Powerless

Throne of Glass

Sarah J. Maas

A fantasy about an assassin competing for the role of royal champion in a corrupt kingdom. Celaena Sardothien must navigate political intrigue and personal challenges while hiding her true identity. The narrative blends romance, action, and personal growth. Recommended for its similar themes of forbidden love and power dynamics.

The City We Became

N.K. Jemisin

In a fantastical version of New York City, five people suddenly become the human avatars of the city's boroughs, gaining supernatural abilities. They must defend their city against an ancient, malevolent force seeking to destroy it. Each avatar represents a different borough's spirit and must learn to work together. The story explores themes of community, resistance, and the living essence of urban spaces.

An Ember in the Ashes

Sabaa Tahir

A dark fantasy set in a brutal empire where a slave and a soldier fight against oppressive systems. The story explores themes of resistance, survival, and unexpected connections. Characters from different social backgrounds are forced to challenge the established order. Recommended for its similar tension between power and powerlessness.

Six of Crows

Leigh Bardugo

A group of criminal outcasts, led by the brilliant strategist Kaz Brekker, attempt an impossible heist in a world of magic and intrigue. Each member brings unique skills and hidden talents to a mission that seems completely unachievable. Their diverse backgrounds and complex relationships drive a narrative of survival, revenge, and unexpected alliances. The story explores themes of power, marginalization, and the strength found in unexpected places.

The Gilded Ones

Namina Forna

In a brutal world where women are defined by their purity, Deka faces a terrifying ceremony that will determine her fate. When her blood runs gold instead of red, she is thrust into a dangerous warrior training program for girls with extraordinary abilities. She discovers a hidden truth about her power and the systemic oppression of her society. The narrative explores themes of female empowerment, identity, and resistance.

The Jasmine Throne

Samantha Shannon

In a colonized magical world, two women from different backgrounds unite to challenge an oppressive empire. One is a captured princess with a hidden magical past, the other a priestess with extraordinary abilities. They form an unlikely alliance to resist colonial power and reclaim their agency. The story explores themes of resistance, identity, and magical rebellion.

A Court of Thorns and Roses

Sarah J. Maas

A fantasy romance featuring a human girl thrust into a dangerous magical world. Feyre, an ordinary human, becomes entangled with a powerful faerie lord, challenging social boundaries. The story explores forbidden love and personal transformation against a backdrop of complex magical politics. Similar themes of power dynamics and romance between unequal protagonists make this a perfect recommendation.

Shadow and Bone

Leigh Bardugo

A fantasy about a young woman discovering her magical abilities in a war-torn world. Alina Starkov becomes crucial to her nation's survival, challenging existing power structures. The story explores personal transformation and the burden of extraordinary abilities. Recommended for its similar themes of individual power and societal expectations.

The Cruel Prince

Holly Black

In a treacherous faerie world, Jude Duarte, a mortal girl, navigates a dangerous political landscape after being raised in the High Court of Faerie. Despite being powerless among magical beings, she uses her cunning and determination to survive and seek power. The story follows her complex relationship with Prince Cardan and her attempts to gain influence in a world that despises her kind. Her strategic mind becomes her greatest weapon in a realm of political intrigue and supernatural threats.

The Last Magicians

Lisa Maxwell

In a world where magic is forbidden, a group of talented outcasts must work together to survive. They navigate a dangerous landscape where their abilities could mean death or salvation. The story follows Esta, a time-traveling thief with a mysterious past, as she attempts to save her people from magical extinction. Complex characters and high-stakes magic create a thrilling narrative of resistance and survival.

Jade City

Fonda Lee

In a world where magical jade grants extraordinary abilities, rival family clans battle for supremacy. The Kaul family fights to maintain their power and protect their territory. Complex characters navigate political intrigue, family loyalty, and magical warfare. The narrative explores themes of power, inheritance, and cultural conflict in a richly imagined urban fantasy setting.

Graceling

Kristin Cashore

A fantasy novel about a young woman with extraordinary fighting abilities in a world where some people are born with special skills. Katsa challenges societal expectations and fights against oppressive power structures. The book features a strong female protagonist navigating complex political landscapes. Shares themes of personal empowerment and challenging societal norms.

Caraval

Stephanie Garber

A magical fantasy about sisters navigating a mysterious and dangerous game of illusion and adventure. The protagonist must challenge the rules and expectations of a complex magical world. The narrative explores themes of sisterhood, personal agency, and magical transformation. Recommended for its similar sense of wonder and challenge to established systems.

Dance of Thieves

Mary E. Pearson

In a complex kingdom where power is constantly shifting, a skilled outlaw named Kazi is sent on a mission of revenge and reconnaissance. She encounters Jase Ballenger, the cunning leader of a notorious family, leading to a dangerous game of cat and mouse. Their initial antagonism evolves into a complex relationship as they navigate political intrigue and personal survival. The story explores themes of power, loyalty, and unexpected alliances.

The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina

Zoraida Córdova

A magical family saga that explores generational secrets and supernatural inheritance. The Montoya family discovers their matriarch's extraordinary magical abilities and hidden past. As they unravel their family's mysterious history, they must confront powerful magical forces threatening their existence. The story weaves together magical realism, family drama, and personal transformation.

