The Best YA Fantasy Books for you depends on what you want from it. For a standalone gothic romance set in a magical library, start with Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson. For fae court politics, try The Cruel Prince by Holly Black. For a West African-inspired epic, pick Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi. For dragons you can hand to a 12- or 13-year-old, look at Seraphina by Rachel Hartman or Eragon by Christopher Paolini.
This guide is built to help you choose, not just browse. Each pick tells you whether it is a series or a standalone, how big a part romance plays, and what content to know about. The recommendations were assembled from publisher and trade descriptions, library records and parent-focused review sites rather than first-hand reading, so treat the content notes as a starting point and check the age range on your edition.
What Makes a Great YA Fantasy Book?
What is YA fantasy? YA fantasy is fantasy marketed mainly to teenage readers, although plenty of adults read it. The stories can include magic, invented worlds, quests, court intrigue, monsters or romance, and the main characters are usually teens facing big choices about loyalty, identity and power.
The label describes an audience, not a content level. Publisher age ranges for the books below run from 12 and up to 14–18, and some YA fantasy includes graphic violence, grief or an on-page sex scene. Fantasy published for adults can look similar on a shelf but is a different category: Fourth Wing, for example, launched on a publisher imprint aimed at new adult and adult readers, which is why it is not on this list. Read complete overview of Fourth wing characters complete guide.
When you are choosing, look at four things: how much the characters change, how well the world holds together, how fast the plot moves, and how large a role romance plays. Those differences matter more than the YA label.
Best YA Fantasy Books to Read
This table lists every pick in the guide. Romance describes its role in the first book.
| Book | Author | Series or standalone | Main appeal | Romance | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sorcery of Thorns | Margaret Rogerson | Standalone | Magical library, gothic mood | Central, slow burn | Atmosphere and one complete story |
| The Cruel Prince | Holly Black | Trilogy starter | Faerie court intrigue | Secondary, grows later | Antiheroes and politics |
| Children of Blood and Bone | Tomi Adeyemi | Trilogy starter | West African-inspired epic | Present, plot-first | Quests and mythic worldbuilding |
| Legendborn | Tracy Deonn | Series starter | Arthurian urban fantasy | Secondary | Mysteries and grief handled seriously |
| Seraphina | Rachel Hartman | Followed by one sequel | Shape-shifting dragons, court mystery | Minor | Younger teens, thoughtful fantasy |
| Eragon | Christopher Paolini | Four-book series | Dragon rider bond | Not central | Classic quest fans |
| Carry On | Rainbow Rowell | Trilogy starter | Magic school, chosen-one twist | Central, M/M | Banter and school settings |
| Serpent & Dove | Shelby Mahurin | Trilogy starter | Witches versus witch hunters | Central | Older teens and adults |
Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson
Standalone · Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2019 · publisher age 14+
Elisabeth was raised in one of the Great Libraries, where dangerous grimoires are chained to the shelves, and she has always believed sorcerers are evil. When a conspiracy threatens the libraries, she ends up working alongside one. More enemies-to-lovers romance books
The appeal is the atmosphere: a 19th-century, Europe-inspired world where books can turn into monsters of ink and leather. It is also a finished story in a genre full of trilogies. The romance is central and slow-burning, and because the heroine starts out distrusting her partner, it comes closer to enemies-to-lovers than many romances with the label. Sexual content has not been verified ⚑, so check a trusted review if that matters to you. Best for readers who want atmosphere, banter and a complete story in one volume.
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
First of three Folk of the Air books (followed by The Wicked King and The Queen of Nothing) · 2018 · Common Sense Media 14+
Jude, a human girl raised in the Faerie court after her parents’ murder, wants a place among the fey. Prince Cardan and his friends make that dangerous, and she is drawn into spying and betrayal.
This is a book about power more than romance. Jude is ambitious and morally gray, and the court is cruel in ways that include bullying, deception and violence. Her relationship with Cardan is hostile in this first book; the attraction shows up more clearly as the trilogy goes on, so read it for the intrigue first. Reviewers also flag a romantic scene in book 2 that some readers find troubling. Best for readers who like court politics and antiheroes, and who are happy to wait for the romance.
