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Shadow and Bone

Fantasy

Drama

Action

5/10

41

8.8/10

Release Date

2021 - 2023-00-00

Showrunner

Eric Heisserer

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9 The Contortionist (2020)

Written by Kathryn Ann Kingsley

Cora Glass is a classic romance protagonist, as she's easy for the reader to empathize with and see themselves in. She's a great window into the world of the Harrow Faire series because she's never encountered the world of magic and mayhem that sucks her in through the wonderful and terrible circus. Using a dark carnival or circus is an iconic trope within the fantasy genre, and The Contortionist uses this formula effectively.

The author, Kathryn Ann Kingsley, is known for writing dark fantasy stories where the villain is as entrancing and attractive as he is dangerous. In the Harrow Faire series, it's interesting to see Cora and the world develop alongside each other, and Kingsley isn't afraid to leave the reader on a shocking cliffhanger. Though Simon, her love interest, is undeniably unhinged, he's a compelling character to get to know alongside Cora.

8 The Serpent And The Wings Of Night (2022)

Written by Carissa Broadbent

Carissa Broadbent might not be quite as well known within romantasy circles as Sarah J. Maas or Rebecca Yarros. However, she's been putting out some of the most consistent fantasy romance stories of the past few decades. Her recent Crowns of Nyaxia series begins with The Serpent and the Wings of Night, a vampiric tale that follows Oraya as she attempts to navigate the world of bloodthirsty killers to which she belongs. Out of all the many vampire kingdoms she inhabits, Raihn might be the most formidable enemy.

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However, Oraya also knows that Raihn developed this skill for killing through training and practice, and she needs this expertise as she prepares to enter the fight of her life. Oraya is a great main character who draws you into the story because she has clear wants and goals, and Raihn just happens to be one of these desires. The Serpent and the Wings of Night is action-packed and full of fight sequences that uplift the dangerous romance angle.

7 King Of Battle And Blood (2021)

Written by Scarlett St. Clair

Marrying a vampire is a dangerous business, especially for Isolde, Scarlett St. Clair's determined protagonist who hates nothing more than the undead. However, marrying Adrian, the vampire king, is a means to an end for Isolde, who plans to cut down the vampiric king and get her revenge. Unfortunately, things don't go according to plan, and Isolde is forced to learn how to survive in his court or risk becoming a vampire herself.

Like all the best romance book series about vampires, King of Battle and Blood tackles the ion and hunger of the genre, especially in the moments when the tension between Isolde and Adrian heats up. King of Battle and Blood is a spice-forward romantasy book that dives headfirst into the chemistry between Isolde and Adrian. However, there's still a strong enough plot to propel the story forward and give readers something to invest in.

6 Kingdom Of The Wicked (2020)

Written by Kerri Maniscalco

Emilia is a powerful witch who hides her identity from the humans around her for her safety and theirs. However, her twin sister isn't so lucky, and Kingdom of the Wicked begins with her gruesome murder, leaving Emilia devastated. To solve her murder and get her revenge, Emilia will have to align herself with a demon, Wrath, who claims to be on her side. Though making a deal with the devil is dangerous, Emilia dives headfirst into this challenge.

Teaming up with a prince of hell doesn't seem like a good idea to Emilia, but she doesn't have much of a choice, and Wrath has a certain undeniable charm. As the Kingdom of the Wicked series progresses, Emilia learns the truth about Wrath and the deceitful kingdom he comes from, but that doesn't stop her from wanting him. Full of betrayals, dark magic, and explorations of hell itself, the Kingdom of the Wicked series shows that Kerri Maniscalco knows romantasy.

5 Throne In The Dark (2022)

Written by A K Caggiano

Throne in the Dark throws a wrench into the perfectly terrible and calculated dark plans of its protagonist, Damien Maleficus Bloodthorne, who's as dangerous as his name suggests. However, Amma, a thief who puts herself right in the middle of Damien's evil plan, makes him start to question who he is and what he wants. A classic case of opposites attract, Throne in the Dark sees Damien and Amma soften each other and build trust along the way.

