What Are The Best Fantasy Series For Teenage Book Lovers?

My sister is that age and she’s obsessed with anything romantic and fast-paced. She tore through Sarah J. Maas’s 'A Court of Thorns and Roses' series like it was candy. I tried the first one and it was… a lot. Very dramatic, very intense romantic tension, fairly spicy later on. Definitely for the older teen crowd. But she and her friends have entire group chats dissecting every interaction between Feyre and Rhysand. It’s their whole personality right now.

She also loved 'The Cruel Prince' by Holly Black. Enemies-to-lovers with faeries, political intrigue, and a viciously ambitious heroine. Jude is not a nice person, and my sister loved that. Said it was refreshing after so many ‘chosen one’ protagonists who are just inherently good. The Folk of the Air series is all about manipulation and power plays in a gorgeous, cruel setting. It’s a bit darker, but that seems to be what her circle is gravitating toward—fantasy where the stakes feel morally grey and personal, not just about saving the world.

Okay, this might be an unpopular take, but I feel like the 'best' recommendations often just recycle the same five mega-popular series everyone already knows. Like, yeah, 'Six of Crows' is fantastic, 'Percy Jackson' started a whole generation, and 'Harry Potter' is a given. But I’ve got this younger cousin who just burned through those and was like, “Now what?” She wanted something that felt like those but wasn’t the same exact thing she’d already read ten times.

I started her on Maggie Stiefvater’s 'The Raven Cycle'. It’s got magic and quests, but it’s woven into this small-town Virginia setting with psychics and ley lines and a friend group dynamic that just feels so painfully, beautifully real. The magic isn’t a system with rigid rules; it’s eerie and atmospheric, more about longing and discovery than casting spells. It grabbed her in a way the more straightforward adventure stuff didn’t anymore.

Another one that doesn’t get enough love for this age group is 'The Gilded Wolves' by Roshani Chokshi. It’s a heist novel set in an alternate 1889 Paris, with a crew of outcasts, puzzle-solving, and this deep exploration of colonialism and stolen history. The banter is top-tier, and it’s just so smart and lush. Sometimes teens are ready for more complex themes wrapped in a thrilling package, and this series delivers.

For a total shift, 'Cemetery Boys' by Aiden Thomas is a standalone (for now) but perfect. A trans brujo trying to prove himself accidentally summons the wrong ghost—a cute, annoying one who won’t leave. It’s a love story, a mystery, and a celebration of culture and identity, all with this warm, magical heart. It proves the best fantasy can also be deeply personal.

Seriously, just give them 'Percy Jackson'. It’s the perfect entry point. The humor is timeless, the chapters are short and action-packed, and Rick Riordan’s voice is so engaging. It demystifies mythology in the best way. After that, the whole Riordan Presents imprint opens up a world of myth-based series from different cultures. It’s a whole ecosystem of great storytelling that meets readers right where they are.

Don’t sleep on the older series, honestly. A lot of the current golden age YA fantasy stands on the shoulders of Tamora Pierce’s Tortall books. 'Song of the Lioness' was my gateway drug. Alanna disguises herself as a boy to become a knight, and it’s all about proving herself through sheer grit and talent. The writing is straightforward but the heart is massive. It’s foundational. I still re-read them for comfort.

For something epic and world-spanning with a unique magic system, 'The Grisha Trilogy' by Leigh Bardugo (starting with 'Shadow and Bone') is a solid pick, though I actually think the Six of Crows duology set in the same world is stronger. But the original trilogy has that classic ‘orphan discovers immense power’ narrative that just works. The Fold is a terrifying and brilliant piece of world-building. It’s a good bridge from middle-grade to more mature YA themes.

Lately, I’ve seen a bunch of teens at the library grabbing 'Legendborn' by Tracy Deonn. It’s a King Arthur retelling set at a Southern college, mixed with secret societies and ancestral magic rooted in African American history. It deals with grief and systemic racism while having a cracking plot and a love triangle that actually feels urgent. It feels modern and necessary and thrilling all at once.