Dive Into These March 2023 New Book Releases Full of Fantasy, Horror, and More!

As the snow thaws and rain falls, there's no better time to stay inside and read a good book. Whether you're interested in short story collections by literary favorites or discovering new fantasy from debut authors, these March 2023 new book releases have a little something for everyone.

Please keep in mind that Distractify's lists are non-exhaustive, so if your favorites aren't listed here, feel free to drop us a line.

At the start of Hannah Whitten's new epic fantasy trilogy, young Lore flees into the catacombs beneath the city of Dellaire after discovering a secret power to raise the dead. But when Lore's powers are revealed, she's arrested by a group of warrior monks to enlist her help on behalf of the King. As a member of the Sainted King's court, she must learn how to survive amongst the political machinations of her peers.

The Foxglove King will be released on March 7, 2023.

Margaret Atwood's latest short story collection Old Babes in the Wood, includes fifteen stories with themes of miscommunication, loss, memory, parenthood, and more.

Old Babes in the Wood will be released on March 7, 2023.

Collette LeSange has been immortal since 1834 when her grandfather granted her eternal life. Almost 150 years later, Collette is a lonely artist running an elite arts school for children in upstate New York. But when a gifted child from a troubled home arrives at the school, she finds herself stalked by a figure from her past and fending off a growing hunger for blood.

The God of Endings will be released on March 7, 2023.

Taking its title from Shakespeare's Macbeth, Elanor Catton's new thriller follows Mira, the head of a guerrilla gardening collective called Birnam Wood. After a landslide rocks New Zealand’s South Island and leaves the town of Thorndike abandoned, Mira sees it as the perfect opportunity ... unless American businessman Robert Lemoine gets to the land first to build a doomsday bunker.

Birnam Wood will be released on March 7, 2023.

The story of Weyward follows three different perspectives across five centuries. In the present, Kate attempts to flee the wild Weyward Cottage, inherited from a great-aunt she barely remembers. In 1619, Althea is accused of witchcraft and is awaiting trial for the murder of a local farmer. Then, in 1942, Violet is trapped by the social confines of the era and missing her deceased mother — who leaves a mysterious trinket bearing the initial "W" behind.

Weyward will be released on March 7, 2023.

Enter the Body follows the ghosts of Shakespeare's famous tragic heroines as they swap stories under a trap door in an old theater. The retelling is written in prose and allows each character to re-write her fate, one act at a time.

Enter the Body will be released on March 14, 2023.

In the novella Feed Them Silence, Dr. Sean Kell-Luddon ponders what it means to "be in-kind" with the last wild wolves. Her desire to be a part of a pack and see the world through animal eyes leads to a research obsession that threatens not only her relationships but her body and soul.

Feed Them Silence will be released on March 14, 2023.

Vera Wong lives above a tea shop in Chinatown, San Francisco, and (usually) minds her own business. But when a dead man carrying a flash drive appears in the middle of her shop, she takes it upon herself to watch her customers to see who could be the murderer — even if it means wading into danger.

Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers will be released on March 14, 2023.

After her mother's passing, Madeline "Gwen" Hathaway isn't looking forward to working at renaissance faires with her father. But when she arrives at her mother's favorite stop to find it under new management, Gwen is furious. But Arthur, the new owners' son and a lute-playing bard, convinces her to become Princess of the Faire and see that change isn't always bad.

The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway will be released on March 14, 2023.

In a vivid fantasy debut, Midnight Strikes follows seventeen-year-old Anaïs, who attends the kingdom's anniversary ball when it ends in fiery explosion. Instead of dying, however, the next day, she wakes up in her bed — just as she did the day before. Anaïs takes it upon herself to figure out who caused the explosion and save the kingdom from darkness lurking beneath the court's surface.

Midnight Strikes will be released on March 14, 2023.

Narra Jal is cursed and has been cast aside by society. But when her mother is in danger, Narra must return to her home of Bato-Ko and face the trials, a series of grueling, deadly challenges designed to select the next ruler of the land. Without magic or weapons, Narra doesn't stand much of a chance. But with grit, determination, and a fierce survival instinct, Narra will surprise whoever dares bet against her.

The Moonlight Blade will be released on March 21, 2023.

Blurring the lines between coming-of-age and horror, Chlorine follows Ren Yu, whose entire life revolves around her high school swimming career. But Ren grew up learning mythology of deep sea creatures and merfolk, and she longs to be one with the sea forever. How far will Ren go to make a life for herself in the water?

Chlorine: A Novel will be released on March 28, 2023.

After 17-year-old Sevim Burgos loses her father to elves, she takes a job scavenging elf corpses for corrupt Doctor Ramírez. But when elf Prince Aro Herrera catches Sevim, he kidnaps her mother and forces her to do the Exchange, a weeklong competition that takes place on the elf island of Eterna. Sevim must compete for her safety and her mother's as she uncovers dark secrets Eterna holds.

Last Sunrise in Eterna will be released on March 28, 2023.

From the author of The Changeling comes a new historical fiction horror novel. Lone Women follows Adelaide Henry, a young Black woman in 1915 who flees California for Montana. The government is offering "lone women" free land for anyone who can tame it, but Adelaide's only hope might be the dangerous secret locked away in her steamer trunk.

Lone Women will be released on March 28, 2023.

One year after being cast out from his family, Manny has been living in the wilderness of the American Southwest. But when he takes a chance traveling with the Varela family, especially their son Carlos, Manny thinks his luck is turning around. Meanwhile, young Eli lives in a community called Reconciliation, but he's startled to realize he can't remember his past. After a murder takes place, Manny and Eli are drawn together in ways they never expected.

Into the Light will be released on March 28, 2023.

When Sam Montgomery visits her mother in North Carolina, she's looking forward to bonding with her parent. But her mom's odd behaviors, jumping at shadows and removing any eccentricity from the house, start to worry Sam. When she finds a jar of teeth buried in the rose garden, Sam decides it's time to dig up the house's secrets once and for all.

A House with Good Bones will be released on March 28, 2023.

Inspired by Bonnie and Clyde, Made of Stars' heart-pounding action and space opera adventure will keep you on the edge of your seat. Shane and Ava work as a team to steal aircrafts until Shane's brief jail stint and subsequent breakout force them to lay low. Military leader Cyrus is hot on their trail, but after a chance run-in with the duo, he starts questioning his directives and everything he's been told.

Made of Stars will be released on March 28, 2023.

In Chaos & Flame, Darling Seabreak has already lost her biological family to House Dragon. When her adoptive father in House Kraken is kidnapped by House Dragon, she vows to do anything she can to save him. Meanwhile, Prince Talon Goldhoard is dealing with the chaotic reign of his brother, the High Prince Regent of House Dragon. But when Darling ambushes Talon, he realizes she may be the key to saving the kingdom from itself.

Chaos & Flame will be released on March 28, 2023.