Isa's Ultimate Ranking of Romantasy Series
If you're going to read smut, make sure that there are either dragons, faeries or vampires involved.
I would like to dedicate this post to my mother, who finally decided to read A Court of Thorns and Roses years after I first recommended it to her, solely because her bestie Michelle forced her to. Shout out to Michelle as well, these series are so much better than Pucking Around.
An important note before the ranking. The sub-genre of romantasy, like most of the publishing industry, is catered towards predominantly white authors. There are so many talented romantasy writers of color that deserve our readership. More on this in an article I wrote earlier this year → Can the Romantasy Genre Bridge Diversity Gaps in Publishing?
Romantasy authors of color and their series/books on my TBR
Tether trilogy by Shanora Williams
Earthsinger Chronicles by L. Penelope
King of Battle and Blood by Scarlett St. Clair
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi
We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal
The Bone Trials by N.E. Davenport
These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong
Now without further ado, my personal ranking of romantasy series I’ve read, from least liked to most.
From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Overall ranking: 2.5/5
Level of spice: 4/5
Premise
“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.”
”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.”
”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 by the gods, but also her life when every blood-soaked thread that holds her world together begins to unravel.”
Review
The first two books of this series were not bad. They were certainly formulaic and became unnecessarily confusing as the protagonist becomes a quasi-deity, then an actual deity, then another God-like form — all within the same book. What really ruined everything for me was when the author decided to have her main character, the main character’s love interest and the love interest’s best friend have a threesome. It was forced, uncomfortable and did not make any sense in relation to the characters and their histories.
Once Upon A Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber
Overall ranking: 3.5/5
Level of spice: 1.5/5
Premise
“For as long as she can remember, Evangeline Fox has believed in true love and happy endings... until she learns that the love of her life will marry another.”
”Desperate to stop the wedding and to heal her wounded heart, Evangeline strikes a deal with the charismatic but wicked Prince of Hearts. In exchange for his help, he asks for three kisses, to be given at the time and place of his choosing.”
”But after Evangeline’s first promised kiss, she learns that bargaining with an immortal is a dangerous game—and that the Prince of Hearts wants far more from her than she’d pledged. He has plans for Evangeline, plans that will either end in the greatest happily ever after or the most exquisite tragedy...”
Review
I love a good fairytale-influenced series, and this one is no exception. The enemies to lovers dynamic in this series is fantastic — particularly because it fluctuates throughout the trilogy. The level of world-building is not quite as sophisticated as Sarah J Maas’s series which is why I ranked it lower. Honestly, I probably would have liked it more if there had been some more action between the two main characters. I am not asking for much. Unfortunately, all they did was make out.
Powerless by Lauren Roberts
Overall ranking: 3/75/5
Spiciness: 1/5
Premise
“She is the very thing he’s spent his whole life hunting.
He is the very thing she’s spent her whole life pretending to be.”
“Only the extraordinary belong in the kingdom of Ilya—the exceptional, the empowered, the Elites. The powers these Elites have possessed for decades were graciously gifted to them by the Plague, though not all were fortunate enough to both survive the sickness and reap the reward. Those born Ordinary are just that—ordinary. And when the king decreed that all Ordinaries be banished in order to preserve his Elite society, lacking an ability suddenly became a crime—making Paedyn Gray a felon by fate and a thief by necessity.”
”Surviving in the slums as an Ordinary is no simple task, and Paedyn knows this better than most. Having been trained by her father to be overly observant since she was a child, Paedyn poses as a Psychic in the crowded city, blending in with the Elites as best she can in order to stay alive and out of trouble. Easier said than done. When Paeydn unsuspectingly saves one of Ilyas princes, she finds herself thrown into the Purging Trials. The brutal competition exists to showcase the Elites’ powers—the very thing Paedyn lacks. If the Trials and the opponents within them don’t kill her, the prince she’s fighting feelings for certainly will if he discovers what she is—completely Ordinary.”
Review
This series is not ranked as high because of its similarity to older romantasy series — specifically Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard. The author of Powerless, Lauren Roberts, has come under fire for potential plagiarism, though this is mainly grounded in speculation, not actual lawsuits. Roberts wrote Powerless when she was still in high school, and it is amazing how much her prose improved in the sequel Reckless. Like Once Upon A Broken Heart, this is very much a young adult or YA series, so there is just sexual tension, no actual sex.
