Whether you're looking for pirates, epic fantasy, urban fantasy, political intrigue, secret societies, exiled monster hunters, not-so-happy chosen ones, mythology-inspired tales, monsters who thought they were humans, or 16-year-olds simply out to prove themselves against all odds, we've got you covered with these 10 must-read Young Adult Fantasy recommendations!
The Wicked Bargain by Gabe Cole Novoa
"If a king were a pirate, this is what he would look like."
Don't miss this Latinx pirate adventure in the Caribbean following Mar León de la Rosa and their misadventures starting after their 16th birthday. Can they use their secret magic to outsmart a literal devil and survive the wicked bargain they find their fate tied up in?
Pub. Year: 2023
Vibes: Pirates, adventure, historical, LGBTQIA+
Next book? This story stands alone, but if you want more in this world, be sure to read The Diablo's Curse, a stand-alone companion novel following everyone's favorite gender-fluid demon.
Content Warning: Discrimination, colonization, death, violence, shipwreck
The Legendborn Cycle by Tracy Deonn
"Legends are dangerous, Bree. Don’t underestimate them."
Doing her best to compartmentalize her overwhelming grief, high-school junior Bree Matthews leaves home for the residential early college program at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Little does she know her extracurriculars will require her to infiltrate a secret society, bringing her face to face with magic, demons and deeply rooted secrets of her family's past.
Pub. Year: 2020
Vibes: Arthurian retelling, contemporary/urban fantasy, dark academia/secret society, adventure, the chosen one
Next Book? The Legendborn Cycle is planned to be 4 books long. Get started with Legendborn and Bloodmarked (Owlcrate limited editions available) now so you are ready for book 3, Oathbound, coming in early 2025!
Content Warning: Racism, grief, discrimination, death, car accident, slavery
Legendborn was featured in our “LEGENDS AND LORE” book subscription box back in October 2020.
The Luminaries by Susan Dennard
"You either trust the forest or you don’t, Winnie. You have to make up your mind."
Hemlock Falls is home to the Luminaries, a society that protects the unknowing humans from the monsters and nightmares of the forest. Winnie Wednesday's family has been exiled from the Luminaries but she's going to do whatever she can to win back their place even if it means passing the hunter trials and risking death.
Pub. Year: 2022
Vibes: Contemporary/paranormal fantasy, secret society, dark forest
Next book? The third and final book in the Luminaries, the Whispering Night, will be released in October 2024!
Content Warning: Blood, violence, death, bullying
Check out our 'The Luminaries' Book Club Readalong Days 1-7 for a summary of each chapter and some fun questions to get you thinking as you make your way through the book (comments available to check out what others have said).
Only a Monster by Vanessa Len
"Only you can stop the hero, Joan."
Only a Monster is an anti-hero coming-of-age story, featuring heroes, monsters and family secrets you were better off not knowing. Joan's always thought of her family as the good guys but her chill summer plans come crashing down when she finds out they're actually monsters. What does it mean to be human anyway?
Pub. Year: 2022
Vibes: Contemporary/paranormal fantasy, secret society, time-travel, heroes and villains
Next book? Book 2, Never a Hero, was released last August and we're eagerly awaiting the publication date of the 3rd book!
Content Warning: Blood, violence, death, murder
Check out our ‘Only a Monster’ Book Club Readalong Days 1-7 for a summary of each chapter and some fun questions to get you thinking as you make your way through the book (comments available to check out what others have said).
The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna
"No matter my origins, there is worth in what I am."
Deka was raised as a "good pure daughter" but when she turns 16 and her Ritual of Purity doesn’t go as planned she's faced with a deadly choice; join the army of "un-pure" girls, or stay in her village and be sacrificed for the cause. Now she must fight for her life and question everything she’s ever known as truth. This brutal and captivating series is not one to miss!
Pub. Year: 2020
Vibes: Found family, epic fantasy, strong females, fantastic creatures, religious intrigue
Next book? The Eternal Ones, the third and final book of the Deathless trilogy was published in February 2024 so this series is ready for binging!
Content Warning: Abuse, violence, death, blood, sexual assault including rape, torture, war and misogyny.
The Spells We Cast by Jason June
"But do you have any idea what it’s like to feel so alone? To feel that, no matter what you do, you’re not enough?"
Every teenage magician has to pass the Culling, a magical competition and rite of passage, to ensure there isn't too much magic in the world. Nigel Barret's ready to prove himself and live up to his family name, but can he survive Ori, a broody rival with sharp wit, or the challenges thrown their way?
