21 Books Like Fourth Wing
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Here are 21 books you should read if you loved Fourth Wing.
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The first book in Rebecca Yarros’s romantasy series, Fourth Wing is a social media sensation and has been hugely popular since its release in 2023.
21 Books Like Fourth Wing
If you’re looking for your next read, then you’re in the right place!
Whether you’re after romance, dragons, or a combination of the two, this post will outline some of the best books that you should read next.
What Makes a Book Like Fourth Wing?
With a delightful blend of romantic tension, high fantasy and formidable dragons, Fourth Wing’s winning formula has captivated readers around the globe.
For the purposes of this blog post, all of the recommendations that I’ve selected have a combination of the following characteristics:
Romantic tension between two characters
Fantasy setting, sometimes featuring magic or mythical creatures like dragons or fae
A strong female lead
Fast paced plot with high stakes
Keep on reading to find your next romantasy fix, and discover which books could fill the Fourth Wing shaped hole in your heart.
21 Books to read Like Fourth Wing
Iron Flame and Onyx Storm
As the second and third books in the series, if you loved Fourth Wing then you need to read Iron Flame and Onyx Storm!
These books continue the original story with increased stakes and sizzling romantic tension.
A Court of Thorns and Roses
Easily one of the most popular romantasy series of all time, A Court of Thorns and Roses is popular with fans around the world.
Instead of dragons, this series features creatures that are far from the garden faeries of your imagination. The fae are terrifying and powerful beings that are highly feared by mortals - setting the scene for a fantastic forbidden romance.
Synopsis:
“When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a terrifying creature arrives to demand retribution. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she knows about only from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not truly a beast, but one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled her world.
At least, he’s not a beast all the time.
As she adapts to her new home, her feelings for the faerie, Tamlin, transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie she’s been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But something is not right in the faerie lands. An ancient, wicked shadow is growing, and Feyre must find a way to stop it, or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.”
An Ember in the Ashes
If you enjoyed the intense academy setting in Fourth Wing, then you’ll love the military school that features in An Ember in the Ashes.
In this story the protagonist Laia fights against a terrifying, dystopian regime while falling in love with someone she really shouldn’t.
Synopsis:
“Laia is a slave. Elias is a soldier. Neither is free. Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.
It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do.
But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy.
There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.”
From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Another high stakes romantasy story, From Blood and Ash features an enemies to lovers romance ideal for fans of Fourth Wing’s Violet and Xaden.
Synopsis:
“A Maiden… Chosen from birth to usher in a new era, Poppy’s life has never been her own. The life of the Maiden is solitary. Never to be touched. Never to be looked upon. Never to be spoken to. Never to experience pleasure.
Waiting for the day of her Ascension, she would rather be with the guards, fighting back the evil that took her family, than preparing to be found worthy by the gods. But the choice has never been hers.
A Duty… The entire kingdom’s future rests on Poppy’s shoulders, something she’s not even quite sure she wants for herself. Because a Maiden has a heart. And a soul. And longing. And when Hawke, a golden-eyed guard honor bound to ensure her Ascension, enters her life, destiny and duty become tangled with desire and need. He incites her anger, makes her question everything she believes in, and tempts her with the forbidden.
A Kingdom… Forsaken by the gods and feared by mortals, a fallen kingdom is rising once more, determined to take back what they believe is theirs through violence and vengeance. And as the shadow of those cursed draws closer, the line between what is forbidden and what is right becomes blurred.
Poppy is not only on the verge of losing her heart and being found unworthy by the gods, but also her life when every blood-soaked thread that holds her world together begins to unravel.”
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
As a young adult title, this recommendation is less on the spicy side but still features a forbidden romance as one of its main themes.
Similar to A Court of Thorns and Roses, the book’s protagonist is kidnapped and held in the Faerie world, by creatures that are both terrifying and alluring.
Synopsis:
Of course I want to be like them. They're beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever. And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.
One terrible morning, Jude and her sisters see their parents murdered in front of them. The terrifying assassin abducts all three girls to the world of Faerie, where Jude is installed in the royal court but mocked and tormented by the Faerie royalty for being mortal.
As Jude grows older, she realises that she will need to take part in the dangerous deceptions of the fey to ever truly belong. But the stairway to power is fraught with shadows and betrayal. And looming over all is the infuriating, arrogant and charismatic Prince Cardan…
Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas
Another popular Sarah J Maas book, this title is high fantasy with plenty of romance but less spice. If you’re after a multi-book series with a similar feel to A Court of Thorns and Roses, then you need to pick up the Throne of Glass books.
