Hannah Whitten's For the Wolf captured readers with its darkly romantic retelling of Red Riding Hood, featuring an enchanted forest, a misunderstood monster, and a heroine who discovers her destiny is far more complex than sacrifice. If you devoured the Wilderwood duology and are searching for similar reads, you're not alone; this blend of fairy tale retelling, slow-burn romance, and atmospheric fantasy has become one of the most sought-after subgenres in modern fantasy.
Whether you fell for the enemies-to-lovers tension, the lush gothic atmosphere, or the intricate magic system tied to an ancient forest, we've gathered seven books that capture that same enchanting darkness. From Polish folklore to Irish mythology, sentient woods to crumbling manors, these recommendations will satisfy your craving for books like For the Wolf.
1. Where the Dark Stands Still by A.B. Poranek
Liska Radost has spent her life hiding her magic from villagers who believe practitioners are monsters. Desperate to be free of her powers, she ventures into the demon-inhabited spirit-wood to find a mythical flower that grants wishes. Instead, she's caught by the Leszy; the antlered warden of the forest; who offers her a bargain: one year of servitude in exchange for her wish.
Whisked away to his crumbling manor deep in the woods, Liska discovers that previous servants have mysteriously vanished and that her host harbours secrets darker than the forest itself. This New York Times bestseller draws on Polish folklore to create an atmospheric tale of self-acceptance, sacrifice, and finding home in unexpected places. Fans comparing it to Howl's Moving Castle and Beauty and the Beast aren't wrong; but Poranek makes the story entirely her own.
Why You Should Read It
Rich Polish folklore creates a unique and immersive setting
Crumbling sentient manor with secrets around every corner
Slow-burn romance with banter reminiscent of Howl and Sophie
Beautiful exploration of self-acceptance and found family
Perfect for readers who love bargains with mysterious beings
2. The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
In a village at the edge of the Russian wilderness, Vasilisa grows up on her nurse's fairy tales of frost-demons, house spirits, and the mysterious winter king who rides through the forest. But as the old ways fade and a new priest arrives to stamp out the pagan beliefs, Vasya realises that the stories were never just stories; and she may be the only one who can see the spirits that protect her home.
Katherine Arden's Winternight Trilogy opener is a masterclass in atmospheric fantasy, weaving Russian folklore into a narrative that feels both timeless and fresh. The writing is lyrical without being dense, the winter setting is viscerally cold, and Vasya herself is a heroine you'll root for from the first page. This is dark fairy tale fantasy at its finest.
Why You Should Read It
Gorgeously atmospheric Russian folklore brought to vivid life
A wild, brave heroine who refuses to conform
Magical creatures that feel genuinely otherworldly
First in a completed trilogy for those who hate waiting
Ideal for fans of enchanted forests and old magic
3. Uprooted by Naomi Novik
Every ten years, the Dragon; a powerful wizard who protects the valley from the corrupted Wood; takes a young woman to serve him in his tower. Everyone expects him to choose Kasia, the most beautiful and talented girl in the village. No one expects him to choose Agnieszka, her plain, disaster-prone best friend.
What follows is a story of unexpected magic, an enemy forest that corrupts everything it touches, and a relationship that evolves in ways neither character anticipates. Naomi Novik draws on Polish folklore to create a standalone fantasy that won the Nebula Award and has become a modern classic of the genre. If you loved the sentient, dangerous forest in For the Wolf, the Wood in Uprooted will haunt your dreams.
Why You Should Read It
Nebula Award-winning standalone - no series commitment required
Terrifying corrupted forest that rivals the Wilderwood
Enemies-to-lovers romance with genuine character growth
Unique magic system tied to personality and instinct
Central friendship between women that drives the plot
4. Belladonna by Adalyn Grace
Signa Farrow has been passed between relatives her entire life; because everyone who cares for her dies. When she's sent to her last living family at the gloomy Thorn Grove estate, she discovers her cousin is being poisoned and the ghost of her aunt is begging for help. The only person who might have answers is Death himself, who has haunted Signa since childhood.
This gothic romantasy blends murder mystery with dark romance in a Victorian-inspired setting dripping with atmosphere. Death is reimagined as a shadowy, compelling love interest, and the estate itself feels like a character; full of secrets, poison, and danger. If you enjoyed the gothic elements of For the Wolf, Belladonna delivers that same moody, romantic energy with a dash of mystery.
