Recommendations

Books Like Shades of Magic

Parallel worlds, rare magic, and unforgettable characters

Shades of Magic built one of fantasy's most beloved universes by asking: what if there were four parallel Londons, and only one person could travel between them? These books share the same sense of wonder, vivid world-building, and characters you'd follow anywhere.

  1. 1

    The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

    by V.E. Schwab

    V.E. Schwab's most acclaimed standalone — a woman who made a deal to live forever but be forgotten by everyone she meets. Literary, heartbreaking, and brilliant.

    Buy
  2. 2

    Vicious

    by V.E. Schwab

    College rivals become superhuman enemies. Schwab at her most propulsive — two anti-heroes in a revenge story that never lets up. Essential for Shades fans who want more.

    Buy
  3. 3

    The Night Circus

    by Erin Morgenstern

    A magical competition between two young magicians in an impossibly beautiful circus. Shares Shades of Magic's lush atmosphere and the sense that magic is alive in the world.

    Buy
  4. 4

    Six of Crows

    by Leigh Bardugo

    Found family, complex magic, and a richly built world where every character has layers. Fans of Kell and Lila consistently love Kaz Brekker's crew.

    Buy
  5. 5

    The Name of the Wind

    by Patrick Rothfuss

    A rare magician narrating his own legend, with prose that makes every page feel lived-in. Rothfuss and Schwab are two of fantasy's finest stylists.

    Buy
  6. 6

    A Memory Called Empire

    by Arkady Martine

    A diplomat with a predecessor's memories navigating an alien empire. Literary SF with the same layered identity themes and prose quality as Schwab.

    Buy
  7. 7

    The Last Magician

    by Lisa Maxwell

    Time-traveling thieves in 1920s New York, a magical underworld, and a heist that spans centuries. Shares Shades of Magic's setting of historical London and portal magic.

    Buy
  8. 8

    Daughter of Smoke and Bone

    by Laini Taylor

    A girl who moves between worlds carrying teeth for a wish-granting demon. The most lyrical and lush recommendation for Schwab fans — equally beautiful prose.

    Buy

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