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To say that Sarah J. Maas’ fandom is an impressively devoted one is an understatement, with her readers gobbling up all the books that the fantasy writer has been publishing since she was a teen. Author of both the popular “A Court of Thorns and Roses” (“ACOTAR”) and “Crescent City” series, Maas has helped contribute to the publishing spike within the fantasy and romance genre. Together, her series have sold 38 million copies, according to her publisher.
Maas’ third book in the Crescent City series, the highly anticipated “House of Flame and Shadow,” comes out today. To mark the occasion, book stores across the country have hosted midnight release parties and virtual countdowns could be found all over BookTok. The frenzy surrounding the release has been so intense that several copies leaked early — a mistake that was quickly caught, but not fast enough to prevent screenshots from flooding accounts on social media.
An urban fantasy romance set in a modernized metropolis where magical and mythical beings exist in a rigid class system ruled by a terrifying organization called the Asteri, “Crescent City” focuses on Bryce Quinlan, a half-fae party girl whose life is upended after a demon murders her best friend. Bryce becomes a suspect in the murder investigation and the detectives on the case are a group of archangels, wings and all. In order to prove her innocence, she’s shadowed by Hunt Athalar, one of the most notorious angels within the crimes unit. Bryce is cheeky and flippant, a complete counter to Hunt’s initial gruff exterior, so of course, sparks fly.
There’s even a High Lord and Lady from “ACOTAR” who make a guest appearance in the end of the series’ second book — a crossover that shocked fans into recording their reactions on BookTok.
While on the topic of “ACOTAR,” an adaptation of the series was announced with Hulu in 2021. After speaking with a source close to the production, it’s “still very much in development,” despite any fan theories to the contrary. The hype surrounding Maas’ books go well beyond Hulu’s upcoming adaptation, with 8.4 billion views under #ACOTAR hashtag on TikTok and themed balls that sell out in seconds.
So if you’re one of the many anxiously waiting for the television series or nursing the inevitable book hangover you’ll get after reading Maas’ latest, below are eight similar titles to keep you “cauldron blessed.”
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“When The Moon Hatched” by Sarah A. Parker
Rich in detail and with a protagonist as bloodthirsty as some of “Crescent City’s” more lethal female leads, Sarah A. Parker’s “When the Moon Hatched” has been growing in popularity since its release only a few short weeks ago. The first book in the “Moonfall” series, the story follows Raeve, an assassin working within a rebellion group known as the Fíur du Ath. She's emotionally walled-off and snarky and utilizes a set of talents that were given to her by a god, which make her particularly skilled at her profession. The world she lives in is set within a rigid class structure of haves and have-nots, intricate magic systems and mythical beings. Raeve’s path eventually crosses with Kaan Vaegor, a grumpy but attractive man literally cloaked in secrets. Kaan also happens to be a king, but one with a never-ending pain he believes can only be cured by a moonshard, a type of scarce resource in this world. But when he meets the quick-tempered Raeve, his desires and even reality begin to shift.
“Hooked” by Emily McIntire
Taking classic stories and turning them into fractured adult fairytales is something author Emily McIntire has turned into a romance addiction for fans since 2022. Her first book in the series, “Hooked,” isn’t a swarthy tale about an impish changeling named Peter and a diabolic pirate with a hook for a hand. Rather, it’s an adult romance about a deliciously handsome bar owner named James who’s out for revenge. James, who also goes by “Hook,” had a terribly abusive childhood, a trauma that left its mark and has made him obsessed with carrying out revenge on one man. And his opportunity to settle the score happens to walk into his club one evening in the form of Wendy, the daughter of the man he loathes. Except James’ particular lust for revenge is made bittersweet when he finds himself falling for Wendy. But this Wendy isn’t going to fall for just any lost boy.
“Until the Stars Fall” by Vanessa Rasanen
When we initially meet our female protagonist in the first book of Vanessa Rasanen’s swoon-worthy “romantasy” series, Leike is a doe-eyed ingénue human, working in a sort of refuge-like role in a fae king’s kitchens. She’s hopelessly in love with Connor, a fae prince who barely knows her name. Connor is the opposite of his philandering brother and takes his role as crown prince very seriously. The last thing he needs to worry about is the safety of a young human girl — especially when his entire kingdom is being threatened by a sadistic new killer. But plans rarely work out precisely as Connor wants, especially if his licentious brother is involved.
