12 Fantasy Books About Magic You Need On Your TBR

In the mist-locked kingdom of Blunder, magic is seen as a disease infecting those within. The solution? Kill the infected. When Elspeth Spindle runs into a highwayman in the forest, she finds herself thrust into a plot to eradicate all magic in order to protect her secret. But as the threats become greater, will she give in to the voice in her head?

This duology is one of my all-time favorites. Loosely inspired by The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes, this tale is so beautifully dark and twisted. The magic is found in “Providence Cards'' which give the person in possession of them a certain power, though all power has a cost. Gillig’s writing is poetic and thought-provoking, and the characters and romance are top-tier.

Zélie Adebola remembers when the world had magic. That was before they killed her mother. With a prince desperate to eradicate all Maji, Zélie must use her wits if she wants to bring magic back for good.

Dangers lurk around every corner, and Zélie has to learn to control her powers and make difficult decisions to protect herself and those she loves, even if that means befriending the enemy.

Adeyemi’s world-building is out of this world (haha, get it?). With myths and gods stemming from West African mythology, Orïsha comes to life on the page.

With multiple POVs, we really get a good look at each character's motivations as they fumble along the paths they were thrust on. Even though the decisions they make might be the wrong ones, I was rooting for them every step of the way.

Sylvia is the lost heir to the kingdom of Jasad. When her family was killed ten years before and magic was eradicated, she wanted nothing more than for the world to think she had died too.

When she accidentally exposes her magic to Arin, the heir to Nizhal, Sylvia must make a deal with him to save herself, and she finds herself caught in a deadly game.

I wonder how many times I should shout “THRONE OF GLASS FANS READ THIS” before more people read this book (because I need more people to have read this book).

If you love a FMC who is sassy and a little bit unhinged, as well as a broody white-haired MMC, this book needs a place in your life. Inspired by Egyptian mythology, Sara Hashem truly dives into feminine rage as a spurned woman seeks to take back what is rightfully hers.

Mererid is the last water divinity living in hiding from the prince, who wishes to exploit her power. When a figure from her past shows up with an enticing proposition, Mer teams up with an unlikely crew to destroy a magical well. With her freedom at stake and her magic the only thing that can save them, Mer only hopes she won’t be betrayed.

I was so astonished by the beauty and heartache of this story. Inspired by Welsh mythology and starring a canonically bisexual character, the author takes us on a magical whirlwind of a heist with emotional twists and a comedic relief corgi. This story really snuck up on me, resulting in tear-stained pages (we cherish those).

You can buy the OwlCrate Edition here .

Clementine Madigan and her father are dream wardens for her little town. Her task? Capture the nightmares that come to life from the ancient mountain curse that plagues the land.

When two magicians challenge them to take over their territory as wardens, Clem becomes hellbent on revenge and glamours herself in the home of one of her challengers. The more time she spends with him, the more secrets about the mountain’s curse become unveiled. Can she unite with her rival to break the curse?

This was another one of those sneak-up-on-you kinds of books for me. This was the first Rebecca Ross book I read before the release of Divine Rivals, and I was surprised by the depth of a seemingly light-hearted story. Clem’s character development was superb, and the magic system was positively dreamy (I think I’m funny, alright?). This book is perfect for the little monster inside us all.

Lore is a poison runner who escaped a cult in the catacombs of Dellaire. But when a run goes wrong, and Lore reveals her death magic known as Mortem, she gets swept into the Sainted King’s court, where she is tasked with uncovering the mysterious deaths of entire villages on the outskirts of the city. As her head and heart battle and unsettling prophecies are revealed, Lore’s past may catch up to her quicker than she thinks.

I loved, loved, loved this book! It had a good pace (I’d rate it medium), and every scene was well thought out. With glittering ballgowns, not one but two heartthrobs (one grumpy, one sassy), and a very well-mannered zombie horse named Horse, it was easy to escape into the world of Dellaire.

The overall theme of the corrupt using religion as a tool to remain in power is something I personally relate to, and seeing how Whitten fictionalized it was very beautiful and interesting.

Desperate to flee the hold of a cult of dangerous priests and save her grandmother, Ahn teams up with Altan, the lost heir of the Dragon Throne. They struggle to put their faith in one another as they hunt down a sword that could save them both...or be their downfall.

This was a very fun and easy read! Influenced by elements found in wuxia and xianxia, Jade Fire Gold takes us through Ahn’s journey as she struggles to come to terms with her magic.

It has a double POV, and both of the characters are equally loveable as you watch them wade through the grief of their troubled pasts. The magic system was uncomplicated, and I always love seeing strong female characters embracing their power.

You can buy the OwlCrate Edition here or the full box here.

Briseis can bring flowers to life with just a touch. When she inherits an estate from her deceased aunt, she and her mom leave Brooklyn in exchange for a quiet summer. The estate is full of haunting secrets, including a garden of the deadliest plants in the world, and Bri must learn to control her gift to protect herself and her family.

This is such a perfect story for fans of Greek mythology, sapphics, and black girl magic. I found that the first book in the duology was a bit scary (not quite horror, but horror-adjacent, and ya girl does not like to be scared). The second is less so but dives deeper into Greek myths, which I loved. This book is perfect for PJO fans and witches-at-heart.

You can buy the OwlCrate Edition here or the full box here.

Ruying is a young woman blessed by Death who has the power to pull the life out of any mortal. When her gift is discovered by the manipulative enemy prince, Ruying is desperate to protect her family and must decide if she wants to become his private assassin and eliminate his political rivals, therefore facing the magic she’s always feared.

This is one of the best books I’ve read that features an unreliable narrator and a morally gray FMC. The book is fast paced and full of difficult decisions, frightening powers, and delicious metaphors. I quickly came to love Ruying and truly enjoyed the thought-provoking choices she made.