A list of 60 novels about fairies

  1. A Court of Thorns and Roses Series by Sarah J. Maas

    This bestselling series blends romance, high stakes, and epic fantasy, following mortal huntress Feyre Archeron as she is drawn into the dangerous and alluring world of the Fae. The series expands from a romantic fairy tale retelling into a sprawling narrative of war, trauma, healing, and political intrigue across multiple Fae courts.

  2. The Folk of the Air Series by Holly Black

    This series is a masterclass in treacherous faerie politics, centered on Jude Duarte, a mortal girl raised in the High Court of Faerie. To survive, she must outmaneuver cunning princes, navigate deadly alliances, and seize power in a world where she is seen as inferior.

  3. Crescent City Series by Sarah J. Maas

    Set in a modern fantasy metropolis where fae, angels, shifters, and humans coexist, this series combines urban fantasy with high-stakes mystery. The story begins with half-fae, half-human Bryce Quinlan teaming up with a fallen angel to solve a brutal murder, uncovering a conspiracy that threatens their entire world.

  4. The Sevenwaters Trilogy by Juliet Marillier

    Steeped in Celtic folklore and history, this series chronicles the struggles and triumphs of a noble family cursed by dark magic. The stories revolve around courageous young women who must rely on their wits, the aid of the Fair Folk, and immense personal sacrifice to protect their family and land.

  5. The Fever Series by Karen Marie Moning

    When her sister is murdered, MacKayla Lane travels to Dublin and is thrown into a shadowy war between humans and the Fae. She must navigate a city teeming with lethal Fae, hunt for a dark magical tome called the Sinsar Dubh, and decide who to trust in a world where nothing is as it seems.

  6. The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher

    While dealing with all manner of supernatural threats, wizard-for-hire Harry Dresden frequently finds himself entangled in the politics of the Fae. The Summer and Winter Courts are powerful, dangerous forces, and Harry must navigate their rigid rules and deadly whims to protect Chicago and the mortal world.

  7. October Daye Series by Seanan McGuire

    Rosemary and Rue introduces Toby Daye, a changeling private investigator living in San Francisco. After being turned into a fish for fourteen years, she is pulled back into the complex and perilous world of Faerie to solve a murder. The series blends classic noir mystery with rich Celtic mythology.

  8. Meredith Gentry Series by Laurell K. Hamilton

    Meredith Gentry, a faerie princess moonlighting as a private investigator in the human world, is forced back into the lethal political arena of the Fae courts. This adult series is known for its blend of dark fantasy, political maneuvering, and sensual intrigue as Meredith vies for the throne.

  9. The War for the Oaks by Emma Bull

    A landmark of the urban fantasy genre, this novel follows Eddi McCandry, a rock musician in Minneapolis who finds herself drafted into an ancient war between the Seelie and Unseelie Courts. Aided by a mischievous phouka, Eddi becomes a pivotal piece in a conflict where music is magic and the fate of the city is at stake.

  10. Darkfever Series by Richelle Mead

    Eugenie Markham is a shaman-for-hire who banishes spirits and creatures from the Otherworld. Her life is complicated when she discovers a prophecy about her first-born child and is pulled into the power struggles of the Fae realms, forcing her to confront her own mysterious heritage.

  11. The Good Neighbors Series by Holly Black

    This graphic novel trilogy follows Rue Silver, a teenager whose life unravels when her mother disappears and her estranged grandfather, a faerie professor, reveals her family's deep connection to the treacherous world of the Fae. Rue must navigate the liminal space between her human life and her fae heritage.

  12. The Hellequin Chronicles by Steve McHugh

    While not solely about fae, this series features them heavily. Nate Garrett, a 1600-year-old sorcerer with amnesia, works to uncover his past while battling figures from mythology. His journey frequently brings him into conflict and alliance with various factions of fae, from the malevolent to the noble.

    Note: Original series name referenced in place of Hounded to be more descriptive.

  13. The Iron Fey Series by Julie Kagawa

    On her sixteenth birthday, Meghan Chase discovers she is the daughter of a faery king. When her brother is kidnapped, she ventures into the realm of Nevernever, a world of beautiful but deadly fae. She soon finds herself caught between the traditional courts and a new threat: the Iron Fey, born of humanity's cold technology.

  14. Modern Faerie Tales Series by Holly Black

    This gritty, contemporary series explores the dark, alluring, and dangerous side of faeries living among us. Each book follows a different teenager who becomes entangled with the fae, dealing with themes of identity, belonging, and moral ambiguity in a world where beauty is a weapon and bargains are binding.

  15. Wicked Lovely Series by Melissa Marr

    Aislinn has always seen the invisible faeries that inhabit her town, and she's survived by following strict rules to avoid their notice. Her life is upended when Keenan, the Summer King, reveals she is a candidate to become his new queen, forcing her into the center of an ancient power struggle between the Summer and Winter Courts.

