THE DIVINE GARDENER’S HANDBOOK d’Eli Snow

Perfect for fans of Tamsyn Muir and Rebecca Thorne, this joyful debut follows a gardener fighting to secure her dream job in the Divine Gardens―manipulating God, antagonizing her attractive rival, and running afoul of a brewing rebellion along the way.

THE DIVINE GARDENER’S HANDBOOK
by Eli Snow

Saturday Books/St. Martin’s, August 2026

Cyprin grows perfect apples.

No other worker tends the orchards like she can. Sick of living in a Jenga-esque megacity where she’s never alone (there’s always a rat), Cyprin dreams of a job in the Divine Gardens, tending to the plants overseen by God.

Her only way in is winning an annual flower pageant―one that’s been dominated by the Divine Gardens’ head gardener for five years running: an insufferable woman with an undeniable affinity for plants. When Cyprin plays dirty (criminally dirty) and wins, she jumps headfirst into life in the gardens and her rivalry with the head gardener, who she just can’t stop thinking about.

Pranks, backstabbing, and a lot of heated glaring unite them, until they’re both drawn into a plot to take down God―who’s really just some guy with a great garden. As they spiral through layers of the city’s history and underground rebel group, Cyprin and her rival will find they understand each other like no one else does, even if there can only be one head gardener in the end.

But rise or fall, at least Cyprin will always have the rats.

A chaotically queer exploration of love, ambition, and toxic work culture, THE DIVINE GARDENER’S HANDBOOK is a romp of a science fantasy that will leave you gasping for more.

Eli Snow (they/them) is a speculative fiction writer, editor, and former medical geneticist, based in rural Australia with their two cats. Their work tends to center queer and neurodivergent characters, as these are the perspectives they experience the world from. When not reading or writing, they should be checked for signs of life. Eli also writes YA Fantasy under the name Elias Cold. Their YA debut, The Duke Steals Hearts, is available now from Page Street Kids.

KNOWLEDGE FROM STORMS de John Barklow

The ultimate wilderness survival guide from a retired Navy diver who trains special operations soldiers how to survive the world’s toughest environments.

KNOWLEDGE FROM STORMS:
An Expert’s Guide to Surviving the World’s Toughest Environments
by John Barklow

St. Martin’s Press, April 2027

John Barklow has dedicated his career to teaching special operations forces and rescue groups how to survive in the world’s toughest environments. Drawing on his twenty-six years of military service and fifteen years spent developing advanced apparel systems for military and hunting applications, Barklow understands that survival depends on proper training. His approach is straightforward: teach not just what works but why it works so people can adapt when conditions change. He’s transformed complex survival skills into practical, real-world knowledge that works when it matters most. Instead of teaching single solutions, he helps people understand the principles behind survival skills, enabling them to make smart decisions in unpredictable situations.

KNOWLEDGE FROM STORMS is the culmination of those lessons, written as part adventure story and part instruction manual. The book weaves together the deep information one needs to thrive and survive in austere wilderness and pursue their dreams outdoors, whether that be mountain climbing, backcountry hunting or just surviving in extreme conditions. The book comprises twenty-eight chapters that look at planning, training, equipment and survival.

If there was one human being that I had to pick to help me survive a life-or-death emergency situation in the wilderness, without a shadow of a doubt, my choice would be John Barklow. From his extensive experience in real-world situations to his design, testing, and implementation of the most advanced outdoor gear in the world, he’s an incredibly valuable resource of information, and I can’t recommend his book enough.” Joe Rogan

John Barklow spent twenty years on active duty in the U.S. Navy, much of it spent supporting the Navy SEAL Teams in combat diving, submarine operations, and as a survival instructor. For thirteen years, John was at the core of creating the curriculum and instructing special operations troops how to operate and survive without compromise in the world’s harsh, cold, and most remote mountain environments. In 2021, John founded John Barklow USA and created Knowledge from Storms, a platform dedicated to outdoor education, training, and the survival mindset. John maintains a social profile on his website KnowledgeFromStorms.com.

VICTIM OR VILLAIN de L.T. Ryan & C.R. Gray

From the authors of the Maddie Castle series: She came to hide from her past. Now she must fight to protect her future.

VICTIM OR VILLAIN: A Gwen Kane Thriller
by L.T. Ryan & C.R. Gray

Podium Publishing, April 2026

Having escaped her abusive husband, Gwen Kane found safety at Rhiannon’s Ranch, a secret refuge for survivors of domestic violence. Now she works at a local bakery and lives a quiet life among friends who share her scars. She’s almost convinced herself the worst is over.

But when her best friend’s abuser storms into their sanctuary, Gwen erupts in a flash of panic and rage―with deadly consequences. To protect the ranch, she must cover up the evidence of what she’s done. But burying one body doesn’t erase the past. And what’s more, somebody witnessed everything . . .

As Gwen’s fragile peace unravels, she’s drawn into a romance with the one man who could either save or destroy her. With vengeance and justice blurred beyond recognition, she must decide whether she’s still the woman that runs―or the one who fights back.

