For Fans of Sarah J. Maas
Prolific fantasy author Sarah J. Maas delivers romance, adventure, and suspense in her books. Known for her world building, she depicts fae, demons, and royals in exquisite detail. If you’ve luxuriated in Maas’s series and are looking for other authors in the same vein, here are some suggestions for your next read.
Graceling series by Kristin Cashore (started 2008)
Maas’s assassin Celaena might find Cashore’s Katsa to be a kindred spirit. Both are extraordinary fighters. The Graceling series starts by focusing on Katsa’s finding her true self by rescuing Princess Bitterblue and helping the forces of good in the region, then goes on to explore other characters’ stories in the wider world of her universe. I’ve loved these books. Read more of my gushing about Cashore in this post. In it, I recommend books by Victoria Aveyard, Kendare Blake, and Alexandra Bracken that I predict Maas fans would also like.
Keeper of the Lost Cities series by Shannon Messenger (started 2012)
Some of my kid’s friends are obsessed with this series right now, and Kid zipped through the existing nine books. Now they are counting down the days until the next one releases. In Messenger’s fantasy, Sophie can hear people’s thoughts but has kept her power secret until she meets Fitz, someone who shares the same power. Fitz helps Sophie learn that there is more to her gift than she realized, and they are launched on an adventure to discover her true identity.
The Winner’s trilogy by Marie Rutkoski (started 2014)
Rutkoski’s trilogy delves into war, slavery, and politics. Kestrel is the daughter of a general but finds herself in a complicated romantic relationship with Arin, a slave. Maas fans will enjoy the suspense, danger, and romance of these books.
Queen of the Tearling series by Erika Johansen (started 2014)
When I read the first book in this series, I couldn’t put it down. Kelsea is the rightful heir to the throne. On her 19th birthday, she comes out of hiding to claim her birthright and take down the Red Queen. The later books in the series prove that Johansen has created a world that is more complex than it might seem.
The Last Magician series by Lisa Maxwell (started 2017)
Esta lives in modern-day Manhattan and is a well-trained thief. Her magic is the ability to travel through time, where she steals magical artifacts. She has one more job to do: travel to 1902 and steal a book that contains all the secrets and can either save or destroy what’s left of magic. This historical fantasy is mesmerizing and entertaining.
Ash Princess series by Laura Sebastian (started 2018)
When Theodora was six, her mother was killed and her kingdom seized by the kaiser. She is kept as a prisoner and paraded around as the Ash Princess, a person of ridicule and shame. After years of enduring this treatment, Theo has reached her limit. Through connections with an underground resistance, she plots her revenge.
Slayer series by Kiersten White (started 2020)
Though obviously not high fantasy, White’s book in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer universe will scratch the same itch of romance, magic, and adventure that Maas fans enjoy. Nina has grown up in the Watcher’s Academy and has never really fit in there (not like her twin sister Artemis). When she becomes the next Slayer, things really change.