65+ Clean YA Fantasy Books

Wormwood Abbey series by Christmas Baehr
This one made it on to the 2025 Summer Reading Guide and for good reason! This series has been a huge hit at our house, especially for my 12 & 14 year olds. Set in Victorian England, the series follows Edith and her family, dragon protectors who inherit an abbey in Yorkshire. They discover dragons on the property and must protect them from the outside world. With a spunky protagonist, a fantastic setting, and great character development, this YA series with a touch of fantasy is an absolute delight.

Skyward series by Brandon Sanderson
My husband and now my two oldest daughters are HUGE Brandon Sanderson fans and this was the first book I’ve read by him! This one takes place in the future where pilots are the heroes of the human race and Spensa dreams of becoming one like her father. But her father’s actions years earlier look like they’ll keep her from recognizing her dream.

Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles) by Marissa Meyer
The first book in this series was the August book for the 2023 Everyday Reading Book Club and it was so delightful. YA fantasy books aren’t my normal cup of tea, but I loved this fractured fairy tale version of Cinderella. Each book in this 4 book series tells the story of a different fractured fairy tale: Cinderella, Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, and Snow White.

Eragon Series by Christopher Paolini
After finding out his destiny of a Dragon Rider, teenage Eragon and his loyal dragon must navigate a dangerous world of magic and power as they struggle to overthrow the evil King Galbatorix. Bart read this whole series years ago when it came out and it’s been fun to see my kids enjoy it now!
 

Cradle Series by Will Wight
This is a series that is loved by my husband and clean enough to hand over to my 14 year old! The 12-book Cradle series begins with Unsouled, following an underpowered outcast in a society where everyone has abilities. As the story unfolds, he gains strength and faces challenges beyond his small world. I couldn’t believe how quickly both Bart and Ella blew through this one!

Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson
Elisabeth is an apprentice librarian at the Great Library, where her task is to keep an eye on the grimoires, books that are living and breathing. If these books are made angry, they’ll transform into monsters. When an attack sets the most dangerous grimoire loose, she will uncover a plot that threatens the entire kingdom that no one may be able to conquer. (Full review here)

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier
This time-travel young adult trilogy is totally fluffy and also SUPER fun. Gwyneth’s family has a time traveling gene and she’s certain she hasn’t gotten it. But then, when she’s 16 it turns out that she DOES have it and it’s now her job to carry on the family legacy, despite the fact that she’s completely unprepared. (Full review here) 

Divergent by Veronica Roth
I don’t think I could have a list of YA fantasy books without this one on the list. This dystopian novel was at the top of all the charts when it came out a decade ago and it’s still a fun read for teens and adults!

The Selection by Kiera Cass
This dystopian romance stars America Singer who is selected as one of 35 girls competing for the hand of the prince in this Cinderella-meets-the-Bachelor young adult novel. I blew through the whole audio series after my third baby was born and loved this frothy series.

The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
For those who love fairy tales and fairy tale retellings, the Books of Bayern series is a slam-dunk winner. It follows four strong young heroines in magical lands as they fight to save their kingdoms and loved ones from dark forces. Goose Girl, the first book in the series was one of the very first books I ever wrote about on Everyday Reading and it’s still one of my all-time favorites. The plot is certainly basic enough fairy-tale material, but Hale makes it something really wonderful. (Full review here)

My Fair Godmother by Janette Rallison
Whenever someone asks for clean book recommendations, Janette Rallison is always the first to come to my mind (for YA and adults)! After a breakup, Savannah’s fairy godmother sends her and a classmate back to the Middle Ages, where they battle fairy tale mayhem…and maybe find love. And if this one is a hit, there are 2 more books in the series.

The False Princess by Eilis O’Neal
The False Princess completely exceeded my expectations! It’s a younger YA fantasy book in the vein of Ella Enchanted or The Goose Girl, and for once, those “perfect for fans of…” comparisons actually deliver. With a twisty plot, magic, court intrigue, and a wonderfully relatable heroine in Sinda, this one’s a charming, clever read I couldn’t wait to pass along.

