The A to Z Reading Challenge: Fantasy Edition
- Sarah Emmer
- 5 hours ago
- 6 min read
What is the A to Z Reading Challenge?
The A to Z Reading Challenge, also known as the ABC Reading Challenge, has a simple goal: choose one book for each letter of the alphabet, starting with A and finishing with Z.
I'm focusing specifically on fantasy books in this article, and I hope the suggestions are helpful. You might have never heard of this challenge, or maybe you're already trying to complete one (like me). Whatever your reading journey, hopefully a few of these volumes help you select something for a difficult letter (Q or X, anyone?).
Why a Fantasy-Specific Challenge?
I'm a romantic fantasy author, and I gobble up fantasy and its multitude of subgenres for breakfast on the daily. And I know I'm not alone. Since I have not come across a fantasy themed A to Z challenge, I decided to make one. I hope you enjoy!
The Challenge: A to Z with 180+ Fantasy Books
Note: I have only included the first book for anything in a series. While I spent HOURS compiling this list, it's impossible to include every fantasy book that deserves to be on it.
And if you're like me, you probably want to check out these books on Goodreads, so I linked every single book to its Goodreads page.
Check out the StoryGraph link after the list to add any books that you think should be on here!
And the part you've been waiting for...suggestions for every letter:
A: Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb, Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer, All That Glitters Is Not Gold by Linda Ling, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, Anathema by Keri Lake, Angelfall by Susan Ee, An Academy for Liars Alexis Henderson, The Astral Library by Kate Quinn
B: Bride by Ali Hazelwood, Babel by R.F. Kuang, Bloodguard by Cecy Robson, The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie, Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale, Brighter than Scale, Swifter than Flame by Neon Yang, Belladonna by Adalyn Grace, The Bruising of Qilwa by Naseem Lemnia, Between Flames and Deceit by M.A. Frick, Blackwarden by Ciara Hartford, Blade of Broken Scales by Makayla Marie, By the Orchid and the Owl by Mariah Montoya, Blood and War by Belle Walker
C: Caraval by Stephanie Garber, The Cruel Prince by Holly Black, Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi, City of Bones by Cassandra Clare, A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchet, The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty, The Canopy Keepers by Veronica A.G. Henry, A Curse of Breath and Blood by K.W. Foster
D: Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross, Daughter of No Worlds by Carissa Broadbent, Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan, Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier, The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams, Dire Bound by Sable Sorenson
E: Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine, An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir, The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan, Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri, Eragon by Christopher Paolini, An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson, The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo
F: The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien, Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros, From Blood and Ash by Jennifer Armentrout, A Fate Inked in Blood by Daniele L Jenson, The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin, Forcing Fate by M.A. Frick, Five Broken Blades by Mai Corland, Fable by Adrienne Young, The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson, Foul is Fair by Elisse Hay, Forget Me Not by Alexandria Sharpe, Fallen Virtues by Tayla Dimov, Flight of an Orphan Thief by S.M. Radgy
G: The Games Gods Play by Abigail Owen, The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna, The Girl With No Reflection by Keshe Chow, Gild by Raven Kennedy, Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir, The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh, The Gryphon King by Sara Omer, Godly Heathens by H.E. Edgemon, The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi, To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods by Molly X. Chang, Godkiller by Hannah Kaner
H: The Hurricane Wars by Thea Guanzon, House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas, Heavenbreaker by Sara Wolf, Heir of Stardust and Secrets by CC Hartly, The House of Starling by Ciara Hartford, The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein, Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli
I: Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao, In The Shadows by L.B. August, The Ivory Key by Akshaya Raman, Immortal Dark by Tigest Girma, Immortal by Sue Lynn Tan
