Book Recs: Underrated Fantasy

Two weeks ago I posted a list of underrated YA contemporary romances and I'm back again with another list! This time I'm focusing on underrated fantasy (you can thank Alexa for suggesting it!). This is a genre I absolutely love and have always loved since I was kid. But I think we can agree that there are a ton of young adult fantasy novels coming out all the time and I personally see the same ones get promoted over and over again. And while some are deserving of the praise heaped on them, I'd like to shed some light on some amazing but lesser known fantasy books, across both young adult and adult.

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Air Awakens series by Elise Kova | I don't remember exactly how or why Alexa and I decided to read the first book in this series for our Flights of Fantasy book challenge. But I'm pretty sure someone we followed mentioned it and since it sounded interesting, we decided to give it shot. I ended up binging the entire series in a week! If you love fantasy with a heavy side of romance, elemental magic and intrigue, this is for you. 

The Shattered Court + The Forbidden Heir (The Four Arts, #1-2) by M.J. Scott | The Four Arts series is adult fantasy and I'll admit, I mostly picked it up because of the cover and didn't know much else. But wow, I flew through this book! I thought the world building and magic were well-done and what can I say, I'm also a sucker for romances involving a royal guard.

Roar (Stormheart, #1) by Cora Carmack | As someone who was already a fan of Cora's new adult books, I really didn't know what to expect from her in terms of YA fantasy. And what I got far exceeded my expectations! I'm a huge fan of elemental magic and I really loved her take on it. 

Elemental Blessings by Sharon Shinn | Sharon Shinn is one of those fantasy writers that you have to check out at one point in your life. I started with Archangel but it wasn't entirely for me. Then I read Troubled Waters, the first book in this series, and I was hooked! Each book focused on a different heroine but it's all the same characters and world. 

To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo | I've described this book at the Little Mermaid retelling I didn't know I needed in my life and I totally stand by that statement. It's dark, moody and swoony in a slow-burn kind of way. If you love mermaids and/or sirens, this is a must read. 

Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young | I'm realizing now that I'm a huge fan of Viking lore (as I've watched the Vikings and now The Last Kingdom) but I never thought to look for it in books. This story totally captures the spirit of that lore while delving into what their kind of life means to each of the characters and how important family is. 

Frostblood Saga by Elly Blake | I was telling everyone to read this book after it came out! I've heard some people say it's a bit tropey and I can see why, but it's all the ones I love! Fire and ice magic, feisty heroines, enemies-to-lovers romance. My only complaint is the last book which was still enjoyable but flawed (for reasons I can't say because spoilers!). 

Shadow of the Fox by Julie Kagawa | I used to be the biggest Julie Kagawa fangirl because of the Iron Fey series (which I totally need to reread). But it had been a while since I'd read anything new of hers. Enter Shadow of the Fox which involves kitsune magic, anime vibes and my favorite, a motley crew of characters going on a journey. I loved it and can't wait for book 2!

Sweet Black Waves by Kristina Pérez | I know the story of Tristan and Isolde so I was excited to see Perez's take on it, especially with the introduction of Branwen as the heroine. It was so good! But knowing the source material made me very anxious throughout the book. I can't wait to see how Branwen's tale continues. 

Reign the Earth (The Elementae #1) by A.C. Gaughen | In case you couldn't tell yet, I'm really into elemental magic. However this YA fantasy is definitely on the darker side but the characters, the relationships, the families and how the magic is portrayed makes it worth the read.

Potion series by Amy Alward | I really don't think I've seen anyone talk about this series as a whole, just the first book Madly (also known as The Potion Diaries) back when it was first released in the US. It's such a fun and light magical series.

Princess of Thorns by Stacey Jay | It's about Sleeping Beauty's daughter, who is a "warrior princess looking to reclaim her throne." I mean, how do you not want to read this?! Princess of Thorns surprised me with just how much I enjoyed it. If you love fantasy and especially if you love fairytale retellings, this is one to check out.

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What have you read from this list? Or better yet, 

what would you add?

And if you're enjoying this recommendations, let me know what kind of list

you think I should do next!