This post was last updated on August 24th, 2024 at 03:55 pm
These 9 exquisitely told, best selling YA fantasy books with Welsh or Celtic themes are sure to take you on otherworldly journeys filled with royalty, romance, and magic. The Celts were a diverse group of ancient Indo-European peoples who arrived in Britain between 1000 and 600 BC. They left behind a rich tapestry of storytelling tradition that has inspired many novels.
As pagans and animists, the Celts’ relationship to the spiritual realm is a strong theme in almost every tale. Their belief in reincarnation and the concept of the “Otherworld” were also intrinsic elements of the spirituality in their stories. Celtic literature brought us such works as the Mabinogion and the Arthurian legends. Their storytelling influenced many famous novels in more recent history as well. It’s no wonder that Celtic mythology eventually found its way into best selling YA Fantasy books.
Here are 9 books with Welsh or Celtic themes that have all been best sellers in some way. What makes a book a “bestseller?” Traditionally, we consider a book a bestseller if it makes it onto one of the main bestseller lists. These include The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and USA Today. However, Amazon also keeps its own bestseller lists of books across every genre. Whichever of the fantasy book recommendations below you decide upon, you’ll be adventuring beyond the veil before you know it!
This post is about best selling YA Fantasy Books with Welsh or Celtic themes.
Best Selling YA Fantasy Books
Dark Waters: Book 1 (Celtic Legacy Series) by Shannon Mayer
Dark Waters is the first book of one of the best young adult fantasy series by USA Today bestselling author Shannon Meyer.
From the blurb:
Sisters bound by love, separated by blood. . .
And doomed to face the unimaginable.
An everyday vacation quickly turns into a nightmare of epic proportions. Two sisters must struggle to find the strength within themselves to survive as well as to save one another. When the world of Fae emerges on a rocky shore far from the Emerald Isle, all hell breaks loose.
Two factions vie for the sister’s loyalties, one light, the other dark. Neither honest.
A series of events are set into motion that will not only test the bonds of sisterly love but will defy belief and reality. Then you have found yourself deep in . . . “Dark Waters.”
Morgan Is My Name (The Morgan le Fay series Book 1) by Sophie Keetch
A Times Literary Supplement Summer Book 2023, A Sunday Times Best Historical Fiction Pick for 2023, and one of National Book Tokens’ 23 Books to Read in ’23. There’s no denying that Morgan is My Name is one of the best YA fantasy books 2023!
From the blurb:
Young Morgan of Cornwall lives a happy life in Tintagel Castle until King Uther Pendragon, with the help of the sorcerer Merlin, murders her father and tricks her mother into marriage. Furious, brilliant, and vengeful, Morgan defies her brutal stepfather, taking up a secret education, discovering a lifelong affinity with the healing arts, and falling in love with a man far beneath her station. However, defiance comes at a cost. Used as a bargaining chip in her stepfather’s war games, Morgan finds herself banished to a world of isolated castles and gossiping courts amidst the machinations of kings, sorcerers, and men.
But some desires are not easily forgotten, and the search for her independence is a quest Morgan cannot give up. As the era of King Arthur approaches, she must use all her wit, knowledge, and courage to fight against those who wish to deny her intelligence, crush her spirit, and control her body. But, in seeking her freedom, Morgan risks losing everything—her reputation, her loved ones, and her life.
The Drowned Woods by Emily Lloyd-Jones
From the blurb:
Once upon a time, the kingdoms of Wales were rife with magic and conflict, and eighteen-year-old Mererid “Mer” is well-acquainted with both. She is the last living water diviner and has spent years running from the prince who bound her into his service. Under the prince’s orders, she located the wells of his enemies, and he poisoned them without her knowledge, causing hundreds of deaths. After discovering what he had done, Mer went to great lengths to disappear from his reach. Then Mer’s old handler returns with a proposition: use her powers to bring down the very prince that abused them both.
The best way to do that is to destroy the magical well that keeps the prince’s lands safe. With a motley crew of allies, including a fae-cursed young man, the lady of thieves, and a corgi that may or may not be a spy, Mer may finally be able to steal precious freedom and peace for herself. After all, a person with a knife is one thing… but a person with a cause can topple kingdoms.
Secrets of the Starcrossed: An unforgettable new YA dystopian sci-fi fantasy romance (The Once and Future Queen, Book 1) by Clara O’Connor
From the blurb:
In a world where the Roman Empire never fell, two starcrossed lovers fight to ignite the spark of rebellion…
Londinium, the last stronghold of the Romans left in Britannia, remains in a delicate state of peace with the ancient kingdoms that surround it. As the only daughter of a powerful merchant, Cassandra is betrothed to Marcus, the most eligible bachelor in the city.
But then she meets Devyn, the boy with the strange midnight eyes searching for a girl with magic in her blood.
A boy who will make her believe in soulmates…
When a mysterious sickness starts to leech the life from citizens with Celtic power lying dormant in their veins, the imperial council sets their schemes in motion. And so Cassandra must make a choice: the Code or Chaos, science or sorcery, Marcus or Devyn?
