Hi, my favorite series are Harry Potter, The Cruel Prince, and I liked Shadow & Bone a little bit but I’m wanting something more Adult, im trying to get out of YA since a lot of it is not dark enough. I think i just love angst and dark elements a lot. I didn’t love Poppy War because it was honestly way too depressing for me, no light.
What I look for the most is a story with pretty dark moments but still has a *little* bit of light, like i think HP Deathly Hallows got pretty dark for a YA and it still had some beautiful moments with the characters. I like when it’s character development driven, and I prefer a female lead or if it’s multiple perspectives, heavily on one main female character. I love Jude Duarte and Hermione so much. I do like a slow burn romance subplot that doesn’t make me cringe but i don’t want it to be all up in my face.
I like magic, dark fairytales, deep and complex characters with emotions. Especially if they have a tough outershell and very ambitious but driven by a traumatic past. I love morally gray characters & betrayal too!
Please let me know any recommendations you have 🙂
by zoom2moon
4 Comments
One dark window & two twisted crowns by Rachel gillig!!! Great books not much steamy scenes but it’s a great fantasy book and the MMC isssss sexyyyyyyyyyy 😍
Book of the Ancestor by Mark Lawrence should be right up your alley. It’s not a fairytale by any means but it’s that combo of dark fantasy with strong character moments and a female MC with a traumatic past (almost the entire cast is women). Without spoilers, other things you mentioned are also present.
I think you’d like Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik. It’s a retelling of Rumpelstiltskin – but it’s way better than that sounds. It checks off everything you describe you’re looking for. One of my favorites from the last few years.
The Hollows series, by Kim Harrison. Witches, vampires, fairies, pixies, where wolves and demons! Not to mention some really hot sex.