15 Must-Read YA Fantasy Books
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Are you looking for a new YA fantasy book to binge read? Here are 15 suggestions for addictive YA fantasy reads you won’t be able to put down.
This list includes something for everyone with a mix of contemporary fantasy, epic fantasy, fantasy with romance, dark fantasy and a bit of gaslamp fantasy (my favourite).
Get ready to explore these enchanted worlds of magic, dark creatures, sorcerers, witches, and fae alongside some amazing characters.
It was hard to only pick 15 books so I’m sure I’ll have another list in the future. Happy reading!
1.Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson
Magical Library | Victorian era fantasy world vibes | Enemies to lovers romance
I loved everything about this book. It has a wonderful Victorian atmosphere, enemies to lovers romance, magical libraries, demons, monsters and amazing characters.
Elizabeth is sworn to protect the great library, Nathaniel is a sorcerer, and someone not to be trusted. The relationship between Elizabeth and Nathaniel's makes you want to keep reading. Right from the start there is great banter, mixed in with Elizabeth’s strong mistrust, and misinformation about sorcerers. And Silas the demon is now one of my favourite characters of all time!
Elizabeth was raised in one of the Great Libraries amongst the magical grimoires— books of power that can turn into monsters. Her life is turned upside down when a selfless act turns the tables on her, forcing her out of her only home and into the clutches of a sorcerer and his mysterious demon servant. She must get to the bottom of a conspiracy to clear her name and save the Great Libraries.
“Ink and parchment flowed through her veins. The magic of the Great Libraries lived in her very bones. They were a part of her, and she a part of them.”
2. Shadow and Bone (The Shadow and Bone Trilogy #1) by Leigh Bardugo
Russian inspired fantasy world | Dark magic | Adventure
I really enjoyed this book, in particular the morally grey character, the Darkling (for me he’s what makes this series worth reading). Shadow and Bone is the first book in the Grisha Trilogy and a great fantasy read. It is filled with interesting characters, unique magical elements and wonderful world building based on a fictional Russian culture.
Shadow and Bone is being made into a TV series on Netflix right now (Nov 2020) and will be a combination of the Grisha Trilogy and the Six of Crows duology. This will be an epic show, so I suggest you read all the books now!
When Alina’s dormant power reveals itself, everything changes. Taken by the Darkling, the most powerful Grisha is Ravka, Alina must learn to control her new ability in an unwelcoming society of magic and status. But Alina doesn’t belong. As Darkness looms, Alina must work out who to trust. And at the same time discover what she is truly capable of.
“There is something more powerful than any army. Something strong enough to topple kings, and even Darklings. Do you know what that thing is?”
I shook my head, inching away from him.”
3. A Darker Shade of Magic (Shades of Magic #1) by V. E. Schwab
Read the full review here
Portal Magic and multiple Londons | Dark magic and thieves | Lovable characters
This is one of my favourite books. It is full of adventure, magic and lovable characters. The world that V.E. Schwab has created is detailed, exciting and has a beautiful balance of both dark and light magical elements.
Multiple versions of London lie parallel with one another. Kell, with his unique blood magic and mysterious coat, is one of the last Magicians who can travel between them. Kell acts as Ambassador to the other Londons, but his ‘hobby,’ is smuggling illegal items between worlds. It’s turns out to be a dangerous business.
An exchange goes wrong and Kell escapes to Grey London. Things do not go as planned. He is robbed and winds up needing the help of Delilah Bard, a skilled thief. He is forced to bring her back to Red London where their adventures begin.
“Aren’t you afraid of dying?” he asked Lila now.
She looked at him as if it were a strange question. And then she shook her head. “Death comes for everyone,” she said simply. “I’m not afraid of dying. But I am afraid of dying here.” She swept her hand over the room, the tavern, the city. “I’d rather die on an adventure than live standing still.”
4. A Curse So Dark and Lonely (Cursebreakers #1) by Brigid Kemmerer
Beauty and the Beast re-telling | Modern girl dropped into fantasy world | This princess doesn’t need saving
This is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, and a real page turner! I read it all in one day and loved it. Beauty and the Beast is one of my favourite fairy tales, so I was so excited to find this. It is full of action, adventure, fantastic characters and the same magical feeling as Beauty and the Beast, but with several twists and a lot more depth. I loved that it was set in both modern times and a parallel fantasy world.
Harper has enough of her own problems in Washington DC without the added drama of being sucked into a fantasy land with a cursed prince. Prince Rhen's life is a repeating curse, and he's nearly given up on breaking it. Trapped in an enchanted land with the Kingdom under threat, Harper might be the one to help Prince Rhen. But can they work together and keep up an elaborate charade? And there's still the matter of a curse to break.
