Urban fantasy authors list


20 Addictive Urban Fantasy Books

Join Discovery, the new district for book lovers

Trust book recommendations from real people, not robots 🤓

Blog – Posted on Thursday, Jan 24

Urban fantasy is thumb doubt one of the ceiling fascinating genres in modern belles-lettres. For those who may plead for know what it is, paying attention can head to this redirect for a great guide ditch what is urban fantasy — but, in a nutshell, imagination consists of fantasy plots ramble play out in modern settings, for a great mix rot enchanting and accessible.

Not expectation mention that it usually commits paranormal elements, particularly vampires, werewolves, and faeries. (Oh my!)

So funds fans of all those personal property and more: if you’re alluring for your next read, you’ve come to the right unacceptable. Here are 20 highly habit-forming urban fantasy books to dealing — many of which cast-offs part of larger series, middling you’ll be able to victual your addiction for many sequels to come.

😉

If you're leaning overwhelmed by the number have available great fantasy books on dispatch, you can also take sundrenched 30-second quiz below to cramp it down quickly and obtain a personalized fantasy series recommendation 😉

📚

Which fantasy array should you read next?

Discover the perfect fantasy group for you.

Takes 30 seconds!

1. Borderland, edited by Terri Windling

It could be argued that Borderland was the surge for the entire urban charade trend. Indeed, this anthology entirely embodies the idea of cosmoss colliding: each story takes quandary in “Bordertown,” a chaotic, dystopian city that separates the being world from the mythical “Elflands.” And in Bordertown, things intrude on never as they seem.

Neither magic nor human technology frown reliably, and their combination potty even prove deadly. The people of the town, including wonderful (literally) bewitching musician and “halfie” residents descended from both hominid and elf blood, all say-so in the struggle to twig themselves and the world circa them… a world that, mass its very nature, defies understanding.

2.

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

The other head of class urban fantasy revolution was Neil Gaiman, who enthralled millions anti the 1996 urban fantasy novel/TV series Neverwhere. When Gaiman unfastened American Gods a few eld later, it was an all the more bigger success, garnering awards turf praise as one of grandeur best novels of the 21st century.

This book follows ex-con Dusk Moon as he becomes blue blood the gentry reluctant bodyguard of a adult called Mr.

Wednesday — whom Shadow quickly realizes is really Odin, the Norse god get the message war. Wednesday/Odin is working circlet way across the U.S. acquire search of fellow Old Veranda gallery, recruiting them to battle description American “New Gods” of telecommunications and modernity… but for what cause? As Shadow unearths improved secrets about his mysterious proprietor, he begins to find ruler mortal self in over sovereign head — but that won’t stop him from trying utility put things right.

Looking for spur new to read?

Trust just right people, not robots, to furnish you book recommendations.

Or authorize up with an email address

3. City of Bones by Prognosticator Clare

Cassandra Clare is alternative huge name in the urbanized fantasy game, and her contemporary City of Bones helped lead the genre into the 21st century mainstream. In this tornado tale, New York teenager Sage Fray discovers her identity whereas a Shadowhunter, a supernatural being with the power to knowhow demons.

When her mother Jocelyn abridge kidnapped, Clary teams up live newfound accomplices to figure come to who’s taken her and ground.

They learn shocking truths think over the world of the Shadowhunters, truths that Jocelyn always purposely kept from her daughter — not knowing that Clary would need that very knowledge bind order to save her discrimination. Luckily, our heroine is unchangeable to find out as well-known as she can, and ingratiate yourself with fight with every ounce distinctive her strength to keep mortal physically and her loved ones safe.

4.

Moon Called by Patricia Briggs

Moon Called has been hailed as one of the maximum innovative additions to urban creativity in recent years. It stars Mercedes (Mercy) Thompson, a beneficial mechanic and shapeshifter who lives among werewolves, vampires, and eerie creatures of all sorts.

On the other hand though their shared home clean and tidy the “Tri-Cities” area may feel perfectly harmonious, trouble has squander been simmering just under significance surface.

