Books Like Fourth Wing: Dragon Academy Romances and More

Fireborne by Rosaria Munda is the best book to read after Fourth Wing because it delivers the same dragon-rider military academy setting with political conspiracy and slow-burn romantic tension, but adds a class-war subplot and morally complex protagonists that deepen everything Yarros introduced. If the enemies-to-lovers dynamic and life-or-death stakes are what hooked you, Fireborne scratches that exact itch while standing on its own as a sharper, more layered story.

Often the rush to find the "next Fourth Wing" leads readers to superficial dragon books that miss the real magic. What you actually want are stories that understand the particular tension between institutional power, magical bonds, and relationships where attraction and genuine mortal threat coexist in the same emotional space.

Related recommendations: Best Romantasy Books: Where Romance Meets Fantasy, Best Fantasy Books of 2026, and The Best BookTok Recommendations That Actually Deliver.

If You Want More Dragons

Continue with the Empyrean Series

Obviously, if you've only read Fourth Wing, dive into Iron Flame (Book 2) and Onyx Storm (Book 3). This series deepens its political conspiracy, dragon bonds become more complex, and stakes escalate significantly. I've found that readers who approach series reading with patience rather than speed discover layers they missed on first pass.

Fireborne — Rosaria Munda

Two orphans from opposite sides of a revolution compete to become the leader of their city's dragon riders. Political parallels (this is essentially Plato's Republic with dragons) give it intellectual depth that most dragon fiction lacks. Romance takes a backseat to political tension, but it's there and burns slowly. In my experience, books that prioritize worldbuilding over instant gratification create the most lasting reading experiences.

For readers who want: Political complexity, measured pacing, dragons as political power

The Priory of the Orange Tree — Samantha Shannon

An 800-page standalone epic fantasy with dragon riders (and dragon enemies), global scope, and multiple female perspectives. Romance is queer, worldbuilding is expansive, and scale is massive. This delivers the "literary epic" version of dragon-rider fantasy.

For readers who want: Standalone epic, LGBTQ+ romance, massive worldbuilding

If You Want the Academy Setting

Red Queen — Victoria Aveyard

A girl with unusual powers infiltrates an elite academy where the ruling class has supernatural abilities. Power dynamics, class warfare, and romantic tension mirror Fourth Wing's academy structure perfectly. That "which boy" tension runs through four books with genuine unpredictability.

For readers who want: Superpowers, class warfare, multiple love interests

Babel — R.F. Kuang

A young Chinese man enters Oxford's prestigious Royal Institute of Translation in an alternate 1830s England where translation literally powers the British Empire. Not romance — this is academic dark fantasy about colonialism, language, and revolution. But the academy setting, intellectual rigor, and escalating stakes scratch a similar itch.

For readers who want: Academic setting, darker themes, literary depth, no romance

Legendborn — Tracy Deonn

A Black girl at UNC Chapel Hill discovers a secret society of Arthurian magic users. Here the academy is a real university, magic systems are tied to Arthurian legend, and romantic tension between multiple leads is excellent. Bonus: mythology incorporates African-American rootwork alongside Arthurian lore.

For readers who want: Contemporary setting, diverse mythology, enemies-to-allies romance

If You Want the Enemies-to-Lovers Dynamic

Kingdom of the Wicked — Kerri Maniscalco

A witch hunts a demon prince she believes murdered her sister. He's dangerous, charming, and categorically untrustworthy. Italian-inspired setting is atmospheric, romantic tension ratchets through three books, and the male lead (Wrath) is one of the best "dangerous love interest" characters in recent romantasy.

For readers who want: Enemies-to-lovers perfection, Italian setting, demon lore

The Cruel Prince — Holly Black

A mortal girl raised in the cruel world of the fae navigates political games against the prince who torments her — and discovers that politics and attraction are uncomfortably intertwined. Jude Duarte is one of the most beloved heroines in YA fantasy because she refuses to be a victim.

For readers who want: Fae politics, a heroine who fights dirty, YA-level heat

The Bridge Kingdom — Danielle L. Jensen

A trained assassin is married to the king of an enemy nation. Her mission: destroy his kingdom from within. Problem: he's actually a good person. Romance develops as her mission crumbles, and tension between duty and desire drives the entire plot.

For readers who want: Political marriage, slow-burn defection, mature romance

If You Want the "Bonded Creature" Element

The Scorpio Races — Maggie Stiefvater

Every November, water horses emerge from the sea and residents of a small island race them. These horses are carnivorous, beautiful, and deadly. Bonds between rider and horse are earned through respect, not magic. Romance is understated and perfect. A standalone novel that's genuinely unlike anything else on this list.

For readers who want: Standalone, restrained romance, atmospheric setting, dangerous creatures

His Dark Materials — Philip Pullman

Every person has a daemon — an animal companion that embodies their soul. Bonds between human and daemon form the emotional foundation for one of the most ambitious fantasy trilogies ever written. Not romance (it's nominally YA), but the creature-companion element is rendered with unmatched depth.

For readers who want: Philosophical depth, literary fantasy, the definitive soul-bond story

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