NextBookAfter Epic Fantasy With Sapphic Romance, Forbidden Magic, and Dangerous Court Intrigue

Books Like The Jasmine Throne

Readers fell in love with The Jasmine Throne for its intoxicating mix of political intrigue, rebellion against empire, and a slow-burn romance that unfolds within a lush, history-inspired fantasy world. The story delivers that compulsively readable tension through high-stakes magical showdowns and shifting alliances, all while centering diverse, queer characters in an escapist power fantasy. It's the kind of book that satisfies your craving for underdog heroes rising against oppression—with plenty of plot twists to keep you turning pages late into the night.

Books With More

Sparks Flying Between Enemies

You felt the delicious tension as Malini and Priya circled each other—two women on opposite sides, drawn together despite every reason to stay apart. The books ahead will give you that same slow-burn ache: forbidden attractions that ignite into something undeniable, romances where trust is earned page by breathless page, and relationships that feel as risky as they are irresistible.

The Go-To Read
The Unbroken cover

The Unbroken

by C. L. Clark

  • Soldier vs princess—colonial fantasy w/ that same charged mistrust
  • Sapphic enemies-to-lovers that burns slow through political betrayals
  • Trust built page-by-page while revolution simmers between them
  • Anti-imperial rebellion fueled by forbidden desire & risky alliances
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The Under-the-Radar Pick
Crier's War cover

Crier's War

by Nina Varela

  • Sapphic enemies-to-lovers w/ assassin servant & automaton princess vibes
  • Forbidden attraction builds through risky trust like Malini & Priya
  • Hostile banter → vulnerable reveals → undeniable slow-burn tension
  • Female-led rebellion against empire fueled by their dangerous bond
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The Wildcard Pick
This Is How You Lose the Time War cover

This Is How You Lose the Time War

by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

  • Rival time-traveling spies fall hard via flirty forbidden letters
  • Enemies-to-lovers sapphic slow-burn that'll wreck you (in a good way)
  • Trust built one risky message at a time—just like Malini & Priya
  • Poetic sci-fi rebellion against empires w/ undeniable queer romance
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Deadly Court Politics & Schemes

You were drawn into the treacherous dance of power in The Jasmine Throne—where every alliance could shift and every whisper could mean death. These next reads will immerse you in equally intricate webs of political plotting, where you'll race to untangle loyalties and anticipate betrayals before the next explosive revelation hits.

The Go-To Read
She Who Became the Sun cover

She Who Became the Sun

by Shelley Parker-Chan

  • Sapphic rebellion against empire w/ identity theft & monastery politics
  • Calculated betrayals & shifting alliances = throne-level chess moves
  • Fast-paced reveals unravel loyalties faster than you can trust anyone
  • Queer anti-imperial romance fuels explosive power grabs & assassinations
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The Under-the-Radar Pick
Malice cover

Malice

by Heather Walter

  • Dark sorceress × princess romance tangled in deadly court betrayals
  • Every alliance hides schemes—mirrors Jasmine Throne's treacherous power plays
  • Forbidden sapphic slow-burn while dismantling an oppressive monarchy
  • Explosive reveals & paranoid suspense as loyalties constantly shift
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The Wildcard Pick
Gideon the Ninth cover

Gideon the Ninth

by Tamsyn Muir

  • Necromancer heirs compete in deadly trials = TJT's ruthless court vibes
  • Murder mystery w/ shifting alliances & explosive betrayals you won't see coming
  • Gothic space palace scheming hits like Parijatdvipa's cutthroat power plays
  • Rivals-to-??? tension while navigating imperial games & treacherous house politics
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Growing Into Extraordinary Power

You watched Priya transform from survivor to wielder of breathtaking, ancient magic—each new ability revealing deeper mysteries and raising the stakes. The books ahead will give you that same thrilling sense of discovery and growth, where characters unlock spectacular powers through hard-won progress, and every triumph feels earned and gloriously satisfying.

The Go-To Read
The Priory of the Orange Tree cover

The Priory of the Orange Tree

by Samantha Shannon

  • Hidden mage → forbidden power unlocks through training montages & lore drops
  • Nature-based magic escalates from protective wards to spectacular dragon battles
  • Ead's growth mirrors Priya's: survivor to wielder against imperial forces
  • Queer slow-burn romance + hard-won powers = gloriously satisfying payoff
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The Under-the-Radar Pick
Sorrowland cover

Sorrowland

by Rivers Solomon

  • Vern unlocks wild nature-infused powers while surviving alone in the wilderness
  • Her body literally transforms w/ vine-like abilities—physical power escalation hits HARD
  • Sapphic romance + uncovering hidden lore about her supernatural origins
  • Watching her go from vulnerable runaway to unstoppable force = chef's kiss
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Found Family Fighting Together

You loved watching Priya and Malini gather their fierce band of warriors and outcasts, bonding through banter and shared purpose. These next reads will sweep you into more rebel squads where loyalty runs deep, missions unfold with heart-pounding coordination, and every victory belongs to the team.

The Go-To Read
Foundryside cover

Foundryside

by Robert Jackson Bennett

  • Scrappy thieves + sentient artifact = squad goals against tyrannical merchant houses
  • Sharp banter & heist prep vibes like Priya's crew bonding mid-rebellion
  • Coordinated magic attacks deliver high-stakes teamwork wins that hit different
  • Found fam loyalty through betrayals → emotional payoff in anti-imperial takedowns
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