Romantasy All-Time Greats
The 20 greatest Romantasy books — essential reads that defined the genre.
- 1 A Court of Thorns and RosesA Court of Thorns and Roses #1Sarah J. Maas★★★★★ ★★★★★ 4.22 · 🕯️🕯️🕯️ Serious
A young huntress is taken to the faerie lands after killing a wolf in the woods. There she discovers that her captor is not what he seems, and the world beyond the wall is more beautiful and more deadly than she ever imagined.
Portal FantasyFae Court DramaEnemies to Lovers - 2 A Court of Mist and FuryA Court of Thorns and Roses #2Sarah J. Maas★★★★★ ★★★★★ 4.65 · 🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️ Dark
Feyre has undergone more trials than one human woman can carry in her heart. Though she's now been granted the powers and lifespan of the High Fae, she is haunted by her time Under the Mountain and the terrible deeds she performed to save the lives of Tamlin and his people. As her marriage to Tamlin approaches, Feyre's hollowness and nightmares consume her. She finds herself split into two different people: one who upholds her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court, and one who lives out her life in the Spring Court with Tamlin. While Feyre navigates a dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms. She might just be the key to stopping it, but only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future-and the future of a world in turmoil. Bestselling author Sarah J. Maas's masterful storytelling brings this second book in her dazzling, sexy, action-packed series to new heights.
Cursed CharacterEnemies to LoversFae Court Drama - 3 From Blood and AshBlood and Ash #1Jennifer L. Armentrout★★★★★ ★★★★★ 4.28 · 🕯️🕯️🕯️ Serious
Poppy has never been like other girls. Chosen from birth to usher in a new era, she's been forbidden from being touched, has never known friendship or freedom, and is guarded by a golden boy who makes her want things she can't have. A story of fate, sacrifice, and discovering who you really are.
Chosen OneProphecy ChildForbidden Romance - 4 Fourth WingThe Empyrean #1Rebecca Yarros★★★★★ ★★★★★ 4.58 · 🕯️🕯️🕯️ Serious
Violet Sorrengail is ordered into the war college for dragon riders rather than the scribe quadrant she was meant to join. Smaller and frailer than her classmates, she must bond a dragon or die trying — and the most powerful rider on campus seems determined to make sure she doesn't survive.
Dragon RiderComing of AgeEnemies to Lovers - 5 The Cruel PrinceThe Folk of the Air #1Holly Black★★★★★ ★★★★★ 4.05 · 🕯️🕯️🕯️ Serious
Jude was seven when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, she still feels like an outsider, uncertain of her place in the brutal shifting political landscape of a world filled with glamour and lies.
Outcast HeroPolitical IntrigueFae Court Drama - 6 Throne of GlassThrone of Glass #1Sarah J. Maas★★★★★ ★★★★★ 4.25 · 🕯️🕯️🕯️ Serious
In a land without magic, where the king rules with an iron hand, an assassin is summoned to the castle to compete in a deadly tournament. If she defeats twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors, she is released from prison and serves as the king's champion. Her name is Celaena Sardothien.
Assassin ProtagonistRebellionTournament Arc - 7 Iron FlameThe Empyrean #2Rebecca Yarros★★★★★ ★★★★★ 4.16 · 🕯️🕯️🕯️ Serious
The empyrean is at war. Violet Sorrengail faces a new year at Basgiath War College where the rules have changed—allies have become enemies and Violet finds herself in the middle of a conflict that could destroy everything. Some battles can only be won by the rider willing to risk everything.
Coming of AgeDragon RiderEnd of the World Stakes - 8 A Court of Silver FlamesA Court of Thorns and Roses #5Sarah J. Maas★★★★★ ★★★★★ 4.49 · 🕯️🕯️🕯️ Serious
Sarah J. Maas's sexy, richly imagined Court of Thorns and Roses series continues with the journey of Feyre's fiery sister, Nesta. Nesta Archeron has always been prickly – proud, swift to anger and slow to forgive. And since the war – since being made High Fae against her will – she's struggled to forget the horrors she endured and find a place for herself within the strange and deadly Night Court. The person who ignites her temper more than any other is Cassian, the battle-scarred, winged warrior who is there at Nesta's every turn. But her temper isn't the only thing Cassian ignites. And when they are forced to train in battle together, sparks become flame. As the threat of war casts its shadow over them once again, Nesta and Cassian must fight monsters from within and without if they are to stand a chance of halting the enemies of their court. But the ultimate risk will be searching for acceptance – and healing – in each other's arms.
Coming of AgeFae Court DramaFound Family - 9 Kingdom of the WickedKingdom of the Wicked #1Kerri Maniscalco★★★★★ ★★★★★ 4.02 · 🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️ Dark
Sicily, 1899. Emilia and her twin sister Vittoria practice the family's secret magic. When Vittoria is found murdered, Emilia summons a demon to help her seek revenge. The demon who answers is Wrath—one of the seven Princes of Hell—and he is not what she expected at all.
