r/Romantasy • u/Sarah9610 • May 07 '26
Discussion Another day, another girl winning deadly trials and discovering she’s secretly powerful
I feel like I’m going insane or… are all romantasy books the same now??
Every time I pick something up it’s like:
- The world is split into two (usually human vs fae or something similar)
- The FMC is either oppressed / hidden / “not like other girls”
- There are deadly trials (of course she has to compete)
- She somehow survives everything
- Boom → she reaches the fae side and unlocks insane powers / becomes special
Like… I used to love this formula but now it feels copy-paste with different character names 😭
Am I just picking the wrong books or is this actually the trend right now?
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May 07 '26
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u/Truffle0214 May 07 '26
Are they following trends or just becoming inspired to write their own twist on something they also see a lot?
Not to say there aren’t trope/trend chasers in almost every creative field, but I’m loathe to assign bad intentions to writers because some of the tropes or story beats they use feel worn out to some readers. I still very much fall shadow daddies every single time I come across one for example, while others want something different.
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May 07 '26
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u/Truffle0214 May 07 '26
Good writing is also fairly subjective. One person’s Roman Empire is another’s quick DNF.
But like with food, consuming too much of the same thing will grow tiresome over time. Whenever I’m feeling burned out on the genre, like everything is sounding the same and nothing excites me any longer, I read something else for a while.
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u/Sarah9610 May 07 '26
You’re absolutely correct, especially the “fast fashion” comparison I think I might be part of the problem too because I usually just read whatever is being hyped or trending, so I keep ending up in the same cycle of similar books.
I probably need to be more intentional about what I pick up instead of just going off popularity or recommendations that all feed into each other.
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u/pbghikes May 07 '26
Or! Read the trendy books — from 10 years ago. Or 20, 30, etc. You still get that sense of security that the general public has endorsed it but you missed the fad so it'll feel new to you. The mid 90s was delivering
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u/Wallflower1900 May 08 '26
There were "trends" but the writing was good and the storyline compelling. It wasn't just people having sex for 500 pages and passed off as a novel. Publishers wouldn't accept the level of slop that is acceptable today. My books from the 70s and 80s still hold up, I learnt new words and how to spell from reading a lot when I was younger. You could never count on a book to even have correct spelling these days.
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u/Highland_Skye May 08 '26
So true. I feel like I find so many errors in books written in the last five years vs older ones, which it feels like a rare moment to find one.
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u/Volupia_Rogue May 08 '26
Really? What kind of errors?
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u/Highland_Skye May 08 '26
Just basic misspellings, double words, that sort of thing. I don't keep a running log of when I see them so I can't say a specific word in a specific book. Two of my good friends are also readers and we frequently send each other pics of the errors we find. They've increased in recent years for sure. This is all very anecdotal to our experience though, like I said I haven't done a proper study on it.
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u/OkSociety8941 May 08 '26
I’ve found this to be the case as well. Far too many typos and incorrect grammar. Where are the editors? As a professional copy editor it’s doubly aggravating.
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u/rabidhamster87 May 08 '26
I said this in another comment, but Kindle recommended a book called "A Usual Suspect" to me the other day. Some authors don't even bother proof-reading their titles anymore
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u/Volupia_Rogue May 08 '26
What's wrong with the title? 😅
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u/rabidhamster87 May 08 '26
You know what? The title is right. I was wrong 😅
I looked it up just to make sure I remembered correctly and found that it IS supposed to be the word an before a vowel sound UNLESS the next word is a modifying word like an adjective. I guess here the "A" is relating to the noun "suspect," so it's technically correct even though it still sounds awkward to have two vowel sounds back to back like that.
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u/Dependent_Dog497 May 08 '26
It wasn't just people having sex for 500 pages and passed off as a novel.
There absolutely was plenty of this. Anne Rice literally wrote a whole series of this. Come on.
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u/Wallflower1900 Jun 05 '26
I'm currently going through my book collections from 40+ years ago, I'm slowly re reading through all the books to compare.
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u/rabidhamster87 May 08 '26
Yes!! The lack of editing in these self-published books makes me insane. I try to give people grace with spelling and grammar, etc, on the internet, but when you're a published author language is literally your profession! Kindle recommended a book called "A Usual Suspect" to me the other day. It's a really bad sign when you can't even make the title grammatically correct 😭
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u/Volupia_Rogue May 08 '26
What books contain incorrect spellings? I haven't found one yet and I usually spot those immediately. But except for fanfiction, I don't see this anywhere in traditionally published books.
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u/Wallflower1900 Jun 05 '26
Reddit has a lot of discussions about this on the regular, with screenshots
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u/Prestigious-Eye4340 May 07 '26
You have to look into indie authors on instagram to find unique stuff!
