24 Insanely thrilling books like Throne of Glass you should read ASAP

Recently updated on July 14th, 2024 at 11:21 am

Are you a Throne of Glass fan?  I’ve compiled the 15 absolute best fantasy books like a Throne of Glass.

This post contains affiliate links. That said, I won’t ever recommend a book I haven’t read and loved myself

I am OBSESSED with Sarah J Maas. After finishing it, Throne of Glass became an instant favourite. This series takes you on a journey.

If you’re anything like me, then you probably couldn’t stop thinking about it after finishing it. Looking for something similar? You’re in luck.  I’ve compiled the best books like Throne of Glass,

Whether you’re looking for adventure, royals, enemies to lovers romance or fae – I’ve got you covered. 

This post is all about fantasy books like Throne of Glass

What book should I read if I like Throne of Glass?

1. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

This series has one of the best enemies to lovers romances. And I couldn’t write a post on books like Throne of Glass without starting with Sarah J Maas’ other books. This is has so many similar tropes such as enemies to lovers romance, adventure and the found family trope. I would recommend starting with this series before Crescent City. 

A Court of Thorns and Roses is a Beauty and the Beast retelling. It follows Feyre. She is r poor and lives with her father and two sisters. She has to hunt to care for the family.

One day she sees a deer and can’t resist killing it to sell. But it was actually a faerie she murdered. And the owner comes to kidnap her to live at the castle as punishment.

Similarities with Throne of Glass

• Same author/similar writing style
• Strong female lead/warrior
• broody love interest
• enemies to lovers
• fae

2. Crescent City by Sarah J Maas

My recommended reading order for Sarah J Maas would be Throne of Glass first, then A Court of Thorns and Roses and finishing up with Crescent City. This book features many similar elements to Throne of Glass such as fae, enemies to lovers romance and warring kingdoms.

Crescent city is an urban fantasy that features a range of mythological creatures such as mermaids, fae and werewolves.

  We follow Bryce, a half-fae, half-human.  And she is tasked with investigating a series of crimes with Hunt Athalar – a fallen angel. But they discover some dark powers at work.

If you’re looking for books suitable for a younger audience- then this isn’t for you. It’s definitely more suited to an adult audience. 

Similarities with Throne of Glass

• Same author/similar writing style
• Strong female lead
• broody love interest
• enemies to lovers
• fae

3.  Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

One of the top ya fantasy books like Throne of Glass is Legendborn. It’s a fast paced ya fantasy book with an action packed plot and plenty of twists and turns. It has the competition element like in Throne of Glass. It also has an awesome main character who discusses losing a loved one.

Legendborn follows Bree Mathews. After the death of her mother, she wants to avoid family memories. So, she joins a residential program for gifted high school students.

But then she witnesses a magical attack on her first night. A flying demon feeding on human energy. A Mage tries to wipe her memory. But he fails. And instead Bree unlocks new memories of her mother’s death.

You should read this if you love a strong female lead, morally grey characters or the Sarah J Maas.  It also features great commentary on slavery and racism.

Similarities with Throne of Glass

• Strong female lead
• broody love interest
• enemies to lovers
• trials/competition

4. The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

If you loved the enemies to lovers romance and fae, then you need to read the FOlk of Air Trilogy. A ya fantasy romance trilogy featuring fae, royals and an enemies to lovers romance.

Holly Black is seriously amazing at writing a killer plot twist. The Cruel Prince and Wicked King both open with a bang and keep you hooked throughout.  

We follow Jud. As a child, she gets kidnapped with her two sisters and is taken to live with the fae in the woods.  She grows up wanting to be like the wicked fae she lives with.

This series features an incredible enemies to lovers. If you’re looking for books like Throne of Glass then this is a great pick.

Similarities with Throne of Glass

• Strong female lead
• broody love interest
• enemies to lovers
• fae

5. One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig

This is an incredible high fantasy. Perfect if you enjoy magic paired with an enemies to lovers romance and rebellion. This is more plot driven with a sub-plot romance.

In Blunder all magic comes at a price. We follow Elspeth. She touches a magical providence card and is possessed by the Nightmare.

When Elspeth meets a mysterious highwayman on the forest road, her life takes a drastic turn. Thrust into a world of shadow and deception, she joins a dangerous quest to cure Blunder from the dark magic infecting it. 

Searching for books like Throne of Glass? This is perfect. Fast-paced with unique magic and enemies to lovers.

