Hey everyone,
I’m looking for fantasy book recs similar to Holly Black and Stephanie Garber, or a mix of both.
My faves:
Holly – The Cruel Prince Trilogy + Stolen Heir Duology
Stephanie – Once Upon a Broken Heart
I’ve gotten general YA fantasy recs before, but I’m after books that actually match their plot, style, and vibes.
Both authors have rich prose, usually focusing on a girl and a guy with a small entourage of side characters . (That is in comparison to the average fantasy series with many side characters.) Their characters are whimsical and magical-looking. Holly’s fae have unique features like animal traits or different skin colors. For example, I love how her character Wren is a changeling. And she has blue skin and blue hair. Meanwhile Stephanie has varied races like humans, fates, and vampires. As well as different hair colors. For example, I love her character Evangeline’s pink hair. Their character’s stories are always dangerously enchanting?
Holly immerses you in the Faerie world with well-written folklore and unique male love interests. She’s also the queen at unique plot twists. Stephanie’s books feel like living in a dream, with a lush, almost synesthetic style.
I also feel like Holly is the only author I’ve actually seen do enemies to lovers correctly.
The main characters in The Cruel Prince actually hated each other so much, and were disgusted by the love they had for each other as they were falling, but couldn’t help it? They just embraced that hate. They hate-love each other lol.
Any suggestions? Thanks!
Please do not suggest Sarah J Maas or Jennifer L Armentrout. Or any authors like them. Where the fmc’s are perfect and every guy is after them. And the guys are tall, muscular, and those are the main traits that are going for them. I’ve already read both and kind of grown away from that writing.
by ladygreenwillow
2 Comments
This is hard bc Holly Black’s work is so distinctive. Maybe The Obsidian Tower by Melissa Caruso or Uprooted by Naomi Novik? For a complex, lush fantasy world that’s less faerie vibes but with lots of interesting characters I’d also suggest Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett.
Holly Black has paid hommage to Charles de Lint many, many times. She even mentioned him on her website once. They have a very similar style. I’d recommend *The Blue Girl* by de Lint, and Black even gave the rec once that people read de Lint’s *Jack Kinrown* if they liked her older works (like Tithe).