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Top 10 YA Fantasy Books
Being a normal human can be overrated. Young adult fantasy offers irresistible escapism, letting readers step into the shoes of demigods, demons, witches, and assassins. Sure, these heroes possess supernatural abilities and supernatural luck, but they're also intensely relatable as they grapple with growing up and falling in love (and saving the world).
As we searched for the best YA fantasy on Goodreads, we stuck to books with at least a 4.0 average rating. This meant that popular titles with big film adaptations like Twilight, Eragon, and The Golden Compass missed the cut. While The Boy Who Lived made it in, surprising no one, the list is dominated by powerful girls with no time for evil royals or rampaging monsters.
Take a look at our top 10 YA fantasy books and let us know how many you've read in the comments!
by J.K. Rowling
You could've been…a wizard!
The muggle struggle is real for young Harry until he's swept away to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
by Rick Riordan
You could've been…the child of a Greek god!
Percy, son of Poseidon, realizes he must travel to the Underworld to stop a war between the gods.
by Cassandra Clare
You could've been…a demon hunter!
After witnessing a terrifyingly bizarre murder, Clary enters a new world of vampires, werewolves, and demons.
by Kiera Cass
You could've been…a princess contestant!
One girl gets the chance to compete for a prince's affection in this fairy tale with a light dystopian twist.
by Becca Fitzpatrick
You could've been…a fallen angel!
Nora doesn't have time for romance, let alone a romance with an angel, but handsome Patch turns her "normal" world upside down.
by Richelle Mead
You could've been…vampire royalty!
Where do vampires learn about their powers? St. Vladimir's Academy, an exclusive school for the creatures of the night and their guardians.
by Victoria Aveyard
You could've been…a commoner with god-like superpowers!
In a realm divided by blood, one red-blooded girl discovers she possesses the same unnatural abilities as the silver-blooded elite.
by Sarah J. Maas
You could've been…an assassin!
Celaena Sardothien, a famed assassin, competes to become the king's champion in a contest that quickly turns deadly.
by Kristin Cashore
You could've been…the king's thug!
Born with the ability to kill a man with her bare hands, Katsa finds herself the unwilling pawn of her uncle, the king.
by Laini Taylor
You could've been…a demon in love!
A young art student with a mysterious past gets caught up in a brutal otherworldly war between angels and demons.
What's your favorite YA fantasy? Share it with us in the comments.
See the complete coverage of Sci-Fi & Fantasy Week including:
Top 50 Favorite Fantasy Novels on Goodreads
Top 10 YA Science Fiction on Goodreads
Top 50 Science Fiction Books on Goodreads
Comments Showing 151-200 of 231 (231 new)
Read them all but wouldn't have included The Selection in the list!
Denise wrote: "9/10! Haven't read Graceling yet."You shoud! :)
John wrote: "I put Brandon Sanderson's "The Emperor's Soul" as being as good as, if not better than, all of these.(You did not read that wrong, either.)"
Just started with Mistborn series and have to say.. very impressed.
Janet wrote: "Denise wrote: "9/10! Haven't read Graceling yet.""Same! 6/10
8/10 and the last two were already on my to read list
Read 8/10, gotta get on Throne of Glass and Vampire Academy!
9/10 thingking of reading The Selection though😉
7/10. Never touching Hush, Hush and Vampire Academy and haven't gotten around reading Red Queen yet.
8/10. Haven't yet read Graceling or Red Queen.
Janet wrote: "Denise wrote: "9/10! Haven't read Graceling yet.""same here
AStein07 wrote: "Suzevelyn wrote: "I've read four and the rest are on my tbr list. But why in the world is The Selection on this list?"Yeah, really. It's dystopian!"
But I guess it's still fantasy...I'm not good with genre identification but divergent is also sometimes considered as fantasy...I could be wrong but this is just my opinion...
Okay, the Narnia books would have been stretching the YA classification too far... but if the first Harry Potter qualified, why not The Dark Is Rising?
4/10. I'll just go and curl myself up in a corner with shame.
9/10 I think I did good! :) But now I feel like I "have" to read Daughter of Smoke & Bone, but that's fine by me!
An ember in the ashes should have been included.
I've read 4. Harry Potter (the whole series of course) Vampire Academy (Just #1), Graceling (& Fire) and Throne of Glass (Just #1 and short story collection)I have no interest in continuing Throne of Glass (for now at least). Out of the rest of the books listed, I only have mild interest in Percy Jackson and possibly Daughter of Smoke and Bone.
