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Romantasy to read next: 5 books like Fourth Wing and ACOTAR
Romance-led fantasy openers: fae courts, dragon riders and enemies-to-lovers.
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
A huntress is taken into a fae lord's court in a dark Beauty and the Beast retelling.
+ Lush, beautiful writing and a Beauty and the Beast retelling that grows into a gripping survival story.
− Very slow start before the pace picks up. (summed up from The Guardian)Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
A frail scribe is forced into a brutal war college for dragon riders.
+ Familiar tropes done so well it is hard to put down: breakneck pacing, deadly training and witty dragons.
− Few real surprises; much unfolds as readers expect. (summed up from Paste Magazine)From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout
A sheltered Maiden and her mysterious guard in a kingdom built on secrets.
+ Forbidden slow-burn romance, witty banter and a good balance of fantasy and romance.
− The worldbuilding is sometimes confusing, and it is very explicit, adult content. (summed up from Felicia Tarantino (blog))The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
A mortal girl schemes for power in a vicious faerie court.
+ A darkly gorgeous faerie court and a fierce, vulnerable heroine driven by family, with a heart-wrenching ending.
− Moments of trite teenage melodrama and an eye-roll romantic interlude. (summed up from The Book Smugglers)Uprooted by Naomi Novik
A village girl is taken by a wizard and drawn into a war against a corrupted forest.
+ Engrossing, page-turning fairy-tale fantasy with great magic lessons, clear thrilling battles and a scrappy heroine.
− Crams a trilogy into one book, so training and court intrigue feel cut short. (summed up from Slate)
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