Crown Duel by Sherwood Smith
This one sounds like your classic enemies to lovers romance! Meliara’s fight to free her kingdom turns deadly when she’s captured by the enemy commander, the dashing Marquis of Shevraeth. But the real battle begins at court, where the man she’s meant to hate becomes the one who might just steal her heart.

Beauty by Robin McKinley
I’ve always loved a good fairy tale retelling and this is one of the ones I remember best from my childhood. My mom read this Beauty and the Beast retelling aloud to us and I woke up in the middle of the night to see her reading it in the hallways because she couldn’t wait to see how it would turn out! I love that this one gives you way more backstory for Beauty’s family and I really love her sisters and their sweet relationship. It has such great character development and it’s just a delight all around.

Lord of the Rings by J.R.R Tolkien
This epic fantasy trilogy follows Frodo Baggins’ perilous journey to destroy the One Ring and defeat the Dark Lord Sauron. It is filled with iconic characters, mythical creatures, and an entire world waiting to be discovered. The Hobbit is also one I couldn’t not add to this list!

Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson
This was our audiobook pick for our family trip and it was a huge hit! I picked the full cast version, which was a great call – there are so many different voices and original music and sound effects and it just made for a stunning listen that we were all very into from the first few minutes. Tress has lived a quiet life until her beloved friend (and . .. .maybe more than friend?) is taken away on a voyage by his father and disaster strikes. Now Tress is ready to leave everything she’s ever known behind to stow away on a ship and sail across the mysterious seas where even a single drop of water can spell death for everyone aboard.

Beast of Ten by Beth Brower 
After I finished reading the entire Emma M. Lion series (twice!), I figured it was time to explore some of this author’s other books and multiple people had told me that her Beauty and the Beast retelling was top notch. The beginning was a bit slow (which didn’t surprise me because Emma M Lion was the same) but once I got into the story, I was hooked!

Half Magic by Edward Eager
This was one of my favorite books growing up and I read it many times. I’d actually read it to my girls years ago but only Ella really remembered it and after a couple of not-quite hits, it felt so good to read something I knew I would love. We read it again together just this last year and everyone enjoyed it! I think about this book ALL the time, even after all these years.

Ella Enchanted by Gail Levine
This clever, funny, and sweet retelling of Cinderella might be one of my top five all-time favorite books! Ella was cursed shortly after birth to obey any order given to her and there doesn’t seem to be any way for her to break the curse on her own. Which means she’ll need to track down the elusive fairy that cursed her in the first place and convince her to remove the curse. And don’t forget about dreamy Prince Char, who absolutely adores Ella. Their chemistry is adorable and their banter the sweetest!

The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen
I read this nearly a decade ago and then again for the Everyday Reading Book Club a couple of years ago and LOVED it so much both times! Ella is also such a huge fan that she begged Bart to listen to it after she finished and had the best time listening to him make predictions about the story.

Heartless by Marissa Meyer
Before she was the Queen of Hearts, Catherine was just a girl who dreamed of love and baking—not the crown. Though the King of Hearts desires her, she falls instead for Jest, the charming court joker, risking everything for a chance at true love. But in a world of magic and madness, destiny has its own plans, threatening to turn her dreams into a nightmare.

The Sisters Grimm series by Michael Buckley
I first heard about this series nearly a decade ago from my mother-in-law who read it with one of my nieces and Ella spent a year blazing through the ten books of the series. Two orphaned sisters are sent to live with their grandmother (who they didn’t even know existed) in a strange little town called Ferryport Landing. When they arrive they soon learn that they have descended from the Brothers Grimm and the book of fairy tales those brothers wrote? Is actually history. And as one fairy tale mystery after another pops up in their town, it’s up to the sisters to solve the mysteries. This series is just DANG fun, with all the characters from every fairy tale you know popping up. The question is, who can they trust and who is trying to take them down?

Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson
My husband and now my two oldest daughters are HUGE Brandon Sanderson fans and I’ve never read a single book by him! In this fantasy series, the great hero of legend failed to stop the evil overlord, ensuring his rise to power. After enduring years of prison and torture, the hero escapes, creates a group of specialists, and frees the people of the oppressive regime.

The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley
My mom read Beauty by Robin McKinley to me and my sisters when we were young and I will never forget it! I haven’t read anything else written by her, but this one about a young orphan girl chosen to wield the Blue Sword (a privilege no woman has done in generations) sounds good!

Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
Princess Cimerone is terribly bored. Being a princess is bad enough. Being the SEVENTH daughter in a royal family is worse. Naturally, there is nothing to do but run away from home and face a dangerous dragon. Because dangerous is better than boring. (Full review here)

Five Kingdoms by Brandon Mull
Cole was trying to have some spooky fun with his friends one Halloween, when the haunted house they were at turned out to be a portal to a mysterious world called the Outskirts. The magic of the Outskirts is starting to unravel and it’s up to Cole to rescue his friends and find a way back home.

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
I read this book after my younger brother had mentioned it to me while on vacation. For some reason, I expected it to be about dragons (hint: it’s not), but even without dragons this book is quite good. Meggie lives with her father, Mo, who is a book binder by trade and particularly skilled at bringing ancient and tattered books back to their former glory. After receiving a strange visitor and a whispered conversation, Mo and Meggie set out on an adventure. The second half of this book was especially gripping! (Full review here)

Impossible by Nancy Werlin
If you are looking for a gripping YA fantasy book…this one did it for me! This one follows Lucy, who faces three impossible tasks to break her family’s curse. My favorite part is her sweet, steady relationship with Zach, which keeps things real amid the magic. (Full review here)

Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George
This is a retelling of the tale of twelve princesses who are forced to dance every night, and Galen, a former soldier now working in the king’s gardens, who hopes to break the curse. Plus, you can’t have a fairytale retelling without a “happily ever after”, especially when there is a sweet little romance.

Magyk by Angie Sage
Magyk begins when Septimus Heap, the seventh son of the seventh son, vanishes on the night of his birth. The midwife declares him dead . . .but that might not be the whole story. And things really get interesting when, on the same evening, Septimus’ father finds a newborn baby girl abandoned outside.

Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger
Ella come home from school saying one of her friends was raving about this series. Happily, I happened to have a copy and Ella devoured this book about Sophie doesn’t fit in at school or in her family, in part because she can read minds. Then she meets a boy who has the same powers she does and it turns out there are a lot of secrets about herself and the world around her that she doesn’t know. But she’s going to find out pretty quickly!

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer 
This book kicks off the 8 book series which follows Artemis Fowl. His billionaire father who made his fortune as a criminal has just disappeared and Artemis’ mother has a mental breakdown. Which means that it’s entirely up to Artemis to restore the family fortune. Luckily, Artemis happens to be a brilliant criminal mastermind. And he’s determined that kidnapping a fairy and holding her ransom is the best way to save his family. Except he may have underestimated the fairies.

Mirror Visitor Quartet by Christelle Dabos
I can’t believe how many YA awards this book received! Ophelia, a headstrong woman with the rare ability to read objects’ pasts and travel through mirrors, is thrust into a dangerous political game after being promised to a fiancé from a different world. Set in a fractured realm of floating islands called arks, this book has it all!

East by Edith Pattou
East is a retelling of the fairy tale East of the Sun and West of the Moon, but if you aren’t familiar with that, it simplified my life to think of it as a Beauty and the Beast spin-off. (Full review here)

Hotel Magnifique by Emily J. Taylor
In this high stakes and magical hotel – that travels while trapping its staff – Jani signs on for enchantment and adventure. What she didn’t expect, is to uncover sinister secrets, unbreakable contracts, and a dangerously charming doorman…who might be her only way out.

Havenfall by Sara Holland
A mountain inn that links magical worlds? Yes, please…until a murder, a missing crush, and a monster on the loose turn Maddie’s summer escape into a deadly mystery. This one blends cozy fantasy with high-stakes danger, proving that behind every enchanted door, there’s probably a secret…or a body.

The Licanius Trilogy by James Islington
When Davian discovers he possesses the forbidden powers of the long-dead Augurs, he and his friends are thrust into a dangerous quest that could upend their entire world. With ancient enemies rising, lost memories surfacing, and magic stirring once more, this one delivers epic fantasy with plenty of chaos!

