---

🌹 7 Spellbinding Books Like ACOTAR That Will Ruin You (In the Best Way)

Grab your oversized sweatshirt, a candle that smells like “male protagonist,” and get ready—because if you’ve just finished A Court of Thorns and Roses and are feeling emotionally injured in the most delicious way (hello, welcome to the club 🫶), then these 7 books will wreck you, romance you, and resurrect you. 💀💘

*This site participates in the amazon associates program. Some links may contain affiliate links, we might earn a little commission—at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products and ideas we genuinely love. Please read my Disclosure Policy for additional information.

Each one hits that perfect ACOTAR sweet spot:

• 🌍 Wonderful worlds

• 💔 Risky, forbidden romance

• 🔥 Slow burns & plot twists

• 📚 Series you’ll obsess over

Let’s dive in! 👇

---

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

Check Out Book Here

Listen To Audiobook Here

“Enter Basgiath’s ruthless war college, where dragon bonding may be more likely than survival.”

📚 Overview:

• Publication Date: May 2, 2023

• Publisher: Red Tower Books

• Genre: Romantic Fantasy, New Adult Fantasy

• Goodreads Rating: ★ 4.55

• Other Ratings: Rave reviews from the fantasy community

✨ Things You’ll Enjoy:

• DRAGON. RIDERS. (Yes, we’re screaming.)

• Spicy slow-burn romance with elite military training vibes

• A protagonist who’s chronically ill and disabled—yet totally badass

⚠️ What Could Go Wrong:

• The pacing dips slightly mid-book

• Romance is intense and steamy—may not suit fans of cleaner reads

Vibe Check: Think How to Train Your Dragon meets Divergent with a dash of From Blood and Ash.

---

 A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer

Check Out Book Here

Listen To Audiobook Here

A modern girl is transported into a mystical realm to break a curse—but this isn’t the fairy tale of your childhood.

📚 Overview:

• Publication Date: January 29, 2019

• Publisher: Bloomsbury

• Genre: YA Fantasy, Retelling

• Goodreads Rating: ★ 4.11

✨ Things You’ll Enjoy:

• A heroine with cerebral palsy—realistic, powerful, and inspiring

• Deep emotional arcs and a romantic slow burn

• Perfect for Beauty and the Beast fans… but with a fierce twist

⚠️ What Could Go Wrong:

• Some readers find the plot predictable

• Light on spice (leans more YA than New Adult)

Vibe Check: Gentle, courageous, and just magical enough to break your heart.

---

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

Check Out Book Here

Listen To Audiobook Here

What if the “chosen one” is uncertain, self-conscious… and destined to rule?

📚 Overview:

• Publication Date: September 20, 2011

• Publisher: Greenwillow Books

• Genre: YA Fantasy, Coming-of-Age, Political Intrigue

• Goodreads Rating: ★ 4.02

✨ Things You’ll Enjoy:

• A plus-size, insecure heroine who evolves into a queen

• Religious symbolism, court politics, and brilliant worldbuilding

• Romance that develops slowly and naturally

⚠️ What Could Go Wrong:

• Very little romance early on

• Political plotting may feel dense for readers seeking fast-paced action

Vibe Check: Self-discovery + destiny = transformation, tears, and triumphs.

---

Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan

Check Out Book Here

Listen To Audiobook Here

“In a world where women are owned, two girls choose each other—and fight back.”

📚 Overview:

• Publication Date: October 23, 2018

• Publisher: Little, Brown

• Genre: YA Fantasy, LGBTQ+ Romance

• Goodreads Rating: ★ 4.14

✨ Things You’ll Enjoy:

• Tender, sapphic romance at the heart of a brutal empire

• A unique fantasy world inspired by Southeast Asian cultures

• Themes of identity, trauma, and rebellion

⚠️ What Could Go Wrong:

• Depictions of sexual violence (trigger warnings advised)

• Emotional journey sometimes outweighs the plot action

Vibe Check: Fierce and tender. This one hurts and heals.

---

A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown

Check Out Book Here

Listen To Audiobook Here

He must kill her to save his sister. She must kill him to save her kingdom. Sparks fly (obviously).

📚 Overview:

• Publication Date: June 2, 2020

• Publisher: HarperCollins

• Genre: YA Fantasy, Enemies-to-Lovers

• Goodreads Rating: ★ 4.12

✨ Things You’ll Enjoy:

• West African mythology and cultural richness

• A dual POV (Malik & Karina) that’s utterly compelling

• Haunted spirits, royal secrets, and high-stakes magical rituals

⚠️ What Could Go Wrong:

• Worldbuilding takes time to ramp up

• Fast-paced final act may feel a bit rushed

Vibe Check: Danger, folklore, romance, and royal drama—YES PLEASE.

---

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Check Out Book Here

Listen To Audiobook Here

The series that launched a thousand obsessions. If you haven’t read it yet—why not?

📚 Overview:

• Publication Date: August 7, 2012

• Publisher: Bloomsbury

• Genre: YA Epic Fantasy

• Goodreads Rating: ★ 4.14

✨ Things You’ll Enjoy:

• Assassin competitions, court intrigue, and magical kingdoms

• Romance that shifts and grows across several books

• Found family, epic battles, and serious character evolution

⚠️ What Could Go Wrong:

• The first book feels light compared to the rest of the series

• Genre shift from assassin fantasy to high fantasy may throw some readers off

Vibe Check: Strap in. This one’s a journey—worth every page.

---

Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin

Check Out Book Here

Listen To Audiobook Here

Forced to marry. Destined to hate. Doomed to fall in love.

📚 Overview:

• Publication Date: September 3, 2019

• Publisher: HarperTeen

• Genre: YA Fantasy Romance

• Goodreads Rating: ★ 4.15

✨ Things You’ll Enjoy:

• Marriage of convenience trope at its juiciest

• Enemies-to-lovers with biting banter and wild chemistry

• Witchcraft, dark secrets, and some swoony angst

⚠️ What Could Go Wrong:

• Worldbuilding is more romance-forward than epic

• Fantasy elements sometimes take a back seat to the relationship

Vibe Check: Sarcastic witches + cinnamon roll witch-hunters = chef’s kiss.

---

📊 Quick Comparison Table

 

❤️ What Should You Read Next?

If you’re craving…