If you, like me, fell in love with Yarros’ Empyrean series — which currently includes Fourth Wing and Iron Flame — then you’ve probably been wondering how to fill this dragon-sized hole in your heart and keep the passion burning brightly.
Of course, the release of the third book, Onyx Storm (OMG, Xaden!), would immediately solve this problem, but reading books like Iron Flame and Fourth Wing can also do the trick. (For now. Is it 2025 yet? Are you sure I can’t just have Onyx Storm right this second?)
These books similar to Iron Flame scratch the same itch as Yarros’ work, whether you’re looking for strong heroines getting even stronger, fantasy sexytimes, dragons, or incredible worldbuilding. I highly recommend Blood & Steel by Helen Scheuerer, but there are plenty of fire books on this list.
1. The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
The Priory of the Orange Tree is a brilliant beast of a book that features confident badass women in power, superb worldbuilding, and of course, dragons. In short, a read that’s absolute fire.
Often called “the LGBTQ+ Game of Thrones,” it follows Queen Sabran, who has to produce an heir or risk the loss and destruction of her queendom. Plus, the rumored return of mythical dragons may lead to the destruction of the entire world. Luckily there’s Ead, who’s secretly been watching over Sabran and is a member of a secret society of female mages who are battling to find someone to defeat the dragons.
2. Blood & Steel by Helen Scheuerer
If you liked the enemies-to-lovers, secret battle training elements, and life-or-death contests of the Empyrean series, you’ll enjoy Blood & Steel.
Althea has been given only three years left to live — meaning she has a limited amount of time to become the warrior legend she wants to be. In this world, women are forbidden to hold swords, so she’s been training in secret. Eventually, she’s assigned a warrior chaperone — a hot, broody guy named Wilder — and has to complete the rites of initiation.
This kickoff to the The Legends of Thezmarr series promises a vast new world to explore, and the sizzling sexual tension between Althea and Wilder is the perfect distraction from your Iron Flame withdrawal.
3. Kushiel’s Dart by Jacqueline Carey
If you wanted more sexytimes between Violet and Xaden in Iron Flame (perhaps with a lot of BDSM?), Kushiel’s Dart may scratch your itch.
Phѐdre is born with a mark that indicates she experiences pain as pleasure. She’s sold into slavery and trained as a spy as well as a courtesan; in her line of work, she unearths a conspiracy that threatens her world.
Awash in political intrigue and sexual situations, Kushiel’s Dart is an intense read.
4. The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
As a teen, Meghan Chase discovers her secret identity: She’s the daughter of the faery king and thus seen as a pawn to control the fae world.
Like Violet and Xaden in Rebecca Yarros’ series, Meghan and Prince Ash are enemies, but they’re drawn together as others try to control Meghan’s power. Kagawa’s Iron Fey series melds romantasy and fairy-tale themes with secrets, adventure, and plot twists to keep readers hooked.
5. The Chalice War: Stone by David B. Coe
Like Violet, Kel, the heroine in The Chalice War: Stone, discovers her future is entirely different from what she’d imagined.
This trilogy starter follows Kel as she’s forced to go on the run, fearful of her life being taken by a panther and a mysterious figure who are hunting her. Kel crosses paths with Marti Rider, a Sidhe sorcerer also battling dark forces, and Kel discovers she has innate magical powers. Together, Kel and Marti are stronger than ever, and may just have what it takes to fend off the dark forces threatening the world.
6. Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
Legendborn weaves Southern folk traditions, Black Girl Magic, and the story of King Arthur into a contemporary world where a secret society — called Legendborn — hunts down supernatural creatures.
Bree has always suspected there was more to her mother’s death than just an accident. She infiltrates Legendborn (with the help of a disaffected member of the society) to discover the truth.
7. Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews
Mercenary Kate Daniels lives in a world where magic ebbs and flows. There are necromancers who command vampires who are wrestling for power with paramilitary shapeshifters in this magical version of Atlanta, GA. Kate has to try to solve a series of inexplicable murders while keeping the peace between the two factions.
Like Violet, Kate is a strong, mouthy heroine who acts before she thinks, and yet manages to stay (somewhat) out of trouble.
8. Qualify by Vera Nazarian
Set in the future, an asteroid is hurtling towards Earth, and ancient Atlanteans have returned to help save humanity — but there’s a catch. They can only take a small percentage of the population to their planet, so they’re only choosing teens who can pass a series of challenges. What’s more, once you qualify, you can compete in the brutal Atlantis Grail, and if you come in the top 10 you can get your family to accompany you to safety.
Gwenevere, this book’s heroine, is booksmart yet klutzy. But, like Violet at Basgiath War College, she’s determined to make it through the gauntlet, because the consequences for failure are certain death.
9. Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost
The first book in Frost’s Night Huntress series introduces Cat, a half-vampire, half-human woman who’s trying to find her vampire father so she can punish him for ruining her mother’s life. Along the way, she meets Bones, a vampire bounty hunter, who promises to help her locate her dad if she trains with him because he needs a human to track down a vampire who’s been preying on young girls.
This begrudging alliance rife with sexual tension is very reminiscent of everyone’s favorite couple in Iron Flame. (Doesn’t hurt if you’re a Buffy fan, either.)
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About the Author: Megan Frampton
Megan Frampton is the Content Acquisitions Manager for Everand. She also writes historical romance under her own name and romantic women’s fiction as Megan Caldwell. She likes the color black, gin, dark-haired British men, and huge earrings, not in that order. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband and kid.
