More like Hidden Ember
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- A Court of Thorns and Roses
series6 books2015
similar byfantasysecondary worldemotionalromantasy+1 more
A Court of Thorns and Roses is a fantasy romance series by American author Sarah J. Maas, which follows the journey of 19-year-old Feyre Archeron after she is brought into the faerie lands of Prythian. The first book of the series, A Court of Thorns and Roses, was published in May 2015. The series centers on Feyre's adventures across Prythian and the faerie courts, following the epic love story and fierce struggle that ensues after she enters the fae lands. The series has sold over 13 million copies. There are currently five novels in the series, with the sixth scheduled to release on October 27, 2026, and the seventh on January 12, 2027. An eighth installment is set to conclude the continuous story told across books six, seven and eight.
- The Princess Bride
William Goldmanstandalone novel1973
similar byforbidden lovefantasysecondary worldadventurous
The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure, The "Good Parts" Version is a 1973 fantasy romance novel by American writer William Goldman. The book combines elements of comedy, adventure, fantasy, drama, romance, and fairy tale. It is metafictionally presented as an abridgment of a longer work by the fictional S. Morgenstern, and Goldman's commentary asides are constant throughout. It was originally published in the United States by Harcourt Brace, then later by Random House, while in the United Kingdom it was later published by Bloomsbury.
- The Chronicles of Tornor
series3 books1979
similar byfantasysecondary world+3 more
The Chronicles of Tornor is a fantasy series by American author Elizabeth A. Lynn. The first book in the series, Watchtower (1979), won a World Fantasy Award for Best Novel; its sequel, The Dancers of Arun (1979) was nominated for a World Fantasy Award in the same year. It is one of the earliest fantasy series to feature positive gay protagonists whose relationships are an unremarkable part of the cultural background, as well as to present explicit and sympathetic depictions of same-sex love. The third title in the series is ''The Northern Girl'' (1980).
- The World of Riverside
series72 books1982
similar byfantasysecondary world
Ellen Kushner's Riverside sequence begins with Swordspoint (1987), a genre-defining 'fantasy of manners' novel about hired swordsmen and aristocratic intrigue in a nameless city, and continues through The Privilege of the Sword and The Fall of the Kings (co-written with Delia Sherman). The wider World of Riverside has since expanded into shared-world short fiction and anthologies, such as Swords of Riverside, contributed to by numerous other writers.
- The Sharing Knife
series5 books2006
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The Sharing Knife is a romance/fantasy series by American writer Lois McMaster Bujold, published in 2006–2019. The original story grew so long in the telling that it was split into two volumes: Beguilement (2006) and Legacy (2007). Bujold then wrote a sequel, which was also divided, into Passage (2008) and Horizon (2009). The original title of the sequel was The Wide Green World, but Bujold and her publisher decided to make "Sharing Knife" the overall title, with the individual books given one-word subtitles and numbered 1–4. The fifth story in the series, a "short novel" titled Knife Children, was released as an electronic book on January 25, 2019.
- Saga of the Unfated
series2 books2024
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Danielle L. Jensen's Saga of the Unfated opens with A Fate Inked in Blood, in which a woman from a Nordic-flavored fishing village discovers she carries the blood and magic of a legendary shieldmaiden and is drawn into a war between rival warlords who both want her power. The story continues in A Curse Carved in Bone.
- The Powerless Trilogy
series5 books2023
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The Powerless Trilogy is set in a kingdom where people without magical abilities are treated as outcasts, following Paedyn Gray, a powerless girl disguising herself as a magic-wielder, who is drawn into the royal court and a survival competition after crossing paths with the crown prince. Lauren Roberts' trilogy, beginning with Powerless, was later expanded with a further Fearless duology set in the same world.
- Caraval
series4 books2017
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Caraval is Stephanie Garber's YA fantasy trilogy, Caraval (2017), Legendary and Finale, with Spectacular later extending the story. It follows Scarlett Dragna into a legendary, once-a-year magical performance where the line between spectacle and real danger blurs, as she searches for her missing sister inside it. The books form one continuing story rather than standalone volumes.
- Gentleman Bastard Sequence
series7 books2006
similar byfantasysecondary world+1 more
Scott Lynch's Gentleman Bastard sequence follows Locke Lamora, an orphan-raised master thief and con artist, and his gang of 'Gentleman Bastards' as they run elaborate grifts on the nobility of Camorr, a canal city modeled on Renaissance Venice. The Lies of Locke Lamora and its two sequels braid heist capers with flashbacks tracing how the gang was trained, escalating into a wider conflict involving crime lords and sorcerers. Lynch has planned seven books in total; three have been published so far, with long gaps between installments.
- Celestial Kingdom
series4 books2022
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Sue Lynn Tan's Celestial Kingdom duology reimagines the Chinese legend of the moon goddess Chang'e, following her daughter Xingyin as she seeks to free her mother from an enchantment binding her to the moon. It opens with Daughter of the Moon Goddess (2022) and concludes with Heart of the Sun Warrior, with the companion collection Tales of the Celestial Kingdom and the further novel Immortal extending the same mythic world.
- The Barbed Coil
J. V. Jonesstandalone novel1997
similar byfantasysecondary worldadventurousromantasy+2 more
The Barbed Coil is a fantasy novel by J. V. Jones, published in 1997. It is a portal fantasy. Publishers Weekly described it as a "predictable hybrid of fantasy adventure and romance".
- The Kiesha'ra
series5 books2003
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The Kiesha'ra Series is a set of five fantasy novels written by American young adult author Amelia Atwater-Rhodes, which focus on several races of shapeshifters, including the avians, the serpiente, and the shm'Ahnmik. The series includes the following novels: Hawksong (2003), Snakecharm (2004), Falcondance (2005), Wolfcry (2006), and Wyvernhail (2007).
- Book of the Isle
series7 books1977
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Nancy Springer's Book of Isle sequence is set in a kingdom ruled by Sun Kings who draw their authority from the Book of Suns, following blood brothers Hal and Alan as they're sent to hunt down the many forms an ancient evil takes across the land. Later volumes widen the cast and the kingdom's history while keeping the same mythic, quest-driven register. It's 1970s heroic fantasy built on chosen champions and inherited destiny.
- Seven Kingdoms / Graceling Realm
series6 books2008
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Graceling introduces the Seven Kingdoms, where some people are born with a Grace, an extreme and often dangerous specialized talent, and follows Katsa, whose Grace for killing has made her a weapon for a manipulative king, as she learns to use it on her own terms instead. Kristin Cashore continued the world with the prequel-adjacent Fire, set in a neighboring land, and the sequel Bitterblue, then extended it further north with Winterkeep and Seasparrow. Each later book largely follows a new protagonist rather than continuing straight through Katsa's story.
