning, way more valuable than her own immortality. She only feels alive in the stolen moments with Twenty, an assembly worker in the dangerous gears of the machine. Will the differences between their lives tear their relationship apart, or will the Hourglass shatter first? After all, a society built on rejecting these feelings is beyond fragile… it’s a ticking time bomb.

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