As an avid fantasy reader myself, I curated more than 130 fantasy books corresponding to the main fantasy books subgenres. I hope you'll find your next five-star read within this reading list!
Cozy Fantasy Books
- Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
- The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen
- The Bookshop and the Barbarian by Morgan Stang
- Dreadful by Caitlin Rozakis
- A Witch's Guide to Magical Inkeeping by Sangu Mandanna
- The Phoenix Keeper by S.A. MacLean
- The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst
- A Dark and Secret Magic by Wallis Kinney
- The Grimoire Grammar School by Caitlin Rozakis
- The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong
- Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy
- In the Company of Witches by Auralee Wallace
My pick: Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy
Sorcerer Lucian and mage Shay are bitter rivals who are forced into an uneasy alliance to stop a magical calamity, leading them to discover an unexpected attraction.
Dark Academia Fantasy Books
- A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
- Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey
- Vita Nostra by Marina & Sergey Dyachenko
- Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
- The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake
- A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik
- Babel by R.F. Kuang
- A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee
- Curious Tides by Pascale Lacelle
- Katabasis by R.F. Kuang
- The Library at Hellebore by Cassandra Khaw
- A Mastery of Monsters by Liselle Sambury
My pick: Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey
Non-magical private investigator Ivy Gamble is hired to solve a murder at the magical academy where her estranged twin sister, Tabitha, works.
Fantasy Books with Dragons
- The Dragon Tamer by Ava Richardson
- The Dragon Keeper by Robin Hobb
- His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik
- Fire Heart by Emma Hamm
- So Let Them Burn by Kamilah Cole
- Dragonfall by L.R. Lam
- To Shape a Dragon's Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose
- Dragons and Skylines by Rowan Silver
- A Fire in the Sky by Sophie Jordan
- Gilded Wings by Jaymin Eve
- Empire of Flame and Thorns by Marion Blackwood
- Fear the Flames by Olivia Rose Darling
My pick: To Shape a Dragon's Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose
Anequs, an Indigenous girl, discovers a dragon egg and must attend a colonialist academy to bond with her dragon, Kasa.
Perfect for fans of Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
Fantasy Books with Faes
- Savage Lands by Stacey Marie Brown
- The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black
- Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
- What Lies Beyond the Veil by Harper L. Woods
- Faebound by Saara El-Arifi
- Trial of the Sun Queen by Nisha J. Tuli
- When the Moon Hatched by Sarah A. Parker
- A Dawn of Onyx by Kate Golden
- Servant of Earth by Sarah Hawley
- The Veiled Kingdom by Holly Renee
- A Blade of Blood and Shadow by Willow Bishop
- Wings of Starlight by Allison Saft
My pick: Servant of Earth by Sarah Hawley
Aster, a necromancer, accidentally binds herself to a demon, forcing her to work with him to retrieve a soul for the underworld to save her own life.
Perfect for fans of A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
Gothic Fantasy Books
- Gallant by V.E. Schwab
- House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland
- Belladonna by Adalyn Grace
- One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig
- Where the Dark Stands Still by A.B. Poranek
- The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi
- A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid
- Starling House by Alix E. Harrow
- The Witchwood Knot by Olivia Atwater
- The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig
- The Maiden and Her Monster by Maddie Martixel
- Unraveled by Abbey Fox
My pick: The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi
A man known as the Bridegroom probes into the dark past of his wealthy wife, Indigo Maxwell-Casteñada, while staying at her childhood home.
This is probably one of my all-time favorite book. It reminds me of my childhood best friend and I, but make it gothic and toxic.
Horror Fantasy / Dark Fantasy Books
- The Twisted Ones by T. Kingfisher
- The Changeling by Victor LaValle
- The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson
- Juniper & Thorn by Ava Reid
- House of Hunger by Alexis Henderson
- In Education in Malice by S.T. Gibson
- A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher
- Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix
- When the Wolf Comes Home by Nat Cassidy
- Grave Empire by Richard Swan
- Blood as Bright as the Moon by Andrea Morstabilini
- The Devils by Joe Abercrombie
My pick: The Twisted Ones by T. Kingfisher
While cleaning out her late grandmother's house, Mouse discovers a journal and encounters terrifying folklore entities.