  16. Wings Series by Aprilynne Pike

    Laurel is a seemingly normal teenager who discovers a flower blooming on her back—a sign of her true identity as a faerie sent to live among humans. She must learn to navigate her dual heritage, a love triangle, and the growing threat of trolls who seek to claim her family's land.

  17. Faery Rebels Series by R.J. Anderson

    In a world where faeries have lost their magic and wings, a fierce and curious faery named Knife rebels against her community’s stifling traditions. Her quest to understand their decline leads her to the dangerous world of humans and to uncovering secrets that could save her people—or destroy them.

  18. Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception by Maggie Stiefvater

    Sixteen-year-old Deirdre Monaghan is a gifted musician who finds herself pursued by the fae after meeting the mysterious Luke Dillon. She is pulled into a deadly game where her musical talent makes her a target for the Faerie Queen, forcing her to confront the darker side of folklore.

  19. The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black

    In the town of Fairfold, humans and fae coexist uneasily. At the heart of the forest lies a glass coffin containing a sleeping horned boy, whom siblings Hazel and Ben have loved for years. When he wakes, a dangerous bargain is struck, revealing buried secrets and forcing Hazel to become the knight she always pretended to be.

  20. An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson

    Isobel is a prodigy portrait artist whose human clients are the vain and dangerous fair folk. But when she paints mortal sorrow in the eyes of her patron, Rook, the autumn prince, she violates their laws and is whisked away to the fae courts to stand trial for her crime.

  21. The Treachery of Beautiful Things by Ruth Frances Long

    Years after her brother disappeared into the woods, Jenny returns to find him. She is pulled into a treacherous fae realm that is both beautiful and deadly, where time is fluid and nothing is as it seems. To rescue her brother, she must navigate a world of illusions and make a devastating choice.

  22. Bones of Faerie by Janni Lee Simner

    In a post-apocalyptic world shattered by a war between humans and faeries, Liza discovers she has the fae ability to see the magic that still lingers in the land. Fearing this connection, she embarks on a journey through a broken landscape to find her missing sister and understand her own identity.

  23. Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke

    Set in an alternate 19th-century England, this novel chronicles the revival of practical magic by two rival magicians. Their ambitions lead them into the Napoleonic Wars and, more dangerously, into dealings with the eerie and unpredictable world of Faerie, whose inhabitants have their own ancient claims on England.

  24. Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

    This cozy fantasy follows the brilliant but socially awkward professor Emily Wilde as she travels to a remote Nordic village to complete her encyclopedia of faerie folklore. Her academic fieldwork is soon complicated by her handsome, charismatic rival and the cunning, dangerous Folk who inhabit the nearby woods.

  25. The King of Elfland's Daughter by Lord Dunsany

    A foundational work of fantasy, this novel tells the story of the lord of Erl, who sends his son to marry the King of Elfland's daughter to give his people a magical ruler. Written in lyrical, dreamlike prose, it explores the poignant divide between the mortal world and the enchanting but fleeting nature of Faerie.

  26. Thomas the Rhymer by Ellen Kushner

    Based on a classic Scottish ballad, this novel follows a gifted minstrel and poet who is taken by the Queen of Elfland to her realm for seven years. Upon his return, he is cursed with the inability to tell a lie, a gift that transforms his life and relationships in the mortal world.

  27. Lud-in-the-Mist by Hope Mirrlees

    The respectable, business-minded citizens of Lud-in-the-Mist live in staunch denial of their proximity to the uncanny Faerie. But when forbidden fairy fruit begins to appear in their town, causing chaos and strange behavior, it falls to Mayor Nathaniel Chanticleer to confront the repressed history between the two lands.

  28. An Earthly Knight by Janet McNaughton

    A retelling of the "Tam Lin" ballad set in 12th-century Scotland. Lady Jeanette is torn between her duty to marry a nobleman and her love for a mysterious young man held captive by the Queen of Faerie. To save him, Jenny must summon immense courage and defy both mortal and fae authority.

  29. Midnight Never Come by Marie Brennan

    In this historical fantasy, a hidden fae court, a shadowy reflection of Queen Elizabeth I's, thrives beneath London. When a conspiracy threatens both mortal and fae realms, the courtier Michael Deven and the faerie spy Lune must form a reluctant alliance to uncover the truth.

  30. The Falconer by Elizabeth May

    In this steampunk-infused historical fantasy, Aileana Kameron is an aristocratic lady by day and a fierce fae-hunter by night. Set in 19th-century Scotland, she seeks to avenge her mother's death at the hands of a faery, all while navigating a society that expects her to do nothing more than marry well.

