I LOVE a good high fantasy novel, but I can be quite particular about the ones I do like. I find occasionally a book can get so bogged down in world building it becomes difficult to follow along and understand the world.
So I thought I would share some of my favourite high fantasy books.
Also this list would probably be better off being titled 'high fantasy series' rather than novels, because a lot of my list are entire series rather than just individual books but that's mainly because I couldn't pick just one book from a lot of these series.
1. From Blood And Ash by Jennifer L Armentrout
I am so excited to be able to talk about this book! This was a secret release that no one knew anything about other than the initials of the title (FB&A) and that it was a high fantasy novel. Jennifer had released a few brief snippets on her Facebook page; JLAnders as well as a peek at the tiniest section of the cover.
There was no real promotion, preorder or even a Goodreads page for this book until the day it released. Not even a blurb.
That is except for Jennifer's review team, of which I am lucky enough to be apart of.
We received the book earlier for review and were sworn to complete and utter secrecy.
In the acknowledgements Jennifer mentions she first had the idea for this novel back in 2016 but was unsure if she should write it since she had never released a high fantasy novel before. And I am so thankful she did because this was an instant favourite for me. I love the world and the characters and I cannot wait to read the rest of the series.
Captivating and action-packed, From Blood and Ash is a sexy, addictive, and unexpected fantasy perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Laura Thalassa.
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.
You can check out my review of From Blood And Ash HERE.
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2. The Twelve Kingdoms Trilogy by Jeffe Kennedy
I ADORE Jeffe Kennedy's novels and instantly fell in love with the vivid world and characters she created for her Twelve Kingdoms series. This series is an absolute must read, with each book following the journey of one of the High King Uorsin's daughters, Ursula, Andromeda, and Amelia.
The Mark Of The Tala is the first book in the series and follow's Andromeda and it is tied with Ursula's novel (the third book, The Talon Of The Hawk) as my favourite in the series.
Queen Of The Unknown The tales tell of three sisters, daughters of the high king. The eldest, a valiant warrior-woman, heir to the kingdom. The youngest, the sweet beauty with her Prince Charming. No one says much about the middle princess, Andromeda. Andi, the other one. Andi doesn't mind being invisible. She enjoys the company of her horse more than court, and she has a way of blending into the shadows. Until the day she meets a strange man riding, who keeps company with wolves and ravens, who rules a land of shapeshifters and demons. A country she'd thought was no more than legend--until he claims her as its queen.
In a moment everything changes: Her father, the wise king, becomes a warlord, suspicious and strategic. Whispers call her dead mother a traitor and a witch. Andi doesn't know if her own instincts can be trusted, as visions appear to her and her body begins to rebel. For Andi, the time to learn her true nature has come. . .
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3. Poison Study by Maria V Snyder
I read Poison Study for the first time way back around 2011 and was instantly hooked. I love the entire series but the first book is my favourite. I just love Yelena and Valek and how their relationship evolved.
Choose: A quick death or slow poison ... On the eve of her execution for murder, Yelena Zaltana is offered an incredible reprieve - on the condition that she becomes the food taster for the military leader of Ixia, Commander Ambrose. Avoiding poison is the least of her troubles, however ... General Brazell, father of the man she killed, has vowed bloody revenge; she's beginning to have feelings for her captor, Valek; and someone is plotting the downfall of the current regime. In a desperate race against time, Yelena must learn to control the growing magical talent within her and master the demons of her past. The Commander's life, the future of Ixia and all those she loves depend on it ...
You can read my review of Poison Study HERE.
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4. The Uncharted Realms Series by Jeffe Kennedy
This is a spin off from the Twelve Kingdoms series, and the first book, Pages Of The Mind was actually the first book by Jeffe Kennedy I had ever read (I hadn't realised it was a spin off but as soon as I finished it I went and read the Twelve Kingdoms Series) and I instantly fell in love with the world and characters she had created.
Pages Of The Mind follows Dafne after the events of Talon Of The Hawk.
