Hello my name is Luna, and I am a Sarah J. Maas fan. Sarah J Maas has a nickname in the YA Fantasy world: Queen Maas. There’s a reason so many readers call themselves a Sarah J. Maas fan – the woman is an expert storyteller. Her series are some of the most popular in the market today. Hits like Throne of Glass and A Court of Thorns and Roses have garnered some of the most ardent admirers in the bookish universe. Including myself. If you are a big Sarah J. Maas fan like me, I hope you will accept my humble recommendations on the books below, which I believe a fellow SJM lover will enjoy.
In reviewing Sarah’s books, I’ve come up with some elements I think make her books so fantastic. They tend to feature strong female protagonists. Their side characters are just as vivacious as the female lead. She loves a good book posse. And one of the reasons I adore her the most, she writes the most delicious, tension filled romantic plot lines I’ve ever seen. And I’m not mad about the dark and mysterious nature of some of her male romantic love interests. That being said, when coming up with this list, I tried to focus on books or series that brought at least two of these elements, if not more, to the table, so that every Sarah J. Maas fan will find something else to read and love.
Shadow and Bone Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo
Alina discovers she is a Sun Summoner. Which may sound cool, except that it gets her in the attention of The Darkling, the man in charge of the kingdom’s Grisha, magic-wielding army. As Alina learns more about her power, she also learns more about the mysterious man who protects the kingdom she loves.
Three Reasons A Sarah J. Maas Fan Will Love It:
1) Strong female protagonist
2) Mysterious, bad boy love interest
3) Fast-paced plot line with increasing action and stakes
Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge
Dads are totally clueless sometimes. Especially when they arrange a marriage between you and the evil ruler of your kingdom. That’s the situation Nyx finds herself in as she goes to live with Ignifex. Lucky for her, Ignifex is not at all who she expected.
Three Reasons A Sarah J. Maas Fan Will Love It:
1) Inspired by Beauty and the Beast
2) Mysterious and misunderstood bad boy
3) Enemies to lovers story line filled with romantic tension
Storm Siren by Mary Weber
Nym has been a slave for years. She’s also kept a dangerous secret-she has magic. When her powers are accidentally revealed at a slave auction, she’s purchased by someone who turns her into the kingdom’s weapon in a war she wanted nothing to do with.
Three Reasons A SJM Fan Will Love It:
1) Strong female protagonist
2) Enemies to lovers romantic story
3) Fast-paced plot line with increasing action and stakes
Graceling by Kristin Cashore
Katsa is rare. Not only does she have a graceling, a form of magic that gives you one extreme power, but hers makes her a very, shall we say effective, killer. During her duties as the King’s thug, she meets Prince Po and discovers a secret about a world far away that could destroy them all.
Three Reasons A SJM Fan Will Love It:
1) Strong female protagonist who can kick the butt of all the males in the book
2) Beautiful love story that grows over time
3) Wonderfully crafted world you feel like you’re a part of
Uprooted by Naomi Novik
Every year The Dragon, a mysterious sorcerer, demands one young maiden from the village come to live with him as payment for the protection he provides against the dangers in the nearby woods. This year, Agnieszka gets the creepy honor of being that girl. But as she shows The Dragon she’s not like the past girls, he shows her he’s not who she thought he was.
Three Reasons A SJM Fan Will Love It:
1) Strong female protagonist with awesome magic
2) Enemies to lovers romantic story
3) Hints of a Beauty and the Beast feel, along with other fairytale elements
Caraval by Stephanie Garber
You’ve been invited to Caraval. It’s the invitation of a lifetime, which is why Scarlett Dragna is ecstatic when she receives one. The only problem, this game that, remember, is only a game, feels way too real and way too dark. As Scarlett works with the charming and dangerous Julian to save her sister, sees Caraval for what it really is.
Three Reasons A SJM Fan Will Love It:
1) Strong female protagonist
2) Gorgeous bad boy love interest
3) Fun and entertaining side characters
The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson
This story starts off with a princess who refuses to be forced into a marriage to a prince she didn’t choose. You go girl! So she runs away to avoid it. While on the lamb, she meets two guys: one is the prince she jilted and the other is an assassin sent to kill her. Eee Gads!!! It gets worse. We don’t know which is which!!?!? Will she uncover the identity of the assassin before it’s too late? Or will love save the day?
Three Reasons A SJM Fan Will Love It:
1) Strong female protagonist
2) Enemies to lovers romantic story (times two!)
3) Lots of building suspense in the plot
Truthwitch by Susan Dennard
Let’s say you have one of the most valuable types of match in the land: the ability to tell if someone is lying or telling the truth. Sprinkle on it the fact that a decades long truce between kingdoms is coming to an end. And you’ve got the majestic fantasy sundae that is Truthwitch. Its defining feature is a tight-knit female friendship, which has become prevalent in some of Maas’ recent books.
Three Reasons A SJM Fan Will Love It:
1) TWO strong female protagonists
2) Enemies to lovers romantic subplot
3) Close bonds between multiple sets of characters
