10 must read ya fantasy books

Looking For Book Recommendations In 2024? Read One Of These Next...

By Zoë Gregory

If you’re looking for your next five-star read, here are ten book recommendations ranging from whimsical YA fantasy to adult dark fantasy based!

Book recommendations: 10 that are worth reading

Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim

Six Crimson Cranes was delightful to read. I would highly recommend it to other fantasy readers who enjoy magic, whimsy, and fairytale-esque elements. The reveals were unexpected even with knowing the fairytale that this story is inspired by.


The story pacing was quick, and the writing style was very easy to get into. My attention was held from start to finish. The romance was on the lighter side, and the main focus was on the main character, Shiori'anma, going through the motions to save her brothers.


I enjoyed my reading experience of Six Crimson Cranes and want to continue the series. If you’re a YA fantasy reader who enjoys whimsical retellings and is seeking book recommendations with that vibe, Six Crimson Cranes is a must-read.


Pub. Year: 2021

Series: Yes

Audience: YA


Six Crimson Cranes is perfect for fans of:

  • Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tann

  • A Magic Steeped in Poison by Judy I. Lin

So Let Them Burn by Kamilah Cole

So Let Them Burn was a captivating and immersive read, with well-rounded characters, an inclusive cast, a beautiful and clever writing style, a softer magic system, and a cliffhanger.


So Let Them Burn had an opening line that captured my attention and didn't let go. I felt immersed while reading. The book is told through two perspectives from sisters Faron and Elara. The well-rounded characters and their relationships were interesting. There were some conflicts with character relationships that I felt were pivotal to the story. The world-building was accessible and incredible; a blend of a modern and an almost futuristic time period, with some epic fantasy elements. The culture in this book is rich, and when I read about the food my mouth couldn’t stop watering. There was also magic, gods, and dragons.


I absolutely enjoyed my reading experience of So Let Them Burn. I would recommend it to other readers who enjoy YA fantasy novels with accessible world-building, gods and dragons, and a story featuring two sisters. I also feel So Let Them Burn would be a good novel for readers who are newer to the fantasy genre.


Pub. Year: 2024

Series: Yes

Audience: YA


So Let Them Burn is perfect for fans of:

  • Song of Silver Flame Like Night by Amélie Wen Zhao

  • Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao.

Lore of the Wilds by Analeigh Sbrana

I really enjoyed my reading experience of Lore of the Wilds. It had very accessible world-building, and it was easy to keep track of who was who for the characters. There were aspects of Lore's character that were very likable and admirable. Lore deals with anxiety and panic attacks, and I felt the author wrote these aspects of Lore's character thoughtfully.


The settings and character descriptions were picturesque. The magic system was on the softer side. The ending was open-ended, and I can’t wait for the next installment of this series. Lore of the Wilds is now one of my favorite fae-inspired romantasy novels.


This debut book was very well written and I could see myself rereading this novel over and over again. I would recommend Lore of the Wilds to other NA and adult readers who enjoy fae-inspired fantasy.


Pub. Year: 2024

Series: Yes

Audience: NA & Adult


Lore of the Wilds is perfect for fans of:

  • The Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron

  • Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett.

Curious Tides by Pascale Lacelle

Curious Tides was a mood, an incredibly written story with great character development and a fascinating magic system.


The book is told in dual perspective and parts, and with tidbits of world-building in between those sections. The chapters are quite lengthy; I would recommend setting a certain amount of time aside to read Curious Tides, whether that be by physically reading it or listening to the audiobook.


There are a lot of plotlines, and those plotlines come together in a genius and fascinating manner. There was a twist that I didn't see coming at one point in the book. The magic system is incredibly detailed and there is some cost to the characters using magic.


The characters were really easy to read and root for and they all had their flaws, which played a crucial role in how the story played out.


I really enjoyed my reading experience of Curious Tides and its detailed world-building. I could see myself rereading this story and continuing the series. I would recommend Curious Tides to other readers on the older side of YA and NA readers who enjoy fantasy books with a detailed magic system, mystery aspects, an academic setting, and several plotlines.


Pub. Year: 2023

Series: Yes

Audience: YA & NA


Curious Tides is perfect for fans of:

  • Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

  • A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik

The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo

The Fox Wife is a captivating story, told in dual perspectives and broken timelines, featuring shape-shifting foxes. It is a blended genre: fantasy, murder mystery, and missing person(s).


I was hooked from the first line, and my attention didn't wane. The character development is exceptional. I wanted to know what the characters were going to do, and I rooted for them. I felt very immersed while reading, and the settings were very picturesque and atmospheric.


The characters could be considered morally grey and the magic system was intriguing. I felt that the ending of The Fox Wife was very well written and left me feeling both satisfied and wanting more.


The book was overall very well written and a favorite of mine. I would recommend it to other NA and adult readers who enjoy the fantasy mystery blended genre and novels about Fox Spirits. I savored my read of The Fox Wife, and I will read it again in the future.


