• In some cases, the category listed denotes major characters who are not the MC; the point here is really more the inhabitants of that world
• Books are listed by series rather than by title where main characters are consistent.
• Books highlighted in purple have main characters of color.

Aliens

• We Are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson – G (YA)
• Adaptation by Malinda Lo – B, Polyam (YA)
• The Last 8 by Laura Pohl – AroB (YA)
• The Seep by Chana Porter – T

Angels

• Out of the Blue by Sophie Cameron (f/f)
• Of Dragons, Feasts and Murder by Aliette de Bodard (m/m)
• Rom and Yuli by Amara Lynn (m/nb)

Assassins

YA

• Assassins: Discord by Erica Cameron
• Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller – GF

Adult

• The Perfect Assassin by K.A. Doore – A
• Empire of Light by Alex Harrow

Demons

• Deadline by Stephanie Ahn – L
• Rom and Yuli by Amara Lynn (m/nb)
• Unbroken by Brooklyn Ray (m/m)
• Demon in the Whitelands by Nikki Richard (m/i+gnc)

Detectives/PIs

• Fortitude Smashed by Taylor Brooke
• The Affair of the Mysterious Letter by Alexis Hall
• A Study in Honor by Claire O’Dell (Amz)

Dragons

Note: This includes any book in which dragons (including dragonfolk and shifters) play a significant role in the world, even if they’re not POV characters.

YA

• Inkmistress by Audrey Coulthurst – B
• The Girl at Midnight by Melissa Grey
• Shatter the Sky by Rebecca Kim Wells – B

Adult

• In the Vanishers’ Palace by Aliette de Bodard (f/f)
• Of Dragons, Feasts and Murder by Aliette de Bodard (m/m)
• The Second Mango by Shira Glassman (f/f)
• Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon (f/f)

Druids

• The Soulstealers by Jacqueline Rohrbach

Elves

• Cloaked in Shadow by Ben Alderson +
• City of Spires by Claudie Arseneault
• Ariah by B.R. Sanders

Fae/Fairies

YA

• Master of One by Jaida Jones and Danielle Bennett
• Ash by Malinda Lo
• A History of Glitter and Blood by Hannah Moskowitz
• *A Dark and Hollow Star by Ashley Shuttlesworth

Adult

• Broken Wings by L.-J Baker
• A Queen of Blood and Glitter by Benjamin Kissell
• The Faerie Hounds of York by Arden Powell

Falconers

• Skybound by Alex London

Ghosts and Ghost Hunters

• Missing, Presumed Dead by Emma Berquist
• *The Dead and the Dark by Courtney Gould
• Rules for Vanishing by Kate Alice Marshall
• *Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas
• *Ghost Wood Song by Erica Waters

Gods/Goddesses

• The Never Tilting World by Rin Chupeco

Golems

• Hearts Alight by Elliot Cooper
• *This Golden Flame by Emily Victoria – A

Hackers

• Spellhacker by M.K. England (f/nb)
• “A Drop of Stolen Ink” by Emily Lloyd-Jones in His Hideous Heart

Harpies

• My Heart is Ready by Chace Verity

Knights

Female

• The Knight Legends series by Bridget Essex
• The Afterward by E.K. Johnston (f/f YA)
• A Knight to Remember by Ceilie Simkiss

Mages/Magicians/Magic Users

YA

• When We Were Magic by Sarah Gailey – Q
• The Black Veins by Ashia Monet
• *Ghost Dragon by David R. Slayton
• Ink in the Blood by Kim Smejkal

Merfolk

• Walking on Knives by Maya Chhabra
• The Seafarer’s Kiss by Julia Ember (Bf/f)
• Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant
• Sea Lover by J.K. Pendragon (Tm/m)
• The Deep by Rivers Solomon
• Moon-Bright Tides by RoAnna Sylver (f/f)
• Love Rising by Piper Vaughn (m/m)
• Your Heart Will Grow by Chace Verity (Pm/Tf)
• Ice Massacre by Tiana Warner (f/f)

Monsters

• The Monster of Elendhaven by Jennifer Giesbrecht

Necromancers

YA

• For a Muse of Fire by Heidi Heilig + (P YA)
• Runebinder by Alex R. Kahler
• Reign of the Fallen by Sarah Glenn Marsh (Bf/f)

Adult

• The Impossible Contract by K.A. Doore
• Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir – L

Nymphs and Dryads

• Silver in the Wood by Emily Tesh

Orcs

• The Unspoken Name by A.K. Larkwood

Pilots/Spaceship Captains

• Crownchasers by Rebecca Coffindaffer
• Bonds of Brass by Emily Skrutskie

Pirates (Space)

• The Abyss Surrounds Us by Emily Skrutskie (f/f YA)
• Barbary Station by R.E. Stearns

Pirates (Water)

YA

• *In Deeper Waters by F.T. Lukens
• The Unbinding of Mary Reade by Miriam McNamara (f/f)
• *The Wicked Bargain by Gabe Cole Novoa (transmasc)
• The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea by Maggie Tokuda-Hall (f/nb)

Adult

• Our Bloody Pearl by D.N. Bryn
• Compass Rose by Anna Burke (f/f)
• Peter Darling by Austin Chant (m/m)

Royalty

YA

• The Winter Duke by Clara Eliza Bartlett – Bf
• Queen of Coin and Whispers by Helen Corcoran
• Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst + (f/f)
• The Impostor Queen by Sarah Fine (m/f)
• Noble Falling by Sara Gaines (f/f)
• Rule by Ellen Goodlett + (f/f)
• Furyborn by Claire Legrand + (YA)
• *These Feathered Flames by Alexandra Overy – A
• The Poison Within by Rachel Marie Pearcy

