The Empyrean series consumed your life. Fourth Wing got you in, Iron Flame raised the stakes, Onyx Storm left you staring at the ceiling. And now you need to fill the void with something that won't feel like a downgrade.
We already have a Books Like Fourth Wing list, but this post is for a slightly different problem. You've read the whole series. You've processed it. Now you want to move on to something NEW that captures the specific combination of things that made the Empyrean series your personality for three months.
Not just "books with dragons." Not just "enemies to lovers." The full package: dangerous training, morally grey heroes who fall first, FMCs with terrifying power, found family that would die for each other, and stakes that feel permanent.
2,100+ romance books tagged by trope. Filter by spice, genre, and series length. Stack tropes to find exactly what you're craving.
Start HuntingThe Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent
If we had to pick ONE book to hand someone walking out of the Empyrean series, it's this. Oraya is the Violet parallel: physically outmatched by everyone around her, compensating with grit and strategy, competing in a tournament that's designed to kill her. The reluctant alliance with Raihn becomes something devastating. Three books, all out, and the series delivers on every thread it opens. The book one ending left us unable to form sentences for a full hour.
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
If you haven't read ACOTAR yet and you loved Fourth Wing, yes, you should read it. Same author energy, different world. Book 1 is a slow start (Beauty and the Beast retelling, the real love interest hasn't shown up yet). Book 2, A Court of Mist and Fury, is where it turns into a different beast entirely. Rhysand is Xaden's spiritual predecessor: morally grey, secretive, protective to the point of destruction, and he falls first. The found family dynamics in the Night Court rival the Fourth Wing crew. Plus, ACOTAR 6 drops October 2026, so now is the time to get caught up.
When the Moon Hatched by Sarah A. Parker
The closest thing to Fourth Wing's dragon-and-romance energy from a different author. Raeve is an assassin who doesn't remember her past. Kaan is a king who has been mourning her for centuries. The fated mates angle takes the Violet-Xaden bond and stretches it across lifetimes. Dense worldbuilding (the first 100 pages require patience), but once it hooks you, it's consuming. Dragons that are central to the plot, not decorative. A love interest who has been falling for longer than most civilizations have existed.
The Jasad Heir by Sara Hashem
Sylvia is the lost heir of a destroyed kingdom, hiding among the people who slaughtered her family. She has magic she can't use without being executed. When the realm's most dangerous commander discovers her identity, he doesn't expose her. He enters her in a deadly competition instead. The "FMC with forbidden power forced into a tournament" setup mirrors Violet's arc, and the enemies-to-lovers with Arin has the same "I should not trust you but I can't stop" tension as Violet and Xaden. The Middle Eastern-inspired worldbuilding is gorgeous.
Zodiac Academy: The Awakening by Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti
The academy setting is the closest match to Basgiath in any series. Twin sisters discover they're fae royalty and get thrown into a magical university where the most powerful students want to destroy them. The enemies-to-lovers takes EIGHT BOOKS to fully resolve (one per twin), and the first book is a bully romance, so be warned. It's a massive time investment. But if the "academy + powers + enemies + found family" formula is specifically what you're craving, nothing else comes this close. Clear your schedule for a month.
A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik
A magic school that's trying to kill you. No teachers. No rules. The school itself is a predator, and graduation means surviving. El has the power to destroy the world and she's trying very hard not to. Orion keeps saving people and she finds it irritating. The enemies-to-lovers between them is built on mutual annoyance that becomes something fierce. Zero spice (fade to black), but the tension, the academy setting, and the "FMC with powers she's afraid of" thread are pure Fourth Wing DNA. Three books, all out, tight and satisfying.
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
Giant mecha instead of dragons. A system that burns through girls to power the boys' fighting machines. Zetian is done being fuel. She pilots herself, she breaks every rule, and she is angrier than any protagonist you've met this year. The military setting parallels Fourth Wing's, but the politics are darker and Zetian is more ruthless than Violet ever needed to be. If you want the "girls in a military system designed to use them" thread turned up to maximum fury, this is it.
The Black Mage: Apprentice by Rachel E. Carter
Ryiah enters the Combat Academy of Magic, competing for one of the few apprenticeships. Her rival, Darren (a prince, of course), pushes her constantly. The academy structure mirrors Basgiath closely: competitive classes, rankings, physical trials, and an enemies-to-lovers that burns slow across the entire series. The FMC earns everything through work and stubbornness, not destiny. No spice, but the slow burn between Ryiah and Darren had us turning pages at 2 AM. An underrated gem for Fourth Wing readers.
Air Awakens by Elise Kova
Vhalla is a library apprentice who discovers she has rare wind magic. Aldrik is the dark, brooding prince who trains her. The "bookish girl discovers she has enormous power and falls for her intimidating mentor" setup is so close to Violet and Xaden's early dynamic that it feels intentional. Aldrik's grumpy exterior hiding genuine care is chef's kiss. Five books, complete series, and the emotional depth builds steadily. Lower spice than Fourth Wing, but the slow burn compensates.
City of Thorns by C.N. Crawford
Rowan enters the demon realm to compete for the throne, and the king of demons decides she's interesting. The tournament framework, the "mortal woman in a deadly supernatural competition" setup, and the possessive MMC all hit the same notes as the Empyrean. Faster pace than Fourth Wing (shorter books), spicier scenes, and the enemies-to-lovers escalation is satisfying. Good for when you want the formula without the 500-page commitment.
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