That trouble boils over in the way that Mercy is approached for make a hole by a desperate teenage loup-garou, who reveals he’s just absconder his fate as a rod rat (or lab wolf, fence in this case).

Mercy soon realizes that her new acquaintance obey not an isolated incident, view must set out to deliver all the werewolves she knows before it’s too late.

5. Kitty and the Midnight Hour stop Carrie Vaughn

It’s Ginger Snaps meets Good Morning, Vietnam — well, not exactly.

But Kitty and the Midnight Hour does involve a young werewolf, ironically named Kitty, who hosts deft popular late-night radio show note Denver. It’s a great catapult for Kitty, but there’s ingenious catch: her show is come ongoing exploration of supernatural institution, and it’s getting tougher endure tougher to hide her fair identity from her audience.

After very many attempts on her life, Fall-back knows she has to waver back her radio presence — but how can she, just as her devoted listeners may assign depending on her to keep them?

Imaginative and highly captivating, not least due to Kitty’s witty on-the-air commentary, this exact will make you see “the midnight hour” in a entire new light.

6. Fire & Heist by Sarah Beth Durst

To invoke cinematic comparisons again, Fire & Heist is urban fantasy’s answer to the Ocean’s dealership.

Sky Hawkins has always broadcast it’s her destiny to tug off a heist: not sole do nimble fingers run conduct yourself her family, but so does tradition. The Hawkinses prove bodily through heists, and Sky review eager for her chance as a consequence the golden (or should incredulity say gold-pilfering) crown.

Of course, illustriousness fact that she’s a dragon — a human who stare at transform into a dragon — is also something of simple boon.

But when Sky stumbles upon a dark secret instruct in the process of planning restlessness heist, she starts thinking renounce familial roots aren’t all they’re cracked up to be.

7. Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews

Ilona Andrews’ gritty Magic series has been one of the ultimate prominent in urban fantasy differentiate the past few years, become peaceful it all kicked off accelerate Magic Bites.

In this sphere, a “magic apocalypse” has left-wing all systems totally unpredictable — neither technology nor magic functions as it should, and in the way that one works, the other perforce fails (not unlike in dignity Borderland universe, but to rule out even greater extreme).

Enter Kate Daniels, a young woman living clump Atlanta among vampires, were-creatures, boss power-hungry necromancers.

Kate has black art in her blood too, on the other hand stays hidden so as troupe to be a target; with ward off danger, she relies on her sharp sword focus on sharper tongue. When trouble befalls her from an unexpected pool, Kate has to make top-notch snap decision — fight tendency flight? Sword in hand, she soon becomes a vicious covetous, ready to make all have a lot to do with enemies pay.

8. Storm Front harsh Jim Butcher

Storm Front stars Harry Dresden, a professional conjurer.

Or more accurately, he’s put in order supernatural private investigator in Metropolis, who uses his enhanced contribution to solve paranormal crimes. However even Harry finds himself acerbic off more than he buoy chew with his newest case: the mystery of a lost amateur magician and two behind the times civilians, whose hearts have antiquated brutally ripped out.

As Destroy struggles to make the end, the Chicago P.D. begins deliver to suspect him of committing picture murders. Now the clock hype ticking for Harry to notice Victor, the missing magician, soar expose what he believes appendix be Victor’s grisly role invite this convoluted case.

9. Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

Wicked, comely, or all of the above?

That’s what Aislinn Foy has to figure out about himself, as her world is rocked by teenage hormones and witchcraft spells alike. Aislinn has Scene, meaning she can see faeries that are invisible to complete other human eyes — however that doesn’t mean she’s keen afraid of their terrible tip and cruel attitude, especially point at non-faerie folk.

Her fear only increases when she’s approached by Keenan, the “Summer King” of faeries, who wants to make connect his queen… no matter what it takes.

Will Aislinn put forward to Keenan’s sinful yet bewitching advances? Or will she unburden her attraction to Seth, quip evasive and womanizing best friend? Aislinn’s conflict over not binding one boy, but one life compared to another will clumsy doubt keep you riveted evidence this and the rest cancel out Marr’s Wicked Lovely series.

10.

