Stars of Fae

The "Stars of..." series is a feature I'm doing here at Epic (Chocolate) Fantasy to highlight the best books in different areas of the fantasy genre. Say you want a book about shapeshifters or wizards or mythology, or maybe you want to read some political or heroic fantasy. Stop by here every Thursday for the foreseeable future, and I'll have recommendations for you! Click on the book covers for links to the first book in the series and on the series name for a list of the books in it on Goodreads.

If you think there's something I missed in this category, feel free to leave your own suggestions in the comments! I haven't read everything out there, obviously, and I'd love some recommendations myself.

Series are alphabetical by author.

Stars of Fae

Short list this week! Surprisingly; I kind of thought there would be a lot more of these books. Oh well, there will be soon I'm sure! The fae (fey, fairies, faeries, sidhe, etc) are all central to these excellent series. Further suggestions welcome!

Adult

Seanan McGuire

October Daye
5 books, ongoing

Toby Daye, a changeling private investigator, lives in a world where fae haunt corners and are more than real enough to kill you. This series is definitely growing on me. After the first book, I wasn't that impressed, but after the second, I quite like it. Toby is definitely no Mary Sue: even as far as changelings go, she's not the most powerful. It really makes for interesting stories as she tries to survive her world.

Richelle Mead

Dark Swan
4 books, completed

Shaman Eugenie Markham hates the gentry. They only make her life in Phoenix more difficult, and she certainly has no intention of ever traveling to the Otherworld. So when Will asks for her help rescuing his sister, who was kidnapped by a gentry king, she refuses. But when he finally does convince her to go, she finds far more than she bargained for. Eugenie is often endearingly, and occasionally annoyingly, idiotic. But her heart is in the right place, and her mistakes make her sympathetic. Plus there's Dorian!

Karen Marie Moning

Fever
5 books, completed

This series is seriously addictive. I don't even know what to say about it except that you should definitely read it. It has spectacular characters, a dangerous, fascinating world, and a highly compelling plot. It's easily one of the best series I've ever read. If you haven't read it yet, you really, really need to!




YA

Holly Black

Modern Faerie Tales
3 books, completed

Darker and grittier than most YA paranormals, Holly Black's Modern Faerie Tales are a compelling read. They feature a variety of characters and species, with complex love stories and plenty of violence and near death experiences. These books show a world that seems more "realistic" than most YA tales, and are very difficult to put down.

Marissa Marr

Wicked Lovely
5 books, completed

All her life, Aislinn has avoided fairies, so when she captures one's attention, she has no idea how to respond. This beginning opens up worlds of manipulation, love, and even war among the fae. A really interesting look at different fairy courts, Wicked Lovely is in fact a lovely read.

Maggie Stiefvater

Books of Faerie

2 books, ongoing

I am a huge fan of Maggie Stiefvater's writing, and the Books of Faerie are no exception. Weaving together music and magic, these books portray a very dark kind of faerie. I know not everyone loved Lament, which I can understand, though I did enjoy it, but even if you didn't, you should give Ballad a try. James is a truly excellent character.




What do you think of these series? Do you have any other suggestions? I'd love to hear your thoughts!