I like fantasy, but I struggle when I read fantasy. Do you feel me? Now, why you ask? The length of some books and the complexity of the plots, so when I tell you that Shadow and Bone is a series that I was able to enjoy and read, I had to find other ways to get into this genre!

I enjoy fantasy. I want to read bigger books like the Wheel of Time or Mistborn, and Elantris, but I chicken out, a lot of the time. So if you enjoyed Shadow and Bone, and Six of Crows, are done with the Netflix adaptation and more!! Then let’s check these books out!

They might not be the exact same book, because that would be boring, but they share a vibe, a feeling, and a mood, so why not?

Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi

This is the story of how Séverin Montagnet-Alarie has to recover a Babel fragment, a powerful artifact. However, Séverin cannot do it alone, they will need the help and the skills of other people who has nothing else to lose in this world. A perfect heist is never possible, but it is always fun to see it unfold!

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

This is the story of Jude, a 7 year old orphan who was stolen together with her sisters to the High Court of Faerie, a court full of beautiful creatures and including the captivating prince. However, after 10 years Jude is still trying to fit and even be part of them, and the only way to do it will be by defying Cardan, the wickedest of the princes.

We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal

This is the story of how Zafira, a legendary hunter who disguises herself as a man to hunt, has to retrieve a lost artifact. However, on a similar mission, we have prince Nasir who has to act his part to avoid violent punishments from his pather. The only struggle is that Nasir has to find the artifact and kill the legendary hunter, Zafira.

The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch

In this story, the orphan Locke Lamora dodges death and slavery by becoming a thief. Thanks to the guidance of a con artist, he becomes the infamous ruler of his band that defines seen as the most feared ruler of the underworld. However, in the shadows, he will find someone more ambitious and deadly. Keep in mind that even though this shares the same vibe as Six of Crows, this one is a bit more violent.

A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik

This is the story of a school bursting with magic, powerful deadly artifacts, and monsters. A unique heroine that you haven’t seen before, the enemy of the whole school, hated by all. Orion Lake wants her death and so do all the other students, but she won’t fall that easily. Not exactly the same, this novel has similar vibes to Six of Crows.

The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden

This is the story of Vasilisa, who faces an impossible choice: a convent or marriage. However, she does not want to settle with those two options alone, so she dresses as a boy and runs away. The Grand Prince of Moscow anoints her a hero, but the only issue is that he does not know that she is a woman, and if they find out, it will bring terrible concecuences to her and her family.

Egg & Spoon by Gregory Macguire

This is the story of how Elena Rudina crosses her path with Ekaterina, a noble family that comes to her town with a train full of food and wealth. However, this relationship will set in motion a whole adventure with multiple risks starting from Baba Yaga and her house perched on chicken legs.

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The Crown’s Game by Evelyn Skye

This is the story of the only two Russian enchanters, Vika Andreyeva who summons the snow and turns ash into gold. Nikolai Karimov can see through walls and conjure bridges out of thin air. In this thrilling and atmospheric historical fantasy, these two teenagers must compete for the right to become the Imperial Enchanter—or die in the process.

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty

This is the story of pirates and sorcerers, forbidden artifacts, and ancient mysteries, and how one woman is determined to seize a final chance at glory and become a legend on her terms.

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Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder

Yele will never be free after killing her abuser. The laws are very strict, and murderers must be executed, but instead, they offered her something… a food taster risking being assassinated by anybody, but they bound her to a daily antidote to make it even more impossible for her to escape.

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Among Thieves by M.J. Kuhn

This is the story of Ryia Cautella, who has earned a reputation as the quickest, deadliest blade. She has been running and escaping the sovereign ruler’s servants, but she knows that she can kill him and be free once and for all, so she is forced to make alliances with an assorment of characters, but the stakes are high, so are the risks of these new characters.

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A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

Kell is a smuggler, servicing people willing to pay for even the smallest glimpses of a world they’ll never see. It’s a defiant hobby with dangerous consequences, which Kell is now seeing firsthand.

Perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, they’ll first need to stay alive.

Foundryside by Robert Jackson

This is the story of Sancia Gra, a thief. Her latest target, a heavily guarded warehouse is nothing her unique abilities can’t handle. But unbeknownst to her, Sancia’s been sent to steal an artifact of unimaginable power in the same warehouse. But, someone in those houses wants Sancia dead and the artifact for themselves. And in the city of Tevanne, there’s nobody with the power to stop them.