The Kiss of Deception

Mary E. Pearson

A fantasy about a princess who flees an arranged marriage and becomes entangled in a complex political landscape. The protagonist challenges expectations and fights for her own destiny. The story blends romance, adventure, and personal growth. Shares themes of forbidden love and challenging societal norms.

Red Queen

Victoria Aveyard

A dystopian fantasy where a lower-class girl discovers her hidden abilities in a society divided by blood and power. Mare navigates a dangerous world of royal intrigue and rebellion. The narrative explores themes of social inequality and personal agency. Recommended for its similar blend of forbidden romance and power struggles.

Legendborn

Tracy Deonn

After her mother's mysterious death, Bree Matthews discovers a hidden magical world of secret societies and powerful lineages at her new school. She learns about a magical order with roots in Arthurian legend, where her own hidden abilities begin to emerge. Struggling against a system that tries to control her, Bree must uncover the truth about her own power and her mother's past. Her journey involves navigating complex magical politics and challenging established magical hierarchies.

Burn the Dark

S.A. Hunt

Robin is a YouTube witch hunter who returns to her hometown to confront the supernatural forces that destroyed her family. Her quest involves uncovering hidden magical threats and challenging powerful entities that operate beyond normal perception. The story blends modern technology with ancient magical conflicts, creating a unique narrative of power and resistance. Robin must use her wit, skills, and determination to survive in a world more dangerous than she imagined.

Realm Breaker

Victoria Aveyard

A diverse group of unlikely heroes must band together to prevent the destruction of their world. The protagonist, Corayne, discovers she is the last of an ancient lineage with the power to save or doom her realm. Facing impossible odds and magical threats, she must learn to harness her potential and unite a team of warriors. The story blends epic fantasy with complex character dynamics and high-stakes adventure.

The River Has Teeth

Erica Waters

A dark magical thriller about a girl investigating her sister's disappearance in a town with deep, mysterious magical roots. She discovers a complex network of witches, family secrets, and dangerous magical forces. The narrative blends supernatural mystery with themes of sisterhood and personal empowerment. Magic is both a weapon and a source of transformation.

The Winner's Curse

Marie Rutkoski

A fantasy romance exploring the complex relationship between a military strategist's daughter and a slave in a conquered society. The protagonists challenge social boundaries and systemic oppression. Their relationship develops against a backdrop of political tension and personal conflict. Shares themes of forbidden love and social inequality.

The Young Elites

Marie Lu

In a world where a deadly fever leaves some survivors with strange markings and mysterious powers, Adelina Amouteru is an outcast feared by society. Rejected by her family and hunted by authorities, she discovers her own dark abilities that set her apart from others. She joins a secret group of powered individuals called the Young Elites, seeking revenge and understanding of her own potential. Her journey is a complex exploration of power, identity, and the thin line between hero and villain.

Midnight Thief

Livia Blackburne

Kyra, a skilled street thief, becomes entangled in a larger conflict when she's recruited by a mysterious assassins' guild. Her survival skills and street smarts are tested as she navigates a dangerous world of political manipulation and hidden powers. The story explores her journey from a simple survival strategy to a more complex understanding of power and responsibility. Her choices will determine not just her fate, but potentially the fate of her entire city.

Rust in the Root

Justina Ireland

Set in an alternate historical America where magic and technology intersect, the story follows Laura, a young Black magician navigating a world of systemic discrimination. She joins a magical restoration crew, uncovering dark secrets about power and belonging. The narrative blends historical fiction with magical realism, exploring themes of resistance and transformation. Laura's journey challenges the established magical hierarchies.

Divergent

Veronica Roth

A dystopian novel where society is divided into strict factions based on personality traits. Tris Prior challenges the system and discovers her true identity. The narrative explores themes of individual choice versus societal constraints. Recommended for its similar exploration of power dynamics and personal agency.

Serpent & Dove

Shelby Mahurin

In a world where witches are hunted and persecuted, Louise le Blanc has fled her coven and hidden her true nature. When circumstances force her into an unexpected marriage with a witch hunter, her carefully constructed life begins to unravel. The story explores themes of survival, forbidden magic, and the complexities of identity in a hostile world. Their relationship becomes a dangerous dance of secrets and unexpected connections.

The Bone Witch

Rin Chupeco

Tea discovers she has a rare and feared magical ability to raise the dead, making her an outcast in her society. Her journey involves learning to control her powers and understanding the complex social dynamics of her magical world. Facing persecution and misunderstanding, she must navigate a path between survival and embracing her true nature. The story explores themes of power, identity, and the societal fear of the unknown.

The Chosen and the Beautiful

Nghi Vo

A magical reimagining of The Great Gatsby that centers on Jordan Baker, a queer woman of color with mysterious magical abilities. She navigates the glittering world of 1920s New York, uncovering dark secrets and challenging societal expectations. The narrative blends historical fiction with magical elements, exploring themes of power, identity, and social transformation. Jordan's unique perspective reveals hidden magical dynamics.

Shatter Me

Tahereh Mafi

Juliette Ferrars possesses a deadly touch that has made her an outcast and prisoner. Her uncontrollable power becomes both her greatest weakness and potential strength in a dystopian world. When she's suddenly thrust into a position of potential influence, she must navigate complex political landscapes and her own internal struggles. Her journey is about understanding and potentially controlling her unique ability.