The best dark romantasy with winged book boyfriends

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been a smut connoisseur for many years, as well as a lover of well-done sci-fi/fantasy worlds that feel real. I would list my qualifications as a smut connoisseur, but it’s probably not appropriate for this site 😉. I have a number of books under my belt that include sweeping fantasy world building that’ll make you hallucinate vividly. After resisting deeper romance plots in my writing for so long, I finally surrendered. I’m just starting my journey as a dark romantasy smut peddler but can’t wait to share all my winged book boyfriends with you!


I wrote...

The Chimera Bounty

By J.D. Astra,

Book cover of The Chimera Bounty

What is my book about?

Fae Rabies is a thing, and Corvin has it. Maeve is looking for the hottest story to uncover, and Corvin has that too…as well as several other things Maeve would like to uncover.

Before meeting Corvin, Maeve’s penniless investigative journalist days were on wash, rinse, repeat. When the tall, handsome shifter pulls back the veil, everything changes. Now Maeve is tangled up with a Naga crime lord who’s demanding Corvin finish his mission, but given his “Fraebies,” his magic is too dangerous. The grumpy, smoldering Corvin will teach Maeve magic as they hunt down the bounty, and she’ll get a killer story out of it— hopefully not too killer.

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of The Serpent and the Wings of Night

J.D. Astra Why did I love this book?

This is a dark, second world fantasy romance about a human girl taken by a vampire king as his daughter, and the trials she will go through to prove herself. 

At first, the FMC was so cold and unlikable I almost DNF’d the book, but the prose was beautiful, and the world was interesting, so I hung on. It was so worth it. The FMC redeems herself and then some throughout the narrative.

It’s not an instalove book, the MMC and the FMC go through a lot to come together. It was so well done by the end, I was in tears. And of course, the book boyfriend has wings.

By Carissa Broadbent,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked The Serpent and the Wings of Night as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Human or vampire, the rules of survival are the same: never trust, never yield, and always-always-guard your heart.

The adopted human daughter of the Nightborn vampire king, Oraya carved her place in a world designed to kill her. Her only chance to become something more than prey is entering the Kejari: a legendary tournament held by the goddess of death herself.

But winning won't be easy amongst the most vicious warriors from all three vampire houses. To survive, Oraya is forced to make an alliance with a mysterious rival.

Everything about Raihn is dangerous. He is a ruthless vampire, an…


Book cover of Dark Fae

J.D. Astra Why did I love this book?

This is a RH, urban fantasy academy setting book about a girl seeking vengeance for her brother, whom she believes was murdered by someone at the school.

The interesting part to this story is that the FMC’s main suspects are the men she ends up desiring. It’s a delicate balance of getting closer while investigating them, and other strange/horrible shenanigans going on around the school.

I do warn you, dear reader, that book 1 ends on a super cliffhanger, and the mystery is not solved. I’m currently reading the third book and everything just goes deeper (that’s what she said).

One of the book boyfriends is a literal dragon shifter, it counts, and the other one is a harpy shifter, big black feathery wings. Dreamy.

By Caroline Peckham, Susanne Valenti,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Dark Fae as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

***Now a complete series***

What do a heartless Dragon Shifter, a cold-blooded Basilisk, an arrogant Lion Shifter and a brooding, tattooed Harpy have in common…?

Me.

Elise Callisto. Vampire. Angel of vengeance. And a girl on a mission to destroy one of them for murdering my brother. I just don’t know which one did it yet.

When I interrogated/accidentally killed a Werewolf who was high on a new and dangerous drug called Killblaze, his final words painted a dark reality for me. The King of Aurora Academy killed my brother. The trouble is, there’s four kings at the academy and…


Book cover of A Court of Mist and Fury

J.D. Astra Why did I love this book?

This is Book 2 in Maas’s ACOTAR series, where book 1 is sort of a necessary prologue (still good, just not as good as ACOMAF).