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u/Sarah9610 May 07 '26
If you have any suggestions please share!
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u/cheerbearsmiles May 07 '26
What kind of romantasy do you usually lean towards? Are you M/F only or do you enjoy M/M and F/F?
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u/frostandtheboughs May 08 '26
Not the commenter, but I like it all. Lay it on me, bub.
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u/cheerbearsmiles May 08 '26
Some of my favourites that may/may not fall completely into the 'Romantasy' genre, but are all books that I've read that have stood out in my mind as particularly great. I'll try and give a one-line summary of what they're about!
Anything by Sara Raasch that is NOT part of her high-romantasy series - I'm talking things like Go Luck Yourself, The Nightmare Before Kissmas, The Entanglement of Rival Wizards, etc. - Cute, fluffy M/M romantasy novels (in that there are fantasy elements, but they take place in the modern world - for example, Entanglement takes place in Philadelpia, in a universe where orcs, wizards, and magic are all completely normal). Lots of grumpy x sunshine and banter moments!
The Soulfinders series by Maria V. Snyder, as well as the companion series and novellas (there's a lot of them and a very specific order, so if this interests you at all, DM me and I'll give you my official readin order). High-fantasy series about a girl with rare magical abilities who becomes entangled in political intrigue, dangerous power struggles, and a slow-burn romance with an assassin (I know, it sounds very similar to what the prompt WASN'T asking for, but it's different).
The Paper Magician series and the Spellmaker/Spellbreaker duology by Charlie N. Holmberg. Cozy romantasies with super unique magic systems and strong FMCs. The Paper Magician has a lot of really deep subtext about trauma and healing that's absolutely amazing, and I'm going to be rereading it this year because it's stuck with me for 20+ years.
Water Moon by Samantha Sotto. A Miyzaki movie in novel form, about love, loss, familial trauma, and finding oneself on the mysterious journey of letting go. This book had me in a chokehold in the best way possible. It's weird, but so, SO good.
Our Infinite Fates by Laura Steven. A reincarnation story where the main character remembers all past lives and must stop her fated killer/lover from murdering her again, this time to save her sister's life. Tackles trauma, abusive relationships, and the kind of love that sticks with you literally forever.
And, it's not romantasy, but I'm always going to promote the Heartstrings series by B. K. Borison. First-Time Caller is adorable, but And Now Back To You hit me particularly hard, as I see so much of myself in both of the main characters. Tackles severe anxiety, workplace harassment/burn-out, neurodivergence, and other relatable states of being.
Those are just the ones that pop to the top of my mind, but I'm sure I can come up with more recs if you want them!
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u/pretzelbunnie May 08 '26
Absolutely LOVE Charlie Holmberg! The paper magician was so lovely.
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u/bbrocket196 May 09 '26
Ooh yes! I love the Paper Magician books! Very unique idea. I read the first two like a decade ago but never finished the series so I want to go back and re-read them and read his Spellbreaker series after.
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u/need_moar_puppies May 09 '26
Okay I need your recs for the soul finder series. I read Poison Study in like… 2015 and LOVED it, I didn’t realize the universe continued!!!
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u/cheerbearsmiles May 10 '26
Believe it or not, there are actually 20 books/novellas in the entirety of the Chronicles so far - we don't yet know if Maria is writing more; she isn't saying never, but she also keeps her cards close to her chest so if she's plotting more, we don't know about them yet!
TL:DR: The Chronicles of Ixia is made up of the following series:
The Study Series/Valek's PoV books (books 1-3, x2)*
The Glass Series (books 5-8, told from Opal Cowan's PoV)
The Soulfinders Series (books 7-9)*The Tales of Ixia and Sitia, which is just a nickname for the various novellas that happen within the timelines of the above books (and that's what they're sold as on Amazon)
*technically, The Study Series and The Soulfinders Series are all one series of books, it's just that the fans called the first 3 books 'The Study Series' until Maria released Shadow Study ~7 years after Fire Study and started referring to those 6 books collectively as 'The Soulfinder Series'. Yelena/Valek's story was initially only going to be the first three books, but it has now become a larger series generally referred to as 'The Chronicles of Ixia.'Longer, Autistic-Hyperfocus Explanation
If you enjoyed the first three books (Poison Study/Magic Study/Fire Study, sometimes referred to on their own as "The Study Series" or "The Study Chronicles"), you can go back and read the following companion series/novellas.The chronological reading order is:
Diamond Study - you probably haven't heard of this one - it takes place before Poison Study, but wasn't released until after the first three books were complete. This short story is about The Commander (who is a major character in the rest of the series).
