Graceling Realm

Kristin Cashore

5 books

Set in a world where some people are born Gracelings — marked by two different-colored eyes and gifted with a supreme, often dangerous skill — this series follows fierce heroines navigating kingdoms built on power and cruelty. Cashore's prose is precise and her characters compellingly real, making this a standout in YA fantasy for its nuanced treatment of trauma, agency, and found family across five interconnected novels.