BookTok has given us incredible recommendations, but some genuinely brilliant books slip through the algorithm. While everyone was talking about the same five series, these eight fantasy books quietly released to rave reviews from those who found them — and then disappeared into the void.
Consider this your rescue mission. These are the hidden gems that deserve far more attention than they received: dark romantasy, swoony retellings, time-travelling adventures, and morally grey characters doing morally grey things. If you're tired of the same recommendations cycling through your feed, start here.
1. A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal
If you loved Six of Crows but wished it had vampires and a tearoom, this is the book you didn't know you needed. Hafsah Faizal delivered an instant #1 New York Times bestseller that somehow still flies under most readers' radars.
Arthie Casimir runs Spindrift, a prestigious tearoom by day that transforms into an illegal bloodhouse for vampires by night. When her establishment is threatened, she assembles a ragtag crew of outcasts to pull off an impossible heist into the heart of vampire society. The result is part Ocean's Eleven, part gothic fantasy, with a found family you'll fall in love with and a conspiracy that threatens everything.
Set in a fictional Victorian-inspired world, the book tackles colonialism and identity while delivering exactly the kind of atmospheric, character-driven heist story that made Leigh Bardugo famous. The sequel, A Steeping of Blood, completes the duology.
Why You Should Read It
Six of Crows energy with a fresh vampire twist
Found family dynamics that actually feel earned
Lush prose and atmospheric worldbuilding
Complete duology — no waiting years for the ending
Diverse cast with South Asian representation
Books in the Series
A Tempest of Tea (2024)
A Steeping of Blood (2025)
2. How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories by Holly Black
Yes, this is a Folk of the Air book. No, most people haven't read it — even devoted fans of the series somehow missed this illustrated novella that gives us Cardan's perspective on everything.
Before he was a cruel prince or a wicked king, Cardan Greenbriar was a faerie child with a heart of stone. Holly Black takes us through pivotal moments in his life, reframing scenes we thought we knew while adding entirely new material set after The Queen of Nothing. Each chapter pairs with luminous full-colour art by Rovina Cai, making this a collector's item as much as a story.
For readers who devoured the original trilogy and wanted more, this novella delivers the Cardan content you've been craving. It's dark, romantic, and emotionally devastating in the way only Holly Black can manage.
Why You Should Read It
Cardan's POV on key trilogy moments
Beautiful full-colour illustrations throughout
New content set after The Queen of Nothing
Perfect for rereading the series with fresh eyes
Short enough to devour in one sitting
Series Context
This is book 3.5 in The Folk of the Air series. Read after The Queen of Nothing.
3. Sisters of Sword and Shadow by Laura Bates
What if the Knights of the Round Table had a female counterpart working in the shadows? Laura Bates — founder of the Everyday Sexism Project — delivers a feminist Arthurian reimagining that asks exactly that question.
Cass is destined for an arranged marriage when a fierce, leather-clad woman rides up and offers her an escape. She's inducted into the Sisterhood of Silk Knights, a secret order of women who train to fight and right the wrongs of men while the famous knights of Camelot chase glory. As Cass learns to wield a sword, she discovers she holds a power that could change her sisterhood's destiny.
The book weaves familiar Arthurian elements — including a brilliant take on Elaine of Shalott — into something that feels both classic and urgently modern. It's the kind of story where women find strength in anonymity, where the reveal isn't that they're female but that they know exactly who they are.
Why You Should Read It
Fresh feminist take on Arthurian legend
Training arc with real emotional weight
Poetic, atmospheric writing style
Explores power and the stories we tell about the past
First in a duology with Sisters of Fire and Fury
Books in the Series
Sisters of Sword and Shadow (2023)
Sisters of Fire and Fury (2024)
4. The Wycherleys by Annaliese Avery
Bridgerton meets witches in this swoony YA romance that deserves far more attention than it's received. Annaliese Avery creates a Regency-era world where magic and society collide during debutante season.
Seventeen-year-old Aurelia Wycherley should be excited about her debut — it's the season when witches find matches to tether their magic. But her magic is cursed: dark, dangerous, and not the kind anyone wants to bond with. Without a tether, she'll lose her magic entirely. Enter Jules Nightly, arrogant and annoyingly handsome, from the family that cursed the Wycherleys generations ago. He's searching for a way witches can keep their magic without tethering, which makes him Aurelia's unlikely — and forbidden — ally.
