If you have a library card, you’ve likely heard of the Libby App. Libby is a way to find tons of audio and ebooks from your local library and read them right on your phone. It makes borrowing easy as once your time runs out, the books return automatically so you don’t have to worry about any overdue fees. Libby also allows you to check out up to 15 books per library card, and have up to 15 books on hold.
There is a lot to love about Libby, but probably the best part is the huge catalog of books. It is worth mentioning that depending on your library catalog, some books may be unavailable, but most of the books on this list can be found in nearly every library system.
Libby’s catalogue makes it so that if you’re looking for fantasy books beyond this list, limiting your Libby search to just “fantasy” will yield many options. There’s no shortage of great fantasy on Libby.
While this list focuses entirely on audiobooks, Libby has an even more extensive collection of ebooks. If you are an avid reader and have a library card, Libby might be the perfect place for you.
15 Great Fantasy Books
Akata Witch by NNedi Okorafor
This YA fantasy book follows 12-year-old Sunny. Born in New York but living in Aba, Nigeria, Sunny is trying to learn how to fit in. This is made all the harder because Sunny has albinism, which means she can’t be out in the sun too much. As Sunny works to make friends, she finds herself plunged into the magical world of The Leopard People. Together Sunny and her new friends form the youngest Oha coven to track down the man who has been kidnapping children. Can Sunny and her new friends harness the power they have to save the day?
This is the first in a series, all of which are available on Libby.
Assasin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb
Fitz is a royal bastard. Literally. Once it is announced he is the son of a lord born out of wedlock, his young life is turned upside down. He is sent to live in the castle and is brought up by the king and others who knew his father. As he grows, he begins training to be a royal assassin. However, that’s not the only interesting thing happening to him. He soon learns that he can connect with animals, understand them, and have them do his bidding. However, this skill is something he must keep secret as it’s seen as the mark of evil. Fitz must learn the ins and outs of the court while hiding his talent from the world, and the king.
This is the first in a trilogy, all of which are available on Libby.
The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake
There is a secret world of magical academics known as the Alexandrian Society. The members of the Alexandrian society are guardians of nearly lost knowledge and terrible secrets. Once a decade, six young magicians are chosen to compete to join the ranks of these esteemed scholars, but only five will make the cut. This book follows each of the six young. As they continue to hone their skills and try to prove themselves, these young scholars learn that everything comes at a price. And sometimes academia comes at the cost of a life.
This is the first book in a series with the sequel set to release in 2023.
Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse
The world is changing, but not everyone sees the change coming. A young blind man is on a ship headed to the holy city of Tova to be there in time for the solstice. A young ship captain exiled from an island of magical women fights to find her place. And the most prominent religious figure in all of Tova fights to maintain control of a church that seems to be slipping from her grasp. As these three stories intertwine, destiny and love hang in the balance. Will they destroy the world? Or will they save it? Will they even make it out with their lives?
This is the first in an unfinished series, the sequel is also available on Libby.
The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie
The Blade Itself follows four unique characters who find themselves caught in a twisted web that might just kill all of them. Infamous barbarian Logan Ninefingers has officially run out of luck. Captain Jezal dan Luthar is as self-confident as he is dashing, which is to say, very. Inquisitor Glokta is a torturer and loves his job, extracting one confession from traitors at a time. Lastly the wizard Bayaz is as likely to be a fraud as he is to be an all-powerful magic user. And he has it out for the other three. It’s time to settle some scores.
This is the first in a trilogy and all books are available on Libby.
An Ember In The Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
Laia struggles to survive under an oppressive regime that would see her and her people dead, while Elias is a mask who pretends to be a loyal soldier. After Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, she embarks on a job for the revolution in hopes they can get her brother back. As she goes undercover, she and Elias’s paths cross. Their stories intertwine and they realize they could be the help the other needs if working together doesn’t get them killed first.
This is the first of four, all of which are available on Libby.
The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan
A small community called Two Rivers is attacked by horrific beasts called Trolics. Nothing like this has ever happened in living memory in this quiet community. But the event causes a chain reaction that sends five young people across the world on a daring quest to defeat a great evil. They are accompanied by a great magic user and her guard. Their journey will change the fate of the world forever, if only they can survive the trip.
