I am a 29 year old female who is an avid reader and I have always read romance fantasy. I love reading to trulh relax, so nothing too complicated and too high fantasy. While struggling to find something to suit my more adult taste (I have outgrown the YA section) I cane across the Crescent City series and I liked it a lot. The reasons were interesting world building, unreliable narrator (I love it when information is omitted and I get a surprise), many interesting and fun characters and an interesting plot. Book 2 was a bit weaker to me (I felt like 40% of the book was just bedroom scenes), but book 3 pulled me back in.
After this I have continued to try and find something that felt new in a similar way, something that could surprise me and pull me in. The adult romance fantasy genre has blown up and a lot of it is just meh to me. (Eg. Iron Flame, , The Serpent and Wing of the Night, From Blood and Ash, A touch of darkness, when the moon hatched, etc.) (I will say the world building in When The Moon was very cool, I simply couldn't connect to the character).
The only other book I recently read that happily surprised me was the short story collection Januaries by Olivie Blake. So many interesting takes on myths, legends and plenty of twists and turns! I have read One For My Enemy by her as well and thought it was ok, not mind blowing.
Please, recommend me a book in this genre that felt fresh and entertaining to you! I need to find the gems!
by MagsterMind19
2 Comments
T. M. Kirk is fantastic and supremely underrated.
My absolute favorite of hers is Dont Bite the Director a snakry vampire romcom that gives vamps a slightly different spin. Its a standalone but I’ve heard rumors more books will be written about other characters in the world… each book standalone but with an overarching connecting thread as the Big Bad skulks through the shadows in the background of each book.
The Diamond Palace is her first book and also freaking Excellent!. High fantasy-portal-slow burn-romantasy book. Crazy magic, unique creatures, wit and sass in spades. Classic tropes along with others that have been spun on their head. The sequel Golden Palace picks up seconds after the end of the first book so you can just keep rolling.
Tiger and Del series by Jennifer Robeson
Graceling series by Kristin Cashore
Immortal Empire trilogy by Kate Locke