7 Fantasy Books Every Magic Lover Should Read

If you’re drawn to worlds where magic isn’t just a tool but a force that shapes destinies, these seven books offer stories worth exploring. Each one features characters who navigate treacherous paths, complex relationships, and dangerous forces, creating immersive experiences for anyone captivated by fantasy, witches, and dark magic.

Tress lives a quiet life on an isolated island, collecting cups from passing sailors, until a promise from a missing friend sets her on an epic journey. Boarding a smuggler ship, she befriends a talking rat, navigates a crew of morally ambiguous pirates, and confronts a powerful sorceress.

The story combines adventure and clever problem-solving, and readers who enjoy elaborate world-building, cunning heroes, and a touch of magic-driven intrigue will find this tale compelling. Sanderson’s blend of humour, peril, and clever magical mechanics makes it a satisfying read for both longtime fantasy fans and newcomers to the Cosmere universe.

Six of Crows is the first book in a duology, completed with Crooked Kingdom, and is part of Bardugo's larger Grishaverse. 

Set in Ketterdam, a city brimming with crime and intrigue, Six of Crows follows a crew of outcasts pulled together for a nearly impossible heist. Each character carries a complicated past: a spy saved from captivity, a sharpshooter battling addiction, and a healer wrestling with loyalty and morality. 

Their mission, rescuing a scientist from an unbreachable prison, requires trust, cunning, and a willingness to bend rules. Bardugo’s strength lies in her character development: every crew member is layered, flawed, and relatable, making the stakes feel personal. Readers who enjoy strategic planning, moral ambiguity, and a heist with magical twists will find themselves fully invested.

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This story begins in a world stripped of magic. Zelie, a young heroine, remembers a time when the soil of Orisha hummed with power, and her people wielded elemental magic. Now, magic has vanished, and she must navigate a dangerous kingdom to restore it. Alongside a rogue princess, Zelie faces magical beasts, vengeful spirits, and an enemy prince determined to eradicate magic for good. 

What stands out is Adeyemi’s ability to blend action and emotion, creating a world that feels alive and a protagonist whose struggle is relatable. Fans of stories where magic intertwines with cultural depth and social tension will find this both thrilling and thought-provoking.

Sciona, orphaned and driven by ambition, has spent her life striving to become the first woman admitted to the High Magistry. But achieving her goal only reveals a new set of challenges, including colleagues who actively undermine her and a lab assistant with a mysterious past. Together, they uncover a secret that could change the course of magic itself. 

Wang’s narrative offers a layered exploration of power, perseverance, and hidden histories. Readers drawn to character-driven fantasy with political intrigue, complex mentorship dynamics, and magical secrets will find Sciona’s journey rewarding and immersive.

Emery Blackwood has built a quiet life on a remote island, trying to leave a painful past behind. But when strange magical events begin, and someone from her past returns, she is forced to confront old wounds and the town’s hidden secrets. 

Young combines a slow-burning mystery with subtle magic and emotional tension, making the story engaging for readers who appreciate atmospheric settings, complex relationships, and the way small magical occurrences can uncover larger truths. The book blends grief, romance, and folklore in a way that feels close rather than fantastical for fantasy’s sake.

Jess, a young girl with an English father and Nigerian mother, struggles with identity and fitting in. Visiting Nigeria introduces her to a friend, TillyTilly, who seems innocent at first but quickly grows unsettling. 

Oyeyemi uses Nigerian mythology and themes of duality to explore psychological and spiritual layers, creating a narrative that is eerie and beautiful at the same time. Readers interested in folklore, identity, and stories where the magical feels both real and symbolic will find this book particularly compelling.

Fritzi, a witch whose coven was attacked, and Otto, a witch hunter with his own vendetta, are thrown together by circumstance. Each seeks revenge for their pasts, but their collaboration uncovers a larger, more dangerous plot. As trust develops, their growing feelings add an unexpected layer to the story. 

This novel balances action, magic, and tension-filled alliances, appealing to readers who enjoy stories where enemies must become allies, and personal stakes intersect with broader magical threats.

Each of these books invites readers into worlds where magic has tangible consequences, where choices shape destinies, and where witches and other magical beings confront danger, deception, and discovery. 

For anyone who enjoys well-arranged storytelling, morally complex characters, and settings that are as dangerous as they are captivating, these seven books offer hours of immersive reading and a chance to explore the darker, more intricate sides of magic.