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
Overall ranking: 3.8/5
Spiciness: 2/5
Premise
“This is a world divided by blood—red or silver. The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change.”
”That is until she finds herself working in the Silver Palace. Here, surrounded by the people she hates the most, Mare discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy the balance of power.”
”Fearful of Mare's potential, the Silvers hide her in plain view, declaring her a long-lost Silver princess, now engaged to a Silver prince. Despite knowing that one misstep would mean her death, Mare works silently to help the Red Guard, a militant resistance group, and bring down the Silver regime. But this is a world of betrayal and lies, and Mare has entered a dangerous dance—Reds against Silvers, prince against prince, and Mare against her own heart.”
Review
This was one of the first romantasy series I read and it holds a special place in my heart. Red Queen came about during the dystopian craze in YA literature during the mid 2010s. The story was undeniably different, though it did not garner as significant of acclaim compared to other series. I will say that the Red Queen series, which goes on for five books, could easily have been a trilogy.
The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer
Overall rating: 4/5
Spiciness: 1.5/5
Premise
“Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless Lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . . Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg.”
”She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.”
Review
This was one of the first series I read where an author systematically created separate narratives each book but seamlessly brought them together by the end of the series. The Lunar Chronicles is a science fiction/fantasy sort of take on famous fairytales. The first book Cinder is a spin on Cinderella, Scarlet is a retelling of Red Riding Hood, Cress is like Rapunzel and Winter takes inspiration from Snow White. For a YA series, the world-building in this is phenomenal. I still reread The Lunar Chronicles and catch intricacies I did not clock on my first few reads.
The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent
Overall rating: 4/5
Spiciness: 4/5
Premise
“Human or vampire, the rules of survival are the same: never trust, never yield, and always – always – guard your heart.”
”The adopted human daughter of the Nightborn vampire king, Oraya carved her place in a world designed to kill her. Her only chance to become something more than prey is entering the Kejari: a legendary tournament held by the goddess of death herself. But winning won’t be easy amongst the most vicious warriors from all three vampire houses. To survive, Oraya is forced to make an alliance with a mysterious rival.”
“Everything about Raihn is dangerous. He is a ruthless vampire, an efficient killer, an enemy to her father’s crown… and her greatest competition. Yet, what terrifies Oraya most of all is that she finds herself oddly drawn to him. But there’s no room for compassion in the Kejari. War for the House of Night brews, shattering everything that Oraya thought she knew about her home. And Raihn may understand her more than anyone – but their blossoming attraction could be her downfall, in a kingdom where nothing is more deadly than love.”
Review
At a certain point, it becomes equally tiring and laughable how formulaic romantasy titles are. Just put the words crown, fire, shadow, night, mist, violence and glass into a hat, pair it with a random noun, add “of” and there is your next fantasy read. In all seriousness, if you are not familiar with romantasy but want to try it out, this is the best series to start with. This is just a duology, so there are only two books, and the plot is beautifully detailed but not drawn out. Broadbent is very economical with her characters and their plots — which I very much appreciate. Plus, this one is about vampires, so you just know the blood sucking stuff gets kinky.
Crescent City by Sarah J. Maas
Overall rating: 4.2/5
Spiciness: 4/5
Premise
“Bryce Quinlan had the perfect life-working hard all day and partying all night-until a demon murdered her closest friends, leaving her bereft, wounded, and alone. When the accused is behind bars but the crimes start up again, Bryce finds herself at the heart of the investigation. She'll do whatever it takes to avenge their deaths.”
”Hunt Athalar is a notorious Fallen angel, now enslaved to the Archangels he once attempted to overthrow. His brutal skills and incredible strength have been set to one purpose-to assassinate his boss's enemies, no questions asked. But with a demon wreaking havoc in the city, he's offered an irresistible deal: help Bryce find the murderer, and his freedom will be within reach.”
”As Bryce and Hunt dig deep into Crescent City's underbelly, they discover a dark power that threatens everything and everyone they hold dear, and they find, in each other, a blazing passion-one that could set them both free, if they'd only let it.”
