Enter New Worlds: A Fantasy YA Booklist

NYPL's Anti Prom events provide alternative, safe spaces for teens regardless of their sexuality, gender identity, culture, financial status, the way you dress, or any other reason! You can explore the Teen After Party through fun-filled book lists, playlists, challenges, adventure games, scavenger hunts, and more as we bring you a futuristic prom experience. Below is a list put together by Staten Island's Anti Prom group of fantasy reads for you to enjoy. All are available in our collection as e-books.

The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankensteinby Kiersten White 

Elizabeth is a 17-year-old ward of the Frankensteins and caretaker of Victor Frankenstein. As to be expected, Elizabeth’s life has been full of loss and despair. Her care in the Frankenstein home was contingent on her interactions with Victor. As long as she socialized with Victor and kept him calm she would be cared for, but he has fallen out of contact while away to study. Without him, her future is uncertain. Facing destitution, Elizabeth and her friend Justine travel to find Victor and bring him back. What they find is earth-shattering. Fearing for Victor’s safety, Elizabeth does all she can to protect him. What if the true monster isn’t Victor’s experiment, but something a little more human, something more familiar? White will have readers pondering if outward appearances or the soul make someone truly a monster. 

A Curse so Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer 

In this adaptation of Beauty and the Beast, a cursed prince and a high school dropout become unlikely allies. Harper’s life was not ideal—her mother was sick, her father left a legacy of loan sharks, which her brother worked day in and out to pay off, and she has cerebral palsy. One day she intervened when she saw a man carrying an unconscious woman, then she was magically transported to Emberfall, a kingdom without rulers and with the threat of a mysterious beast and attacks from a neighboring country. Here she meets Prince Rhen who explains the whole ordeal and that the beast has killed his family. Instead of letting the Prince's fantasies about saving the kingdom persuade her, she shows him some immediate and practical actions which could help him get his kingdom back. Kemmerer has readers entering a fast-paced, detailed epic. 

A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow 

In Portland, Oregon two young women tell their stories of identity and exploration. Tavia is a siren who uses American Sign Language to push against the mesmerizing call that burns like a fire in her throat and could be silenced forever if it is released. Effie is haunted by survivor’s guilt after a childhood incident. These two are sisters by choice, and Morrow sets up alternating chapters for each young woman's story. Tavia’s story echoes social justice, especially against sirens, who are always black women. Effie’s story focuses on untangling her complicated family history. In this novel Morrow promotes black female empowerment, standing up for yourself and others while navigating life incidents, emotions, and the responsibility that comes with magic. 

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black 

The first book in a new trilogy, Black sets this dark tale in Faerie following Jude, a human who never recovered from watching her adoptive faerie father murder her parents. After ten years, Jude wants to be accepted and feel like she belongs in Faerie. In order to win a place within the Court Jude must go against Cardan and face the price. As Jude becomes more deeply involved in the palace discovering things about herself she did not know things , civil war threatens Faerie. Jude will need to risk her life to save her sisters and the place she has called home for ten years.

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Lissa Draomir and Rose Hathaway aren’t regular teenage girls. They are vampires, and best friends. This world the girls live in has categories of vampires. The Moroi are pureblood vampires—these vampires are mortal and able to use magic. The Dhampir who are half human and half pureblood. And the Strigoi, the bad vampires who are immortal, emotionless, and burn up in sunlight. The Strigoi, eternal vampires, look to do Lissa harm but Rose has vowed to protect her. After two years of freedom Rose and Lissa are caught and dragged back to St. Vladimir’s Academy, a school for vampire royalty, and this means the Strigoi are always nearby. Together the girls must navigate this world, and never let their guard down. 

Give the Dark My Love by Beth Revis 

17-year-old Nedra Brysstain leaves her home in the rural, northern territories of Lunar Island to attend the prestigious Yugen Academy with only one goal in mind: master the trade of medicinal alchemy. A scholarship student matriculating with the children of Lunar Island's wealthiest and most powerful families, Nedra doesn't quite fit in with the other kids at Yugen. Until she meets Greggori "Grey" Astor. Grey is immediately taken by the brilliant and stubborn Nedra, who he notices is especially invested in her studies. And that's for a good reason: a deadly plague has been sweeping through the North, and is making its way toward the cities. With her family's life—and the lives of all of Lunar Island's citizens—on the line, Nedra is determined to find a cure for the plague. Grey and Nedra grow close, but as the sickness spreads and the body count rises, Nedra becomes desperate to find a cure. Soon, she finds herself diving into alchemy's most dangerous corners—and when she turns to the most forbidden practice of all, necromancy, even Grey might not be able to pull her from the darkness. 

