15 Insanely thrilling fantasy books with immortal characters you need to read

Are you looking for books with immortal characters? Here are 15 fantasy books about immortality that you'll absolutely love

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

There is something so intriguing about books with immortal characters. Especially when the author thinks through the implications of immortality. 

But books with immortal characters aren't as common as you might first think. And it can be hard to find fantasy books about immortality. So I've compiled a list of the absolute best books with immortal characters. 

Whether you're looking for elves, fae or immortal humans. This post has got you covered. Plus, for each book I've included the GoodReads rating, content warnings, positives & negatives and my thoughts.

Keep reading to see the best books with immortal characters

Best fantasy books with immortal characters

1. This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron

Kalynn Bayron writes some of the best contemporary fantasy books out there! This Poison Heart is an Urban Fantasy book. It opens in the city before the main characters move to a small town. There is also strong plant and cottagecore imagery throughout.

This Poison Heart follows Briseis. She has a magic gift where she can magic tiny seeds grow into rich blooms with a single touch.

Her aunt dies and wills her a dilapidated estate in rural New York. And it’s there she must uncover her family’s heritage and secrets.

 This is a quick, fast-paced and easy read. You could easily pick this up and binge read it in one setting. Kalynn Bayron writes plant imagery beautifully. And I absolutely adored the plant and forest imagery.  

My only complaint with this book is that the romance was very insta-lovey. And I found it difficult to be invested in the romance. 

If you're searching for cozy fantasy books with immortal characters then you HAVE to read this. The cottagecore imagery makes this so cozy. It also features a Black heroine, supportive same-sex parents and elemental magic.

 2. Silver in the Wood by Emily Tesh

If you're looking for fantasy books with immortal characters and mlm romance - then you should definitely read Silver in the Wood. It's a fantasy book set in a magical forest. And it has an insanely cute grumpy/sunshine friends to lovers mlm romance.  Plus it references mythological creatures such as dryads and faeries.

It follows Tobias who is a forest guardian. He is tasked to look after the forest. One day Henry Silver moves into Greenhollow Hall and everything changes. Silver starts to dig up old secrets that are best left forgotten. Plus they have an adorable mlm romance.

If  you like the cottagecore aesthetic then you'll enjoy this book. The forest imagery is absolute gorgeous. It was filled with imagery about mythical creatures such as dryads in the forest.  And definitely made me want to live in a cottage in the woods. It's really whimsical and enchanting.  

This is also such a short and easy read. I listened to the audiobook. And the whole duology is only 5 hours. So you can easily binge read this in one setting. If you have a long journey this would also be the perfect audiobook to listen to because you can finish it in 5 hours. You can listen to the audiobook on Audible

3. Under the whispering door by T.J. Klune

If you're looking for cosy fantasy books then I highly recommend T.J Klune's work. The writing is easy to read. While it includes fantasy elements, it reads as more of a YA Contemporary. It also heavily features tea which made it feel really warm and comforting.

 It follows Wallace Price. A reaper comes to collect him from his own funeral. But instead of taking him directly to the afterlife, leads him to a tea shop in a small village.

Hugo runs the teashop but is also the ferryman to souls who need to cross over. But Wallace isn't ready to abandon the life he barely lived. 

This book deals with so many heavy topics such as death, grief and loss. But despite such heavy topics this is such a light-hearted, comforting read. T.J. Klune uses laughter,  emotions and romance to it. 

If you're looking for fantasy books with immortal characters, you should definitely pick up some of T.J Klune's work. His writing is fantastic - easy to follow and simplistic with no purple prose.

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

Say what you want - Sarah J Maas KNOWS how to write a super satisfying slow burn romance. While all of her books contain excellent romances - my top pick for slow burn fantasy romance would be the ' A Court of Thorns and Roses' series.

A Court of Thorns and Roses is a Beauty and the Beast retelling. It follows Feyre. She is really 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.

