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Are you looking for some of the best fantasy YA books to add to your reading list?
However, it is her second series, A Court of Thorns and Roses, that is my absolute favourite
Most SJ Maas fans believe this to be much better than her first series, especially when you
This series is all about Feyre, a human girl struggling to keep her family alive
She notices that a wolf is also stalking her prey, so she shoots the wolf, not realising
There’s politics, romance, and intrigue in this series and it’s definitely worth adding to your
Whilst A Court of Thorns and Roses is good, it’s the second book in the series,
If you’re looking for the best YA fantasy romance books, here’s your series!
Holly Black is another longstanding author of ya fantasy fiction and The Cruel Prince series is one
They’re sent to live with their mother’s ex-husband (the murderer!) in the world of the
Jude and Taryn try to fit in with the faerie children in their new realm but they
Sweet little twins Jude and Taryn are long gone by the end of The Cruel Prince and
The Cruel Prince is similar to A Court of Thorns and Roses above so if you loved
Cinder is the first book in the Lunar Chronicles series by Marissa Meyer and is a Cinderella
It may be more science fiction and dystopia than fantasy but with a kick-ass heroine, princes, balls
She’s seen by most as a technological mistake but being a cyborg has also made her
However, in Cinder’s attempts to please the young Prince, her younger sister (a human), becomes exposed
But in all their prodding and poking, the scientists discover something very special about Cinder
The story of an orphaned protagonist with heightened skills for survival who has to evade the corrupt
However, having a main character that is a Cyborg amidst the fictional setting of New Beijing is
Buy Cinder: Amazon | Book Depository | Waterstones | Blackwells
Loved by children, young adults and adults alike, this series completely took the world by storm upon
The series is all about Harry Potter, a young orphan with a lighting bolt scar on his
He lives a pitiful existence in his aunt and uncle’s cupboard under the stairs and they
With floating candles, magical feasts, friends and more, Harry’s life is suddenly full of colour
Although Lord Voldemort was vanquished back then, it seems that something dark is brewing and the series
The Harry Potter books are a cultural phenomenon and if for some reason you are yet to
Whilst the first one or two books could be said to be children’s books, the series
If you want to read about some badass witches then The Witchlands series is for you
In this fantasy world, some individuals are gifted with extraordinary capabilities at birth
Iseult is a Threadwitch, which means she can sense the bonds that tie different people together
Safiya is a Truthwitch, which means she can tell whether someone is lying or telling the truth
There’s magic, politics, war, romance and some amazing female protagonists
The absolute best thing about the Witchlands series is the sisterly bond between Safiya and Iseult
It’s an epic female friendship – something we need more of in fantasy novels for young adults!
This intense bond between the witches reminded me of the Ironteeth clan in the Throne of Glass
Buy Truthwitch: Amazon | Book Depository | Waterstones | Blackwells
However, after witnessing his grandfather’s mysterious death in the woods, Jacob begins to think that his
Determined to get to the bottom of his grandfather’s death, Jacob embarks on a journey to
His grandfather grew up here and Jacob believes it may hold the clue to his death
Miss Peregrine’s Home was an instant hit upon its release and there’s even a film
There are alternate realities, time travel, supernatural beings, and more
Ransom Riggs blends lots of different genres and styles together to make this perfectly bizarre novel
What’s more, it’s littered with black and white photographs of all the peculiar children, which
Buy Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children: Amazon | Book Depository | Waterstones | Blackwells
The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh is an Arabian Nights retelling with a unique premise
King Khalid has a murderous reputation and is feared by all his subjects
Every day he marries a new and different girl, and by morning she is dead
She volunteers to be the King’s next bride in order to get close to him and
This continues night after night and, against the odds, the two begin to develop feelings for each
How could this sensitive and caring man she has been sharing stories with each night be the
It seems that there is more to King Khalid than the rumours suggest and Shahrzad is desperate
The romance is subtle and you find yourself really rooting for Shahrzad and Khalid, who by all
In Rebel of the Sands, mythical beasts still roam free in the remote areas of the desert
It’s a tough place for mere mortals to grow up, especially if you’re poor, orphaned
However, Amani refuses to accept her lot in life and sneaks out of her uncle’s house
Although Amani had often dreamed of leaving the deadbeat town she was brought up in, she never
She’s tenacious and determined to fight against the prejudiced system of her home county
Women have no rights so Amani disguises herself as a boy in order to escape Dustwalk and
Rebel of the Sands is a sort of cross between a Western and Aladdin and Hamilton has
Read my full review of Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton here
Eragon is a teen fantasy series that I was positively obsessed with as a 15-year-old
What’s quite astonishing too is that Christopher Paolini was only 15 years old when he wrote this
The story begins when Eragon discovers a blue egg in the forest
What he doesn’t appreciate, is that he’s about to unleash a legacy as old as
His life is now in danger and he has the weight of the Dragon Riders’ legacy on
Guided only by an old storyteller, Eragon must now take on the Empire and its cruel king
To put it in perspective as to how much I loved this series, it’s probably the
Buy Eragon: Amazon | Book Depository | Waterstones | Blackwells
Lyra sets off to the North to save her friend Roger who has been taken by the
It also happens to be where her mysterious uncle Asriel is trying to build a bridge to
As the story progresses, the pair meet armoured bears, fallen angels and even soul-eating creatures
His Dark Materials is a series that many will first come to at a young age, but
And whilst it may be deemed a young adult fantasy series, it’ll make you question certain
Buy His Dark Materials: Amazon | Book Depository | Waterstones | Blackwells
An Ember in the Ashes is a story of power battles and political espionage inspired by Ancient
Laia’s family are ripped away from her at the beginning of the story and she winds
Laia is sent to the palace to be the Commandant’s servant and she is treated brutally
It turns out that Elias is the Commandant’s birth son, though she shows little care for
He is forced to compete in a series of trials, the winner of which will be crowned
This complicates things as the pair have conflicting loyalties and as the plot unfolds it turns out
How could I write about the best YA fantasy books of all time without mentioning the man
The Hobbit comes before the events in Lord of the Rings and is a great introduction to
Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit, a small creature of the green Shire that lives a quiet existence
The hobbit that was once a homebody is thrust on an adventure with dwarves, elves, dragons and
Tolkien’s writing is in itself a form of art and The Hobbit is a great introduction
Fair warning: the Hobbit books and films are very, very different so you may be for in
Buy The Hobbit: Amazon | Book Depository | Waterstones | Blackwells
Set in the 19th century, we follow treasure-hunter and wealthy hotelier Séverin Montagnet-Alarie on a high-stakes
To help him, he bands together an unlikely crew – an engineer with a debt to pay, a
Together they embark on a journey that could change the entire course of history, but only if
If you liked Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo then you’ll also like this magical and
Plus, a diverse young adult author with diverse young adult characters? That’s a win for me!
