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Fantasy Book for Young Adults: The Lost Kingdom of Zara



Zélie Adebola watched as a ruthless king ordered the death of her mother and all the other maji to rid the world of magic. With one last chance, Zélie must use the help of a rogue princess to restore magic before the crown prince manages to eradicate magic for good. Beautifully blending Nigerian mythology, symbols from the Yoruba religion, and young adult fantasy, Tomi Adeyemi shines in her debut novel and the perfect example of fantasy YA books.


Redwall Abbey has long been a refuge for the peace-loving mice and any woodland creatures that need assistance. When Redwall is threatened by a savage band of rats led by Cluny the Scourge, a young apprentice mouse sets out on a journey to find a legendary lost weapon. Along with his loyal woodland friends, Matthias must find the courage to save Redwall in this delightful fantasy series.




fantasy book for young adults




Marissa Meyer invents an imaginative backstory for the Queen of Hearts in her young adult fantasy novel. Catherine dreams of opening a bakery with her best friend but her hopes seem to be dashed when the unmarried King of Hearts sets his eyes on her. When Catherine falls for the mysterious Court Jester, she tries to take her fate into her own hands.


One of the best things about this genre is that books fit into so many different sub-genres. A book can have romance and be historical fantasy or a book can be a series but also a fairy tale re-telling.


This is the first book in a YA fantasy duopoly that will leave you ready for the next book. Rhea and Lexos are twins born to a family that has ruled for centuries using magic and paints the stars, changes the seasons, and can cause death by uttering a name.


Twilight started a phenomenon and obsession with vampires in the same way that Harry Potter created an obsession with magic. This is obviously my opinion but I am sticking with it. As YA fantasy books go, this is a definite must-read.


I am so glad that someone recommended this book to me. YA fantasy books are a huge genre and this is one of those books that really did not get the visibility that it should have. This book is so well written and is filled with magic while also exploring the power of love.


This is a fast-paced, addicting, romance fantasy series. As YA fantasy books go, this series is definitely steamy. A love triangle develops by the end of the story and book 2 is jaw-dropping! You will want to binge-read this series in one week.


This YA fantasy if filled with angst, treachery, and drama that makes it completely addicting. As a matter of fact, I ordered the sequel the minute that I was done with this book, which is the first in a trilogy.


While this is technically a middle-grade book, it was SCARY. For this reason, it is a perfect addition to our YA fantasy books. I absolutely loved it but, it should not be read by anyone who is afraid of ghost stories.


As Jacob explores the ruins, he finds clues that lead him to believe that these children might be alive even though it seems impossible. This fantastic story is mixed with vintage photographs that bring the characters to life. And while this pick is also a middle-grade book, it is intriguing enough to include it in a list of YA fantasy books.


Ok, so technically this YA fantasy book is not about ghosts but it is about ancient spirits who use humans as their vessels. Sandis is at the command of a powerful spirit who can change her into a powerful weapon on a whim.


This is NOT a middle grade book in my opinion. It is a piece of YA fantasy fiction that becomes increasingly sad as the whole picture becomes clearer. The relationship between two individuals over space, time, and dimensions is explored through love, loss and grief. This is one of the heavier books on this list.


Just when I thought that nothing could top the Caraval series, Stephanie Garber writes this book. This YA fantasy will not disappoint her die-hard fans and for those that have never read Caraval, you can fall in love for the first time. I absolutely loved this book.


This YA fantasy book is a queer re-telling of Snow White and Rose Red (not to be confused with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs). It has been thoroughly reimagined and transformed in this book. It is a must-read for a list of books like the night circus


Losing a few classmates is nothing surprising. You either graduate or die. If you love the dark side of Harry Potter, you will love this YA fantasy book. The books from this series are some of my favorite fantasy books for teens and you should add them to your TBR if you have not read them yet.


An introduction to the world of J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit was the first YA fantasy book that I ever read. Smaug, a dragon, is the main antagonist in this story. This book opened up a whole new world and genre of book.


The book follows the fantasy tradition of dropping the reader into an impressively detailed world and having its history, geography, lore, politics, traditions, and culture all slowly unfold as the protagonist grows and travels.


