I had to start this list with one of my all-time favorite fantasy series. I fell in love with The Plated Prisoner series this year, even though I did read Gild, the first book, last year. Kennedy released the fourth book, Glow, this year, and let me tell you that she has made me a fan. If you love dark fantasy romance novels, I'm pretty sure you'll adore this series. It tells the story of one girl, Auren, who has been inside a gilded cage for the better part of her life.

Once upon a time, she was saved by a king, Midas, who has protected her from all danger since then. Or has he? What if the most dangerous thing for her is King Midas himself? When Auren finally goes out of the castle and realizes that the world outside is far bigger than she remembered, she'll find out some truths and too many lies in the process.