If you’re anywhere near the romantasy side of Tik Tok these days, you’ll recognize this book. House of Flame and Shadow is the third installment of the Crescent City series, and was just released on January 30. You’ll definitely need to read the first two books before diving into this one, but in short, an unlikely heroine and her hottie mate (not her Australian friend, but like, the other half of her soul) are finally on the brink of bringing down the authoritarian regime ruling their world with an iron fist.

Goodreads rating: 4.45

Is it on Kindle Unlimited? No.

A Court of Thorns and Roses is not about tiny winged creatures with pom poms on their shoes. No, these faeries are usually 6’0” or taller, devilishly handsome, incredibly powerful... you get the drift. The series has a massive fandom on Tik Tok, thanks in part to Maas’ thirst trap-worthy characters, but also her lush fantasy realm and heart-warming depictions of friendship and romantic love. ACOTAR is the first book of five in the series, and the best entry point into what readers call ‘the Maas-iverse’: a multiverse weaving together this series, Crescent City, and Throne of Glass.

There are so many romance tropes throughout this series it’s hard to list them all, but in ACOTAR, you’ll get your fill of fated mates, found family, and morally grey characters.

Goodreads rating: 4.20

Is it on Kindle Unlimited? No.

This book is for you if you’re into forbidden love stories where the couple knows they should resist, but the forced proximity makes it impossible. Raeve is a rebel assassin, crass and foul-mouthed to boot. A chance encounter with Kaan Vaegor, a newly crowned king, has him swooning over her and the pair on their way to unlocking ancient secrets. Told through a dual POV between the two characters, readers will be immersed into a totally unique world with a novel magic system. On TikTok and in the Amazon reviews, readers say this book has “dragons done right,” so if you’ve read Fourth Wing and need something similar, here you go.

Goodreads rating: 4.32

Is it on Kindle Unlimited? Yes.

If The Hunger Games leaned way harder into the sexual tension, it would be Powerless. Paedyn Gray is an Ordinary, meaning she has no magical abilities. She should’ve been exiled with all the other nonmagical beings in the kingdom, but she lives in hiding. Prince Kai Azer is a powerful Elite who can wield any magical ability he chooses, and is set to become the kingdom’s Enforcer (read: glorified assassin). In order to solidify his superiority, he must compete in the Trials, which are essentially a rehash of the Hunger Games. Paedyn gets roped in too, and the two of them form quite the infatuation with one another. If you like drawn out tension, sexy banter, and a dark and handsome man asking, “Who did this to you?”, you’ll enjoy Powerless.

Goodreads rating: 4.32

Is it on Kindle Unlimited? No.

Elspeth Spindle lives in a dark, misty kingdom, but the scariest thing about it is the monster living in her head. The Nightmare keeps her secrets, but he is also slowly taking over her mind. When Elspeth meets a mysterious highwayman — surprise, he’s actually the king’s nephew, and a traitor to the family — the two find themselves on the hunt for 12 Providence Cards, which are the keys to curing their land.

Goodreads rating: 4.33

Is it on Kindle Unlimited? No.

Iris Winnow is 18. Her mother is suffering from addiction. Her brother is MIA on the front lines. Also, the gods are at war. And she’s just trying to snag a job at the local paper. In her spare moments, she writes letters to her brother and slips them under the door of her wardrobe, where they disappear. What she doesn’t know is where they vanish to — straight to Roman Kitt, her stoic (and hot) rival at the Gazette. But he writes back, and the two develop a steamy connection that Iris will take with her to find her brother and save humanity.

Goodreads rating: 4.26

Is it on Kindle Unlimited? Yes.

Violet Sorrengail was never supposed to end up in the Rider’s Quadrant at Basgiath War College, but here she is, trying to survive long enough to bond a dragon and learn to ride it. Xaden Riorson is the most powerful and calculating leader in the school, and he has every reason to want Violet dead. This is a steamy read with lots of tension, and an interesting magic system that feels novel. Oh, and the dragons can talk.

Goodreads rating: 4.61

Is it on Kindle Unlimited? No.

Everyone who waited in line for the midnight release of a Twilight book, listen up: we have sexy vampires here. Oraya is the adopted human daughter of the Nightborn vampire king, and has learned to survive in a world designed to kill her. To solidify her safety, she enters the Kejari, a tournament flush with vampire contestants and hosted by the goddess of death herself. Raihn is her rival, but after being forced into an alliance, he becomes a whole lot more than that. Right now the series has two complete books and two standalone novellas available, with four more to come.

Goodreads rating: 4.35

Is it on Kindle Unlimited? Yes.

Sisters Scarlett and Tella live on a tiny island with their domineering father, who has just arranged a terrible marriage for Scarlett. All she wants is to visit Caraval, an annual, invitation-only performance where the audience is part of the show. At long last, her invite arrives. But when her sister is kidnapped by Caraval’s ringleader, Legend, Scarlett learns that the show is much more than just an elaborate spectacle.

Goodreads rating: 3.99

Is it on Kindle Unlimited? No.

Jude was only 7 when her parents were killed, and she and her sisters were kidnapped to live among the faerie royals. At 17, she just wants to belong among them, but the fae aren’t hospitable to humans — especially Prince Cardan. She slowly involves herself in the palace intrigue, trying to secure a permanent place in the court, at the same time a civil war looms.

Goodreads rating: 4.05

Is it on Kindle Unlimited? No.

True love and happy endings are the cornerstone of the fairy tales you grew up with, but Evangeline Fox’s one true love is about to marry someone else. So, she strikes a deal with the cunning and immortal Prince of Hearts. He agrees to help her in exchange for three kisses, which she must give him at the time and place he chooses, but his plans for her may not align with her own. This is the first book in a trilogy, so strap in for a few books’ worth of romance.

Goodreads rating: 4.09

Is it on Kindle Unlimited? No.

Auren is King Midas’ pet. He pulled her out of the slums and gave her a room made of gold, but she’s as much a prisoner as she is a partner. When war comes to the kingdom, Auren tires of her gilded cage and steps out into the world once more to face her own demons, and her new enemies. Gild is the first in a six-book series.

Goodreads rating: 3.6

Is it on Kindle Unlimited? Yes.

Main character Poppy is a Maiden with a special magical gift, which means she must be sheltered until her Ascension ceremony, where she’ll become part of the ruling class of the kingdom. But she prefers to sneak out to sketchy taverns and kiss strangers. Hawke is her guard, assigned to ensure she makes it to the ceremony in one piece, and just so happens to be a regulation hottie (in a medieval fantasy way). There are also evil forces seeking to take over the kingdom, and maybe not everyone is exactly what they seem.

Goodreads rating: 4.24

Is it on Kindle Unlimited? No.

Main character Tisaanah has been enslaved her entire life, and when she finally gets the chance to buy her way out, she ends up killing the most powerful man in Threll. On the run, the only way to protect herself — and give herself a chance to free the friends she left behind — is to join the Orders, a group of magic wielders. To stay, she must begin an apprenticeship with Maxantarius Farlione, “a handsome and reclusive fire Wielder,” who is not at all interested in helping her master her magic. But with the threat of war advancing and their feelings for one another, things heat up quickly.

Goodreads rating: 4.06

Is it on Kindle Unlimited? Yes.