🌙 10 Underrated YA Fantasy Books You’ll Wish You’d Read Sooner

Hidden gems with magic, heart, and unforgettable voices

We all know the big names — the series with merch, adaptations, and million-copy sales.

But sometimes, it’s the quieter books that stay with us the longest.

The ones you discover by accident. The ones that feel like they were written just for you.

This is a list of YA fantasy stories that deserve more love.

If you’re ready to fall in love with magic all over again — start here.

1. The Queen’s Rising – Rebecca Ross

A richly built world where passions determine your fate — and rebellion brews beneath the surface.

Political intrigue, female mentorship, and lyrical writing.

2. Forest of a Thousand Lanterns – Julie C. Dao

An East Asian-inspired villain origin story.

Xifeng is destined for greatness — but it comes at a cost. Dark, elegant, and morally complex.

3. Bones of Faerie – Janni Lee Simner

Post-apocalyptic fae meets soft melancholy.

Trees are deadly, magic is feared, and grief shapes the land.

4. Dreamhunter – Elizabeth Knox

A hauntingly original duology about a world where dreams can be captured and performed — and the consequences that follow.

5. The Keeper of Night – Kylie Lee Baker

Half Shinigami, half British Reaper — torn between two cultures and hunted by death itself.

Lush, sharp, and full of myth and fury.

6. The Girl of Fire and Thorns – Rae Carson

A chosen one story — but with food, politics, and slow-burning strength.

Elisa grows from uncertainty to queen. And it feels earned.

7. The Wrath & the Dawn – Renée Ahdieh

A retelling of One Thousand and One Nights, with lush romance and high-stakes secrets.

Shahrzad is fierce, clever, and unforgettable.

8. An Enchantment of Ravens – Margaret Rogerson

Art, fae, and danger. Isobel paints emotions that fae cannot feel — and becomes their target.

Whimsical and eerie in equal parts.

9. Blanca & Roja – Anna-Marie McLemore

A magical, queer, Latinx retelling of Swan Lake and Snow White/Rose Red.

Poetic prose and layered family dynamics.

10. The Sky Weaver – Kristen Ciccarelli

Part of The Last Namsara world — but this one follows a thief and a dragon-slayer on opposite sides.

Enemies-to-something-more, with fate and fire in every chapter.

💬 Your Turn

Which fantasy stories feel underrated to you?

What books made you whisper, “Why isn’t everyone reading this?”

Let’s share the hidden magic — and help these books find the readers who need them.