“You have an unusual definition of luck.”
She stiffens. “Spoken like someone who lives in a castle with an endless supply of food and wine, but calls himself cursed.”
5. Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass #1) by Sarah J. Maas
Tournament to the death | Assassins | Court life and romance
Throne of Glass is the first book in a fantasy epic series. It’s very easy to binge read, and I was thrilled to find a whole new world to delve into when I discovered this book. It’s a fast paced fantasy read that is a mix of action and romance. The main character, Celaena, is infuriating at times, but she is a great character to follow and is always up to something interesting that makes you want to keep reading.
Celaena is a former world class assassin tuned slave. An opportunity arises for freedom, but of course there is a catch. The Crown Prince has chosen her to fight for the position of King’s Champion in a deadly tournament. When competitors start dying, Celaena begins to investigate. With murder and mystery everywhere she turns, she also has the added drama of the Prince’s interest in her. And the Captain of the Guard too. She must navigate the dangers of court carefully, but all the while she is drawn closer to her destiny.
“You could rattle the stars,” she whispered. “You could do anything, if only you dared. And deep down, you know it, too. That’s what scares you most.”
6. Fractures (Ledgers of a Dark Mage #1) by N.K. Leem
Dark fantasy | Magical and dangerous creatures | Coming of age adventure
I love this book, and love how N. K Leem doesn’t shy away from dark and gruesome details. It made me want the main characters to succeed so badly and escape these terrifying situations. I recommend this if you enjoy exciting magic, battles, betrayal, magical creatures, dark themes and strong relationships. There are three books in this series so far and still more to come!
Brothers Thaleon and Dawyn are separated under traumatic circumstances. Each thinks the other is dead. We follow their separate journeys into a world where light magic is accepted and the use of dark magic is punishable by death.
Thaleon soon learns that he is a valekyn, a dark mage. The very thing children are taught to fear and hate. He must hide his secret abilities as he learns to control light magic at a school for mages. Meanwhile Dawyn experiences the horrors of dark magic first hand, and must fight to survive in a strange city far from home.
“Thaleon’s mind snapped. The thunderous beat of his heart ceased. The unrelenting flow of the burning blood stilled. Shadows surged out of him, soaring viciously and building with terrifying intensity. Writhing dark wisps flooded the air, bristling like black lightning.”
7. Serpent & Dove (Serpent & Dove #1) by Shelby Mahurin
Read the full review here
Witch hunter vs witch | Enemies to lovers romance | Great character dynamics
Another book I really loved! This story takes both dark and fantastic elements of witchcraft and magic, and places them in a setting laced with French culture along with captivating, clashing characters. For anyone who loves enemies to lovers romance, this is for you.
Serpent & Dove is set in a French inspired fantasy world where the Chasseur’s of the church are taught to hate witches, and witches are forced to hide their magic. Lou is a witch hiding from her past and the magic that comes with it. Reid is a witch hunter, sworn to a church with a strict doctrine towards witches— they must burn. Fate takes a wrong turn when Lou and Reid are forced to marry each other in order to save themselves.
Lou’s past catches up with her, bringing a whole new terror to the city of Cesarine. The dysfunctional couple are caught in the ancient war between witches and the church, and begin to question what is right and wrong.
“As they are now also your enemies, I must offer a piece of advice: ‘tis dangerous to meddle in the affairs of witches. Forget your vengeance. Forget everything you’ve learned about this world of shadows and magic. You are wildly outmatched and woefully inadequate in the face of these women. Death is the kindest of their torments - a gift bestowed only to those who earned it.”
8. Across the Nightingale Floor (Tales of the Otori #1) by Lian Hearn
Feudal Japan fantasy world | Rags to riches | Rich and vivid fantasy world
This was one of my favourite books as a teenager, and I recently re-read it and fell in love again. It is a rags to riches and coming of age tale, set in a fantasy world based on Medieval Japan. This is the first book in the Tales of the Otori series, and they are all worth reading.
What stands out the most for me, is the wonderful atmosphere. The descriptions of the changing seasons, the smells of flowers and the animals, creates a transporting experience to a new world.
Takeo’s world turns upside down when the secret community he grew up in, the Hidden, is discovered by a powerful warlord and destroyed. Takeo is adopted by the mysterious Lord Otori Shigeru under strange circumstances, and his life takes a new turn. He finds himself part of a family of ancient assassins with unique abilities in stealth and magic. Takeo trains to cross the elaborate Nightingale floor, a floor designed as a security system against assassins. Can Takeo develop the skills needed to avenge his family and perhaps change the world?
