The BookTok guide to Romantasy (plus recommendations)

If you’ve ever scrolled through TikTok and found yourself deep in a vortex of angsty enemies-to-lovers, the classic “touch her and you die” trope, brooding shadow daddies, or debates over which magic academy has the most questionable safety standards – congratulations – you’ve discovered BookTok. BookTok is a subcommunity on TikTok that focuses on books and literature, where creators make videos reviewing and discussing the books they read. Here is our Booktok guide to Romantasy.

What exactly is romantasy? Think of it as the ultimate mix of two beloved genres: romance and fantasy. It’s the kind of books that pulls you into a world of unique magic systems, prophecies, morally grey anti-heroes, angsty and agonisingly slow burn romances at the centre of it all.

If you’re new to the romantasy world, there is no better place to start than with the two BookTok darlings: “A Court of Thorns and Roses” (ACOTAR) by Sarah J.Maas and “Fourth Wing” by Rebecca Yarros. These novels are practically the BookTok initiation ritual, drawing readers in with enough plot twists to have you constantly flipping the pages. ACOTAR is the perfect introduction to the genre’s intense romance and world-building, and is one of those books where maybe not everything is what it seems. Meanwhile, “Fourth Wing” brings an interesting take on dragons, battles, and some top-tier banter.

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5 reasons why everyone is reading the ‘A Court of Thorns and Roses’ series

Here’s the thing – I’m a huge BookTok and romantasy stan myself, and while ACOTAR and “Fourth Wing: introduced me to some of the sexiest book boyfriends, these book recommendations below will shine a light on some lesser or older known gems that deserve a bit more love.

Romantasy book recommendations: What’s your fantasy?

The Legends of Thezmarr Series – Blood & Steel by Helen Scheuerer

Spice Level: 3/5 – Plenty of chemistry and slow-burn angst. Book 2 definitely takes the heat up a notch.

Althea Zoltaire’s fate has always been set – she has three years to make a name for herself as a warrior in a world where women are forbidden to wield weapons. After years of training in secret, she’s ready to take on the brutal initiation of the elite guild tasked with defending the kingdoms. There is cutthroat competition, dangerous rivals, and Wilder Hawthorne – a warrior whose skepticism is almost as sharp as his blade. As dark forces gather on the horizon, the protagonist’s determination and courage are pushed to their limits.

If you’re into fierce heroines, world-building, and slow burn tension that doesn’t rush the romance, “Blood & Steel” is a hidden gem that delivers. The best part? The series is complete, so while the characters have to pine, you don’t!

Tropes: 

• One Horse Trope
• Training Scenes
• Knife to the Throat
• “Who Did This to You?”
• Found Family
• Badass Heroine
• Grumpy Warrior
• Enemies to Lovers

Non-Spoiler Quotes:

• “Who.’ Hawthorne demanded. ‘Who did this to you?”
• “You’re beautiful as you are. And I’d wager even more so with steel in your hand and the blood of your enemies splattered across your face.”
• “A true man won’t cut you down as you fight your battles, nor will he fight them for you. A true man will help sharpen your sword, guard your back and fight at your side, in the face of whatever darkness comes.”
• “The bitch hit me!’ Esyllt frowned, not even sparing Thea a glance. ‘I have no idea what you’re talking about. But if you’re insisting that an untrained woman landed a punch on you, then I’d say you’re the bitch Sebastos.”

The Fae & Alchemy Series – Quicksilver by Callie Hart

Spice Level: 3/5 – A good balance of tension and steam.

In a land of blistering heat and relentless desert, twenty-four-year-old Saeris Fane has learned to survive by any means necessary. A skilled thief, she’s kept her strange powers hidden while stealing from the ruthless Undying Queen’s water reservoirs. But secrets, like knots, eventually unravel – and when Saeries encounters a figure straight out of myth, she accidentally reopens a gateway between worlds.

Now stuck in the realm of Fae, Saeris has to navigate political intrigue, ancient rivalries, and a centuries-old conflict that she knows nothing about. Her only ally – or enemy, depending on the day – is Kingfisher, a dangerously charming Fae warrior with a past of secrets. The two must work together, but Kingfisher has his own plans, and Saeris is about to find out just how far he’s willing to go to protect his people.

With a brooding, witty antihero who might just be too stubborn for his own good and a sarcastic heroine, Quicksilver delivers everything you crave from a slow-burn romantasy – political intrigue, a mysterious magic system and a palpable enemies to lovers angst.

Tropes: 

• Slow Burn
• Fated Mates
• Forced Proximity
• Unique Magic System
• Political Intrigue
• Enemies to Lovers
• Shadow Daddy Male Lead
• Strong and Sassy Female Lead
• Fae, Vampires, Sprites and Witches

Non-Spoiler Quotes:

• “She has a mind and a mouth of her own. I am the keeper of neither.”
• “Because you’re a nice Fae warrior, unlike Fisher, who is the devil incarnate.”
• “I have to say, I was expecting that to go differently,” he mused. And then I punched him square in the mouth.”
• “Because she is moonlight. The mist that shrouds the mountains. The bite of electricity in the air before a storm. The smoke that rolls across a battlefield before the killing starts. You have no idea what she is. What she could be. You should call her Majesty.”

