For all the fans of Sarah J. Maas‘ romance-fantasy series A Court of Thorns and Roses, the quest for finding another great read can be daunting. After all, obsessing over a book after you’re done reading it might only make you more hesitant to try something new. Will any other story compare? No story could ever be as good, right?
Well, if you’re thinking just that, fear not, there are plenty of other good books out there for you to try. In fact, ACOTAR’s success was so big that there are a number of videos on TikTok (aka the platform that made Maas’ series blow up in the first place) dedicated to the same struggle: What to read after ACOTAR. And, as it turns out, the list of options is quite extensive.
So, by researching all of these TikToks, we compiled a list of 21 books that might be your best bet after wrapping up the ACOTAR series. From Maas’ very own Throne of Glass or Crescent City to Jennifer L. Armentrout’s From Blood and Ash and A Deal With the Elf King by Elise Kova, all these books will have you hooked in everything fantasy and romance in no time.
Check out all of the must-reads after ACOTAR below!
‘Throne of Glass’ by Sarah J. Maas
Throne of Glass, by ACOTAR’s very own Sarah J. Mass, follows Celaena Sardothien, an assassin summoned to the King’s castle to unlock her freedom. If she succeeds in a series of challenges, including defeating twenty-three murderers, she would be released from prison. Her mission changes, however, when her enemies start dying mysteriously one by one. “Celaena’s fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival and a desperate quest to root out the evil before it destroys her world,” the description reads.
‘Crescent City’ by Sarah J. Maas
Also written by Mass, Crescent City follows Bryce Quinlan, a half-human, half-fae party girl who is pulled into a dangerous investigation after her best friend is murdered by a demon. After becoming the investigation prime suspect, Bryce then partners with a Fallen angel called Hunt Athalar as they try to clear her name together. “As Bryce and Hunt dig deep into Crescent City’s underbelly, they discover a dark power that threatens everything and everyone they hold dear, and they find, in each other, a blazing passion,” the book’s description reads.
‘From Blood and Ash’ by Jennifer L. Armentrout
From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout is also all over BookTok. The first of the series follows Poppy, a person chosen by the gods to protect and serve them. While waiting for the day of her Ascension, however, Poppy meets Hawke, a golden-eyed guard who may put her entire destiny at risk. “He incites her anger, makes her question everything she believes in, and tempts her with the forbidden,” the novel’s description reads.
‘The Serpent & the Wings of Night’ by Carissa Broadbent
The Serpent & the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent follows Oraya, the adopted human daughter of the Nightborn vampire king who lives in a world where humans are at the bottom of the totem pole. To survive the world that’s made to kill her, Oraya decides she needs to win the legendary tournament held by the goddess of death herself. To survive, Oraya is forced to make an alliance with a mysterious rival, Raihn. “Their blossoming attraction could be her downfall, in a kingdom where nothing is more deadly than love,” the description reads.
‘The Prison Healer’ by Lynette Noni
The Prison Healer, written by Lynette Noni, follows seventeen-year-old Kiva Meridan, a young woman who’s been fighting for her survival for ten years at a notorious death prison while she worked as a prison healer. One day, Kiva is tasked to take care of the Rebel Queen, a terminally ill woman who’s about to be challenged to undergo the Trial by Ordeal: a series of elemental challenges against the torments of air, fire, water, and earth. Kiva then volunteers to take her place to keep her alive, but she has no idea what she’s bargained for.
‘Shatter Me’ by Tehereh Mafi
Shatter Me by Tehereh Mafi tells the story of Juliette Ferrars, a woman who has the power to kill with just one touch. And while she battles with feeling like a danger and a burden, the Reestablishment sees her as a gift and a deadly weapon. “But when she’s reunited with the one person who ever cared about her, she finds a strength she never knew she had,” the description reads.
‘Ledge’ by Stacey McEwan
For the people who live in Ledge, their destiny falls into one of two options if they attempt to leave: either they fall to their death from their icy cliffside village or they become a human sacrifice to the Glacians, a species of incredibly strong beings who come to steal a member of the town once every season. In Ledge, written by TikToker Stacey McEwan, readers follow Dawsyn, an axe-wielder who’s chosen by the Glacians as their next target. Her fate is interrupted, however, half-Glacian bat-winged half-breed Ryon rescues her.
‘Kingdom of the Wicked’ by Kerri Maniscalco
At the heart of Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco is the story of the love of two sisters. The plot follows Emilia, a young witch who keeps her identity hidden as she lives with her family in their small town. Her life turns upside down, however, when she finds that her sister, Vittoria, was brutally murdered. To help avenge her sister, she invokes dark magic, including Wrath, a hell prince who is nothing like she has expected.
‘Trial of the Sun Queen’ by Nisha J. Tuli
Written by Nisha J. Tuli, Trial of the Sun Queen follows Lor, a prisoner of the Aurora King who is suddenly thrust into a competition against nine other Tributes for the role of Sun Queen. Compared to her competitors, however, Lor feels like she’s not meant to be there. “Not only does she not understand why she was freed, she isn’t a citizen of the Sun King’s court,” the description reads. “The other Tributes resent her presence and will stop at nothing to ensure Lor is wiped off the gameboard, permanently.”