The book nails the enemies-to-lovers dynamic while building a genuinely clever magic system around tethering and curses. Think glamoured balls, perilous trials, witch murders, and the kind of romantic tension that makes you want to throw the book across the room (affectionately).
Why You Should Read It
Bridgerton atmosphere with actual magic
Enemies-to-lovers done right
Clever magic system with real stakes
Regency setting with a fantasy twist
Includes fun ephemera like ball invitations and etiquette guides
Books in the Series
The Wycherleys (2024)
Love and Other Curses (2026)
5. Chaos King by Kacen Callender
The explosive sequel to Infinity Alchemist delivers everything the first book promised and more. If you missed this duology entirely, now is the time to catch up — it's one of the most ambitious YA fantasies in recent years.
Ash has saved New Anglia from destruction, but he's haunted by nightmares of his screaming dead mother and strange black orbs. Convinced the world is still in danger, he becomes determined to communicate with the dead — not easy, even for an alchemist as powerful as him. When violent anti-alchemist sentiment sweeps the land and Ash is captured by radicals inspired by his own father's legacy, he must decide whether to trust the existing power structures or follow a more dangerous path.
Kacen Callender (National Book Award winner for King and the Dragonflies) builds a world where alchemy meets philosophy, where queerness is simply part of life, and where polyamorous relationships are portrayed with genuine tenderness. The magic system is fascinating, the political intrigue is sharp, and the character work is exceptional.
Why You Should Read It
Polyamorous romance portrayed with care and depth
Fascinating alchemy-based magic system
Tackles themes of power, revolution, and belonging
Trans and queer representation throughout
From a National Book Award-winning author
Books in the Series
Infinity Alchemist (2024)
Chaos King (2025)
6. Passenger by Alexandra Bracken
This time-travel romance came out in 2016, which means an entire generation of readers missed it — and with the recent explosion of romantasy, it deserves rediscovery. Sarah J. Maas called it "ambitious and exquisite" and Victoria Aveyard described it as "riveting, romantic."
Violin prodigy Etta Spencer loses everything in one devastating night when she's thrust through time by a stranger with a dangerous agenda. She lands in 1776 on the ship of Nicholas Carter, a sailor trying to escape the powerful Ironwood family. When the Ironwoods demand Etta find a stolen object of immense value, she and Nicholas embark on a journey across centuries and continents — from colonial Nassau to WWII London, San Francisco to Roman Carthage.
Alexandra Bracken (The Darkest Minds) delivers historical detail that brings each era to life while exploring how different time periods treated race and class. The slow-burn romance between Etta and Nicholas is genuinely swoon-worthy, and the time-travel mechanics are clever without being confusing.
Why You Should Read It
Time travel across multiple eras and continents
Slow-burn romance with real chemistry
Rich historical detail in every setting
Explores race and privilege across time periods
Complete duology — binge both books now
Books in the Series
Passenger (2016)
Wayfarer (2017)
7. Forest of Hearts by M.A. Kuzniar
Snow White, but make it dark and deliciously Slavic. M.A. Kuzniar's YA debut opens with the protagonist baking six human hearts into a pie — and that's just the first chapter.
Elka has been banished to the forest by her wicked mother, cursed to remain there unless she takes the hearts of seven men. Six are already slain when a wounded huntsman stumbles into her path. Kaz should be her seventh victim, but he's hiding secrets of his own. As they circle each other, passion begins to spark — complicated by the dark magic stirring in the forest and forces that want them both dead.
Kuzniar draws on her Polish heritage to create a world steeped in Slavic folklore, complete with forest demons, wych elms, and dragons. The result is a retelling that feels both familiar and entirely new: a Snow White where the princess is the monster, the huntsman is the prey, and true love's kiss might be the most dangerous weapon of all.
Why You Should Read It
Snow White retelling with the princess as the monster
Slavic folklore and Polish mythology
Enemies-to-lovers with genuine teeth
Atmospheric forest setting that feels alive
From a Sunday Times bestselling author
8. Eternal Ruin by Tigest Girma
The breathtaking sequel to Immortal Dark, this is dark academia with Black vampires, Ethiopian mythology, and one of the most compelling enemies-to-lovers dynamics in recent fantasy. If you haven't discovered this series yet, prepare to be obsessed.
