Goodreads' Top 15 Most Read Fantasy Books Of 2026 (So Far), Ranked By Reviews

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

The huge surge in popularity of fantasy novels is pure magic. Romantasy books (romance combined with fantasy) have seen particular success, with Bloomberg (via Publish Drive) claiming they accounted for $610 million in U.S. book sales in 2024 — a 34% increase compared to 2023! That popularity has continued into 2026, where major series like Sarah J. Maas' "A Court of Thrones and Roses" and Rebecca Yarros' "Fourth Wing" have continually flown off shelves and been downloaded to e-readers.

But they're certainly not the only fantasy books readers can't put down. What else has been expanding our reading horizons, we hear you ask? To determine Goodreads' top 15 most read fantasy books of 2026 (so far), we analysed Goodreads' Most Read Books This Year list and ranked each novel according to their average reader score out of 5.0. In instances where two or more books have the same score, we ranked the one with the highest number of ratings higher.

Callie Hart's "Brimstone" is the second in the author's "Fae & Alchemy" series and has a score of 4.02 at the time of writing from more than 391,300 ratings. The vampire romantasy reintroduces us to Saeris Fane, the queen of the Blood Court. Saeris knows she needs to get home to help her ailing family, but also knows she's not strong enough to make the journey. Desperate, she enlists the help of Kingfisher of the Ajun Gate — and romance blossoms amid the chaos.

Multiple readers claimed they liked the book more than the first in the series, "Quicksilver," which ranked a little higher in our countdown. One wrote, while recommending reading "Quicksilver" first, "I am so immersed in this world, the plot progression, the characters and their developments, like wow, everything was elevated so well!" Another reviewer stated, "This series doesn't just tell a story, it owns you, it burrows under your skin, grabs your soul, and refuses to ever let go."

Sarah J. Maas' "A Court of Thorns and Roses" was first released in 2020 — but it's popularity hasn't dwindled much. The first in the "A Court of Thorns and Roses" ("ACOTAR") series has more than 4.57 million ratings, making it the most rated on our countdown at the time of writing, with a score of 4.15. Spotify's most-streamed audiobook of all time tells the story of a young hunter named Feyre. After she kills what she believes to be an animal, she finds herself captured in a magical, strange land where people want justice for her slaying. She's captured by faerie named Tamlin and the two, miraculously given the initially difficult circumstances, form a close bond. But it soon becomes clear that Tamlin desperately needs Feyre's help to save his world and everyone in it.

"The world Sarah J. Maas created is so rich and dark and gloomy but also happy and hopeful and full of light, I truly enjoyed reading about it," wrote one Goodreads user. Another also praised Maas' writing skills, writing, "There are so many vivid details, so many beautifully painted scenes, and so many perfectly peeled layers. I was never once left to question what the world looked like (or characters)."

"Throne of Glass" from Sarah J. Maas is the first of seven books in the "Throne of Glass" series and has a 4.18 average Goodreads rating at the time of writing, from more than 2.68 million ratings. The book sets the scene for a new world and introduces is to Celaena Sardothien. Celaena, an assassin, visits the king in an attempt to win her freedom. But she quickly learns that will be much easier said than done when she discovers the king's castle of glass contains pure evil that wants to harm her.

One Goodreads user complimented the novels' multiple creative fantasy elements, writing, "As the plot develops, the storyline becomes more and more intriguing until it reaches a point where things turn out dark and fantastic." Another wrote, "This book has plenty of mystery, magic, humor and romance — a perfect brew for fans of good YA fantasy."

"Onyx Storm" from Rebecca Yarros has a 4.22 Goodreads score at the time of writing with more than 1.92 million ratings. The third in "The Empyrean" collection (the fantasy romance book series that dominated the NYT best sellers list) takes us back to Navarre's Basgiath War College with our protagonist, dragon rider Violet Sorrengail. Violet is caught up in the violent war waged in her world and bravely decides to venture to Aretian to get support for her home and those she loves. Her trek comes with serious hurdles and battles though, and it's not helped by the fact she's struggling with a major secret.

One Goodreads user gave the book five stars and wrote, "I thought 'Iron Flame' was good? This was even better. It's fast paced, it's full of action." A second was equally full of praise, writing, "We get to go alllll over the map in this book which was so cool to really explore the world. & There were so many twists and turns (especially at the end!!)."

The popular, dark romantasy "Alchemised" by SenLinYu has been rated more than 359,300 times at the time of writing and has an average score of 4.30. In it, protagonist Helena Marino is imprisoned for resisting her world's new undead rulers. Tragically, Helena has lost her memory and has no recollection of what life was like before the war. But one thing she knows for sure is that she shouldn't give up on fighting for what's right. Helena's determined to get her memory back and finish the job she tasked herself with of ridding the world of the evil new ruler.

