#fantasy book recs

[the-unseelie]

ASH FELL FROM THE SKY.

[out-of-the-forest-i-come]

SFF Polyamory Recs Part 1

2024 seems to be the year of polyamory in literature and movies, and I've been wanting to read some books featuring polyamory lately, so here is a non-exhaustive list of sci-fi and fantasy books that feature polyamory!

Evocation, by S.T. Gibson - fantasy. first in a series. seems to be f/m/m

Running Close to the Wind, by Alex Rowland - fantasy. standalone. m/m/nb

Iron Widow, by Xiran Jay Zhao - sci-fi. first in a series. f/m/m

A Dowry of Blood, by S.T. Gibson - gothic fantasy. standalone. sapphic

Silver Under Nightfall, by Rin Chupeco - fantasy. first in a series. seems to feature f/m/m

In the Ravenous Dark, by A.M. Strickland - fantasy. standalone. seems to feature f/f/m

True Love Bites, by @joydemorra - fantasy. first in a series. seems to be f/m/m

To Be Taught, If Fortunate, by Becky Chambers - sci-fi. novella. pairing unknown

The Door Into Fire, by Diane Duane - fantasy. first in a series. pairing unknown

Heliacle Rising, by C.C. Davie - fantasy. first in a series. pairing unknown

[preciouslandmermaid]

The Gods gave mortals magic, but every gift has a price.

Maeve, a priestess of Juno, has her idyllic life turned upside down after her home is ravaged by the ambitious and delirious ex-king Hagken.

As Maeve is emboldened by Juno’s divine power, she will stop at nothing to prevent this war before it begins. She forms an unlikely alliance with an expelled alchemist and Hagken’s prior spymaster, Alistair, who shares they have a personal vendetta against the king.

In the city of Pyrite, where magic and alchemy thrive, Maeve must navigate the unfamiliar waters of political intrigue, combat forbidden spirit magic, contend with her faith, and discover what it means to reshape her dreams, her destiny—and the destinies of others.

What readers are saying;

⭐ Our main female character was wonderful , and the self journey she goes through along side what she's trying to accomplish to help her people is so well written. I seriously cannot tell you how much I loved this book...

⭐ Maiden of Dawn is an absolutely refreshing delight for anyone who loves fantasy and/or queer stories. 

⭐ This debut Romantasy takes the genre into the future! The arc of the MC is not just a romantic one, but a journey of self actualization and spiritual discovery!

Maiden of Dawn is an emotional high fantasy, queer romance novel with a cast of gender non-conforming characters, disabled characters, lush world building and complex antagonists that is sure to drawn you in.

E-Book $3.99 (USD) / Paperback $13.99 (USD)

You can order it wherever books are sold :: B&N, Amazon, or by contacting your local bookseller and asking them to order it.

[bannedfrombookclub]

I really liked Where the Dark Stands Still so here is everything else it immediately reminded me of:

Edit: Also Uprooted by Naomi Novik

Where the Dark Stands Still:

A romantic fantasy set in a world of Slavik Folklore monsters and with a similar basic plot line to Howl's Moving Castle (a girl goes to a magical MMC for help with her magic problem but he has his own magic problems eating him up also she has to clean his magic house wherein lives a hearth spirit etc). There are some really strong sort of forest-horror elements that play on rot, decay, branches under the skin and stuff.

A few squishy bits in the plot/pacing but a really strong debut.

[hoodlessmads]

Do you want to read something:

Dark

Gothic

Bi main character

Gay

Anime

Queer

Set in 1821 England/Italy but there’s magic

Evil archaeologist family/organization

Bratty blond twink

Unicorns

Basically undead remnants

Incorporeal shadow monsters

Magical artifacts

Mystery of a whole past epic fantasy storyline slowly unraveling

Morally gray characters

Redeemable villains

Imagery

Fruity

People of color in the main cast well-written

Sweet friendships

Toxic gays

The light is not good and the dark is not bad

Main character is an extremely unreliable narrator and also fascinating

He is both terrifying and your poor little meow meow

Then read Dark Rise and Dark Heir by C.S. Pacat (books 1 and 2 of the Dark Rise trilogy). Quick read it now and collect those trading cards! (No really there are collectible cards! Check out his instagram! Someone make a TCG and I’ll play it!!)

By the author of Captive Prince and Fence, though this series is very different in tone from those but with the same level of quality character writing. Seriously C.S. Pacat is out here serving such delicious food for a starving audience.

[annafromuni]

Every Reread of A Discovery of Witches Makes Me Love it More

There is no questioning it – A Discovery of Witches is my favourite dark academia read, and I adore Deborah Harkness with every fibre of my being. What more needs to be said? That’s the review. Alright, I’ll explain, but know you’re in for a long ride and you best bet you’ll be frantically looking for A Discovery of Witches before I am through. A Discovery of Witches is romantasy, or fantasy…

[alecksreads]

“If you’re the sickness, I suppose you can’t also be the cure.”

- Cardan Greenbriar, The Wicked King

[sholindreantales]

If you grew up on Tamora Pierce’s amazing characters, Christopher Paolini’s epic stakes, or Anne McCaffrey’s dragonriders and their expanded world—you might enjoy Lecarian’s Fang. It is the first book set in the fantasy world of Sholindrea, which will only get bigger with each book and every new cast of characters. Lecarian’s Fang features shapeshifters, elves, dragons, necromancers, and more, with multiple cultures and magic systems, plus inner conflicts and subplots that deepen the epic fantasy conflicts.

