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Some stories pull you in slowly, something slightly strange that keeps pulling your attention back to it.
The books on this list aren’t dark because of what is in the forefront. They’re dark because of what is watching from the shadows, casting a shadow over the characters, the story itself, or simply lingering in the atmosphere.
If you enjoy dark fantasies that are surrounded by intrigue and fascination, these stories lure you in slowly but keep you standing at a safe distance.
Dark Fantasy Books That Lure You In Slowly
A Dark Forgetting by Kristen Ciccarelli
Entering the Wood King’s domain to save her grandfather, Emeline is offered bargain by the Wood King, tasked with survival, an unexpected spark with the tithe collector, and secrets that long to be uncovered.
What makes this story memorable is the lure of needing to know what happened. The secrets that have been kept, how they connect to what is currently happening in the Wood Kings domain. An emotional mystery woven through the story, where every answer reveals another layer of identity and memory.
Add this one to your shelves through Amazon or Better World Books
The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo
Luzia is tasked with navigating social pressure after surviving the attack on her homeland, dangerous magic, and an atmosphere that is heavily influenced by religion fervor. Power is seductive when you’ve spent your life without it.
The lure in this story is opportunities that present themselves. The dangerous magic becomes the thing that draws you deeper because power is seductive, when you have never had it. Deeper into the danger that surrounds the Luzia because the only other alternative is to remain powerless.
Add this one to your shelves through Amazon or Better World Books.
An Education in Malice by S.T. Gibson
When two students are drawn to a mysterious poetry professor, the question becomes not only whether or not they should be, but what would they give to remain there.
The lure in this story is not only the fascination with someone you probably shouldn’t try to get closer to, the obsession. It is also the secrets surrounding the professor and the insatiable hunger that slowly consumes everyone drawn into her orbit. Pushing the boundaries to what they will and won’t do to remain in the orbit of the professor.
Add this one to your shelves through Amazon or Better World Books.
A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher
Cordelia knows that there is something different about her mother. When her mother decides to make a new life, Cordelia finds that she has to be more than a puppet that her mother controls.
The lure to this story is the creeping wrongness, the underlying feeling that something is terribly wrong. As Cordelia is forced not only to protect herself, but also the people her mother has chosen to ensnare.
Add this one to your shelves through Amazon or Better World Books.
These stories prove that the strongest pull isn’t always action or spectacle. Sometimes it’s the quiet unease, the unanswered questions, and the feeling that something is waiting just beyond the edge of the page.
Whether you’re looking for fairy-tale retelling, quiet unease, drawn to stories that place as much emphasis on characters as plot, or simply searching for a fantasy that lingers in your thoughts long after you’ve finished reading, these books are a good place to start.
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