"Heartbreaking. Devastating. Harrowing. This macabre tale will shatter your heart, tear it from your chest, and haunt you long after the last page," wrote one Goodreads user. Another also touched on the book's darker themes writing, "A truly beautifully tragic story about people thrown into a brutal war environment, and what they have to do to keep going – no matter how they are perceived. Loved the world and magic system & the writing is absolutely amazing."

"Quicksilver" by Callie Hart is the first of the "Fae & Alchemy" romantasy books and has more than 1 million ratings on Goodreads for a 4.30 average rating at the time of writing. It's our first introduction to Saeris Fane, who has mysterious powers she needs to keep secret. Saeris finds herself rubbing shoulders with Death, and she's sent to a land of ice and snow where the Fae reside. That includes the handsome yet mysterious Fae warrior Kingfisher, who she soon embarks on an epic romance with.

One impressed Goodreads user wrote, "The world-building and magic system is intriguing. It all felt familiar in the sense that if you dabble in the fantasy or paranormal genres, you've probably read plenty of stories with fae, vampires, gods, portal magic, etc. However, this was done in a unique way so it felt like a fresh concept." Another praised Hart's story development. Another compared the book to "A Court of Thornes and Roses" and wrote, "The ending was wild. I loved it. The action and the cliffhanger was chef's kiss."

"Crown of Midnight" by Sarah J. Maas, the second in the "Throne of Glass" series, has, at the time of writing, a score of 4.36 from over 1.97 million ratings. Celaena Sardothien is back, and this time's she's the king's champion. But she hasn't changed her loyalties or her morals, as she's determined to bring down the evil monarchy from the inside. Though she manages to keep her intentions secret for a while, the truth comes out in an epic way when Celaena has choose her loyalties as she's forced to fight.

Multiple Goodreads users claimed they preferred the book to the first in the series, "Throne of Glass." One even shared of the romantasy, "It's a top-notch high fantasy world, coupled with a darker atmosphere, [mystery], magic and amazing characters. The result is a certain recipe for epicness, one that Sarah J. Mass gorgeously created with her mad writing skills." A second gushed, "This is how you write a fantasy novel. Great characters, development, evolution, and revelations."

The second book in "The Empyrean" series, Rebecca Yarros' "Iron Flame," has amassed a 4.36 rating from more than 2.88 million ratings at the time of writing. So it's no surprise it's a fantasy series Kindle readers have been totally obsessing over. This installment delves further into Violet Sorrengail's time at Basgiath War College. The dragon rider is now under the instruction of a new vice commandant (her own mom!) who's determined to get Violet to focus on her riding skills — not her handsome love interest. But that's not all Violet has to contend with, because she knows a longstanding secret that could change everything.

"The romance. The spice. The action. The plot twists. The drama. The reveals. The writing. PERFECT," one reader gushed on Goodreads. Another suggested reading the first book before the second, writing, "I was sucked right back into the world of Navarre and Violet Sorrengail. Everything I loved from the first book is here—nonstop action, characters I could root for, snarky dragons, and sizzling romance."

"Dungeon Crawler Carl" by Matt Dinniman landed an impressive Goodreads score of 4.43 from over 605,700 ratings at the time of writing. The science fiction fantasy story centers on Carl's story. Carl broke up with his girlfriend just before the world then suffered an alien invasion. So things aren't going well. Carl is also tasked with taking care of his ex-girlfriend's cat amid the strange new normal of living alongside aliens, and the dynamic duo find themselves on a potentially lethal reality show that's being watched by other worldly beings across the universe.

One Goodreads user noted the book isn't a typical fantasy read, but noted it's ideal for those looking to have fun and experiment with the genre. A second reader encouraged readers to believe the hype surrounding the humorous fantasy novel, sharing, "Every chapter oozes with characterization, plot development, excellent pacing, humour, moral tension, and delicious bloody violence."

Another entry on our fantasy ranking from Sarah J. Maas, "Heir of Fire," is the third "Throne of Glass" book. It's landed an impressive 4.44 average rated on Goodreads at the time of writing from 1.76 million ratings. Celaena Sardothien is back, but we don't find her in the best health. She's been seriously weakened by the struggles in the previous books, but still has to face a scary truth about her ancestors while fighting for the life she knows and loves against evil forces. The darkness is quickly rolling in, and those with less than good intentions are ready to enslave the world.

"The plot expanded as well, the series transitions into high fantasy at this point and we see the stakes being set high," one Goodreads user wrote. A second reviewer claimed the book was their favorite in the series, writing, "The rich development of the plot and the characters, the scope of the world, the side characters, the multiple POV's... Maas truly outdid herself with this book."