Review
This is the most complex world-building Sarah J. Maas has ever written. You have to pay attention to truly appreciate how detailed each of her characters are. Part of this is because Crescent City is an urban fantasy as opposed to the other SJM series. There are phones and technology in addition to magic — which is slightly off-putting at first. Protagonist Bryce is way less annoying than Feyre from ACOTAR but her love interest Hunt is definitely not my favorite SJM male character. What is really impressive about Crescent City is that SJM begins to explore how the worlds of ACOTAR, TOG and Crescent City are all related. By the third book in Crescent City, there is a major crossover with ACOTAR.
The Empyrean by Rebecca Yarros
Overall ranking: 4.3/5
Spiciness: 4/5
Premise
“Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders. But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away...because dragons don’t bond to “fragile” humans. They incinerate them.”
”With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter—like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant. She’ll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise. Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom's protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret.”
“Friends, enemies, lovers. Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda—because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die.”
Review
I might be ranking this in my top three primarily because of the anticipation of waiting for the third book to be released early next year. It reminds me of when I would preorder the next Percy Jackson book on my Nook and wait months for it to be added to my library. Fourth Wing and Iron Flame have a near perfect balance of action, magic, conflict, sexual tension and actual sex. Plus, the twist at the end of the second book really elevated the series in my mind, as Yarros ventured further from the romantasy formula. Plus, all of this talk about secret signets is really fascinating.
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
Overall ranking: 4.35/5
Spiciness: 3.5/5, 4.5/5 for ACOSF
Premise
“When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a terrifying creature arrives to demand retribution. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she knows about only from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not truly a beast, but one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled her world. At least, he’s not a beast all the time.”
“As she adapts to her new home, her feelings for the faerie, Tamlin, transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie she’s been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But something is not right in the faerie lands. An ancient, wicked shadow is growing, and Feyre must find a way to stop it, or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.”
Review
Important context for SJM lovers. This was supposed to be her “fun” series. After finishing TOG, SJM just wanted to make a silly, sexy Beauty and the Beast retelling. Look what it has turned into! ACOTAR will always be a classic to me, though I have never reread the first book because why would you want to after you learn about Tamlin’s true nature?
There are definitely some questionable moments within the series, such as “His growls of pleasure drowned out the screams of the dying,” among many more. However, ACOTAR remains a beacon of adventure and romance for those willing to persevere through the first novel. One of my hang-ups about ACOTAR is my strong dislike for Feyre. She is undoubtedly, one of my least favorite female protagonists of all time. But I generally like all the other characters, which makes the series bearable. Shoutout to my girl Nesta for knocking Feyre down a few necessary pegs. Elain, we don’t really want the next book to be about you. Please become interesting.
Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
Overall rating: 4.5/5
Spiciness: 3/5
Premise
“In a land without magic, where the king rules with an iron hand, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She comes not to kill the king, but to win her freedom. If she defeats twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition, she is released from prison to serve as the king's champion. Her name is Celaena Sardothien.”
”The Crown Prince will provoke her. The Captain of the Guard will protect her. But something evil dwells in the castle of glass—and it's there to kill. When her competitors start dying one by one, Celaena's fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival, and a desperate quest to root out the evil before it destroys her world.”
Review
Anyone who knows me knows that this is probably my favorite book series of all time and undeniably the best SJM series. One of the reasons why: Celaena Sardothien is the most badass, unconventional female main character in contemporary fantasy. Unlike almost all of the other protagonists in romantasy, she is not an underdog nor untrained or physically weak. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but after a while the, “she’s so small, she can’t do xyz, so she comes up with this smart way of doing it different than the strong men” gets really annoying.
Celaena is a warrior, confident in her intelligence, beauty and skills. Does she question herself? Yes. But she does so in a way that exudes self-awareness as opposed to insecurity. TOG is the ultimate definition of world-building and developing a strong ensemble of characters over multiple books. Do yourself a favor and read this series. It is eight books, including an important novella.
You will be thankful you took the time.
Hope you enjoyed this ranking!
Please comment any recommendations for me and others.
Read responsibly.
