11+ Insanely Thrilling Fantasy books with morally grey characters

Looking for Fantasy books with Morally Grey characters? Here are 10 page-turning ya fantasy books you seriously need to read

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What are the best fantasy books with  morally grey characters?

1. 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.  The book is full of morally grey characters and you never know who can trust. And this makes it really gripping. Plus it also has a great hidden world so if you're looking for books with morally grey characters - then this is a great choice.

Good Reads Rating: 3.84

 2. Bright and Pale by Jessica Rubinowski

I do not hear people talk about Bright & Pale enough. It deserves so much more hype. It's the perfect fast paced ya fantasy book for winter. It's great to curl up inside and read all day.  Plus it features a thieves guild and an excellent morally grey protagonist. 

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.

The world-building was truly enchanting. It’s heavily inspired by Russian folklore. But the winter setting added another layer to it. The two gods concept was intriguing but also quite creepy.

Good Reads Rating: 3.49

4. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

This is probably my #1 pick for a fantasy books with morally grey characters.  I am OBSESSED with this duology. 

Six of Crows is like a fantasy version of Oceans Eleven. And there is so much to love about Six of Crows – magic found family and super sassy banter. The morally grey characters,  criminal mastermind and enemies to lovers romance remind me of Throne of Glass. 

It six teenagers living in Ketterdam. Kaz Brekker, a criminal prodigy, is one of the teens. He is offered a deadly heist for a huge payout.

But it’s an impossible heist. And Kaz will need all the help he can get to pull it off. So he assembles five other teens to help him.

People rave about this fantasy duology online and it's for a good reason. It features a fast paced plot, a diverse cast and hilarious banter.

5. A Dark and Hollow Star by Ashley Shuttleworth

This book is so underrated! If you like Crescent City then you will be obsessed with the grumpy/sunshine wlw romance in this book.  Plus it features one of my favourite morally grey love interests/main characters - Nausicaä.

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.

The characters in this book are so well developed!  Nausicaä is a grumpy, chaotic and sarcastic lesbian.  Nausicaä and Arlo have such a perfect slow burn enemies to lovers vibe.

If you're looking for an audiobook then you should definitely give this one a listen. It features a full cast of narrators which make it so engrossing!

Good reads rating: 3.83

6. A Curse so Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer

A Curse so dark and Lonely has one of the most BADASS main characters! The main character has cerebral palsy but she is most definitely not in need of any sympathy. It also features an adorable enemies to lovers romance.

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.

The plot is really well paced and keeps you engaged throughout. It also has the perfect slow burn romance. If you're a fan of The Cruel Prince or Sarah J. Maas then you should definitely read this fast paced fantasy book.

Good reads rating: 4.05

7. Spellhacker by M.K. England

If you looking for a book about magic or a dystopian book then you should read Spellhacker. It has so many great elements – a diverse cast of characters, a high stakes heist, criminal mastermind main character and plenty of banter.

In this world magic is a commodity and we follow a group of friends who run an illegal business siphoning it. It also features a non-binary representation and chronic illness representation.

It’s set in a world where magic ( known as maz) was once freely available. But an earthquake unleashed a deadly plague. And now maz is a tightly controlled and expensive commodity.

We follow Diz who runs an illegal maz siphoning business with her three best friends. They get offered one last massive heist that could change everything.

This book opened with such a bang. And the opening had me  hooked instantly. It was fairly fast-paced throughout. It's a quick read that you could binge read pretty quickly.

If you're looking for a standalone then you should read Spellhacker. This was a well written standalone.  It felt like a cross between Ready, Player One and Six of Crows.

Good Reads Rating: 3.59

8. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

If we're talking about ya fantasy books with royalty then I can't not  bring up Sarah J. Maas. Sarah J. Maas dominates the fantasy book world but for a good reason. Her books are seriously binge-worthy.

That said, sometimes her books dump a lot of world-building at the start. This can make it hard for some people to get into them. Throne of Glass starts with a bang and hooks you in instantly.

 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.

If you're looking for a long fantasy book series to get into - then this is the book series for you. It features an incredible slow burn, enemies to lovers romance later in the series

Good Reads Rating: 4.19

 9. 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. You will absolutely love the dystopian world building, morally grey main character and grumpy/sunshine romance.

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.

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.

Good reads rating: 4.06

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10. The Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand

Sawkill girls is perfect if you're looking for an atmospheric, spooky read. It's also full of badass, morally grey chaarcters.

Sawkill island has never been safe for young girls. There is a local legend about a paranormal beast who hunts young girls.

We are introduced to three girls: Zoey, Val and Marion. They have the power to save the island. If they are willing to come together and try.

Sawkill Girls is a really dark fantasy audiobook. And it’s definitely not for everyone. The world-building is dark, moody and atmospheric. I love the idea of sapphic girls coming together and using magical powers to conquer evil.

Good reads rating: 3.86

11. Shatter me by Tahereh Mafi

Superheroes, angsty roomance and dysptian fiction. Shatter me has SO many amazing tropes. Plus it contains some excellent morally grey characters. 

Shatter me opens with the main character locked up for murder. She is unable to touch anyone. And she falls in love with the first person she is able to touch.

The writing style in Shatter me is unlike anything else I’ve ever read. It’s very prose heavy. And consequently, it seems to be a book people either love or hate. I love it.

It’s set in a dystopian, post-apocalyptic world. But it’s definitely more of a romance. And an ansgty one at that. There was a definite ‘will they, won’t they vibe. Similar to Kaz and Inej for me.

Juliette is an excellent main character. She has been dealt an awful hand in life. And yet she still perseveres and looks for the best in everyone.

The plot behind the series is excellent. And it particularly picks up towards the end. Trust me when I say – you will instantly want to read the next book.

Good reads rating: 3.92

This post was all about ya fantasy books with morally grey main characters

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