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
Legacy of Orïsha #1 (continues with Children of Virtue and Vengeance) · Henry Holt, March 6, 2018 · publisher age 14–18
In Orïsha, a world inspired by West African mythology and folklore, a ruthless king has wiped out magic and killed those who could wield it. Seventeen-year-old Zélie, her brother Tzain and a runaway princess try to bring it back while the crown prince pursues them.
Zélie’s drive comes from grief and a sense of justice, not from wanting to be a warrior. The magic system, creatures and landscapes are the draw. There is a romance thread; the publisher’s description mentions growing feelings for an enemy, but the plot leads. The book depicts violence against a persecuted group, which is worth knowing for sensitive readers. Best for readers who want epic quests and mythic worldbuilding with a heroine who has real stakes.
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
Legendborn Cycle #1 (the cycle continues with Bloodmarked and Oathbound) · Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2020 · Publishers Weekly 14+, CCBC 13+
Sixteen-year-old Bree Matthews, who is Black, is grieving her mother when she arrives at a college early-entry program and finds a secret society descended from King Arthur’s knights. She infiltrates it to learn the truth about her mother’s death.
Deonn blends Arthurian legend with Black Southern traditions, and reviewers note that the story confronts racism and the legacy of slavery directly. There is a romance with a fellow student, but it develops alongside the mystery rather than driving it. Publishers compare the feel to City of Bones. Best for urban fantasy fans who want a mystery and want grief and history taken seriously.
Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
Random House, July 10, 2012 · followed by Shadow Scale · Common Sense Media 12+
In a kingdom where humans and shape-shifting dragons keep an uneasy truce, Seraphina is a court musician with a secret: she is half dragon. A royal murder puts that truce, and her secret, at risk.
Here dragons are a political and philosophical force rather than mounts or monsters: they can take human form but do not share human emotion. Music is central to the story. Romance is minor, mostly a growing affection for a prince, and the tone is gentler than most books on this list. Best for younger teens and for readers who like court mysteries and thoughtful worldbuilding.
Eragon by Christopher Paolini
Inheritance Cycle #1 of 4 (Eldest, Brisingr, Inheritance) · Knopf, 2003 · publisher age 12 and up
A farm boy finds a stone that hatches into a dragon, Saphira. After his uncle is killed, the two flee the king’s agents and join the resistance. The dragon bond, a telepathic link between rider and dragon, is the heart of the story.
Reviewers note its debt to Tolkien, and it reads like a classic quest: maps, an invented language and a larger war. The violence is consistent and sometimes vivid, though Common Sense Media recommends it from age 11 or 12. Four books is a real commitment. The romance is not a focus in the summaries I checked ⚑. Best for readers who want a classic dragon-rider adventure with a male lead.
Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
Simon Snow trilogy #1 · Wednesday Books, 2015 · publisher age 14–18 (CCBC age 12+)
In their last year at the Watford School of Magicks, Simon, the self-described worst chosen one ever, and his roommate Baz, who is a vampire and his longtime enemy, call a truce to investigate the death of Baz’s mother.
The story plays with the chosen-one formula and is funny. The romance is central and between two boys; as described by the Cooperative Children’s Book Center, Baz’s hostility is how he hides that he loves Simon, which gives it a true enemies-to-lovers feel. Expect ghosts, monsters and some darker themes alongside the humor. Best for readers who like school settings, banter and a subverted prophecy.
Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin
Book 1 of a trilogy · first published September 3, 2019 · Common Sense Media 15+; publisher range 14–17
Lou is a witch hiding in a city where witches are burned, and Reid is a Chasseur sworn to hunt them. A wicked stunt forces them into marriage, and the war between witches and the Church closes in on both. More darker enemies-to-lovers romance.
This is the most clear-cut enemies-to-lovers pick here: the two begin on opposite sides of a vocational divide and are forced together. It also includes an on-page sex scene, strong language and violence, so it suits older teens and adults better than younger readers. Best for readers who want a dark, high-chemistry romance and are comfortable with explicit scenes.
