Don’t Miss the Hype: 7 Fantasy and Romantasy Books to Read Before Their Anticipated Sequels Drop in 2026
Have you read ‘book one’ yet?! Don’t worry, you still have time. Kind of. There’s always anticipated sequels coming out, but 2026 is a feast for follow-ups. Between sequels that have been delayed to Booktok favorites, we are being FED this year. Many of these had pretty brutal cliffhangers, and I, along with many other readers have been anxiously waiting to find out what happens to some of our favorite characters. But waiting for sequels can be stressful or thrilling depending on what type of reader you are. I’ve definitely been guilty of waiting to start an anticipated read until the sequel comes out because I don’t want that cliffhanger pain, and I just want to be able to binge read. But sometimes you pick up a book without any expectations, completely fall in love with the characters, and then you’re stuck waiting. There’s also the question of if you should reread. Sometimes I do reread if it’s been a long time, so I can make sure everything is fresh in my mind. But with so many books to read, I don’t always have that luxury, so I’ll revisit my book reviews for a quick refresh.
This year’s release calendar is stacked (hehe) with highly anticipated reads guaranteed to dominate bookish conversations, Booktok and Bookstagram feeds, and TBR lists everywhere. Whether you’re racing to catch up on a beloved series, avoiding being spoiled (I loathe spoilers), or finally ready to start one you’ve been “saving for later,” this list of seven upcoming sequels below is your sign to begin now. Trust me: future you will be glad you did.
The Knave and the Moon by Rachel Gillig
Release Date: September 1st
If you also adored book one, The Knight and the Moth (catch my review here!), this is already on your TBR and you’re counting down the days. Once again, we were dealt a somewhat brutal cliffhanger, and I’m missing Bartholomew so much! Can’t wait to be back in this gothic world.
Synopsis:
“Aisling Cathedral is in ruins. Rodrick Myndacious, Bartholomew, and Maude Bauer are rumored to be dead—and the king has taken Sybil Delling as his bride. To show off their union and solidify his power over Traum, Benji proposes a series of tournaments throughout the hamlets. Captive and drugged, Sybil remains determined to vanquish him as she once did the Omens, even if she destroys the kingdom’s faith—and herself—in the process.
But then a mysterious knave rises to the top of the tournament lists, a man with no name and no memory who may just be Sybil’s ticket to undoing Benji’s power. For in a land where stories repeat themselves, where a king can prove as cruel as a god, the only way to truly destroy the Stonewater Kingdom’s faith is to save it.”
A War of Wyverns by S.F. Williamson
Release Date: January 6th
The Sequel to A Language of Dragons, which I wasn’t even sure we were going to get, but I am so excited to be back in this world. Talking dragons, villains to loathe, and an alternate historical fiction set in London and beyond?! YES, please! Want to catch my review of book one? Read it here.
Synopsis:
“Rebellion happens in the shadows. In the sequel to the New York Times bestseller A Language of Dragons, language is the greatest weapon in a war between humans and dragons—and one translator has the power to change the world. Perfect for teen fans of Fourth Wing and Babel.
Who is Vivien Featherswallow?
It’s the question on the lips of every human and dragon in Britannia, and even she doesn’t know the answer. Is she the Swallow, the face of the rebellion against the corrupt government and invading Bulgarian dragons? Is she a brasstongue, a translator on the cusp of discovering a new dragon language? Or is she just Viv, the girl who lost the love of her life after playing spy?
Viv isn’t sure, but she knows she has to fight back.
Armed with a machine that allows her to listen to dragons’ thoughts, a diary with the clues of a never-before translated dragon tongue, and her own need to avenge her lost love, Viv seeks out the elusive Hebridean Wyverns. If she can find them and convince them to join the war, the rebellion might have a chance.
Viv will soon realize that while translation is a weapon, it might not help her on her journey to victory—or to finding herself.”
In the Wake of the Ruined by Kalie Cassidy
Release Date: July 7th
Book one, In the Veins of the Drowning, is so high on my TBR, and is one of the only “book ones” on this list that I haven’t read yet.
Synopsis:
“The realm has a new queen… and a new monster.
Imogen Nel, a powerful Siren, can no longer hide her monstrous abilities. She has claimed her ancestral crown and new grotesque magic, and now the corrupted bond she shares with the ancient deity Eusia is stronger than ever. Though Imogen is determined to sever it, doing so is no easy feat. The threat of war looms. Shifting alliances, a hunger for magic, and her feelings for Theodore, King of Varya, attempt to thwart her at every turn.
Meanwhile, Theodore is battling the strain of his own crown and commitments. When Imogen suddenly appears on his ship, every dutiful resolution he’s ever made threatens to snap. As they draw nearer to ending Eusia, lurking dangers and their perilous desire for one another prove nearly insurmountable.