Magical Realism
- The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey
- The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
- The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton
- The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow
- The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
- Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
- The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina by Zoraida Córdova
- The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
- The Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young
- A Sea of Unspoken Things by Adrienne Young
- Sister Spirit by Efua Traoré
- Lost Souls Meet Under a Full Moon by Mizuki Tsujimura
My pick: The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey
In 1920s Alaska, Jack and Mabel build a child out of snow, only to find a young girl named Faina appearing on their property the next morning. As they come to love her as their own daughter, they struggle to determine if she is a real human being or a magical creature born of the winter.
Perfect for fans of The Invisible Life of Addie Larue by V.E. Schwab.
Fantasy Books with Mermaids
- Kingdom of Sea and Stone by Mara Rutherford
- Skin of the Sea by Natasha Bowen
- The Mermaid of Black Conch by Monique Roffey
- A Lair of Bones by Helen Scheuerer
- The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw
- From the Mouths of Sirens by Abigail Hair
- Where Oceans Burn by Casey L. Bond
- The Call of the Sea by Kate Schumacher
- This Fatal Kiss by Alicia Jasinska
- Of Song and Darkness by Jessica S. Spruill
- Selkie by Nataly Gruender
- The Sirens by Emilia Hart
My pick: Where Oceans Burn by Casey L. Bond
Pen, a siren, must navigate the threats posed by the humans who hunt her kind.
Mythology
- Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
- The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty
- The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker
- The Wolf in the Whale by Jordanna Max Brodsky
- The Shadow of the Gods by John Gwynne
- Woven in Moonlight by Isabel Ibañez
- Sistersong by Lucy Holland
- The Witch’s Heart by Genevieve Gornichec
- Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel
- The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper
- Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati
- Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes
My pick: The Wolf in the Whale by Jordanna Max Brodsky
Omat, an Inuit shaman, forms an unlikely bond with a Roman soldier, Brandr after their cultures collide in the Arctic.
Perfect for fans of the Song of Achilles and Circe
Romantasy
- This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi
- Blood & Steel by Helen Scheuerer
- A Court This Cruel & Lovely by Stacia Stark
- The Hurricane Wars by Thea Guanzon
- Spark of the Everflame by Penn Cole
- Metal Slinger by Rachel Schneider
- For Whom the Belle Tolls by Jaysea Lynx
- The Second Death of Locke by V. L. Bowsiak
- Dire Bound by Sable Sorensen
- The Moor Witch by Jessica Khoury
- The Unseen Hour by Silas Reames
- The Serpent’s Bride by Kathryn Ann Kingsley
My pick: The Moor Witch by Jessica Khoury
To save her brother from a deadly curse, Elkie must venture into the treacherous and magical Moors to strike a bargain with the Moor Witch. Along the way, she joins forces with Wayland, facing ancient enchantments to pay a price she never expected.
Fantasy Books with Shapeshifters
- Wolfsong by TJ Klune
- House of Beating Wings by Olivia Wildenstein
- Taken by Fate by Shannon Mayer
- The Blackened Blade by Isla Davon
- Luna Trials by Heather K. Carson
- Wolf of Fire by Krista Street
- Crescent Kingdom by Tessa Hale
- Blood Moon by Britney S. Lewis
- Claws & Crochet by Lauren Connolly
- Bitten by Jordan Stephanie Gray
- Traitor Wolf by Leia Stone
- Wicked Dance of Obsidian and Light by Lucia Skye
My pick: Blood Moon by Britney S. Lewis
A mysterious phenomenon causes people to vanish, as Celia uncovers truths about her own family and community.
Standalone Fantasy Books
- The Bone Houses by Emily Lloyd-Jones
- Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge
- Winterwood by Shea Ernshaw
- The Kingdom of Back by Marie Lu
- Among the Beasts & Briars by Ashley Poston
- A Far Wilder Magic by Allison Saft
- Sisters of Sword & Song by Rebecca Ross
- Into the Heartless Wood by Joanna Ruth Meyer
- Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson
- When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill
- The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo
- Voyage of the Damned by Frances White
My pick: Into the Heartless Wood by Joanna Ruth Meyer
Seren, a tree-spirit, captures Joshua to save her forest, but they begin to develop feelings.