Similarities with Throne of Glass

• Strong female lead
• broody love interest
• enemies to lovers

 6. From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

I’m not a huge fan of From Blood and Ash. This is a series that divides readers. But many fans of Throne of Glass and A Court of Thorns and Roses love this book.

We follow Poppy. She was chosen from birth to usher in a new era as the Maiden. And her life has never been her own.

The life of the Maiden is solitary. Never to be touched or looked upon or spoken to. And never to experience pleasure. But she would rather be fighting back evil than preparing to be found worthy by the gods. 

An enemies to lovers romance, a strong female main character and its new adult. A great choice if you’re looking for fantasy romance books with spice.

Similarities with Throne of Glass

• Warring kingdoms
• Strong female lead
• slow burn romance

7. A Dark and Hollow Star by Ashley Shuttleworth

Fae, enemies to lovers romance and a mystery. Nausicaä reminds me of Celaena in Throne of Glass. A sassy, morally grey badass.

A series of gruesome murders threatens to expose the faerie world to humans.  Four queer teens – Nausicaä, Arlo, Vehan, and Aurelian – each hold a piece of the truth. And they must track down the mysterious killer.

This series is perfect for Sarah J Maas fans. The vibes of this book are very similar. And the characters are well-developed.  Nausicaä is a grumpy, chaotic and sarcastic lesbian.  Nausicaä and Arlo have such a perfect slow burn enemies to lovers vibe.

Similarities with Throne of Glass

• Strong female lead/warrior
• enemies to lovers
• fae

8. Serpent and Dove by Shelby Mahurin

Did you enjoy the romance in Throne of Glass series? Then you’ll love Serpent and Dove. It features a slow-burn romance between a witch and a witch hunter. 

We follow Louise, a witch living in Cesarine where witches are hunted and burned. Reid, a witch hunter, has always lived by the same principle – thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.

But Lou pulls a stunt and forces them into an impossible scenario – holy matrimony.

Enemies to lovers, marriage of convenience and  morally grey characters. An excellent combination for Throne of Glass fans. While this has a romance, it contains a fast-paced plot and a well-developed magic system.

Similarities with Throne of Glass

• Strong female lead
• enemies to lovers
• morally grey characters
• magic

9. Gilded Ones by Namina Forna

Searching for strong female warriors? Then you’ll love Gilded Ones. We follow a group of incredible warriors. The plot was also fast-paced and action-packed.

We follow 16-year-old Deka. She lives in a village where all the girls undergo a blood ceremony. If their blood runs gold – they are impure.

Deka has lived in fear of this ceremony. And on the day – her blood runs gold. And Deka must face consequences worse than death.

But then a mysterious woman comes to her rescue. And offers her the chance to fight for the emperor in an army of girls just like her.

This book is not for everyone – it has a lot of violence. Please check the trigger warnings before reading.

Similarities with Throne of Glass

• Strong female lead/warrior
• found family trope
• magic

10. Lore by Alexandra Bracken

This is a great choice if you enjoyed the competition element in Throne of Glass.  It features a strong, female main character, a romance and a competition element.

Every seven years Greek Gods are hunted by descendants of ancient bloodlines. If the hunters succeed they seize their immortality. It follows Lore Perseus who has turned her back on this world.  But as the next hunt dawns, two participants seek out her help.

The plot of Lore is quite complex but it’s executed perfectly.  Bracken did a great job of building the concept. I was intrigued and hooked from the first chapter.

Similarities with Throne of Glass

• Strong female lead/warrior
• romance
• trials 

11. A Curse so Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer

A Curse so dark and Lonely has one of the most BADASS main characters! Plus this is a retelling of a classic story.

A Curse So Dark And Lonely is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Prince Rhen is the Heir of Emberfall.

Emberfall is under a curse and the kingdom is enchanted into an everlasting winter. Prince Rhen needs to make a girl fall in love with him to break the curse.

Harper has cerebral palsy. And she struggles to look after her dying mother. She tries to save a stranger and is pulled into the world of Emberfall.

If you’re a fan Sarah J. Maas then you should definitely read this fast paced fantasy book.

Similarities with Throne of Glass

• Strong female lead
• hate to love romance
• retelling of a classic story

12. Bright and Pale by Jessica Rubinowski

Bright and Pale is perfect for Celaena fans. The main character is a morally grey thief.

It follows 17-year-old Valeria. As a child, she lived near this magical mountain. One day, it unleashed a big freeze that trapped her family. Valeria is one of few survivors.

