Authors Like Leigh Bardugo: 6 Fantasy Writers to Read

Leigh Bardugo built one of the most beloved worlds in modern fantasy. The Grishaverse — Shadow and Bone, the Six of Crows duology, King of Scars — combines a richly imagined Tsarist-inspired setting, morally grey characters, slow-burn romance, and the irresistible thrill of a heist crew you would follow anywhere. With Ninth House, she proved she could do dark adult fantasy too. If you have read your way through Bardugo and need somewhere to go next, these six authors deliver different parts of her appeal.

Below are the writers who each capture a key element of the Bardugo experience, with a starting point for each.

What Makes a Leigh Bardugo Read-Alike

Bardugo’s appeal rests on a few pillars. There is the immersive world-building, dense and lived-in. There is the morally grey cast — thieves, soldiers, and survivors you root for despite their flaws. There is the slow-burn romance woven through the danger. And there is the ensemble dynamic, the found-family crew at the heart of Six of Crows. Most read-alikes lean into one or two of these, so the best pick depends on which one hooked you.

It also helps to know your age and heat level. Bardugo ranges from YA (the Grishaverse) to adult (Ninth House), and the authors below span the same scale — Marie Lu and Cassandra Clare sit firmly in YA, Sarah J. Maas and Holly Black are crossover with steamier romance, and V.E. Schwab writes adult fantasy. Matching that, as much as the world-building, points you to the right next read.

Sarah J. Maas — The Crossover Giant

For Bardugo’s devoted crossover audience and slow-burn romance, Sarah J. Maas is the obvious next read. A Court of Thorns and Roses pairs an immersive fae world with a central romance that consumes its readers. Maas runs steamier and more romance-forward than Bardugo, but the immersive escapism is identical — see our authors like Sarah J. Maas guide for more.

Holly Black — The Dark Fae

Holly Black shares Bardugo’s love of cunning heroines and morally grey love interests in a dangerous court. The Cruel Prince pits a mortal girl against the wicked fae nobility in a story of scheming, power, and enemies-to-lovers tension. For Bardugo fans who loved the political intrigue and sharp-edged romance, Black is a perfect fit.

Sabaa Tahir — The Brutal World

Sabaa Tahir matches the brutal, high-stakes world-building and dual narration of Six of Crows. An Ember in the Ashes, set in a Rome-inspired empire, follows a soldier and a rebel whose fates entwine. Dark, propulsive, and emotionally charged, it is one of the strongest read-alikes for Bardugo’s grittier side.

V.E. Schwab — The Literary Flair

V.E. Schwab brings the literary, genre-bending quality of Bardugo’s best, with heist-adjacent thrills. A Darker Shade of Magic follows a magician travelling between parallel Londons in a richly built adventure. For Bardugo fans who want adult fantasy with style and a great morally grey cast — see our authors like V.E. Schwab guide.

Marie Lu — The Addictive YA

Marie Lu writes the kind of fast, immersive YA that Grishaverse fans devour. Legend pairs two teens on opposite sides of a divided future society in a propulsive dual-narrated thriller. For readers who loved the action and the star-crossed dynamics of Bardugo’s YA, Lu is a great match.

Cassandra Clare — The Urban Fantasy Staple

Cassandra Clare built a sprawling, addictive fantasy universe much as Bardugo did. City of Bones, the first Mortal Instruments novel, launches the Shadowhunter world of demon-hunters, secrets, and romance. For Bardugo fans who love an interconnected universe with a deep backlist to binge.

Building Your Fantasy TBR

A practical note for building your reading list: almost every author here writes in interconnected series, so starting at book one and reading in order pays off far more than it does with standalone fiction — these worlds are designed to be lived in, and the romances and ensemble dynamics that make them addictive are slow-burn by design. The entry points above are each chosen as the right doorway into a larger universe. It is also worth matching the intensity to your mood: Marie Lu and Cassandra Clare deliver fast, accessible YA you can tear through in a weekend, Sarah J. Maas and Holly Black bring richer worlds and steamier, higher-stakes romance, and V.E. Schwab offers adult fantasy with literary polish. If you came to Bardugo for the heist crew and the found family of Six of Crows, lean toward the authors with strong ensembles; if you came for the morally grey romance, the crossover writers will serve you best. Either way, a deep and ever-growing backlist is waiting once you find your match.

How to Choose Your Next Read

If you read Leigh Bardugo for the crossover romance, start with Sarah J. Maas. For dark fae courts, read Holly Black. For a brutal, high-stakes world, go to Sabaa Tahir. For adult literary flair, read V.E. Schwab. For fast, addictive YA, read Marie Lu. And for an interconnected universe to binge, read Cassandra Clare.

What unites them is Bardugo’s central gift: a world so immersive and a crew so beloved that you never want to leave. For more, our best YA fantasy series and best fantasy books of all time roundups gather many more. Pick the writer who matches whatever you love most about the Grishaverse, and your next obsession is waiting.