Good Reads Just Dropped A New Genre —Romance+Fantasy And Here Are Our Top Picks

A captivating story unfolds in this novel by Holly Black. It's about a girl named Jude who, along with her two sisters, was taken to live in the High Court of Faerie when she was seven. Ten years later, Jude still wants to belong there, even though she is human. But the fey, especially Prince Cardan, doesn't like humans. To earn a place in the court, Jude has no choice but to defy Cardan and face the consequences. This book has deeply affected me, reminding me why I love reading. It makes me believe in the healing power of words. The Cruel Prince is a remarkable series and the first book which had everything I ever wanted from a fantasy enemies to lover book. 

Fans of action-packed stories with a supernatural twist will love this bestseller by Carissa Broadbent. It follows Oraya, a human princess who forms an alliance with a mysterious rival named Raihn during a legendary tournament called the Kejari. Readers have praised the book for its dark and intricate world and are excited for the next installment in the series.

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros won the GoodReads 2024 award for the best Romantsy book. It features compelling characters, romance, and adventure. The story follows Violet, who was meant to have a quiet life with books but instead is ordered by her general mother to become a dragon rider. Now, Violet has to work her way to the top and face her powerful and ruthless enemy Xaden Rioson. The book explores themes of strength, knowledge, trust, and love. Readers have expressed how the book has left them feeling deeply immersed in the story and the world created by the author.

Chloe Gong, the author of These Violent Delights, has a new book called Immortal Longings. The story is an adult fantasy inspired by Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra. It follows Calla Tuoleimi, who is hiding after her parents were killed and the palace of Er was left empty five years ago. She meets Anton Makusa, who was exiled from the palace, and together with the new king's adopted son, August Kasa, they decide to team up to win a set of games for unimaginable riches. Readers have described the book as a fierce and twisty tale that keeps them guessing and are looking forward to the second instalment.

This captivating and thrilling story by popular author Jennifer L. Armentrout follows Poppy, an important member of the royal court. Poppy has always been destined to be ‘The Maiden,’ and the future of the entire kingdom depends on her, but she's not sure if she wants this responsibility. As she gets ready for Ascension, a guard named Hawke with golden eyes comes into her life, and soon destiny becomes intertwined with duty and desire. It's an exciting adventure involving vengeance, love, and destiny in another world. Readers are saying that this story is a wonderful gift. It features a strong heroine and her charming personal guard, leading to a captivating romance. But there's more than just love in this story. It's also full of bravery, suspense, loyalty, curiosity, vengeance, and friendship. The detailed world-building offers a fresh take on familiar fantasy creatures. Some parts of the plot are easy to predict but in a clever and satisfying way. In summary, this story has it all.

Sarah J. Maas is known for blending fantasy and romance in her books and is often referred to as the queen of Romantasy. She gained popularity with her first novel, A Court of Thorns And Roses. This tale follows the story of 19-year-old huntress Feyre, who is kidnapped and taken to a magical land after she kills a wolf to feed her family. Her captor, Tamlin, is a powerful faerie. Throughout the story, Feyre begins to see Tamlin as more than a monster, but something still feels wrong in this enchanted place. Readers have praised the book for slowly unfolding and creating vivid scenes in their minds.

Transport yourself to the magical island of Lightlark in this captivating saga. Every 100 years, Lightlark hosts the Centennial, a game played by the rulers of the six realms, aiming to break the curses that plague their lands. Isla Crown, the young ruler of Wildling, is relied upon by her people to end their sufferings. This is a touching fantasy story filled with secrets, deception, surprises, and true love. One reader on Reddit said, “I started this book because of a book club I just joined. From the beginning, each chapter leaves you longing for more and yearning to build your emotional connections with the characters. The relationships, although fantasy, are so realistic and relatable!”

In the Elven lands, two Elven sisters go on a long journey in this exciting book by Saara El-Arifi. Due to a serious mistake, Yeeran is forced to leave the Elven Lands, and her sister, Lettle, goes with her into the wilderness. They soon encounter the fae court, which hasn’t been seen for a thousand years. Now, as they are drawn into the alluring fae kingdom, the sisters will have to do everything they can to find their way back home. Bookstagram is super enthusiastic about this book. Readers praise its engaging story, excellent writing style, and unique magic system. The book includes war, politics, love, betrayal, hidden meanings, prophecies, and characters who think they are gods. Overall, it is an easy and enjoyable book with a great pace.

When Inez's parents pass away, she inherits their large fortune and a mysterious guardian. In search of answers, she travels to Cairo with a golden ring her father had sent her. As she arrives, the magic connected to the ring helps her uncover secrets and the truth about her parents' disappearance. This book is the first in a series called The Secrets of the Nile. Readers have shared that they were impressed by the vivid descriptions of the settings and found the story to be unique and unlike anything they had read before.

A Song of Wraiths and Ruin is a popular fantasy book inspired by West African folklore. The story follows Malik, who wants to win a festival competition to start a new life for himself and his sisters. However, his plans change when his sister is taken by a spirit. He is forced to make a deal: he must kill Karina, the Crown Princess of Ziran, in order to free his sister. But Karina also has her own plans. The book has been praised for its mystery, humour, action, and immersive world-building.

Kerri Maniscalco's Kingdom of the Wicked is the story about Emilia and her twin sister, who are witches living in Sicily. When her sister is found dead, Emilia is determined to find the killer. Along the way, she meets Wrath, one of the princes of Hell, and is unsure whether she can trust him. Readers say the book is a fast read and has a lot of exciting elements, like demons, witches, and other supernatural creatures. They also loved the vivid descriptions of food in the book.

Scarlett St. Clair's romantasy novel blends steamy romance with danger and thrills. Isolde de Lara is forced to marry her enemy, vampire king Adrian Aleksandr Vasiliev, in order to end a long-lasting war. Isolde's plan is to kill him, but when things don't go as expected, Adrian threatens to turn her into a vampire. Isolde must now navigate lies, rebellion, and survival in the midst of an unexpected attraction. Some readers have found the book to be polarizing, but others, like me, found it very entertaining and read it all in one sitting.