Bestselling Romantasy Series Is The Vampire ACOTAR You Never Knew You Needed

Often, dragon series go up against Fourth Wing, fae novels go up against ACOTAR, and most vampires books rival From Blood & Ash. This siloed comparison approach might be logical, but it’s not always effective. Some folks choose books specifically for the species. However, others care more about the tropes, relationship dynamics, spice level, and plot elements.

If you’re an ACOTAR fan looking for other fae romantasy books, strong choices include The Cruel Prince by Holly Black, A Kiss of Iron by Clare Sager, or These Hollow Vows by Lexi Ryan. While very different in plot, these all include romances involving the fair folk.

For fans who don’t care about the species, the vampire series The Crowns of Nyaxia should be your next big read. Separated into interconnected duologies, the book series explores the brutal worlds of royal vampire houses, dangerous political alliances, and the romances that develop against all odds.

Political Conflict Is The Name Of The Game In ACOTAR & The Crowns Of Nyaxia

Any good romantasy series cannot skimp on the fantasy aspect. The romance might be a driving force, but it exists within the framework of the fantasy world and its conflicts. Both A Court of Thorns and Roses and The Crowns of Nyaxia understand the assignment when it comes to creating a political world that’s unfamiliar enough to be intriguing but familiar enough to keep readers going. Supernatural courts and politics are the foundation, and the need for power leads to backstabbing and manipulation. However, the conflict is external for ACOTAR and internal for The Crowns of Nyaxia.

The division between fae and humans creates a survival situation in ACOTAR. However, in A Court of Thorns and Roses, the separation of the human and fae world occurred 500 years ago after a brutal war. The catalyst for the book starts with a human killing a wolf and getting taken to the fae world, but it escalates into a war as the fae vs. humans conflict resurfaces.

On the other hand, different Houses of vampires, which are equivalent to the different courts in ACOTAR, are vying for power in their insular continent. Human oppression remains very much in place in The Crowns of Nyaxia, and they are used as a pawn in the fight for power. Plus, the vampires feed off them despite mandates not to, making being human a more dangerous situation.

However, The Crowns of Nyaxia adds another catalyst for the political conflict with the Kejari, a series of Hunger Games-esque trials lasting about four months. The winner is granted a wish by the goddess Kejari. It only happens every 100 years, and it just so happens to coincide with the book's start. Members of different houses compete against each other to gain more power.

ACOTAR & Crowns Of Nyaxia Bring The Sweet & Heat

A compelling romance is also a required component of the genre; otherwise, it’s just a fantasy story with romance, not romantasy. In this vein, A Court of Thorns and Roses and The Crowns of Nyaxia share a central enemies-to-lovers romance. The Nyaxia books are split up into duologies, and all are dangerous romances or enemies-to-lovers pairings. For the sake of comparison, though, we'll look at the first couple introduced in the series.

The pairings involve a fierce human-turned-supernatural woman with an all-powerful love interest who fits the “shadow daddy” archetype. They might not be healthy couples by real-world standards, but they don’t have to be. It’s a romantasy, and the books are written for adults who can discern between reality and fiction.

The couples start out mostly hating each other, as both Rhysand and Raihn pose a danger to Feyre and Oraya, but they become the women’s protectors down the line. Their unbreakable bonds lead to very sweet moments of emotional intimacy. This is a great balance to the high-stakes political situations that ACOTAR and The Crowns of Nyaxia present.

Both relationships lead to scenes of physical connection that build over time due to the couples' slow-burn dynamic. These moments are more frequent in A Court of Thorns and Roses, contributing significantly to the character and relationship development. They are just as important to the overall story in The Crowns of Nyaxia, and the writing of those scenes is on par, if not better, than what’s found in ACOTAR.

There are also direct parallels between Rhysand and Feyre, and between Raihn and Oraya, in terms of plot points. However, I will refrain from breaking those down because it would spoil the plot, not just the basic concept and archetypes.

The Crowns Of Nyaxia’s Worldbuilding Is Better Than ACOTAR

One of the most frequent complaints about ACOTAR from both critics and audience reviewers is that its worldbuilding isn’t very developed. This doesn't just come from people who dislike A Court of Thorns and Roses. Even many fans of the books acknowledge that the series' worldbuilding feels like itexists to further a romance. However, The Crowns of Nyaxia has a very different approach.

The worldbuilding starts out pretty good and gets stronger with every book in the series, with worldbuilding questions being set up in one and answered in the next. It feels like the continent of Obitraes and its political system were created first and the romance second, rather than the other way around. Each house feels distinct from the others, and they are filled with smaller factions. There are clear hierarchies that influence character dynamics.

The magic system isn’t the best I’ve ever read, but it’s still pretty solid. Additionally, the vampires have a distinct culture that’s heavily influenced by the worship of Nyaxia. With all this in mind, The Crowns of Nyaxia fills a need for folks who prefer strong worldbuilding.

How To Read The Crowns Of Nyaxia

A Court of Thorns and Roses fans can dive into The Crowns of Nyaxia with enough similarities to appeal and enough differences to still feel fresh. If you're interested in picking up the series, the good news is that Carissa Broadbent shared her recommended reading order, and the books are available in many formats.

The Crowns of Nyaxia can be read in release order, but they are more effective when read in Broadbent's recommended order. Start with The Serpent & the Wings of Night, and then read the standalone Six Scorched Roses. After that, you should read The Ashes & the Star Cursed King, then Slaying of the Vampire Conqueror. Then comes The Songbird & the Heart of Stone, followed by The Fallen & the Kiss of Dusk. Finally, you should dive into the Bloodborn Duet. The Lion & the Deathless Dark, the first of the two, comes out August 4, 2026. The second doesn't have a known title or release date yet, but it's planned for a 2027 release (via CarissaBroadbentBooks on Instagram).

As for the formats, physical editions include trade paperback and traditional hardcover, plus a Target deluxe edition of the standalone Nyaxia novella Six Scorched Roses and a Barnes & Noble exclusive edition of Slaying the Vampire Conqueror. The collections have slightly different covers from the individual books. Audio editions of the books are available on Audible and Spotify, narrated by Amanda Leigh Cobb and Aiden Snow. English E-books can be purchased on Kindle, or they can be read on Kindle Unlimited, depending on your region. Some translations of the E-books and audiobooks are available on Nook and Rakuten Kobo. Also, be sure to check your local library for The Crowns of Nyaxia, too!