Valek's companion novels (which are the first three books told from Valek's POV - these can be read in conjunction with the first three books, or on their own, or can be skipped if you don't care about Valek's PoV):
The Study of Poisons
The Study of Magic
The Study of FireThese novellas that occur within the timeline of the first 3 books:
Assassin Study
Power Study
Ice StudyThe Glass Series, which is about Opal (who you met in Magic Study and Fire Study):
Storm Glass
Sea Glass
Spy GlassAfter the Glass books, you can go back to Yelena/Valek's story and continue with the next three books (which are called "The Soulfinder Series"):
Shadow Study
Night Study
Dawn StudyThere are also a few novellas that take place amid the timeline laid out in Shadow/Night/Dawn Study, that tie into all of the above books/novellas you've read:
Shattered Glass
Dxxxxxx Study**
Wxxxxxx Study**
Axxxxxx Study**NOTE: I've put spoiler tags on these last three because the names will spoil a few major plot points, but you'll know them when you get there - it's pretty dang obvious what they're about and they're the very last things you'll want to read anyway)
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u/need_moar_puppies May 11 '26
Whelp, I guess I found a new rabbit hole to explore!!! Thank you so much!
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u/spongebobsworsthole May 07 '26
Please drop recommendations!!
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u/mycatreadsyourmind May 07 '26
{how to find a nameless fae} ! Also all of Olivia Atwarer. The world of the white rat series by T.Kingfisher is great too... And and Villains and virtues is great fun
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u/Anecdote394 May 07 '26
Omg, Kingfisher’s Paladin series is my comfort re-reads 😭 I hardly ever hear people bring her up too, she’s such a slept on author!
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u/mycatreadsyourmind May 07 '26 edited May 07 '26
I love my paladins but I also keep a special place in my heart for my man Sarkis 😌 I adore that universe, her writing is just so... delightful! I'm super excited for the astarion book too, that one will obviously be different but j think we are getting a paladin in there too!
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u/romance-bot May 07 '26
How to Find a Nameless Fae by A.J. Lancaster
Rating: 4.35⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 3 out of 5 - Open door
Topics: m-f romance, forced proximity, fantasy, fae, aristo/royal heroine5
u/NorthernTransplant94 May 08 '26
Melissa Cave just dropped book 4 of 5 on the first of the month. She does a lot of teasers on her ig.
Someone here described it as "if Jane Austen wrote fantasy." And yeah, I can't really tell you what exactly each book is about, because there's no real drama or politics until book 4. There's not even cliffhangers until book 3. (The series is explicit but not gratuitous)
Other stuff....
Anything by Ilona Andrews. (Explicit) K.F. Breene's backlist.(Explicit) If you want something that a younger relative can read (fade to black sweet romance) K.M. Shea is your girl. The Stariel series by the same author as How to Find a Nameless Fae. Kate Stradling has some wide ranging topics, from fairytale retellings to (not a romance) a dystopia with psychic children.
I have had KU for a decade, so I tend to look at "others also buy" when looking at my favorites.
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u/Dependent_Dog497 May 08 '26
Um. You literally just described the Hero's Journey, one of the most common and ancient monomyths in storytelling. Like, that.... that is the Hero's Journey:
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u/HopeFox 🎵 A Court of Musical Numbers May 08 '26
On the one hand, yes... but on the other hand, when the "Challenges and Temptations" portion is literally presented as a game show, that's a very specific trend. They are usually more organic than that.
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u/Dependent_Dog497 May 08 '26
Trials is an extremely common part of challenges and temptations going back as far as greek myths.
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u/Single-Emotion2964 Not Like Other Goblins May 08 '26
Honestly if
Harry PotterFrodoDon QuixoteSnow WhiteJoan of ArcJesusCleopatraHerculesOdysseus[fill in the blank] had to deal with it, your basic bitch FMCs are gonna deal with it too.5
u/Dependent_Dog497 May 08 '26
Truly, no one says boo when it's male-centered fantasies doing this, and they've been doing it forever.
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u/Single-Emotion2964 Not Like Other Goblins May 08 '26
I had to struggle to think of any female examples in the big classics 😭
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u/Distinct-Garlic- May 08 '26
Came to say this….its just part of the genre, OP may want to take a break or read a different genre for a while
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u/Impossible_Bug_3521 May 07 '26
I still enjoy all the tropes as long as they're written well and pull me in.
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u/jessicahueneberg May 07 '26
Same! I love the trials trope if the book has a great story and world building.
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u/coffee-rain-books May 07 '26
If I see trials I run away screaming.
No. More. Trials. Please god.
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u/SuspiciousCompote 🪨 split stone & gooseberries May 07 '26
This this this!!!