Kidan Adane has finally embraced her darkness. She's killed without remorse, broken Uxlay University's most sacred law, and now finds herself trapped with a violently unstable vampire while her thought-dead sister returns as a cold stranger. The lines between loathing and attraction blur as Kidan and her vampire nemesis Susenyos navigate political intrigue, ancient artifacts, and a dangerous philosophical text that promises the one thing Kidan craves: control.
Tigest Girma weaves Ethiopian mythology into dark academia in ways that feel both ancient and urgent. The magic system — built around sentient houses and vampire bonds — is one of the most original in recent fantasy, and the moral complexity refuses easy answers. This is the kind of series that ruins you for other books.
Why You Should Read It
Ethiopian mythology meets dark academia
One of the best enemies-to-lovers dynamics in YA
Morally grey characters you can't help but root for
Unique vampire lore with real depth
#1 New York Times bestselling series
Books in the Series
Immortal Dark (2024)
Eternal Ruin (2025)
Book 3 (forthcoming)
Where to Start
Not sure which book to grab first? Here's a quick guide based on what you're in the mood for:
For heist lovers: A Tempest of Tea delivers Six of Crows energy with vampires and found family.
For Cardan fans: How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories is essential Folk of the Air content you probably missed.
For feminist fantasy fans: Sisters of Sword and Shadow reimagines Arthurian legend through a female lens.
For Bridgerton lovers who want magic: The Wycherleys is Regency romance with witches, curses, and enemies-to-lovers tension.
For readers who want queer representation: Chaos King features polyamorous and trans characters in a world where magic meets revolution.
For time-travel romance fans: Passenger spans centuries with a slow-burn love story and rich historical detail.
For dark retelling lovers: Forest of Hearts turns Snow White into something monstrous and magnificent.
For dark academia fans: Eternal Ruin delivers Ethiopian-inspired vampires, morally grey romance, and a university that wants you dead.
Any of these books could become your next obsession. The algorithm might have missed them, but you don't have to.
Books Featured in This Article
A Tempest of Tea
by Hafsah Faizal
*An Instant #1 New York Times Bestseller*"Brewed to perfection.” —Rebecca Ross, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Divine RivalsNow available in a deluxe paperback edition with gorgeous stenciled edges, Hafsah Faizal's deliciously propulsive vampire-fantasy teems with slow burn romance, found family, and revenge, led by an orphan girl willing to do whatever it takes to save her self-made kingdom.On the streets of White Roaring, Arthie Casimir is a criminal mastermind and collector of secrets. Her prestigious tearoom transforms into an illegal bloodhouse by night, catering to the vampires feared by society. But when her establishment is threatened, Arthie is forced to strike an unlikely deal with an alluring adversary to save it—she can’t do the job alone.Calling on some of the city’s most skilled outcasts, Arthie hatches a plan to infiltrate the sinister, glittering vampire society known as the Athereum. But not everyone in her ragtag crew is on her side, and as the truth behind the heist unfolds, Arthie finds herself in the midst of a conspiracy that will threaten the world as she knows it. Dark, action-packed, and swoonworthy, this is Hafsah Faizal better than ever.VAMPIRES AND VENGENANCE ARE BREWING...Don't miss these other titles from Hafsah Faizal:We Hunt the Flame, the commercially acclaimed first book in the Sands of Arawiya duologyWe Free the Stars, the second book in the Sands of Arawiya duologyA Steeping of Blood, the second book in the Blood & Tea duology
How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories
by Holly Black
Return to the captivating world of Elfhame with this illustrated addition to the New York Times bestselling Folk of Air trilogy that began with The Cruel Prince, from award-winning author Holly Black. Once upon a time, there was a boy with a wicked tongue. Before he was a cruel prince or a wicked king, he was a faerie child with a heart of stone. #1 New York Times bestselling author, Holly Black reveals a deeper look into the dramatic life of Elfhame's enigmatic high king, Cardan. This tale includes delicious details of life before The Cruel Prince, an adventure beyond The Queen of Nothing, and familiar moments from The Folk of the Air trilogy, told wholly from Cardan's perspective. This new installment in the Folk of the Air series is a return to the heart-racing romance, danger, humor, and drama that enchanted readers everywhere. Each chapter is paired with lavish and luminous full-color art, making this the perfect collector's item to be enjoyed by both new audiences and old.