Synopsis:
“Enter the realm. Unleash the darkness. Live the legend.
In a land without magic, an assassin is summoned to the castle. Celaena Sardothien has no love for the vicious king who rules from his throne of glass, but she has not come to kill him. She has come to win her freedom. If she defeats twenty-three murderers, thieves, and warriors in a deadly competition, she will be released from prison to serve as the King's Champion.
But something rotten dwells in the castle - and it's there to kill. When her competitors 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, and the people she has come to love.”
The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent
This story features a human protagonist who lives in a society filled with vicious vampires.
Not only does she enter a deadly tournament, but she also finds herself attracted to one of the other competitors, in a spicy forbidden romance that develops throughout the book.
Synopsis:
“The adopted human daughter of the Nightborn vampire king, Oraya carved her place in a world designed to kill her. Her only chance to become something more than prey is entering the Kejari: a legendary tournament held by the goddess of death herself.
But winning won’t be easy, pitting Oraya against the most vicious warriors from all three vampire houses. To survive, she will be forced to make an alliance with a mysterious rival.
Everything about Raihn is dangerous. He is a ruthless vampire, an efficient killer, an enemy to her father’s crown – and her greatest competition. Yet, what terrifies Oraya most of all is that she finds herself oddly drawn to him.
But there’s no room for compassion in the Kejari – and nothing more deadly than love…”
Daughter of No Worlds by Carissa Broadbent
Another novel that sees a female protagonist taken from her home, Daughter of No Worlds is a high combat, high stakes read, featuring a gruelling magical apprenticeship.
Synopsis:
“Her life for freedom. Her blood for love. Her soul for vengeance.
Ripped from a forgotten homeland as a child, Tisaanah learned how to survive with nothing but a sharp wit and a touch of magic. But on the night she tries to buy her freedom, she barely escapes with her life.
Desperate to save the best friend she left behind, Tisaanah journeys to the Orders, the most powerful organizations of magic Wielders in the world. To join their ranks, she must complete an apprenticeship with Maxantarius Farlione, a handsome and reclusive Wielder of fire who despises the Orders. The Orders’ intentions are cryptic, and Tisaanah must prove herself under the threat of looming war. But even more dangerous are her growing feelings for Maxantarius. The bloody past he wants to forget may be the key to her future… or the downfall of them both.
Tisaanah will stop at nothing to save those she abandoned. Even if it means gambling in the Orders’ deadly games. Even if it means sacrificing her heart. Even if it means wielding death itself.”
Trial of the Sun Queen by Nisha J. Tuli
You’ll enjoy this book if you want another high stakes tournament, similar to the one that Violet competes in during Fourth Wing.
With another spicy enemies to lovers romance, this book will keep you gripped to the last page.
Synopsis:
“Lor has endured twelve long years of torment under the Aurora King's rule. Her only desire is to get free and pay him back for every moment of misery she's endured.
When a surprise release finds her in the hands of the Sun King, Lor is thrust into the spotlight as she competes against nine other Tributes for the role of queen. If she wins his heart, she'll earn her freedom and finally get her revenge.
But Lor doesn't belong in the Sun Queen Trials. Not only does she not understand why she was freed, she isn't a citizen of the Sun King's court. The other Tributes resent her presence and will stop at nothing to ensure Lor is wiped off the gameboard, permanently.
Now Lor must win, because if she loses, she dies. Or worse, she'll be sent back into the hands of the Aurora King.”
Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
With a dystopian style setting, Shatter Me is a beloved series that involves an enemies to lovers romance.
With a total of 11 books in the series, these books make the ideal romantasy binge while you’re waiting for the next Fourth Wing book to release.
Synopsis:
“A fragile young teenage girl is held captive.
Locked in a cell by The Reestablishment – a harsh dictatorship in charge of a crumbling world. This is no ordinary teenager. Juliette is a threat to The Reestablishment's power. A touch from her can kill – one touch is all it takes.
But not only is she a threat, she is potentially the most powerful weapon they could have. Juliette has never fought for herself before but when she’s reunited with the one person who ever cared about her, the depth of the emotion and the power within her become explosive …”
These Hollow Vows by Lexi Ryan
This is another title for the fae lovers!
These Hollow Vows is a romantasy story that’s packed with romantic tension, as the main character feel herself drawn into a steamy love triangle.
Synopsis:
“Brie would do anything before making a deal with the Fae; death is better than their vicious schemes. But when her sister is taken by the sadistic king of the Unseelie court, there is nothing Brie wouldn't do to get her back-including making a deal with the king himself to steal three magical relics from the rival Seelie court.
