Leigh Bardugo is the creator of the Grishaverse which now spans three different series. If you came here looking for books like Six of Crows, you’re in the right place.
Full disclosure, I’ve never read Six of Crows. It’s on my TBR. I’m putting this list together for my readers who I know are fans of this particular book in the Grishaverse.
I have, fortunately, finished the entire first series that began with Shadow and Bone, so I’m well acquainted with Bardugo’s works.
As is the case when I haven’t read the book, I polled the members over at YA Fantasy Addicts on Facebook and this is their Top 10 list of books like Six of Crows.
Books About Friends
This grouping of books features other books with a varied cast of main characters similar to Six of Crows. There are other aspects of the book that may align, but this is the primary similarity.
1. Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody
Number of Books: 3
Unsurprisingly, I’ve not read a ton of the recommendations either, so we’re going to be relying on Book blurbs and descriptions from the reader on Facebook.
Ace of Shades is about a solid group of friends with various magical abilities. There’s a conspiracy to be uncovered with some double crossing and lots of secrets.
We also can’t forget there’s a bit of a slow burn romance, too.
2. Truthwitch by Susan Dennard
Number of Books: 5
Now this one I have read. I’ve read all four currently released books, though one is a novella. And I’ve got the next book already pre-ordered.
Truthwitch starts off with a small cast of players, but eventually grows them, straddling the line of morality for some of the characters.
You know they’re meant to be the enemy, but somehow you identify with them all the same.
3. The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
Number of Books: 4
The Raven Boys has a great group of characters you can’t help but fall in love with
4. An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
Number of Books: 4
This isn’t on a list of books like Six of Crows for the varied cast necessarily. But it does involve two unlikely friends who meet completely by chance.
One wants vengeance for her brother, the other is training to become a soldier, but longs to be free.
Books with Heists
A major aspect of Six of Crows is heists, so we can’t have a list of similar books without talking about some heists.
Who doesn’t love a good heist book?
If only Ocean’s Eleven were a book…
5. Heist Society by Ally Carter
Number of Books: 3
I haven’t read this one, and I hoenstly forget it existed, but it’s been on my TBR for ages.
Time to rectify that maybe?
I don’t even really need to talk about this book do I?
Kat wants out of the family business–thieving. But when her father is in trouble, she’ll have to reenter the world of mobsters to save him.
6. The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
Number of Books: 3
The Lies of Locke Lamora isn’t a YA book, but it’s still fantasy.
A really great friend of mine has been trying to get me to read this book for years. It’s one of his all-time favorites.
It also came very highly recommended on Facebook as a fantastic heist book like Six of Crows.
7. Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson
Number of Books: 3
The above count for number of books is a bit of a lie. There are three books in THIS series, but six total books in Mistborn to date, plus a whole host of books in the Cosmere.
Mistborn is a slow burn story, but is one of the best I’ve ever read. It features a crew of undesirables trying to fight against a corrupt government through clandestine operations.
Morally Gray Books Like Six of Crows
The rest of these Books like The Selection don’t have the competition angle. Calling these books dystopian isn’t saying that the books in the previous section aren’t dystopian as a good chunk of them were.
I’m just meaning that they don’t fit the competition model, but still mostly take place in an alternate future America.
8. The Young Elites by Marie Lu
Number of Books: 3
The Young Elites starts off very different from how it ends.
I can’t say more than that if you haven’t read this book, but it focuses on antiheroes.
It goes places you wouldn’t expect in a good way. The Young Elites is a great tale of magic, heartache, and rebellion.
9. The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
Number of Books: 3
I couldn’t have a list of morally gray characters without talking about The Cruel Prince.
Yet another books that comes highly lauded that I haven’t read. There’s so many good books and not enough time to read them!
The prince is…well…cruel.
This books features a toxic relationship, but is all about the moral grayness of the characters and the romance between them.
Other Books Like Six of Crows
10. The Court of Miracles by Kester Grant
Number of Books: 1
Court of Miracles was a fantastic book, and that’s saying something for me.
Kester Grant’s debut is a retelling of Les Miserables.
I don’t like that movie.
In all fairness, I hadn’t watched it until AFTER reading Court of Miracles because I loved this book so much.
If you like the movie, you’ll adore this book like Six of Crows.
Looking for more great books like Six of Crows?
While Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas is more epic fantasy than Six of Crows tends to be, you might enjoy these books like Throne of Glass.