Revenge StoryForbidden MagicDark Lord - 10 The Wicked KingThe Folk of the Air #2Holly Black★★★★★ ★★★★★ 4.17 · 🕯️🕯️🕯️ Serious
**YOU MUST BE STRONG ENOUGH TO STRIKE AND STRIKE AND STRIKE AGAIN WITHOUT TIRING.** **THE FIRST LESSON IS TO MAKE YOURSELF THAT STRONG.** JUDE HAS BOUND THE WICKED KING, Cardan, to her, and made herself the power behind the throne. Navigating the constantly shifting political alliances of Faerie would be difficult enough if Cardan were biddable. But he does everything in his power to humiliate and undermine her, even as his fascination with her remains undiminished. When it becomes all too clear that someone close to Jude means to betray her, threatening her own life and the lives of everyone she loves, Jude must uncover the traitor and fight her own complicated feelings for Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a Faerie world. From author Holly Black comes an enchanting and bloodthirsty sequel to the *New York Times* bestselling novel *The Cruel Prince*. This description comes from the publisher. *The Wicked King* is the second book in the Folk of the Air series, the first of which is *The Cruel Prince*.
Assassin ProtagonistDark LordPolitical Intrigue - 11 Crown of MidnightThrone of Glass #2Sarah J. Maas★★★★★ ★★★★★ 4.28 · 🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️ Dark
*She is the greatest assassin her world has ever known. But where will her conscience, and her heart, lead her?* After a year of hard labor in the Salt Mines of Endovier, eighteen-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien has won the king's contest to become the new royal assassin. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown – a secret she hides from even her most intimate confidantes.Keeping up the deadly charade-while pretending to do the king's bidding-will test her in frightening new ways, especially when she's given a task that could jeopardize everything she's come to care for. And there are far more dangerous forces gathering on the horizon -- forces that threaten to destroy her entire world, and will surely force Celaena to make a choice. Where do the assassin's loyalties lie, and who is she willing to fight for?
Assassin ProtagonistAnti-HeroMorally Grey Hero - 12 House of Earth and BloodCrescent City #1Sarah J. Maas★★★★★ ★★★★★ 4.54 · 🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️ Dark
Winner of the Goodreads Choice Best Fantasy 2020, House of Earth and Blood is the first book in the epic CRESCENT CITY series by #1 bestselling global phenomenon Sarah J. Maas
- 13 Empire of StormsThrone of Glass #5Sarah J. Maas★★★★★ ★★★★★ 4.58 · 🕯️🕯️🕯️ Serious
The long path to the throne has only just begun for Aelin Galathynius. Loyalties have been broken and bought, friends have been lost and gained, and those who possess magic find themselves at odds with those who don't. With her heart sworn to the warrior-prince by her side, and her fealty pledged to the people she is determined to save, Aelin will delve into the depths of her power to protect those she loves. But as monsters emerge from the horrors of the past, and dark forces become poised to claim her world, the only chance for salvation will lie in a desperate quest that may mark the end of everything Aelin holds dear. In this breathtaking fifth installment of the New York Times bestselling Throne of Glass series, Aelin will have to choose what -- and who -- to sacrifice if she's to keep the world of Erilea from breaking apart.
Lost HeirChosen OnePolitical Intrigue - 14 A Shadow in the EmberJennifer L. Armentrout★★★★★ ★★★★★ 4.40 · 🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️ Dark
Born to sacrifice herself to the Primal of Death, Sera has trained her entire life for one purpose: to make the feared Nyktos fall in love with her, become his weakness, and then destroy him. As ancient realms teeter on the brink of war, Sera must navigate a treacherous court filled with political intrigue while battling her own growing feelings for the very being she is sworn to eradicate. The fate of their world rests on her deception, but a fated connection threatens to unravel her mission and unleash an even greater darkness.
Fated MatesSlow BurnImmortal Character - 15 Serpent & DoveSerpent & Dove #1Shelby Mahurin★★★★★ ★★★★★ 4.08 · 🕯️🕯️🕯️ Serious
"Full of everything I love: a sparkling and fully realized heroine, an intricate and deadly system of magic, and a searing romance that kept me reading long into the night." --Sarah J. Maas, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Court of Thorns and Roses series Bound as one, to love, honor, or burn. A tale of witchcraft and forbidden love, perfect for fans of Kendare Blake and Victoria Aveyard. The first two books in Shelby Mahurin's bestselling fantasy trilogy are now available in this beautifully packaged paperback box set--a treasure for fans to add to their collection and the perfect gift to readers looking for a new series. This box set of Serpent & Dove and Blood & Honey paperbacks is a binge-friendly way to enjoy the first two books of Shelby Mahurin's stunning debut fantasy series of forbidden love. Makes a great gift! Don't miss Gods & Monsters, the spellbinding conclusion of this epic trilogy, coming July 2021!