Sisters of Sword and Shadow
by Laura Bates
What if the Knights of the Round Table had a female counterpart? An epic Arthurian fantasy reimagining from the UK's leading and bestselling feminist writer, Laura Bates, for fans of Leigh Bardugo and Sarah J. Maas. 'An interesting thing happens when a man is defeated in combat by a woman . . . He tells nobody.' Destined for an arranged marriage, Cass dreams of freedom. So when a fierce and beautiful leather‑clad woman rides up and offers to take her away, Cass doesn't hesitate to join her. She is introduced to the Sisters of Sword and Shadow - a group of female knights training to fight, protect their community and right the wrongs of men. Drawn into a world of ancient feuds, glorious battles, and deadly intrigue, Cass soon discovers she holds a power that could change not only her own fate but that of her entire sisterhood. Introducing Laura Bates' fantasy debut, the first in a breathtaking and sweeping duology, exploring questions about power, courage and the stories we tell about the past.
The Wycherleys
by Annaliese Avery
Fall head over broomstick in love with this swoon-worthy, witchy romantic fantasy, perfect for fans of Twin Crowns, Divine Rivals and Stephanie Garber. For the Kingdom. For the magic. And for love . . . Seventeen-year-old Aurelia Wycherley is entering her debutante season as a witch. Aurelia should be excited about finding the perfect match to tether her magic to. But her magic is cursed - dark, dangerous, and not the kind that her peers want to match with - and, without a tether, she faces losing her magic completely. But when Aurelia learns that enigmatic, aloof Jules, a member of arch enemy family the Nightlys, is searching for a way that a witch can keep their magic without tethering, she realises he may be her only hope. A forbidden alliance is formed . . . but as they navigate the Magical Season with its glamoured balls and perilous trials, they uncover dark forces that threaten their families and the magical world they live in. Expect family secrets, generational curses, forbidden romance, gorgeous ballgowns, bribery, extortion, trespass, magic and kissing . . . lots of kissing. Praise for The Wycherleys 'From the first perfect line, The Wycherleys had me hooked. It's the perfect swoon-worthy fantasy-romance featuring everything I love: wonderfully drawn characters to fall and root for, an alternate history with ballgowns and broomsticks, curses, magic with a clever twist, and a world I'd love to visit.' Dominique Valente, author of the Starfell series 'A fun, tense, enemies-to-lovers romance with magic and plenty of secrets. Nothing is as it seems. It had me gripped from the first page.' Zeena Gosrani, author of This Dark Heart 'I am utterly captivated by this addictive and swoony fantasy romance! Aurelia is brave, bold and wears her curse proudly. Jules is Mr Darcy for a new generation. They set the standard for courtship. If you're not committing felonies together, is it love?' Rosie Talbot, author of Sixteen Souls
Chaos King
by Kacen Callender
WHEN THE WORLD BURNS, ASH WILL RISE.The explosive sequel to instant New York Times bestselling YA debut Infinity Alchemist by Kacen Callender.Ever since he rose up against his father and saved New Anglia from destruction, Ash has been struggling to adapt to his new life. He has nightmares every night, haunted by strange black orbs and his screaming dead mother. Ash is sure she’s trying to warn him that the world is still in danger, and becomes determined to find a way to speak to her again—but communicating with the dead isn’t easy, even for an alchemist as powerful as Ash. It doesn’t help that violent anti-alchemist sentiment is spreading across New Anglia. When Ash is captured by a radical group, inspired by his father’s legacy, he must decide if alchemist rights can be trusted in the hands of the Houses, along with his partners Callum and Ramsay—or if Ash must follow the path his father laid for him, and become the leader of an alchemist revolution. Can Ash keep his relationships together and stop the world from falling apart?“Spellbinding.” —Aiden Thomas · “Brims with possibility.” —A. R. Carpetta · “A thrilling, expansive adventure.” —Elana K. Arnold · “A blast of heart-racing magic.” —Andrew Joseph White
Passenger
by Alexandra Bracken
"Expert . . . Passenger succeeds as an adventure, as a romance and as a comparison of cultural norms." -New York Times Book Review "Riveting, romantic... Fans of Outlander will see so much of Claire in Etta, who holds a smart and headstrong lens to history. I can't wait to voyage through the next volume." -Victoria Aveyard, New York Times #1 best-selling author of Red Queen"Ambitious and exquisite." -Sarah J. Maas, New York Times #1 best-selling author of the A Court of Thorns and Roses series In one devastating night, violin prodigy Etta Spencer loses everything she knows and loves. Thrust into an unfamiliar world by a stranger with a dangerous agenda, Etta is certain of only one thing: she has traveled not just miles, but years from home. And she's inherited a legacy she knows nothing about from a family whose existence she's never heard of. Until now.Nicholas Carter is content with his life at sea, free from the Ironwoods-a powerful family in the Colonies-and the servitude he's known at their hands. But with the arrival of an unusual passenger on his ship comes the insistent pull of the past that he can't escape and the family that won't let him go so easily. Now the Ironwoods are searching for a stolen object of untold value, one they believe only Etta, his passenger, can find. In order to protect her, Nick must ensure she brings it back to them-whether she wants to or not. Together, Etta and Nicholas embark on a perilous journey across centuries and continents, piecing together clues left behind by the traveler who will do anything to keep the object out of the Ironwoods' grasp. But as they get closer to the truth of their search, and the deadly game the Ironwoods are playing, treacherous forces threaten to separate Etta not only from Nicholas but from her path home? forever.