Will the chaos, ruin, and death that Imogen was prophesied to usher into the realm be the end of all things, or the beginning?”
The Tapestry of Fate: An Amina al-Sirafi Adventure by Shannon Chakraborty
Release Date: May 12th
This is motivation for me to finally pick up The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi from my shelf! Lady pirates?! Enough said.
Synopsis:
“New York Times bestselling author Shannon Chakraborty sets sail into the second adventure of pirate Amina al-Sirafi as her quest to track down magical artifacts brings her to the island lair of a sorceress whose woven enchantments are impossible to flee.
Amina al-Sirafi thinks she’s struck gold. Tasked with hunting down arcane artifacts for the council of immortal peris, she can savor the occasional rollicking adventure on the high seas with her cherished criminal companions while still returning home to raise her beloved daughter, Marjana. But when Raksh, the spirit of discord with whom she is reluctantly wed, provokes the council’s wrath, Amina is charged with a seemingly impossible quest: steal a spindle capable of rewriting fate from a mysterious sorceress on an island no one can escape.
Forced to leave Marjana—who is increasingly frustrated at being peddled what are clearly lies about her mother’s life and her own past—Amina finds her mission almost immediately thrown into peril. But deadly storms, an erratic poison mistress, and old enemies are the least of her worries. For the peris’ story is unraveling, hinting at a far deadlier game whose rules Amina must swiftly puzzle out. A game that sets her against an adversary more cunning and powerful than she has ever faced.”
The Ballad of Falling Dragons by Sarah A. Parker
Release Date: May 19th, 2026
This one’s been a LONG time coming, and how gorgeous is this first print run going to be?! Haven’t read book one yet? Check my full review of it here.
Synopsis:
“Moonbeam. A moonfall is coming.”
Raeve’s thirst for vengeance continues to burn, as does her love for Kaan Vaegor—a staunch beacon from a past she’s yet to face. With Rekk’s blood still fresh on her hands, she learns the world will face its most devastating moonfall yet, forcing her to pick a path:
Chase death. Or life.
Desperate to save his kingdom from ruin, Kaan’s crown has never felt so heavy. His many larks to scattered friends and family remain unanswered, and time is running out.
As allies merge and enemies surge with bloodlusting agendas of their own, secrets brew hot enough to burn, but none so mighty as the truth nesting within the icy depths of Raeve’s long forgotten past.
Something…Other. Something with the knowledge to change it all.”
Light Wielder by Rachel Schneider
Release Date: June 9th
I’m gnawing at the bars of my enclosure for this sequel to Metal Slinger! It was such a brutal cliffhanger and I NEED to know what happens. This was one of those viral Booktok books that I went into with pretty low expectations, but had an amazing time reading. It worked for me. Y’all I had to block out parts of the synopsis because there were massive spoilers everywhere in it, so please read book one ASAP!
Synopsis:
“It’s been four years since _____ betrayed _____ (ummm spoiler alert!). The Kenta and Strou forces ally against the Roison and Alaha, with Maile perched dangerously on the edge of their battles.
When he discovers the chilling reason behind the return of his father's magic, as well as Edmond’s dangerous new alliance, Acker must finally decide which war he wants to fight: the one for his king or the one for his heart.
Daggerbound by T. Kingfisher
Release Date: August 25th
Not going to lie, I was sold on two things when I first saw Swordheart: 1. the STUNNING cover, and 2. it’s T. Kingfisher, who is an auto-read author for me at this point. But how gorgeous do these two books look together?! This is another series I’ve been waiting to read, and now that we’re getting book two this year, I’m so excited to dive in!
Synopsis:
“Learned Edmund, a disillusioned scholar, is transporting yet another precious relic from one stuffy temple to a different stuffy temple. Another great adventure for the ages…
But when Edmund is set upon by bandits, in desperation, he breaks the cardinal rule and grabs for the relic, an ancient sword. To his surprise, instead of unsheathing a rusty, ancient weapon, an alarmingly handsome man appears, wielding daggers of blue steel and cutting the thieves down.
This man is the Dervish, an immortal warrior who’s been trapped for centuries in a sword of enchanted steel, and is angry as hell about it. He hates the curse that put him there, and he wants to hate Edmund, just as he has hated every wielder before him.
But the damned scholar is just so sweet and clever and kind. And while the Dervish may be able to protect Edmund from bandits, cultists, dragons, and strange inhuman diplomats, he may find it much harder to protect his own heart.”
Have a most anticipated sequel you’re looking forward to that’s not on the list? Help the community out and share it and book one below in the comments!
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