Another dark, second world fantasy full of Fae and magic. What makes this book unique is Maas’s character development.

She so easily makes us fall in love with +10 characters over the course of four hundred pages because they all feel real. They have thoughts/feelings/backstories/motivations, and they’re all very likable in their own way.

The enemies to lovers romance takes place over several months in this book. It was fun, well teased out, and very steamy. There’s darkness to this one that’ll have you tearing up at the end, too!

Of course, this is where we get the famous Bat Boy TikTok trend from. Enjoy several sexy potential book boyfriends with bat wings.

By Sarah J. Maas,

Why should I read it?

8 authors picked A Court of Mist and Fury as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

THE SECOND BOOK IN THE #1 BESTSELLING SERIES

'With bits of Buffy, Game Of Thrones and Outlander, this is a glorious series of total joy' - STYLIST
_____________________________
Feyre survived Amarantha's clutches to return to the Spring Court - but at a steep cost. Though she now possesses the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can't forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin's people.

Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, the mesmerising High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates his dark web of political games and tantalising promises,…


Book cover of Death

J.D. Astra Why did I love this book?

This is a post-apocalyptic first world fantasy that was so, so dark it scared my friends.

I loved every book in the series, but Death has a special place in my heart for that dark-winged angel boyfriend.

The unique part of Death too was that in all the other books of the series, the girls are the horseman’s captive, but in this one, she hunts him back.

It makes for a thrilling enemies to lovers moment when we realize just how much Death has fallen for this girl who pursues and murders him frequently.

Seriously, be warned. This series is dark.

By Laura Thalassa,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Death as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

He’s known by many names: Thanatos. Horseman. God’s last angel. And then, of course, there's the one I’m all too familiar with—

Death.

The day Death comes to Lazarus Gaumond’s town and kills everyone in one fell swoop, the last thing he expects to see is a woman left alive and standing. But Lazarus has her own extraordinary gift: she cannot be killed—not by humans, not by the elements, not by Death himself.

She is the one soul Death doesn’t recognize. The one soul he cannot pry free from her flesh. Nor can he ignore the unsettling desire he has…


Book cover of One Savage Knight

J.D. Astra Why did I love this book?

This is a first world post-apocalyptic dark romantasy that is the fluffiest of the bunch.

It’s not going to make you think too hard, but it’s loaded with spice, fun action scenes against a horde of demons, and heartwarming character growth.

You’ll definitely be able to relate to the FMC’s struggles with this huge hunk flaring his wings and unaliving everyone who touches her.

By Holly Roberds,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked One Savage Knight as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.


You might also like...

Conditions are Different After Dark

By Owen W. Knight,

Book cover of Conditions are Different After Dark

Owen W. Knight Author Of The Visitors

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Visionary Compassionate Imaginative Conspiracist Apophenia (or apophenic)

Owen's 3 favorite reads in 2023

What is my book about?

In 1662, a man is wrongly executed for signing the death warrant of Charles I. Awaiting execution, he asks to speak with a priest, to whom he declares a curse on the village that betrayed him. The priest responds with a counter-curse, leaving just one option to nullify it.

Over four centuries later, Faith and James move to the country to start a new life and a family. They discover their village lives under the curse uttered by the hanged man. Could their arrival be connected? They fear their choice of new home is no coincidence. Unexplained events hint at threats or warnings to leave. They become convinced the village remains cursed despite their friends’ denials. Who can they trust, and who are potential enemies?

Conditions are Different After Dark

By Owen W. Knight,

What is this book about?

In 1660, a man is wrongly executed for signing the death warrant of Charles I. While awaiting execution, he asks to speak with a priest, to whom he declares a curse on the village that betrayed him. The priest responds with a counter-curse, leaving just one option to nullify it.
Over four centuries later, Faith and James move to the country to start a new life and a family. They learn that their village lives under the curse uttered by the hanged man. Could their arrival be connected?
Faith and James fear that their choice of a new home is…


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