For this edition of Spec. Fic. Society: Once We Were Human, we have six books and ARCs. They cover the gamut from magical realism to high fantasy, sci fi and urban fantasy, for our book blast of new fantasy and sci fi novels May 2025. Let’s give these hard-working authors some love.
If you’d like your book featured in the Spec. Fic. Society newsletter, apply here! We’d love to hear about it.
Children of the Gods, by Neen Cohen: addictive magic and Sapphic cast
Magic is a drug, and the addicts will do anything to get another hit. When Adie fights back, girl power goes to a whole new level. Magic, secrets, found family, and familiars. From Openfields to Forty West, we follow Adie as she discovers who she was and who she wants to be. Along the way we find Tala and Xand and together they kick the arse out of those who would repress others.
This Aussie Fantasy, featuring a cult’s comeuppance, and a kick arse Sapphic cast, will appeal to readers of Darkly Dreaming Dexter and author S.D Simper.
About the author: Neen Cohen
Neen Cohen is an Aussie sapphic SFF author. Her novel The Void, won the Page Turner Awards for best LGBT book of 2024. She tries being serious but thrives as the hyperactive bookworm and rarely stops smiling or laughing. Rules were never her strong point. When not writing, Neen loves dancing, nerf wars, axe throwing, and roaming graveyards and forests. Neen Cohen’s adventures can be find at neencohen.com/links.
Neen Cohen is also the author of:
- Coffee, Cars, and Necromancy
- The Void
- Deep Sounding Chaos
- Surface Pressure
- Battle Fluke
Content warnings for Children of the Gods, by Neen Cohen
- Physical abuse and dismemberment scenes.
Show some love! Support the author
- Buy Children of the Gods online here.
- Follow Neen Cohen on Instagram, Threads, Facebook, or check out her website.
- Sign up for Neen’s newsletter here: “Sign up to receive free short reads and access to Neen’s life behind the scenes. Some related to writing, while others feature members of her menagerie, (dog, cats, bird) nature roamings, and updated information about events and releases.”
In the Name of Honor, by Courtney & Clarke Collins: high fantasy in a queernorm world
A half-elven princess and her loyal guardsman must evade capture and save her father, the king, from a fate worse than death: total corruption. But their rescue mission turns into a hunt, and only the princess or the king can be saved.
In the Name of Honor is an adult fantasy perfect for fans of a diverse queernorm world, princess/guard romance, found family, competing revenge arcs, morally honorable heroes vs. unrepentant villains, less spice/more pining because the burn is slow, and a little bit of cheese theft.
In the Name of Honor will appeal to readers of Kristen Britain and Susan Dennard, and fans of The Rings of Power show.
About the authors: Courtney & Clarke Collins
For over 25 years, Clarke and Courtney Collins have nurtured a dynamic partnership. Their Vows & Valor series reflects a lifetime of world and character building through an inclusive lens that elevates the reader’s experience. Clarke and Courtney first met in college, lived coast-to-coast, and currently reside in Vermont with their two children.
Content warnings for In the Name of Honor, by Courtney & Clarke Collins
- Off page murder of father figure/friend
- Off page childbirth death of mother
- Parent/friend loss, grief, and mourning
- Physical violence toward a child and child/parent separation
- Vomiting
- Fantasy violence (swords, arrows, fists, claws, blood, amputation, dragon’s fire)
- Drinking, alcohol use
- Some language.
Show some love! Support the author
- Buy In the Name of Honor online, here.
- Follow Courtney & Clarke Collins on Instagram, Threads, or other platforms here, and check out their website here.
- Sign up for Courtney & Clarke Collins’ newsletter here: “Sign up for the most low-key newsletter you’ll ever receive… and by receive, we mean a couple a year at most. Subscribe and prepare to be surprised when an email eventually does show up filled with excitement, humor, and lots of gifs.”
The Miraculous Life of Rupert Rocket, by Mark Salzwedel: chaotic luck across time
Rupert’s family has been cursed by one Irish fairy and blessed by another. His chaotic luck takes him through careers as a dancer, model, actor, and international spy. And he always wonders when the blessing will run out.
Rupert never knows what odd twist of luck will visit him for a year on his Christmas morning birthday. This epic magical realism, with Irish fairies, taking place 1942-2019, will appeal to fans of magical realism and historical fiction.
About the author: Mark Salzwedel
Mark Salzwedel is the author of two 5-star LGBT novels, The Lever and The Miraculous Life of Rupert Rocket: A Novel of the Fae. He is also an editor, performer, and composer.
Content warnings for The Miraculous Life of Rupert Rocket, by Mark Salzwedel
- Door ajar sexual descriptions.
Show some love! Support the author
- Buy the book online, here.
- Follow Mark Salzwedel on Instagram, Threads, Soundcloud, TikTok, Facebook, or visit his website here.
- Sign up for Mark’s newsletter here: “My blog features writing tips, publication announcements, publicity, reviews, and options for beta and ARC reviews.”
ARC Shoutouts: Opportunities to review advance copies of new fantasy and sci fi novels May 2025
We have three ARC opportunities this month to share with you for your reading enjoyment. If you have an ARC you’d like to promote in the Spec. Fic. Society newsletter, apply here! I’d love to help you get it in front of more eyes.