Best YA Fantasy Series
If you want to commit, these are the verified series starters and how long they run:
- Inheritance Cycle: four books, starting with Eragon. The longest commitment here.
- Folk of the Air: three books, starting with The Cruel Prince.
- Legacy of Orïsha: starts with Children of Blood and Bone, followed by Children of Virtue and Vengeance.
- Legendborn Cycle: starts with Legendborn, then Bloodmarked and Oathbound.
- Serpent & Dove: a trilogy, for older readers.
- Simon Snow: a trilogy, starting with Carry On.
- Seraphina: one sequel, Shadow Scale, so the shortest to finish.
- Earthsea: starts with Ursula K. Le Guin’s A Wizard of Earthsea.
- His Dark Materials: starts with Philip Pullman’s Northern Lights (published in the US as The Golden Compass) ⚑.
- Six of Crows: a duology with Crooked Kingdom, set in Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse ⚑.
There is no single best YA fantasy series. If you want maximum worldbuilding, start with Eragon; if you want intrigue, The Cruel Prince; if you want a shorter run, Seraphina. Every book above is a series starter that reads as a first installment, so you can stop after book one if it is not for you.
YA Fantasy Books with Romance
Romance is the engine in Sorcery of Thorns, Carry On and Serpent & Dove. In The Cruel Prince, Children of Blood and Bone, Legendborn and Seraphina it sits alongside a bigger plot. If you want romance without a larger quest crowding it out, choose the first group; if you want romance as a subplot, choose the second.
YA Fantasy Books with Enemies-to-Lovers Romance
True enemies-to-lovers means two people actively opposed to one another, whether by a feud, a war or a vocation, who grow into love. It is not the same as a slow burn, a forbidden romance or a friendly rivalry. Five picks fit best, in order of how cleanly they match:
- Serpent & Dove (Mahurin): a witch and a witch hunter, forced into marriage. The tension begins on the first page and develops across the book. Contains an on-page sex scene.
- Sorcery of Thorns (Rogerson): a librarian raised to distrust sorcerers and a sorcerer she cannot trust. Slow, banter-heavy, resolved within a single book.
- Carry On (Rowell): roommates and enemies, one secretly in love. Funny and tender, with a truce at its core.
- The Cruel Prince (Holly Black): hostility first, attraction later, across the trilogy rather than in book 1.
- Children of Blood and Bone (Adeyemi): feelings for an enemy sit inside a larger fight for justice. It is enemy-adjacent more than a headline trope.
The romance follows the plot in each case, so none of these reveals who ends up with whom. For more picks outside fantasy, see Best Enemies-to-Lovers Romance Books to Read Next.
YA Fantasy Books Without Spice
“Without spice” generally means no explicit sexual content. It does not mean no romance. A closed-door romance has love and perhaps implied intimacy but no on-page scenes, and a romance-free book has no romantic storyline at all. These are different things.
Seraphina, Eragon, Carry On and The Cruel Prince are the best bets: the publisher or review sources I checked for them describe adventure, politics or romance without flagging sexual content, though book 2 of Folk of the Air has a romantic scene some readers find troubling. “Clean” is subjective, so confirm with a current review for the edition you are buying. Serpent & Dove is the clear exception, with an on-page sex scene.
YA Fantasy Books Without Much Romance
If you want a story that is not about a relationship, these are the places to look. A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin follows a young wizard’s apprenticeship and the consequences of a mistake; library summaries describe a coming-of-age story about power rather than a love story ⚑. Northern Lights by Philip Pullman follows Lyra as she investigates a conspiracy involving kidnapped children, as the summaries I used describe it ⚑. Eragon centers on a dragon bond and a war. A secondary romance may still appear in any of them, so “no romance in the summary” is not the same as “no romance in the book”.
YA Fantasy with Strong Female Leads
Strength here means different things. Zélie in Children of Blood and Bone is driven by grief and justice. Bree in Legendborn is persistent and investigative. Seraphina is resourceful and careful, a musician who survives by understanding both humans and dragons. Jude in The Cruel Prince is ambitious and willing to play dirty. Elisabeth in Sorcery of Thorns knows her library and her grimoires. None of them is defined only by fighting.
