For young adults, finding engaging fantasy books can be hard. While some don’t have enough mystery in the plot, others are missing enough magic to make the setting fantastical. The books could also be too long or short for one’s liking, or perhaps they might simply fail to peak one’s interest. But for those still dying to find the right match, here are some of the top fantasy books that are bound to incite your curiosity.

1. The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

The Cruel Prince series is a collection of books full of mystery and magic, and it is a perfect match for those who want an astonishing plotline with a tiny bit of romance sprinkled between pages. The novels follow Jude Duarte, a human living in a magical world, who has a passion for fighting and a love that runs deep for her sister, Taryn. Jude navigates through the treacherous world of Faerie with Taryn after being taken in by her stepfather. She lives in the faerie world going through the challenges that mortal humans face while living amongst the magical creatures that surround her town. This book would be good for those who want a magical experience with a sliver of romance.

2. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

This series follows a girl named Alina Starkov as she travels through the Shadow Fold, a dangerous land shrouded in darkness with dangerous creatures lurking that have killed many before her. Diving head first into the Shadow Fold as a soldier, Alina learns that she has a dormant magical power that can expel the darkness around her. This series has a powerful sense of magic that is used consistently throughout the novel. It is perfect for those who want to be immersed in a mystical land.

3. Caraval by Stephanie Garber

This book follows a young women named Scarlett Dragma as she travels through Caraval, a game that involves a mystery that must be solved through five different clues provided at the start of the challenge. The game of Caraval in this book targets Scarlett and her sister, Donatella, and the connection between them leads to a very intense read. This novel also uses colors to describe emotions, making everything seem like it has a magical, illustrative tint hovering over it. Garber also includes a romance between Scarlett and Julian, a young man that helps her through the game. Caraval uses fantasy and romance to snatch a reader in and prevent them from putting the book down.

4. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

This novel is a tragically beautiful story that involves lots of mystery whilst never losing its magical touch. Jacob Portman, a teenage boy, is greatly affected after his grandfather mysteriously dies in the forest behind his house. After the death of his grandfather, Jacob travels to an island with his father where he discovers an old orphanage that his grandfather used to live in when he was younger. In the orphanage, Jacob meets a new community of people and realizes that he has his own type of power that will help protect them and himself from dangerously intelligent creatures. This novel is made for those who want a taste of danger with an otherworldly twist.

5. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Another novel by Bardugo takes place in the same world as Shadow and Bone, but this one follows a different set of characters. Six of Crows describes the story of six new characters in Ketterdam, a run down city where you have to live dirty to survive. Kaz Brekker, the leader of a criminal gang called the Dreggs, is one central character in the novel. Other major figures include Inej Ghafa, known as the Wraith and acting as a spy for the Dreggs, Jesper Fahey, acting as the sharpshooter of the Dreggs, and Wylan Van Eck, the explosives guy who handles anything mechanical. The story also includes Nina Zenik, a powerful Grisha Heartrender, and Matthias Helvar, a witch hunter. Following these six characters through the novel as they commit a heist to get a bounty that would secure them fortune and fame through all of Ketterdam, the reader is met with constant twists that lead into an amazingly magical read.

6. The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black

This novel follows Hazel Evans and her brother Ben Evans. The siblings spend hours with a faerie prince trapped in a glass coffin, but when they find the coffin mysteriously shattered open and the prince nowhere to be seen, they get sent into a slew of mysteries that need to be solved before anything bad happens to their town. Racing against time, Hazel and Ben do whatever they can to protect themselves and their small town. This novel not only incorporates the magical side of being amongst faerie, but also describes the tricks and traps that many are prone to fall into, along with a some added romance being sprinkled between the heavy situations, making everything more intense.

7. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

One of the most popular fantasy movies out there is also the perfect read for any young adult. Following four siblings, Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lewis, the novel describes the adventures of the siblings after they discover a magical wardrobe leading to the land of Narnia. This is where the siblings help Aslan, a talking lion, with his fight against the White Witch, who has taken control over the land and has caused a forever snow. This novel is a classic that is still enjoyable even after reading it many times and will draw in both new and experienced readers.