The Top 8 Fantasy Novels Everyone Should Read (And Inspired Scarlet Vël)
I’ve been in love with fantasy since I was a Black girl in Alaska (military family) sneaking off to read under the covers. The genre gave me escape, power, and imagination before I had a passport—or a plan. It told me that other worlds were possible, even if mine felt like a trap.
And now? I’ve traveled across Europe, soaked in the magic of Ireland, written in ancient pubs and misty forests, and finally started writing the fantasy novel I always wanted to read. It’s called Scarlet Vël—and if you want in, sign up here.
Until then, these are eight fantasy novels that everyone should read and inspired Scarlet Vël.
The books recommended inspired me to write Scarlet Vël.
1. The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
The blueprint. The mythmaker. The original world-builder. I don’t care what your genre is—if you write fantasy, you owe something to Tolkien. Middle-earth showed us how entire cultures, languages, races, and histories could exist within a book.
Reading Tolkien as a girl, and then again as a woman traveling through Ireland, made me feel like magic might just be one misty hill away. It’s slow. It’s deep. It’s legendary.
And Frodo? That little hobbit had no business surviving half of what he did—and yet he did. Just like us.
Please read the books! Not just watch the movies.
2. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
This book had me pacing my room. The lyrical prose. The music. The world-building. Kvothe is a complicated, flawed genius, and the world he lives in feels lived-in, broken, and beautiful.
As I walked the stone alleys of Oxford and Dublin, I imagined this world coming to life. Rothfuss taught me that your language can be the magic. Every sentence can cast a spell.
3. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
Yes, it’s fantasy-romance. And yes, it’s dramatic and a little spicy. But let’s not act like this series didn’t bring a whole generation of women (including me) back into fantasy.
Feyre’s story reminded me that fantasy can be powerful and feminine. You can fall in love and still fight. You can save yourself and still want someone to hold you after the battle.
4. The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
Big. Queer. Epic. Dragon-filled. And absolutely gorgeous.
Reading this book made me rethink scale. You don’t have to keep your fantasy tight and tidy. You can build continents. Legacies. Bloodlines that span centuries. If you do it well? Readers will follow you anywhere.
While walking the cliffs of the Amalfi Coast and journaling by the sea, this book echoed in my mind.
5. Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
Finally. Nigerian-inspired fantasy. Magic. Oppression. Legacy. This book gave us what so many of us craved growing up: a world that looked like ours and still shimmered with power.
This one reminded me why I wanted to write Scarlet Vël. Because somewhere out there is a girl like me looking for herself in a world of swords and spells.
6. The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
This is cozy fantasy done right. A story about magical children, found family, and quiet, transformative love. There are no epic battles or chosen ones—just a tired caseworker discovering that magic might be real, and so is compassion.
Reading this book while traveling made me pause and breathe. It reminded me that not all fantasy has to roar. Sometimes, it just needs to hold your hand.
7. Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire series) by George R.R. Martin
Messy. Political. Violent. Brilliant. Game of Thrones isn’t just fantasy—it’s high fantasy at its finest. Bloodlines. Betrayal. Dragons. Queens.
If you’re building a world where magic is dangerous, power is corrupting, and everyone thinks they’re the hero? This is your blueprint.
Reading Martin while roaming old castles in Scotland and Ireland made my imagination go wild. And Scarlet Vël owes more than a little to the queens of Westeros.
8. Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
Say what you will, but this series raised a generation of fantasy lovers. It was one of my first introductions to the genre as a kid, and it taught me about chosen ones, magical schools, and the power of friendship (and a good wand).
I’d be lying if I said Hogwarts didn’t shape me. Now I’m writing my own magical world—but with more spice, more swords, and definitely more Black women.
Why Travel Made Me a Better Fantasy Writer
When I walked through Trinity College’s Long Room Library in Dublin, I almost cried. Okay, I’m lying because I did cry. The scrolls, the wood, the silence—it all whispered, your stories belong here too.
Fantasy isn’t just written. It’s lived. Through ruined castles in Scotland. Through foggy gardens in Oxford. Through myth-soaked cliffs in Ireland.
Traveling gave me the courage to write fantasy on my terms.
Scarlet Vël is Coming. Want In?
She’s fierce. She’s magical. She’s done playing small.
Scarlet Vël is the story I couldn’t find, so I wrote it. Want an exclusive preview and early access? Sign up here.
Need Help Writing Your Fantasy?
You don’t have to do it alone. Whether it’s a full-blown ghostwrite or a writing consultation to get your world off the ground, I’m here:
Write With Me in Italy
October 13–20, Amalfi Coast. Women only. Words only. Wine always.
Final Word
Fantasy raised me. Travel transformed me. And now? I’m writing the stories I wish I’d found sooner.
You don’t need permission. You need a pen.
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