You know the drill. He’s dark, he’s mysterious, he’s full of secrets. The typical bad-boy-that’s-only-good-for-her. He’s possessive. He’s jealous. He’s the who-did-this-to-you Ultimate Alpha Male. And we can’t get enough.
There’s just something about a dark romance fantasy novel that transports you away from the mundane and repetitive lives that we lead. Instead, we walk amongst the likes of ghosts, ghouls, vampires, witches, and all other manner of mystical beings.
But the really addictive, relentless need to turn the page undoubtedly comes from that deep and dark backstory that produces complex characters and intriguing plotlines.
And if you’re looking to turn your back on the light, and let out your dark side, then you will adore the following book recommendations.
So, what are you waiting for? Unleash the darkness inside you.
King Of Battle And Blood – Scarlett St. Clair
Your wedding day is a day you dream about your entire life, right? Well, not for Isolde de Lara. No one dreams of marrying a vampire king. Nor does anyone often carry the burden of trying to assassinate their betrothed mere days later.
However, when her attempts don’t go exactly as planned, her newlywed King Adrian Aleksandr Vasiliev threatens to raise her as the undead, the one thing she hates the most. So, Isolde has to come up with more inventive ways to defy him and survive the brutal vampire court.
But the vampire court is the least of her worries. She still has no idea why this merciless, fierce, savage chose her and as each day passes it becomes harder and harder to deny their palpable chemistry.
For The Wolf – Hannah Whitten
The second-born daughter knows her fate before it has even begun – she is to be sacrificed to the wolf of the woods in exchange for the forest’s captured gods.
However, as Red ventures deep into the woods, it becomes evidently clear that the tales she has come to know may not all be based entirely on truth.
With Wolf at her side, she must now begin to master her magical powers and ensure that the once-good-now-evil gods trapped in the forest never make their way to the outside world.
If she fails the results are sure to be catastrophic.
Uprooted – Naomi Novik
Agnieszka loves her quiet home surrounded by nature and beauty. The only problem? On the outskirts of town lies a woods filled with dark and dangerous power. And there is only one that can keep these forces at bay, a wizard known as The Dragon.
But his services come at a price. A young woman of his choosing must serve him for a decade. A fate that is feared more than the perilous woods themselves.
And with the next choosing just around the corner, it seems everybody knows that Agnieszka’s best friend, Kasia, will be selected. After all, she is the fairest and most beautiful of them all.
And Agnieszka is terrified for her best friend’s fate. But it soon becomes clear that her fears are misplaced as it is not Kasia that The Dragon will choose.
Daughter Of No Worlds – Carissa Broadbent
A life of slavery teaches Tisaanah many things. To observe. To think quickly on her feet. And to use a little bit of magic when she can. But when her attempt at freedom results in her murdering the most powerful man in all of Threll, she is forced to flee.
Once again Tisaanah finds herself under the control of a new organization. The Orders. Known for their masterful magic Wielders – the only individuals strong enough to destroy her old captors.
But to earn her place in the organization, she must become an apprentice with none other than Maxantarius, a reclusive fire wielder who is also drop-dead gorgeous.
The only issue? He could care less about lending a helping hand. But as the Order continues to tighten its grasp on the pair, it becomes evident that this boy will be either her savior or her greatest foe.
From Blood And Ash – Jennifer L. Armentrout
Poppy’s life has never been hers to live. That’s the problem with duty and destiny, it absolves all choice. A life of never being touched, looked at, spoken to, or even loved, doesn’t exactly sound like the greatest fate.
But to be found worthy of the gods and to save the entire kingdom’s future, it is a life that she must lead.
That is until she stumbles across Hawk, a stunning honor guard. With duty and desire entangled in a web of desire and lust, Poppy will be forced to finally make her first-ever choice. And she soon learns that this luxury isn’t always as easy as she may have once believed.
City Of Dusk – Tara Sim
For each of the Four Realms, Life, Death, Light, and Darkness, there is a designated god along with an heir. Each of these realms all converge on the City of Dusk.
However, after the gods abandon the city, each of the heirs decides to take matters into their own hands. For if they do not, the vibrant and thriving city will surely die.
And so the mammoth task of salvation falls upon four individuals. A necromancer having trouble keeping the peace, an elementalist with her eyes on the throne, a show-wielding rebellious rogue, and a soldier who struggles to see the light.
Each of these four will have to risk everything to save their city, and you can rest assured that their defiance has not gone unnoticed by the gods.
Spellbound – Allie Therin
Amidst the Roaring 20s, Arthur Kenzie has a daunting task ahead of him. Saving the world from the destruction of supernatural relics. But to save New York from an amulet that can control the tides, he must team up with Rory Brodigan, a psychometric rogue.
But with the danger ever increasing and chemistry flying, can the pair find the bravery within themselves to save the world from destruction?
House Of Salt And Sorrows – Erin A. Craig
The quiet halls of Annaleigh’s grand home were once filled with the love and laughter of all of her siblings. But as time passed each of her sisters met a grizzly end, each more tragic than the one before. A plague, a plummeting fall, a drowning, and a slippery plunge.
And the whispers through the town are saying that the family has been cursed by the gods.
After a series of spooky visions, Annaleigh believes that these suspicions are likely true. And that she is likely to be next. After all, had she and her sisters not spent many nights at mystical balls dancing with strangers whose powers were unbeknown to them?
When a mysterious handsome stranger also enters her life, it becomes clear that the pair must race against a ticking clock to uncover the darkness before it claims her too.
The Cruel Prince – Holly Black
After the tragic murder of both her parents at just seven years old, Jude finds herself, along with her two sisters, trapped in a world of Faerie royalty. And she has no desire to leave. In fact, she wants to rule.
But if she has any hopes of earning a place in the Court, she must win over the person she despises the most. Prince Cardan, the High King’s cruelest and most calculating son.
And this will be no easy task, with secrets, deception, twists and turns, and a whole lot of bloodshed, Jude will have to form the most dangerous alliance of all if she wants to save her beloved sisters who find themselves in perilous danger.
Iron & Velvet – Alexis Hall
Kate Kane, a paranormal private investigator, plays by her own rules. And she learned the hard way the disastrous consequences of breaking them after she lost the love of her life.
So when an eight-hundred-year-old vampire turns up at her door with a quest she should know better than to accept and break her only remaining unbroken rule – don’t work with vampires.
But with a murderous being prowling the streets, she is forced to team up with the only kind she swore never to work with. But doing so could put her life in great jeopardy.
Final Thoughts
Sure, there’s something to be said for a feel-good romance novel, but everybody needs a bit of brooding darkness in their lives too. And when it comes to mystical, magical, and fantastical romance novels drenched in darkness, you won’t find a better option than any of the ten books recommended today.
Walk amongst enchanted lands, leave behind the mere mortals, and experience the good, the bad, and the ugly side of life as you turn page after page of paranormal plots.
Be warned though, that once you step away from the light and encroach on the darkness, there’s no turning back. We promise you’ll be addicted for life.