Why You Should Read It
Death as a morally grey, swoon-worthy love interest
Atmospheric gothic estate with murder mystery elements
Victorian-inspired setting with lush, dark aesthetics
Heroine with supernatural abilities she's learning to embrace
Perfect for fans of gothic romance and dark fantasy
5. Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier
Sorcha is the seventh child of a seventh son, growing up beloved in an Irish fortress with six brothers who would do anything for her. When their father remarries and their cruel stepmother transforms the brothers into swans, Sorcha learns there is only one way to break the curse: she must weave six shirts from starwort nettles and remain silent until the task is complete; no matter what befalls her.
Based on the fairy tale of the Six Swans, Juliet Marillier's debut is a gorgeous, heartbreaking fantasy that has stood the test of time. The prose is lyrical, the sibling bonds are deeply moving, and Sorcha's determination in the face of impossible odds is genuinely inspiring. This is fairy tale fantasy for readers who want to feel every emotion.
Why You Should Read It
Beautiful Irish mythology woven throughout the narrative
Emotionally devastating in the best possible way
A heroine whose strength lies in endurance and love
Lyrical prose that feels like a fairy tale come to life
First in the Sevenwaters series for those wanting more
6. Little Thieves by Margaret Owen
Vanja Schmidt started as a maid and ended up impersonating a princess; but she's no hero. As the Pfennigist, a phantom thief who robs the nobility, she's been lining her pockets and planning her escape. Then a death goddess catches her mid-heist and curses her: Vanja must undo the damage she's caused, or she'll transform into the jewels she's stolen, one gem at a time.
This wickedly fun retelling of The Goose Girl focuses on the villain; the maid who stole the princess's identity; and asks what drove her to it. Margaret Owen's voice is sharp, funny, and surprisingly moving, and Vanja is an antihero you can't help but root for despite her flaws. If you want something with the fairy tale bones of For the Wolf but a completely different tone, this delivers.
Why You Should Read It
Deliciously snarky antihero narrator you'll love to root for
Clever Goose Girl retelling from the villain's perspective
Perfect blend of heist adventure and fairy tale magic
Themes of identity, redemption, and found family
Great for readers wanting something lighter but still magical
7. The Foxglove King by Hannah Whitten
From the author of For the Wolf comes an entirely different kind of dark fantasy. Lore grew up in the catacombs of the city, running poisons for a crime lord, and hiding a secret: she can raise the dead. When her powers are discovered, she's pulled into the glittering, treacherous court and forced to spy on the king's nephew; a man who may be hiding secrets of his own about the mysterious deaths plaguing the kingdom.
If you loved Hannah Whitten's writing but want something with more court intrigue and necromancy, The Foxglove King delivers. The Nightshade Crown series has a different flavour than Wilderwood; more political, more urban, more morally complex; but maintains Whitten's gift for atmosphere and slow-burn romance. Perfect for readers ready to explore more of her work.
Why You Should Read It
• Same author, different world - more Hannah Whitten magic
• Dark necromancy and court intrigue instead of forests
• Morally grey characters and complex political scheming
• Enemies-to-lovers tension with a compelling love triangle
• Perfect next read for devoted Hannah Whitten fans
Find Your Next Dark Romantasy Obsession
Each of these books captures something essential about what made For the Wolf so compelling; whether it's the dangerous bargains, the enchanted forests, the slow-burn romance, or the fairy tale foundations reimagined for modern readers. From the Polish folklore of Where the Dark Stands Still to the Russian winter of The Bear and the Nightingale, there's a world waiting to draw you in.
The best part? Several of these are first books in series, meaning once you find your next favourite, there's more to explore. Happy reading and may your journey into these dark, enchanted worlds be as magical as stepping into the Wilderwood for the first time.
