The best fantasy novels which sweep you into a beautiful, scary world

Why am I passionate about this?

When I read, I’m not just seeing the words on a page; I’m escaping into the world crafted by the author. Since I was a child, I’ve always been a lover of fantasy – it was an escape for me to slip between the pages and be a part of the world inside them. Especially if they were beautiful and filled with hidden danger. I wanted to have my heart pound out of my chest, to have the thrill of magic, wonder, and fear. Now, I try to write those types of worlds; because of the books which inspired me. I only hope you love them as much as I do. 


I wrote...

The Witch Laws: Book One of The Moon Magic Chronicles

By Sally Altass,

Book cover of The Witch Laws: Book One of The Moon Magic Chronicles

What is my book about?

A Higher Power, and a secret buried deep.

Seren's life changes forever on her eighteenth birthday, when her younger sister falls out of the apple tree in their garden. Now she must protect her family and herself from the encroaching darkness and from those who have betrayed them all. As she navigates the world of mystery, lies, and intrigue, Seren must grow into her Power and accept that not everything is as it seems to be.

Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

The books I picked & why

Book cover of Heart of Mist

Sally Altass Why did I love this book?

I still remember the first time I came across Heart of Mist.

It completely overtook my senses and propelled me into the Upper Realm of her universe. Bleak, the female lead, is unlike any other female protagonist I’d ever come across – being angry, brave, and dealing with trauma by playing with a piece of rope. She felt real. 

And the Upper Realms? I wanted to be there; discovering the forests of Valia and traversing their immense tree houses.  

By Helen Scheuerer,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Heart of Mist as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 13, 14, 15, and 16.

What is this book about?

In a realm where toxic mist sweeps the lands and magic is forbidden, all Bleak wants is a cure for her power.

Still grieving the death of her guardian and dangerously self-medicating with alcohol, Bleak is snatched from her home by the Commander of the King’s Army, and summoned to the capital.

But the king isn’t the only one interested in Bleak's powers.

The leader of an infamous society of warriors, the Valia Kindred, lays claim to her as well, and Bleak finds herself in the middle of a much bigger battle than she anticipated.

Heart of Mist is the…


Book cover of The Talisman

Sally Altass Why did I love this book?

This is possibly one of the least well-known Stephen King books out there, and it is most definitely underrated. 

It’s the tale of Jack Sawyer, a twelve-year-old boy who must cross the country to find The Talisman; a magical artifact that has the power to save his mother’s life from the terminal cancer that is ravaging her body. 

But, Morgan Sloat is also chasing the Talisman, in the hopes that he can rule both our world, and the idyllic (and terrifying) Territories, where Jack is the born-again prince.

An all-encompassing portal, two-world fantasy adventure, this is a book that shaped my reading tastes from the age of 13, when I first read it.  And it’s one I go back to, time and time again.

By Stephen King, Peter Straub,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked The Talisman as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Twelve-year-old Jack Sawyer braves the mysterious dangers of the Territories, a surreal parallel world, in his quest--across the United States-for the Talisman, the only hope for his dying mother and for his own survival.


Book cover of A Tale of Stars and Shadow

Sally Altass Why did I love this book?

A Tale of Stars and Shadow exceeded my expectations; mainly because it was one of the first fantasy stories that I’d read which wasn’t exclusively aimed at young adults. 

This is a book for grown-ups, dealing with adult themes (although not sex, perse) and political intrigue. It follows Tallyn, a grief-torn warrior who accepts a posting to protect the spoiled prince of the Winged folk in an exotic country; with beautiful and deadly scenery. I wanted to be in Mithranar – to swim in the clear waters of Feather Bay.  

By Lisa Cassidy,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked A Tale of Stars and Shadow as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A broken warrior. A notorious thief. A mission that could change the world.


Talyn Dynan was the finest fighter of her generation. But after a combat mission goes tragically wrong, she is left broken and wracked with guilt. When Talyn is sent on a twofold mission to Mithranar—protect a winged folk prince while secretly hunting a criminal who is a key to a much greater mystery—she’s immersed in a tangle of ruthless political games. There’s far more at stake than she realised, and a single mistake could mean her death.


The Shadowhawk thrives in the darkest of nights. Desperate to…


Book cover of The Hundredth Queen

Sally Altass Why did I love this book?

Kali, is an orphan, living with the Sister Warriors in their mountain temple. She wants nothing more than a simple life of prayer and seclusion with her best friend. 

