YA Fantasy Books That Altered My Brain, Shaped My Reading Experience, & Influenced My Writing

/Sourced from Free Wix Media/

If I were to include every YA (Young Adult) fantasy book that's shaped my reading interests and writing passions, no one would reach the end of this article. Therefore, I am limiting this list to books that have stuck with me "through the test of time." Despite other stories I have read more recently, these books hover in the back of my mind, lingering like a favorite memory.

So without further ado, let's begin!

The Remnant Chronicles by Mary E. Pearson

Title order:

The Kiss of Deception

The Heart of Betrayal

The Beauty of Darkness

Part of my obsession with this trilogy is the sheer nostalgia I feel when I recall reading it. When I started book 1, I had just given birth to my firstborn son. As I recovered on the couch with an adorable baby boy sleeping on my chest, I dove headlong into this amazing story, unable to put it or my sweet baby down.

The other part of my fixation with the series is the genius of the writing. The first book features a love triangle with enemies-to-lovers and "I came here to kill you," tropes. But the way it's done, and the way the setting and prophecy surround everything, make it so compelling. Princess Lia flees her arranged marriage with her handmaiden and best friend, only to be followed by the rejected prince and an assassin. As the reader, you don't know which MMC (Male Main Character) is which. I seriously about threw the book because I thought I'd read it wrong, but after listing to Cari Cakes review on her Youtube channel, Cari Can Read, I've realized this confusion and mystery was intentionally done by the author. And it adds so much to the tension! Furthermore, there is a really interesting element added early in the story: Princess Lia's back is painted for her wedding, and a part of the design won't come off. I found this so interesting. Even though 7 years have passed since I read these books, I haven't forgotten that unique magical element present in the first book. It definitely helped inspire one of the magical elements in my book, Awakening Dusk, as my FMC (Female Main Character) has magical tattoos. The rest of the series only builds from book 1. The pacing, plot, twists, and stakes are gorgeous. And the final book, The Beauty of Darkness, is my favorite book in the trilogy. Unlike a lot of YA books and series, it doesn't wrap up perfectly. But the more the conclusion lingered in my mind, the more satisfied I became with the ending.

Mary E. Pearson has more recent titles (Dance of Thieves, Vow of Thieves, and Morrighan) set in the same world. They are on my TBR (To Be Read) list.

The Cursebreaker Series by Brigid Kemmerer

Title order:

A Curse so Dark and Lonely

A Heart so Fierce and Broken

A Vow so Bold and Deadly

A couple of things before we begin . . . First, I have only read A Curse so Dark and Lonely. I do plan to read the rest of the series at some point, but I haven't prioritized it. Brigid's series often switch MCs every book, changing POVs (Point of Views) to follow a different character that was introduced in the first book. Though there is an overarching plot, I've hesitated to read the 2nd and third installments because I've heard the new POVs change the perspectives we have about the first MCs. I'm not ready for that bubble to burst, haha. Second, though I absolutely adored A Curse so Dark and Lonely, it's actually not my favorite book by this author. She originally began her career as a YA contemporary romance author, and switched into fantasy later. My favorite title by her is Letters to the Lost, which delves into grief and troubled parent/child relationships alongside a beautiful romance. Because my book falls into the YA Fantasy category, I'm only reviewing A Curse so Dark and Lonely here.

This is a Beauty and the Beast retelling, that according to the author, asks the question, "What happened to the kingdom? How did the curse affect everyone else?" And, it's a portal fantasy! I love the use of POVs in this book. You gain more insights and understanding into the characters with every chapter. And it's because of books with POVs like this one that I wanted to have dual POV in my book. The pacing of A Curse so Dark and Lonely unfolds beautifully. The backstories inform the present so well. I stayed up until early morning hours with this book. It's such a fun read. Harper, the FMC, offers great representation as a main character. She has a club foot, but the author doesn't focus on that as her defining characteristic. It's a part of her, like her wit and bold decision making, but not all of her. I thought it was well written.

The Sands of Arawiya Duology by Hafsah Faizal

Title order:

We Hunt the Flame

We Free the Stars

I read book 1 in the fall of 2021. It was one of the few books I finished reading after I lost my dad. Since it succeeded in pulling me out of a severe reading slump, I cannot stop recommending it. This is absolutely a favorite read. Book 2 is on my TBR for this year.

Winner of countless awards, We Hunt the Flame draws inspiration from ancient Arabia. The mythological creatures and cursed forest leap off the page! This book is vibrant. The characters are compelling, the world-building is rich, and the plot is an epic adventure. Hafsah also deftly uses multiple POVs to bring insights to the characters and plot. It's one of those books where the fleshed out characters and immersive plot create a well-rounded story. I read this book while revising Awakening Dusk after the developmental edit. I was so excited because the zumra (group/allies), travel and exploration, dual POVs of the MMC and FMC, and magical artifacts all lent to We Hunt the Flame being an excellent comparison title for Awakening Dusk. (Fellow writers, why is it so hard to pick comp titles?!) Also, Zafira and Nasir are such shippable protagonists. The writing is just . . . chef's kiss. I cannot wait to read the conclusion of their story!

The Bone Houses by Emily Lloyd-Jones (Standalone)

This is one of those books that manages to be both a light/fun read and a lingering story. With that said, it dives deeply into loss, death, and the complications around those things. It might not be the best choice if you're facing a recent loss or currently grieving.

The spooky fall atmosphere, fairytale-esque setting, and characters stick with you. It's a comfort read for sure, and one of my favorites.