  31. Stardust by Neil Gaiman

    To win the heart of the village beauty, young Tristran Thorn promises to retrieve a fallen star. His quest takes him over a stone wall and into the magical land of Faerie, where the star has taken the form of a woman named Yvaine. Tristran must protect her from witches, warring princes, and other dangers in this charming and whimsical adventure.

  32. The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett

    The first in a sub-series of the Discworld novels, this book introduces nine-year-old Tiffany Aching, a sensible witch-in-training. Armed with a frying pan and the help of the Nac Mac Feegle—tiny, blue, belligerent pictsies—she ventures into Fairyland to rescue her brother from the clutches of the Queen of the Elves.

  33. Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

    Twelve-year-old criminal mastermind Artemis Fowl II discovers that faeries are real and hatches a plan to capture one and hold her for a ransom of gold. This series merges high-tech gadgetry with ancient folklore as Artemis goes head-to-head with the militaristic and magically advanced Lower Elements Police (LEP).

  34. Fablehaven by Brandon Mull

    Siblings Kendra and Seth Sorenson discover that their grandparents' estate is a secret preserve for magical creatures. When they break the rules, they unleash powerful, malevolent forces that threaten to destroy Fablehaven. They must find the courage to face down witches, demons, and vengeful fae to save their family and the preserve.

  35. Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

    This beloved Newbery Honor book retells the Cinderella story with a clever twist. Ella of Frell is given the "gift" of obedience by a foolish fairy and must obey any command she is given. Determined to reclaim her free will, she embarks on a quest to find the fairy and break the curse.

  36. The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly

    Grieving the death of his mother, twelve-year-old David is drawn into a dark, twisted version of a fairy-tale world. To find his way home, he must navigate a land populated by monstrous creatures and fallen heroes, learning about courage, sacrifice, and the power of stories along the way.

  37. Phantastes: A Faerie Romance for Men and Women by George MacDonald

    A pioneering work of the fantasy genre that profoundly influenced authors like C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. A young man named Anodos is pulled from his bedroom into the strange, dreamlike, and often perilous realm of Fairy Land, where he undergoes a series of symbolic trials and adventures that shape his character.

  38. Ironskin by Tina Connolly

    A gothic fantasy retelling of Jane Eyre. Jane Eliot, scarred by a fey curse from a great war, takes a job as a governess on a remote estate. She must protect her young charge from the fey while unraveling the dark secrets of her brooding employer, Mr. Rochart, whose own past is entangled with the fey.

  39. The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic by Emily Croy Barker

    Unhappy with her life, Nora Fischer stumbles through a portal into a magical world. After a disastrous entanglement with a cruel fae lord, she is rescued and becomes the apprentice to a powerful but difficult magician.

    The novel is a thoughtful exploration of learning magic from the ground up, blending practical challenges with fantastical elements.

  40. Impossible by Nancy Werlin

    Lucy Scarborough is bound by a family curse passed down through generations, detailed in the folk ballad "Scarborough Fair." To save herself and her unborn child, she must complete three impossible tasks before her baby is born, all while being pursued by a malevolent faerie knight.

  41. War for the Oaks by Emma Bull

    A landmark of the urban fantasy genre, this novel follows Eddi McCandry, a rock musician in Minneapolis who finds herself drafted into an ancient war between the Seelie and Unseelie Courts. Aided by a mischievous phouka, Eddi becomes a pivotal piece in a conflict where music is magic and the fate of the city is at stake.

  42. The Folk Keeper by Franny Billingsley

    Corinna, an orphan with fiery hair and a mysterious past, serves as a Folk Keeper, responsible for tending the fierce, subterranean creatures known as the Folk. Disguising herself as a boy, she uses her unique abilities to control them, but her new post at a seaside manor unravels the secrets of her own identity and connection to the sea.

  43. Magic Bitter, Magic Sweet by Charlie N. Holmberg

    Maire is a baker with a magical gift: she can infuse her creations with emotions and influence. Her talent attracts the attention of Allemas, a ruthless fae-like being who kidnaps her and forces her to bake for his court. Maire must use her wits and her craft to regain her freedom and her lost memories.

  44. An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson

    Isobel is a prodigy portrait artist whose human clients are the vain and dangerous fair folk. But when she paints mortal sorrow in the eyes of her patron, Rook, the autumn prince, she violates their laws and is whisked away to the fae courts to stand trial for her crime.

  45. Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston

    Seventeen-year-old actress Kelley Winslow lands her dream role in a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream in Central Park. She soon discovers the play is a gateway to the real-life Faerie realm, and she is a changeling with a powerful destiny she must embrace to protect both the human and fae worlds.