Books Featured in This Article
For the Wolf
by Hannah Whitten
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER AND TIKTOK SENSATION! The first daughter is for the Throne. The second daughter is for the Wolf. An instant NYT bestseller and word-of-mouth sensation, this dark, romantic debut fantasy weaves the unforgettable tale of a young woman who must be sacrificed to the legendary Wolf of the Wood to save her kingdom. But not all legends are true, and the Wolf isn't the only danger lurking in the Wilderwood. As the only Second Daughter born in centuries, Red has one purpose--to be sacrificed to the Wolf in the Wood in the hope he'll return the world's captured gods. Red is almost relieved to go. Plagued by a dangerous power she can't control, at least she knows that in the Wilderwood, she can't hurt those she loves. Again. But the legends lie. The Wolf is a man, not a monster. Her magic is a calling, not a curse. And if she doesn't learn how to use it, the monsters the gods have become will swallow the Wilderwood--and her world--whole. "If you ever wished Beauty and the Beast had more eldritch forest monsters and political machinations, this is the romance for you."―Alix E. Harrow, author of The Ten Thousand Doors of January "A brilliant dark fantasy debut!" --Jodi Picoult, NYT bestselling author
Where the Dark Stands Still
by A. B. Poranek
A New York Times bestseller A girl with dangerous magic makes a risky bargain with a demon to be free of her monstrous power in this “dark, devastating, and gothic” (Kirkus Reviews) young adult fantasy perfect for fans of An Enchantment of Ravens and House of Salt and Sorrows.Liska knows that magic is monstrous, and its practitioners are monsters. She has done everything possible to suppress her own magic, to disastrous consequences. Desperate to be free of it, Liska flees her small village and delves into the dangerous, demon-inhabited spirit-wood to steal a mythical fern flower. If she plucks it, she can use its one wish to banish her powers. Everyone who has sought the fern flower has fallen prey to unknown horrors, so when Liska is caught by the demon warden of the wood—called The Leszy—a bargain seems better than death: one year of servitude in exchange for the fern flower and its wish. Whisked away to The Leszy’s crumbling manor, Liska soon makes an unsettling discovery: she is not the first person to strike this bargain, and all her predecessors have mysteriously vanished. If Liska wants to survive the year and return home, she must unravel her taciturn host’s spool of secrets and face the ghosts—figurative and literal—of his past. Because something wakes in the woods, something deadly and without mercy. It frightens even The Leszy…and cannot be defeated unless Liska embraces the monster she’s always feared becoming.
The Bear and The Nightingale
by Katherine Arden
_____________________________ Beware the evil in the woods... In a village at the edge of the wilderness of northern Russia, where the winds blow cold and the snow falls many months of the year, an elderly servant tells stories of sorcery, folklore and the Winter King to the children of the family, tales of old magic frowned upon by the church. But for the young, wild Vasya these are far more than just stories. She alone can see the house spirits that guard her home, and sense the growing forces of dark magic in the woods. . . Atmospheric and enchanting, with an engrossing adventure at its core, The Bear and the Nightingale is perfect for readers of Naomi Novik's Uprooted, Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus, and Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials. _____________________________ Now with over 100 5* reviews, readers are spellbound by this magical story- 'This book stayed with me, I didn't want it to end' 'A beautifully written story' 'An entrancing story, which swept me up from the very first chapter' 'Full of magic' _____________________________Make sure you've read all the books in the acclaimed Winternight Trilogy 1. The Bear and the Nightingale 2. The Girl in the Tower 3. The Winter of the Witch
Uprooted
by Naomi Novik
NEBULA AWARD WINNER • HUGO AWARD FINALIST • “If you want a fantasy with strong characters and brilliantly original variations on ancient stories, try Uprooted!”—Rick Riordan “Breathtaking . . . a tale that is both elegantly grand and earthily humble, familiar as a Grimm fairy tale yet fresh, original, and totally irresistible.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review) ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: NPR, BuzzFeed, Tordotcom, BookPage, Library Journal, Publishers WeeklyAgnieszka loves her valley home, her quiet village, the forests and the bright shining river. But the corrupted Wood stands on the border, full of malevolent power, and its shadow lies over her life.Her people rely on the cold, driven wizard known only as the Dragon to keep its powers at bay. But he demands a terrible price for his help: one young woman handed over to serve him for ten years, a fate almost as terrible as falling to the Wood.The next choosing is fast approaching, and Agnieszka is afraid. She knows—everyone knows—that the Dragon will take Kasia: beautiful, graceful, brave Kasia, all the things Agnieszka isn’t, and her dearest friend in the world. And there is no way to save her.But Agnieszka fears the wrong things. For when the Dragon comes, it is not Kasia he will choose.Includes the new bonus short story “The Lake Witch”Praise for Uprooted“Uprooted has leapt forward to claim the title of Best Book I’ve Read Yet This Year. . . . Moving, heartbreaking, and thoroughly satisfying, Uprooted is the fantasy novel I feel I’ve been waiting a lifetime for. Clear your schedule before picking it up, because you won’t want to put it down.”—NPR
Belladonna
by Adalyn Grace
The New York Times bestselling author of All the Stars and Teeth brings to life a highly romantic, Gothic-infused world of wealth, desire, and betrayal. Orphaned as a baby, nineteen-year-old Signa has been raised by a string of guardians, each more interested in her wealth than her well-being--and each has met an untimely end. Her remaining relatives are the elusive Hawthornes, an eccentric family living at Thorn Grove, an estate both glittering and gloomy. Its patriarch mourns his late wife through wild parties, while his son grapples for control of the family's waning reputation and his daughter suffers from a mysterious illness. But when their mother's restless spirit appears claiming she was poisoned, Signa realizes that the family she depends on could be in grave danger and enlists the help of a surly stable boy to hunt down the killer. However, Signa's best chance of uncovering the murderer is an alliance with Death himself, a fascinating, dangerous shadow who has never been far from her side. Though he's made her life a living hell, Death shows Signa that their growing connection may be more powerful--and more irresistible--than she ever dared imagine.
