Author: Rachel Gillig
One Dark Window
Description:
Elspeth harbors a monstrous secret in her mind and joins a rebel group to save her kingdom — even as the dark magic inside her grows harder to control.
Why I Recommend It:
Lush and gothic with a shadowy magic system and a romance built on secrets. Feels like a dark fairytale gone wrong.
Tropes:
Monster Within, Cursed Power, Grumpy/Sunshine, Secret Rebel Magic
📕 Hardcover:
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📗 Paperback:
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Author: Tricia Levenseller
The Shadows Between Us
Description:
Alessandra plans to seduce and murder the Shadow King — until real feelings complicate her ambition.
Why I Recommend It:
Scheming heroine + literal shadow magic + romantic tension = perfection. Morally gray and proud of it.
Tropes:
Villainous Heroine, Political Intrigue, Enemies to Lovers, Shadow Powers
📕 Hardcover:
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📗 Paperback:
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Author: R.F. Kuang
The Poppy War
Description:
Rin escapes poverty by earning a place at a prestigious academy — but war and ancient magic awaken something terrifying inside her.
Why I Recommend It:
Brutal and brilliant. This is a descent into darkness, power, and consequence with no easy answers.
Tropes:
Military School, Chosen One, War Magic, Tragic Power Arc
📕 Hardcover:
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📗 Paperback:
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Author: Elizabeth May
To Cage a God
Description:
Revolutionaries with magical bloodlines plot to dethrone an immortal Empress — but every alliance is a gamble.
Why I Recommend It:
This one's full of betrayal, alchemy, and calculating heroines. Complex, sharp, and high-stakes.
Tropes:
Revolution, Magic & Machinery, Anti-Heroine, Political Fantasy
📕 Hardcover:
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📗 Paperback:
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Author: Thea Guanzon
The Hurricane Wars
Description:
Alaric and Talasyn are enemies bound by magic and fate. Their hatred simmers… until something more dangerous ignites.
Why I Recommend It:
Political tension, elemental magic, and a romance burning with resentment and longing. Enemies-to-lovers perfection.
Tropes:
Enemies to Lovers, War-Touched Romance, Forced Alliance, Light vs Dark
📕 Hardcover:
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📗 Paperback:
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Author: Sunyi Dean
The Book Eaters
Description:
Devon was raised on fairy tales — and taught to literally eat books. But her dark hunger for freedom may devour everything she loves.
Why I Recommend It:
Strange, gothic, and hauntingly original. This mother-daughter survival story is vicious and intimate.
Tropes:
Monstrous Heroines, Cults, Dark Motherhood, Hidden Magic
📕 Hardcover:
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📗 Paperback:
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