Political MarriageForced ProximityEnemies to Lovers - 16 The Queen of NothingThe Folk of the Air #3Holly Black★★★★★ ★★★★★ 4.19 · 🕯️🕯️🕯️ Serious
The novel follows a mortal, Jude Duarte, as she returns to the troubled Faerie realm to solve an important riddle and save the king and the land she loves. Now as the exiled mortal Queen of Faerie, Jude is powerless and left reeling from Cardan's betrayal. She bides her time determined to reclaim everything he took from her. Opportunity arrives in the form of her twin sister, Taryn, whose life is in peril.
BetrayalFae Court DramaPolitical Intrigue - 17 A Court of Wings and RuinA Court of Thorns and Roses #3Sarah J. Maas★★★★★ ★★★★★ 4.32 · 🕯️🕯️🕯️ Serious
Looming war threatens all Feyre holds dear in the third volume of the #1 New York Times bestselling A Court of Thorns and Roses series. Feyre has returned to the Spring Court, determined to gather information on Tamlin's manoeuvrings and the invading king threatening to bring Prythian to its knees. But to do so she must play a deadly game of deceit – and one slip may spell doom not only for Feyre, but for her world as well. As war bears down upon them all, Feyre must decide who to trust amongst the dazzling and lethal High Lords – and hunt for allies in unexpected places. In this thrilling third book in the #1 New York Times bestselling series from Sarah J. Maas, the earth will be painted red as mighty armies grapple for power over the one thing that could destroy them all.
War Between KingdomsPolitical IntrigueBetrayal - 18 A Sky Beyond the StormAn Ember in the Ashes #4Sabaa Tahir★★★★★ ★★★★★ 4.38 · 🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️ Dark
Picking up just a few months after A Reaper at the Gates left off... The long-imprisoned jinn are on the attack, wreaking bloody havoc in villages and cities alike. But for the Nightbringer, vengeance on his human foes is just the beginning. At his side, Commandant Keris Veturia declares herself Empress, and calls for the heads of any and all who defy her rule. At the top of the list? The Blood Shrike and her remaining family. Laia of Serra, now allied with the Blood Shrike, struggles to recover from the loss of the two people most important to her. Determined to stop the approaching apocalypse, she throws herself into the destruction of the Nightbringer. In the process, she awakens an ancient power that could lead her to victory - or to an unimaginable doom. And deep in the Waiting Place, the Soul Catcher seeks only to forget the life - and love - he left behind. Yet doing so means ignoring the trail of murder left by the Nightbringer and his jinn. To uphold his oath and protect the human world from the supernatural, the Soul Catcher must look beyond the borders of his own land. He must take on a mission that could save - or destroy - all that he knows.
Ancient Evil AwakensDark LordEnd of the World Stakes - 19 Kingdom of the FearedKingdom of the Wicked #3Kerri Maniscalco★★★★★ ★★★★★ 4.06 · 🕯️🕯️🕯️ Serious
Two curses. One prophecy. A reckoning all have feared. And a love more powerful than fate. All hail the king and queen of Hell. Emilia is reeling from a shocking discovery about her sister, Vittoria. But before she faces the demons of her past, Emilia yearns to claim her king, the seductive Prince of Wrath, in the flesh. She doesn’t just desire his body; she wants his heart and soul—but that’s something the enigmatic demon can’t promise her. When a high-ranking member of House Greed is assassinated, damning evidence somehow points to Vittoria as the murderer. Now, Emilia will do anything to get to the bottom of these accusations against the sister she thought she knew. Together, Emilia and Wrath play a sin-fueled game of deception to solve the murder and stop the unrest that’s brewing between witches, demons, shape-shifters, and the most treacherous foes of all: the Feared. Emilia was warned that when it came to the Wicked, nothing was as it seemed. But have the true villains been much closer all along?
Cursed CharacterProphecyRevenge Story - 20
House of Sky and BreathCrescent City #2Sarah J. Maas★★★★★ ★★★★★ 4.54 · 🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️ DarkBryce Quinlan och Hunt Athalar har slutit en pakt. Fram till vintersolståndet ska de hålla sin relation strikt vänskaplig och fokusera på att samla krafter efter allt som hänt. Men att stå emot den sprakande kemin dem emellan visar sig vara lättare sagt än gjort.Även om de tillfälligt räddat Crescent City är faran dessutom långt ifrån över. Ju mer rebellerna utmanar Asteris makt, desto mer hotfulla blir härskarna. Bryce, Hunt och deras vänner dras in i rebellernas planer, och valet de står inför är tydligt: Förbli tyst inför andras lidande eller kämpa för det rätta. Och Bryce och Hunt har aldrig varit särskilt bra på att vara tysta."Spetsad med vasst intrigmakeri och stämningsskapande världsbygge ... en njutning till bladvändare" Guardian"Sarah J. Maas gör ingen besviken. Sluka och njut!" Daily Mail"Tänk dig 'Game of Thrones' möter 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer', med en skvätt E.L. James." Telegraph[Bokinfo].
Slow BurnForbidden Romance