[airyfrasc]

The Mask of Mirrors, The Liar’s Knot (by M. A. Carrick)

A friend bought me the book The Mask of Mirrors for Christmas and I swear I didn’t emerge from it for three days straight. This is a SUMPTUOUS non-traditional European fantasy with some of the richest world building I’ve read in a while. The magic, the cultures, the history, the fashion, it all felt so tangible that I could mentally pop myself into Nadezhra pretty much from page one. It had the twisty-turny, political intrigue-y plot that really appeals to me - without the intense violence you might find in other series that often get recommended for their politically-driven plots. Secret identities, characters that make you feel things, a queer-norm society, truly detestable villains… I loved this book. So I had to draw the three main characters obv.

I was so shocked that I couldn’t find the sequel in stores anywhere! Had to order online, and gotta say, it was equally good or better than the first… The character moments in The Liar’s Knot felt like releasing a breath you’ve been holding for hours. You’ll know what I mean if you read it ☺️

Anyway, this series deserves way more hype than it has. I read a LOT of SFF and this one stood out to me as truly fantastic. If you love secret identities, slow (SLOW) burn romance, a puzzle-like plot, tarot, and general luxuriousness for your brain…. I beg you to pick up The Mask of Mirrors.

[writing-nothing-but-spilled-ink]

Books to read if you liked avatar the last Airbender

If you enjoyed elemental elements of avatar and how it was all about balance and strong independent female main characters with azulas intelligence might I suggest

1. The poppy wars trilogy written by R.F kuang (check trigger warnings for this series as it's an incredibly heavy book and not recommended for children)

If you enjoyed uncle irohs love of tea and wisdom and just genuinely enjoy stories revolving around healers and a unique magic system as well fighting a corrupt spirits might I suggest

2. A magic steeped in poison duology by Judy I Lin

If you enjoyed the more combative elements of avatar where it included the elements and bending with them and the martial arts portion and want a story more akin to zuko with his twin blades and his alter ego the blue spirit or the scenes with ba sing se where the earth king has no idea about the 100 year war and when he finds out his whole world is turned upside down might I suggest

3. The sword of kaigan by M.L Wang

Only in this one it doesn't center on adults but children of prominent powerful families..

..

Now if you simply want more stories within the world of avatar I suggest

4. The rise of kyoshi by F.C Yee

5. The shadow of kyoshi by F.C Yee

6. The dawn of yangchen by F.C Yee

7. The legacy of Yangchen by F.C Yee

[philosophy-with-anxiety]

does anyone have any good fae/forest nymph/ forest magic fantasy books? preferably w a romantic subplot. something that reads like a hozier song?

[saintmachina]

Do you have any favorite traditional fantasy novels? I’ve read the Kushiel’s Dart & Captive Prince series and am on the lookout for more.

Those are two of the series I would have recommended! To be honest, I haven't read a lot of traditional (I assume you mean classic second world adventure fantasy) fantasy since i was teen: I tend to be more drawn to contemporary fantasy, urban fantasy, weird fiction, slipstream, and similar genres right now. But I'm leaning back into reading some of the classics as I go.

I read a good chunk of Mistborn and loved the magic system and the worldbuilding and just stopped because I had trouble connecting to the characters, so that might be a good book for another reader. I of course love Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicle's books but those are more gothic fiction, hmm....Honestly I think Hannah's Whitten's Nightshade Crown series captures the feel and sweep of classic fantasy with a super lush, atmospheric, romantic twist. Similar, The Seven Deaths of the Saint by Alix Harrow is yes, experimental and a bit more literary, but you cannot tell me it doesn't capture the mythic, world-ending, out-of-time quality of classic fantasy.

[out-of-the-forest-i-come]

SFF Polyamory Recs Part 2

You can find Part 1 here.

Darker by Four, by June C.L. Tan - fantasy. first in a series. seems to be f/m/m

Godly Heathens, by H.E. Edgmon - fantasy. first in a series. seems to be f/nb/m

Death's Country, by R.M. Romero - fantasy. standalone. f/f/m

Thornfruit, by Felicia Davin - fantasy. first in a series. seems to be f/f/f

Little Heart of Stone, by Clio Evans - fantasy. standalone. f/f/m

A Rational Arrangement, by L. Rowyn - fantasy. first in a series. f/m/m

Strange Grace, by Tessa Gratton - fantasy. standalone. f/m/m

Road to Ruin, by Hana Lee - fantasy & sci-fi. first in a series. seems to be f/f/m

The Compass Rose, by Gail Dayton - fantasy. first in a series. pairing unknown

[pumpkinblossoms]

these books are absolutely handing me my ass I love them SO much

[thomasvanboening]

I don’t do this often enough, but I’m plugging a friend and fellow author’s work.

Abigail Linhardt is an indie author to watch out for. Season of the Runer is a great fantasy series about hunting monsters from various mythologies.

The whole series gives me The Witcher vibes, and it’s awesome.

The Runer series, and other works are on Amazon and Audible!

[waitwhatimconfused]

Just finished reading the Empyrian series by Rebecca Yarros. Though incomplete (last book comes out Jan. 2025), this series has been SO GOOD so far! Highly recommend it!!!

Haven't heard of it? (What kind of rock have you been living under?!) This adult series is very popular right now for good reason. I don't normally give into the hype of popularity and usually let the book speak for itself. But, when I say this book spoke for itself. Boy, did it speak!

Synopsis of the first book:

“Fourth Wing” follows Violet Sorrengail as she is forced to attend Basgiath War College, where she undergoes intense training and relentless trials in order to become a dragon rider.

(My thoughts below. No spoilers.)

I absolutely love all of the characters in these books. Yarros does an amazing job showing that interpersonal relationships in this book are complicated and doesn't just come down to the big stuff! (Especially once you get into the marked ones.)

Dragons have always been close to my heart but this series takes that to a whole new level. The dragons are written in such a way that feels very personable while also being blatenly obvious that these are not humans. They all have their own personalities and I love getting to see that in interactions between them.