An Orphan's Throne Magic has broken free over the Twelve Kingdoms. The population is beset by shapeshifters and portents, landscapes that migrate, uncanny allies who are not quite human…and enemies eager to take advantage of the chaos. Dafne Mailloux is no adventurer--she's a librarian. But the High Queen trusts Dafne's ability with languages, her way of winnowing the useful facts from a dusty scroll, and even more important, the subtlety and guile that three decades under the thumb of a tyrant taught her. Dafne never thought to need those skills again. But she accepts her duty. Until her journey drops her into the arms of a barbarian king. He speaks no tongue she knows but that of power, yet he recognizes his captive as a valuable pawn. Dafne must submit to a wedding of alliance, becoming a prisoner-queen in a court she does not understand. If she is to save herself and her country, she will have to learn to read the heart of a wild stranger. And there are more secrets written there than even Dafne could suspect…
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5. Warprize by Elizabeth Vaughan
This is a book I stumbled across when I was desperately searching Goodreads for some recommendations for high fantasy novels and found Warprize. The blurb piqued my interest and I ended up falling instantly in love with it the moment I started reading it.
I enjoyed the entire Chronicles Of The Warlands series but Warprize is probably my favourite book in the series, I just adore how Xylara and Keir's relationship develops and as well as the overall plot.
SHE MUST CHOOSE BETWEEN HER PEOPLE AND HER FREEDOM... Xylara is the Daughter of the Warrior King, Xyron. With her father dead and her incompetent half-brother on the throne, the kingdom is in danger of falling to the warring Firelanders. Before she was old enough for a marriage-of-alliance, Xylara was trained as a healer. She can't usurp her brother or negotiate a peace--but she can heal the brave ones injured in battle. But not only her countrymen are wounded, and Xylara's conscience won't let Firelander warriors die when she can do something to save them. She learns their language and their customs and tries to make them as comfortable as possible, despite their prisoner-of-war status. She never expects that these deeds, done in good faith, would lead to the handsome and mysterious Firelander Warlord demanding her in exchange for a cease-fire. Xylara knows must trade the life she has always known for the well-being of her people, and so she becomes... The Warprize
You can read my review of Warprize HERE.
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6. Hawksong by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
Hawksong is the first book in The Kiesha'ra and I absolutely love it.
I first read this back when I was in high school and found a copy of 'The Shapeshifters: The Kiesha'ra of the Den of Shadows' in Kmart's very tiny book section. The Shapeshifters contains all five books in The Kiesha'ra in one and I lost track of the amount of times I reread those book, but in particular Hawksong.
I just loved the vivid world building, not to mention Zane and Danica's relationship.
DANICA SHARDAE IS an avian shapeshifter, and the golden hawk’s form in which she takes to the sky is as natural to her as the human one that graces her on land. The only thing more familiar to her is war: It has raged between her people and the serpiente for so long, no one can remember how the fighting began.
As heir to the avian throne, she’ll do anything in her power to stop this war—even accept Zane Cobriana, the terrifying leader of her kind’s greatest enemy, as her pair bond and make the two royal families one. Trust. It is all Zane asks of Danica—and all they ask of their people—but it may be more than she can give.
You can read my full review HERE.
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7. Healer Series by Maria V Snyder
Touch of Power (Healer # 1) was the first book I had ever read by Maria V Snyder and like most of the books on this list, it was love at first read. I loved getting to know these amazing characters and learn about this epic world Maria had created, and it had the added benefit of an enemies to lovers romance which is one of my favourite tropes- I just love the angst and antagonistic witty banter.
The entire Healer trilogy is phenomenal and if you haven't read it yet, I highly recommend it.
