26 Must-read Books with Fae Perfect for any Fantasy Lover

Recently updated on July 14th, 2024 at 11:24 am

Looking for books with fae? Leap out of this world and into the pages of one of these incredible fantasy fae books to read!

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

Whether you call them fae, faery or fairies – fae are mythical creatures with great magical powers. And they’ve long been an obsession in literature.

But recently, my feed has been bombarded with fae books. And honestly, I’m not mad about it. I love books featuring fae or faerie. I’ve compiled my top picks for the best fantasy books with fae.

Read on for the best books with fae

The best books with fae

1. A Dark and Hollow Star by Ashley Shuttleworth

A Dark and Hollow Star is an urban fantasy with fae, mystery and queer main characters.

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 characterisation in this book is excellent. The multiple POVS work well and all characters are well developed. Highly recommend if you’re after books with fae.

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

I couldn’t write a series about fae and not mention A Court of Thorns and Roses. This book executes fae perfectly. This is paired with an incredible romance and the found family trope.

A Court of Thorns and Roses is a Beauty and the Beast retelling. Feyre is 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.

3. House of Earth and Blood – Crescent City #1 by Sarah J. Maas

Sarah J Maas writes books with fae exceptionally well. Crescent City is an adult series set in an urban city with humans, fae and other mythical creatures.

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

This series is full of twists and turns. It poses a number of mysteries at the start. And this compels you to keep reading.

Buy on: Amazon | Waterstones |

4. Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas

Sarah J Maas writes fae exceptionally well. And the fae in the Throne of Glass series are exceptional. This is a long series, be warned.

We follow Celaena Sardothien, an assassin. She is imprisoned in a horrific prison called Endovier. And one day the prince summons her to fight in a competition. The winner will become the king’s assassin.

Haven’t read Sarah J Maas before? I would recommend starting with Throne of Glass, moving to ACOTAR and finishing with Crescent City. But you can read these in any order.

5. An Enchantment of Ravens by Magaret Rogerson

A standalone romatasy with fae. This portrays the cruel and dangerous side of the fae.

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

This is full of beautiful autumnal, cottagecore imagery. Making it the perfect book to read in Fall.

6. The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

An older ya fantasy book with fae, romance and a strong female lead. This series is ideal for fans of The Cruel Prince.

We follow 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. And Meghan will have to learn just how far she’ll go to save someone she truly cares about.

This book takes characters from A Midsommer Night’s Dreame and modernises them in this excellent fantasy coming of age story.

Buy on Amazon | Waterstones

6. Silver in the Wood by Emily Tesh

A queer romance set in the forest. This story references fae alongside other mythical creatures such as dryads.

We follow a forest guardian. He is tasked to look after the forest. A man moves into the house in the forest. And they fall in love.

The whimsical cottagecore imagery enchants the reader. And the writing is easy to read. This is also a short duology and quick to read.

Looking for fae books? Highly recommend Silver in the Wood.

7. Ash by Malinda Lo

Ash is a Sapphic Cinderella retelling with fae. It focuses on recovery from grief and pairs with an adorable romance.

We follow Ash, she is dealing with the grief of losing her parents. And she falls in love with the king’s huntress.

I loved the descriptions of the world such as the woods and the fae. This is a cosy read and offers great escapism. It’s pretty short and you could easily read this in one sitting.

8. Bitter Frost by Kalin Gow

Memory loss, beautiful forest imagery and of course Fae.

We follow Breena. She has always dreamed of fairies as though she lived among them.

In her dreams, there was always a handsome but dangerous Prince named Kian. But when she turns sixteen she starts seeing strange creatures. And her best friend Logan becomes very protective.

A Captivating far book with excellent pacing and incredible plot twists. This was hugely successful – winning awards and selling over 4 million copies.

9. The Wild Hunt by Ron C. Nieto

Please don’t let that cover put you off – it doesn’t do this book justice. The Wild Hunt is different to many other fae books I’ve read. The central theme was about the love a granddaughter can have for her grandmother.