Taking grump-sunshine to its extreme, a half-demon and an aggressively cheerful human make for the perfect pair in Throne in the Dark. Though the first book in the Villains & Virtues series is a slow burn, the remaining installments explore where their relationship goes and how Damien and Amma change each other for the better. Though Throne in the Dark isn't the most spicy romantasy book out there, it still scratches the same itch.

4 Furyborn (2018)

Written by Claire Legrand

Claire Legrand intertwines two timelines in Furyborn as two women lead parallel lives of romance and rebellion spanning generations. Rielle and Eliana might live in different eras, but they face similar challenges and are prophesied to rise and become queens. There are many exciting plot points that rely on fate and destiny, which is a common aspect of the fantasy genre, but this doesn't make it any less compelling, especially because both Rielle and Eliana have epic love stories on the path to fulfill their destinies.

Though incorporating multiple points of view in a romantasy book can be polarizing, Furyborn makes it work because the romances are effective in different ways. Furyborn is a darker addition to the romantasy genre, especially throughout Eliana's chapters, as she's become a bounty hunter with deadly skills. Eliana's love story with Simon, the mysterious and morally ambiguous character who appears in her life, brings in the right amount of villainy.

3 Uprooted (2015)

Written by Naomi Novik

Naomi Novik is a prolific fantasy writer who weaves compelling romance into her stories. However, the reason we keep returning to Novik's work is because she crafts such compelling protagonists with clear voices and strong convictions. Agnieszka, our hero in Uprooted, isn't cowed by the harsh and selfish ways of the Dragon, the wizard who takes her from her home and makes her work for him as his apprentice. This helps put them on an equal footing when their relationship takes a sudden turn.

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Novik also penned one of the best fantasy books about magic school, A Deadly Education, the first in the Scholomance trilogy. However, Uprooted is an incredibly satisfying romantasy book because it isn't the first in the series, telling the full love story of its characters by the end of the novel. Agnieszka has a life and story of her own, and she comes to understand why the Dragon hid himself away and became a villain, but she doesn't let him off the hook for his actions.

2 Cruel Beauty (2014)

Written by Rosamund Hodge

Ignifex is the tyrannical and unforgiving ruler of Nyx's world in Cruel Beauty​​​​​​, and she was born to hate and kill him, not get sucked into his entrancing world. Rosamund Hodge's Cruel Beauty is a fantastical retelling of Beauty and the Beast, but it updates this classic tale with elements of fictionalized Greek and Roman history. The setting of Igifnex's castle is a fantastic backdrop for the story, as it's a magical and winding place for Nyx to explore.

The atmosphere of Cruel Beauty is one of the best parts of the story, as it immerses the reader in Nyx's world and shows how easy it is to be sucked into the charm and dark promise of the magical kingdom. While the arranged marriage trope is everywhere in the romantasy genre, it doesn't feel out of place in Cruel Beauty or take the reader out of the narrative. Though the dynamic between Nyx and Ignifex is fraught, it's impossible not to get invested.

1 Bow Before The Elf Queen (2022)

Written by J. M. Kearl

J.M. Kearl, the author of Bow Before the Elf Queen, clearly has a lot of love for classic fantasy, as the novel is in conversation with some of the best works of the genre. However, Bow Before the Elf Queen takes some of the mythology and lore that makes these familiar works so popular and infuses them with forbidden romance. While romantasy books that center on villainous love stories often have an element of the forbidden, Bow Before the Elf Queen takes this even further.

Layala, the protagonist, has always known the Elf King was coming, and she was ready to strike him down and get her revenge. However, they each have secrets that simultaneously push them apart and make their attraction all the more undeniable. Kearl has mentioned that the legends of Hades and Persephone inspired Bow Before the Elf Queen​​​​​​, and this is clear in every moment of the story. Though Thane, the villainous love interest, seems like the ultimate evil, his redemption is satisfying.