The most recommended new adult fantasy books

Who picked these books? Meet our 88 experts.

88 authors created a book list connected to new adult fantasy, and here are their favorite new adult fantasy books.
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Book cover of The Book of Love

Kris Dinnison Author Of You And Me And Him

From Kris' 3 favorite reads in 2024.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author

Kris' 3 favorite reads in 2024

Kris Dinnison Why did Kris love this book?

I have been a huge fan of Kelly Link's short stories for years, so I was very excited about the idea of her writing a novel. The Book of Love did not disappoint. The characters were all richly developed, and their relationships with each other were so engaging. I really got lost in the fates of these fictional strangers in this little seaside town, and worried what would happen to them when the gods come calling. Beautiful book. Amazing writer.

By Kelly Link,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

'A dizzying dream ride you will never forget' LEIGH BARDUGO 'An astonishing, gorgeous novel' HOLLY BLACK 'An incredible achievement' CASSANDRA CLARE FROM PULITZER-PRIZE FINALIST KELLY LINK Supernatural beings and chaos descend on the small seaside town of Lovesend, Massachusetts, in the wake of the unexpected return of three missing teenagers. Laura, Daniel and Mo disappeared without trace a year ago. They have long been presumed dead. Which they were. But now they are not. And it is up to the resurrected teenagers to discover what happened to them. Revived by Mr Anabin - the man they knew as their highā€¦


Book cover of A Day of Fallen Night

Elizabeth Hrib Author Of Meet Me in a Mile

From Elizabeth's 3 favorite reads in 2024.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author

Elizabeth's 3 favorite reads in 2024

Elizabeth Hrib Why did Elizabeth love this book?

I want so much more of this fantasy world! This was a follow-up read to The Priory of the Orange Tree. Technically it's set before the events of that book, but I loved being able to dive in, already knowing so much about the world and getting to expand on that. It's got everything you want from a fantasy -- immersive worldbuilding, badass heroines, DRAGONS! I mean, what's not to love here?

By Samantha Shannon,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked A Day of Fallen Night as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'A magnificent, sweeping epic' JENNIFER SAINT, Sunday Times-bestselling author of ARIADNE 'Shannon is simply a master of the genre' C. S. PACAT, New York Times-bestselling author of DARK RISE 'A tremendous triumph' LONDON SHAH, award-winning author of the LIGHT OF THE ABYSS series ____________________ A return to the world of Samantha Shannon's Sunday Times and New York Times-bestselling The Priory of the Orange Tree ____________________ Tunuva Melim is a sister of the Priory. For fifty years, she has trained to slay wyrms - but none have appeared since the Nameless One, and the younger generation is starting to question theā€¦


Book cover of The Magician's Daughter

Mary-Jean Harris Author Of Night Of The Immortals

From Mary-Jean's 3 favorite reads in 2024.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Philosopher Reader Princess Entrepreneur Animal lover

Mary-Jean's 3 favorite reads in 2024

Mary-Jean Harris Why did Mary-Jean love this book?

This was such a wonderful book, charming and quaint, and with a world that completely drew me in.

It's enchanting magical system seemed to arise naturally from the earth, and Biddie was such a relatable and lovely character.

The audiobook was excellent as well, with perfect Irish accents and a great flow to the story.

By H G Parry,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

"That most rare and precious thing: a brand-new classic, both wholly original and wonderfully nostalgic."  ā€”Alix E. Harrow, New York Times bestselling author

In the early 1900s, a young woman is caught between two worlds in H. G. Parryā€™s cozy tale of magic, miracles, and an adventure of a lifetime.

Off the coast of Ireland sits a legendary island hidden by magic. A place of ruins and ancient trees, sea salt air, and fairy lore, Hy-Brasil is the only home Biddy has ever known. Washed up on its shore as a baby, Biddy lives a quiet life with her guardian,ā€¦


Book cover of Chlorine

Ephiny Gale Author Of Pick Your Potion

From my list on speculative books with sapphic main characters.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have always been eager to read weird, speculative, sapphic stories, but they were difficult to find throughout my early life. As a teenager, I started to write them, creating what I hoped to see in the world, and I havenā€™t stopped since. Iā€™m thrilled to see that this niche is becoming more common and celebrated, particularly in the more experimental short fiction space. As an adult, Iā€™ve had many weird, speculative, sapphic short stories and novelettes published, including one that won the Best of the Net award and two that were shortlisted for Brave New Weird: The Best New Weird Horror.

Ephiny's book list on speculative books with sapphic main characters

Ephiny Gale Why did Ephiny love this book?

I found myself surprisingly captivated by this present-day body horror mermaid transformation tale focused on a high school swim team.

This novel follows a gradual decline from an everyday reality towards an increasingly unhinged climax, and I appreciated how slowly this sneaks up on you. Even though the book makes no secret of where itā€™s ultimately going, I was still pleasantly surprised about how we got there and the weirdness of the ending.

The sapphic relationship between the protagonist and her best friend is a key throughline, with an interesting dichotomy between the best friendā€™s long-term adoration and the protagonistā€™s relative detachment and bitterness.

By Jade Song,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

In the vein of The Pisces and The Vegetarian, Chlorine is a debut novel that blurs the line between a literary coming-of-age narrative and a dark unsettling horror tale, told from an adult perspective on the trials and tribulations of growing up in a society that puts pressure on young women and their bodiesā€¦ a powerful, relevant novel of immigration, sapphic longing, and fierce, defiant becoming.


Ren Yu is a swimmer. Her daily life starts and ends with the pool. Her teammates are her only friends. Her coach is her guiding light. If she swims well enough, she will beā€¦


Book cover of The Last Tale of the Flower Bride

Lyra Selene Author Of A Feather So Black

From Lyra's 3 favorite reads in 2024.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author

Lyra's 3 favorite reads in 2024

Lyra Selene Why did Lyra love this book?

A dark, grotesquely beautiful gothic tale about friendship, love--and the perversions they sometimes create. A monstrous, bewitching book.

By Roshani Chokshi,

Why should I read it?

5 authors picked The Last Tale of the Flower Bride as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'Gorgeous and ornate' Holly Black

'Lingers like a fever dream' V.E. Schwab

Do not look. Do not ask. Do not pry.

A sumptuous, gothic story about an obsessive female friendship cursed to end in tragedy, a marriage unraveled by dark secrets, and the danger of believing in fairy tales - the breathtaking adult debut from New York Times bestselling author Roshani Chokshi.

Once upon a time, a man who believed in fairy tales married a beautiful, mysterious woman named Indigo Maxwell-Castenada. He was a scholar of myths. She was heiress to a fortune. They exchanged gifts and stories and believedā€¦


Book cover of The Book of Love
Book cover of A Day of Fallen Night
Book cover of The Magician's Daughter

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