We follow Lily Boyd. It starts as a simple story. A girl visiting her grandmother. But her grandmother starts acting strangely. And Lily discovers her grandmother is a faerie doctor. And there is a lot more to her than Lily realised.

The writing style isn’t the best. There are a few issues with the editing. And that might put some readers off. But it’s an engaging story and the plot is excellent.

10. The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

Holly Black is the queen of fae books! I’ve read a few but my personal favourite is the folk of air series – made up of The Cruel Prince, Wicked King and Queen of nothing.

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

This book depicts the cruel and dark side of the fae. The enemies to lovers romance makes this series stand out.

11. A Dawn of Onyx by Kate Golden

Fae, magic and dragons. A Dawn of Onyx is a thrilling new adult fantasy with a captivating enemies to lovers romance.

We follow Arwen Valondale. She never expected to be the brave one, offering her life to save her brother’s. Now she’s been taken prisoner by the most dangerous kingdom on the continent, and made to use her rare magical abilities to heal the soldiers of the vicious Onyx King.

This is an addictive, fast-paced read with warring kingdoms and fae. An excellent start to the series.

12. Promised in Fire by Jasmine Walt

This new adult romantasy has dragons and fae. A completed trilogy, this is perfect for fans of Sarah J Maas, Elise Kova and Raven Kennedy.

Adara has been an outsider for as long as she can remember. Born and raised in the earth fae realm, she’s a water fae who can’t control her magic, making her not just useless, but downright dangerous at times. When a training mishap accidentally unleashes a hidden magic inside her, Adara suddenly finds herself on the run. 

Highly recommend if you’re after books with fae.

13. A Broken Blade by Melissa Blair

Fan of Throne of Glass? You’ll love A Broken Blade. It features an assassin, fae and morally grey characters.

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.

14. Faebound by Saara El-Arifi

Faebound is a highly underrated series deserving of much more hype. This fantasy features fae, magic and rivals to lovers romance.

Yeeran is a warrior in the elven army and has known nothing but violence her whole life. Her sister, Lettle, is trying to make a living as a diviner, seeking prophecies of a better future.

When a fatal mistake leads to Yeeran’s exile from the Elven lands, they are both forced into the terrifying wilderness beyond their borders. There they encounter the impossible: the fae court.

15. These Hollow Vows by Lexi Ryan

This thrilling fantasy features trials, fae and a romance. This is perfect for A Court of Thorns and Roses fans. Don’t let the love triangle put you off, it is perfectly executed.

Brie hates the Fae and refuses to have anything to do with them, even if that means starving on the street. But when her sister is sold to the sadistic king of the Unseelie court to pay a debt, she’ll do whatever it takes to get her back—including making a deal with the king himself to steal three magical relics from the Seelie court.

16. A Dream So Wicked by Tessonja Odette

A fantasy retelling ideal for Sarah J Maas fans. This new adult fantasy follows a character able to manipulate dreams.

After twenty years stuck in a fae convent with no word from whoever abandoned her there, Briony Rose is all out of hope. But when her parents suddenly claim her and reveal she’s a lost fae princess, she’s burdened with the weight of a kingdom on the brink of collapse. To secure her family’s precarious position, she must marry a wealthy human stranger. She would have done her duty with pride…if it weren’t for Thorne Blackwood.

17. Dance with the Fae Prince by Elise Kova 

Are you a fan of Sarah J Maas and Holly Black? I recommend checking out Elise Kova’s work. This new adult retelling has fae, magic and an angsty romance.

Katria swore she’d never fall in love. She’s seen what “love” means through the cruelty of her family. So when she’s married off to the mysterious Lord Fenwood for a handsome price, all Katria wants is a better life than the one she’s leaving. Feelings are off the table.

But her new husband makes not falling in love difficult.

18. Malice by Heather Walter 

Malice is a darkly enchanting Sleeping Beauty retelling told from the perspective of the villain. it features magic, fae and morally grey characters.

