Welcome to our list of the best dark fantasy books for teens!
Enter the realm of dark fantasy books for teens, a place brimming with spooky magic, spine-tingling adventures, and eerie creatures. These books will grip you with their immersive stories of heroes and villains and epic battles between light and darkness. Get ready for an enchanting journey through the very best dark fantasy books that will fuel your imagination and transport you to your deepest dreams.
Without further ado, pick out the perfect YA dark fantasy book to leave your teen spellbound and enchanted!
Best Dark Fantasy Books For Teens
1) Spellbound Under The Spanish Moss
In this dark teen fantasy book, Gareth Greyfin's father, Edward, has been bitten by a one-eyed snake and needs immediate help. Following his father's instructions, Gareth takes him to a cabin in the swamps near Savannah, Georgia, where they meet a witch known for her skills. The witch agrees to help them, but only if Gareth can collect five specific ingredients for a potion that can cure his father. Gareth must complete this quest in order to save his father's life, but there is a risk involved. The story explores whether Gareth's deal with the witch will be successful or if there will be a cost to pay.
2) Spells & Ashes: A Witch Urban Fantasy
The dark witch is a supernatural being who hunts and eradicates demons and other evil creatures that are hidden from the world. She uses a mix of magic and attitude to take on new threats that arise every day. However, things take a turn for the worse when a human girl is murdered and her soul is taken by a powerful demon. More humans are being killed, and the dark witch must work with Logan, a seductive warrior who is half-angel, to find the culprit.
3) His Dark Materials 3-Book Set
Dark fantasy book fans can get a special boxed set including all three books in the His Dark Materials series: The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass. These exciting stories follow the journey of two regular children, Lyra and Will, as they travel through eerie, fantastical worlds. They will encounter witches, bears wearing armor, angels who have lost their status, and creatures that devour souls. Ultimately, the fate of the living and the dead rests on their shoulders.
4) Wicked Saints: A Novel
The teen dark fantasy book "Wicked Saints" tells the story of a girl who can communicate with gods and has to save her people while facing the dangers of destroying herself. In the meantime, a prince is in danger as he must choose whom to trust. Also, a boy with a monstrous secret is waiting to join their cause. These three characters must work together to assassinate the king and end the war. Throughout this centuries-long war, a shadowy world of spilled blood and mysterious saints emerges where they all meet. The book also explores forbidden romance, challenging the balance between darkness and light. This book is the first in the Gothic "Something Dark and Holy" trilogy by Emily A. Duncan.
5) House of Salt and Sorrows
Annaleigh lives with her sisters, father, and stepmother in Highmoor, a manor by the sea where they are cursed. Four of the twelve sisters have died tragically: from the plague, falling, drowning, and a slippery plunge. The villagers believe their family is cursed by the gods. Annaleigh has been having ghostly visions and suspects her sisters’ deaths were not accidental. Read this dark fantasy book for teens to find out the truth.
6) Curse of The Wolf King: A Beauty & The Beast Retelling
Gemma Bellefleur has a troubled past and wants to move on from a scandal that hurt her. However, she is kidnapped by a fae king who plans to ransom her and this will cause more gossip. The king, Elliot, is cursed and will die soon. He hates humans, but he is desperate to save himself. Gemma sees an opportunity to escape if she can help Elliot break his curse by making someone fall in love with him.
7) Dark and Shallow Lies
If you have something to hide, La Cachette in Louisiana is not the place to be. During summers, seventeen-year-old Grey visits this small town which is known as the Psychic Capital of the World. Six months ago, Grey's best friend, Elora Pellerin, disappeared from this town. Grey finds it hard to believe that nobody in a town full of psychics knows what happened to Elora. However, as Grey investigates the night Elora went missing, she discovers that everyone in the town is keeping a secret.
8) Legendborn (The Legendborn Cycle)
Sixteen-year-old Bree Matthews tries to escape memories of her family and childhood home by enrolling in a residential program at UNC-Chapel Hill. However, on her first night, Bree witnesses a magical attack and discovers a secret society of "Legendborn" students who hunt these creatures. To make matters worse, a teenage mage named "Merlin" attempts to erase Bree's memory of the incident, but instead triggers her own magical powers and uncovers a buried memory with a mysterious connection.
9) The Shadow and Bone Trilogy
Follow Alina Starkov on her journey through the novels Shadow and Bone, Siege and Storm, and Ruin and Rising. As she awakens her latent powers and is thrust into a world of opulence and deception, Alina must navigate her new surroundings. Meanwhile, a danger to the Ravka kingdom looms on the horizon - a threat that will strain alliances and push the boundaries of magic. Through it all, a scared girl will emerge as a fearless leader.