A Darker Shade of Magic is set in London, but not as you know it
Kell is a magician with the ability to travel between parallel Londons: Red, Grey, White, and once
He was born in Red London but is an ambassador of these worlds
He escapes to Grey London, where he meets Delilah Bard, a thief with lofty aspirations
They need to stay alive, but danger lurks around every corner
The premise of this young adult book is incredible and it’s a highly readable tale of
As a Londoner myself, I adored the idea of multiple parallel Londons where history is different in
Buy A Darker Shade of Magic: Amazon | Book Depository | Waterstones | Blackwells
Scarlett is engaged to Count d’Arcy, a man she has never met before, but she is
After a failed escape attempt two years earlier, this seems like their only route to freedom
However, every year, Scarlett has written a letter to Caraval Master Legend, begging him to bring his
Caraval is a five-day performance that requires audience participation
Things are not at all as they seem but we aren’t really given any clues as
I felt like I was in the dark for a long time but it kept me on
There’s so much mystery in this story and I truly had no clue what plot twists
Caraval is a fantastic debut novel from Stephanie Garber and it blew me away
It’s the closest you’ll ever find to magic in this world
Buy Caraval: Amazon | Book Depository | Waterstones | Blackwells
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard is another YA fantasy series that dominated the YA book scene upon
Those with red blood are common, whilst those with silver blood are typically born with some sort
However, it soon becomes apparent that she is no ordinary red blood
It seems a genetic mutation means that whilst she was born a red blood, she too has
Fearing her powers, the palace concoct a story to tell the world that Mare is actually a
Buy Red Queen: Amazon | Book Depository | Waterstones | Blackwells
She’s an expert with every kind of weapon but could even kill a man twice her
If you’ve read any kind of fantasy novel you’ll know that that’s exactly the
And, unfortunately, Katsa has been forced to be her uncle, King Randa’s, mercenary since she was
In doing so, she realises that he must be graced too and is in fact graced with
Katsa is the epitome of a strong, independent woman and makes for a great heroine
She’s clear about the fact that marriage and playing happy families is for her and Po
The romance here is blended into the action and drama in a way that neither overpowers the
Buy Graceling: Amazon | Book Depository | Waterstones | Blackwells
The year is 1926, and Shanghai hums to the tune of debauchery
A blood feud between two gangs runs the streets red, leaving the city in chaos
Juliette Cai is the proud heir of the Scarlet Gang – a network of criminals far above the
When a deadly madness strikes gangsters on both sides, the people start to whisper
For if they can’t stop this mayhem, there will be no city left to rule
Once an enchanted land, Orïsha’s magic vanished without trace, leaving those who wielded it enslaved
But now magic is returning and one girl has the chance to turn the tide…They killed
With her white hair, the mark of the gods, she is marked as one of the ibawi –
But now his rule is failing, and revolution is sweeping across the Empire’s many islands
Lin is the Emperor’s daughter and she spends her days trapped in a palace of locked
When her father refuses to recognise her as heir to the throne, she vows to prove her
Jade is the lifeblood of the city of Janloon – a stone that enhances a warrior’s natural
When a modern drug emerges that allows anyone – even foreigners – to wield jade, simmering tension between the
The outcome of this clan war will determine the fate of all in the families, from their
Jade City is an epic tale of blood, family, honour, and of those who live and die
Kaz’s crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction – if they
A natural magician, Ged becomes an Archmage and helps the High Priestess Tenar escape from the labyrinth
But as the years pass, true magic and ancient ways are forced to submit to the powers
The note was on vellum, pierced by the talons of the almost-crow that delivered it
In general, Karou has managed to keep her two lives in balance
Raised half in our world, half in ‘Elsewhere’, she has never understood Brimstone’s dark work – buying
She is a secret even to herself, plagued by the sensation that she isn’t whole
Now the doors to Elsewhere are closing, and Karou must choose between the safety of her human
He taught her how to defend against the corruption and excesses of the old kings, before revolutionaries
She is determined to uncover the truth and bring the assassin to justice
As the investigation quickly spins out of control, Hesina realizes that no one is innocent
Not the heroes in history, or the father she thought she knew
But when families begin to go missing, Jane uncovers a conspiracy that pits her against some powerful
A powerful, compelling tale of a young girl’s journey through a hostile world, Jane McKeene is
What are your favourite YA fantasy books? Share your recommendations in the comments below!
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