If you’re a fantasy reader like myself, I’m sure you’re familiar with authors such as Sarah J. Maas, Jennifer Armentrout, Lauren Roberts, and many more. However, if you’re looking to branch away from those popular books, I have a couple of underrated fantasy books that deserve some recognition!
The Crowns of Nyaxia Series
The Crowns of Nyaxia series has quickly become one of my all-time favorite fantasy series, and I will never stop recommending it to people. However, it is currently an incomplete series, so be prepared for plenty of heartwrenching cliffhangers and plot twists. Trust me when I say that the ending of book one made me cry for at least an hour. This six-book dark-fantasy romance has everything you could ask for: vampires, deadly trials, a killer enemies-to-lovers trope, and phenomenal worldbuilding. The first two books follow Oraya – the human daughter of a vicious vampire king – and Raihn, an enemy to Oraya’s father’s throne. The two of them find themselves as allies in the Kejari – a tournament that takes place every hundred years; The winner is granted a wish by the Goddess Nyaxia herself.
After reading this book, Oraya quickly became one of my favorite heroines of all time. One of the things that really interested me about this series is how it is divided into three separate duologies, all of which focus on different characters in different vampire houses. The first is the Nightborn duet, followed by the Shadowborn duet (the first book is being released in mid-November!), and then the Bloodborn duet. Not only that but there are also novellas and standalones that take place in the same world and introduce important side characters in the series. This series, written by Carissa Broadbent (one of my favorite authors), was originally self-published, but the series was recently picked up by Bramble Publishing and became a New York Times bestseller! If you were a fan of Twilight or The Hunger Games while growing up, then this series is for you.
The War of Lost Hearts Trilogy
I’m only a little obsessed with Carissa Broadbent’s writing. The War of Lost Hearts trilogy was her first ever published series, and it is severely underrated and constantly looked over. Although it might not be her bestselling series, it is still a series that deserves a lot more recognition. This trilogy follows Tisaanah, a former slave who, after attempting to buy her freedom, is forced to flee after she accidentally takes a man’s life. She lands in the hands of the Orders, who are the most powerful magic Wielders in the world. Intending to return to save her best friend and those she abandoned, Tisaanah has to play by the Orders’ games…which includes completing an apprenticeship with a man known as Maxantarius Farlione, a recluse who despises the Orders.
If you’re a fan of slow burn romances, the grumpy/sunshine trope, and powerful heroines, then this book trilogy is right up your alley. Max, even though he starts off as a little standoffish, proved himself to be one of the most pure characters in the book, and I loved reading his point of view. Overall, I believe that if anyone is a fan of authors such as Sarah J. Maas (who, to me, is the queen of the fantasy genre), they should try reading anything written by Carissa Broadbent. She has a beautiful writing style and the way she weaves her stories together is really impressive. So, if you’re a fan of high fantasy, but don’t want the pressure of a lengthy series, then I would recommend this trilogy!
The Gods and Monsters Series
The Gods and Monsters series, written by Amber V. Nicole, is a series that will quite literally take over your life until you reach the last page. This dark-fantasy romance is a planned seven-book series that is guaranteed to ruin your social life. This series follows Dianna – a morally gray woman who gave up her life a thousand years prior in order to save her sister, resulting in her becoming a creature known as an Ig’Morruthen – and Samkiel, otherwise known as Liam – a powerful man, known to many as the World Ender, who locked himself away after the Gods War and denied his crown and responsibilities. However, after an attack is launched on those he cares about, Liam not only returns to the realm he had abandoned but also finds himself allying with Dianna, one of his mortal enemies, to find an ancient relic. The banter between these two characters is amazing, and their relationship development over the course of the series will have you screaming at the pages.
Liam is one of the sweetest main characters I have ever read about, but he is so oblivious to modern terms and technology that I can’t help but laugh at him. And Dianna? She is a powerful character who would quite literally burn the world down for her sister. Not to mention that these are big books, and if you’re anything like me, then you’ll agree that those are the best kind of trophies to put on a bookshelf. So if you want romance, a phenomenal plot, and a storyline that will have you swooning for the morally gray villains, I recommend you go and pick up a copy of The Book of Azrael, the first book in the series! Keep in mind, however, that this is an incomplete series, so you will have to wait to find out what happens next!
The House of Devils Series
The House of Devils series, written by Kayla Edwards, is a series I have only just picked up recently. After seeing plenty of reviews about it on social media, I decided to give it a try. Let me tell you, I could not put down the first book once I got my hands on it. The story follows a girl named Loren Calla, who lives in the city of Angelthene, a city that caters to creatures and monsters. However, when Loren starts being hunted for reasons unknown to her, and her friend is abducted in her place, her entire world begins to shift. Then we meet Darien Cassel, one of the most dangerous Darkslayers in the city – a supernatural bounty hunter who possesses a gift known as the Sight and can read people’s auras. When Darien is offered a handsome amount of money in exchange for hunting down Loren, he is quick to accept… until he realizes she is a human and unlike the typical demons and monsters he hunts. Instead of turning her in for a reward, he offers to protect Loren and help her find out who is after her, and why. This series reminds me a lot of the Crescent City series (which is written by Sarah J. Maas, and another series I recommend) because it is an urban fantasy, unlike most of the others I recommended, which are high fantasy. So, if you like fantasy but want it to be a little more realistic (sounds strange, I know) then I recommend trying this series!
Zodiac Academy
If you decide to pick up Zodiac Academy, then I should probably warn you to not get your hopes too high. When I recommend this, it is not because it is a literary masterpiece. When I recommend this nine-book series, I recommend it because it is the closest you can get to reality television on paper. If I’m being honest, it is trashy entertainment. This series has one of the messiest cast of characters I have ever seen, but you still can’t help but get invested. This book series follows twin sisters Tory and Darcy Vega, who, after turning 18, learn that they are the heirs to the throne of Solaria, a world where magical creatures and beasts rule. However, upon coming to this other world, they meet the other heirs: four boys who want the throne for themselves and are willing to do anything to get rid of the Vega Twins (and I mean anything). It starts as a bully romance, after all.
Over the course of this series, these characters face a variety of enemies and romances, some of which are significantly better than others. There is drama, chaos, creative magic systems, and severe emotional turmoil hidden within the thousands of pages this series gives us – and I mean thousands. These books only get bigger the longer the series goes on. Is this entire series a fever dream? Basically. Does it have many grammatical errors? Absolutely. But there’s still a chance you won’t want to put the series down. So, if you’re a fan of enemies-to-lovers, complex magic systems, mythical creatures in an academic setting, and a chaotic journey, then I would recommend this series. But seriously, don’t go into it with high hopes. Go into it with the expectation to be thoroughly entertained.
These underrated fantasy series are sure to keep you entertained, so add these to your TBR immediately! Grab your library card or add them to your Amazon cart, and dive into another world. You won’t regret it.