Perfect for fans of The Girl on the Train and Big Little Lies, VICTIM OR VILLAIN is an emotionally charged psychological thriller featuring a heroine readers won’t soon forget.

L.T. Ryan is the Wall Street Journal–, USA Today–, and Amazon-bestselling author of the Jack Noble, Rachel Hatch, and Gwen Kane series, among other mysteries and thrillers. More than eight million copies of his books have been sold worldwide. When not penning his next adventure, Ryan enjoys traveling, hiking, riding his Peloton, and spending time with his wife, daughter, and four dogs at home in Charlottesville, Virginia.

C.R. Gray is the author of gritty, emotionally charged mystery thrillers designed to linger in the minds of readers long after the final page. She also writes fantasy romance under the pen name Charlie Nottingham. When not writing, Gray enjoys hiking the Appalachian Mountains with her dog, tackling DIY projects, and reading late into the night.

THE WRETCHED DIVINE d’Adalyn Grace

The heart-pounding adult debut from #1 New York Times-bestselling author Adalyn Grace, about an ancient war between angels and demons, and the human knight determined to end it at any cost.

THE WRETCHED DIVINE
by Adalyn Grace

Feiwel, September 2026
(via Park, Fine & Brower)

Aurelie Chantelune was born to serve. Raised as a knight in a kingdom ravaged by demons, she’s spent her life honing her blade, driven by the memory of the monsters who tore her family apart and by the knowledge that she’s one of the few who can stop them.

If Aurelie can claim her first kill, she’ll inherit a legacy passed down through the Chantelune bloodline: a soulbond with Yuriel, an angel whose power is vital to her kingdom’s survival. But when those she loves begin turning into the very monsters she’s sworn to destroy, Aurelie is forced to seek help from the last place she ever imagined. Desperate, she forges a second and far more dangerous bond with Severin, a demon she can hardly trust, but who claims to know how to end the war for good.

With their lives and fates entwined, Aurelie, Yuriel, and Severin must team up to hunt down a cure capable of turning demons back into humans. But the more they learn about one another and the deeper their relationships grow, the more Aurelie begins to question the war and her place in it. With both of her bonded on opposing sides, she’ll have to make a choice: continue to stand with the angels, or risk everything by trusting a demon.

An utterly original and epic tale of angels, demons, and magic.” —Stephanie Garber, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of Alchemy of Secrets

Enthralling, romantic, and devastating in the best of ways.” —Rebecca Ross, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of Wild Reverence

Effortlessly weaves magnificent worldbuilding and haunting and complex characters with a deliciously entangled romance. I adored every page.” —Sue Lynn Tan, USA Today-bestselling author of Daughter of the Moon Goddess

Adalyn Grace is a #1 New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, IndieBound, and International bestselling author of the Belladonna series and the All the Stars and Teeth duology. Prior to becoming an author, she spent four years working in live theatre, acted as the managing editor of a nonprofit newspaper, and studied storytelling as an intern on Nickelodeon Animation’s popular series The Legend of Korra. Local to San Diego, Adalyn spends her non-writing days by watching too much anime, and by playing video games with her two dorky dogs.

WE INTERRUPT THIS PROGRAM de Randee Dawn

Welcome to Seaview Haven. A delightful village of charming humans, quaint homes – and cozy mysteries! Fortunately, there’s silver-haired author-turned-sleuth Winnie Arrowmaker on hand to solve them all.

WE INTERRUPT THIS PROGRAM
by Randee Dawn

Solaris Nova, March 2026
(via JABberwocky)

But things aren’t exactly as they seem. Seaview Haven is one of the Seelie Court Network’s many invented TROPE towns, and the “mysteries” are scripted and streamed for the entertainment of enchanted creatures across the Veil. Or, rather, they were

Winnie has a wicked case of writer’s block, moviemaking across the Veil has ground to a halt, and the town is crumbling.

Enter Finch, an SCN intern who might be the worst Unseelie ever. With aid from his reluctant brownie assistant, Finch is assigned to figure out what’s gone wrong in Seaview Haven… so he can dismantle it forever. But after landing in town, Finch soon learns that real lives – and real friends – aren’t so easily canceled.

To keep “The End” from being stamped on Seaview Haven, Winnie and Finch are going to have to tell a Truly Great Tale. Because as they realize, real power lies not in the stories we watch, but in the stories we tell ourselves.

Tropes List:
👵 older woman solving mysteries
🍄 mixed-up Unseelie gardener
🍞 shortbread magic
disappearing TROPE town residents
💔 fae-human romance on the rocks
👦👩🏿 intrepid young sleuths
👸 goddess gal-cation gone wrong?
🖨️ write a great story… or else!

Randee Dawn is the bestselling author of the pop culture fantasy novel Tune in Tomorrow and its Tune-iverse follow-up WE INTERRUPT THIS PROGRAM. She’s also the author of the dark Celtic musical fantasies The Only Song Worth Singing and Leave No Trace. Her short fiction has appeared in numerous anthologies, including most recently Dark Spores: Stories We Tell After Midnight. She is the co-author of The Law & Order: SVU Unofficial Companion.