This is the first in a series of 14 works, all of which can be found on Libby.
The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert
Alice and her mother are always moving because bad things seem to follow them. That is, until they get a notice that Alice’s grandmother has died. Her mother declares they are at last free from the curse and they finally settle down. But soon characters from the fairy tale book that made Alice’s grandmother famous start appearing, and Alice’s world is turned upside down as she is plunged into a world of magic and horror. Nothing is as it seems in this twisted tale, and it will take all of Alice’s wits to survive to the end of the story.
This book has a sequel which is also available on Libby.
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin
Yeine’s mother has died under mysterious circumstances. Soon after, she receives a summons from her grandfather, the king, to come and compete against her cousins for the throne. It seems to Yeine that this is her grandfather’s last act of spite towards his daughter who he exiled. Because unless Yeine can understand court politics, and beat all of her cousins in the trials for the throne, she will die. Cast into a world she was shielded from, the only person Yeine can trust is herself.
The complete trilogy is available on Libby.
Jade City by Fonda Lee
Two great crime syndicates lay claim to the island of Kekon. One is the ferocious mountain clan, the other is the No-peak run by the Kaul family. Jade City follows the new generation of Kauls as they struggle to fill the shadows of their father. As the threat of war begins to brew between No-peak and the mountain clan, they work to ensure the safety of their family and those who pay tribute to them. But they soon find themselves stretched thin and perhaps only a desperate act will save them. Can the family and the clan survive?
The first in a trilogy, all of which are available on Libby.
The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri
This sapphic tale tells of a captive princess and her maidservant, each with a terrible secret. Malini is locked up and drugged by her brother as a penance for a terrible act. Priya is a servant in the castle and takes up the job of working for this mysterious princess. As the two begin to learn more about each other, a spark ignites inside each of them. But will their shadowy pasts rip them apart or bring them closer together? Each woman ponders this even as they look for a way to free Malini from her brother and certain death.
The Sequel to the Jasmine Throne was published on August 16th.
The Near Witch by V.E. Schwab
Lexi grew up hearing stories of the Near Witch. But that’s all she is, a story to frighten children. But when a boy who seems to be made partly of smoke appears outside of Lexi’s window one night, she realizes that perhaps the Near Witch wasn’t just a scary story. Children begin disappearing and it’s up to Lexi and this boy to find them. As Lexi and this boy with no name search, they begin to uncover a terrible truth. One that could change how we see stories forever. This is a standalone novel.
Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko
Tarisai was raised in isolation but always dreamed of a family. Her mother, known as The Lady, hardly ever interacts with her until she sends her away to compete with other children her age to join the Crown Prince’s royal council. If she is chosen, she will live a life of luxury with the ear of the king. However, Tarisai’s mother sends her with a terrible objective. Instead of finding a place on the council, The Lady wants Tarisai to kill the crown prince. Even as Tarisai finds herself in the family she always dreamed of, her mother’s task looms in the darkness.
The sequel to Raybearer is available on Libby as well.
She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan
In a village stuck by famine, a brother and sister are given a prophecy. The boy will rise to greatness, the girl will achieve nothing. However, when the brother dies, the sister decides to take his prophecy. She disguises herself as a boy and attends a school to become a monk. As she grows and learns, the world changes until, still disguised as a monk, the girl finds herself leading an army and hiding from the gods themselves. Zhu may have taken her brother’s destiny, but it comes at a cost.
This is the first in a series. The sequel does not have a release day yet.
The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
Book One of the Stormlight Archive, The Way of Kings follows an ever-growing cast of characters whose stories intertwine in different ways. Against the backdrop of an ongoing war, Roshar is a kingdom hanging in the balance. The story centers on a general and brother to the former king, an enslaved person, and a young apprentice. As storms swirl across the land, magic is waking up, and terrible truths are about to be revealed. With destiny on the horizon, our heroes do what they can to change history and just survive the day.
There are four books and a novella in this unfinished series, all of which are available on Libby.