So she flees and joins the thieves guild. And she does odd jobs to get by with her best friend Alik. Until he is brutally murdered.

Or so she thinks. A year later, he turns up alive. And she is forced to lead a group on a dangerous quest back to the mountain in exchange for Alik.

Similarities with Throne of Glass

• Strong female lead
• romance
• magic
• morally grey thief main character

13. Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

Children of Blood and Bone combines a fast-paced, action-packed plot with magical world-building. The main character is incredible and perfect for Throne of Glass fans.

There used to be magic in Orïsha. Zélie remembers how powerful her reaper mother was. But one-night magic disappears and Zelie is left without hope.

She now has to bring back the magic with the help of a runaway princess. Orïsha is full of danger everywhere. But Zeéie’s greatest danger is herself.

Children of Blood and Bone has much in common with A Court of Thorns and Roses – A strong female lead and a quest. I loved Zélie instantly and the world building is enchanting.

But Children of Blood and Bone also explores much darker themes such as racially charged violence. And that makes it a really powerful read.

Similarities with Throne of Glass

• Strong female lead
• enemies to lovers
• magic

14. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

While this is an urban fantasy, it has similar vibes to Throne of Glass. An enemies to lovers romance, a strong main character andmagic.

We follow Karou. She has 2 lives which she has always managed to keep balanced. On one hand, she’s a seventeen year old art student living in Prague. On the other hand, she runs errands for a monster. 

But then black hand prints start appearing on doorways. Scorched there by winged creatures. And Karou must choose between the safety of her human life or war. 

If you enjoyed the main character you’ll love this book. Karou reminds meof Celaena. It also features magic and a range of mythical creatures.

Similarities with Throne of Glass

• Strong female lead
• morally grey characters
• enemies to lovers
• magic

15. The Graceling by Kristen Cashore

A stunning fantasy romance with a badass female lead. Katsa is a warrior and perfect for fans of Celaena in Throne of Glass. Plus this high fantasy has magic, adventure and royalty.

In a world where some people are born with a Grace—a unique, sometimes uncanny, skill—Katsa is cursed with a Grace for killing. This makes her a perfect tool for her uncle, King Randa. Katsa chafes at being used as an instrument of punishment. Then she meets Prince Po, and everything changes.

This story is well written with excellent characterisation. The romance between Katsa and Po. My only complaint is the main character’s aversion to dresses. A character isn’t weak because they like clothes.

Similarities to Throne of Glass

• Strong female main character
• magic
• high fantasy

16. Powerless by Lauren Roberts

A book with a main character similar to Celaena. This fantasy follows a sassy street thief trying to survive in a cut throat world. It also has trials, rebellion and an enemies to lovers romance.

We follow Paedyn. She lives in the Kingdom of Ilya. Only the exceptional, powered Elites belong in the Kingdom. These powers were gifted to them by the Plague. Those born Ordinary are banished to preserve an Elite society. This makes Paedyn Gray a felon by fate and a thief by necessity. When Paeydn unsuspectingly saves one of Ilyas princes, she finds herself thrown into the Purging Trials.

The perfect choice if you’re after books like Throne of Glass.

Similarities to throne of glass

• Enemies to lovers romance
• Strong female main character
• Trials
• Magic
• Rebellion

17. A Broken Blade by Melissa Blair

A Broken Blade is perfect for Throne of Glass fans. It has so much in common – a morally grey assassin, enemies to lovers romance and fae.

We follow Keera, a killer. As the King’s Blade, she is the most talented spy in the kingdom. And the King’s favoured assassin. When a mysterious figure called the Shadow starts moving against the Crown, Keera is forced to hunt the masked menace down. She crosses into the magical lands of the Fae, trying to discern if her enemy is Mortal, Elf, or a Halfling like her. But the Faeland is not what it seems.

The plot moves a long quickly and the series is well-written with unexpected twists. Highly recommend if you’re searching for books like Throne of Glass.

Similarities to Throne of Glass:

• Enemies to lovers romance
• Strong female main character
• Rebellion

18. The Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

The Red Queen has tons in common with Throne of Glass. A morally grey main character, trials and superpowers/magic. Plus it includes an enemies to lovers romance.

In this dystopian novel, blood defines your status. Reds are commoners. But silvers are the elite and have superpowers. The main character is red. But she has superpowers.

The Red Queen has received over a million reviews on GoodReads, and is still rated 4 stars. Fans love the fast-pace, plot twists and dystopian worldbuilding.

Searching for books like Throne of Glass? You’ll love The Red Queen series.

