Julie C. Dao is a Vietnamese-American author celebrated for imaginative young adult fantasy steeped in folklore, court intrigue, and dark magic. Best known for Forest of a Thousand Lanterns and its sequel, Kingdom of the Blazing Phoenix, she creates lush, dramatic stories inspired by East Asian traditions.
If you love Julie C. Dao's blend of fairy-tale atmosphere, ambitious heroines, and richly drawn worlds, these authors are well worth adding to your reading list:
Elizabeth Lim writes enchanting fantasy that weaves together fairy-tale elements, romance, and Asian-inspired settings. Her novels have the same sweeping sense of magic and emotional intensity that makes Dao's work so memorable.
In Spin the Dawn, Maia, a gifted seamstress, disguises herself as a boy to enter an impossible competition at the emperor's court, where skill, secrets, and magic collide.
Axie Oh is known for lyrical, immersive stories filled with compelling relationships, striking settings, and characters searching for identity and belonging. Her books balance heart, myth, and adventure with ease.
In The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea, Mina offers herself to the Sea God to save her village, only to discover a hidden spirit world shaped by mystery, danger, and unexpected love.
Joan He crafts layered fantasy full of political tension, sharp plotting, and morally complicated characters. Her stories dig into questions of power, loyalty, and truth in ways that should appeal to readers who enjoy Dao's darker themes.
In Descendant of the Crane, Princess Hesina becomes queen after her father's suspicious death and sets out to uncover what really happened, even as court politics threaten to close in around her.
Chloe Gong delivers bold, atmospheric fiction driven by intense emotion and vivid historical settings. She blends fantasy and history with remarkable energy, creating stories that feel cinematic and dangerous.
In These Violent Delights, a Romeo and Juliet-inspired feud unfolds in 1920s Shanghai, where rival gang heirs must confront both their shared past and a terrifying monster stalking the city.
Judy I. Lin brings elegant prose, lush imagery, and a wonderfully original tea-based magic system to her fantasy. Her novels also explore family bonds, sacrifice, and ambition with warmth and depth.
In A Magic Steeped in Poison, Ning enters a magical tea-brewing competition to save her sister, only to find herself drawn into deadly intrigue at the heart of the kingdom.
Cindy Pon infuses her fantasy with Chinese mythology, vivid landscapes, and a strong sense of adventure. Her stories are fast-moving yet richly imagined, with heroines who are easy to root for.
Her novel Silver Phoenix follows Ai Ling on a perilous journey through an Asian-inspired world filled with demons, magic, and long-buried mysteries. Pon especially shines at building immersive settings and courageous protagonists.
June Hur writes gripping historical mysteries set in Korea, bringing the past to life with vivid detail and tension. While her work leans more toward mystery than fantasy, readers who enjoy richly textured settings and high-stakes plots will find a great deal to love.
In The Silence of Bones, Seol, an indentured servant in the Joseon Dynasty, becomes entangled in a murder investigation that reveals danger, secrets, and complex social tensions.
Xiran Jay Zhao writes bold, high-energy fiction rooted in Chinese history and mythology. Their storytelling is fierce, fast-paced, and unafraid to challenge entrenched power structures.
Their novel Iron Widow reimagines China's first female emperor in a futuristic, feminist sci-fi world packed with giant mechs, explosive battles, and sharp commentary on gender and power.
Zhao's work is especially appealing for readers who want intensity, rebellion, and unforgettable leads.
Trang Thanh Tran writes atmospheric fiction that blends horror, family trauma, and unsettling secrets. Their work carries a strong emotional undercurrent, making the supernatural elements feel even more haunting.
In She Is a Haunting, Jade Nguyen visits her estranged father's decaying house in Vietnam and finds herself confronting both literal ghosts and the buried truths of her family.
Tran excels at combining eerie imagery with intimate explorations of identity and belonging.
Roshani Chokshi creates lush, myth-infused fantasy with poetic prose and dazzling world-building. Her novels often feel dreamlike, romantic, and steeped in legend.
Her book The Star-Touched Queen draws on Indian mythology to tell the story of Maya, a princess whose fate becomes entangled with mystery, magic, and otherworldly realms. Chokshi's writing is especially rewarding for readers who love lyrical storytelling.
Rebecca Roanhorse combines mythology, dynamic world-building, and compelling characters in stories that feel immediate and powerful. Her fiction often explores identity, resilience, and inheritance through vividly imagined settings.
Readers of Julie C. Dao may especially enjoy Roanhorse's Trail of Lightning, an urban fantasy charged with magic, monsters, and a formidable heroine.
Sabaa Tahir writes emotionally charged fantasy centered on oppression, rebellion, and survival. Her stories are intense and character-driven, with high stakes and morally complex choices that echo some of Dao's strongest qualities.
Her book An Ember in the Ashes stands out for its gripping pace, layered characters, and dangerous world shaped by fear, resistance, and hope.
Renée Ahdieh writes immersive fantasy inspired by folktales and history, with prose that is elegant, romantic, and richly detailed. Her work is a great match for readers drawn to atmosphere, intrigue, and mythic storytelling.
In particular, The Wrath & the Dawn, her retelling of One Thousand and One Nights, offers suspense, romance, and lush world-building in abundance.
Natasha Ngan writes bold, emotionally resonant fantasy that examines identity, power, and injustice. Her novels are thoughtful as well as dramatic, with strong character arcs and a clear sense of urgency.
Her book, Girls of Paper and Fire, features fierce female characters and a compelling story of resistance set in a beautifully realized world. Like Dao's fiction, it pairs rich atmosphere with themes of courage and defiance.
Melissa Bashardoust writes lyrical fantasy that reimagines classic tales in fresh, emotionally nuanced ways. Her books often explore identity, fate, and self-acceptance through striking, inventive retellings.
Readers who enjoy Dao's layered storytelling may want to pick up Bashardoust's Girls Made of Snow and Glass, a clever and beautifully written reworking of Snow White with a feminist edge.
