12 Christian Fantasy Favorites from 2023

What Books Qualify?

As I have mentioned in a previous post, Christian Fantasy can fall into two categories: fantasy written by Christians (clean fantasy) and fantasy written with Christian elements (Christian Fantasy). I read a mixture of both, so I will note which is which is my countdown.

I read over 40 books this year, including manga, short stories, and classics. I won’t be counting those in my list, but I definitely recommend reading Yona of the Dawn and Uncle Tom’s Cabin. I also recommend reading Elf King, which was a collection of short stories connected to Tara Grayce’s main series that I absolutely loved. They were my favorites from the year in those categories.

I also read three Christian Science Fiction stories, including Defector, Radialloy, and Starlit Bands. Of the three, my favorite was Defector by C.E. Stone. If you’ve never read her series, you’ll enjoy this action-packed book featuring cybernetic space pirates and an unlikely villain.

Finally, I helped launch and promote two books this year by fabulous authors. The first, Son of None by Stephen Reece. The second, Sigils of the Giver by K. Michele Moseley. Both books surprised me with their great characters and suspenseful plots. Because I helped launch their books, I would prefer not to choose between them, even though they’re great.

Now, on to the top twelve reads!

12 Christian Fantasy Favorites from 2023

12. Forest of Scarlet

I really like Tara Grayce’s books, but this year they didn’t rank as high as the others, but they are still great cozy fantasy books. They are fun, escapist reads that give me the warm fuzzies when I read the sweet romance that develops between the characters. Her books fall under the clean fantasy, rather than Christian Fantasy, category.

Buy the Books: https://amzn.to/3XC4BLK

11. Rose Petals and Snowflakes

A cute fairy tale and Jane Austen retelling that surprised me because it is so unique. What I liked most about this book is how it seamlessly incorporates elements from both stories into one narrative. I loved the witty dialogue, fast-paced plot, and sweet romance. This book falls under the clean fantasy category.

Buy the Book: https://amzn.to/3XBcjpb

10. Rogue

Not your modern vampire story, this book was an adventure from beginning to end. With the present-tense, flashes into Willow’s inner thoughts, and the spunky, sassy dialogue, I really enjoyed this book. The dynamics between the vampire and human society were delightful. This book falls under the clean fantasy category.

Buy the Book: https://amzn.to/3zsoc90

9. Master of the Desert

A fast-paced epic fantasy romance in an exotic setting-this novel is very well done! The plot had great pace, interspersed with fighting unique sand creatures, facing a sandstorm, survival (such as poison, dehydration, and sunburn), and fighting the main villain. The characters were relatable and believable. This book falls under the clean fantasy category.

Buy the Book: https://amzn.to/3XwVlbH

8. Storm and Spire

I decided to make this one entry even though it is a five book series. This one definitely falls into the Christian Fantasy category with explicit references to trusting High One, Lozinski’s reference for God. I enjoyed each of these books, preferring some over others. Overall, I loved reading about Wes, the main character, and seeing how he developed from a unconfident prince to a competent king.

Buy the Book: https://amzn.to/3MU366I

7. Iron

A Christian Fantasy series without magic, I enjoyed these fairy tale retellings because of the dialogue. Red, the main character, is certainly witty, but Carlin develops each of her characters extremely well. Their arcs are tied into the fast paced plot, which is mainly about stopping child traffickers. Despite the tough subject matter, it is clean and well-executed.

Buy the Book: https://amzn.to/3TBBZ3U

6. The Lady of Lanaria

I discovered Michaela Bush’s books after collaborating with her for the anthology, Where Giants Fall. Realizing I’ve never read her books, I began with The Lady of Lanaria, which I absolutely loved. The Healer of the Brigade, the sequel, is also very good. Each one is reminiscent of a fairy tale, but has a unique spin and well-developed characters. Her books also fall under the Christian Fantasy category.

Buy the Series: https://amzn.to/3TDxPbE

5. The Orb and the Airship

Fly with me to a world where airships exist alongside swashbuckling pirates–trust me, you won’t be disappointed! This book builds slowly, introducing you to each well-developed character with careful interludes that weave seamlessly together. As the book progresses, the plot intensifies. Although there aren’t direct Christian references in this book, it will eventually emerge in the remainder of the series according to the author, thus making it a Christian Fantasy in a steampunk setting.

Buy the Book: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BVL1MHZ1/

4. Stormdance

In this spectacular sequel, Bruhn weaves together a story that had me up way past my bedtime and finishing in a few days. Alisa’s and Falier’s character development is especially touching in this book, as they each gain confidence in different ways. And the conflict in this book! I’ve never seen a book that does such a great job of showing how prejudice affects both sides of an argument, how hatred divides, and how some people will never listen, no matter what you do. This story is categorized as clean fantasy.

Buy the Book: https://amzn.to/3zvDWrV

3. The Heart of a Thief

I cried multiple times when reading this novel, which is a rarity for me. I think it is because I could relate so well to both main characters. Jaida, the woman hiding her true feelings for the sake of others while secretly hoping someone would see past her facade and care enough to get to know the real her. Elian, the man who steals and cons in order to feed his found family, and who worries whether the one who loves him returns his feelings or not. Then there’s the plot, which keeps up a good pace and made me want to say, “Stop! No!” multiple times. Overall, this was a fantastic Christian Fantasy book in a steampunk setting.

Buy the Book: https://amzn.to/4gzYqAn

2. A Bird in the Snow

This Christian Fantasy book moved me to tears! Ean and Murrin were intriguing protagonists because as the story develops, more is revealed about them that makes them more and more likable. They are flawed, vulnerable, and their reactions are realistic and relatable. Not only are the characters well-developed, but the plot is as well. The plot builds slowly, creating suspense with each ensuing chapter. By the end, I was eagerly reading the book, wanting to know if my precious characters would make it out alive. It also showed the consequences of abortion and murder through a Christian lens, making it even more compelling.

Buy the Book: https://amzn.to/3ZAYOZk

1.

A wonderful ending to an even more wonderful Christian Fantasy series. It was hard to close this book and realize I’m parting with some of my favorite characters. Knight’s skill at developing every single character, even minor ones, into someone memorable, is a testament to her skill as a writer. Even more so to create a heart-pounding finale where I was honestly upset at what happened and didn’t think it could get any worse for Kyrin and Jace then it did. Knight did a wonderful job taking care of all the threads and bringing peace to both readers and the kingdom in the remaining pages. As someone who discovered her at the beginning of my author journey, I had to put her book in my top spot for 2023.

Buy the Book: https://amzn.to/4ddLZY7

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That’s it for 2023, and I can’t wait to see what are my favorites for 2024!

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