Guest post written by The Sea Spinner author Julie Johnson
Julie Johnson is the #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of The Wind Weaver. When she’s not writing, Julie can most often be found sitting on the beach near her home in her native Massachusetts, adding stamps to her passport, drinking too much coffee, and avoiding reality by disappearing between the pages of a book. She published her debut novel on a lark, just before her senior year of college, and she’s never looked back. Since, she has published twenty other novels, which have been translated into more than a dozen different languages and appeared on bestseller lists all over the world.
About The Sea Spinner: Blazing with reawakened magic, a young woman challenges the tides of fate in this highly anticipated sequel to the #1 Sunday Times bestseller The Wind Weaver. Out April 28th 2026.
Whenever the real world feels inescapably heavy, I like to slip into a fictional one instead. Is there any greater escape than an all-consuming fantasy novel? Or, better yet, a series? Some of my personal favorites draw influence from the myths and legends of old, where fae are more monster than man, stakes are deadly high, and tragedy is tightly interwoven with even the sweetest victory…
Here are six fantasy series recommendations (some contemporary, some classic) that incorporate Irish, Welsh, or Norse mythology.
Daughter of the Forest (The Sevenwaters Series, #1) by Juliet Marillier
Marillier weaves a spellbinding tale of sacrifice and sorcery in this retelling of the Celtic legend of “The Six Swans” where a young woman risks everything to save her brothers from a deadly enchantment. With lush writing and wholly immersive worldbuilding, this classic fantasy seamlessly blends history and mythology. Read it as a standalone or continue on with the other books in the Sevenwaters saga, which follows future generations of the same family through various perils and passions.
Darkfever (The Fever Series, #1) by Karen Marie Moning
Celtic legend collides with the contemporary world in The Fever Series, which follows plucky heroine Mackayla Lane through fae-infested streets of modern Dublin in a quest to track down her sister’s killer. The series draws heavily from Irish mythology throughout all five books (and their later spin-offs), and never shies away from dark subject matter. The monsters are genuinely horrifying, the romance is torturously slow burn, and, the heroine’s steady character development shines through even the grimmest plot twists.
Broken Souls and Bones (Stonegate, #1) by LJ Andrews
The first in a duology, this Norse-inspired fantasy immediately draws you into an intricately penned world full of pulse-pounding danger and devilish plots. It also features one of the most interesting magic systems I’ve come across lately, where practitioners employ different “crafts” of blood, bone, soul, and melding. Andrews’ characters are carefully penned throughout, facing both internal and external struggles as the story progresses. But beware the cliffhanger! You’ll want to dive straight into book two. (Which, luckily, is already available.)
The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air, #1) by Holly Black
In this first installment of a young adult trilogy, Black tosses her human heroine into the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Infused equally with family drama and fae politics, heartwarming scenes and heart-wrenching twists, it’s difficult to put this book down once you start reading. The lore is rich, the pacing well-penned. The tension never lets up (and I’m not just talking about the delicious enemies-to-lovers dynamic). Don’t let the “young adult” classification scare you off. There’s plenty for grown-ups to enjoy here, too.
A Fate Inked in Blood (Saga of the Unfated Series, #1) by Danielle L. Jensen
This Norse-inspired duology starter serves up an equal portion of romance and fantasy, perfectly balancing sizzling chemistry with magic and action. Between the atmospheric setting and strong cast of side characters, you’ll feel you’re right alongside shield-maiden heroine Freya as she battles to control both her destiny and her goddess-granted powers.
The Wren in the Holly Library (The Oak and Holly Cycle, #1) by K.A. Linde
According to the author’s note at the start of the book, this unique contemporary spin on Celtic mythology was inspired by Linde’s own trip to Ireland, and a particularly formative visit to the library at Trinity College. Here, a post-apocalyptic New York City serves as a playground for fae, druids, monsters, nymphs, vampires, werewolves, and more mythological creatures. Linde’s skillful worldbuilding really shines through, beautifully layered without ever feeling bogged down. (Trolls in the subway? That’s pure fantasy fun!)
PS: My own fantasy trilogy begins with The Wind Weaver, a tale inspired by the Welsh goddess Rhiannon. (And the Fleetwood Mac song of the same name.) The rich folklore found in the Mabinogion collection of Welsh stories helped me immensely in shaping the world of Anwyvn and its fraught political structures. Page one drops you into a huge, war-ravaged realm where the fae have been hunted down and possessing magic is punishable by death…