Retellings
- Uprooted by Naomi Novik
- The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
- Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
- The Wrath & The Dawn by Renée Ahdieh
- The Sisters of the Winter Wood by Rena Rossner
- House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig
- Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim
- For the Wolf by Hannah Whitten
- Little Thieves by Margaret Owen
- The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo
- Thorn Hedge by T. Kingfisher
- The Thirteenth Child by Erin A. Craig
My pick: The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo
This is a retelling of The Great Gatsby told through the eyes of Jordan Baker, a queer Vietnamese adoptee with the power to cut paper into life, navigates the decadence and dark magic of 1920s high society as she struggles to find a sense of belonging in a world of infernal pacts and exclusionary privilege.
Urban Fantasy Books
- The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black
- City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
- Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire
- Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
- The City We Became by N. K. Jemisin
- Jade City by Fonda Lee
- Crescent City by Sarah J. Maas
- The Library of the Dead by T. L. Huchu
- Book of Night by Holly Black
- Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
My pick: Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Atl, a descendant of Aztec blood-drinkers, seeks refuge in Mexico City where she encounters Domingo who decides to help her.
Fantasy Books with Vampires
- The Beautiful by Renée Ahdieh
- Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu
- Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff
- A Shadow in the Ember by Jennifer L. Armentrout
- A Fate of Wrath & Flame by K. A. Tucker
- Blood Orange by Karina Halle
- A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal
- The Scarlet Veil by Shelby Mahurin
- A Dowry of Blood by S. T. Gibson
- Court of the Undying Seasons by A. M. Strickland
- The Stars Are Dying by Chloe C. Penaranda
- The Serpent & the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent
My pick: A Fate of Wrath & Flame by K. A. Tucker
Romeria, a thief, is transported to a magical kingdom and forced to impersonate the queen, only to discover she is tied to a prophecy.
Fantasy Books with Witches
- The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow
- The Witches of New York by Ami McKay
- Threadneedle by Cari Thomas
- The Nature of Witches by Rachel Griffin
- Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher
- Her Majesty’s Royal Coven by Juno Dawson
- The Invocations by Krystal Sutherland
- Slewfoot by Brom
- A Resistance of Witches by Morgan Ryan
- A Spell to Wake the Dead by Nicole Lesperance
- Spell Caster by Jaymin Eve
- No Friend to This House by Natalie Haynes
My pick: Her Majesty’s Royal Coven by Juno Dawson
Four childhood friends, Helena, Leonie, Niamh, and Elle, swore an oath to join Her Majesty's Royal Coven, a secret government department of witches founded by Queen Elizabeth I. When a powerful young warlock threatens the coven's existence, they reunite to fight him.
Young Adult Fantasy Books
- The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
- The Diviners by Libba Bray
- The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert
- The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen
- Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young
- Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
- This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab
- We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal
- Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim
- Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor
- The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson
- Graceling by Kristin Cashore
My pick: The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert
Alice Proserpine tracks down her missing mother in the Hazel Wood, a place linked to the dark fairy tales written by her late grandmother.
Epic / High Fantasy
- The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
- Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson
- The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
- Malice by John Gwynne
- The Shadow of What Was Lost by James Islington
- The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie
- Red Sister by Mark Lawrence
- Nevernight by Jay Kristoff
- Half a King by Joe Abercrombie
- The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang
- The Will of the Many by James Islington
- The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
My pick: Red Sister by Mark Lawrence
Nona Grey is sold into slavery but escapes to the Convent of Sweet Mercy, where she trains as an assassin to survive in a dying world.
Historical Fantasy Books
- Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke
- The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi
- She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan
- The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
- Siren Queen by Nghi Vo
- A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske
- The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty
- The Water Outlaws by S.L. Huang
- A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang
- Weyward by Emilia Hart
- Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab
- When the Tides Held the Moon by Venessa Vida Kelley
My pick: The Water Outlaws by S.L. Huang
Lin Chong, an expert weapons instructor, joins a band of outlaws to fight against the corrupt imperial government that betrayed her.
Steampunk Fantasy Books
- Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
- Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld
- The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman
- The Waking Fire by Anthony Ryan
- The Witness for the Dead by Katherine Addison
- A Practical Guide to Sorcery by Azalea Ellis
- Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett
- Vanished by Nicole McKeon
- The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
- The Curious Inheritance of Blakely House by Joanna Davidson Politano
My pick: The Curious Inheritance of Blakely House by Joanna Davidson Politano
Lorelei inherits the mysterious Blakely House and discovers a collection of letters and secrets that link the estate to her own family history.
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