Aderyn "Ryn" is a gravedigger, but the dead are not staying dead. Instead, the living are being threatened by reanimated "bone houses" AKA fantastical zombies. Aderyn is a relatable FMC as she struggles to keep her siblings safe in a cursed world. Ellis, the MMC, is an apprentice mapmaker. His mysterious past add intrigue to his character, but I don't remember him coming across as the stereotypical cold and aloof romantic interest. The backstory of this world and the curse created such an immersive reading experience. And the autumnal forest setting made me realize I really wanted to have fall and forests play a part in my book's setting. The Bone Houses is my first historical horror fantasy read, but it's made me realize I might enjoy exploring this genre more in the future.

The Red Queen Series by Victoria Aveyard

Title order:

Red Queen

Glass Sword

King's Cage

War Storm

This is another series that has happy memories surrounding it. When I lived in New Jersey on a military base (My husband was active Air Force Enlisted for 6 years.), my librarian friends and I fought over these books. Haha, we were all binging them at the same time, and struggling to wait for the next one to be available. That being said, I wound up waiting so long to read War Storm that I fell out of the series and have yet to read the final book.

Now, if you've read Red Queen and thought, "This isn't really my cup of tea," it wasn't mine, either. There were elements that I really loved and elements I didn't care for. I'm not sure this series would hold up for a second read-through, which is part of the reason I haven't gotten around to reading the 4th book. This is a little spoiler-y, but book 1 had a plot build-up I didn't find fully believable. Though I had not predicted the twist, it was so much more believable than what we had expected would happen. I remember thinking, "This doesn't make sense," before the twist locked everything into place. In my opinion, it truly saved the book. I was actually thankful for the twist. (Not sure if that was intentional by the author or not.) Then the 2nd and 3rd books really pulled me in and grew the story. Unlike the first book, the YA fantastical plot felt grounded in logic and not younger character/reader naivety. In fact, the direction books 2 and 3 went really influenced my writing and what I will put my characters through in regards to both setting and emotional turmoil. I don't want to spoil anything, but if you've read the Red Queen series, you'll know what I mean when my next book, Ruthless Dawn, comes out.

The Spoken Mage Series by Melanie Cellier

Title order:

Voice of Power

Voice of Command

Voice of Dominion

Voice of Life

I discovered Melanie Cellier with her fairytale retellings on KU (Kindle Unlimited). This was her first original fantasy world series. The romance, tension, magic system, and academy setting worked together to create a light and exciting read. However, there is a love triangle, and if I'm not mistaken, cheating (kissing only). If I remember correctly, it was an instance where I wished the FMC made better choices, but did not think the author was condoning cheating. This is a clean (no spice) romantic fantasy.

All the books are fast, fun reads, leaning toward a younger audience. What stands out the most to me in this series is the magic system. It explores the power of language, particularly the written word. There are two classes, those who can read and access magic in a controlled and safe way, and those who cannot. If an illiterate person managed to decipher a bit of text, the result is magically explosive and devastating. Of course, the FMC cannot read, but discovers hidden powers when she stumbles upon an illicit word. At the academy, she attends classes to learn how to control her power. But the way the magic is strategic and preplanned makes the spell-casting really interesting. Spells have to be written out a certain way, and the parchment must be ripped to release the magic and enact the spell. So if there's a dual or conflict, and a character didn't plan for a certain spell that she winds up needing, she can't cast that spell unless she writes it out. Eventually this element changes as the characters and plot grow throughout the series, but it's such fascinating concept.

In the last few years, Melanie wrote a companion novel, Power of Pen and Voice. While I think it could be fun to go back into this world, I felt the 4th book wrapped things up nicely. I currently have no plans to read the companion novel. This is another series that was an entertaining first read, but probably wouldn't hold up for rereads unless the reader was in the targeted age demographic.

The Black Mage Series by Rachel E. Carter

Title order:

First Year

Apprentice

Candidate

Last Stand

I binge read this series after reading The Spoken Mage Series. This series is another fast, fun romantasy (romantic fantasy) read. It's set in a magical academy (war school) with enemies-to-lovers and rivals tropes. Similar to The Spoken Mage Series, the stakes grow with each book. Because I flew through these books back-to-back, I recall little of the plot, but I remember the feelings this story left with me. I actually paused reading the Last Stand at the 40% mark because I was so scared the conclusion wouldn't end how I wanted it to. However, even though the characters are very flawed, there is a lot of growth at the end. Despite all the secrets, political intrigue, war, and betrayal, I found the ending very satisfying. But, ugh, my heart went through the wringer with all the romantic tension. And this definitely influenced my desire for readers to experience tumultuous emotions while reading my work. Overall, The Black Mage Series is an entertaining and easy book series if you're looking to escape into a bingeable story.

The Legends of Muirwood Series by Jeff Wheeler

Title order:

The Wretched of Muirwood

The Blight of Muirwood

The Scourge of Muirwood

I don't have a lot to say about this series except that Jeff Wheeler is one of my favorite authors! I flew through the first two books and panicked midway through the last book. Though I don't remember what was going on in my life at the time, I recall being emotionally unprepared for the stakes and romantic plot. My distress was real, haha. Then I became distracted with other books and never finished the trilogy. (What's wrong with me?!) My plan is to reread the first two books so I can finally read the conclusion of this story! That being said, I loved the setting, atmosphere, plot, characterization, romance- literally everything about these books, which is why I think it warrants a reread. There is also a plot element that helped inspire something that will occur later on in my series. I love it when one person's creativity and master storytelling create ripple effects, spurring new ideas and more creativity. Definitely go check these books out!

Have you read any of these? What would you add to the list? Let's talk in the comments! ;)

And please let me know if you enjoyed this article! I'm considering writing more like it!

Thanks for reading,

R. Weidner