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.

We follow 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.

19. Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning

This series is a few years older but highly worth reading. It features fae in an urban city setting. and it doesn’t shy away from portraying the dangerous nature of fae and other mythical creatures.

We follow Mackayla. She lives a relatively normal life until her sister is brutally murdered. She journeys to Ireland in search of answers. But Mac is soon faced with an even greater challenge: staying alive long enough to master a power she had no idea she possessed.

Highly recommend if you’re after books with fae.

20. Rosemary and Rue: An October Daye Novel by Seanan McGuire

Seanan McGuire writes magical fantasy books. And the October Daye series is no exception. This urban fantasy features fae, mystery and an incredible heroine.

We follow October ‘Toby’ Daye. October is half human and half fae. And she has been an outsider from birth. Toby has denied the Faerie world and lives a “normal” life. But the Faerie world has other ideas.

Searching for books with fae. You’ll love this underrated gem.

21. Fae Games by Karen Lynch

The Fae Games is ideal for fans of The Hunger Games. This ya fantasy romance series is a hugely underrated urban fantasy.

Jesse James is a normal eighteen-year-old, even if her parents are the best faerie bounty hunters in New York. Jesse’s only concern is how to pay for college, but that changes the night her parents disappear.Equipped with her parents’ weapons and her own smarts, Jesse enters the dangerous world of bounty hunting.

22. Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater

Searching for cozy fantasy books with fae? Look no further than Half a Soul. This adult fantasy romance is a comforting read.

Finding a husband in Regency England is difficult when you’re a young lady with only half a soul. We follow Theodora Ettings. Cursed by a faerie, she has no sense of fear or embarrassment. A condition making her prone to scandal.

This is perfect if you’re after books with fae. Highly recommend.

23. Emily Wilde’s Encylopedia of Fairies by Heather Fawcett

Emily Wilde’s Encylopedia of Fairies is ideal if you enjoy books with cottagecore vibes. This cozy fantasy features an adorable romance and fairie lore.

We follow Emily Wilde – a curmudgeonly academic and Cambridge professor. She is compiling world’s first encyclopaedia of faerie lore. She travels to a tiny, remote town in the far North to study fairies.

But she’s joined by her academic rival – the endlessly charming Wendell Bambleby.

And he inserts himself in the middle of her research, utterly frustrating her.

 24. Gild by Raven Kennedy

Searching for spicy romance books with Fae? Then you’ll love Gild. Please make sure you check the trigger warnings before reading.

Set in a world where ones with power rule. Gold floors, gold walls, gold furniture, gold clothes. In Highbell, in the castle built into the frozen mountains, everything is made of gold. We follow Auren, rescued from the slums by King Midas.

This King Midas retelling is ideal for fans of faerie books.

25. When the Moon Hatched by Sarah A. Parker

Dragons, fae and angsty romance. When the Moon hatched is a compelling urban fantasy with a sassy main character.

We follow Raeve, a valued Elding Blade of a rebellion group. Her job is to kill, complete orders and never get caught. But, the crown employs a renowned bounty hunter to capture a member of the Ath. And Raeve’s world is turned upside down.

Highly recommend if you’re after books with faerie.

26. Trial of the Sun Queen by Nisha J. Tuli

The Hunger games meets The Bachelor, but with fae. What’s not to love?

Lor has endured twelve long years of torment under the Aurora King’s rule. Her only desire is to escape and pay him back for every moment of misery she’s endured.

When a surprise release finds her in the hands of the rival Sun King, Lor is thrust into the spotlight as she competes against nine other Tributes for the role of queen. If she wins his heart, she’ll earn her freedom and finally get her revenge.

Those were my top picks for the best books with fae

Whether you’re looking for a fae romance, mythology or just a new fantasy book – I hope you found a new book to read.

What books with fae would you recommend? Let me know in the comments below!

This post was all about books with fae

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