55 books like Dance of Thieves

Jude Duarte, a human girl living in Faerie, is a cold-hearted ball of ambitious rage. Never have I rooted for a character so much.

Although picking fights with the clever and cruel Fair Folk is not pragmatic – on the surface – when the choice is between waiting for a random death on a bully’s whim or fighting back with every weapon at her disposal, Jude will always fight. I may have cheered out loud when she stabbed an enemy who broke into her bedroom and then stuffed his body under her bed until she could bury him. She does what she has to do to survive–and, in the end, to make Faerie a (slightly) better place.

Holly Black’s writing is so poetic, so smart, so sharp, like a honed fairy blade. She is a master.

Angelfall is a post-apocalypse novel, but not because of zombies or aliens. Angels are not the good guys they've been depicted as and they've caused chaos across Earth. Penryn's sister has been taken by the angels and her only hope of getting her back is an angel, Raffe, whose wings have been ripped off. Penryn and Raffe are absolutely two of my favorite characters. Raffe is beautiful and utterly sarcastic. Penryn is just your average girl trying to save her sister. These unlikely allies must find a way to work together and some sparks fly along the way. The ending had me reaching for the second book in the series immediately.

This book can be described in one word: Fun. From a ship crewed by female pirates to a quest for treasure, it has all the witty dialogue and adventure to match the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, but instead features a fierce, female captain named Alosa who has mad skills and a way of looking at the world that will make you laugh out loud and cheer her on. 

This is the first in a duology, so it’s also not too much of a commitment to read, unlike some longer series. Both books are equally fast-paced and enjoyable. If you’re like me, you’ll be ready to grab your pirate hat and strap on your sword by the end of this book.

This is one of the most unique Romeo & Juliet retellings I’ve ever read. Set in 1920s Shanghai, the heir and heiress of two rival criminal families were childhood friends, once, before they realized the other’s identity. Now they despise each other—and several times, try to kill each other—while also trying very hard to ignore their growing attraction. Spanning two books and with a found family that tugs at all your heartstrings, the daggers are as shiny as the diamonds in this glittering, high-stakes tale. 

Do you ever have those books that, no matter how late it is or how tired you are, you just can’t stop reading? That was me with this book. 

This is the second book in the A Court of Thorns and Roses series, and since the first book was extremely boring, I was hesitant to start this one. I'm so glad I did, however, because it quite literally changed my life.

The characters feel like family and fill a growing hole in my heart to replace what I've lost. The main character, Feyre, is so resilient with her past trauma, and it helps me conquer mine. I also adored the romance between Feyre and Rhys–I will forever ship them. 

Legendborn is a King Arthur tale set in modern-day Georgia. With that description, how could I not love this book?

Tracy Deonn is a master at blending Southern folk traditions and African lore with Arthurian legends. I fell in love with Bree, the typical Southern teenager starting out at UNC-Chapel Hill. She has magic, but it’s not the same magic as the mages who are gearing up for a magical war.

The tale is a clash of magical cultures topped off with a Romeo and Juliet romance. It grabbed me from the first page, and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since.

One day, I was simply scrolling on TikTok…though my life was changed when I stumbled across one of Lauren’s TikToks. She shared her writing journey, and I was immediately hooked.

This book is everything I could’ve wished for in a fantasy romance and so much more. I’ll admit my expectations weren’t that high, but wow, was I blown away. The writing was easy to get into and flowed nicely, the characters were the type to stick with you long after you finished, and it included some of my favorite tropes: "Who did this to you?", royalty, forbidden love, and a fierce assassin who stops at nothing to avenge her family.

Overall, it was such an inspiring and addicting read. 

Combining vampires, witches, royalty, dark academia, and spice into one book? Sign me up!

I found this book through Katie Wismer's YouTube channel, and it's a relief that I did. The writing style is like none other and sometimes even feels purple prose-y. Another thing I enjoyed was the characters; Valerie stands out in every way and proves it's okay to be different. I found I was rooting for her and her eventual friendships/relationships with the other individuals.

The plot kept me on the edge of my seat while other certain scenes had been gripping my blanket for dear life. I don't think I'll forget this book for a long time...especially not after that ending. 

This book promised me high fantasy with tomb raiding and boy, did it deliver! Sangster’s world is simply named the Commonwealth, but it is anything but simple. Twin moons, ancient lore circling around monstrous shapeshifters, a forbidden magic opposing a heavily religious relegated one, carnivorous unicorns, deadly tombs, and swords carrying the souls of those it killed, She Who Rides the Storm is chock full of detailed worldbuilding. With a beautiful cast of four amazingly well-written characters you actually grow to care about, their individual heists to get into the tomb of the shapeshifter king are loaded with high stakes and dangers. Even better? The plot twists that connect them are glorious and had my jaw on the floor. Conclusion: a humble epic waiting to be discovered.

I read this book years ago after a writer's conference and it stuck with me. The three characters have to choose between doing what’s right, which will put them in danger, or keeping quiet, which may save their lives. It’s a gritty theme for early YA readers but one I think that’s more important today than ever before. Normally I wouldn’t recommend two titles by the same author but it’s hard to find contemporary YA boy books that treat young men with respect. Tim’s books present an accurate portrait of how the boys I know roll. Tempted and sometimes fallen, but always stepping up to do the right thing. The boys in Tim’s book serve as good role models… eventually.