20 Best Urban Fantasy Series Books

Urban fantasy is undoubtedly one of the most fascinating genres in modern literature. For those who might not know what it is, you can head over to this post for a great guide to what urban fantasy is - but, in a nutshell, it's fantasy parcels set in modern settings, for a great mix of mesmerizing and accessible. Not to mention that it mostly involves paranormal elements, especially vampires, werewolves and fairies. (Oh my!)

So for fans of all that stuff and more, if you're looking for your next read, you've come to the right place. Here are 20 highly addictive urban fantasy books to try - many of which are part of larger series, so you can feed your addiction for the many future sequels. 😉

1. Borderland, edited by Terri Windling

It could be argued that Borderland was the catalyst for the entire urban fantasy trend. Indeed, this anthology perfectly embodies the idea of ​​colliding worlds: each story takes place in "Bordertown", a chaotic, dystopian city that separates the human world from the mythical "Elflands". And in Bordertown, things are never as they seem. Neither magic nor human technology works reliably, and their combination can even prove deadly. The city's residents, including a (literally) enchanting musician and “halfie” residents who are descended from both human and elf blood, all share in the struggle to understand themselves and the world around them ... nature defies understanding.

See Also: The 12 Best Epic Fantasy Series Books Like Game of Thrones

2. American Gods by Neil Gaiman

The other head of the urban fantasy revolution was Neil Gaiman, who cast a spell on millions with the 1996 urban fantasy novel / TV series Neverwhere. When Gaiman released American Gods a few years later, it was an even bigger success, with awards and praise as one of the best novels of the twenty-first century.

This book follows ex-con Shadow Moon as he becomes the reluctant bodyguard of a man named Mr. Wednesday - whom Shadow soon realizes is actually Odin, the Norse god of war. Wednesday / Odin is making its way across the US in search of fellow old gods, recruiting them to fight the American "new gods" of media and modernity ... but for what reason? As Shadow unravels more secrets about his mysterious employer, he begins to find his mortal self over his head - but that doesn't stop him from getting things right.

3. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

Cassandra Clare is another big name in the urban fantasy game, and her novel City of Bones helped bring the genre into the mainstream of the twenty-first century. In this whirlwind story, New York teen Clary Fray discovers her identity as a shadow hunter, a supernatural entity with the power to slay demons.

When her mother Jocelyn is kidnapped, Clary teams up with new henchmen to find out who took her and why. They learn shocking truths about the Shadowhunters' world, truths Jocelyn always deliberately kept for her daughter - not knowing Clary would need that knowledge to save her life. Fortunately, our heroine is determined to find out as much as possible and fight with all her strength to protect herself and her loved ones.

4. Moon Called by Patricia Briggs

Moon Called has been hailed as one of the most innovative additions to urban fantasy in recent years. It stars Mercedes (Mercy) Thompson, a skilled mechanic and shapeshifter who lives among werewolves, vampires and supernatural beings of all kinds. But while their shared home of the “Tri-Cities” area seems perfectly harmonious, problems have long been simmering just below the surface.

That problem boils over when Mercy is approached for work by a desperate teenage werewolf, who reveals that he just escaped his fate as a lab rat (or in this case lab wolf). Mercy soon realizes that her newfound acquaintance isn't an isolated incident, and must save all the werewolves she knows before it's too late.

5. Kitty and the Midnight Hour by Carrie Vaughn

Ginger Snaps meets Good Morning, Vietnam - well, not exactly. But Kitty and the Midnight Hour involves a young werewolf, ironically named Kitty, who hosts a popular late-night radio show in Denver. It's a great performance for Kitty, but there's a catch: her show is a constant exploration of supernatural folklore, and it's getting harder and harder to hide her true identity from her audience.

After several attempts on her life, Kitty knows she needs to push back her radio presence - but how can she, when her devoted listeners depend on her to save them? Imaginative and highly engaging, thanks in no small part to Kitty's witty commentary on the airwaves, this book will show you "the midnight hour" in a whole new light.

6. Fire & Heist by Sarah Beth Durst

To evoke cinematic comparisons again, Fire & Heist is urban fantasy's answer to the Ocean's franchise. Sky Hawkins has always known her destiny is to commit a robbery: Not only do nimble fingers run in her family, but so does tradition. The Hawkinses prove themselves through robberies, and Sky is eager for her shot at the gold (or should we say gold dusting) crown.