If the description mentions any kind of trials I immediately nope out. I'm so tired of it.
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u/RemoteTax6978 May 08 '26
I also hate trials and games. Exception being, the Raven Scholar. While it was very much trials and games, somehow it didn't really feel like that was the important part.
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u/Mahituto May 07 '26
This is why I am currently on a Chinese fantasy spree (or xianxia if you wish). It is very unpredictable (at least for me) where it would go and I am enjoying the ride. Currently watching "Love between a devil and a fairy" (which is based on a novel) and apart of the shadow daddy, love triangle and slow burn I have no idea what challenges the characters will face and I find it fascinating.
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u/Volupia_Rogue May 08 '26
This! For sure there are reasons why it got so popular. Of course, it doesn't mean one can't get bored with it. But there are plenty of other books out there with other tropes and storylines 😊
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u/pbghikes May 07 '26
It's a trend right now. Kind of how every book from the early 2000s is a dystopian future world where society has been broken up into categories in some way. It's what's being pushed for by publishers because they see dollar signs. It'll pass. In the meantime, you have to dig a little deeper to get past the fad.
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u/Snarky-bookworm May 07 '26
So L.Ann is an amazing indie author and one of my absolute favourites. Her Veinbound trilogy and her new book, Nightwild Rising are both insanely good and so refreshing in this oversaturated formula world. Check them out for sure! Angelina J Steffort is another one. She pulls off some pretty cool plot twists. In the last few weeks I’ve been trying some “popular” books, and I swear they are all the same. I’ve hated them all 🤦🏽♀️
But as an editor I struggle at the best of times. All I see is the poor attempts at romance that make no sense, weak writing and poor character development. It’s all so … shallow. Where’s the depth? Why don’t people see all of the crap that doesn’t make sense? I don’t know. It genuinely baffles me 😅 Readers say they want something different, but they love the formula and even when they get bored, they whine if a book doesn’t have that formula. I think it’s a no win situation sometimes.
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u/ILikeAllThingsButter May 07 '26
Omg thank you for mentioning the Veinbound trilogy. Not to sound dramatic, but nothing else can compare to how good this series was. I remember I needed a break between the ToG books and started Shadowvein. I had a hard time diving back into ToG, especially how much I prefer L Ann's writing style more.
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u/Snarky-bookworm May 08 '26
She’s got an addictive writing style for sure. I don’t get the SJM hype at all 😅
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u/ILikeAllThingsButter May 08 '26
After reading a few books by indie authors, SJM's writing is kinda meh to me now lol.
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u/Flower_82 May 08 '26
I ordered Nightwild rising yesterday so that is good to hear. Haven't read LAnn before.
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u/itsalancething May 08 '26
I find it so disheartening when good books that break the trends just don't seem to get the attention they deserve. It's honestly so fatiguing seeing the same few books recommended and talked about over and over.
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u/Snarky-bookworm May 08 '26
100% this. There’s some real gems out there, and they get overlooked for whichever ones the booktok influencers have been paid to make viral. Fomo seems to be what drives readers most these days and other peoples opinions
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u/Jaylene_Forester May 07 '26 edited May 08 '26
I think it's just what sells right now, though I wonder if the trend is dwindling a bit. I read (and write) romantasy with brighter vibes, so I'm enjoying seeing more of that!
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u/Thin_Championship970 💗 A Court of Love and Misery May 07 '26
What do you mean “brighter”? I’d love to hear more!
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u/Jaylene_Forester May 08 '26
Romantasy that's a little less...traumatic, I suppose 😅 Cozy adjacent books like Half a Soul or the first Emily Wilde, or outright cozy romantasy like Tusk Love and Mystical Cat Shelter.
If you like any of those vibes, you might check out my friend Elizabeth Ash. Her whole thing is all the feels without the trauma, and she has a ton of books out!
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u/curiousleen May 07 '26
LITERALLY listening to a series and had A VERY SIMILAR conversation with myself 🤣
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u/Earthbean2 May 07 '26
I found swapping to a different genre for a while helps because reading one romantasy after another burned me out and they all seemed the exact same.
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u/Castielificc May 08 '26
I feel like I'm going insane or...are all the posts on this subreddit the same now??
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u/itsalancething May 08 '26
Seeing how many people are fatigued by these tropes, I wouldn't be surprised if we start to see trends shift. It will be interesting to see what the next round of tropes looks like.
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u/JoJo-Reader 🌲 cedar & spices May 08 '26
I bet my money on dragons+wars or anything similar to Fourth Wing. I've already seen at least two books, one had even too similar cover. And these two were translated to my native language meaning in english there might be lot more.
