If a fantasy book or series is published, I will read it. I was the kid who was obsessed with fairies and anything magical, and ever since then, I’ve inhaled fantasy books at an alarming rate. For obvious reasons, I’m a fantasy writer as well. Hey, you can take the girl out of the magic, but you can’t take the magic out of the girl! If there are magical powers, mythical creatures, or anything in between in a book, you can bet that it’s somewhere on my Goodreads, whether on my To-Read or my Read list.
Here, I’ve compiled a list of my favorite fantasy books of all time. These are both high and low fantasy standalones, duologies, and series (no magical realism here, sorry folks!), and while I admit that I’m pretty generous with five-star ratings, these are my five-star reads that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about for years. Bonus points if I’ve read and loved them more than once.
As usual, this list is simply in alphabetical order by author last name (mostly just the order in which I saw the books on my shelves). These are all at the top of the top for me personally, whether because of plot, characters, or general vibes. As I like to say in every post, some people will disagree. That’s just how it goes!
So, let’s talk my favorite fantasy books!
The Casquette Girls series by Alys Arden – I genuinely read this series about once a year, and that’s not even to prep for new book releases. The Casquette Girls and the subsequent books in the series are like if The Originals TV show was about teenagers and was…actually good. It’s about vampires and witches in New Orleans, and also sheds some light on the devastation brought upon the city from hurricanes like Katrina. Arden is in the process of writing the fifth (!!) book right now, so there is plenty of witchy literature to tide you over until that’s released.
Six of Crows duology by Leigh Bardugo – I’ve said it before and I will say it again until the day I die: I am a SUCKER for a good heist. Ocean’s 11 isn’t my favorite movie just because of the cast, and I don’t love Six of Crows just because of the witty banter and magic system. This duology is part of the Grishaverse (a.k.a it’s a spin-off duology from the Shadow and Bone trilogy) and while you don’t have to read the preceding Grishaverse books first, it helps the books make a lot more sense so you spend less time puzzling out the world and the magic system and more time falling in love with the found family. There’s also a Netflix show now that combines Shadow and Bone and Six of Crows with a flawless cast (and is very different from the SoC books) so I highly recommend that as well.
All of Us Villains duology by Amanda Foody and C.L. Herman – In addition to loving stories about heists, if a book has a competition in it of any sorts, I am so there. This duology is dark academia with a deadly competition that pits teenager against teenager to see which family in the town gains control over high magic until the cycle begins again with the next generation. Each main character has his or her flaws, but you can’t help rooting for all of them to break the curse in hopes to survive. And now that I’m writing this, I desperately want to do a quick re-read of these two books. BRB.
Caraval series by Stephanie Garber – Welcome to the world of Caraval: if you win the game, you get a wish. This series is my baby. While the first book isn’t my favorite, per se, the second and third books are everything to me. Scarlett and Tella, sisters and the main characters in the trilogy, are very different from each other, but they’re both so easy to connect with. I especially love the setting of Legendary and Finale, the second and third books—the city of Valenda is a place I want to live in. The spin-off series, Once Upon a Broken Heart, is arguably even more popular than Caraval, and you don’t have to read the first books to understand the sequel series, so it’s up to you where you decide to start!
The Odyssey by Homer – I know, I know, this is technically an ancient epic poem, not a “fantasy book”, but you’re just going to have to deal. While The Odyssey is, for obvious reasons, a lot slower paced than your modern novel, there is still so much action that happens that you won’t be bored. Maybe I’m biased; Odysseus is my favorite Greek hero. Yes, he’s problematic between the lying and cheating on his wife (which I do not condone), but it’s Ancient Greece. What hero isn’t problematic? The Odyssey is one of those stories where, once you read it, you’ll see references everywhere. Also, Christopher Nolan is directing the movie that’s coming out next year, and the cast is INCREDIBLE (Tom Holland, Zendaya, Anne Hathaway, Matt Damon, Charlize Theron, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!), so you might as well read the book before seeing the movie! You’ve got plenty of time. 😉
Fairy Tale by Stephen King – This was my first Stephen King book, and it did not disappoint. Obviously, King is known for his horror books, but Fairy Tale was so engaging with the feeling of a classic, well, fairytale that you’d never guess fantasy isn’t his main genre. A teen boy inherits the entrance to a world completely unlike his own and when he enters it, he finds himself at the center of a battle between good and evil. You’ll find yourself so invested in the outcome of this book, you probably won’t be able to put it down. I definitely wasn’t able to and devoured all 624 pages in one sitting.
Anything by Sarah J. Maas – I’m including all of SJM’s series (Throne of Glass, A Court of Thorns and Roses, and Crescent City) in one bullet because to me, they’re basically one world. I have, of course, my preferences on which series I like most and which books within those series I treasure above the others, but for all intents and purposes for this post, the Maasverse is one. I found Throne of Glass when I was a senior in high school (Queen of Shadows had just come out), so I’ve been there since before all of the ACOTAR hype. What I love about SJM books is that (other than the beautiful worldbuilding and the lovable characters) they make me feel like I can do anything. Whether you want to read about a badass female assassin, a scrappy human fighting for her life in the land of the Fae, or a woman who teams up with an angel to solve a murder in their magical city, she’s written something for everybody.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan – I love this series just so, so much. Part of it is for nostalgia’s sake, because it became my childhood obsession when I discovered it in fifth grade, but also just because these books are funny. I like to joke that PJO was my gateway to majoring in Classics because as much as I loved Greek mythology from the second I could read, Percy Jackson made Ancient Greek and Roman culture/history more accessible to me as a field of study. I’ve technically aged out of the target audience, but you can bet I’ll keep reading every Rick Riordan book that comes out, middle grade or not.
Dreams Lie Beneath by Rebecca Ross – I genuinely don’t understand why more people aren’t talking about this book. This standalone’s world is mist-shrouded and ethereal, as is the dream magic system. I originally went into this book with zero expectations, and it shocked me with how much I fell in love with it. Dreams Lie Beneath also showcases a great enemies/rivals-to-lovers trope where the love interest isn’t a jerk, which is surprisingly rare these days. Ross really knows how to write the HECK out of an atmospheric fantasy, let me tell you that.
An Ember in the Ashes series by Sabaa Tahir – Holy moly. This series took me on such a ride that I barely knew which way was up (I mean that in the best possible way). It combines some of my favorite plot ideas: a Roman-inspired society, a competition (iykyk), and a girl going undercover in the lion’s den to spy for the rebellion. It’s a (very) slow burn, but all of the books are so action-packed that the romance subplot will be the last thing on your mind. The series has started to blow up on Booktok, and I’m so glad that it’s finally getting the attention it deserves!!!
These are just some of my favorite fantasy books and series, and I know that as new books are released, this list will grow! Next up on my TBR for fantasy is Rebel Witch by Kristen Ciccarelli, which I’m very excited about—you can read my thoughts about it in my post about upcoming releases that I can’t wait to read in 2025.
I’d love to hear about your favorite fantasy books in the comments. Cheers, and happy reading!
Sequels and Scribbles 