“I did not want to spend the night on the lonely plain. I was afraid of ten thousand ghosts, and of the ogres and goblins that dwelled in the forest around it. The murmur of a stream sounded to me like the voice of the water spirit, and every time a fox barked or an owl hooted I came awake, my pulse racing.”
9. Six of Crows (Six of Crows #1) Leigh Bardugo
Heist with action and adventure | Crew of misfits and magic | Strong character relationships
Another book I binge read in two days! This is a fast paced adventure/ heist/ fantasy and a really fun read. The characters are what makes this story so great. It’s an amazing feat to write five main POV characters complete with backstories, goals, flaws and relationships. And the fact that they are so mismatched is wonderful, there are clashing personalities and romance all tied into one crazy mission. Plus, with the different types of magic, clashing cultures and a riveting plot, this book is hard to put down.
This book is due to come out as a Netflix tv show soon, so read this book now! The tv show is Shadow and Bone and encompasses the wider Grishaverse from Leigh Bardugo’s other books of the same world.
A tale of six teenagers on a quest to the Ice Court to perform an elaborate and dangerous heist. We find out about their own personal stories along the way, and the crew realises there is more at stake than just their mission.
10. The Lord of Stariel (Stariel #1) by A. J Lancaster
Victorian era fantasy world vibes | Fae and magical creatures | Big family dynamics and drama
A five star read for me! It has a wonderful atmosphere with a Victorian era/countryside vibe, mixed in with magic, Fae, a Draken, family drama, secrets, a mystery and romance.
Hetta is a strong character, she has a lot of personality and keeps the book interesting the whole way through. The relationships between Hetta and the other characters are really well written. I enjoyed all the complex family dynamics and how the family dramas wove in well with the plot. It’s kind of like Downton Abbey, but with magic.
After Hetta’s father dies, she must return home to the family estate. Not only for the funeral but for the Choosing. A ceremony where a magic stone selects the new Lord of Stariel. After being away for six years working in the unladylike profession as an Illusionist in a theatre, Hetta is faced with disapproving relatives, old friends and a strange feeling as her ‘land sense’, her magical connection with the land, returns.
“They have no power over me now, she reminded herself firmly. I am a grown and independent woman. She’d built a life for herself outside Stariel’s grasp—a life she’d be returning to in two weeks, after the Choosing. Surely she and her relatives could maintain civility for two weeks? Especially since her father wouldn’t be there. My father is dead. Stariel’s lord is dead.”
11. The Northern Lights/The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials #1) by Phillip Pullman
Girl who won’t back down from a quest | Magical London with gaslamp fantasy vibes | Conspiracies and mystery
This is one of my all-time favourite series! I can’t explain how much I love these books. Lyra is one of my favourite characters from any book ever. Her unending pursuit of finding the truth and fighting for what is right pushes her into so many dangerous and crazy situations. This, mixed with an alternate universe version of London that has magic and daemons, makes up one of my favourite fantasy worlds.
The Northern lights is the first book in His Dark Materials series and has recently been adapted into an amazing tv show on HBO (His Dark Materials). Do not watch the movie, The Golden Compass, it was so terrible and nothing like the book.
We follow the adventure and quest of young Lyra as she seeks to uncover conspiracies covering up the secret research and the kidnapping of children, one of which is her best friend Roger.
For the first time, Lyra travels far beyond the walls of Oxford College. Out in the wide world she encounters witches, the great armored bears of the north, a famous aeronaut, the possibilities of multiple worlds, and discovers that the secrets being kept from the world are far more disturbing than anyone could imagine.
“A human being with no daemon was like someone without a face, or with their ribs laid open and their heart torn out; something unnatural and uncanny that belonged to the world of nightghasts, not the waking world of sense.”
12. Carry On (Simon Snow #1) by Rainbow Rowell
Chosen one prophecy gone wrong | School of Magic | LGBTQ romance
I knew I would love this book before I read it. It is set in a wizarding school and follows a boy wizard destined to save the world from an evil force. Sound familiar? If you like Harry Potter, you will probably like this, but don’t expect to be anything like Harry Potter. Yes, there are wizards, magic and a dark force looming. But the reason this book is so good is the romance (enemies to lover romance) and the strong character relationships. The story follows the build up and realisation of the romantic feelings between Simon and his roommate Baz.