  46. The Faerie Guardian by Rachel Morgan

    In a hidden city in the human world, Violet Fairdale is training to become a Guardian, one of the fae tasked with protecting humans from exiled, rogue faeries. When a mission goes wrong, she finds herself entangled with a human boy, breaking one of her people's most sacred rules.

  47. Except the Queen by Jane Yolen & Midori Snyder

    Two faerie sisters, Serana and Meteora, are exiled from the magical realm and cast into the gritty, unfamiliar world of modern-day Earth. Stripped of their youth, beauty, and magic, they must navigate the strange human world, rediscover their bond, and confront the dark forces that followed them.

  48. The Good Fairies of New York by Martin Millar

    Two misfit Scottish thistle fairies, one a violent punk and the other a flower-loving romantic, get stoned and accidentally end up in New York City. They wreak havoc on the lives of two lonely humans in this comedic, gritty urban fantasy that explores themes of friendship, art, and finding a place to belong.

  49. Gossamer Axe by Gael Baudino

    Christa, a 5th-century Celtic harper, has lived for centuries in the mortal world, waiting to rescue her lover from the Sidhe. In 1980s Denver, she realizes that the magic of an all-female heavy metal band might be the key to challenging the Faerie Lord and winning back her beloved.

  50. The Fairy Rebel by Lynne Reid Banks

    A gentle fairy named Tiki defies the cruel Fairy Queen to help a human woman, Jan, who desperately wants a child. This act of kindness sets off a chain of events that blends magical adventure with themes of rebellion, friendship, and the courage to stand up for what is right.

  51. Fairyland by Paul J. McAuley

    In a near-future Europe transformed by biotechnology, Alex Sharkey gets involved with genetically engineered "fairies"—tiny, fleeting beings created for human amusement. This science fiction novel explores themes of genetic manipulation, corporate power, and the ethical lines of creating new life forms.

  52. Blood and Iron by Elizabeth Bear

    Elaine Andraste is a changeling who serves as the Queen's Prometheus, an immortal knight tasked with protecting mortals from the political machinations of Faerie. When a powerful Fae lord is murdered, Elaine is drawn into a conflict that blurs the lines between her human loyalties and her fae heritage.

  53. Blackbringer by Laini Taylor

    Magpie Windwitch is a tiny faerie with a huge destiny: to hunt down and recapture the devils that were accidentally released from their ancient prison. With her trusty crow companions, she travels across a vibrant, mythic landscape to confront the Blackbringer, a terrifying entity that threatens to devour all magic.

  54. The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman

    Librarian-spy Irene travels to alternate worlds to acquire rare books for a mysterious interdimensional Library. In a chaotic, steampunk-infused London, she must retrieve a dangerous grimoire while navigating a war between the orderly, dragon-kin and the chaotic, story-bound Fae, who can warp reality to fit their narratives.

  55. The Call by Peadar Ó Guilín

    In this dark, dystopian fantasy, Irish teenagers live in constant fear of "The Call." For three horrifying minutes, they are snatched from our world and hunted through the grotesque land of the Sídhe. Nessa, who suffers from polio, must train relentlessly to survive her inevitable Call, knowing her physical limitations make her an easy target.

  56. An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon

    While not explicitly about fae, this novel takes place on a generation ship and incorporates folklore and magical realism in ways that will appeal to fans of darker fae tales. Aster, a healer, navigates the ship's brutal, segregated society while uncovering secrets about its past, blending science fiction with themes of myth and rebellion.

  57. The Hunter's Moon by O.R. Melling

    Two cousins, one American and one Irish, find themselves on a dangerous quest across Ireland after one of them is declared a "stray" and becomes a target for the fairy hunt. Steeped in authentic Irish folklore, the novel explores the power of friendship and courage against the backdrop of the wild and unforgiving Otherworld.

  58. The Fairy Godmother by Mercedes Lackey

    In the Five Hundred Kingdoms, a magical force called The Tradition tries to force people into classic fairy tale roles. This novel follows Elena, a young woman who, after narrowly avoiding a Cinderella fate, chooses to become a Fairy Godmother herself, helping others navigate and subvert the often-dangerous stories The Tradition creates.

  59. Winter Rose by Patricia A. McKillip

    In this lyrical and atmospheric novel, Rois Melior becomes enchanted by Corbet Lynn, a man whose family is rumored to be entangled with the fey. As she is drawn deeper into the mysteries of his past and the wild woods surrounding his home, the lines between reality, fairy tale, and memory begin to blur.

  60. The Stolen Child by Keith Donohue

    This novel is told from the dual perspectives of a young boy who is stolen by changelings and the changeling who takes his place. It explores the lives of these two "Anjous" as they grow up in worlds they weren't born to, examining themes of identity, belonging, and the longing for a life that was lost.