Gaining unfettered access to the Seelie court is easier said than done. Brie's only choice is to pose as a potential bride for the Seelie Prince, Ronan-a prince who's not quite as wicked as she once thought. Unwilling to let her heart distract her, she accepts help from a band of Unseelie misfits with their own secret agenda. But as Brie spends time with their mysterious leader, Finn, she finds herself struggling to resist his seductive charm.
Caught between two dangerous courts, Brie must decide who to trust with her loyalty… and with her heart.”
The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon
A slightly different recommendation for the list, The Bone Season is a low fantasy novel set in a dystopian 2059 London.
This read is ideal if you’re looking for a departure from the usual romantasy formula, featuring paranormal beings and a slow burn romance.
Synopsis:
“Welcome to Scion. No safer place.
The year is 2059. For two centuries, the Republic of Scion has led an oppressive campaign against unnaturalness in Europe.
In London, Paige Mahoney holds a high rank in the criminal underworld. The right hand of the ruthless White Binder, Paige is a dreamwalker, a rare and formidable kind of clairvoyant. Under Scion law, she commits treason simply by breathing.
When Paige is arrested for murder, she meets the mysterious founders of Scion, who have designs on her uncommon abilities. If she is to survive and escape, Paige must use every skill at her disposal - and put her trust in someone who ought to be her enemy.”
Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross
This YA story explores the power of writing, as a series of letters draw together two rivals into a binding magical contract.
As with other young adult books, this title has plenty of romance with minimal spice to make it appropriate for younger readers.
Synopsis:
“Eighteen-year-old Iris dreams that one day her writing will make a difference. A war between gods is raging, and she’s landed a prestigious job at the Oath Gazette.
But at home, she’s barely holding it together. Her brother is missing on the frontline. Her mother is lost in a haze of addiction. And each night Iris pours her heart out in letters to her brother.
Letters that will never be answered. Or so she thinks…
Her letters have made their way into the hands of the last person Iris trusts: Roman Kitt, her cold, unforgiving rival at the paper. When he anonymously writes back, they forge a magical connection that will seal their fate forever.”
Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey
The first book in Anne McCaffrey’s legendary Dragon Riders of Pern series, these books offer super immersive world building and are perfect for readers who love dragons.
Synopsis:
“To the nobles who live in Benden Weyr, Lessa is nothing but a ragged kitchen girl. For most of her life she has survived by serving those who betrayed her father and took over his lands. Now the time has come for Lessa to shed her disguise-and take back her stolen birthright.
But everything changes when she meets a Queen dragon. The bond they share will be deep and last forever. It will protect them when, for the first time in centuries, Lessa's world is threatened by Thread, an evil substance that falls like rain and destroys everything it touches. Dragons and their Riders once protected the planet from Thread and the blood-red star, but there are very few of them left these days. Only the gigantic, golden Queen can breed new dragons. And the Queen is fading… dying…
Now brave Lessa must risk her life, and the life of her beloved dragon, to save her beautiful world…
Powerless by Lauren Roberts
Combining a slow burn enemies to lovers romance with a dangerous life or death tournament, Powerless makes the ideal read for any romantasy fan.
Synopsis:
“Only the extraordinary belong in the kingdom of Ilya… The exceptional. The Elites. The Elites have possessed powers for decades, gifted to them by the Plague, while those born Ordinary are just that, banished from the kingdom and shunned from society.
No one knows this better than Paedyn Gray, an Ordinary posing as an Elite. When she unsuspectingly saves one of Ilya’s princes, Kai Azer, she’s thrown into the Purging Trials, a brutal competition to showcase her ‘Elite’ powers.
If the Trials and the opponents don’t kill her, the prince she’s fighting feelings for will if he discovers what Paedyn really is… completely Ordinary.”
The Last Namsara by Kristen Ciccarelli
If you enjoy reading about dragons, then then you’ll love The Last Namsara, which features a dragon slayer protagonist.
Synopsis:
“Since she was a young princess, Asha has killed to protect her father's kingdom. She longs to atone for the terrible deed she committed as a child - one that almost destroyed her city, and left her with a terrible scar.
But no matter how many dragons she kills, her people still think she's wicked. So now she plans to slay the most powerful dragon of all.
And the only person standing in her way is a defiant slave boy, leading a rebellion she can't possibly be a part of…”
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
This well loved book follows main character Zélie, as she rebels against a repressive regime to restore the magic that they seek to destroy.
There’s another enemies to lovers romance here, as well as a number of dangerous paranormal creatures.
Synopsis:
“Zélie remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. When different clans ruled – Burners igniting flames, Tiders beckoning waves, and Zélie’s Reaper mother summoning forth souls.
