Once Upon a Bibliophile

get you into romantasy!

Romantasy is kind of a hit and miss genre. What with its rising popularity on BookTok and similar platforms, it’s a genre ruled by trends more than anything else.

With any genre, you will find good books and you will find bad books. But with romantasy, the bad ones gain far more popularity online than you would expect, and it can be challenging to find ones that are different and new and exciting.

So, that’s what this list is for. My finds over the years that display the genre at its best and the hidden gems I’ve discovered that everyone should read.

*please note that these are all books aimed at a young adult audience*

1. A Curse so Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmer.

Those of you who have read my previous posts will know that I have a bit of an obsession with this series. And after a recent recommending success (the recommendee loved it!) I’m certain that it belongs on this list.

A Curse so Dark and Lonely is extremely popular within the BookToking crowd- but unlike others I’ve read, this actually deserves all the online attention. What with the recent conclusion of the spin off trilogy, Forging Silver into Stars, this has become a must read for lovers of romantasy.

A Curse so Dark and Lonely does share some similarities to other romantasies, and it is written in a relatively generic way, but I fell in love with the characters and the setting from page one and I’m sure you will too.

The premise does change quite drastically over the trilogy, and I’ve noticed that this did get some negative reactions online, but, in my opinion, it is one of the best romantasies you can read. And not only that, it’s very nice to read. There are the occasional battle scenes, but if you already read fantasy this will be nothing new to you. Above all else, it’s a book to curl up with- veering away from increasingly popular dark fantasy tropes to be a simple, whimsical, fairy-tale adventure.

Optimal reading conditions include a rainy day, a blanket and a cup of tea. Enjoy!

2. Sherwood by Meagan Spooner

I wasn’t going to put this one on the list, mainly because it isn’t technically a ‘romantasy’ is the sense that many others are.

Then I gave myself a mental slap because Sherwood deserves to be on every reading list, so I couldn’t write one without it.

In terms of genre, Sherwood is more of a historical romance/ legend retelling than it is a typical romantasy, but we’re going to bend the genres rules a bit here, because in my eyes it does still come under the umbrella of romantic fantasy. I mean, there’s fantasy in it, and there’s romance in it, so…

Sherwood is a gender flipped retelling of Robin Hood, based in a slightly-fairy-tale-y-fied version of medieval Nottinghamshire. Prepare to be swept away in this beautiful story of love, grief and heroism as Marian takes up the mantle of Robin Hood to protect her people from the Sheriff. It’s a staple of both British folklore and legend retellings, so it’s no surprise that Meagan managed to weave such a truly wonderful story.

(Pssst! If you want to hear me rant in more detail about this, why not check out my full length review)

3. To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo

Mermaids.

Pirates.

Eyeliner.

Antiheroes.

Romance.

Atmospheric.

Plot twist.

Those are the words that come into my head head when I think of To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo.

Go read it, or I’ll make you walk the plank.

4. Immortal by Sue Lynn Tan

I picked up Immortal in a spur of the moment decision in a bookshop, and I haven’t regretted this decision once.

I must admit, I haven’t read many books based in Asian countries, so I was excited to find that Immortal was based on Chinese folklore. This book truly is a jewel, featuring a slow-burn romance, a story that is the very definition of ‘plot twist’ and a mythical, magic feel.

True, the main character did get on my nerves a tiny tiny bit, but the writing was simply divine and the world even more so. You’ll be enchanted by this book, I can guarantee you.

5. The Folk of the Air and The Stolen Heir trilogies by Holly Black.

*Bear in mind that The Stolen Heir is a spin off of The Folk of the Air*

Starting with the Cruel Prince, the novels of Elfhame are one I only recently got into, which is a surprise because it’s a very me kind of series.

It’s got drama. It’s romance. It’s got faeries. What more can a girl want?

Truly, it’s the most compelling of all the romantasies on this list, with the bonus of an enemies-to-lovers romance.

Two, in fact, if you read the spin off.

You’ll love it.

And so there we are! Hopefully this quick little list will help open doors with your reading, and make you as obsessed with fantasy as I am