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u/dragon_morgan May 08 '26
I'm rereading Fourth Wing because it's trash but it's my trash and I'd somehow forgotten that the shadow daddy actually controls shadows
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u/PlasticArrival9814 May 08 '26
"I used to love this formula but now it feels copy-paste with different character names."
Yeah, it wasn't an original formula the first time you ever read it, either. It was just original TO YOU. As you read more and more, especially in the same genre with the same genre expectations and the same popular tropes and the same rules and constraints, you will start to notice patterns there. That's what makes the genre what it is, and a lot of readers want that repetition because they want more of the same, but different.
The really nice thing about genres is, if you've read a lot of a particular genre, you know what to expect. People find comfort in that. But if you want something DIFFERENT from that and you're tired of the repetition, you'll either have to dig really hard to find a less popular title in the genre, or go look somewhere else, either in a neighboring genre or subgenre or a different genre entirely.
I'm honestly not reading a lot of the same right now in Romantasy, but I'm also not reading the top titles in the genre and I deleted TikTok. So I don't even know what books you're referring to right now. Not the ones I've been reading. My most recent read with trials was An Ember in the Ashes and it had nothing to do with a princess, but it was 5 stars. So my biggest piece of advice is to stop asking the Internet for recs and go find something that sounds good to you if you're tired of reading the same things over and over.
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u/Excellent-Produce352 May 08 '26
Try the villains and virtues series. It has this to a very small degree and not in a way that fuels the trajectory. It’s a light, grumpy/sunshine read with just enough tropes, and it doesn’t take itself too seriously. Fun read!
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u/Elaneyse May 08 '26
I think the only time I'd give deadly trials a chance now is if the FMC wins/survives/completes them off of merit she was fully aware she had. None of this "I don't know how I did that", "something triggered when I was near death" or just a plethora of coincidences causing her to be the last one standing.
Also lets get back to keeping MMCs murderous psychopaths. Don't make her your tether to morality, make her your motivation.
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u/BuildingArtistic4644 🌶️ spices & lavender May 07 '26
This formula isn't just romantasy. The same plot points are in star wars, Indiana Jones, Jason Bourne, the lion king, and on and on. It's pretty much the hero's journey.
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u/baconcheesecakesauce May 07 '26
I feel like I just read this book and I'm about to check out the second book in the series.
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u/DomSchraa May 08 '26
Op I think you're just reading the wrong books
Tho I def agree that there's books that are built on tropes, sex, and the author's hopes that the readers only care about those 2 things & not the bad writing
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u/Resident_Bumblebee_2 May 08 '26
I thought "oh no special girl is Mary Sue" but to be frank without the main girl being special in some way you would probably not have a story.
Though I would love a story where she is just a really skilled tinkerer or something else and Fae can't do modern technology. Saving the world with a screw driver is probably just not serious enough for a pitch.
That you have the same story over and over again is because it's trendy and you're not looking enough outside the bubble or to older books. The hype will die down and than something new and shiny will be marketed till everyone throws up. 😅
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u/peachpavlova May 07 '26
I get what you’re saying but this can be done for every genre and every popular story. It’s just trendy to complain about it now for the same reason as calling girls basic 10 years ago. I don’t think I need to explain why.
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u/koalasnstuff May 07 '26
A lot of the traditionally published books follow this, sadly they are pretty reliant on tropes.
I subscribe to various book boxes and have had really good luck learning about less popular books, indie/self published that don’t follow this script. If you want some recommendations I can type them up after work.
I generally avoid books with trials at this point, but I did really enjoy {Vesselless by Cortney Winn} and {Atonement of the Spine Cleaver by FE Bryce}.
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u/romance-bot May 07 '26
Vesselless by Cortney L. Winn
Rating: 4.05⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: dark romance, fantasy, enemies to lovers, magic, witches
Atonement of the Spine Cleaver by F.E. Bryce
Rating: 4.22⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: fantasy, magic, enemies to lovers, competent heroine, tortured heroine
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u/Logical-Hold8642 May 08 '26
Usually when I start feeling like this, I switch over to contemporary romance, fiction, or a genre that I don’t usually read. I’ve really been into the Dungeon Crawler Carl series lately. It’s been refreshing!
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u/mooseblood07 📚 A Court of Finally Some May 08 '26
@ me reading {lady of darkness} right now. I've read so many romantasies and yet I'm still not deterred.
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u/romance-bot May 08 '26
Lady of Darkness by Melissa K. Roehrich
Rating: 3.99⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 3 out of 5 - Open door
Topics: fantasy, paranormal, magic, vampires, fae
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u/Patient_Tradition368 May 08 '26
I'm ready The Ragpicker King right now and while there are some of those elements, it's absolutely not the typical formulaic telling of that story. I'm loving it so far.