But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, anyone with powers was targeted and killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope.
Now Zélie has a chance to bring back magic to her people and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must learn to harness her powers and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good.
Danger lurks in Orïsha, where strange creatures prowl, and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zélie herself as she struggles to come to terms with the strength of her magic – and her growing feelings for an enemy…”
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
Nearly at the end of my list, the Red Queen is another story that follows an underdog with dangerous magical powers.
This YA book isn’t considered spicy, but does feature romantic tension between some of the characters.
Synopsis:
“The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers.
To Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red thief from the poverty-stricken Stilts where the only possible future is conscription into the empire's endless war, it seems like nothing will ever change, especially now her brothers and her best friend have all been called up to spill their blood for their oppressor.
Then she finds herself recruited to work in the Silver Palace by an enigmatic stranger who turns out to be none other than the crown prince himself, Tiberias Calore. Here, surrounded by the people she hates the most, Mare discovers that she possesses a deadly power of her own - one that threatens to upend their entire world order.
Fearful of Mare's potential, the Silvers hide her in plain view, declaring her a long-lost Silver princess, now engaged to Maven Calore, their future king's brother. Even though she knows one misstep means certain death, Mare still works silently to help the Red Guard, a militant resistance group, in a desperate guerrilla effort to bring down the Silver regime once and for all.
But this is a world not only of ultimate bloodshed but also of ultimate betrayal, and Mare has been sucked into a dangerous dance - Red against Silver, prince against prince, brother against brother, head against heart…”
A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik
A legendary modern fantasy writer, Naomi Novik’s A Deadly Education makes the perfect read for fans of magical schools with a deadly twist.
This particular book is minimal on the romance side of things, which might make it unappealing for readers who adore romance.
Synopsis
“Enter a school of magic unlike any you have ever encountered.
There are no teachers, no holidays, friendships are purely strategic, and the odds of survival are never equal. Once you're inside, there are only two ways out: you graduate or you die.
El Higgins is uniquely prepared for the school's many dangers. She may be without allies, but she possesses a dark power strong enough to level mountains and wipe out untold millions - never mind easily destroy the countless monsters that prowl the school.
Except, she might accidentally kill all the other students, too. So El is trying her hardest not to use it… that is, unless she has no other choice.”
Dragonfall by L. R. Lam
For another high stakes dragon story with a steamy romance, then you need to pick up Dragonfall.
Synopsis:
“Long ago, humans betrayed dragons, stealing their magic and banishing them to a dying world. Now their descendants worship dragons as gods. But the 'gods' remember, and they do not forgive.
So when thief Arcady casts a spell to steal a powerful artefact and accidentally traps Everen - the last male dragon - in the human world, the consequences are deadly.
Everen soon realises the key to his destiny, and to regaining his true power, lies in Arcady. All he needs to do is convince them to bond with him completely - and then kill them…”
Quicksilver by Callie Hart
Last but not least, Quicksilver is set in a dark fantasy world with a main character who finds herself falling for a fae warrior.
Expect a sizzling romance and a high stakes conflict with the appearance of Death himself.
Synopsis:
“Twenty-four-year-old Saeris Fane is good at keeping secrets. No one knows about the strange powers she possesses, or the fact that she has been picking pockets and stealing from the Undying Queen's reservoirs for as long as she can remember.
But a secret is like a knot. Sooner or later, it is bound to come undone.
When Saeris comes face-to-face with Death himself, she inadvertently re-opens a gateway between realms and is transported to a land of ice and snow. The Fae have always been the stuff of myth, of legend, of nightmares... but it turns out they're real, and Saeris has landed herself in the middle of a centuries-long conflict that might just get her killed.
The first of her kind to tread the frozen mountains of Yvelia in over a thousand years, Saeris mistakenly binds herself to Kingfisher, a handsome Fae warrior, who has secrets and nefarious agendas of his own. He will use her Alchemist's magic to protect his people, no matter what it costs him… or her.
Death has a name. It is Kingfisher of the Ajun Gate. His past is murky. His attitude stinks. And he's the only way Saeris is going to make it home.”
Quick Recommendations
If you Loved the Romance
Then you should read A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas, From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout or The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent.
If you Loved the Dragons
Then you should pick up Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey, The Last Namsara by Kristen Ciccarelli or Dragonfall by L.R. Lam.
If you Loved the High Stakes
Then you should read A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik, From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout and Powerless by Lauren Roberts.
More Romance Book Recommendations
Enemies to Lovers Books to Read (to come)
Books Like It Ends With Us (to come)