The slump is real and if I read another "predictable romance but we're going to dress it up like a fantasy novel and pretend it has a plot" I will lose faith in humanity

[Layna]

I haven't loved a fantasy novel since The Cruel Prince and that was a loooong time ago. I feel like the YA fantasy market is so flooded with mediocre books and I keep thinking I'll like them and then they're just... So painfully meh? I'm literally in the middle of The Gilded Ones, We Hunt the Flame, Dance of Thieves, and Caraval and I'm just trudging through hoping eventually I'll get that spark.

Anyways if anybody can get me out of this slump I will name my firstborn child after you (not actually). I need to fall in love with reading again.

I'm all about the characters, which is why I'm having trouble getting through all the aforementioned books because the characters just don't grab me. So many of them are either "rah society is evil because men, women that want to get married are brainless chattle" and just generally angry and rude, or they're indecisive and have no backbone, and the plot carries them. Also I'm a sucker for enemies to lovers but instalove is a mustard stain on the white shirt of humanity. If it doesn't have romance in it I probably won't finish it and I know that's awful but I am who I am.

Books I've loved:

-Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
-Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
-Fable by Adrienne Young
-Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young
-Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
-The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
-To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo
-Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin

Books I tried and executed for failing to unslump me:

-This Vicious Grace
-Onyx and Ivory
-Ash Princess
-Defy the Night
-Long May She Reign
-The Darkening
-The Traitor's Kiss
-Burning Glass
-The Shadows Between Us
-These Violent Delights
-Court of Miracles

[⁠♡ Ana]

Throne of glass girl, it has a hell of a plot and even better romance

[Karsyn]

Are you specifically looking for YA?

[Karsyn]

Seconding “throne of glass” 👆🏻

[Layna]

Okay Throne of Glass had me but Celaena became so annoying I couldn't make it through the series. Chaol was my fave part.

Also I'll take non-YA recs I just haven't read a ton of non-YA fantasy

[Jeremy]

Mort by Terry Pratchett

[Kayla ✧♥︎]

I'm currently reading Throne of Glass series and I cannot stand Celaena and her whining. Sometimes she's fine, then the next she's like a grown toddler throwing a fit.

For non YA I would recommend the From Blood and Ash series and it's prequel Flesh and Fire series (which is WAAAY better). Those books got me back into reading after a 3 year slump, actually got me into starting fantasy books. The plot is amazing in my opinion and I love all of them.

[Karsyn]

Have you given ACOTAR a try? or any of Victoria Aveyard's books? Red Queen or Realm Breaker

[Ebony Rae (ebonyisreading)]

I totally feel you! Here’s a few I highly recommend
These hollow vows by lexi Ryan
ACOTAR by Sarah j Maas
Divine rivals by Rebecca Ross
Fourth wing by Rebecca yanos
Heartless by Marissa Mayer

[Layna]

Thanks for the recs! I've tried Terry Pratchett before but the writing style is not my cuppa tea. I've heard a lot of good things about From Blood and Ash so I'll give it a shot. I did read Red Queen, I liked it but my fave character was Maven so... kinda let the air out of my balloon.

I love The Lunar Chronicles so I'll for sure try Heartless, and I've had These Hollow Vows, Divine Rivals, and Fourth Wing rec'd by BookTok folks I follow so I'll give them a shot.

Currently trying Violet Made of Thorns but the worldbuilding is kinda vague and it's bugging me so we'll see >.>

[Layna]

In case anybody else is in the same boat as I am, An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson finally broke the slump. Gorgeous writing, great worldbuilding, wonderful characters, fascinating plot. Thanks to all for the recs

[Jacqueline]

Layna wrote: "In case anybody else is in the same boat as I am, An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson finally broke the slump. Gorgeous writing, great worldbuilding, wonderful characters, fascinating plo..."

Check out her other books too. Vespertine and A Sorcery of Thorns are just as good.

[Kimberly]

the ravenspire series is really good. its kinda like fairytale retellings

[Kimberly]

the carnaval trilogy as well

[•Sicilia•]

If u like YA and fantasy you should try “The fourth wing” by Rebecca Yarros! You’ve probably heard of it because of TikTok but I really think it’s worth the hype! Like you I’m a sucker for enemies to lovers and this book had me giggling and kicking my feet from page 1! THE TENSION!!

And not only is the tension, the interactions between the characters and the writing AMAZING but the fantasy is also “fantasying” if u get what I mean? cause of the dragons and the details and I just couldn’t get enough! My first 5 star fantasy read since folk of the air series!

WOULD 100% RECOMMEND!

[b r y n n e y p o o]

I think that a lot of good fantasies come from middle grade books. If your not into that I completely understand but if your willing to try it, i recommend

- Percy Jackson
- The school for good and evil
- The keeper of the lost cities

[Lauren]

Ebony Rae (ebonyisreading) wrote: "I totally feel you! Here’s a few I highly recommend
These hollow vows by lexi Ryan
ACOTAR by Sarah j Maas
Divine rivals by Rebecca Ross
Fourth wing by Rebecca yanos
Heartless by Marissa Mayer"

I've heard so many good things about Heartless- one of these days I've got to get it off my tbr pile & into my read pile lol

[kimberley (thearieslibrary)]

Divine rivals by Rebecca Ross & song of Phoenix and ink by Margherita Scialla!

[Izzy]

Defy the Night by Brigid Kemmerer is what got me out of my slump!

[Maddie]

If you’re currently reading caraval and trying to push through PLEASE DO! I finished it the other day thinking the plot was amazing and i had fun reading it however the romance didn’t have me hooked.
HOWEVER!
I read once upon a broken heart which is set right after the end of finale and the romance is TOP TIER! If u like enemies to lovers, slow burn, actual good banter, pining!! You neeedddd to read
I highly recommend finishing caraval before moving onto the this series though as it mentions a lot thats happened in that series

[Anika]

Layna wrote: "I haven't loved a fantasy novel since The Cruel Prince and that was a loooong time ago. I feel like the YA fantasy market is so flooded with mediocre books and I keep thinking I'll like them and th..."

I feel this on a personal level

[angeline]

i feel you about dance of thieves, defy the night, and these violent delights! try these:

the raven cycle series by maggie stiefvater
daughter of the pirate king duology by tricia levenseller

[lunarity]

a court of thorns and roses got me out of a really bad slump. so I guess it can help

[Sue]

if you want to follow the title of your post DONT EVER EVEReead Fourth Wing
it's definetly cheap fantasy dressed up in romance with cheap character immitation

anyways, if you want YA to New Adult Real fantasy then Throne of Glass

if you're looking for something completely different NA then Awaken by LG Benito

[Live2009]

Dance of Thives is soooooooo good and it has romance but also a lot of action and history and stuff. It's one of my favorite books.