I've only read 1 of them. A second is on my "to read" list. I'd at least heard of the top three and Vampire Academy. The rest... yup... nope. That makes me kind of sad.
Randy wrote: "Okay, the Narnia books would have been stretching the YA classification too far... but if the first Harry Potter qualified, why not The Dark Is Rising?"I thought the same thing! That's definitely a YA Fantasy series and it's so good! I'm re-reading it currently.
5/10 and all the others on my tbr list. But Red Queen struck me as more of a dystopian...
Janet wrote: "Denise wrote: "9/10! Haven't read Graceling yet.""Great book! (Graceling) recommend reading it! Is in series of 3, the other two are great as well but graceling was my favorite, tip about 3rd book in the series, perservire Bc the beginning is boring, but it gets better
I love the selection with all my heart but it's not fantasy
I whole-heartedly agree with this list!!!!!!!!!!!!
Should definitely add The Winner's Curse trilogy to the list!! It's amazing.
Denise wrote: "9/10! Haven't read Graceling yet."No!!!! You must! It's really good (:
I've read only Harry Potter book;Gee, that makes me feel old!
:D
Jessa wrote: "8/10..still deciding if I will read Hush, Hush and Vampire Academy"I cant speak for vampire academy but hush hush, the first three books are good but in my opinion the rest of them are meh. It seemed that the author just kept adding unnecessary problems so i just stopped reading it after the third book. The series should've stopped at a trilogy and it would've been perf.
Lol. I have 9 out of the ten books already added on my list either as read or tbr. Don't think I'll ever read Hush Hush though. It's not really my type of book. Sounds too angsty
Amelia wrote: "It should have been The Raven Boys instead of The Selection"definitely agree to that
Nimra wrote: "Jessa wrote: "8/10..still deciding if I will read Hush, Hush and Vampire Academy"I cant speak for vampire academy but hush hush, the first three books are good but in my opinion the rest of them ..."
How can you say that? I loved Hush Hush. at least the first one. I had read the second one, too. So I can't say that you're not right here, but "Vampire Academy"?? This serie and "Harry Potter" are my favourites. I loved it so much! Sorry for that, just my fan-girlying :))
City of Bones is the first book in my fave series, and I am so glad it made it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Happiness!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have read quite a few of these, but my second fave onthe list has to be The Selection!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you for putting these books up!!!!
AStein07 wrote: "Suzevelyn wrote: "I've read four and the rest are on my tbr list. But why in the world is The Selection on this list?"Yeah, really. It's dystopian!"
Guys, The Selection is an amazing book, and though in general I prefer loads of action, I really enjoyed it. Don't diss it please. It is just not to your taste.
Book_Lover wrote: "I've only read the selection and I LOVED it!I don't care in which category it belongs to...
Oh and I really want to read throne of glass"
u also really want to read city of bones. It is amazing!!! I also loved the Selection!!!
Haley wrote: "I love City of Bones. Cassandra Clare's other books are also worth reading."Yes!!YES YES YES they are more than worth reading!!!! They are AMAZING!!!!!!
~✨Catherine✨~ wrote: "10 out of 10 XDAll 5 or 4 stars except for The Selection (ugh)
Love Throne of Glass and Daughter of Smoke and Bone and Harry Potter and Percy Jackson and The Mortal Instruments and (ok all of them..."
Im glad u loved TMI, as it is my Fave series, but the selection is good, just maybe not quite Fantasy, and so not to a lot of people who love fantasy' taste
N. D. Wilson's 100 Cupboards deserves a spot on this list. His other fantasy is good too: Ashtown Burials series, Outlaws of Time series, and Boys of Blur. Leepike Ridge is not fantasy, but it's great.
The Sailweaver's Son
Folks need to check out Wrestling Demons by Jason Brick. Japanese-style demons are trying to take over the world by feeding on negative emotions, and what could bring about more heartbreak than causing one of the miserable kids to commit a school shooting? But the demons might be stopped by a group of wildly different high school students who you will never forget. Totally worth your time!
Swan wrote: "An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir"Yes! One of my absolute favorites!
Yes Graceling is a good one and does hav a strong female character. And extra points for your name should surely be considered.😃
6/10. Seen harry potter movies and others are on my tbr.