The fact that she is a wyvern - a human who can turn into a dragon - is of course also a blessing. But when Sky stumbles upon a dark secret while planning her heist, she begins to think her family roots aren't all they're crazy about.

7. Magic Bites by Ilona Andrewsby Ilona Andrews

The gritty Magic series has been one of the most prominent in urban fantasy in recent years and it all started with Magic Bites. In this world, a "magical apocalypse" has left all systems totally unpredictable - neither technology nor magic functions as it should, and when one works, the other inevitably fails (not unlike in the Borderland universe, but to an even greater extreme).

Enter Kate Daniels, a young woman living in Atlanta among vampires, creatures and power-hungry necromancers. Kate also has magic in her blood, but remains hidden so as not to be a target; to ward off danger, she relies on her sharp sword and sharper tongue. When her problems come from an unexpected source, Kate has to make a quick decision: fight or flight? Sword in hand, she quickly becomes a cruel mercenary, ready to make all her enemies pay.

8. Storm Front by Jim Butcher

Storm Front stars Harry Dresden, a professional wizard. Or rather, he's a supernatural private detective in Chicago, using his enhanced skills to solve paranormal crimes. But even Harry finds himself biting more than he can chew with his latest case: the mystery of a missing amateur magician and two dead civilians whose hearts have been brutally ripped out. As Harry struggles to make the connection, the Chicago PD begins to suspect him of the murders. Now the clock is ticking for Harry to find Victor, the missing wizard, and reveal what he thinks Victor's gruesome role is in this complicated case.

9. Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

Wicked, lovely or all of the above? That's what Aislinn Foy has to find out about herself as her world is shaken up by teenage hormones and magical spells. Aislinn has Sight, which means she can see fairies that are invisible to all other human eyes - but that doesn't mean she isn't afraid of their horrible power and cruel attitude, especially towards non-fairy people.

Her fear only increases when she is approached by Keenan, the "Summer King" of fairies, who wants to make her his queen ... whatever it takes. Will Aislinn submit to Keenan's sinful but seductive advances? Or will she confess that she's attracted to Seth, her elusive and womanizer best friend? Aislinn's conflict over not just one boy, but one life compared to another will no doubt have you sticking with this and the rest of Marr's Wicked Lovely series.

10. The Cruel Prince by Holly Black Holly Black,

best known for her work on The Spiderwick Chronicles, focuses on urban fantasy with The Cruel Prince. Jude and her sisters live in the bustling High Court of Faerie, where they strive to fit in despite their mortal looks and abilities. After ten years in residence, their elven boys still look down on them - especially Prince Cardan, who describes Jude as the most beautiful and hateful of them all. She knows his approval is the one she will have to win ... and the only way to do that is to challenge him. With a glorious world-building fairy writing game for sure and a blood-curdling plot, this book shows that Black has not given up on her title as queen of it.

 

11. Fated by Benedict Jaka

In Fated, Alex Verus has a magic shop in London, but not the kind you think about. Instead of playing cards and top hats, he sells mystical herbs and crystal balls - not that Alex needs them himself, because he is a fortune teller who can see the future. Yet he is really just a typical magician, living in peace and running a small business ... until one day his apprentice Luna brings him an item of special significance, a cube made of a strange crimson glass. Unable to interpret the exact meaning, he instinctively understands one thing: his life is about to change drastically, whether he is ready or not.

12. Touch the Dark by Karen Chance

Another fortuneteller can be seen in Touch the Dark, the first part of Karen Chance's gripping urban fantasy series. However, our hero Cassandra Palmer doesn't just see the future - she can communicate with the past: ghosts of the dead.

Still, it's the undead turns out that to be a much bigger problem for Cassie. She is chased by a vampire gangster who wants her dead, and who finds her closer every day. Cassie is soon forced to turn to the undead "senate" for protection, but how much help can they really be? A lot, it turns out ... if Cassie is willing to give them something valuable back.

 

13. Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire

Rosemary and Rue tells the story of October "Toby" Daye. She's many things: half human, half past ten, San Francisco resident, and graveyard shifter in a grocery store. There is only one thing she knows for sure, and that is that she has left her fairy life behind. Or so she thinks. When her former elf friend Evening Winterrose is murdered, Toby is magnetically (or magically) drawn back into her old life. And despite the countless miseries she's suffered among them, Toby can't resist another adventure - namely, the chance to find Evening's killer and get swift, savage revenge.

