5 Young Adult Fantasy Novels With The Best Worldbuilding

Readers, huddle up! If you have been craving a fantasy book that will teleport you into a whole new magical world but are struggling to find a good one, I have come to you with the perfect list. From the most popular books of fantasy's golden era to lesser-known ones, these five novels have the best fantasy worlds I have ever seen!

1- "Shadow and Bone" by Leigh Bardugo

Shadow and Bone is the debut novel of Leigh Bardugo and the first book in the Shadow and Bone trilogy. As readers might already know, Leigh Bardugo is called "the queen of worldbuilding" in the reading community, and for good reason. The book is set in the magical world of Grishaverse where some people have special powers such as manipulating fire or controlling the human body. These people are called the "Grisha". The story follows Alina Starkov, a normal human girl living in Ravka- or so she thought. When Alina discovers she actually has Grisha powers- and one never seen before at that- her life changes forever. Her power of creating and manipulating light have never been encountered before in Grisha, and seem to be more powerful than any other- except for one person: The Darkling, who is also the only Grisha with shadow manipulation powers. As Alina is taken away from the orphanage that's become her home to the royal court of Ravka to learn how to harness her powers, the all-powerful and mysterious Darkling becomes one of her mentors. Alina's power becomes the sole hope of Ravka in conquering the darkness slowly swallowing the country whole: The Shadow Fold. But Alina doesn't want to be a savior- she doesn't even know how to be one! The only thing she wants is to go back to her old life with her best friend Mal. Nevertheless, she must learn to master her power and fight this war for Ravka, for her people.

Although the characters of the story may not be as well-developed as Leigh Bardugo's other books, the amazing worldbuilding definitely makes up for it! Ravka is a fictional country inspired heavily by Russian culture, and the way Leigh Bardugo describes the world makes it feel very real. And considering it has become an immediate bestseller despite being a debut novel, Shadow and Bone is definitely worth a try!

2- "Six of Crows" by Leigh Bardugo

Six of Crows is the spin-off series of Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo. It is set in the same world- Grishaverse- but this time in a different country: Kerch. The Six of Crows duology has been even more adored than the Shadow and Bone trilogy, and in my opinion, rightfully so. The story follows six characters: Kaz, Inej, Jesper, Nina, Matthias, and Wylan. All outcasts in their own way, all with their own special talent they bring to the table. Kaz is a criminal genius with a dark past, trying to survive in the streets of Ketterdam. From a young age, he established a notorious reputation for himself and became one of the most feared and respected criminals in the Barrel. The only thing he cares about is money, because he knows that's the key to survival in Ketterdam. So when he is offered a job with a reward enough to make him filthy rich for the rest of his life, of course he takes it. There is only one problem: The job is to plan a heist to kidnap an important scientist who is held prisoner in the castle dungeons of Fjerda- the dungeons famously impossible to infiltrate. But Kaz Brekker does not take on a challenge he doesn't believe he can win. So, he assembles a team for this impossible mission: Inej, a Suli acrobat who was kidnapped and brought to Ketterdam by slave traders, who also happens to be insanely talented with daggers and an excellent spy. Jesper, the best sharpshooter you can ask for with a gambling addiction. Nina, a charming Grisha with the ability to control the human body. Matthias, an ex-soldier from Fjerda, now a prisoner in Ketterdam, hungry for revenge. And Wylan, a prodigy in science. Will they be able to overcome their pasts and differences, and manage to come out alive from this mission that seems like a death sentence?

Six of Crows is definitely the proof of how well Leigh Bardugo has mastered the craft of worldbuilding, and how good of a story-teller she is overall. She has definitely improved a lot since Shadow and Bone, and you can feel the difference clearly. The characters in Six of Crows are way better developed. Each character has their own unique personality and voice, but none of them come off as stereotypical, which is a risk when writing a large cast of characters with such different personalities. All of them have a backstory and seperate character arcs which are all equally well done and interesting. All have their relatable sides, I'm sure anyone who reads this book will find a part of themselves in one of the characters. On top of all of that, the world of Ketterdam is described so vividly it pulls you right in. The world and its system is built so masterfully it might as well be a real place. So, if you're into heists, outcasts and criminals, and the found family trope, go read Six of Crows!

3- "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black

The Cruel Prince is Holly Black's debut novel, and the first book in the Folk of the Air series. This time, we are in a very different world: Elfhame, the world of the Faerie. Our main character Jude, a normal human girl living in the human world, was kidnapped and taken to Elfhame along with her sisters when she was little. But growing up as a weak, mortal human in Elfhame, where the Faerie despised humans, was not easy. Jude admires the Faerie's supernatural beauty, their strength and immortality. No, she envies it. She wants nothing more than to earn a place among them, to have their respect, to be one of them. For years, Jude and her twin sister Taryn bore all the cruelties of the Faerie, in the hopes that they'd be accepted if they didn't oppose them. But now, Jude is fed up and wants to take matters into her own hands. She will earn power, respect, and her own place among the Faerie. But in order to do this, she has to defy the cruel Prince Cardan, whom she hates the most. And the one person who could turn her life to hell if she dares to go against him.