The Deathless Girls is an origin story for the fables brides of Dracula. This YA novel is set in the wilds of medieval Romania, specifically the province of Walachia. Our protagonists are twin sisters Lil and Kezzy, young Travellers who have their camp ransacked and all the adults killed. Our twins are immediately kidnapped and enslaved.


As YA fantasy books go, Lonely Castle in the Mirror takes a Murakami-esque approach to narrative and world-building. Though, because it is YA fantasy, characters and events are far more universal and less surreal.


The novel moves at a surprisingly relaxed pace, taking its time to build relationships between our seven characters and unveil their individual stories as it goes. The urban fantasy approach is also unique amongst YA fantasy books, blending fairy tale aesthetics with real-world issues and events.


Author Leigh Bardugo is perhaps best known for her fantasy duology Six of Crow (more on that below), but those books are actually spin-offs from The Grisha Trilogy (altogether known as The Grishaverse).


A Court of Thorns and Roses enjoys the comfortable tropes of YA fantasy books: an intense love between two dark characters; a folklore-inspired world of fairies, magic, and curses, a young and beautiful but deadly protagonist.


While not rigidly placed within the genre of YA fantasy books, Uprooted (and its follow-up Spinning Silver) is a fairytale-inspired fantasy novel, and most fans of YA fantasy are also partial to fairy tales.


Uprooted is a folkloric tale of magic, set in a densely dark and twisted fairy tale world, perfect for fans of YA fantasy books. It leans on the tropes of fairy tales while, at the same time, subverting them entirely.


I can imagine Erin Morgenstern being annoyed at appearing on this list; she has mentioned in the past that hers are not YA fantasy books. They are, however, both accessible to YA readers and beloved by fans of YA fantasy.


Its aesthetics blend East Asian art with a Victorian steampunk sensibility to create something wholly unique, and its world is set apart from other YA fantasy books through its unique magic and political systems.


This is a truly charming series of YA fantasy books. Reminiscent of the X-Men comics, and having a manga-inspired tone and atmosphere, they ooze charm and comfort while also being unapologetically dark in places.


Releasing on March 2, this is the sequel to the paranormal fantasy series that includes Crave and Crush. In this book, Grace may have reached her breaking point after a series of events rocked her world.


Sarah J Maas is one of the reigning queens of fantasy books for young adults and her three series Throne of Glass, A Court of Thorns and Roses and House of Blood and Earth have all been met with wide acclaim.


However, it is her second series, A Court of Thorns and Roses, that is my absolute favourite and what I consider to be one of the best YA fantasy series of all time. Most SJ Maas fans believe this to be much better than her first series, especially when you get to book two.


The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling needs little introduction but no list of YA fantasy books would be complete without it. Loved by children, young adults and adults alike, this series completely took the world by storm upon its release and continues to be wildly popular today.


If you love fantasy YA books, and books set in Paris, then The Gilded Wolves is the book for you. Set in the 19th century, we follow treasure-hunter and wealthy hotelier Séverin Montagnet-Alarie on a high-stakes mission.


Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard is another YA fantasy series that dominated the YA book scene upon its release. Similar to Throne of Glass, Red Queen centres around palaces, princesses, magic and political unrest.


No other YA fantasy holds a dearer place in my heart than Lloyd Alexander's Prydain Chronicles. The epic fantasy, about an assistant pig-keeper named Taran and the band of adventurers he befriends, is five novels long (plus a prequel). The final book in the series, The High King, won the Newberry Medal, and though each of these novels is a wonderful read, you'll want to start with The Book Of Three.


J.R.R. Tolkien started something very special when he wrote the tale of Bilbo Baggins and his adventures with Gandalf and the dwarves. It was intended to be a children's book, but it led to Tolkien's much more epic (and adult) fantasy, The Lord Of The Rings. Shorter and smaller in scope, The Hobbit is a wonderful read for all ages. Tolkien's prose can be a bit stiff at times, but he paints an engaging world with such compelling characters that it's hard not to become completely lost in the page. From the dark canopies of Mirkwood to the treasure-filled caverns of the Lonely Mountain, Tolkien's Middle-earth was born in The Hobbit, and it's a must-read for any lover of fantasy.


The story of the last of the unicorns and her quest to find what happened to the rest of her kind is one that explores the meaning of magic, of friendship and of self. It's certainly one of the best books I've ever read, fantasy or no. 2ff7e9595c


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