Daughter of the Forest
by Juliet Marillier
Juliet Marillier is a rare talent, a writer who can imbue her characters and her story with such warmth, such heart, that no reader can come away from her work untouched. Daughter of the Forest is a testimony to that talent, a first novel and the beginning of a trilogy like no other: a mixture of history and fantasy, myth and magic, legend and love that only Juliet Marillier could write.Lord Colum of Sevenwaters is blessed with six sons: Liam, a natural leader; Diarmid, with his passion for adventure; twins Cormack and Conor, each with a different calling; rebellious Finbar, made old before his time by his gift of the Sight; and the young, compassionate Padriac.But it is Sorcha, the seventh child and only daughter, who is destined to defend her family and protect her land from the Britons and the clan known as Northwoods. For her father has been bewitched, and her brothers bound by a spell that only Sorcha can lift.Exiled from Sevenwaters and cast out into the forest and beyond, Sorcha falls into the hands of the enemy. Now she is torn between the life she has always known and a love that comes only once.
Little Thieves
by Margaret Owen
"Gorgeous prose, delicious magic." - V.E. SchwabYALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults SelectionKids' Indie Next PickAmazon Best BookA scrappy maid must outsmart both palace nobles and Low Gods in a new YA fantasy by Margaret Owen, author of the Merciful Crow series.Once upon a time, there was a horrible girl...Vanja Schmidt knows that no gift is freely given, not even a mother’s love—and she’s on the hook for one hell of a debt. Vanja, the adopted goddaughter of Death and Fortune, was Princess Gisele's dutiful servant up until a year ago. That was when Vanja’s otherworldly mothers demanded a terrible price for their care, and Vanja decided to steal her future back... by stealing Gisele’s life for herself.The real Gisele is left a penniless nobody while Vanja uses an enchanted string of pearls to take her place. Now, Vanja leads a lonely but lucrative double life as princess and jewel thief, charming nobility while emptying their coffers to fund her great escape. Then, one heist away from freedom, Vanja crosses the wrong god and is cursed to an untimely end: turning into jewels, stone by stone, for her greed.Vanja has just two weeks to figure out how to break her curse and make her getaway. And with a feral guardian half-god, Gisele’s sinister fiancé, and an overeager junior detective on Vanja’s tail, she’ll have to pull the biggest grift yet to save her own life.Margaret Owen, author of The Merciful Crow series, crafts a delightfully irreverent retelling of “The Goose Girl” about stolen lives, thorny truths, and the wicked girls at the heart of both.
The Foxglove King
by Hannah Whitten
In this lush, romantic epic fantasy series from a New York Times bestselling author, a young woman's secret power to raise the dead plunges her into the dangerous and glamorous world of the Sainted King's royal court. When Lore was thirteen, she escaped a cult in the catacombs beneath the city of Dellaire. And in the ten years since, she's lived by one rule: don't let them find you. Easier said than done, when her death magic ties her to the city. Mortem, the magic born from death, is a high-priced and illicit commodity in Dellaire, and Lore's job running poisons keeps her in food, shelter, and relative security. But when a run goes wrong and Lore's power is revealed, she's taken by the Presque Mort, a group of warrior-monks sanctioned to use Mortem working for the Sainted King. Lore fully expects a pyre, but King August has a different plan. Entire villages on the outskirts of the country have been dying overnight, seemingly at random. Lore can either use her magic to find out what's happening and who in the King's court is responsible, or die. Lore is thrust into the Sainted King's glittering court, where no one can be believed and even fewer can be trusted. Guarded by Gabriel, a duke-turned-monk, and continually running up against Bastian, August's ne'er-do-well heir, Lore tangles in politics, religion, and forbidden romance as she attempts to navigate a debauched and opulent society. But the life she left behind in the catacombs is catching up with her. And even as Lore makes her way through the Sainted court above, they might be drawing closer than she thinks.