Readers waiting for the next installment of J.D. Evans’s Mages of the Wheel series have two titles to keep track of: Bird & Blade and Mountain & Memory. However, they are different projects, and a progress update about one does not automatically establish a release date for the other.
As of October 4, 2026, no confirmed release date for Mages of the Wheel Book 5 could be verified in the public sources checked for this article. Mountain & Memory is listed as the fifth main novel, while Evans has directly described Bird & Blade as a companion novella.
Here is what readers should know about the next book, the author’s writing updates, and the difference between the two upcoming stories.
Does Mages of the Wheel Book 5 Have a Release Date?
There is no verified publication date to put on your calendar yet. That also means readers should not treat a 2026 or 2027 release as confirmed.
The StoryGraph listing for Mountain & Memory identifies it as Mages of the Wheel Book 5. However, the entry is marked as user-added, has no ISBN, and does not supply a specific edition publication date. Its displayed 2025 year should not be read as proof that the novel has been released.
A catalog entry can help readers keep track of an anticipated title, but an author announcement or an authoritative publication listing is needed to establish when it will actually arrive.
Book 5 Status at a Glance
| Detail | Current status |
|---|---|
| Book 5 title | Mountain & Memory, as listed in StoryGraph |
| Confirmed release date | None verified in the public sources checked |
| Related project | Bird & Blade, a companion novella |
| Verified Book 5 preorder | None located during this check |
| Specific Book 5 synopsis | Not verified during this check |
What Has J.D. Evans Said About Bird & Blade?
In her Goodreads author Q&A, Evans describes Bird & Blade as a novella, with the title identified as a working title in that answer. She says it follows Benat and Mirari before the events of Siren & Scion.
That gives readers a concrete distinction: Bird & Blade explores an earlier part of those characters’ story. It should not be described as the fifth main novel simply because it is another planned release in the same world.
The Goodreads answer also mentions a hoped-for end-of-year release, but does not display a clear posting date in the accessible page. It therefore cannot responsibly be used to promise a late-2026 publication. A relative phrase such as “the end of the year” needs its original date before it can establish even a tentative timetable.
What Does the 2026 Newsletter Update Say?
A reader’s January 10, 2026 Reddit post reproduces a newsletter attributed to Evans. This is a reader repost rather than a directly accessed newsletter archive, so that distinction matters when assessing the update.
In the reproduced message, Evans says she is working on Bird & Blade, describes slow progress amid personal pressures, and discusses the difficulty of handling the story’s serious subject matter.
The message also connects Bird & Blade with Mountain & Memory. It says the projects feature the same characters and expresses hope that the gap between their releases will be shorter than the preceding wait.
That is encouraging for readers following both stories, but it does not provide a publication date for either project. It also does not establish that Book 5 is finished, edited, or ready for preorder.
Is Mages of the Wheel Finished?
The main series is not complete. Evans has previously stated that she plans six main books, alongside additional stories.
Her official catalog identifies the four published main installments as:
The series also includes Wind & Wildfire, a prequel. Its presence explains why someone can have read five novels in this world and still be waiting for the fifth numbered main installment.
For newcomers, the simplest approach is to follow publication order. Evans’s website specifically recommends publication order for the prequel, rather than automatically placing it first because its events happen earlier.
Where Should Readers Look for the Next Announcement?
Evans’s official website links to her newsletter and her Readers of the Wheel Facebook group. Those channels provide a direct route to future announcements.
The next details worth watching for are a dated release announcement, an official preorder link, a cover reveal, or a clear production update. Each would answer a different question: a cover establishes the book’s presentation, while a dated announcement establishes its schedule.
Until those details become available, Mountain & Memory remains a title to watch. Readers can look forward to more of Tamar without turning an older target, an undated answer, or a user-added catalog year into a publication promise.
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