8 hand-picked fantasy and high fantasy books curated by NextBookAfter.
If Bryce's defiant fire and that morally complex romantic tension left you breathless, A Dawn of Onyx delivers the same steel-spined heroine energy with Kane's protective menace cranked to eleven. Expect political intrigue, forbidden magic, and enemies-to-lovers spice so exquisitely calibrated every stolen glance feels earned—plus betrayals that'll wreck you in the best way.
If the gothic-drenched forests, ancient curses, and slow-burn enemies-to-lovers vibe in Two Twisted Crowns left you obsessed, A Dawn of Onyx channels that same intoxicating darkness with eerie realms, brooding betrayals, and a resilient heroine conquering forbidden power. Fans rave about the emotional gut-punches and blurred hero-villain lines that make these stories unputdownable escapes. Dive into lyrical prose that whispers secrets and delivers cathartic twists you won't see coming.
If you loved Northern Lights for its gutsy institutional critique and brilliant young heroine outsmarting patriarchal systems, An Ember in the Ashes delivers that same intellectual defiance with even darker consequences. Another empire built on cruelty, another resourceful girl weaponizing wit to survive—but Tahir amplifies the brutality, sharpens the philosophical questions, and thickens the moral ambiguity until every alliance fractures and every choice bleeds.
If Red Queen's blood-fueled rebellion and heart-pounding betrayals left you craving more underdog empowerment, An Ember in the Ashes amps up the defiance with a scrappy slave turned rebel spy dismantling a brutal empire. Fans hooked on Mare's forbidden romances and political intrigue will devour Laia's high-stakes alliances and emotional detonations. It's the same addictive rush of smashing systemic inequality, but with even sharper edges and no safety net.
Starside gave you cursed realms and lethal stakes—now crave a heroine wielding forbidden magic on a revenge quest that burns. Song of Silver, Flame Like Night serves up that same addictive cocktail: morally complex leads, banter that cuts deep, and romantic tension so electric it rewires your brain. This is mythology as escapism, betrayal as catharsis, and chemistry that refuses to let you sleep.
If you still ache for that wardrobe moment—ordinary life cracking open into myth—Prydain's calling. The Book of Three gives you pig-keepers stumbling into epic quests, Turkish Delight-level temptation, and sacrifice that lands as hard as Aslan's, but with scraped knees and zero sermons. This is heroism for readers who need their protagonists to fumble toward courage.
If you gutted yourself loving Fitz's bruised loyalty and impossible choices in Assassin's Apprentice, Cazaril is your next emotional wreckage. Bujold delivers that same slow-burn ache—a protagonist already broken by cruelty, clawing toward redemption in a world where honor costs everything and gods move like chess players. This is fantasy for readers who prioritize character torment over spectacle, where every relationship cuts deep and sacrifice lands harder.
For fans of Celaena's fierce determination and courtly schemes, this Arabian-inspired fantasy delivers a masked huntress on a perilous quest, blending high-stakes adventure with simmering romance and ancient magic.