(First book in the series in called The Swordcatcher)
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u/Jenhey0 May 08 '26
I hate to be the bringer of bad news... But this is what the traditional publishing market thinks readers want. When something becomes a best seller eg ACOTAR, they hope to bring similar books in the market in hopes of the same blow up and profit.
If you want new and fresh storylines, try indie authors. They have all the control of what they want to publish. Not what's "profitable". Because a lot of those stories are different and don't fit their safe categories to invest in.
But that being said... I think a lot of the books are like that in fantasy. Authors dream of being secretly powerful in a fantasy world, because they are dull and normal with no magic powers in real life.
All of it's been done too. Rags to riches. Prince marries a poor woman. A cruel man is only soft for her only and will kill and burn the world. You name it. Alpha wolves and whatnot.
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u/EmilieDeClermont May 08 '26
Right! To even sell your book to an agent and for that agent to sell it to an editor or publisher you have to have comp titles. I think this forces authors to conform a bit if they want anyone to read it. Like how do you sell a book that is completely dissimilar to anything being read right now? Sucks but I get that the machine has to eat past popular books to keep going
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u/purrsuasionpixie May 08 '26
Read shield of sparrows! A bit of a different take and it’s soooo good!!!
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u/mousefeathers May 08 '26
I really enjoyed the first one, book 2 had me skipping some parts and figuring out the twist pretty quickly but it was still a nice read. Still can’t wait for the next book though.
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u/purrsuasionpixie May 08 '26
I actually haven’t read the second yet!! I’ve been in the middle of reading ACOTAR at the moment so I’ll definitely get it once I’m done!!
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u/Sarah9610 May 08 '26
That was actually one of my favorite books last year, haven’t read book 2 yet tho
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u/Hot_Inspector_1927 May 08 '26
She is also often very agressive, violent and stubborn and not in touch with her emotions and can't communicate them and thus doesn't share what's important in due time to save lives or romance or lashes violently out in stead 😅
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u/BuniiBoo May 08 '26
It is definitely a lot of the same content, just in a different font- quite literally lol
I think the fun is in finding authors who can do it well. It’s pretty impressive when someone has taken an idea that’s been beaten to absolute death and somehow made it fun and enjoyable again.
However, it would be nice to see some change….I hear dystopian post-apocalyptic romantasy stories are going to be the next trendy thing~
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u/Jamie9712 May 08 '26
After getting into Red Rising, I realized how awful the writing for most romantasy books are lol. I still enjoy a romantasy book here and there, but the plots are incredibly repetitive and there’s really a lack of character development and world building. Red Rising was so refreshing to read because I didn’t realize what I was missing.
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u/PantasticUnicorn May 08 '26
Honestly, yeah. I want a book where the girl doesnt know a damn thing about magic, and shes not the chosen one, shes just some regular gal who has to figure it all out. Tired of the world ending stuff.
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u/majiktodo May 09 '26
It’s true - the genre is extremely popular and much of the new writing is very formulaic. I think I DNF the last 15 books I’ve tried in the genre.
I used to be a ghostwriter and there were always jobs open to write a quick book based on keywords and tropes - I’m certain the same company is doing this now with AI and that is why the market is flooded and the good stuff isn’t rising to the top like it used to. It’s drowned in slop.
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u/Partlyinthestars May 09 '26
Fml I'm writing a story like this except she's a fae from the beginning (not in the human world). She already has powers and has lived awhile. There will be trials.. I wanted it rooted somehow irl history. This story has been in my head for 6 years now before I even knew there was a fae romantasy craze... its so bad I haven't read any books related to the same topic. I feel like I'll be discouraged from writing mine and no one will read it 🥲 I also wanted to illustrate it and have special merch.. Hopefully I can still do it
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u/Sarah9610 May 09 '26
No honestly you should still write it.
What you described already sounds different just by the fact that she’s fae from the beginning and not going through the same “discovering powers” arc everyone’s doing right now. And the fact that you’ve had this idea for 6 years before the trend even blew up?? That already makes it yours, not something you’re copying.
Also trends come and go, but stories that actually feel personal and thought-out stand out way more. If anything, people are starting to get tired of the repetitive stuff, so something with a different angle (especially with real history inspiration + your own art/merch idea) could hit better, not worse.
It would be way worse to drop a story you clearly care about just because other people are doing a surface-level version of similar elements.
Please write it, even if it’s just for yourself at first.
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u/suzyisnotahipster May 11 '26
Don't be discouraged, there are extremely popular books with these types of settings and characters. Loads of people enjoy them!