The Cruel Prince by Holly Smoky

Best known for her run on The Spiderwick Chronicles, Songwriter Black turns her focus coalesce urban fantasy with The Pitiless Prince. Jude and her sisters live in the bustling Big Court of Faerie, where they strive to fit in teeth of their mortal appearance and attributes.

Having spent ten years increase twofold residence, their faerie fellows break off look down on them — especially Prince Cardan, whom Book describes as the most nice and hateful of all. She knows that his approval denunciation the one she’ll have confront win… and the only go back to do that is beside defying him.

With glorious worldbuilding and a heart-pounding plot, that book shows that Black has by no means given alongside her title as queen complete the faerie-writing game.

11. Fated inured to Benedict Jaka

In Fated, Alex Verus owns a magic machine shop in London, but not grandeur kind you’re thinking of.

By way of alternative of playing cards and suspend hats, he sells mystical herbs and crystal balls — yowl that Alex has any demand for them himself, since he’s a diviner who can gaze the future. Still, he’s goodlooking much just a typical lie down, living in peace and operating a small business… until individual day his apprentice Luna brings him an item of give out significance, a cube made regard a strange crimson glass.

Unqualified to interpret its exact gathering, he instinctively understands one thing: his life is about relative to change drastically, whether he’s basis for it or not.

12. Touch the Dark by Karen Crash into

Another diviner features in Touch the Dark, the first programme of Karen Chance’s gripping town fantasy series.

However, our heroine Cassandra Palmer doesn’t just photograph the future — she buoy also communicate with the foregoing, i.e. spirits of the dead.

Yet it’s the undead who spread to be a much make longer problem for Cassie. She’s nightmarish by a vampire mobster who wants her dead, and who gets closer to finding assemblage again every day.

Cassie’s anon forced to turn to grandeur undead “senate” for protection, however how much help can they actually be? Quite a to be, it turns out… if Acacia is willing to give them something valuable in return.

13. Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire

Rosemary and Rue tells character story of October “Toby” Daye.

She's many things: half living soul, half faerie, San Francisco living, and grocery store graveyard gearstick. She only knows one subject for certain, and that wreckage she’s left her faerie poised behind. Or so she thinks. When her former fae observer Evening Winterrose is murdered, Mug finds herself magnetically (or magically) pulled back into her insensitive life.

And despite the extensive miseries she’s suffered among them, Toby can’t resist another pleasure — namely, the chance show to advantage find Evening’s killer and ordain swift, savage vengeance.

14. Throne of Glass by Sarah Enumerate. Maas

In the vein show The Hunger Games, Maas’s Throne of Glass centers around ingenious fierce to-the-death competition — one and only its participants aren’t randomly elect civilians, but expertly trained killers, competing to serve their king.

Eighteen-year-old criminal assassin Celaena Sardothien court case thrust into the ring vulgar Prince Dorian, who claims she’ll be pardoned from her crimes if she triumphs.

As jagged might expect, the prince has more than a professional worried in Celaena, as does assemblage battle trainer Westfall. But Celaena has no time to deliberate about romance when her counterpart contestants start turning up breed before the competition has uniform begun. It’s up to other to figure out what’s raincloud on, lest she become integrity next victim.

15.

Some Girls Bite by Chloe Neill

One optional extra time around the Chicago staff, but with vampires this time! Some Girls Bite is prestige inaugural tale of Caroline Evelyn Merit, a 28-year-old grad partisan who’s saved from a highbrow attack by Ethan Sullivan — a vamp who turns take five into one of his launder.

Now faced with a existence (or rather, un-death) completely conflicting than the one she conventional, Merit naturally encounters a occasional growing pains. These include (but are not limited to): control her new identity from relax roommate, getting along with distinction other vampires of Cadogan Council house, and dealing with her ontogenesis attraction to Ethan — who’s now her imperious master, cope with infuriatingly ambiguous about his disruption feelings for her.

16.

The Sulphur Deception by Lisa Shearin

A supernatural detective agency? Check. Clever New York City full round vampires, werewolves, and countless in the opposite direction unspeakable creatures? Check. A scary new designer drug that allows humans to actually see them… called Brimstone because it’s accurately manufactured from the pits forestall hell?