It is a bit slow. Sarah J Maas does dump a lot of information about the fantasy world on you. But stay with it – I promise you it gets so much better. The second book is definitely the best in the series where many of my favourite characters are introduced.

If you enjoy slow burn romance then you'll love this trilogy. It has one of the best fantasy slow burn enemies to lovers romances. (Check out this blog post for books similar to A Court of Thorns and Roses)

5. A Dark and Hollow Star by Ashley Shuttleworth

If you’re a fan of a slow burn romance you definitely need to read a Dark and Hollow Star.   It's an urban fantasy with fae, queer main characters and an enticing mystery. It also has a seriously adorable slow burn wlw romance.

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.

There are not one but two romances in this book. And the characters are what make them so perfect. Arlo and Nausicaä have such amazing chemistry. Nausicaä is a grumpy, chaotic and sarcastic lesbian. Arlo and Nausicaä have a perfect grumpy/sunshine slow-burn vibe.

I listened to the audiobook version which you can find on audible. It features a full cast of narrators which made it really engrossing.

The voices of Vehan and Nausicaä are so spot on! And you can listen to it on Audible with a free trial.  It's a great audiobook to put on  if you're looking for some escapism while you're cleaning or relaxing before bedtime.

6. The Guild Hunter Series by Nalini Singh

If you like a slow burn enemies to lovers romance and an urban fantasy novel then this is the series for you. This adult fantasy romance features a slow burn romance angels, vampires and a vampire hunter.

It follows Elena. She's a vampire hunter and she knows she's the best. But the Archangel Raphael hires her for a job. And it's clear failure is not an option - even if the task is impossible. 

There are so many similarities between Crescent City! It's a dark urban fantasy with angels and vampires. It features a romance between an angel and someone who is not quite human. It even references wings a lot! 

If you're looking for a fantasy romance book like Crescent City then you will absolutely love this book. It has a great romance but there is still a mystery and strong plot. The heroine is also a strong female main character reminscent of the heroines in Sarah J Maas' books. 

7. Malice  by Heather Walter

Let me tell you - Malice is one of the best books I have read this year. It was an instant 5 stars from me. It has an excellent slow burn romance and it also uses the grumpy/sunshine trope. 

Malice is a Maleficent retelling. The book is set in a Kingdom called Briar. Once upon a time, a wicked fairy cursed a line of princesses to die. Only true love’s kiss can break the curse.

The book follows Alyce – the dark grace. She was left abandoned in Briar from a dark kingdom. The dark magic that runs in her veins abhors residents in Briar.

Except for Princess Aurora who accepts her. And she encourages Alyce to accept herself.

If you're looking for books with fae  then you should absolutely pick up this duology. You will absolutely love the dystopian world building, morally grey main character and grumpy/sunshine romance.

This book is almost a cross between Wicked and The Hunger Games. But with fae. The world building is darkly magical. And the residents of Briar reminded me of the residents of the Capitol. I LOVED the depiction of the Imps and goblins in Misrule. Plus both books reference fae.

8. The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

If you love a fast paced fantasy romance book or a twisty plot - then you absolutely need to read the Folk of Air Trilogy.  It's 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.  

The Cruel Prince follows Jude who is a human. As a child, she gets kidnapped with her two sisters. She's taken to live with the hidden world of the fae. They live in the woods in a secret world concealed from humans. 

Jude grows up wanting to be like the wicked fae she lives with. 

There are also only 3 books in the series. And none of them are too long. So it makes the series more manageable. It also features an incredible enemies to lovers trope. If you like books with fae and forest vibes then you should read this. Definitely a great choice if you're looking for books about hidden worlds

9. The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

The Iron King is an excellent choice if you're looking for books like Crescent City with fae. It's an incredible YA Fantasy book with fae, an enemies to lovers romance and a strong female lead. Fans of Holly Black should definitely read it.

The Iron King follows 16-year-old Meghan Chase. Her father disappeared mysteriously when she was six years old. And ever since, something has been off.