Woven in Moonlight by Isabel Ibañez 

Ximena is the decoy Condesa, a stand-in for the last remaining Illustrian royal. Her people lost everything when the usurper, Atoc, used an ancient relic to summon ghosts and drive the Illustrians from La Ciudad. Now Ximena is motivated by her insatiable thirst for revenge, and her rare ability to spin thread from moonlight. When Atoc demands the real Condesa's hand in marriage, it's Ximena's duty to go in her stead. She relishes the chance, as Illustrian spies have reported that Atoc's no longer carrying his deadly relic. If Ximena can find it, she can return the true aristócrata to their rightful place. 

Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson

All sorcerers are evil. Elisabeth has known that as long as she has known anything. Raised as a foundling in one of Austermeer's Great Libraries, Elisabeth has grown up among the tools of sorcery, magical grimoires that whisper on shelves and rattle beneath iron chains. If provoked, they transform into grotesque monsters of ink and leather. She hopes to become a warden, charged with protecting the kingdom from their power. Then an act of sabotage releases the library's most dangerous grimoire. Elisabeth's desperate intervention implicates her in the crime, and she is torn from her home to face justice in the capital. With no one to turn to but her sworn enemy, the sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn, and his mysterious demonic servant, she finds herself entangled in a centuries-old conspiracy. Not only could the Great Libraries go up in flames, but the world along with them. 

The Beautiful by Renée Ahdieh  

In 1872, New Orleans is a city ruled by the dead. But to 17-year-old Celine Rousseau, New Orleans is a safe haven after she's forced to flee her life as a dressmaker in Paris. Taken in by the sisters of the Ursuline convent in the middle of the carnival season, Celine is quickly enraptured by the vibrant city, from its music to its fancy soirées and even its danger. She becomes embroiled in the city's glitzy underworld, known as La Cour des Lions, after catching the eye of the group's enigmatic leader, Sébastien Saint Germain. When the body of one of the girls from the convent is found in Sébastien's own lair, the second dead girl to turn up in recent weeks, Celine battles her attraction to Sébastien and suspicions about his guilt along with the shame of her own horrible secret. After a third murder, New Orleans becomes gripped by the terror of a serial killer on the loose, one who has now set Celine in his sights. As the murderer stalks her, Celine finally takes matters into her own hands, only to find herself caught in the midst of an age-old feud between the darkest creatures of the night, where the price of forbidden love is her life. 

Song of the Crimson Flower by Julie C. Dao

After cruelly rejecting Bao, the poor physician’s apprentice who loves her, Lan, a wealthy nobleman’s daughter, regrets her actions. So when she finds Bao’s prized flute floating in his boat near her house, she takes it into her care, not knowing that his soul has been trapped inside it by an evil witch who cursed Bao, telling him that only love will set him free. Though Bao now despises her, Lan vows to make amends and help break the spell. Together, the two travel across the continent, finding themselves in the presence of greatness in the forms of the Great Forest’s Empress Jade and Commander Wei. They journey with Wei, getting tangled in the webs of war, blood magic, and romance along the way. Will Lan and Bao begin to break the spell that’s been placed upon them? Or will they be doomed to live out their lives with black magic running through their veins? 

The Young Elites by Marie Lu 

Adelina Amouteru is a survivor of the blood fever, the deadly illness that swept through her nation a decade before. Most of the infected perished, while many of the children who survived were left with strange markings. Adelina's black hair turned silver, her lashes went pale, and now she has only a jagged scar where her left eye once was. Her cruel father believes she is a malfetto, an abomination, ruining their family's good name and standing in the way of their fortune. But some of the fever's survivors are rumored to possess more than just scars—they are believed to have mysterious and powerful gifts, and though their identities remain secret, they have come to be called the Young Elites. Teren Santoro works for the king. As Leader of the Inquisition Axis, it is his job to seek out the Young Elites, to destroy them before they destroy the nation. He believes the Young Elites to be dangerous and vengeful, but it's Teren who may possess the darkest secret of all. Enzo Valenciano is a member of the Dagger Society. This secret sect of Young Elites seeks out others like them before the Inquisition Axis can. But when the Daggers find Adelina, they discover someone with powers like they've never seen. Adelina wants to believe Enzo is on her side, and that Teren is the true enemy. But the lives of these three will collide in unexpected ways, as each fights a very different and personal battle. But of one thing they are all certain: Adelina has abilities that shouldn't belong in this world—a vengeful blackness in her heart and a desire to destroy all who dare to cross her. 

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight. She’s a Graceling—one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king’s thug. She never expects to fall in love with beautiful Prince Po. She never expects to learn the truth behind her Grace—or the terrible secret that lies hidden far away . . . a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone. With elegant, evocative prose and a cast of unforgettable characters, debut author Kristin Cashore creates a mesmerizing world, a death-defying adventure, and a heart-racing romance that will consume you, hold you captive, and leave you wanting more. 

Howl’s Moving Castleby Diana Wynne Jones   

Sophie has the great misfortune of being the eldest of three daughters, destined to fail miserably should she ever leave home to seek her fate. But when she unwittingly attracts the ire of the Witch of the Waste, Sophie finds herself under a horrid spell that transforms her into an old lady. Her only chance at breaking it lies in the ever-moving castle in the hills: the Wizard Howl's castle. To untangle the enchantment, Sophie must handle the heartless Howl, strike a bargain with a fire demon, and meet the Witch of the Waste head-on. Along the way, she discovers that there's far more to Howl—and herself—than first meets the eye. 

