I'm 18 and I've mostly read YA fantasy most of my life, but I find myself getting increasingly frustrated with the writing style of most of them. I think I'm outgrowing the genre, but transitioning to new adult has been rough. It feels like most of those books are more smut than actual plot.
I love romance in fantasy books, but it feels like romantasy is either so focused on the romance it overrides the actual plot, or it's YA. For some reason, however, I just can't get into Brandon Sanderson or authors with his writing style (I read about half of Mistborn and the Way of Kings.)
My favorite YA series is The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare, so anything that vibe would be amazing. I wasn't a huge fan of A Court of Thorns and Roses (honestly the whole Fae dominance and "mate" thing just gave me the ick), but I did like Throne of Glass.
by bananamikshak
2 Comments
I would start with ‘The Lies of Locke Lamora’. The first one doesn’t, but the later books do have some romance in them. Bettery yet, it’s a well-written, fun, dramatic bunch of books.
I’d also give Guy Gavriel Kay a try. His ‘Sailing to Sarantium’ books are wonderful and have a beautiful prose if you’re tired of the childish prose most YA and Romantasy authors write with.
If you’re into Cosmic/Eldritch horror mixed with your fantasy Gunmetal Gods by Zamil Akhtar is also a pretty fun and well written read.
The Bone Maker by Sarah Beth Durst
Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries
The Black Jewels series
The Hollows series by Kim Harrison