Sarah J. Maas's A Court of Silver Flames is already one of 2021's buzziest releases [1], but if you're looking for even more epic fantasy, dangerous romance, and powerful storytelling, we have some more recommendations for you! We're going well beyond the usual suspects in YA fantasy to highlight some unexpected titles, creative authors, and unique stories that we're certain you'll love [2].
Whether you're looking for a more grown-up fantasy novel, a twisted fairytale, classic YA, or something else entirely, we think you'll find a few books you'll love on our list! Before you place your next order from your favourite bookstore, check out our recommendations and find a new fantasy world to get spellbound by.
The Vine Witch by Luanne G. Smith
Luanne G. Smith's The Vine Witch [3] is a bit more grown-up than ACOSF, but it's packed with the same evocative world-building and magical conflicts. After years of struggling to break a terrible curse laid upon her, vine witch Elena is finally able to return to the vineyards, where the magic of witches like her has created some of the most famous wine in the world. When she returns, she learns that her beloved vineyard has been inherited by a sceptical stranger, and, even worse, there's a hex on the vines that she's not even sure how to break.
Storm and Fury by Jennifer L. Armentrout
A Court of Silver Flames fans will find another complicated heroine to root for in Storm and Fury [4] by Jennifer L. Armentrout. Blind teenager Trinity has a gift: the ability to communicate with the spirit world. She's been in hiding in a compound guarded by elite warriors to keep demons from discovering her, but when an outsider arrives with the news of a strange force that's killing both demons and Wardens, Trinity's secret can no longer be kept — and a war is inevitable.
Descendant of the Crane by Joan He
Just as ACOSF's Nesta is reluctant to take up the leadership she's fated for, Descendant of the Crane [5] by Joan He centres on a princess reluctantly elevated to queen after a tragedy. Determined to find her father's killer, the new queen Hesina hires a soothsayer — something illegal in a kingdom where magic has been banned. When she takes that information to a mysterious investigator, Hesina starts to uncover more secrets about her kingdom and her family than she ever dreamed she'd encounter.
Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare
Cassandra Clare's The Last Hours series kicks off with Chain of Gold [6], a historical YA fantasy with a lot of the same elements as ACOSF. The Carstairs and Herondale families intersect again in this story, where rebellious young woman Cordelia teams up with her longtime friends, James and Lucie Herondale, to fight demons and try to clear her father's name after he's accused of a terrible crime. All the while, she's trying to hide a very emotional secret: she's in love with James, who's already promised to marry someone else.
These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong
Love the forbidden romance and factional drama of ACOSF? Chloe Gong's These Violent Delights [7] is your next must-read! It's a loose retelling of Romeo and Juliet, but set in 1920s Shanghai, where two rival criminal gangs have been fighting a blood feud for generations. Flapper Juliette returns to her home to take charge of her family's gang, forcing her to face off against Roma, her first love and greatest betrayer. When a strange (or magical) disease starts driving members of both clans mad, the ex-lovers have to work together or risk total destruction.
Crier's War by Nina Varela
For a different spin on epic fantasy and forbidden romance, pick up Nina Varela's Crier's War [8]. Set in the aftermath of an interspecies war, human servant Ayla works in the royal household and dreams of avenging her family by murdering the sovereign's daughter. The royal daughter Crier, however, is starting to have doubts about her family and her faction's history. As rebellion looms, Ayla and Crier grow closer, but love has no place in war.
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
V.E. Schwab's The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue [9] is a subtler kind of fantasy, one where the magic blends into the real world. Centuries ago, Addie made a deal with Luc, who may or may not be a devil: eternal life, but at the cost of being forgotten by everyone she meets. She moves through the world for hundreds of years, lonely, until one day, she meets an unassuming man in a bookstore — and he remembers her. As Henry and Addie fall deeper in love, Addie's past closes in on them, but what she doesn't know is that Henry has a secret too.
A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
A Discovery of Witches [10] by Deborah Harkness is definitely targeted more at adults, but ACOSF readers will appreciate its sweeping mythology and angsty romance. Diana, a scholar and a descendant of witches, is shocked when a mysterious alchemical manuscript presents itself to her in her university library. The manuscript's appearance also draws Matthew, a geneticist and vampire, to her side. As the pair dig deeper into the text's origins and meanings, more supernatural beings close in on them, pushing them closer and closer together.
Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco
Sisterhood, rather than romance, is the driving relationship of Kerri Maniscalco's Kingdom of the Wicked [11]. Emilia and Vittoria are secret witches in Sicily, living quietly among non-magical humans. When Emilia finds her sister's body, she sets out to discover who killed her and get revenge. In her desperation, she turns to dark, forbidden magic, and the assistance of Wrath, a Prince of Hell, who claims to want to help her but has his own agenda.
Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles
ACOSF readers will love the darkly glamorous and romantic vibes of Where Dreams Descend [12] by Janella Angeles. Kallia, a magical circus performer, finally breaks free of her dark and controlling master and enters into a magical competition. There, she meets Demarco, a powerful magician and judge of the contest, whose own past hides a devastating tragedy. Kallia and Demarco are forced to work together when strange things begin happening, and neither of their pasts are as far behind them as they'd thought.
Glimmerglass by Jenna Black
If it's the faerie mythology you love, try Jenna Black's Glimmerglass [13]. When Dana runs away from her alcoholic mother, she flees to Avalon, an intersection of worlds, to try to find her father. Dana's arrival throws Avalon into unexpected chaos: she's a rare Faeriewalker who can transition between the fae and human worlds and bring the best of both into the other. As Dana finds herself drawn into fae politics, it seems like danger lurks around every corner, and she'll need everything she's got to stay alive and find out where she really belongs.
A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown
Inspired by West African folklore, Roseanne A. Brown's A Song of Wraiths and Ruin [14] puts a new spin on the classic YA fantasy. Malik wants to escape his war-torn home with his younger sister, but when she's abducted by a spirit, he strikes a deal: kill the crown princess Kiran in exchange for his sister's freedom. Kiran, however, has plans of her own, and they involve dark and deadly magic to revive her murdered mother. Malik and Kiran's purposes collide, and although they can't deny the attraction between them, only one of them can achieve their goals and survive.
Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust
ACOSF's dark fairytale vibes take a different form in Melissa Bashardoust's Girl, Serpent, Thorn [15]. Soraya is a princess with a curse: her touch is poisonous to anyone who dares make contact with her. As her brother's wedding approaches, Soraya wants to venture out of her seclusion, either to speak with the demon who holds the answers she seeks or to spend time with the one man who isn't afraid of her. The answers she's after, though, are much more complicated than she expected.
Cinderella Is Dead by Kalynn Bayron
If you love a good twisted fairytale, Kalynn Bayron's Cinderella Is Dead [16] is for you. Centuries after the first Cinderella, teenage girls are required to appear at a ball where the men of the kingdom select brides — and the girls who aren't selected are never seen again. Sophie, who is already in love with her best friend Erin, flees the ball and hides in Cinderella's mausoleum. There, she meets Cinderella's last known descendant, and they team up to bring down the kingdom once and for all.
A Touch of Darkness by Scarlett St. Clair
The myth of Hades and Persephone gets a new spin in A Touch of Darkness [17] by Scarlett St. Clair. Persephone is a failed goddess of spring, unable to bring flowers to life, so she moves into the mortal world to live a life in disguise. In that world, she discovers that Hades is running a gambling empire, and she winds up tied to a contract with him. To get free, she must make life grow — and as she tries, her feelings grow too.
From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout
ACOSF's reluctant Chosen One has a lot in common with Poppy, the heroine of Jennifer L. Armentrout's From Blood and Ash [18]. Poppy has been chosen from birth as the Maiden, an untouchable, solitary woman who must one day ascend to a higher calling. Despite her isolation, she falls in love with Hawke, one of the guards who is meant to assure her Ascension. As Poppy works to hold her faltering kingdom together, she's torn between her love and her duty, as well as her fears of being rejected by the gods themselves.
Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
Naomi Novik's Spinning Silver [19], like ACOSF, follows a young woman with extraordinary powers. Miryem, a moneylender's daughter, can turn silver into gold, but her arrogance draws unwelcome attention from the king of a fey land. Her future, as well as the fates of the human and fey kingdoms alike, will rest on what Miryem and her unlikely friends can discover about a long-buried and dangerous secret.