Victoria Schwab is celebrated for imaginative fantasy and supernatural fiction that appeals to both young adult and adult readers, from A Darker Shade of Magic to Vicious.
If you love Victoria Schwab’s atmospheric worlds, morally complex characters, and inventive magic, these authors are well worth exploring:
Leigh Bardugo builds vivid fantasy worlds populated by sharp, memorable characters and complicated moral choices. Her stories often combine dark undertones, intricate magic systems, and immersive world-building in a way that will feel familiar to Victoria Schwab readers.
If you enjoy high stakes and emotionally charged ensemble casts, try Six of Crows, a gripping tale of outcasts attempting an impossible heist.
Holly Black is a great pick for readers drawn to dark enchantment, dangerous bargains, and characters who rarely fit neatly into hero-or-villain roles. Her fiction often explores the seductive, treacherous side of faerie and the uneasy overlap between magic and ordinary life.
If Schwab’s darker themes and tense magical conflicts appeal to you, pick up The Cruel Prince, a fantasy full of court intrigue, shifting loyalties, and sharp emotional tension.
Cassandra Clare is known for expansive supernatural worlds hidden within contemporary settings. Her books blend action, magic, identity struggles, and relationship drama in a way that often resonates with readers who enjoy fantasy grounded in the modern world.
If you like Schwab’s mix of magical mystery and layered character dynamics, City of Bones is a strong place to start. The first novel in The Mortal Instruments series opens the door to a secret New York filled with demons, shadowhunters, and long-buried secrets.
Sarah J. Maas writes emotionally intense fantasy with sweeping romance, dangerous magic, and characters who are forced to grow through hardship. Her novels tend to be dramatic, immersive, and packed with personal and political stakes.
Readers who appreciate Schwab’s strong character arcs and immersive storytelling may want to begin with A Court of Thorns and Roses, a fantasy of love, survival, and shifting power.
Naomi Novik brings a fairy-tale sensibility to her fantasy, pairing lush settings with intelligent storytelling and compelling heroines. Her work often feels both classic and fresh, with an undercurrent of menace beneath the wonder.
If you enjoy Schwab’s elegant prose and imaginative premises, Uprooted is an excellent choice—an atmospheric novel of magic, friendship, and a growing threat at the edge of the woods.
Samantha Shannon creates large-scale fantasy filled with rich detail, formidable characters, and looming danger. Her books often combine magic, political tension, and emotionally resonant relationships, making them especially appealing to readers who like fantasy with both scope and depth.
If Victoria Schwab’s atmosphere and intensity are what hook you, try The Priory of the Orange Tree, an epic fantasy featuring dragons, divided kingdoms, and women standing at the center of the conflict.
Laini Taylor writes with a lush, lyrical style that gives her fantasy a dreamlike quality. Her novels often examine blurred moral lines, impossible love, and hidden worlds pulsing just beneath the surface of everyday life.
Fans of Schwab’s poetic yet readable prose should try Strange the Dreamer, which follows Lazlo Strange, a librarian obsessed with the lost city of Weep and the secrets buried within it.
Maggie Stiefvater excels at atmospheric, character-driven fantasy where subtle magic and emotional depth take center stage. Her stories often explore friendship, fate, and the uncanny hidden in seemingly ordinary places.
If you like the way Schwab blends the supernatural with the familiar, The Raven Boys is a great pick. It follows a group of teenagers whose search for a legendary sleeping king leads them into increasingly strange and dangerous territory.
Jay Kristoff writes gritty, fast-paced fantasy with sharp edges, high tension, and morally conflicted protagonists. Like Schwab, he often explores sacrifice, rebellion, and the blurred boundaries between justice and vengeance.
If you prefer your fantasy darker and more visceral, try Nevernight. It follows Mia Corvere as she seeks revenge for her family’s destruction by training to become an assassin.
Tamsyn Muir offers something wildly original: gothic horror, dark comedy, and unforgettable personalities all in one. Her work will especially appeal to readers who enjoy Schwab’s darker sensibilities, lively dialogue, and bold creative risks.
If you want a book that feels strange, clever, and deeply entertaining, pick up Gideon the Ninth, a genre-blending story of necromancy, mystery, and an irreverent swordswoman trapped in a deadly haunted space castle.
Rebecca Roanhorse writes bold fantasy shaped by memorable characters, rich mythology, and fresh world-building. Her novels often tackle weighty themes while still delivering adventure, tension, and a strong narrative drive.
Readers who love Schwab’s imagination and momentum may enjoy Black Sun, an epic fantasy woven with prophecy, layered characters, and a world that feels both expansive and distinct.
Alix E. Harrow writes fantasy full of wonder, emotion, and beautifully realized settings. Her stories frequently center on magic, stories within stories, and women claiming power in worlds that try to deny it.
If you enjoy Schwab’s thoughtful, character-focused approach to fantasy, The Ten Thousand Doors of January is a wonderful choice, offering hidden doorways, adventure, and a moving journey of self-discovery.
Kerri Maniscalco is a strong recommendation for readers who love dark atmosphere, gothic touches, and determined heroines. Her books pair historical settings with mystery and supernatural flair, creating stories that feel dramatic and immersive.
Try Stalking Jack the Ripper for a blend of historical intrigue, sinister suspense, and a bold central character easy to root for.
Kendare Blake writes dark fantasy with strong character work and a talent for morally tangled conflicts. Her stories often feature intense rivalries, unsettling magic, and characters whose motives are never entirely simple.
If Schwab’s morally complex casts are what keep you reading, Three Dark Crowns is well worth a look. It explores power, family, and betrayal in a tense, dangerous fantasy setting.
Roshani Chokshi is known for lush fantasy, mythic influences, and elegant prose. Like Victoria Schwab, she creates memorable characters caught between magic, ambition, and personal conflict.
For readers who enjoy character-driven fantasy with mystery and style, The Gilded Wolves is an excellent choice, combining heists, secrets, and complicated friendships in a richly imagined world.