Pub. Year: 2024

Series: No

Audience: NA & Adult



The Fox Wife is perfect for fans of:

  • Lore of the Wilds by Analeigh Sbrana

  • The Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarell (the book featured in our February 2024 YA box).

Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree

Bookshops & Bonedust is a wholesome, cozy fantasy read with an incredibly engaging writing style. My attention was held from start to finish! I really liked the characters and felt that several of them had relatable qualities.


The story was immensely likable and endearing and I can see myself reading this cozy story again as well as any other installments. I would recommend Bookshops & Bonedust to NA & adult readers looking for a quick fantasy read.


Pub. Year: 2023

Series: Yes

Audience: NA & Adult


Bookshops & Bonedust is perfect for fans of:

  • The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna

  • Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer.

The Priory of The Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

The Priory of The Orange Tree was everything I could have wanted in an epic fantasy novel and more! I enjoyed taking my time while reading it, being in this bookish world and following the characters' stories.


The overall plot was slow with accessible political intrigue, rich world-building, and fantastic character development. I feel The Priory of The Orange Tree was brilliantly written and quotable. The reading rhythm of the book was steady and flowed nicely.


There were a lot of interesting events and tension between the characters. The Priory of The Orange Tree is told through multiple perspectives and the characters are well-rounded, and a lot of them have incredible backstories. I really enjoyed seeing how these characters and the character relationships developed. There was a fairly large cast list. The ending was very bittersweet and open-ended.


I really enjoyed The Priory of The Orange Tree, and it is a favorite. I would recommend it to other adult fantasy readers who enjoy multiple perspective stories and sapphic reads.


Pub. Year: 2019

Series: Yes

Audience: Adult


The Priory of The Orange Tree is perfect for fans of:

  • The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri

  • The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty.

Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff

Empire of the Vampire is a captivating story, told in a broken timeline of a vampire hunter recounting his life story to a vampire, while in captivity of vampires. It is a very dark and horrifying fantasy. I was completely immersed throughout the entirety of my reading experience. I was fascinated with the dynamic and tension between vampire hunter, (Gabriel de León), and vampire historian, (Marquis Jean-Francois).


The writing style worked well for me and it was quotable. I had so many reactions during this read. What's more, the character development was exceptional and the settings were very picturesque. If you love morally grey characters you’ll be happy to know that the 'heroic' characters are morally grey in this book.


Empire of the Vampire was very well written and the reveals throughout the book were surprising. I would reread it and continue the series. I would recommend Empire of the Vampire to other upper adult readers (mature audiences) who enjoy dark fantasy featuring vampires, vampire hunters, and very graphic content.


Pub. Year: 2021

Series: Yes

Audience: Adult


Empire of the Vampire is perfect for fans of:

  • Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

  • Slewfoot by Brom

Guardians of Dawn: Zhara by S. Jae

Zhara was marketed quite well as Sailor Moon meets Cinder. I wanted to savor my time reading Zhara, which read like I was watching an anime. The writing style had a slower pacing, which was smooth and steady.


There was a beautiful representation of a diverse cast in this book and I felt the age of the characters was portrayed quite well. There was a perfect blend of innocent sweet and budding romance, humor, dark and horroresque elements, and magical fantasy.


Zhara was an enjoyable read and I loved that there were animal companions in the book. I would reread this book and continue the series. I would recommend Zhara to readers who enjoy light novels and Shoujo anime.


Pub. Year: 2023

Series: Yes

Audience: YA


Guardians of Dawn: Zhara is perfect for fans of:

  • Sailor Moon by Naoko Takeuchi

  • The Cinder Chronicles by Marissa Meyer

A Ruinous Fate by Kaylie Smith

A Ruinous Fate was delightfully entertaining to read and it was hard to put it down.

The prologue was intriguing, and the opening scene of chapter one was captivating.


There was action and adventure, forbidden romance, an interesting cast, and a quest to battle a preordained fate. The settings were very picturesque throughout the book. One of the main settings was a forest that had dangers lurking around every tree branch and body of water.


The ending was not necessarily a cliffhanger, though there were some intense and dramatic events. The ending was left open for the next instalment which has left me wanting more!


I really enjoyed my reading experience of A Ruinous Fate. I could see myself re-reading this book as well as continuing the series. I would recommend A Ruinous Fate to other YA fantasy readers who enjoy stories centred around magic, a dangerous and foreboding forest, friendship, and an incredible ending.


Pub. Year: 2023

Series: Yes

Audience: YA


A Ruinous Fate is perfect for fans of:

I am a Wife to a Master Elite Technician and MotoVlogger, Mom to an amazing two-legged little one and two rambunctious large breed dogs. Find me on Bookstagram @books.pups.tea, on Goodreads (Zoë), on StoryGraph (z_bookfluencer), and the Nest (Zoë) where I’m an influencer of books and bookish content.

The Nest App

⚪️  The app is 100% free and all are welcome!


⚪️  Created for the bookish community and powered by OwlCrate!


⚪️  We have exclusive live events always happening in The Nest, so download the app and join the community today!

Visual divider

Leave a comment