Goodreads Fantasy List

Goodreads ranks five fantasy books by reader engagement, including Sarah J. Maas' House of Flame and Shadow and Matt Dinniman's The Eye of the Bedlam Bride.

House of Flame and Shadow

Sarah J. Maas' third Crescent City book releases January 30, 2024, with Bryce Quinlan and Hunt Athalar struggling to reunite.

The Eye of the Bedlam Bride

Matt Dinniman's Dungeon Crawler Carl book six, The Eye of the Bedlam Bride, releases July 2, 2023, with Carl and Princess Donut in a deadly game.

Powerless

Lauren Roberts' Powerless, published November 7, 2023, features Paedyn Gray saving Prince Kai Azer from the Purging Trials.

Once Upon a Broken Heart

Stephanie Garber's Once Upon a Broken Heart, released September 28, 2021, follows Evangeline Fox bargaining with Prince Jacks for three kisses.

Alchemised

SenLinYu's Alchemised, published September 23, 2025, follows Helena Marino uncovering war secrets while imprisoned in a decaying mansion.

Author Insights

Sarah J. Maas says she created a multiverse for her books after a shower thought, while Matt Dinniman writes without outlines.

“I’d loved fairy tales since I was a kid. Then I discovered there were fairy tales for grown-ups.”

Powerless Concept

Lauren Roberts' Powerless mixes Victoria Aveyard's Red Queen and The Hunger Games, with an Ordinary protagonist.

“One day, I had a shower thought. It was nothing profound, but I really thought, ‘What if I do a Uno reverse card on the chosen one trope, and instead of our main character being the one to find these powers and save the kingdom, she’s the only one who’s powerless and is surrounded by people who do have these abilities?’”

Once Upon a Broken Heart

Stephanie Garber's book is set in the same universe as Caraval but can be read standalone, with a focus on heartbreak.

“Once Upon A Broken Heart is set in the same universe as Caraval, but I really wanted to make sure this book could be read without reading the Caraval series.”

Alchemised Themes

SenLinYu's Alchemised explores morality in war, with a nonlinear story about a healer with amnesia in a decaying mansion.

“Alchemised is a bit of a genre-bending gothic war novel about a healer with amnesia kept prisoner in a deteriorating mansion while her captors try to discover what secrets her memory might be hiding.”

Book Release Dates

House of Flame and Shadow: January 30, 2024; The Eye of the Bedlam Bride: July 2, 2023; Powerless: November 7, 2023; Once Upon a Broken Heart: September 28, 2021; Alchemised: September 23, 2025.

Why These Books?

These books range from established series to new releases, with readers returning to them after years.