If you enjoyed the harrowing journey of gang leader Kaz Brekker in Leigh Bardugo’s fantasy novel Six of Crows, you’ll be happy to know that there are many other thrilling stories out there that will capture your imagination in a similar way. For this post, we’ve compiled a list of other books that may pique your interest!
Of course, no two books are exactly alike, so we’ve taken the liberty of pulling different facets of Six of Crows to come up with these book recommendations. This means that the books in this list may include fantasy and magical elements, a gang leader as the main character, or many of the other points that made Six of Crows such an entertaining read.
Books Like Six of Crows to Read If You Like Leigh Bardugo
Check out these next books like Six of Crows to add to your TBR list:
1. Seven Deadly Shadows by Courtney Alameda
This novel follows Kira Fujikawa, a girl who has always lived in the background. Her own parents ignored her, and her peers bullied her. It’s only at her grandfather’s shrine that she feels right at home, and is in fact training to be a priestess. But what happens when a band of demons attacks the family shrine?
2. These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong
This creative retelling of the timeless story of Romeo and Juliet takes us back to 1920s Shanghai, in the midst of two rival gangs and even a monster lurking in the Huangpu River. Eighteen-year-old Juliette Cai is the heir of one of these gangs, while her first love, Roma Montagov, is the heir of their most bitter rival.
3. The Last Magician by Lisa Maxwell
Set in modern-day New York, the Mageus is a group of people who still carry magic while living in the shadows to hide their identities. An energy barrier called the Brink is designed to trap any Mageus who dares step into Manhattan. Follow the story of Esta, an expert thief assigned to steal a magical book by traveling way back to 1902.
4. Jade City by Fonda Lee
Two crime gangs hold the island of Kekon, the only island in the world that produces magical jade, in their grip. What happens when underlying tension between rival families finally explodes into open violence?
5. The Diviners by Libba Bray
In 1926, Evie O’Neill is shipped off to New York to live with an uncle who has an unhealthy preoccupation with black magic. Uncle Will doesn’t know that Evie herself has supernatural powers until a murder with a cryptic branding pushes her to use her gift to catch the serial killer.
6. Descendants by Rico Green
Follow Evie, Carlos, Mal, and Jay, children of cruel villains who, after spending their whole lives on the Isle of the Lost, have the chance to go to the prep school for “good” kids. But what if they’re actually going in just to steal the Fairy Godmother’s wand?
7. Foul is Fair by Hannah Capin
Elle, Jenny, Summer, and Mads are leaders in their social circle, untouched by any trouble. But at Elle’s sweet sixteen, the girls crash a prep party, where the boys turn Elle into their target. Elle swears revenge, transferring to the school to destroy every boy who dared cross her.
8. There Will Come a Darkness by Katy Rose Pool
The Seven Prophets have guided humans for many generations, thanks to their futuristic visions that helped end wars and unite nations. But what happens when they suddenly disappear, leaving behind one final prophecy foretelling a new Prophet who would either save the world… or destroy it completely?
9. The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco
This fantasy story starts with Tea accidentally resurrecting her brother from the dead, which is the mark of a bone witch, a title that the whole community fears and ostracizes. Thankfully Tea meets an older bone witch who mentors her and her brother.
10. Tiny Pretty Things by Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton
This heart-wrenching novel follows Bette, June, and Gigi, top students at an exclusive ballet school in Manhattan who each have their own family stories that fuel their dancing. Every sacrifice, manipulation, and backstabbing will tear your heart as you read this story.
11. Nocturna by Maya Motayne
This Latinx-inspired world will surely enthrall you as you follow the rash Prince Alfehr and face-shifting thief Finn Voy on their quest to defeat an evil force they unwittingly released. But how will they do it in the midst of all the deep darkness they’ve pushed into their pasts?
12. Scavenge the Stars by Tara Sim
Amaya saves a drowning stranger who in turn, offers her a new identity and insurmountable riches, then thrusts her into Moray, a coastal city-state with gamblers clamoring for old-world riches. Amaya plots revenge against the person who brought her family down, but uncovers truths about her past along the way.
13. Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie C. Dao
Xifeng is an 18-year-old peasant, whom the stars declare is destined to become Empress of Feng Lu. But that will only happen if she chooses to embrace the darkness inside her and spurn her chance at love. Is the price of gaining the throne worth it?
14. The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller
Tired of being in the background, Alessandra plots three ways to gain the power she’s always wanted: win the Shadow King over, marry him, then kill him and get hold of his kingdom for her own benefit.
15. Give the Dark My Love by Beth Revis
Nedra Brysstain is a 17-year-old who wins a scholarship to study medicinal alchemy at the world-renowned Yugen Academy. But all the most powerful and wealthy families also attend the school, and clearly, Nedra doesn’t fit in. Grey Astor alone notices her, and when a deadly plague sweeps across the North, the two need to find the cure.
16. Queen’s Thief Series by Megan Whalen Turner
The magus is convinced he knows where to find an ancient treasure he wants to attain for the king. But he needs the help of a skillful thief, and what better place to find one than in the king’s prison?
17. Spellhacker by M.K. England
Magic used to be a natural resource freely available to anyone in the fantasy land of Kykarta. But after an earthquake set off a magical plague, a greedy corporation steps in to make it a tightly controlled and outrageously expensive commodity. Follow Diz and her best friends as they run a lucrative but illegal magic siphoning system.
18. The Young Elites by Marie Lu
Adelina Amouteru survived a deadly illness ravaged her nation 10 years ago, and has the strange markings to prove it. Because of this disfiguration, her father believes her to be an abomination, but what if these scars come with powerful and mysterious gifts?
19. Heist Society by Ally Carter
Katarina Bishop’s childhood was dotted all over with her parents’ heists of robbery. But when she turns 15, she plans her own scam to make it into the country’s best boarding school and turn her back on the “family business.” But what if it’s harder to shake than she thinks?
Reading Fantasy Books
Fantasy books are a great choice for reading when you want to rest from the pressures of daily life and enjoy a trip to some unknown lands.
Of course, that’s not to say you won’t get your share of hair-raising or heart-thumping adventure, because these books are filled with these escapades as well!
Did you find this post helpful? Let us know in the comments below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:
- 20 Best Fantasy Books That Will Thrill Your Imagination
- 20 Books Like Harry Potter Filled with Magic and Mystery
- 17 Best Christmas Books for All Ages
- 11 Books That Make You Smarter
Yen Cabag is the Blog Writer of TCK Publishing. She is also a homeschooling mom, family coach, and speaker for the Charlotte Mason method, an educational philosophy that places great emphasis on classic literature and the masterpieces in art and music. She has also written several books, both fiction and nonfiction. Her passion is to see the next generation of children become lovers of reading and learning in the midst of short attention spans.
