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13 Books Like Fourth Wing to Read Next

Dragons, deadly trials, and slow-burn romance: the best books to read after Fourth Wing, sorted by what you loved most.

SMBy Sarah MillerUpdated Oct 30, 2026 8 min read
A dramatic fantasy landscape with a castle on a hill

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Quick Picks

Pick the one that matches what you loved most about Fourth Wing.

  • Closest overallThe Serpent and the Wings of Nightby Carissa Broadbent
  • Best for dragonsFireborneby Rosaria Munda
  • Best for enemies to loversFrom Blood and Ashby Jennifer L. Armentrout
  • Best for younger readersPowerlessby Lauren Roberts

Finished Fourth Wing and not sure what to read next? You are not alone. Rebecca Yarros’s story of Violet Sorrengail, a rider cadet fighting to survive Basgiath War College, mixes dragons, deadly training, and a slow-burn romance in a way that is hard to put down.

The good news: plenty of books capture at least part of that magic. We have grouped these picks by what you loved most, whether that is the dragons, the high-stakes trials, or the enemies-to-lovers tension. Each pick is spoiler-free, and we have marked which ones are young adult and which ones are for adult readers.

Content note: Fourth Wing and several adult picks on this list include explicit romantic scenes and violence. Look for the YA tag if you prefer something tamer.

1. Dragons and Riders

If the bond between Violet and her dragons was your favorite part, start here.

Fireborne

by Rosaria Munda

YATrilogy complete

Two orphans who became dragonriders after a revolution compete to lead their nation’s aerial fleet, while old loyalties threaten to tear them apart.

Find on Amazon

Eragon

by Christopher Paolini

YAClassic

A farm boy finds a mysterious stone that hatches into a dragon named Saphira, pulling him into a war against a tyrant king.

Find on Amazon

Iron Flame

by Rebecca Yarros

AdultEmpyrean #2

Not ready to leave Basgiath? The second book in the Empyrean series picks up right after Fourth Wing’s ending.

Find on Amazon

2. Deadly Competitions and Trials

Loved the brutal training and the constant fight to survive? These books turn up the stakes.

The Serpent and the Wings of Night

by Carissa Broadbent

AdultRomantasy

The human daughter of a vampire king enters a deadly tournament and forms an uneasy alliance with a dangerous rival.

Find on Amazon

Throne of Glass

by Sarah J. Maas

YASeries

A notorious young assassin is offered her freedom if she can win a lethal competition to become the king’s champion.

Find on Amazon

Powerless

by Lauren Roberts

YARomantasy

An ordinary girl hiding among people with powers is forced into deadly trials, where the prince she should avoid becomes impossible to ignore.

Find on Amazon

The Hunger Games

by Suzanne Collins

YAClassic

Katniss Everdeen volunteers in her sister’s place for a televised fight to the death in this genre-defining dystopian story.

Find on Amazon

3. Enemies-to-Lovers Romantasy

If the tension between Violet and Xaden kept you up at night, these romances deliver the slow-burn spark.

From Blood and Ash

by Jennifer L. Armentrout

AdultSpicy

Poppy, the Maiden chosen by the gods, starts questioning everything she has been taught when a mysterious guard is assigned to protect her.

Find on Amazon

A Court of Thorns and Roses

by Sarah J. Maas

New AdultSpicy

A young huntress is taken to a dangerous faerie land after killing a wolf in the woods, and nothing there is what it seems.

Find on Amazon

The Bridge Kingdom

by Danielle L. Jensen

AdultRomantasy

A princess trained since childhood as a spy marries the king of a rival nation, planning to bring his kingdom down from within.

Find on Amazon

4. Hidden Powers and Dangerous Schools

For readers who loved the war-college setting and a heroine who is constantly underestimated.

A Deadly Education

by Naomi Novik

AdultDark Academia

At a school for magic where monsters lurk in every corridor, a sharp-tongued student with dark powers just wants to graduate alive.

Find on Amazon

Red Queen

by Victoria Aveyard

YASeries

In a world divided by blood color, a girl with ordinary red blood discovers she has a power that should be impossible.

Find on Amazon

Divine Rivals

by Rebecca Ross

YARivals to Lovers

Two rival young journalists, connected by magical typewriters, are drawn into a war between gods.

Find on Amazon

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I read after Fourth Wing?

Start with Iron Flame, the second book in the Empyrean series, followed by Onyx Storm. If you want something new, The Serpent and the Wings of Night is the closest match for its deadly-competition energy and slow-burn romance.

Is Fourth Wing a young adult book?

No. Fourth Wing is an adult romantasy with explicit romantic scenes and violence. For a younger-reader alternative, try Fireborne, Powerless, Red Queen, or Divine Rivals.

What are the best books with dragons like Fourth Wing?

Fireborne by Rosaria Munda and Eragon by Christopher Paolini are both excellent dragon-rider stories. Fireborne also has the military-academy competition that Fourth Wing fans love.

Which books have enemies-to-lovers romance like Fourth Wing?

From Blood and Ash, A Court of Thorns and Roses, and The Bridge Kingdom are all popular romantasy picks with strong enemies-to-lovers tension.

Which book will you read after Fourth Wing?

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