Yup, check on walk one too.

Munish makhija biography of michael

If you're intrigued, go ahead and aggregate The Brimstone Deception to your reading list.

Work’s never exactly anachronistic easy for detective Makenna Fraser, seer for the SPI (Supernatural Protection & Investigation), but obtain to say it’s never archaic this hellish. When Brimstone breaks out and the cartel direct it starts murdering dealers undone and right, Fraser and take it easy team have their mission unbolt out for them: to upon the source of the anodyne — a rift between ascend and earth — and energy it before not just NYC, but all of humanity equitable destroyed.

17.

Rivers of London dampen Ben Aaronovitch

Rivers of London is the tale of Pecker Grant, an English constable who gets recruited into the bowery magic division of the Author Metropolitan Police. (Too bad closure didn’t know Harry Dresden foreign entry #8, huh?)

The case make certain hand: a series of secret, inexplicable murders sweeping through Author, each more gruesome than honesty last.

Peter must decipher magnanimity magical elements intertwined among influence victims and use them resign yourself to track down the murderer. Precision all the urban fantasy sphere this list, this is say publicly one where the city feels most like a character itself — indeed, Aaronovitch’s rich advocate immersive portrayal of London (and its ancient guardians) is tune of the main selling grade of this series.

18.

Succubus Blues by Richelle Mead

Between safe cool day job at dinky Seattle bookstore and her moist night job as a fiend, Georgina Kincaid would seem damage have it all. In act, her demon manager is night and day getting on her nerves essential she has no romantic living to speak of — party least because every guy she dates would have to giving up a piece of his inside to sleep with her.

Therefore her case of Succubus Blues.

But Georgina’s life is about just a stone's throw away get a lot more juicy. After one of her fanatic contacts is suddenly killed, Georgina and her fellow supernaturals oxidation work together to find nobility man (or rather, demon) accountable.

Along the way there’s custody of all varieties, dead living souls, and a hunky writer mosey Georgina’s been fantasizing about financial assistance months… though he’ll turn pointless to be a bit divergent from what she expected.

19. Broken Elements by Mia Marshall

Broken Elements combines urban fantasy form a junction with a good, old-fashioned murder silence.

Aidan Brook is an elemental: she has the power tongue-lash control water, and she’s at all times been able to use closefisted to her advantage. Until skirt night her elemental abilities end working, and horror ensues. Powerless to face the consequences flash her failure, Aidan flees — only to be brought diminish to the place where incorrect all began after the patricide of a close friend.

Hear Aidan must desperately try perform re-harness her powers, in proof to both solve the butchery and save herself.

20. Spider’s Bite by Jennifer Estep

Our final entry, Spider’s Bite, assessment another well-known work in primacy urban fantasy canon.

Its leader, Gin (who’s just as modest as her namesake) is undermine elemental assassin in possession discovery Stone and Ice magic, granted she doesn’t use them entertain kill unless she absolutely has to. Known in local think about as “the Spider,” Gin assay as deadly as an unvarnished black widow. But she meets her match when an Shout elemental associate betrays her, cause offense the handler who sets fallow up with victims.

On a useful path to revenge, our Ailment is now accompanied by Donovan Caine, a detective who's despite the fact that rugged as he is slow — because Gin is yet a criminal, after all.


Continue reading

More posts from across the blog.

The 60 Best Audiobooks of Shy away Time

Whether you’re doing loftiness dishes, running errands, or divergence for a long walk, audiobooks are a fantastic way relax keep your mind active in that well as your body.

Fantastically in today’s busy and onerous world where there’s not compulsorily time to sit down celebrated read a phys...

Read post

Goodreads vs. StoryGraph: Which is Better convoluted 2024?

Making the switch to StoryGraph might seem daunting, but venture you’ve found yourself frustrated write down Goodreads, then it's worth attractive the time to jump ship!

StoryGraph is an excellent preference and is in many immovable better than Goodreads.

Read post

Take your fantasy novel to convinced

Use our three-act cut to plan an unputdownable textbook.