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Quick answer: If you liked The Knight and the Moth, try Two Twisted Crowns, One Dark Window, For the Wolf, Divine Rivals, Lore and The Night Circus. They are moody, romantic fantasies full of secrets and enchanting settings.
Rachel Gillig's 2025 novel follows Sybil Delling, an oracle who sees the future through a ritual, and Gaspar, a knight sworn to protect a dangerous secret. Readers who love Gillig's style want more gothic fantasy romance with riddles, curses and slow-burn tension. These 15 books bring that same atmosphere. Most include violence, and a few include steamy scenes.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| One Dark Window | Rachel Gillig | Adult | more Gillig |
| Two Twisted Crowns | Rachel Gillig | Adult | readers who finished the first book |
| For the Wolf | Hannah Whitten | Adult | readers who like Beauty and the Beast |
| The Foxglove King | Hannah Whitten | Adult | readers who want mature romance |
| Divine Rivals | Rebecca Ross | Adult | readers who like letters |
| Lore | Alexandra Bracken | Teen/Adult | readers who like mythology |
| The Night Circus | Erin Morgenstern | Adult | readers who like atmosphere |
| Strange the Dreamer | Laini Taylor | Teen/Adult | readers who love lyrical prose |
| The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue | V.E. Schwab | Adult | readers who like long love stories |
| Serpent & Dove | Shelby Mahurin | Adult | enemies-to-lovers fans |
| The Cruel Prince | Holly Black | Teen/Adult | readers who like faerie courts |
| A Court of Thorns and Roses | Sarah J. Maas | Adult | readers who like fantasy romance |
| Spinning Silver | Naomi Novik | Adult | readers who like fairy-tale retellings |
| These Hollow Vows | Lexi Ryan | Adult | readers who like bargains with fae |
| Fourth Wing | Rebecca Yarros | Adult | readers who want a dragon academy |
1. One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig
Gillig's earlier duology starts with Elspeth, who carries a spirit in her mind. If you have not read it, this is the place to start.
Best for: more Gillig.
2. Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig
The finale of the Shepherd King duology, with a kingdom at stake. Dark, romantic and surprising.
Best for: readers who finished the first book.
3. For the Wolf by Hannah Whitten
Red, the second daughter, is sent into the Wilderwood to the Wolf. A gothic fairy tale of curses and love.
Best for: readers who like Beauty and the Beast.
4. The Foxglove King by Hannah Whitten
A necromancer-in-hiding gets drawn into court politics and a dangerous romance. Dark and intense.
Best for: readers who want mature romance.
5. Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross
Iris and Roman, rival journalists, write to each other without knowing it while the gods wage war. Warm and bookish.
Best for: readers who like letters.
6. Lore by Alexandra Bracken
Every seven years, the Greek gods hunt each other in a modern-day contest, and Lore is drawn back in. Fast and moody.
Best for: readers who like mythology.
7. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Two magicians are bound in a contest in a mysterious circus. Lush, slow and enchanting.
Best for: readers who like atmosphere.
8. Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor
Lazlo Strange, a librarian, dreams of a lost city and joins an expedition to find it. Gorgeous and tragic.
Best for: readers who love lyrical prose.
9. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
Addie makes a deal with a dark god and is forgotten by everyone. A story that spans 300 years.
Best for: readers who like long love stories.
10. Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin
A witch and a witch hunter are forced to marry. Fast, romantic and funny.
Best for: enemies-to-lovers fans.
11. The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
Jude, a human girl in Faerie, wants to belong. Court intrigue and an enemies-to-lovers romance.
Best for: readers who like faerie courts.
12. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
Feyre is taken to a faerie land and falls for her captor. Popular, steamy and romantic.
Best for: readers who like fantasy romance.
13. Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
Miryem turns silver into gold in a story inspired by Rumpelstiltskin. Rich and cold.
Best for: readers who like fairy-tale retellings.
14. These Hollow Vows by Lexi Ryan
Brie bargains with the faerie court to save her sister. Dark and addictive.
Best for: readers who like bargains with fae.
15. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
Violet enters a war college for dragon riders. Fast, spicy and addictive.
Best for: readers who want a dragon academy.
How to Choose
Start with One Dark Window and Two Twisted Crowns if you want more of the same author. For gothic fairy tales, try For the Wolf, Spinning Silver or The Night Circus. For romance with a faerie court, pick The Cruel Prince or A Court of Thorns and Roses. Fourth Wing, The Foxglove King and Serpent & Dove have strong romantic content. If you have not read Gillig before, the most natural reading order is One Dark Window, Two Twisted Crowns, and then this book. When you want something lighter between dark fantasies, pick Divine Rivals, whose letter-writing romance has a warmer tone. For atmosphere alone, The Night Circus is a good evening read.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Knight and the Moth about?
It follows an oracle, Sybil, and a knight named Gaspar who must work together to protect a secret.
Is it connected to One Dark Window?
No, it is a separate story, though it has a similar mood.
Is it a standalone?
It begins a new duology, so there is more story to come.
Is it spicy?
It has romance and tension, with mild-to-moderate heat.
Is Rachel Gillig a good author to follow?
Fans praise her eerie settings, riddles and slow-burn romance, and her books are often recommended together.
How dark are these books?
Most contain violence, curses and death, but the dark tone is more gothic than gory.