Books to Read After Onyx Storm

If you're anything like us, you've already sped your way through the latest installment in the The Empyrean series and are desperately looking for something to fill the dragon-shaped void in your heart. Well, lucky for you, our Underbrush Booksellers have put together a list of books that might just help ease your post-Onyx Storm distress.

The Wraith King by Juliette Cross

First off, look at that cover. Don’t we all wish our beloved shadow daddies would hold us that way? Mystery, abduction, war, prophecy – this book is filled with all of our favorite fantasy trappings. Perfect for readers who really want to fall in love with a demon/dragon-like fae. 


Burn Red Skies by Kerstin Espinosa Rosero

Do all the books you pick up lately seem to be lacking the right balance of high-fantasy military intrigue and dragons? Do you desire a greater presence of airships in your high-flying dragon books? Look no further than Burn Red Skies.


The Aurelian Cycle by Rosaria Munda

Eragon made us fall in love with dragon riding at an early age and we never grew out of it and we think that The Aurelian Cycle is a worthy addition to the Young Adult dragon riding canon. A trilogy of books about a world amidst revolution and a war that must be won – plus the world building is complex and deeply satisfying (which isn’t a given these days).


The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter

There’s something that hits just right with a chosen-one trope. Maybe we can chalk that up to a certain magical boy and his incredibly dangerous school that we read growing up, or maybe it’s just because the chosen-one dynamic feels a little bit like imprinting with a dragon. Either way, The Rage of Dragons is an epic fantasy that deserves being attributed to that sub-genre. This series is on-going and is as sprawling as it is critically acclaimed, which is to say, massively so.


On Wings of Blood by Briar Boleyn

Vampires AND dragons AND dark academia?!?! This one is literally billed as HP x Fourth Wing, like, how could it *not* make the list? What do you do when you have to hide your identity as a half-fae around a bunch of full-blooded vampires? Read this dark romantasy novel to find out.


The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

This one is an absolute doorstopper of a novel, but it’s as epic as it is beefy. It’s won awards and the hearts of the masses. If you have somehow come this far in your fantasy/romantasy journey and haven’t picked up anything by Samantha Shannon, then what are you waiting for?


The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

Another modern classic that we couldn’t possibly rave about enough. Perfect for the reader who needs a healthy dose of military combat, strategy, and intrigue, mixed in with their high fantasy. The series gets bonus points for also having an academic setting, something which served R.F. Kuang well in their future runaway hit, Babel. 


When the Moon Hatched by Sarah A. Parker

Okay. Story Time. This book is incredible, but what’s even better is that our owner’s mom read this one unprompted and *immediately* texted her and was like “this makes Game of Thrones look like a children’s book. It’s like a bad car wreck. I can’t stop.” (paraphrased)


A Fire in the Sky by Sophie Jordan

What we love about A Fire in the Sky is that it is an adult book that takes place in a pre-existing teen fantasy world, so if you read it and love it, there’s more books to dive into immediately. Or, if you can just read this series if teen fiction is not your thing.


The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna

Listen, maybe this is a hot take, but we love a blood sacrifice around here. I mean, like in our books… anyway… When a teenage girl has to determine her status in her community by way of blood ceremony, things are already starting off in a precarious position. With big themes of feminism, fighting higher powers, and deeply woven high fantasy, The Gilded Ones is a YA novel that doesn’t pull its punches. 

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