That changes when the Rajah of the Tarachand Empire chooses her to become his 100th rani. She soon discovers her true ancestry and that her destiny is that of anything beyond what she could have imagined. 

I fell in love with the rich descriptions and beautiful imagery that Kali (through King) describes to us. And the danger which dogged her every step; whether in the court of the rajah and his rani’s or when she learns the truth behind her childhood fevers.  

By Emily R. King,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Hundredth Queen as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In Emily R. King's thrilling fantasy debut, an orphan girl blossoms into a warrior, summoning courage and confidence in her fearless quest to upend tradition, overthrow an empire, and reclaim her life as her own.

As an orphan ward of the Sisterhood in the ancient Tarachand Empire, eighteen-year-old Kalinda is destined for nothing more than a life of seclusion and prayer. Plagued by fevers, she's an unlikely candidate for even a servant's position, let alone a courtesan or wife. Her sole dream is to continue living in peace in the Sisterhood's mountain temple.

But a visit from the tyrant Rajah…


Book cover of The Queen's Executioner

Sally Altass Why did I love this book?

The first book in an ever-growing world, The Queen’s Executioner introduces us to Daphne Holdfast. 

An immensely talented vision mage, Daphne is able to use her powers to speak to others, to manipulate others, and is unmatched when in combat. And she’s about to find out that her government and religion have been lying to her and the occupants of the Star Continent. Now, she’ll do whatever she can to save the people she loves. 

I fell in love with Daphne from the first introduction of her, and the Star Continent completely and utterly captivated me – from the tip of Kell to the deserts of the Holdings. Both beautiful and deadly in equal parts, depending on who you happened to bump into while roaming the lands. 

By Christopher Mitchell,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Queen's Executioner as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Rahain - a land where the mage-born rule and everyone else is expendable.

A slave, a politician and an assassin find themselves the unlikely heroes that could bring the republic to its knees.

Killop is a slave with a secret: his sister is a renegade Fire Mage. Hunted by the Rahain, her capture could lead to the death of thousands.

Laodoc is a politician who loves his country but has grown to hate many of its ancient traditions. He risks losing his family, his career and his liberty to fight for what he believes in.

Battle Mage Daphne Holdfast is…


You might also like...

Returning to Eden

By Rebecca Hartt,

Book cover of Returning to Eden

Rebecca Hartt Author Of Rising From Ashes

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Idealistic Storyteller Teacher Mother Seeker

Rebecca's 3 favorite reads in 2023

What is my book about?

Looking for clean romantic suspense with spiritual undertones?

Look no further than the Acts of Valor series by Rebecca Hartt. With thousands of reviews and 4.7-5.0 stars per book, this 6-book series is a must-read for readers searching for memorable, well-told stories by an award-winning author.

A dead man stands on her doorstep.

When the Navy wrote off her MIA husband as dead, Eden came to terms with being a widow. But now, her Navy SEAL husband is staring her in the face. Eden knows she should be over-the-moon, but she isn’t.

Diagnosed with PTSD and amnesia, Navy SEAL Jonah Mills has no recollection of their fractured marriage, no memory of Eden nor her fourteen-year-old daughter. Still, he feels a connection to both.

Unfit for active duty and assigned to therapy, Jonah knows he has work to do and relies on God, who sustained him during captivity, to heal his mind, body, and hopefully his family.

But as the memories lurking in his wife's haunted eyes and behind his daughter's uncertain smile begin to return to him, Jonah makes another discovery. There is treachery in the highest ranks of his Team, treachery that not only threatens him but places his new-found family in its crosshairs.

Returning to Eden

By Rebecca Hartt,

What is this book about?

Presumed Dead, Navy SEAL Returns Without Memory of His Ordeal in the Christian Romantic Suspense, Returning to Eden, by Rebecca Hartt

-- Present Day, Virginia Beach, Virginia --

A dead man stands at Eden Mills' door.

Declared MIA a year prior, the Navy wrote him off as dead. Now, Eden's husband, Navy SEAL Jonah Mills has returned after three years to disrupt her tranquility. Diagnosed with PTSD and amnesia, he has no recollection of their marriage or their fourteen-year-old step-daughter. Still, Eden accepts her obligation to nurse Jonah back to health while secretly longing to regain her freedom, despite the…


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in survival, folk music, and secret society?

10,000+ authors have recommended their favorite books and what they love about them. Browse their picks for the best books about survival, folk music, and secret society.

Survival Explore 189 books about survival
Folk Music Explore 57 books about folk music
Secret Society Explore 61 books about secret society