YA Fantasy Books Featuring Dragons
Dragons are central in two picks. In Eragon, the dragon Saphira is half of the main relationship: a telepathic bond between rider and dragon drives the plot. In Seraphina, dragons are shape-shifting beings in a tense political truce with humans, and the heroine is half dragon herself. Readers who want dragons plus a heavy dose of explicit romance will find them in adult fantasy such as Fourth Wing, which belongs to a different category.
YA Fantasy Books for Younger Teens
No book is right for every 13-year-old, but a few have friendlier signals. Seraphina (publisher and Common Sense Media range from 12) and Eragon (publisher 12 and up, Common Sense Media 11 or 12 and up) are the gentlest. Legendborn has a CCBC rating of 13 and up, though it deals with grief, racism and the legacy of slavery. Carry On is rated 12 and up by CCBC but 14 and up by Common Sense Media and the publisher, so a parent should skim it first. The Cruel Prince is rated 14 and up. Age ranges vary by edition and reviewer, so check the one on your copy.
YA Fantasy with Diverse Protagonists
Children of Blood and Bone is set in a world inspired by West African mythology and centers a young woman fighting to restore her people’s magic. Legendborn follows Bree Matthews, a Black teenager, through an Arthurian story shaped by Black Southern traditions. Carry On centers a romance between two boys in a school setting. Each is a story first, and the label tells you only part of why to read it.
Classic and Older YA Fantasy
Two books on this list have been in print for decades. A Wizard of Earthsea (1968) won the Boston Globe–Horn Book award in 1969 and is still read as a foundation of the genre. Eragon (published by Knopf in 2003) helped fuel the dragon-fantasy wave of the 2000s. Seraphina (2012) and Carry On (2015) are good bridges to the modern books.
How to Choose Your Next YA Fantasy Book
- Setting: gothic and bookish, try Sorcery of Thorns; faerie courts, The Cruel Prince; mythic epic, Children of Blood and Bone; modern and mysterious, Legendborn.
- Romance: centered, try Carry On or Sorcery of Thorns; a subplot, Legendborn or Seraphina.
- Intensity: gentler, Seraphina or Eragon; darker, Serpent & Dove or The Cruel Prince.
- Length of commitment: one book, Sorcery of Thorns; a long saga, the Inheritance Cycle.
- Character or plot: character-driven, Seraphina or Carry On; plot-driven, Eragon or Children of Blood and Bone.
- Reading age: check the publisher range and a current review before buying for a young teen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are YA fantasy books only for teenagers?
No. Teens are the target audience, but adults read YA widely. Just remember that the label does not tell you about content.
What is the best YA fantasy series?
That depends on what you want. Eragon offers the longest saga, The Cruel Prince offers intrigue, and Seraphina offers a shorter, gentler read.
Are there YA fantasy books without spice?
Yes, see the “Without Spice” section above for picks and the caveats. Remember that no explicit content is not the same as no romance.
Which YA fantasy books suit 13-year-olds?
See the younger teens section: Seraphina and Eragon have the lowest age ranges, but individual readers and editions vary.
What is the difference between YA fantasy and romantasy?
YA fantasy is defined by its teen audience and may or may not include romance. Romantasy puts a romance at the center and is often published for adults, with open-door scenes; Fourth Wing is an example.
What does enemies-to-lovers mean in a fantasy book?
Two characters begin as active opponents and come to love each other. It is different from a slow burn or forbidden romance, where the barrier is not mutual hostility.
Conclusion
Start from what you want most. If it is a complete story, choose Sorcery of Thorns; if it is dragons, choose Seraphina or Eragon; if it is epic worldbuilding, choose Children of Blood and Bone. For more romance after this, browse Best Enemies-to-Lovers Romance Books to Read Next.
Hi, I’m Nisbah – a blogger with over 2 years of experience creating content and a fantasy enthusiast who loves exploring magical worlds, fantasy books, captivating stories, and unforgettable characters. I share book recommendations, reviews, fantasy insights, and story discussions and creating guides to help readers discover their next great adventure.