Similarities to Throne of Glass:

• Enemies to lovers romance
• Strong female main character
• Trials
• Superpowers

19. The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L. Jensen

The vibes of The Bridge Kingdom match Throne of Glass perfectly. This fantasy has a warrior princess, morally grey characters and warring kingdoms.

A warrior princess trained in isolation, Lara is driven by two certainties. The first is that King Aren of the Bridge Kingdom is her enemy. And the second is that she’ll be the one to bring him to his knees.

The only route through a storm-ravaged world, the Bridge Kingdom enriches itself and deprives its rivals, including Lara’s homeland. So when she’s sent as a bride under the guise of peace, Lara is prepared to do whatever it takes to fracture its impenetrable defenses

Similarities to Throne of Glass:

• Strong female main character
• warring kingdoms
• Broody love interest
• Enemies to lovers

20. The Serpent and The Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent

This book reminds me of Throne of Glass. It features a morally grey main character, an enemies-to-lovers romance and trials. Plus this features warring kingdoms.

We follow Oraya, the adopted daughter of the Nightborn vampire king. She carved her place in a world designed to kill her. Her only chance to become something more than prey is entering the Kejari: a legendary tournament held by the goddess of death herself.

The writing style is excellent. And the sequel to this book is even better. Highly recommend picking this up.

Similarities to Throne of Glass:

• Enemies to lovers romance
• trials
• strong female lead
• magic
• kingdoms at war

21. The Prison Healer by Lynette Noni

Did you enjoy the trials and enemies to lovers romance in Throne of Glass? Then I recommend The Prison Healer. This book even features an endorsement from Sarah J Maas.. 

The Prison Healer is set in a ruthless death prison called Zalindov. We follow Kiva, a prisoner there. As Prison healer, she is charged with keeping the seriously ill Rebel Queen alive long enough to go through the Trial by Ordeal.

Trial by Ordeal is a series of challenges against the torments of air, fire, water and earth. It’s assigned to only the most dangerous criminals.  But then a coded message arrives containing a single order: “Don’t let her die. We are coming.”    But the trials will kill the sickly queen.

Similarities with Throne of Glass

• Strong female lead/warrior
• enemies to lovers
• trials
• morally grey characters
• rebellion

22. Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalo

Kingdom of the Wicked is perfect if you enjoyed the characters and romance in Throne of Glass. This mystery features enemies to lovers romance. The chemistry sizzled.

We follow Emilia. Emilia and her twin sister Vittoria are witches living secretly among humans. One night, Emilia finds the body of her beloved twin…desecrated beyond belief.

Devastated, Emilia sets out to find her sister’s killer and to seek vengeance at any cost—even if it means using dark magic that’s been long forbidden.

Then Emilia meets Wrath, one of the Wicked—princes of Hell she has been warned against in tales since she was a child. Wrath claims to be on Emilia’s side, tasked by his master with solving the series of women’s murders on the island. But when it comes to the Wicked, nothing is as it seems.

Similarities with Throne of Glass

• Strong female lead
• Magic
• Morally grey characters

23. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

One the most popular books on this list. But for a good reason. Throne of Glass fans will love this series. It has trials, magic and enemies to lovers romance. Plus it has rebellion and warring kingdoms.

We follow Violet Sorrengail. She was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant and live a quiet life among books. But the commanding general – her mother – orders Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become elite dragon riders.

But Violet is smaller than everyone else, with a brittle body. And with fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. 

Similarities with Throne of Glass

• Strong female lead
• Magic
• Morally grey characters
• Enemies to lovers romance
• broody love interest

24. A Spark of the Everflame by Penn Cole

Highly recommend A Spark of the Everflame for Sarah J Maas fans. This has an incredible romance, high stakes and mystery.

We follow Diem Bellator. She lives in a world colonized by the gods and ruled by the Descended, their cruel offspring. She yearns to escape the insular life of her poor village.

Her mother’s sudden disappearance—and the discovery of a dangerous secret about her past—offer Diem an unexpected opportunity to enter the dark world of Descended royalty and unlock the web of mysteries her mother left behind.

With the dying King’s handsome, mysterious heir watching her every move, and a ruthless mortal alliance recruiting her to join the growing civil war, Diem will have to navigate the unwritten rules of love, power, and politics in order to save her family—and all of mortalkind.

Similarities with Throne of Glass

• Strong female lead
• Magic
• High stakes
• Slow burn romance

This post was all about fantasy books like Throne of Glass

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