The Cruel Prince is such a riveting book, it was probably one of the books I finished the fastest. I literally couldn't put it down towards the end. First of all, Jude might be one of my favorite protaganists of all time. She is such a strong, ambitious, resourceful, and fearless character. She is just iconic overall. The world of the Faerie is such a different one from the ones I've read before. It felt whimsical and cottagecore, but less sweet and much more dangerous. I loved how their different life style, traditions, and physical features were described because that's what makes a fictional world feel real. Oh and, there is enemies to lovers! What more could you ask for?

4- "A Winter's Promise" by Christelle Dabos

A Winter's Promise is the first book in the Mirror Visitor quartet, and Christelle Dabos's debut novel, which she wrote when she was very young. In a world where the world was shattered into pieces after the Rupture, people live on Arks, floating islands with their own unique traits and family spirit whom rule the Ark. Ophelia lives on the Ark called "Anima", where objects have souls. The people on Anima are readers, they can read any object through touch and learn about its past. Ophelia also possesses a rare power: She can pass through mirrors and travel from mirror to mirror. When Ophelia finds out she has been promised in marriage to Thorn and has to move to the Ark of the Pole where he lives, her world is turned upside down. Pole is completely different than Anima, its cold as cruel as its people. When she arrives to the Pole, she is forced to hide her identity as the fiancée of Thorn, a member of the powerful Dragon clan with many enemies, until their wedding. But Ophelia doesn't understand, why was she chosen for this marriage? Little does she know that she is about to find out she has become a pawn in a game of power.

The premise of A Winter's Promise seemed very promising to me when I first saw it. However, if I have to be honest, the book didn't really meet my expectations overall. I couldn't like the main character Ophelia much because she was like the stereotypical clumsy damsel in distress. And it took a bit long for things to really get going in the book, so it was a bit boring most of the time. The last chapter was the only thing that convinced me to read the second book, honestly. That and the mystery behind the story of the Rupture. But it does get better in the second book. The world of this book was actually what really drew me to it. It was a very unique and creative idea. Each Ark is very unique, and their people and family spirit also reflect that uniqueness. Perhaps the biggest reason I keep reading this series though is, like I said, the mystery of the events that led to the Rupture. That part of the story is explored a lot more in the second book, which is mainly what made it better for me. Overall, I didn't like this book as much as the others on this list, but it was quite different from what I usually read. So, maybe it just wasn't to my taste. That's why I think it's still worth a shot!

5- "Red Queen" by Victoria Aveyard

Red Queen is the first book in the Red Queen series by Victoria Aveyard. It is also her debut novel and it became an immediate bestseller, breaking records. This book is different from the others on this list in that is a dystopian fantasy and has a lot of political and social commentary weaved into the story. The story is set in a world divided by blood: Those with red blood, who are ordinary humans, and those with silver blood, who have magical powers. Norta, the kingdom in which our main character Mare lives, is ruled by Silvers. Silvers are superior to Reds, and Reds are treated as mere slaves. Mare is also a Red, trying to survive in the Stilts. When her best friend Kilorn is left unemployed after his employer's sudden death, he is bound by law to serve in the military since he is of age, which is basically a death sentence as every Red knows. In her pursuit of saving her best friend from this fate, Mare discovers something about herself, through a very public incident, and her life will never be the same because of it: Despite having red blood, she also has powers. The Silver royal family, afraid of the chaos a Red with powers may cause, covers up the incident by declaring Mare a long-lost Silver princess. In order to keep her under their control, they arrange an engagement between Mare and their younger son, Prince Maven. But Mare is determined to help end the reign of Silvers. In secret, she starts working with the Red Guard, a group of Reds preparing to make a revolution, to bring the monarchy down from the inside. But there is one thing she must never forget: Anyone can betray anyone.

I saved the best for last! So, I know this is a controversial opinion and that this series is apparently not everyone's cup of tea, but it is my favorite YA (Young Adult) series of all time. Leigh Bardugo may be known as "the queen of worldbuilding", which I agree completely, but for me she shares that title with Victoria Aveyard. The way Victoria Aveyard builds her fantasy worlds is so meticulous and detailed. I'm not someone who enjoys excessive description and Victoria Aveyard manages to describe the world in enough detail to make it vivid and so easy to imagine, but not so much that it bores me or takes me out of the story. Obviously, I love a dystopian world so I was prone to love this world already. But the it was so obvious to me how much thought was put into building this world and its history, and the history was what made it even more fascinating for me. It's only when you finish the series that you fully understand the bigger picture and then, you can truly appreciate how elaborately planned everything was. The main reason this series is my favorite is for me, it's an all-rounder. Every character has their own story and motives, which is the key to a good story. Mare is an absolute icon. She is, by far, my favorite main character ever. Despite her flaws, she is so strong and not afraid to fight for what she believes in. Seeing her grow and change throughout the series was amazing. This is a story about revolution, so naturally, it has a lot of social and political commentary, which is what I live for in a book, and what makes this series so special to me. It's full of plot twists that will leave you staring silently at a wall and your jaw hanging. The ending of the series honestly blew my mind. So if you're a fan of the Hunger Games, and also love fantasy and romance, this series is perfect for you!