‘These Hollow Vows’ by Lexi Ryan
These Hollow Vows, by Lexi Ryan, follows Brie, a fearless young woman who makes a deal with the King to get her sister back if she steals three magical relics from the Seelie court. To do that, however, Brie poses as a potential bride for Prince Ronan, the Seelie court’s Prince who she can barely resist. “Caught between two dangerous courts, Brie must decide who to trust with her loyalty. And with her heart,” the description reads.
‘Lightlark’ by Alex Aster
Lightlark, by Alex Aster, follows Isla Crown, a young ruler of the realm of Wildling, as she competes in the Centennial, a deadly game that happens once every century in which only the rulers of six realms are invited to play. “To survive, Isla Crown must lie, cheat, and betray,” the description reads. “Even as love complicates everything…”
‘Daughter of No Worlds’ by Carissa Broadbent
Daughter of No Worlds by Carissa Broadbent follows Tisaanah, a young woman who will go to just about any length to buy her freedom. One day, after losing her best friend, Tisaanah goes to the Orders, the most powerful organization of magic Wielders in the world. To join their ranks, she must complete an apprenticeship with Maxantarius Farlione, a handsome and seemingly irresistible fire wielder who despises the Orders.
‘Fourth Wing’ by Rebecca Yarros
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros follows Violet Sorrengail as the heroine, a frail yet impossibly smart 20-year-old who is set to attend Basgiath War College in the mythical land of Navarre. On Conscription Day –the day when they’re assigned their Quadrant– Violet’s mother forces her to choose the most noble yet challenging option: becoming a dragon rider. “With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success,” the description reads. “Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda―because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die.”
‘Court of Sun’ by K.M. Mixon
As one of the most recent books on this list, K.M. Mixon’s Court of Sun might be BookTok’s next obsession. The book follows Milana, a young woman who’s trying to survive the dying world that’s being destroyed by a plague. At the same time, the Dark King of the Fae finds himself haunted as he embarks on a mission to save his community. “In the dimmest of times, two souls will intertwine and piece together a puzzle that’s been broken for centuries,” the description reads.
‘Neon Gods’ by Katee Robert
In its description, Neon Gods by Katee Robert is described as a “scorchingly hot modern retelling of Hades and Persephone that’s as sinful as it is sweet.” The story tells the story of Persephone Dimitriou as she flees the city of Olympus and makes a deal with Hades to keep her in the dark. The description reads, “Every breathless night spent tangled together has given Hades a taste for Persephone, and he’ll go to war with Olympus itself to keep her close…”
‘Air Awakens’ by Elise Kova
Elise Kova’s Air Awakens follows seventeen-year-old library apprentice Vhalla Yarl as she uncovers her rare magical abilities after saving one of the most powerful sorcerers of them all—the Crown Prince Aldrik. “Now she must decide her future: Embrace her sorcery and leave the life she’s known, or eradicate her magic and remain as she’s always been,” the description reads.
‘Gild’ by Raven Kennedy
Raven Kennedy’s Gild, the first in The Plated Prisoner Series, is a modern retelling of the myth of King Midas. The novel tells the story of a woman who’s been placed on a pedestal by King Midas and is surrounded by Gold. When war comes to the Kingdom, her safety, and her trust in the King are ultimately broken. “Because these bars I’m kept in, no matter how gilded, are still just a cage,” the protagonist says in the description. “But the monsters on the other side might make me wish I’d never left.”
‘A Deal With the Elf King’ by Elise Kova
A Deal With the Elf King by Elise Kova tells the story of Luella, a nineteen-year-old who dedicated her life to studying herbology and healing after escaping the selection of becoming the elves’ Human Queen. That is, however, until the Elf King unexpectedly arrives in the town looking for her. “Everything Luella had thought she’d known about her life, and herself, was a lie,” the description reads. “Taken to a land filled with wild magic, Luella is forced to be the new queen to a cold yet blisteringly handsome Elf King.”
‘The Cruel Prince’ by Holly Black
Holly Black’s The Cruel Prince follows 17-year-old Jude, an orphan who was taken to the High Court of Faerie when she was just seven years old. Now, at 17, she wants to escape but to do that she’ll have to face Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King. “In doing so, she becomes embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, discovering her own capacity for bloodshed,” the description teases.
‘Prized Possession’ by Nikole E. Galant
Prized Possession, written by Nikole E. Galant, follows the land of Aezerahn. “Earth falls victim to Aezerahn’s wrath, and as death, souls, and shadows of the afterlife prowl the human streets, time is not so forgiving when bodies begin to disappear,” the description reads. In this book, find out the story of the girl who escaped just in time.
‘The Book of Azrael’ by Amber Nicole
Amber Nicole’s The Book of Azrael follows protagonists Dianna and Samkiel in a true enemies-to-lovers fantasy. Dianna, for her part, serves as the right hand to the king of monsters while Samkiel, the World Ender, can no longer hide from the crown and his responsibilities when old threats resurface. “Now enemies older than time must put aside their differences and work together in hopes of saving both their world and every realm in between,” the description reads.
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