“Romantasy” (fantasy romance) is really taking off this summer with the social media sensation Fourth Wing topping holds charts everywhere. While you wait to read this book or its sequel, here are three more books to try:
To Shape a Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose
Anequs, a young Indigenous woman from the Maqsuisit nation, is chosen by a baby dragon to be its Nampeshiweisit – one who is uniquely bound to a dragon. The colonizing nation that threatens Anequs’ people, the Anglish, however, have rigid rules for dragons and their riders, and Anequs is forced to attend a dragon-rider training academy. Anequs faces many challenges and through it all holds on to her true self and community’s values. Anequs and Violent from Fourth Wing have much in common – they are both underestimated young women who are thrust into an unexpected life (with dragons!), they both collect a small, staunch group of friends, and their unique backgrounds allow them to see through the oppressive norms of their dragon institutions. Fourth Wing has a more romantic tone, but Anequs is not without her suitors. If you want more time with dragons and challenges to existing power structures and less romance, check out this historical fantasy.
King of Battle and Blood by Scarlett St. Clair
In a bargain to save her kingdom from annihilation, Princess Isolde agrees to marry the vampire king, Adrian. From their first chance meeting in the woods, before Isolde knows who he is, she is incredibly attracted to him. The story is hyper-focused on Isolde’s adjustment to her new husband as she makes her way back to the vampire kingdom of Lara for her coronation. This is the ultimate enemies to lovers set up! If you burned for Violet and Xaden in Fourth Wing and want a story with more steamy and explicit scenes, try this book. It is fast-paced and sensuous. I suggest pairing this reading experience with a glass of cold water.
A Broken Blade by Melissa Blair
Keera is the King’s Blade, an enslaved assassin charged with hunting her own kind, halflings, and any other threats to the crown. The Shadow is the latest and greatest threat, able to outfight Keera and pick apart the kingdom. In her final mission to kill the Shadow, Keera faces painful truths from her past and must decide where her loyalties lie. In this series opener, fans of Xaden from Fourth Wing will enjoy getting to know a protagonist with familiar motivations. As with Violet and Xaden, Keera also forms an alliance of circumstance with someone she is inexplicably drawn to, with the trust and romantic tension building throughout the whole book. The book ends on quite the reveal, but thankfully book two, A Shadow Crown, is out and waiting for you.
All three of these books are by indigenous authors for your #BookBingoNW2023 reading goals!
~ posted by Genesee R.
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