The Young Adult Fantasy Genre is one of the richest and fastest evolving niches of literature. While you’re never going to run out of ample reading material when it comes to this branch of stories, it is difficult to find the right fit for you, especially if you are entering this genre for the first time. This quick guide to some of the best and brightest fantasies will hopefully help you find your way around!
Deserve The Hype
Six of Crows duology by Leigh Bardugo
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
A band of misfits, led by Ketterdam’s criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker, goes on an epic heist promising glory and destruction in equal measures. That’s the premise of Leigh Bardugo’s enchanting and straight-up hilarious duology following six people who might just be able to go down in history as the ones who have it all – that is, if they don’t kill each other first. If you’re looking for some quick wit, breathtaking world-building and tense plot twists, Six of Crows should be right up your alley.
This Savage Song by V.E. Schwab
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
In a city overrun with monsters, everyone must choose sides. In Verity, violence breeds actual monsters that need to be eradicated if the citizens ever want to feel safe again. But who’s the real monster here? The monsters – or the people whose violence creates them? V.E. Schwab excels in making you question your beliefs of good and evil and This Savage Song, told in alternating perspectives of two people who ask themselves whether they are on the right side of the fight, will make you question if it’s the side you’re standing on that’s wrong – or the fight in and of itself.
Shadowhunter Chronicles by Cassandra Clare
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
It’s intimidating at first glance, I know. An entire fantasy world that, to date, encompasses twelve full-length novels and three short story collections – not exactly what you would call a quick beginning to your fantasy adventures, right? But here’s the thing: it is so worth it. Cassandra Clare has created a fandom and a world that she expands on in ways no one could ever imagine. Spanning centuries and everything from Shadowhunters who protect the world from demons to warlocks who just want to find love – Clare paints characters that will tug at your heartstrings. While The Mortal Instruments is the first series in this world, The Infernal Devices can also be read without any prior knowledge (and it’s a real favourite of the fans, trust me).
Fandom Favourites
Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
Have you ever wondered what would happen if the Chosen One…was kind of the worst person to be chosen to save humanity from disaster? Well, wonder no more! Carry On follows Simon Snow as he braves the many dangers of attracting way too much demonic attention (both from evil creatures that want to see him dead and his enigmatic roommate Baz who…also wants to see him dead, like, half of the time?) at the Watford School of Magicks and gets into all kinds of trouble – all while trying to solve a mystery that has everyone waiting for the other shoe to drop.
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
Following Jude Duarte, a human girl swept off to the magical land of Faerie, this is the story of a girl who will go to unimaginable lengths to get what she wants – even if it means spiting all the immortal beings that see her as weak, or maybe just to do that. Jude Duarte is unapologetic in her quest to make Faerie a more just place…but that does not mean that she’s not ready to break some of the rules herself. If you like morally grey characters, descriptive writing and plot twists that will leave you begging for the next instalment, The Cruel Prince will provide.
Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
At this point, it is impossible to follow the YA fantasy genre and not encounter Sarah J. Maas. This author has spawned some of the most beloved characters, from Illyrian fighters to stubborn assassins. Her first series, Throne of Glass, follows Celaena Sardothien who, after a stint in the salt mines as punishment for her criminal indulgences, finds herself vying for the spot as the King’s personal assassin. Competing against men with more experience and sway in the court, Celaena has to hold her own – all while on the hunt for a greater destiny that might just change everything she thought she knew. That being said, over the course of the series, it becomes a little questionable as to whether we can call it YA.
Deserves More Attention
With new releases hitting the market every week, some older but amazing fantasies sometimes don’t get the attention they merit. If you’d like to read some lesser talked about series, these might be for you.
The Young Elites by Marie Lu
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
You don’t want to read about the heroes of the world? Then you might consider Marie Lu’s Young Elites trilogy. This series chronicles the descent of Adelina, one of the few people that have survived the blood fever decimating the lands. Thought to have supernatural powers, Adelina finds herself taken away by strangers to work on her abilities…and questioning what is right and wrong. If you ever wondered what happens when the good guys turn bad, The Young Elites make a fascinating case for becoming the anti-hero you never picture yourself as.
The Winner’s Curse trilogy by Marie Rutkoski
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
As a young woman in a war-hungry world, Kestrel has only two options: join the military or get married. Unsatisfied with either of those options, Kestrel tries to find her own path in life. Aided by a young slave she frees, Kestrel begins to figure out what she wants – only in time for everything to come crumbling down around her. A story of betrayal, love and death, this trilogy keeps you on the tip of your toes from beginning to end.
Fantasy Retellings
So you’d like to start your journey into the magical world of fantasy with some recognisable plot structure to ease you in? Fairytale retellings with a fantastical spin might be for you!
A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
For a retelling with a more contemporary feel to it, this reimagination of Beauty and the Beast is partly told in a Emberfall and Washington, D.C. Follow young Harper as she gets swept away into a magical world, meets a reluctant Prince and ends up wanting to save the world that is holding her captive.
Heartless by Marissa Meyer
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
Imagining the Queen of Hearts’ life before she became the ruthless ruler we all love to hate, Marissa Meyer spins a dramatic tale of a young girl who loses everything because of who she loves. Romantic, heartbreaking and leaving you breathless even though you know what happens at the end, this one will require some tissues for sure.
The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
Based on 1001 Nights, this book (and its sequel The Rose and the Dagger) follows young Sharzad and King Khalid. King Khalid is cursed – to keep his kingdom, he has to kill his brides. Enter Sharzad, a resilient and stubborn woman who refuses to keep watching her friends marry the King and die – and gets selected as his new…and maybe last…bride.
Easy Starters
High fantasy can be really dense and hard to immerse yourself into. Down below, you will find two series that are long but have a flowing writing style that will have you turning pages in no time.
Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
The Falling Kingdoms is one of the best series to start your fantasy experience with. Easy-flowing writing, drama beyond anything you can imagine and pairings that will make you want to rip your hair out – or swoon on the spot. Falling Kingdoms has it all. It reads a bit like a telenovela series in the magical lands of Mytica and, told in alternating perspectives, will have you choose your favourite in a heartbeat and then sob because you just want everyone to be okay – even if you know they won’t be.
Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
You heard it here first, ladies and gentlemen: Vampires are rising from the dead once more! With both Renee Ahdieh and Jay Kristoff set to release new vampire fantasy novels this fall, the YA world is set to take another spin at one of the most popular fantasy niches – supernatural creatures! For those of you who read Twilight (the beginning of it all, if you will), the Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead may be just right for you to get back into the undead groove. Filled with dhampirs to protect the elite vampires and evil Strigoi that want to make everyone immortal and – you know – evil, this six-book series seriously packs a bunch of action!
Not Interested In Young Adult?
You don’t want to read about young adults but would still like a nice start to the fantasy genre?
Then you might be more inclined to Victoria Schwab’s duology Vicious and Vengeful which follows two brilliant students who want to turn themselves into heroes – but end up toeing the line between playing god and playing villain more than once.
Alternatively, if you’re a fan of Harry Potter and would like to read more about young children taking on a magical world, Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend might be of interest to you. Following a young girl, Morrigan Crow, who has been cursed to die as a child but ends up in a place called the Wondrous Society, this story will give you all the Harry Potter vibes with extravagant characters, lots of remarkable quests and a protagonist you just can’t help but root for.
Red queen! The Priory of the Orange Tree! The Bone Season! Truthwitch! A Darker Shade of Magic! A Gentlemen’s Guide to Vices and Virtues! Carve the Mark! Warcross! The Orphan Queen! (It’s all I remember for now)