"A Court of Wings and Ruin" by Sarah J. Maas is the third book in the fantasy series readers clearly still can't stop buying from Amazon. It's amassed a score, at the time of writing, of 4.46 from more than 2.93 million ratings. It focuses on Feyre as she gears up to expose Tamlin's behaviour — but it's not going to be easy. She knows the king is determined to snatch all the power she can and doesn't care who he might hurt along the way. Feyre enlists the help of Rhysand to help her end the war from the inside, but danger lurks around every corner in this treacherous fantasy land.

"This book just has everything. Great characters, great story, secrets, betrayal, redemptions, ACTION!!!!," read one five-star Goodreads review, recommending readers enjoy the previous books in the series first. Another touched on the book's deep, emotional storyline, writing, "I felt so much for this story, world and characters. So many things like tugged my heartstrings, whilst being whimsical at the same time."

"Sunrise on the Reaping" by Suzanne Collins is a prequel to the hugely popular "The Hunger Games" series and has amassed a 4.49 score at the time of writing, from over 1.3 million ratings. This book takes place amid the 15th annual Hunger Games, which sees double the number of usual tributes (including familiar face Haymitch Abernathy) forced to fight to the death. Haymitch discovers he has to enter the lethal arena alongside a very close friend he'd rather fight for, not against, and it doesn't take long for him to discover the challenge is far from fair.

In a four-star Goodreads review of the action-packed fantasy story, one fan stated, "A fast-paced and fun return to the gruesomeness of Collin's dystopian vision." Another wrote, "Every single aspect of this book is perfect. Suzanne Collins is a masterful author [...] She doesn't shy away from the darkness – and the optimism – that is humankind trying to survive in an unethical political climate."

Andy Weir's "Project Hail Mary" has a score of 4.51 at the time of writing from over 1.85 million ratings. The book is set in a time when the earth is under grave threat, and astronaut Ryland Grace is sent into space on a mission to save the world. Only, tragedy occurs, his mission mates die, and he loses his memory. That means Ryland has no way of remembering what he was set into space to do. He'll find himself in a desperate race against time to remember his purpose before the world is obliterated.

One Goodreads user noted the popular book (which was turned into a movie) didn't have many of the typical elements of the sci-fi fantasy drama, such as aliens or magic, but it still worked. "Instead we have smart science and solid reasoning and friendly collaboration that are at the forefront and serve to even out the seemingly insurmountable odds," they noted. A second reviewer stated, "This was incredibly well-written; fast-paced, clever and hilarious."

"Fourth Wing" by Rebecca Yarros is the first book in her hugely popular "The Empyrean" series. From over 3.94 million ratings at the time of writing, the novel has a highly impressive average score of 4.56. This beloved fantasy story is the first to introduce us to Violet Sorrengail and Basgiath War College. Violet's take no prisoners mom forces her to become a dragon rider, despite knowing there's a fair chance this shrinking violet could be injured by one. Or worse. To help Violet better bond with the dragons, she gets help from the handsome wingleader Xaden Riorson and they grow very close amid the raging war outside the college walls. But things go from bad to worse when Violet stumbles across a major secret that could change everything forever.

"It gives you everything you crave in romantasy. The drama, the characters, the plot, the action, the betrayal, the romance, the tension, the hope that there are still amazing books out there in the world," one five-star Goodreads review read. Another recommended the story to those who are new to fantasy novels because of its easy-to-understand world building, while a third fan shared, "The action begins right on the first page and never lets up." Once you've crossed "Fourth Wing" of your TBR list, read these books next for more romantasy fun.

"A Court of Mist and Fury" by Sarah J. Maas is officially Goodreads' most read fantasy book of 2026 with the highest score. At the time of writing, the second in the "A Court of Thrones and Roses" series (the BookTok favorite series that counts the likes of Tallulah Willis and Jordin Sparks amongst fans) has a seriously high ranking of 4.63 from more than 3.47 million ratings. It brings Feyre back into our lives as she grapples with her new powers. But things are far from easy, as Feyre is still struggling with the events of the previous novel while preparing to tie the knot with Tamlin. But there are serious political events going on around her too, and she still has to hold up her side of the bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court.

"Sarah really knows how to capture her audience with her writing, worldbuilding, and characters that she has created," one Goodreads user wrote. Another had praise for the book's gripping ending. "It's not a cliffhanger, but it is still EVIL. In the best possible way. I loved everything about it. It's the kind of emotional high that leaves you somewhere between wide-eyed horror and smiling gleefully," they shared.

To form our list, we selected the 15 highest rated fantasy novels on Goodreads' Most Read Books This Year list. To be considered a true fantasy novel, the genre had to be listed as one of its main labels on its Goodreads landing page, even if it was associated with another genre, like thriller, romance, or sci-fi. When two books had the exact same score, we placed the one with the more ratings at the time of writing higher.