The best love stories in fantasy novels and how they prove relationships can shape who we want to be

Why am I passionate about this?

I grew up in an era when princesses were big and the idea that a woman needs a man to be saved was just beginning to be questioned. I also lived in a single-parent household when that was still something society shamed. Watching my mother, I got a front-row seat to just how loving, vulnerable, and tough-as-nails women can be, and this instilled a desire to tell stories that highlight these sorts of women. My novels have survivors who discover that relationships do not need to be the only thing that defines them, but instead that relationship shapes both parties in ways neither can expect. 


I wrote...

Usurper

By A.J. Maguire,

Book cover of Usurper

What is my book about?

Trenna and Nelek were happy to live the rest of their lives in exile, but the war had other plans. When a blood mage arrives to demand their son be placed on the throne, Nelek and Trenna must set out to prove how much they’re willing to sacrifice for peace. Worse yet, a cry for help has been sounded from the one place they thought was safe from harm: Kiavana Fortress. Can Nelek and Trenna keep their family safe as they race through the battlefields surrounding their homeland?

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of Clockwork Princess

A.J. Maguire Why did I love this book?

Really, the entire Clockwork series by Cassandra Clare earns its place here. The love story between Tessa, Will, and Jem remains my absolute favorite because it’s honest in that you can love more than one person, even if you find that you’re having to choose between them. I don’t normally go in for love triangles, but in this one there was a delicate beauty to their story that I find myself going back to time and time again. Clockwork Princess sees the culmination of that love story and shows how each character has grown and been challenged by the love they have for one another. 

By Cassandra Clare,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Clockwork Princess as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 14, 15, 16, and 17.

What is this book about?

Danger and betrayal, love and loss, secrets and enchantment are woven together in the breathtaking finale to the #1 New York Times bestselling Infernal Devices Trilogy, prequel to the internationally bestselling Mortal Instruments series.

Danger intensifies for the Shadowhunters as the New York Times bestselling Infernal Devices trilogy comes to a close.

If the only way to save the world was to destroy what you loved most, would you do it?

The clock is ticking. Everyone must choose.

Passion. Power. Secrets. Enchantment.

Danger closes in around the Shadowhunters in the final installment of the bestselling Infernal Devices trilogy.


Book cover of A Court of Mist and Fury

A.J. Maguire Why did I love this book?

This is the second book in the Court of Thorns and Roses series but I recommend it in particular because it shows the healing process of a deeply traumatized woman and how she slowly mends. Yes, ultimately it is love that mends her, which my romantic heart swoons over, but it does things the right way. The character is not coddled but given the space she needs at the same time, and ultimately that’s what won me over to their love story. There are some swoon-worthy moments, and at the very end we are left seeing that the two love interests stand as equals, which is often rare in romance. 

By Sarah J. Maas,

Why should I read it?

8 authors picked A Court of Mist and Fury as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

THE SECOND BOOK IN THE #1 BESTSELLING SERIES

'With bits of Buffy, Game Of Thrones and Outlander, this is a glorious series of total joy' - STYLIST
_____________________________
Feyre survived Amarantha's clutches to return to the Spring Court - but at a steep cost. Though she now possesses the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can't forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin's people.

Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, the mesmerising High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates his dark web of political games and tantalising promises,…


Book cover of Outlander

A.J. Maguire Why did I love this book?

This series walks the line of Fantasy, Historical Fiction, and Romance, but since there’s time travel involved and “faerie stones” as the vehicle by which this travel happens, I’m counting it. Jaime and Clare’s marriage is deeply satisfying. There are plenty of other romances that crop up during the series as a whole, but everyone’s really watching how Jaime and Clare remain devoted to one another amid war and tragedy. There’s a realness to their reactions that is difficult to find in fiction sometimes and I am desperately waiting to see what happens in the next book. 

By Diana Gabaldon,

Why should I read it?

30 authors picked Outlander as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The first book in Diana Gabaldon’s acclaimed Outlander saga, the basis for the Starz original series.

One of the top ten best-loved novels in America, as seen on PBS’s The Great American Read!
 
Unrivaled storytelling. Unforgettable characters. Rich historical detail. These are the hallmarks of Diana Gabaldon’s work. Her New York Times bestselling Outlander novels have earned the praise of critics and captured the hearts of millions of fans. Here is the story that started it all, introducing two remarkable characters, Claire Beauchamp Randall and Jamie Fraser, in a spellbinding novel of passion and…


Book cover of Six of Crows

A.J. Maguire Why did I love this book?

I fought between the Kaz Brekker/Inej romance and the Mal/Alina romance of the previous series in the Grishaverse that Leigh Bardugo created. Both are lovely and full of sacrifice, but when it comes down to it, I just plain loved Kaz better. He is dark and tragic and full of complexities and Inej comes to a point where she realizes she has to let go of what she feels for Kaz in order to live fully. Their romance is one that reminds me that love can follow you no matter where you go, even if it means stepping away from the person that love is centered around. 

By Leigh Bardugo,

Why should I read it?

17 authors picked Six of Crows as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 14, 15, 16, and 17.

What is this book about?

*See the Grishaverse come to life on screen with Shadow and Bone, now a Netflix original series.*

Nominated for the CILIP Carnegie Medal 2017, this fantasy epic from the No. 1 NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of the Grisha trilogy is gripping, sweeping and memorable - perfect for fans of George R. R. Martin, Laini Taylor and Kristin Cashore.

Criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams - but he can't pull it off alone.

A convict with a thirst for revenge.
A sharpshooter who can't walk…


Book cover of Shades of Milk and Honey

A.J. Maguire Why did I love this book?

Being a Jane Austin fan myself, it’s hard for me not to love the Glamorist series by Kowal. I deeply enjoyed the magic system she built in the series, and the characters were like… well, like old friends. Vincent provides enough of a Mr. Darcy feel for me that I was pleased by the romance written in here and I quite liked the fact that Jane was “plain” as opposed to the stunning beauties often written in the romance genre. 

By Mary Robinette Kowal,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Shades of Milk and Honey as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This is a fantasy novel you wish Jane Austen had written. "Shades of Milk and Honey" is an intimate portrait of Jane Ellsworth of Dorchester, a woman ahead of her time in a version of Regency England where the manipulation of glamour is considered an essential skill for a lady of quality. Despite the prevalence of magic in everyday life, other aspects of Dorchester's society are not that different: Jane and her sister Melody's lives still revolve around vying for the attentions of eligible men. While Jane's skill with glamour is remarkable, it is her sister who is fair of…


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The Last Ranger: Ranger of the Titan Wilds

By J.D.L. Rosell,

Book cover of The Last Ranger: Ranger of the Titan Wilds

J.D.L. Rosell Author Of The Last Ranger: Ranger of the Titan Wilds

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Why am I passionate about this?

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What is my book about?

Betrayed. Hunted. Left for dead. 

But not even death itself can keep the last ranger from vengeance...

Embark on a new epic fantasy tale full of magic, revenge, and rampaging titans in the latest series written by bestselling author J.D.L. Rosell.

The Last Ranger: Ranger of the Titan Wilds

By J.D.L. Rosell,

What is this book about?

Betrayed. Hunted. Left for dead. But not even death itself can keep the last ranger from vengeance.

Leiyn "Firebrand" is no stranger to a fight. A brash ranger of the Titan Wilds, she takes up her bow to ward against the colossal spirit creatures known as titans, ever a threat to the colonies she has sworn to protect.

But no amount of skill can guard against treachery.

When tragedy strikes the rangers' lodge, Leiyn vows to avenge the fallen. But if she is to succeed, she must embrace a power within her she has long denied.

Power to move mountains…


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