Forest of Hearts
by M. A. Kuzniar
One touch and your heart is lost, as the hunter becomes the hunted in a dark romantasy from Sunday Times bestselling author, M. A. Kuzniar, for fans of Holly Black and Adalyn Grace. Elka has been banished to the forest by her wicked mother, who rules the city with an iron first. She is cursed to remain there forever unless she takes the hearts of seven men. Six have been slain and a wounded huntsman stumbles across her path, destined to be the seventh. But Kaz is hiding a secret of his own, arriving in the forest with another agenda and as the two get to know one another, passion begins to spark. The magic within the forest is stirring and dark forces threaten to overtake them. Elka must face the ultimate choice: relinquish her destiny or betray her heart? Step into the forest of hearts in this richly imagined take on the Snow White folklore, full of forbidden love, slow burn passion and the promise of true love's kiss.
Eternal Ruin
by Tigest Girma
Like all ruinous things, he came from the abyss. Kidan Adane has finally embraced her darkness. She's killed without remorse, broken Uxlay University's most sacred law by inviting elusive rogue vampires, the Nefrasi, into their campus, and made a truce with the one vampire she swore she'd never trust - Susenyos Sagad. Trapped with a violently unstable vampire and reeling from her sister's return, Kidan wields her anger like a weapon. She vows to master her house and protect the sacred artifact hidden within, even if it means forging an alliance with the depraved leader of the Nefrasi, Samson Sagad - and betraying Susenyos in the process. When Kidan stumbles across a dangerous new philosophical text, it seems to hold the answers she seeks and promises the very thing she has lost: control. As the dark pages consume her, Kidan realises no soul at Uxlay is trustworthy - least of all Susenyos. For Kidan and Susenyos, the lines of loathing and attraction may blur, but the quest for power rules them both. And neither is willing to surrender. As devastating secrets resurface from the past, Kidan and her sister, June, must finally confront each other and take their rightful places in the looming war.THE SECOND INSTALMENT IN THE DELICIOUSLY DARK, DANGEROUSLY ROMANTIC BLACK VAMPIRE TRILOGY, FROM #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER, TIGEST GIRMA.Praise for Immortal Dark: 'A darkly compelling story that sinks its teeth in you and doesn't let go. With a layered plot that keeps you guessing and morally grey characters you can't help but root for, Immortal Dark is an enthralling, masterful debut. I'm obsessed' Pascale Lacelle, New York Times-bestselling author of Curious Tide'A decadent dark academia fantasy that's as entrancing as it is haunting. With enthralling characters, a thrilling plot, and a delicious mystery, Tigest Girma serves up vampires like never before seen.' Nia Davenport, award-winning Author of The Blood Gift Duology'Intoxicating, compelling, and violently romantic, Immortal Dark demands to be made an obsession. With lush and impactful prose, Girma spins a tale of love and fury that aches in all the right places. This is, quite simply, the enemies-to-lovers story you've been waiting for.' M.K. Lobb, author of Seven Faceless Saints'Crackles with razor-sharp tension as it draws you into the alluring and esoteric world of Black vampires and the morally ambiguous humans who are bound to them . . . A breathless, breathtaking debut that tempts as much as it haunts.' Deborah Falaye, award-winning author of Blood Scion 'A completely original, deliciously dark take on vampires . . . I had my heart in my mouth from the first page to the very last.' Sarah Underwood, New York Times-bestselling author of Lies We Sing to the Sea