“Dark Olympus” series by Katee Robert
Katee Robert is well-known within the “romantasy” genre for her spicy plots and characters inspired by everything from ancient Greek gods and monsters to reimagined Disney villains. Her seven-book “Dark Olympus" series is set in a modernized world, primarily in Olympus where 13 houses rule the city with the god Zeus reigning supreme — all while messy politics and hookups abound. Each book follows the blunders, rivalries and love stories of powerful gods and the mortals they play with and include current retellings of Eurydice and Orpheus, Ariadne and the Minotaur, Cassandra and Apollo, Psyche and Eros to name a few.
“A Tempest of Tea” by Hafsah Faizal
Though Hafsah Faizal’s latest historical fantasy, “The Tempest of Tea,” has yet to be released, it’s already an Amazon bestseller. Inspired by the television series “Peaky Blinders” and Arthurian legends, this young adult duology is brimming with witty banter and lush worldbuilding containing cunning vampires, streetwise outcasts, magic and, of course, tea. The story follows orphan Arthie Casimir who owns the popular tearoom Spindrift in a posh area of White Roaring. By day, cups are steaming with tea and by night, it turns into an illegal bloodhouse where the clientele is the undead. Arthie’s employees are a group of misfits, her found family, and they collect more than just checks — they also trade in gossip and secrets. Despite Arthie’s cool demeanor and the burgeoning business she’s built, her past continues to haunt her. Arthie’s childhood was upended and destroyed by the impacts of colonialism, and she’s determined to take down the elite class and those responsible for her family’s suffering. And when a heist that could topple the King comes her way, she assembles a team of fellow outsiders and jumps at the opportunity to even the score — except this revenge might reveal more than what Arthie could initially conceive of.
“Faebound” by Saara El-Arifi
Presently a bestseller on Amazon, this first book from Saara El-Arifi’s latest trilogy centers on two sisters who after a fatal mistake find themselves forced out of their elven lands. Yeeran is a warrior with the sort of scar-riddled unflappable personality of a general whereas her sister, Lettle, hopes for a better world and practices as a diviner. But after their exile, they encounter fae, a sprite-like species they had been taught to believe were long extinct. And in this new world they meet more than a few rogue fae, but rather an entire court. If the two sisters hope to ever return back to their home, they must be cunning against the clever faes or else they might just be seduced enough to stay.
“Evocation” by S.T. Gibson
When David Aristarkhov was a teenager, he was deemed a psychic prodigy and was raised under the domineering hold of his occultist father. But years after his father’s death, he finally feels at ease with his talents and life. He’s an attorney in Boston, almost 30 and at night acts as a medium to a secret society. Except a tricky curse passed down to him means the Devil will soon come knocking, forcing David to reconnect with an unlikely ally — his ex-boyfriend and a sorcerer named Rhys. But Rhys is unlikely to help without the assistance and consent of his beautiful astrologer wife, Moira, thus creating a deliciously complicated dynamic.
“From Blood and Ash” by Jennifer Armentrout
When you’re craving a morally gray love interest tale that’s the epitome of a steamy romance and supplemented with epic world-building, then Jennifer Armentrout’s “From Blood and Ash” series is the bite you need. Often cited in roundups and fan posts as the follow-up collection to Maas’ work, this vampire and gods series features a female protagonist, Poppy, who has been kept sequestered for most her life, living as “The Maiden.” Her entire existence is controlled and when she isn’t sneaking away into the night, she’s wandering the halls of the wall-garden castle eyeing a certain member of the Royal Guard, Hawke Flynn. After a chance meeting, Poppy is determined to keep him from recognizing her, except he seems to know more about her than she’s ever dared to expose. Hawke is the sort of male love interest that’s deliciously naughty — think Vlad-the-Impaler, but with a romantic streak plus a wicked sense of humor — and together, the unlikely pair make a perfect match as they embark on a mission full of violence, lusty encounters, horrifying zombie-like beings and plenty of backstabbing vampires.