J: The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri, Jade City by Fonda Lee, The Jasad Heir by Sara Hashem
K: Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey, King of Battle and Blood by Scarlett St. Clair, King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo, The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig, Katabasis by R.F. Kuang, A Kiss of Iron by Clare Sager
L: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis, The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch, The Library of Fates by Aditi Khorana, Lore of the Wilds by Analeigh Sbrana, A Legend in the Sky by Faye Oliander, The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle, The Lightening Thief by Rick Riordan, A Language of Dragons by S.F. Williamson, Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
M: Mageborn by Jessica Thorne, A Magic Steeped in Poison by Judy I. Lin, The Midwinter Queen by R.H. Linehan, A Midflight Vampire's Tale by Linda Ling
N: Nirel by Sarah Emmer, Nettle and Bone by T. Kingfisher, Null and Void by R. Moody, Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
O: One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig, Our Vicious Oaths by N.E. Davenport, On Wings of Blood by Briar Boleyn, Of Hoarfrost and Blood by Scarlet Tempest, Of Sand and Silk by Claire Butler, Of Flames and Fallacies by Courtney Whims
P: The Poet Empress by Shen Tao, The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang, The Prince Without Sorrow by Maithree Wijesekara, Promised in Fire by Jasmine Walt, The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon, Powerless by Lauren Roberts, Pawn: A Fairy Tale by Caliope More
Q: Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen, Quicksilver by Callie Hart, Queen of the Conquered by Kacen Callender, Qoya by Hope E Davis, Quest of the Stone by AJ Ashton
R: The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater, Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard, The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter, The Raven Tower by Ann Leckie, Radiance by Grace Draven
S: The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas, She who Became the Sun by Shelly Parker-Chan, Sabriel by Garth Nix, Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, Secrets and Stardust by Jeannin Counts, Smoke and Scar by Gretchen Powell Fox, A Song of Legends Lost by M.H. Ayinde, Spark of the Everflame by Penn Cole, The Serpent & the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent, The Seam of Eternity by Rocco Levitas, Shadow of the Gods by John Gwynne, A Sparrow Among Stars by Sara Puissengur, The Starlight Heir by Amalie Howard, A Sea of Song and Sirens by Whit Standfield, The Sharpest Petal by J. Gillman
T: Trial of the Sun Queen by Nisha J. Tuli, Together We Burn by Isabel Ibanez, Talon by Julie Kagawa, Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas, Thief of Darkness by Alana Faye Wilson Throne in the Dark by A.K. Caggiano, Tide Bound by Lauren O'Brien, A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal, This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron, A Thousand Burning Ravens by Kier Smelcor, The Treasured One by Hannah Levin, Traitor's Creed by Lauren Searson-Patrick
U: Uprooted by Naomi Novik, The Unbroken by C.L. Clark, Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune, The Umbra King by Vincula Realm
V: A Vow in Vengeance by Jaclyn Rodriguez, Vicious by V.E. Schwab, The Veiled Kingdom by Holly Renee, These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong, Visions of Darkness by A.L. Jackson
W: What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez, The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson, This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi, A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin, When the Moon Hatched by Sarah A Parker, The Wolf King by Lauren Palphreyman, Wicks and Wings by Sarah C. Davies, Wild Beauty by Anna-Marie McLemore, When You Return by Isabella Iyubi
X: Xantera by Mariah Montoya and Grace Pearce, Xanth: The Quest for Magic by Piers Anthony, Xanadu by Jane Yolen et al.
Y: The Young Elites by Marie Lu, Year of the Reaper by Makiia Lucier, Yvgenie by C.J. Cherryh
Z: Zodiac Rising by Katie Zhao, Zhara by S. Jae-Jones, Zeroes by Scott Westerfield, Margo Lanagan, Deborah Biancotti
You might notice some names you've never heard of before. This list includes some incredibly talented indie authors who are currently quite underrated. I hope you give them a whirl and find a new storyteller to add your favorite's list.
StoryGraph List!
Check out the link if you'd like to join the A to Z challenge on StoryGraph. There is no time limit, and I have already preloaded every selection listed above (with a few exceptions for books not on the platform) into the challenge prompts. You can add your own fantasy favorites there, too.
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