I’ve been in love with reading fantasy since I first learned how to read, and I’ve been writing stories almost as long. As an adult, writing has become my hobby, my passion, my creative outlet, and my escape. Fantasy provides what no other genre does – to quote G. K. Chesterton, “Fairy tales are more than true; not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.”I hope you enjoy all of the books on this list – they are full of adventure, romance, and, most importantly, magic.
I recommend this book to anyone looking to dive into epic fantasy with original world-building, complex characters, adventure, magic, and romance.
Sarah J. Maas’s skill is unparalleled, and should be a part of any fantasy lover’s book horde. I am drawn to books with a strong female lead, and Celaena Sardothien certainly fits the bill.
#1 New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas started a worldwide phenomenon when she published her debut novel, Throne of Glass. To date, Sarah's books have spent more than 92 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and she has hit #1 on charts around the world. Her books have sold more than seven million copies and have been translated into 36 languages. Throne of Glass alone has sold over one million copies. Now you can own this epic fantasy classic in a deluxe hardcover collector's edition.
Throne of Glass begins the sweeping saga of assassin Celaena Sardothien,…
"Lush, dangerous, a dark jewel of a book . . . intoxicating" - Leigh Bardugo, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Six of Crows
Of course I want to be like them. They're beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever.
And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.
One terrible morning, Jude and her sisters see their parents murdered in front of them. The terrifying assassin abducts all three…
One of my all-time favorite fantasy novels, and the one that got me hooked on fantasy as a girl – Alanna is the ultimate scrappy heroine and I dreamed of being her when I was growing up.
Alanna has a black cat companion, which may or may not have influenced me to adopt a black cat as an adult.
At the time I read it, I’d never heard of a woman wanting to be a knight before – Alanna helped me realize that all glass ceilings can be shattered, and this remains one of the most re-read novels on my shelf.
From Tamora Pierce, the first book in the Song of the Lioness Quartet, honored with the Margaret A. Edwards Award.
“From now on I’m Alan of Trebond, the younger twin. I’ll be a knight.”
In a time when girls are forbidden to be warriors, Alanna of Trebond wants nothing more than to be a knight of the realm of Tortall. So she finds a way to switch places with her twin brother, Thom. Disguised as a boy, Alanna begins her training as a page at the palace of King Roald. But the road to knighthood, as she discovers, is not…
What I love about this novel (and series) in particular is Leigh Bardugo’s world-building.
The vast majority of fantasy novels are set in a vaguely-English or medieval setting – Ravka is inspired by Russia, and I found the change to be both brilliant and also it provided crucial background for the characters and the plot development.
Of course Ms. Bardugo’s mastery of fantasy – as well as the heroine with unknown magical powers – were simultaneously enjoyable as a reader, and brilliantly educational as a writer.
See the Grishaverse come to life on screen with Shadow and Bone, now a Netflix series.
Enter the Grishaverse with Book One of the Shadow and Bone Trilogy by the #1 New York Times–bestselling author of Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom.
Soldier. Summoner. Saint. Orphaned and expendable, Alina Starkov is a soldier who knows she may not survive her first trek across the Shadow Fold—a swath of unnatural darkness crawling with monsters. But when her regiment is attacked, Alina unleashes dormant magic not even she knew she possessed.
Now Alina will enter a lavish world of royalty and intrigue…
Is there a fantasy novel that has been more widely read and loved than Harry Potter?
Ms. Rowling has brought the ‘coming-of-age’ story to fantasy in a way that is somehow familiar and magical, all at once. The only novel on my list without a female protagonist (though arguably Hermione qualifies!), I would be remiss if I didn’t recommend the most influential fantasy novel of our time.
Harry’s ‘Chosen One’ status and yet utter relatability make him one of my favorite characters of all time, and his magical world is one that I would love to find myself living in (I’m definitely a Ravenclaw!).
Galloping gargoyles ... 2022 is the silver anniversary of J.K. Rowling's magical classic Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone!
The boy wizard Harry Potter has been casting a spell over young readers and their families ever since 1997. Now the first book in this unmissable series celebrates 25 years in print! The paperback edition of the tale that introduced us to Harry, Ron and Hermione has been updated and dressed in silver to mark the occasion. It's time to take the magical journey of a lifetime ...
Harry Potter has never even heard of Hogwarts when the letters start dropping…
A girl whose magic doesn't fit the mold. A tarnished golden boy. The journey that will unite them.
Orphaned Wren is contented with her life as a lighthouse keeper – but when war encompasses her country, she will be thrust into a world she never imagined. Bound in an unlikely partnership, she will find the gods have bigger plans for her than she could ever have imagined. Handsome and arrogant Aris is descended from a line of Shields, animal shifters whose sole purpose is to guard their paired Mages. As the story unfolds, the influence of mercurial gods will gift Wren and Aris an incomparable journey through magic, betrayal, and love.
Since losing his mom, thirteen-year-old Jack Wilson has spent most of his time seeing just how much trouble he can get away with so that he feels like a winner at something. But he takes his mischief too far and is faced with the possibility of unbearable consequences. He knows it’s time to make a big change.
After rediscovering the love of baking he once shared with his mother, Jack is sure that his new sense of purpose will help him stay on the right path, so he throws himself into learning the finer points of sprinkles and scones—and…
After losing his mom, a struggling thirteen-year-old boy in northern Wisconsin rediscovers the love of baking he once shared with her and decides to audition for the world-famous, big-hearted Marvelous Midwest Kids Baking Championship television show in Chicago. Jack is sure that his new sense of purpose will help him stay out of trouble, so he throws himself into learning the finer points of sprinkles and scones -- and hopefully even mending his broken relationship with his dad.