Mind Sets, by Zofia von Huck
In a world ruled by warring Mega-Corporations, reclusive Corporate heiress Elene unknowingly acquires Plan43, a plot for world control by unscrupulous Mega-Corp RamCo. Her best friend, infamous Underground hacker Kristoph, the only man capable of preventing RamCo from executing Plan43, has been interrogated and tortured by RamCo, leaving him physically and mentally broken, and in no state to help her.
Meanwhile, RamCo Director Thomas Howard, believing Kristoph to be dead, posts a reward for the return of the Plan43 file, and the identity of its possessor. Kristoph’s bitter ex-lover Ariel knows the truth about Kristoph and Elene.
Is the promise of Howard’s reward enough to make her betray her former allies? Or will she find another way to punish them for ruining her life? As Kristoph’s condition deteriorates, Elene realises that it’s up to her. She must stop hiding, not only to save her friend, but also to prevent the world from falling into RamCo’s control.
- Apply to be an ARC reader here.
- Release date: 30 May 2025
About the author: Zofia von Huck
Zofia is a writer, artist and educator. She has a Graduate Diploma in Screenwriting and has written and produced a stage play, Super Creeps which played to sold-out audiences at the Wellington Fringe Festival, as well as a screenplay for a short film Squish, which won the Cult Classic Award at the VUWSA Film Festival in Wellington, New Zealand. Zofia has a Master in Education Leadership and has had several research articles about education and teaching theory published in peer-reviewed research journals. She has worked for several universities and private tertiary education providers in Australia and New Zealand, where she has taught academic writing and teaching theory. In her spare time, she is a beta reader and editor for both fiction and non-fiction manuscripts. She lives in Sydney.
Zofia von Huck is also the author of:
- The Healing Touch
- Undermind
- Mind Games
Content warnings for Mind Sets by Zofia von Huck
- Mention of forced abortion in prologue, medical procedures.
- M rated.
Show some love!
- Follow Zofia von Huck on Instagram, Threads, Facebook, and check out her website, here.
- Join Zofia’s newsletter here: for “Early access to ARCs, access to short stories, and bonus scenes from novels.”
Arc of the Universe, by Nikki Alexander
How do you design a system of government for an experimental settlement on Mars when you’ve lost faith in government itself?
Arc of the Universe is a science fiction novel exploring a pressing issue: as billionaire-owned private companies dominate space exploration, how do we ensure access to space is fair and inclusive? What happens when the very person tasked with designing a fair system of government loses faith in government itself?
All of the research for the novel comes from an academic article written by the author about designing a feminist constitution for Mars. It’s an inclusive feminist, queer story that will appeal to readers of Octavia Butler and Rivers Solomon.
- Apply to be an ARC reader here.
- Release date: 24 June 2025
About the author: Nikki Alexander
Nikki Alexander is a debut fiction author based in the greater Washington, DC area. She earned her J.D. from Harvard Law School. She has published articles in academic journals on race, gender, and outer space. When she’s not lawyering or writing, she enjoys tap dancing and attempting to keep her temperamental houseplants alive.
Content warnings for Arc of the Universe by Nikki Alexander
- Police violence.
- Occasional swearing and references to off-page sex.
Show some love!
- Follow Nikki Alexander on Instagram, Bluesky, and visit her website here.
- Join Nikki’s newsletter here.
Shadows Eternal, by B.K. Cavaleri
This is Shadows Eternal, book 3 of a dark fantasy romance based loosely on fae folkore, told in first person POV of the FMC and MMC, full of epic high fantasy, stabby female rage, mythical creatures, sexy shifters, and feral pissing gnomes.
It’s a dark fantasy with a strong stabby female lead and sexy shifters, full of high stakes and an epic plot.
This unique fantasy with magical pets will captivate you and keep you thoroughly engaged, and will appeal to readers of Sarah J Maas and Lauren Roberts.
- Apply to be an ARC reader here.
- Release date: 19 September 2025.
About the author: B.K. Cavaleri
Indie author B.K. Cavaleri is a storyteller with a heart full of dreams and a head full of characters who are never quiet. By day, she’s a physical therapist, wife, mom to two incredible rainbow boys, and a chaos coordinator. With a leap of faith she dove into the world of self-publishing, embracing the mess, the magic, and the learning curve along the way. Her book series, Remnant Archives, invites you into a world of curses, shifting alliances, and power plays in the perilous land of Faerie. With a fierce shadow fae heroine, a dashing (and dangerous) shifter, and a story packed with heart-pounding twists, this is a journey you won’t want to miss. Dark magic, redemption arcs, and a world that feels beautifully, hauntingly alive—are you ready to join the adventure?
B.K. Cavaleri is also the author of:
- Shadows Lost
- Shadows Ascend
- Shadows of Air and Earth.
Content warnings for Shadows Eternal by B.K. Cavaleri
- Yes – contact author for information.
Show some love!
Get your novel featured like these new fantasy and sci fi novels May 2025
Would you like to share your novel with Spec. Fic. Society readers? Apply here! We’d love to hear about your book. It’s open to newsletter subscribers and Instagram followers. Hit any of the Sign Up buttons around here to subscribe to the newsletter, and follow on Instagram here.