Ranger’s Apprentice by John Flanagan
Fifteen year old Will has been chosen as a ranger’s apprentice. The Rangers practice magic that makes them invisible so they can protect the kingdom. Their enemy Morgarath is gathering power and his dark forces are soon going to need to be challenged. Bart blew through this whole series recently too!

Kingdom Keepers by Ridley Pearson
Disney mega-fans, this one is for you! When five teens become holographic park guides, they’re pulled into a secret battle against classic villains threatening to take over the Magic Kingdom…and maybe the real world, too. This one makes Disney after-hours feel both magical and menacing!

The Thief Series by Megan Whalen Turner
This one has been on my TBR list for more than a decade…maybe I will get to it now that I have been reminded! A thief who claims he can steal anything ends up in prison, until a royal magus recruits him for a quest to steal a legendary treasure. But Gen has tricks of his own in this clever, twist-filled adventure that earned its place as a Newbery Honor Book and a fan-favorite fantasy classic.

DragonKeeper Chronicles by Donita K. Paul
After finding a dragon egg, Kale is freed from her bondage as a slave and her village sends her away. But on the way, she finds seven more eggs! Dragon riders end up rescuing her and they send her on a quest to find another very powerful and very important dragon egg before it ends up in the hands of an evil wizard.

Fable by Adrienne Young 
Shipwrecks, secrets, and saltwater grit – this one follows a fierce girl fighting to reclaim her place in a cutthroat seafaring world that left her behind. With stormy tension, swoony twists, and plenty of danger, this adventure is all heart (and it might just break it a little too).

The Prison Healer by Lynette Noni
This is one that Analese from the Everyday Reading team has on her 2025 Summer Reading List. She is reading it for her book club and it sounds like it is all about survival, love and some magic mixed in!

Powerless by Lauren Roberts
I have heard that this one has a similar feel to Sarah J. Maas’ books. In a kingdom where only the powerful survive, Paedyn Gray pretends to be a psychic to stay alive…until she saves a prince and is forced into deadly Purging Trials. As forbidden feelings ignite between them, they must navigate a world that pits them against each other, risking everything for a love that shouldn’t exist.

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
In a brutal empire where obedience means survival, a slave girl and a reluctant soldier find themselves on opposite sides of a rebellion. This one has it all – fantasy packed with danger, heartache, and impossible choices. It definitely earned its place on countless “best of” lists for a reason.

The Bird and the Sword by Amy Harmon 
I have been so impressed and have truly loved the three Amy Harmon books I have read. This one, about a cursed, voiceless girl caught between her mother’s prophecy and her father’s ruthless ambition, is a haunting fairytale of magic, power, and the quiet strength it takes to fight for freedom.

Pawn of Prophecy by David Eddings
A magical Orb once kept peace between Gods and men. until it was stolen, and now war may return. Garion, a simple farm boy, is pulled into a mysterious journey, where he learns the world is far more dangerous (and magical) than he ever imagined.

The Dark Rising by Susan Cooper
On his eleventh birthday, Will Stanton discovers that he is one of the last of the Old Ones. Meaning he is immortal, and is dedicated to keeping the world safe from the forces of evil, called the Dark. His quest is to find the six magical Signs that will aid the Old Ones in the final battle between the Dark and the Light. On the twelve days of Christmas, while the Dark is rising, life for Will is full of wonder, terror, and delight.

Once Upon a Broken Heart Series by Stephanie Garber
Evangeline Fox believes in true love, until her heart is broken when she finds out the boy she loves is marrying someone else. In desperation, she makes a deal with the charming but dangerous Prince of Hearts, only to discover that his price is far higher…and far more perilous than she ever imagined.

Howls Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones 
This is one of those classic series that I have yet to read! When Sophie is cursed by the Witch of the Waste and turned into an old woman, her only hope lies in the mysterious, moving Wizard’s Howl Castle. As she bargains with a fire demon and faces unexpected magic, Sophie uncovers surprising truths about Howl, the curse, and herself. I have heard that this one is so full of twists and turns!

Lady’s Guide to Marvel and Misadventure by Angela Bell
When Clara’s ex-fiancé claims her family is plagued by madness, she fights to shield them from scandal. But when her grandfather disappears, Clara teams up with a wandering tinker on a whimsical journey…and unexpectedly finds love along the way.