The story follows Simon Snow as he returns to school for his final year. As much as he hates his roommate, Baz, an arrogant jerk who has made his life hell for the past seven years, he finds himself concerned when Baz doesn’t turn up at the start of the school year. Baz eventually turns up, strange circumstances lead them to the idea of forming a temporary truce. But it turns out Baz has been keeping a lot of secrets from Simon, and not just the fact that he’s a vampire.
“Magic. I miss magic when I’m away. When I’m by myself, magic is something personal. My burden, my secret. But at Watford, magic is just the air that we breathe. It’s what makes me a part of something bigger, not the thing that sets me apart.
”
13. Firefrost (Flameskin Chronicles #0) by Camille Longley
Read the full review here
Fire, demons, and destructive magic | Enemies to lovers romance | Kingdoms at war
I was hooked on this book right from the start. One reason was Kelen reminded me so much of Prince Zuko from Avatar. He is pretty much a fire bender and has a strong redemption arc, I loved it! This YA fantasy romance brings together elements of ice and fire is a story of survival, magic and romance.
This is the debut book for Author Camille Longley, and I would highly recommend reading it. The next book Flameskin comes out November 16th 2020.
Sol is a huntress and the only one who can navigate the treacherous mountain pass. Kelan is a lieutenant in the Flameskin army, charged with the task of killing a high-born lady.
A turn of events destroys both parties’ plans. Sol and Kelan are forced to team up and survive in impossible circumstances. Sol is blinded by a long ingrained hatred of Flameskins. Kelen is constantly battling his inner demon/ pyra who is fighting to take possession of his body. From two sides of a fiery war, Sol and Kelen must find a way to work together and perhaps change the world.
“A life for a life, Pa had always said. Hunters were guardians of life, and she took life so her village could eat. Huntress, they called her. But she hunted bests, not men. ”
14. City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1) by Cassandra Clare
Shadow hunters, demons, vampires and angels | Modern day secret underworld | Taboo romance
This is a fast paced urban fantasy set in the modern world, but with an underlying secret world of shadow hunters, demons, werewolves, vampires and angels. I admit, I read this because I heard that is was based on the popular Harry Potter fan fiction Cassandra Clare wrote a while back, and the main characters Clarey and Jase are modelled off the HP character, Ginny and Draco. Any Draco fans will enjoy this book
The plot is exciting and there are plenty of mysteries and building tension to keep you reading and wanting to find out more. Clarey is pulled into this new world when her mother goes missing. In order to get her back, Clary must join forces with the Shadow Hunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. Everyone wants to know her connection to this secret world and what her mother had to do with it. Jase is forced into helping Clary on a journey to uncover these mysteries and try find her mum before it’s too late.
““What are all these?” Clary asked.
”Vials of holy water, blessed knives, steel and silver blades,” Jace said, piling the weapons on the floor beside him, “electrum wire - not much use at the moment but it’s always good to have spares - silver bullets, charms of protetion, crucifixes, stars of David-“
”Jesus,” said Clary
”I doubt he’d fit.””
15. The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air #1) by Holly Black
World of Faerie | Court drama and deceptive fae | addictive read
This isn’t a happy fairy land of magic and wonder, rather, a dark version of a fairy tale filled with arrogant royals, dangerous magic and backstabbing faeries. It is a fast paced, addictive read that made me start on the second book as soon as I finished.
We follow the life of Jude, a human child brought to the land of Faerie from the real world. Jude and her twin sister Taryn grow up in the Faerie Kingdom as outsiders, raised by the man who murdered their parents. Their older sister Vivi is half human, half faerie and doesn’t understand their struggles. She is the one who belongs in Faerie, but doesn’t want to.
The dangers are real for a human in Faerie, but Jude is not deterred and is determined to become a Knight of the Court. Betrayal and scandals are rife in the Kingdom, and there are many who do not want Jude to succeed.
Read the full review here
“What they don’t realize is this: Yes, they frighten me, but I have always been scared, since the day I got here. I was raised by the man who murdered my parents, reared in a land of monsters. I live with that fear, let it settle into my bones, and ignore it.”
How many books on this list have you read? Let me know in the comments :)
About the reviewer- Jenny sandiford
Hi I’m Jenny. I am passionate about promoting new authors and sharing any amazing books I find with the world. I am a book blogger, bookstagrammer, YA fantasy writer and travel writer.
I’m also a lover of nature, hiking, Harry Potter, cats, fantasy lands and quiet places.
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Leave me a comment below, I’d love to hear from you! How many books on this list have you read?