 

14. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

In the vein of The Hunger Games, theMaas Throne of Glass is all about a fierce match to the death - only the contestants are not randomly chosen civilians, but expertly trained assassins fighting to serve their king.

Eighteen-year-old criminal murderer Celaena Sardothien is pushed into the ring by Prince Dorian, who claims she will be pardoned for her crimes if she is victorious. As you would expect, the prince has more than a professional interest in Celaena, as does her combat trainer Westfall. But Celaena doesn't have time to think about romance when her fellow contestants show up dead before the match has even started. It's up to her to find out what's going on or she'll be the next victim.

15. Some Girls Bite by Chloe Neill

Another round the Chicago block, but this time with vampires! Some Girls Bite is the inaugural story of Caroline Evelyn Merit, a 28-year-old college graduate rescued from a campus attack by Ethan Sullivan - a vampire who turns her into one of his. Faced with a life (or rather, non-death) that is completely different from the life she expected, Merit is naturally faced with a few growing pains. These include (but are not limited to): hiding her new identity from her roommate, getting along with the other vampires of Cadogan House, and dealing with her growing attraction to Ethan - who is now her imperious master, and furiously ambiguous about his own feelings for her.

16. The Brimstone Deception by Lisa Shearin

A supernatural detective agency? To check. A New York city full of vampires, werewolves and countless other unspeakable creatures? To check. A terrifying new designer drug that allows people to actually see them ... called Brimstone because it was literally made from the pits of hell? Yes, look at that too. If you're intrigued, go ahead and add The Brimstone Deception to your reading list.

Work has never been exactly easy for detective Makenna Fraser, seer for the SPI (Supernatural Protection & Investigation), but it's safe to say it's never been this hell. When Brimstone breaks out and the cartel that controls it begins killing dealers left and right, Fraser and her team have their mission mapped out for them: to find the source of the drug - a rift between hell and earth - and close it before not just NYC , but all humanity has been destroyed.

 

17. Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch

Rivers of London is the story of Peter Grant, an English cop recruited into the shadowy magical division of the London Metropolitan Police. (Too bad he didn't know Harry Dresden from entry # 8, eh?)

The case at hand: a series of strange, inexplicable murders sweeping through London, one even more gruesome than the last. Peter must decipher the magical elements between the victims and use them to track down the murderer. Of all the urban fantasy on this list, this is the one where the city ​​feels most like a character itself - indeed, Aaronovitch's rich and immersive portrayal of London (and its old guards) is one of the main selling points of this series.

18. Succubus Blues by Richelle Mead

Between her cool job at a Seattle bookstore and her steamy night job as a succubus, Georgina Kincaid seems to have it all. In reality, her demon manager is constantly getting on her nerves and she doesn't have a romantic life to talk about - not least because every man she dates would have to sacrifice a piece of his soul to sleep with her. Hence her case of Succubus Blues.

But Georgina's life is about to get much more interesting. After one of her vampire contacts is suddenly killed, Georgina and her fellow supernatural animals must team up to find the man (or rather, demon) responsible. Along the way, there's bondage of all kinds, dead bodies, and a handsome writer that Georgina has been fantasizing about for months ... although he will turn out to be a little different than she expected.

19. Broken Elements by Mia Marshall

Broken Elements combines urban fantasy with an old-fashioned murder mystery. Aidan Brook is an elementary: she has the power to control water, and she has always been able to use it to her advantage. Until one night her elementary abilities stop working and disgust arises. Unable to face the consequences of her failure, Aidan flees - but is brought back to where it all began after the murder of a close friend. Now Aidan must desperately try to use her powers again to both solve the murder and save herself.

20. Spider's Bite by Jennifer Estep

Our latest entry, Spider's Bite, is another well-known work in the urban fantasy canon. Her heroine, Gin (who is as sharp as her namesake) is an elemental assassin possessed of stone and ice magic, although she doesn't use them to kill unless she absolutely has to. Gin, known in local lore as "the spider", is just as deadly as a true black widow. But she meets her match when an elementary Air employee betrays her and kills the handler who sets her up with victims.

On a straight road to revenge, our Spider is now joined by Donovan Caine, a detective as tough as he is reluctant - after all, Gin is still a criminal.