Fantasy Books to Escape Into Staff Picks (6/24/25)

Ready for an adventure? Check out our recommendations for our favorite fantasy books to escape into!

EMILY’S PICK: BREAK WIDE THE SEA BY SARA HOLLAND

One of my all-time favorite fantasy worlds to escape into is the world of The Narrows in Adrienne Young’s Fable series, and BREAK WIDE THE SEA has the same atmospheric, seafaring vibes that will sweep you away. Annie Fairfax and her family of whalehunters have been plagued for centuries by a curse that slowly turns them into monsters each time they experience heartbreak. After Annie’s parents die in a shipwreck, she’s left with scales crawling up her arms and claws sprouting from her fingertips. Despite the love she feels from her fiancé, the curse is worsening. So she strikes a bargain: the curse will be lifted if she promises to end whaling forever. Annie must choose between saving herself and her family’s legacy—and hope it doesn’t cost her everyone she loves. This is a high-concept romantasy with gripping adventure, dramatic twists, and deeply nuanced characters that will have you lingering on every word.

MARGO’S PICK: RED CITY BY MARIE LU

It’s safe to say that Marie Lu’s young adult novels were some of my favorites growing up—and now I finally get to read her adult debut, RED CITY! This is the perfect gritty urban fantasy set in an alternate Los Angeles called Angel City. In Angel City, there are rival crime syndicates who control alchemy—the hidden art of transformation—and market it to elites as a drug that can turn users into a more perfect version of themselves. The two syndicates have long walked a fragile line of civility and violence, but when two childhood friends enter the equation, everything will begin to change. As the alchemists face off, it becomes a dark and deadly tale of magical warfare, star-crossed ambition, and the pursuit of perfection at any cost. RED CITY will leave you gasping at every twist and turn, all while feeling heartbroken and swept away by the tragic yet stunning story.

HALLIE’S PICK: THE MAIDEN AND HER MONSTER BY MADDIE MARTINEZ

There is nothing more alluring to me than folklore. They are stories to escape into, full of ancient echoes and strange beauty, where the line between truth and myth blurs, and the world feels just a little more alive with mystery. In THE MAIDEN AND HER MONSTER, Malka, the daughter of a healer, has witnessed firsthand how the curse that haunts the woods has plagued her village. But when her mother is accused of murder, Malka must venture into the woods to spare her mother from execution. There, deep in the shadows, she encounters a monster who agrees to help her for a price. But a deal easily made is not easily kept, and their bargain begins to unravel a much more sinister threat. A gorgeous, atmospheric debut rooted in history, folklore, and sapphic romance, this is perfect for fans of Katherine Arden, Ava Reid, Hannah Whitten, and Naomi Novik.