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir 

Laia is a slave. Elias is a soldier. Neither is free. Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear. It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do. But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy. There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

Crewel by Gennifer Albin 

16-year-old Adelice Lewys has a secret: she wants to fail. Gifted with the ability to weave time with matter, she’s exactly what the Guild is looking for, and in the world of Arras, being chosen to work the looms is everything a girl could want. It means privilege, eternal beauty, and being something other than a secretary. It also means the power to manipulate the very fabric of reality. But if controlling what people eat, where they live, and how many children they have is the price of having it all, Adelice isn’t interested. Not that her feelings matter, because she slipped and used her hidden talent for a moment. Now she has one hour to eat her mom’s overcooked pot roast. One hour to listen to her sister’s academy gossip and laugh at her dad’s jokes. One hour to pretend everything’s okay. And one hour to escape. Because tonight, they’ll come for her.

Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor  

Akata Witch transports the reader to a magical place where nothing is quite as it seems. Born in New York, but living in Aba, Nigeria, 12-year old Sunny is understandably a little lost. She is albino and thus, incredibly sensitive to the sun. All Sunny wants to do is be able to play football and get through another day of school without being bullied. But once she befriends Orlu and Chichi, Sunny is plunged into the world of the Leopard People, where your worst defect becomes your greatest asset. Together, Sunny, Orlu, Chichi and Sasha form the youngest ever Oha Coven. Their mission is to track down Black Hat Otokoto, the man responsible for kidnapping and maiming children. Will Sunny be able to overcome the killer with powers stronger than her own, or will the future she saw in the flames become reality?

The Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Mare Barrow's world is divided by blood. Those with common, Red blood serve the Silver-blooded elite, who are gifted with superhuman abilities. Mare is a Red, scraping by as a thief in a poor, rural village, until a twist of fate throws her in front of the Silver court. Before the king, princes, and all the nobles, she discovers she has an ability of her own. To cover up this impossibility, the king forces her to play the role of a lost Silver princess and betroths her to one of his own sons. As Mare is drawn further into the Silver world, she risks everything and uses her new position to help the Scarlet Guard, a growing Red rebellion, even as her heart tugs her in an impossible direction. One wrong move can lead to her death, but in the dangerous game she plays, the only certainty is betrayal.    

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can’t pull it off alone. . . . Kaz’s crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction—if they don’t kill each other first.    

Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake  

In every generation on the island of Fennbirn a set of triplets is born—three queens, all equal heirs to the crown and each possessor of a coveted magic. Mirabella is a fierce elemental, able to control storms or flames with the snap of her fingers. Katharine is a poisoner, able to ingest the deadliest poisons without harm. And Arsinoe, a naturalist, can control nature. But becoming the Queen Crowned isn't solely a matter of royal birth. Each sister has to fight for it. And it's not just a game of win or lose ... it's life or death. The night the sisters turn sixteen, the battle begins. The last queen standing gets the crown.  

Bone Doll’s Twin by Lynn Flewelling    

For three centuries a divine prophecy and a line of warrior queens protected Skala. But the people grew complacent and Erius, a usurper king, claimed his young half sister’s throne. Now plague and drought stalk the land, war with Skala’s ancient rival Plenimar drains the country’s lifeblood, and to be born female into the royal line has become a death sentence as the king fights to ensure the succession of his only heir, a son. For King Erius the greatest threat comes from his own line—and from Illior’s faithful, who spread the Oracle’s words to a doubting populace. As noblewomen young and old perish mysteriously, the king’s nephew—his sister’s only child—grows toward manhood. But unbeknownst to the king or the boy, strange, haunted Tobin is the princess’s daughter, given male form by a dark magic to protect her until she can claim her rightful destiny. Only Tobin’s noble father, two wizards of Illior, and an outlawed forest witch know the truth. Only they can protect young Tobin from a king’s wrath, a mother’s madness, and the terrifying rage of her brother’s demon spirit, determined to avenge his brutal murder.... 

Pet by Akwaeke Emezi 

There are no monsters anymore. In the city of Lucille, Jam and her best friend, Redemption, have grown up with this lesson all their life. Then Jam meets Pet, a creature made of horns and colors and claws, who emerges from one of her mother's paintings and a drop of Jam's blood. Pet has come to hunt a monster-- and the shadow of something grim lurks in Redemption's house. How do you save the world from monsters if no one will admit they exist.   

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Staff picks are chosen by NYPL staff members and are not intended to be comprehensive lists. We'd love to hear your ideas too, so leave a comment and tell us what you’d recommend. And check out our Staff Picks browse tool for more recommendations!

Summaries provided via NYPL’s catalog, which draws from multiple sources. Click through to each book’s title for more.