5 hand-picked fantasy, female protagonist, and found family books curated by NextBookAfter.
This gripping YA fantasy echoes the thrilling quests and moral ambiguities of Northern Lights, with a fierce young heroine navigating oppression, alliances, and hidden truths in a brutal empire, blending high-stakes adventure with themes of resistance and identity.
For fans of Katabasis's blend of cultural mythology, witty banter, and journeys through supernatural realms, Black Water Sister offers a fresh take on ancestral spirits and modern rivalries in a Malaysian Chinese underworld of gods and ghosts, emphasizing queer identity and familial redemption.
For fans of Wicked's sympathetic villain origin story and moral complexity, Malice offers a queer retelling of Sleeping Beauty that flips the script on fairy tale tropes, exploring prejudice, power, and forbidden love through the eyes of a misunderstood enchantress.
For fans of Hamingje's atmospheric Norse magic and themes of healing from trauma, Pet delivers a plot-adjacent tale of uncovering hidden monsters in a utopian world, blending magical realism with queer identity exploration and found-family bonds.
For fans of A Novel Love Story's blend of magical realism and small-town romance, Starling House offers a gothic twist on healing through mysterious discoveries and slow-burn connections in an enchanting yet eerie setting.