Hood (The King Raven Trilogy Book 1) by Stephen R. Lawhead
Hood is a medieval story that gives YA fantasy meaning anew. Stephen R. Lawhead, a multi-award-winning author of mythic history and imaginative bestsellers, gives us this imaginative tale.
From the blurb:
Prepare yourself for an epic tale that dares to shatter everything you thought you knew about Robin Hood.
For centuries, the legend of Robin Hood and his band of thieves has captivated the imagination. Now, the familiar tale takes on new life, fresh meaning, and an unexpected setting.
Hunted like an animal by Norman invaders, Bran ap Brychan, heir to the throne of Elfael, has abandoned his father’s kingdom and fled to the Greenwood. There, in a primeval forest of the Welsh borders, danger surrounds him—for this woodland is a living, breathing entity with mysterious powers and secrets, and Bran must find a way to make it his own if he is to survive.
Steeped in Celtic mythology and the political intrigue of medieval Britain, Stephen R. Lawhead conjures up an ancient past and holds a mirror to contemporary realities.
Full-length Historical Fantasy
Includes Author’s Note: “Robin Hood in Wales?”
All the Tales We Tell: a Celtic YA Fantasy (Hearts Out of Water Book 1) by Annie Cosby
USA Today recommends All the Tales We Tell. It’s the perfect read if you’re looking for YA fantasy romance books or dark fantasy books.
From the blurb:
“A darkly romantic beginning to what promises to be an unusual contemporary YA fantasy series.” —USA Today
A handsome local boy. An Irishman lost at sea. And a neighbor who thinks monsters are real. Cora’s life is about to change forever.
With her future uncertain, Cora finds herself at the beach with her family for the summer. There, she’s forced to make a decision: invest in lucrative connections in the glimmering world of second homes where her parents belong or get lost in the local mystery surrounding a lonely old woman whose husband disappeared.
Through the fantastical tales and anguished memories of Mrs. O’Leary, as well as the company of a particularly gorgeous local boy called Ronan, Cora finds an escape from the reality of planning her life. But will it come at the cost of alienating her family, who struggle with tragic memories of their own?
As the summer wanes, it becomes apparent that Mrs. O’Leary is about to do something drastic. And it’s up to Cora and Ronan to untangle the mystery before it’s too late.
Fireflies: A Celtic Romance Series by Shea Hulse
An excellent choice for fans of YA adult books, romance, and best selling YA fantasy books for young adults. It was also one of the best selling YA fantasy books 2021 on Amazon.
From the blurb:
Bridget had never considered herself special, odd definitely. But nothing worth looking at twice. And she had never cared to be looked at twice, either.
Until Declan, that is.
Then, one night, Bridget is approached by a strange (and large) dog. Rescued by Declan, he reveals that Bridget may be special after all, a goddess even. And the dog has been sent to protect her.
Does she have the strength to defeat a powerful witch and her three sons? Why is Declan involved in magic and mystery anyway? And can she save Ruad, her handsome mentor and the God of Knowledge into this new world? As they dig deeper, they uncover that they all have more in common than just their troubled pasts.
The Ulster Cycles are a part of Irish mythology, and this novel depicts characters from the old stories in a new and creative light. While much is taken from these oral stories, this novel is a historical romance loosely based on them.
Faelorehn: A Dark Young Adult Paranormal Romance Fae Fantasy (The Otherworld Series Book 1) by Jenna Elizabeth Johnson
A continual Amazon bestseller, Faelorehn is among the top 100 YA fantasy books in several categories.
From the blurb:
Meghan Elam has been strange her entire life. Her eyes have this odd habit of changing color, and she sees and hears things no one else can. On the eve of her seventeenth birthday, the visions and voices in her head grow worse, making her believe she’s lost her mind. That is until the captivating Cade MacRoich arrives with an explanation of his own.
Cade brings Meghan news of Eile, an enchanted Celtic realm brimming with ancient magic, a world where whispering spirits exist in the very earth, and a place where Meghan just might find the answers she has always sought.
Celtic lore blends beautifully with the modern world in this dark, young adult paranormal romance fae fantasy series.
The Hidden King: A Celtic Fae-Inspired Fantasy Novel (The Coming of Áed) by E.G. Radcliff
From the blurb:
On the shores of a rusty sea, in the streets of a starving city, a young man named Áed scraps to build a life for himself and the makeshift family he loves. Scarred by a trauma he cannot remember and haunted by the brutal damage it left behind, he has no idea of the courage his future will demand.
When a heart-wrenching tragedy shatters his family, a desperate Áed risks a treacherous journey to seek a kingdom of legend—and a new beginning. But an ancient legacy smoldering within him is about to turn deadly, and neither he—nor the legends—will ever be the same.
Looking for a list of the best selling YA fantasy books of all time? Click here. Or, if you’re looking for more romance recommendations, you can find a full article with 5 reader favorites here.
This article was all about best selling YA fantasy books with Welsh or Celtic themes.
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