The Infernal Devices Trilogy – Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Spice Level: 0-1 – This is a Young Adult (YA) series, so there’s no explicit content, but the emotional intensity makes up for it.

Welcome to Victorian London, where the dark streets are crawling with supernatural threats and the fate of the world rests in the hands of those with angel blood – the Shadowhunters. In 1878, Tessa Gray arrives in London searching for her missing brother, only to be pulled into a world of demons, warlocks and a secret society with ambitions to control the British Empire. As she allies herself with the mysterious Shadowhunters, Tessa becomes caught between two warriors, Will and Jem, whose secrets and bonds run deeper than she could ever imagine.

This trilogy is the epitome of yearning, with an achingly beautiful love triangle that will leave you torn and emotionally invested from start to finish.

Tropes: 

• Found Family
• Love Triangle
• Warlocks, Witches, Werewolves, Vampires, Shadowhunters
• Tortured, Cursed Male Lead
• Magical Bonds
• Brotherhood

Non-Spoiler Quotes:

• “It’s all right to love someone who doesn’t love you back, as long as they’re worth you loving them. As long as they deserve it.”
• “You know,” Gabriel said, “there was a time I thought we could be friends, Will.”
  “There was a time I thought I was a ferret,” Will said, “but that turned out to be the opium haze. Did you know it had that effect? Because I didn’t.”
• “Are you implying that shreds of my reputation remain intact?” Will demanded with mock horror. “Clearly I have been doing something wrong. Or not something wrong, as the case may be.”
  He banged on the side of the carriage. “Thomas! We must away at once to the nearest brothel. I seek scandal and low companionship.”

This series is a staple in the romantasy world, and it’s a crime to not know both Will and Jem. As a loyal Will Herondale fan, I’m here for the tortured, pining male lead who pretends to be fine… but I also do love Jem.

The House of Devils Series – City of Gods and Monsters by Kayla Edwards

Spice Level: 2/5 – The tension is there and heightens as the series goes on.

Loren Calla has always seen herself as ordinary, just another human in the city of Angelthene – a place dominated by vampires, werewolves, witches, and other supernatural beings. But her world is turned upside down when she narrowly escapes a kidnapping, only to have her friend taken in her place. Now, the kidnappers demand Loren’s life in exchange for her friend’s safety.

While their first meeting wasn’t the best, Loren with no other options turns to Darien Cassel, the leader of the infamous Seven Devils – a group of darkslayers feared for their ability to hunt down supernatural threats. As they find out things that could shatter the fragile balance of the world – the two must decide if they trust each other.

The book is an urban fantasy that balances a gritty, supernatural city with a romance that doesn’t shy away from the darker edges. It’s good for those who love complex characters and multiple POVs.

Tropes: 

• Dark and Broody Main Character
• “Touch Her and You Die”
• Morally Grey Characters
• Supernatural Beings
• Slow Burn
• Unique Urban Fantasy World
• Multiple POVs

Non-Spoiler Quotes:

• “Sweetheart, I am not a devil. I am the devil. Don’t start getting the wrong idea.”
• “Touch her again and I’ll cut your goddamn heart out.”
• “The need to touch her, to comfort her and to know her on a deeper level, hit him like a fist to the stomach.”
• “Immortality was nothing but an illusion—a false promise that had kept him from living out his days as if they meant something.”

The Golden City Duology – Wings So Wicked by S.T. Gibson

Spice Level: 2/5 – Tension-filled with plenty of chemistry – watch out for the cliffhangers though.

Huntyr has spent her entire life fighting to survive. Raised by a ruthless master of assassins, she’s become the most feared fae hunter in the kingdom, hunting down the bloodthirsty vampires that haunt the shadows. Her latest mission is to infiltrate Moira Seminary, a dangerous academy that serves as the gateway to The Golden City.

But nothing goes as planned when Huntyr is forced to share her quarters with Wolf, a fallen angel who knows far too much about her secret past. As the academy’s trials grow more perilous, Huntry finds herself drawn to the very person she’s meant to distrust. With her mission on the line, she must decide whether to stay loyal to the man to raised her or explore a new path.

“Wings so Wicked” is a new adult fantasy romance that’s ideal for readers who love intense rivalries, fierce heroines, and academy settings that keep you on the edge of your seat.

Tropes: 

• Training Academy
• Forced Proximity
• Fallen Angel
• “Who Did This to You?”
• Cleaning Wound Scene
• Vampires & Fae
• Magic
• Rivals to Lovers
• Slow Burn

Non-Spoiler Quotes:

• “You do not know the violence that runs through my veins, begging me to obliterate anyone who lays a hand on you.”

[Hero and Featured Image: A Court of Thorns and Roses/sarahjmass.com]