(Also the covers are beautiful, no matter what edition you get they're all absolutely stunning)
Laying hands upon the injured and dying, Avry of Kazan assumes their wounds and diseases into herself. But rather than being honoured for her skills, she is hunted. Healers like Avry are accused of spreading the plague that has decimated the Territories, leaving the survivors in a state of chaos. Stressed and tired from hiding, Avry is abducted by a band of rogues who, shockingly, value her gift above the golden bounty offered for her capture. Their leader an enigmatic captor-protector with powers of his own is unequivocal in his demands: Avry must heal a plague-stricken prince, the leader of a campaign against her people. As they traverse the daunting Nine Mountains, beset by mercenaries and magical dangers, Avry must decide who is worth healing and what is worth dying for.
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8. The Winter King by C.L Wilson
The Winter King is the first book in the Weathermages of Mystral series by C.L Wilson and it's another one I stumbled across on Goodreads while looking for recommendations. I must admit I didn't have many expectations for this one, I had been in a rut and all the books I had tried around that time hadn't been any good but The Winter King broke that streak of DNF's and oh my god it was amazing!
And I had the perfect timing of reading it the day before the second book in the series The Sea King released, there were three years between the release of The Winter King and The Sea King so i was really excited I could just jump straight into the next book. Except now I have to wait for the third book, The Jaguar King which has an expected publication date of 2030 (?!?) and I'm praying that it'll come out sooner than that because I desperately need more.
After three long years of war, starkly handsome Wynter Atrialan will have his vengeance on Summerlea's king by taking one of the man's beautiful, beloved daughters as his bride. But though peace is finally at hand, Wynter's battle with the Ice Heart, the dread power he embraced to avenge his brother's death, rages on. Khamsin Coruscate, Princess of Summerlea and summoner of Storms, has spent her life exiled to the shadows of her father's palace. Reviled by her father, marriage to Wintercraig's icy king was supposed to be a terrible punishment, but instead offers Kham her first taste of freedom—and her first taste of overwhelming passion. As fierce, indomitable Wynter weathers even Khamsin's wildest storms, surprising her with a tenderness she never expected, Kham wants more than Wynter's passion—she yearns for his love. But the power of the Ice Heart is growing, dangerous forces are gathering, and a devastating betrayal puts Khamsin and Wynter to the ultimate test.
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9. Glass Series by Maria V Snyder
The Glass Series is a spin off from the Poison Study series and takes place after the events of Fire Study.
I really enjoyed getting to see more about Opal and also loved Valek's cameos.
This series can be read without reading Poison Study but I would recommend reading the Glass series after Poison Study.
UNSTRAINED. UNTESTED. UNLEASHED As a glassmaker and a magician-in-training, Opal Cowen understands trial by fire. Now it's time to test her mettle. Someone has sabotaged the Stormdancer clan, killing their most powerful magicians. The Stormdancers - particularly the mysterious and mercurial Kade - require Opal's unique talents to prevent it from happening again. But when the mission goes wrong, Opal must tap into a new kind of power as stunningly potent as it is frightening. And the deeper she delves into the mystery, the more distorted things appear. With lives hanging in the balance Opal and Kade must learn to control unknown powers... powers that could lead disaster beyond anything they've ever seen.
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10. White Star by Elizabeth Warren
White Star is the second book in the Epic of Palins series and has a fantastic enemies to lovers romance as well as a fantastic plot and world building.
The Epic of Plains series is great but White Star is my favourite in the series by far. I've re-read it so many times, I just love Evelyn and Orrin and their journey so much.
There is no one more adored… Everyone knows that the Lady High Priestess Evelyn is virtuous and noble, one of the leaders of the rebellion against the unjust usurper, as well as a gentle healer who channels the powers of the gods to help the sick and injured. There is no one more despised… Orrin Blackhart, the Scourge of Palins, is renowned as an evil man. As the war leader of one of the usurper’s supporters, he has killed many and has stood by while the sorceress he served created an army of the undead. And there is nothing more unexpected than passion… When Orrin takes Evelyn prisoner during the war, each will uncover more to the other than they expected. And souls that should have clashed will be forged in desire, redemption, and glory…
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So that's my top 10 favourite High Fantasy novels. If you've made it this far, thank you for reading.
What are some of your favourites? Have you read any of the ones on my list? What did you think of them?
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