Thanks to BookTok, young women have been all over romance novels, currently devouring the works of Colleen Hoover. The zesty novels are quite enticing, but what about options for those who are looking for something with a little more variety? If you’re looking for a good story with a bit less predictability, it may be to your benefit to look to the fantasy genre. Something that’s more unique to the fantasy genre is that they tend to come in a series, which means you get to enjoy one delicious story for even longer. It’s hard to get tired of closing one book just to hastily reach for the next.
It often seems like there’s an endless amount of authors out there, so it’s hard to know where to begin. If you’re similar to me, I opt for fantasy novels that also favor a bit of romance. Of course, I would recommend doing some research before investing in a book. I find that reading a few customer reviews always leads me in the right direction! One website I often visit is https://www.goodreads.com
With all this being said, here are 3 great fantasy series recommendations to get you started.
A Court of Thorns and Roses
A Court of Thorns and Roses, A Court of Mist and Fury, A Court of Wings and Ruin, A Court of Frost and Starlight, A Court of Silver Flames
If you’ve ever found yourself on BookTok, you’ve at least heard of this series. It definitely lives up to the hype. Written by Sarah J. Maas, the first book follows the story of Feyre, a young huntress who finds herself plucked from the human world by an immortal beast. She’s thrust into a world of magic and danger, finding herself defending beings she had never known existed.
Not only did I whip through the first book, I was shocked to say that I found the second book in the series even better than the first. Maas has a talent for building a story (and a luscious romance). I found myself enjoying each addition better than the last. If you’re a fellow binge-reader, these books are all you could ever ask for, with thick plot lines and a healthy amount of installments. They feature some serious twists, plus, it doesn’t hurt that they plan to make the series into a TV adaption.
The Daevabad Trilogy
The City of Brass, The Kingdom of Copper, The Empire of Gold
Written by S.A. Chakraborty, this trilogy begins with a young con woman named Nahri whose side hustle is healing the injured. She has no memory of her family and lives a rough life in the streets. Similar to the A Court of Thorns and Roses series, she finds herself plucked from the human life she’s known and thrown into a dangerous world of magic.
Comparable to how Collen Hoover’s November 9, Chakraborty switches points of view throughout the books, giving readers a look into the thoughts and lives of multiple characters. This series features a headstrong female heroine, and of course, leaves readers hungry for the slow-burn romance. The books were unique as readers find themselves invested in more than one character, rooting for their journeys just as equally as the main character’s.
The Wrath and The Dawn
The Wrath and The Dawn, The Rose and The Dagger
This series also features 3 Novellas, The Mirror and The Maze, The Moth and The Flame, The Crown and the Arrow
Written by Renée Ahdeih, the series begins with main character Shahrzad volunteering to become the bride of the Caliph, Khalid. The book begins in a unique manner, as typically there isn’t much worry when one marries into royalty, but the problem lies in the fact that Khalid takes a new bride every night before having them executed at sunrise.
Shahrzad volunteers for the death sentence with a clever plan to keep herself alive as long as possible.
I didn’t know what to expect when diving into the first book, but Shahrzad follows the mold of another headstrong heroine. The series follows Shahrzad as she uncovers the unsettling truths behind Khalid. If you’re a fan of the Colleen Hoover bestseller It Ends With Us, this series features a similar dark undertone, but with a world of magic and hope to accompany it.