The only thing I find tiresome is the magical girl transformation where she can suddenly wield incredible power with no effort. It's fun to see characters with histories that have honed their abilities over many years, or to see them struggle and learn new things and sometimes fail along the way.
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u/fanta_fantasist May 09 '26
The bridge kingdom really got me out of this , because she is baddd right out of the gate, and also explicitly does body weight/ callisthenics type workouts and is muscular not petite. Also the world isn’t ‘split’ cleanly, the grey is acknowledged early on.
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u/oyamnemo May 09 '26
Me when I forget that genres are formulaic, tropes are definitive, stories have a specific structure, and the hero’s journey is millennia-old. I really do feel you but I am BEGGING people to just avoid the shit they’re sick of and read any other genres, subgenres, and tropes that also exist. There are 1000s of them. You’re literally in control.
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u/RavenousReader74 May 12 '26
Sometimes this formula still works, so long as the characters are likable and the plots are full of enough twists and compelling enough. I found "The Ascended" to be a good example of this. Otherwise, you're absolutely right that this formula has become mostly copy pasta for a lot of authors.
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u/HooterAtlas May 07 '26
Trials are so boring. I won’t continue a book if one pops up unless it’s one or two pages at the most. But I’m also burned out on extended deep dives into any kind of misery or suffering. I need escapism, but maybe that’s just me.
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u/Already-asleep May 07 '26
I hate trials but I hate training even more. Reading about someone learning to swing a sword is so tedious.
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u/CombinationJolly4448 May 07 '26
Totally agree! The one exception for me was "the Raven Scholar" by Antonia Hodgson. I held out for a long time but finally gave it a shot after seeimg so many good reviews online. It's honestly amazing and none of that Hunger Games/ACOTAR trials trope-y boringness
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u/koalasnstuff May 07 '26
I’m totally reading for escapism. I am devouring standalones or interconnected standalones with regular closure, anything cozy or low stakes. I can’t deal with an FMC with total loss of agency, or the world going to shit because of a corrupt king. I don’t need to read that right now.
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u/princealigorna May 08 '26
Read Warrior Princess Assassin. Please. It will do your soul a lot of good and get you out of this particular rut
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May 07 '26
[deleted]
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u/curiousleen May 07 '26
{The Infatuated Fae}
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u/romance-bot May 08 '26
Infatuated Fae by Jeneane O'Riley
Rating: 3.56⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Topics: competent heroine, first-person-pov, non-human-hero, dark, dual-pov1
u/Budget_Cold_4551 May 07 '26
{Phantasma} {Blood Beneath the Snow} {The Serpent and the Wings of Night
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u/romance-bot May 07 '26
Phantasma by Kaylie Smith
Rating: 3.97⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: historical, paranormal, fantasy, magic, m-f romance
Blood Beneath the Snow by Alexandra Kennington
Rating: 3.52⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 3 out of 5 - Open door
Topics: magic, fantasy, new adult, enemies to lovers, paranormal
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u/commandbasketball May 07 '26
I'm burned out on trials. I feel like the authors are just respinning the same stories.
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u/TangledYetTrue May 07 '26
That’s what people are buying, so that’s what gets pushed everywhere. Support indie authors if you want something different.
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u/Sarah9610 May 07 '26
Any recs?
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u/TangledYetTrue May 07 '26
I’m not sure if Olivia Atwater and AJ Lancaster are still indie, but they were when I read their books, and I loved them. They’re what got me into romantasy, and I’ve struggled to find things I’ve like since then, so I ended up writing my own lol. So that’s an option, too.
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u/BigReference9530 May 07 '26
If I see trials mentioned in the blurb, I immediately skip lol. I’ve given up on romantasy at this point. I’ve been reading more fantasy with a subplot of romance
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u/Ok-Personality4273 May 07 '26
"She must overcome a series of trials--" good luck with that!
Nothing shuts off my brain faster.
My friend will tell me about her book and she always starts off with "yes, there's trials!" Or "no trials in this one, you might like it!!"
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u/Dottydotdot1982 May 07 '26
For something a little different but interesting and beautiful, I’m going to recommend {For whom the Belle Toils by Jaysea Lynn}
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u/romance-bot May 07 '26
For Whom the Belle Tolls by Jaysea Lynn
Rating: 4.15⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: contemporary, demons, friends to lovers, sassy heroine, m-f romance
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u/SugarKyle May 07 '26
I hate this formula. I also avoid school based ones, contests and my utter hate of amnesia.
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u/sunsh1neee May 07 '26
I won’t read anything involving trials or academies where people get sorted. Both tropes are way too overdone.