Adult

• The Queen of Ieflaria by Effie Calvin (f/f)
• The Second Mango by Shira Glassman  (f/f)
• From Under the Mountain by C.M. Spivey
• *The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri

Selkies

• Seven Tears at High Tide by CB Lee (m/m)
• The Girl From the Sea by Molly Knox Ostertag (f/f)

Shapeshifters (incl. Werewolves)

Female Protags

• Inkmistress by Audrey Coulthurst (m/f YA)
• Second Nature by Jae (f/f)
• Bearly a Lady by Cassandra Khaw (f/f)
• Goldenseal by Gill McKnight +
• Wild by Meghan O’Brien (f/f)
• The Better to Kiss You With by Michelle Osgood
• Out of Salem by Hal Schrieve (YA)

Male Protags

• The Dragori by Ben Alderson + (m/m YA)
• Green Creek by T.J. Klune

Non-Binary Protags

• Paul Takes the Form of a Mortal Girl by Andrea Lawlor
• Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker and Wendy Xu

Sirens

• Our Bloody Pearl by D.N. Bryn (agender)

Soldiers

• The Light Brigade by Kameron Hurley

Sorcerers

• Reverie by Ryan La Sala (YA)
• *Malice by Heather Walter

Spies

YA

• Queen of Coin and Whispers by Helen Corcoran
• The Spy With the Red Balloon by Katherine Locke

Adult

• Amberlough by Lara Elena Donnelly
• This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone
• (YA)

Succubus

• Snake Eyes by Hillary Monahan (f/f)
• Making Love by Aidan Wayne

Superheroes

Female

• Super Adjacent by Crystal Cestari
• The Nemesis Series by April Daniels (YA) – T
• Cinnamon Blade: Knife in Shining Armor by Shira Glassman (f/f)
• Unsung Heroine by Sarah Kuhn
• Not Your Sidekick (Sidekick Squad #1) by CB Lee (f/f YA) – B
• Not Your Backup (Sidekick Squad #3) by CB Lee (YA) – A
• Girl Reporter by Tansy Rayner Roberts
• Shattered by Lee Winter

Male

• The Extraordinaries by T.J. Klune
• Superior by Jessica Lack
• Not Your Villain (Sidekick Squad #2) by CB Lee (YA) – T
• You First by J.C. Lillis (m/m)
• Hero by Perry Moore (YA) – G
• Junior Hero Blues by J.K. Pendragon
• Infinity Son by Adam Silvera – G, B
• Rise of Heroes by Hayden Thorne

Thieves

• Baker Thief by Claudie Arseneault – Bigender, Aro
• Spellhacker by M.K. England
• The Afterward by E.K. Johnston (f/f YA)

Time Travelers

• This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone (f/f)
• The Unintentional Time Traveler by Everett Maroon – T
• A Darkly Beating Heart by Lindsay Smith – B

Treasure Hunters

• A Big Ship at the Edge of the Universe by Alex White

Vampires

Female

• *Where Shadows Reign by Patrice Caldwell (YA)
• *The Lost Girls by Sonia Hartl (YA)
• Love Bites by Ry Herman
• The Ex-Wives of Dracula by Georgette Kaplan
• everafter by Nell Stark and Trinity Tram
• *The Coldest Touch by Isabel Sterling (YA)
• Better Off Red by Rebekah Weatherspoon + (f/f NA)

Male

• Hemovore by Jordan Castillo Price (Amz)
• The Fell of Dark by Caleb Roehrig (YA)
• Human Enough by E.S. Yu – P, A

Vikings and Valkyries

• Heathen by Natasha Alterici – L
• Thyra’s Promise by Natalie Debrabandere – L
• Valkyrie by Amanda Hocking – B

Warriors

• The Cursed Queen by Sarah Fine (YA)
• When Women Were Warriors series by Catherine M. Wilson

Witches (incl. Brujxs and Stregas)

MG

• Snapdragons by Kat Leyh
• The Witch Boy by Molly Knox Ostertag (MG)

YA

• The Brilliant Death by Amy Rose Capetta – Demigirl, Genderfluid LI
• The Lost Coast by Amy Rose Capetta (f/f, NB, A)
• The Scapegracers by Hannah Abigail Clarke
• Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Cordova (Bf/f)
• Strange Grace by Tessa Gratton
• Tally the Witch by Molly Landgraff +
• Witches of Ash & Ruin by E. Latimer
• These Witches Don’t Burn by Isabel Sterling (f/f) +
• Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas (m/m) – T
  
• Witch Eyes by Scott Tracey (m/m)
• *Sweet & Bitter Magic by Adrienne Tooley
• Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker and Wendy Xu (f/nb)
  

Adult

• Caroline’s Heart by Austin Chant (Tm/Tf)
• Payback’s a Witch by Lana Harper (f/f PNR)
• Witchmark by C.L. Polk (m/m)
• Darkling by Brooklyn Ray + (m/m) – T

Zombies and Zombie Hunters

YA

• Wranglestone by Darren Charlton – G
• The Past and Other Things that Should Stay Buried by Shaun David Hutchinson – G
• Dread Nation by Justina Ireland – B
• Out of Salem by Hal Schrieve – GQ

Adult

• Elegy for the Undead by Matthew Vesely