But things start to change drastically. On her birthday, her brother is kidnapped and replaced by a  faerie  changeling. And Meghan has to  venture into a mysterious place called Nevernever to rescue him.

I think The Iron King is a book that will divide readers. Some will really not like it. But personally, I really enjoyed this book. The setting is beautifully described. And Meghan is a great heroine. She’s not perfect but a very realistic 16-year-old.

This book takes many characters from classic literature and myths (such as a Midsommer Night’s Dream) and modernises it in this coming of age story. Some of the characters are retold in a YA context. If you’re a Shakespeare fan then you might not like this. But if you love YA Fantasy books with fae then you should definitely read this one.

10. An Enchantment of Ravens by Magaret Rogerson

I came across An Enchantment of Ravens while looking for cottagecore books to read for another post.  And I absolutely loved it.

It follows Isobel who paints stunning portraits for the dangerous fair folk. One day she creates a portrait of the Autumn Prince. But she makes a deadly mistake. She paints humanity in his eyes. And for that, she has to be punished.

I loved the imagery in this book. It’s full of magical woodland imagery. It also has a lot of Autumnal imagery because the Autumn Prince features so prominently.

11. Lore by Alexandra Bracken

Lore is perfect for any greek mythology fans out there. It's Greek Mythology meets The Hunger Games.  It features a strong, female main character, a romance and a competition element.  Plus it's all set in an urbam setting.

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.

It has a really great revenge storyline. So if you liked the revenge elements in Six of Crows then this is a great book to read.

12. Eragorn by Christopher Paolini

Eragorn has so much that I love about it – it has both elves, dragons and magic. And I honestly don’t see this book hyped up enough online. The writing is fast-paced and easy to read. A great fantasy book for beginners.

It follows Eragorn. He discovers a dragon egg in the forest. And it unhatched to reveal a dragon. The first to unhatch in many years.

Please don’t let the terrible movie adaptation put you off! It’s an excellent YA Fantasy book – the plot is gripping. And I found the writing style very easy to read.

The series features a prominent character who is an elf. The elves felt very Tolkein-esque to me – strong, battle hardy. This book is very much a YA Fantasy and features many of the typical YA Fantasy tropes/cliché’s – a poor orphan, ancient swords and a quest. Personally, I loved this. But if you’re not normally a YA Fantasy fan you might not enjoy this.

13. The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkein

The Hobbit is another absolute classic. If you're looking to read more adult fantasy books then this is a great place to start. I recommend this as a great starting point over the Lord of the Rings. It's a fantasy standalone novel with a simple but engaging storyline. And a well paced plot. 

The Hobbit follows Bilbo Baggins. He is A Hobbit who lives in The Shire. One day he meets Gandalf and goes on an adventure.

The Hobbit the most charming adventure story. Also, the imagery in the hobbit – particularly around food is lovely. I want to be able to eat seven meals a day much like a hobbit.

The Hobbit is such a cosy, comforting book. It's not as long and drawn out as Lord of the Rings. And it's a really light-hearted read.

 14. Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas

I couldn't start a post about books like Crescent City without recommend Sarah J Maas' other books.  If you enjoyed  the writing style in Crescent City then I highly recommend Throne of Glass. 

While it's aimed at a younger audience, there is a lot in common with Crescent City. And it becomes more grown up later in the series.

 It follows Celaena Sardothien who is imprisoned in a horrific prison called Endovier. She is an assassin. And one day she is summoned by the Prince to fight in a competition. The winner will become the king’s personal assassin.

Celaena is a sassy, badass main character. Perfect if you liked Bryce. It also  features an incredible slow burn, enemies to lovers romance later in the series.  If you're looking for a long fantasy book series to get into - then this is the book series  for you. (If you loved Throne of Glass check out The Cruel Prince, A Curse so Dark and Lonely or Lore)

This post was all about fantasy books with immortal characters

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