Pub. Year: 2023
Vibes: LGBTQIA+, Cowboy magic, grumpy/sunshine, contemporary fantasy, competition
Next book? The sequel and conclusion, The Magic We Make, will be released in October 2024!
Content Warning: death, violence, animal death, emotional abuse, fire
Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko
“I don’t know what I want. I only know the world is big, and I’m sick of pretending it’s smaller.”
After a sheltered and isolated upbringing, Tarisai has only ever wanted to be loved and accepted. The funny thing about wishes is they’re rarely granted and often come at too steep a price. When she's sent away to compete for a place in the crown prince's council of 11, her loyalty is tested in ways she could never imagine.
Pub. Year: 2023
Vibes: Epic fantasy, found family, political intrigue, chosen one
Next book? Redemptor, the sequel and conclusion to this amazing duology is available now! The Maid and the Crocodile, a standalone story set in this world, will be released in August 2024.
Content Warning: emotional abuse, fire, death, murder, memory loss, genocide, misogyny
Song of Silver, Flame Like Night by Amélie Wen Zhao
“But what they do not know is that, so long as we live on, we carry inside us all that they have destroyed. And that is our triumph; that is our rebellion.”
Lan has a mysterious mark, acquired during the worst moment of her life. No one else has ever been able to see it, but Zen can. Zen is a practitioner of magic and traditions lost to time; or more accurately stated, traditions eradicated by the Elantian colonizers. When their paths cross, it’s more than fate, but what is their destiny? What if all the myths and folktales were true?
Pub. Year: 2023
Vibes: Epic fantasy, Chinese mythology, xianxia, wuxia, gods and demons
Next book? The Song of the Last Kingdom duology is complete as of January 2024 with Dark Star Burning, Ash Falls White! Time to dive in!
Content Warning: Violence, death, death of a parent, colonization, war
Threads that Bind by Kika Hatzopoulou
"It's fine. Hurts, but I can take it." The statement pretty much summed up their lives, didn't it?
Threads that Bind makes us question if our fates are all predetermined. Io Ora is Moira-born, meaning she’s a descendant of the goddess of fate. All 3 Ora sisters have magic allowing them to interact with threads, the very fabric of someone's life. One sister can weave, the other can draw, and perhaps the most dangerous of all, Io can cut them. This story blends questions of privilege and power, fate vs choice, and family struggles into an epic story that's not to be missed!
Pub. Year: 2023
Vibes: Epic fantasy, mythology, fate, political intrigue
Next book? Hearts That Cut, the sequel and conclusion, is scheduled for release in June 2024.
Content Warning: Violence, blood, murder, controlling relationships, classism
Check out our 'Threads that Bind' Book Club Readalong Days 1-7 for a summary of each chapter and some fun questions to get you thinking as you make your way through the book (comments available to check out what others have said).
Bonesmith by Nicki Pau Preto
"I know it's the reckless thing to do-," she continued but he cut her off. "But that doesn't mean it's not the right thing."
Wren's trained to become a valkyr, a ghost-fighting warrior, her whole life. When her qualifying trial goes horribly wrong, she finds herself banished to the edges of the realm and will do anything to prove herself and earn back her place. Even if that means rescuing a spoiled prince and learning to cooperate with her house's sworn enemy.
Pub. Year: 2023
Vibes: Dark, necromancy, ghosts, snark
Next book? The House of the Dead duology will be complete with the release of Ghostsmith, coming August 2024!
Content Warning: Violence, death, kidnapping
BONUS: And if you need just one more, here's a slightly older recommendation that you shouldn't sleep on:
An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
"There are two kinds of guilt. The kind that's a burden and the kind that gives you purpose. Let your guilt be your fuel. Let it remind you of who you want to be. Draw a line in your mind. Never cross it again. You have a soul. It's damaged, but it's there. Don't let them take it from you."
Laia and Elias come from two very different yet bleak worlds. One a slave turned spy, the other an unwilling yet highly skilled soldier, both are trapped by the Empire. Defiance is met with death, but can they burn this rotten Empire down around them?
Pub. Year: 2015
Vibes: Ancient Rome, epic fantasy, mythological demons, military school
Next book? All 4 books in the series are released and ready to binge! There are even 2 prequel graphic novels, with a third one yet to be released.
Content Warning: violence, slavery, death, torture, sexual assault including rape
You can check out our “Literary Luggage” pin inspired by An Ember in the Ashes here.
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