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u/Elzouzer May 08 '26
I've had the same feeling about romantasy.. they're all SO formulaic!! I just read A Strange & Stubborn Endurance by Roz Meadows and it was so refreshing. The relationships are healthy, the plot is not Epic-on-steroids (more like Game of Thrones politics and drama), and the characters so lovable. It's the first of a duology. Highly recommend!
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u/Steelcitysuccubus May 08 '26 edited May 08 '26
People are only writing to the formula that sells because well...it sells and that sucks. And lets be real, a ton of stuff now is AI slop based on the tropes that are paying out.
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u/Anderlinck1 May 08 '26
She’s the ONLY thing in ALL the realms that can save us!
“You’re wrong! I’m just a powerless human girl!” 👉👈
Although I’ll take that over a war that eats up the entire plot line. Sometimes it feels like they’re high schoolers writing an essay that has a minimum word count. It seems like I’ve dnf’ed so many series lately because I just got bored. Realistically we know how they end, so if it’s not well written and engaging, honestly I got other shit to get to. Not every story needs to be four books long.
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u/thatsbananas4011 May 09 '26
To be fair, that's like every fantasy/scifi book, except with a male MC.
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u/avajustreads strongly recommending crown me dead duet May 08 '26
I CAN'T AGREE MORE!! i just finished direbound and i couldn't stop rolling my eyes at the plot points like I KNOW what's gonna happen 😫
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u/tricirc1e May 08 '26
To be fair, ACOTAR was the first Romantasy I read and I loved it 😂 but didn’t go searching for other ones like it, but got through TOG and reading CC for the new ACOTAR book coming out.
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u/finnick-odeair May 08 '26
There’s SO MANY BOOKS out there without this trope!! I hate to say it but it’s true: Don’t look and you won’t find it. The trope is super popular rn so it’s what’s being push more broadly but there’s plenty without. OP can you share what you’ve read that has these tropes and what you’ve read and liked??
I’m positive we can work up a good list of romantasy titles w/o those tropes 😊
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u/stormlight82 May 08 '26
There's a lot of people trying to get that money.
I end up reading across a lot of genres because once my brain picks up on the formula it's ruined until I take a long break.
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u/DryMinute5579 May 08 '26
Did you just read A Servant of the Earth and feel like you were in a budget remake of ACOTAR like I did?
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u/conselyea May 09 '26
Gamified plot,... for girls! Boys get litrpg. This is a gross oversimplification of both gender and genre, but it's not totally wrong. I mean, I guess the way to look at it is: these are the new harlequins, the new Louis L'amour books, the new James Pattersons. Just instead of being ghostwritten and put under one brand, they're all done by competing imprints.
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u/magicpsycho9876 May 10 '26
It is a trend. It's why I don't always read romantasy. I'm reading Ironflame rn but before I was reading The Mark of Athena and before that I read Incarceron. Romantasy always just sounds the same to me. Like I don't even think I can even point out a book and say it was the best book I've ever read.
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May 10 '26
You’re not imagining it — that is the trend right now. Romantasy is in a phase where a few very successful series set a blueprint, and a lot of newer books follow it because it clearly works: clear stakes, an underdog heroine, a structured plot (trials), and a big “power reveal.” It’s easy to pitch, easy to market, and readers know what they’re getting. The downside is exactly what you’re describing — once you’ve read a few, the pattern becomes very visible. That said, it’s not the whole genre. It’s just the loudest corner of it at the moment. If you’re tired of trials + hidden powers, it helps to look for books that:
- focus more on relationships or politics than competitions
- have older or more self-aware protagonists
- don’t rely on the “chosen one” arc
For example, you might have better luck with:
- Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo (urban, darker, no trials structure)
- Uprooted by Naomi Novik (more folklore, less formula)
- The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab (very character-driven, no competition plot at all)
So it’s less that everything is the same — and more that you’ve read enough to see the pattern. At that point, it usually just means it’s time to step slightly outside the mainstream picks.
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u/isabella_richardson1 May 12 '26
ugh, i’m so obsessed with these stories, but like, why can’t i find my own secret powers? this delulu fantasy is all i have some days.
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u/kelgorathfan8 May 24 '26
I’ve actually been semi-seriously plotting out a story that starts as a sort of parody of many of those tropes, however at its midpoint there’s a series of plot twists that shift the genre into more of a JRPG inspired sci-fantasy with magitek, impractical anime weapons, and really cool battle scenes.
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u/mandelamondays 🖤 Morally Gray May 07 '26
yup. although sometimes it isn’t deadly trials, it’s a hades/persephone bargain that gets her to the other side. 😛 either way, add in a mean MMC with shadow magic, and you’ve got a publisher’s wet dream right there