Adventurers Wanted by M.L. Forman
When 15-year-old Alex sees a cardboard sign in a store window, he wanders in and accidentally answers the “Adventurers Wanted” sign. Little did he know he would get a whole lot of dragon-slaying adventure with surprising twists around every corner.

Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson
Fifteen-year-old Tiger Lily forms an unbreakable bond with the handsome young Peter Pan, risking everything to be with him. But when Wendy Darling arrives and dangers close in, Tiger Lily learns that the most dangerous threats come from within the hearts of those she trusts most.

The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
This Newbery winner about a witch raising a child in the woods of a fairytale land has been on my list to read. . . .since the moment it snagged that shiny sticker. I still haven’t read it but Ella absolutely loved it!

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
Every November, riders risk their lives in the deadly Scorpio Races, trying to stay on their wild water horses long enough to survive. Nineteen-year-old champion Sean Kendrick and fierce newcomer Puck Connolly (the first girl to enter) must face danger, fate, and each other in a race that could change everything

Sabriel by Garth Nix
Sabriel has lived her life outside the Old Kingdom, far from its dangerous magic and restless Dead—until her father, the Mage Abhorsen, goes missing. To find him, she must journey into a world of dark magic and ancient secrets, joined by unlikely allies in a battle that will reveal her true destiny.

Etiquette and Espionage by Gail Carriger
Set in a steampunk Victorian world filled with vampires and werewolves, this novel about “finishing school” is not what your would expect. While one might envision learning to curtsy properly, these girls are learning espionage, diversions, and ways to deal out death.

The Menagerie by Tui T Sutherland and Kari H. Sutherland
I have heard this series is great for those readers who love Fablehaven or The Spiderwick Chronicles. In the town of Xanadu, Wyoming, a secret facility called the Menagerie houses magical creatures – until six griffin cubs escape. Now Logan and Zoe must recover them fast, or risk the Menagerie being shut down.

The Chronicles of Prydain series by Lloyd Alexander
I wasn’t even familiar with The Prydain Chronicles until we got married and Bart’s parents gave me the whole series as a gift (and then Bart went back and read them all again before I got to them!)

Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson
My husband and now my two oldest daughters are HUGE Brandon Sanderson fans. This is the first book in this trilogy. 18-year-old David joins the Reckoners, a group trying to get rid of super power wielding humans known as Epics. After witnessing his father’s death at the hands of an Epic, he is ready to end their tyranny. (Two other YA fantasy books by Brandon Sanderson that came highly recommended were Rithmatist and Yumi and the Nightmare Painter)

Kingfountain Series by Jeff Wheeler 
When the Duke of Kiskaddon tries and fails to overthrow the brutal King Severn, he’s forced to send his young son Owen to court as a hostage. Now, Owen must win the king’s trust to stay alive…and with help from a mysterious woman who may hold the power to change his destiny.

Dragonwatch by Brandon Mull
This is the companion series to Fablehaven where the adventures of Seth and Kendra continue as they try to save the world from Dragons who want to overturn the sanctuaries and destroy the world. The two precocious teenagers really come into their own in this series and learn more about themselves and their own unique powers.

Beyonders by Brandon Mull
Jason, along with his friend and sidekick, Rachel, must embark on an epic quest to bring down Maldor the evil ruler. Will the cost be worth it to save the new world they have stumbled upon? 

The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson 
The three gifted Igiby siblings pull together their smarts, heart, and courage to defeat the evil Fangs of Dang who have crossed the dark sea to rule the land with malice.

Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson
This one has been up for a ton of awards since it came out a few years ago. Every century, one “person of greatness” is chosen. This time, it’s sixteen-year-old Elisa, who feels anything but powerful. As enemies close in and war looms, she must discover the strength within herself before she becomes just another “chosen one” who dies young.

Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima
Analese from the Everyday Reading Team recommended this one on the printable 2025 Summer Reading Guide. Han Alister is a thief in order to keep his family alive. Everyone knows him because he has worn silver cuffs on his wrists since birth and can’t remove them even though they are the only thing of value his family has. Princess Raisa, has just returned home after three years of freedom in the country and wants to be a warrior rather than a trinket at court. It’s full of magic, war, wizards and adventure.

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