What is faerie porn and why should I be reading it?
Fairy porn is having a bit of a moment right now. Not come across it yet? Look at the fantasy shelves in any bookshop and you’ll see tens of moody covers featuring dragons, women in cloaks and men with swords. What once was niche is now totally mainstream.
Fairy porn is synonymous with Sarah J Maas, author of 20+ bestselling novels including A Court Of Thorn And Roses (indeed, three out of the top 10 Spotify 2024 audiobooks are by Maas). Other stars of the genre include Rebecca Yarros (whose recent novel Onyx Storm is the fastest-selling book in 20 years), Scarlett St Clair and Jennifer L Armentrout. They write bingeable trilogies (or more), and each new release is a must-buy for fans. In fact, readers queued through the night to buy the new Rebecca Yarros.
Fairy porn (or faerie porn, as it’s also known) is exactly what it sounds like: horny fairies. Or elves. Or witches. The explicit and steamy scenes (known as “spice” in the fantasy world) in an otherworldly setting is more important than the specific creatures involved. Whhile romantasy is all about the pining, chaste kisses or closed-door hooking up, fairy porn demands lots of sex – preferably multiple times and in long, descriptive chapters.
The fairy smut popular right now is mostly written by and for women. Sex is not new to fantasy, but the key difference is that the female characters enjoy themselves in this new incarnation. Their male partners model a perfect vision of masculinity (and great abs). Fairy porn offers fantasy on multiple levels.
Saara El-Arifi, author of the Faebound trilogy (code name: Sexy Black Elves), thinks that “spice doesn’t always have to push forward the plot or character development – it can just be there for entertainment and pleasure.”
For other writers, such as Sarah Hawley, whose book Servant Of Earth just came out, “spice is a great tool for character development and building a passionate romance – it’s an act with a lot of vulnerability to it, so the reader gets to see the characters experience that emotion and change because of it.”
The sexy bits aren’t the only reasons why fairy porn is having a moment. Many readers come to it after years reading (and writing) fan fiction, as a way of prolonging the escapism of their favourite books. Sarah J Maas posted her first novel (which eventually became Throne Of Glass) at the age of 16 on a popular fan fiction site, where it quickly became one of the most popular stories on there. These are trope-heavy books, which often revisit well-known legends and fairy tales, such as Beauty And The Beast, Little Red Riding Hood and Hercules, but under the female gaze. They’re as comforting as a hug in beloved arms.
When the world around you is a troubling place – as it is right now for many of us – fairy porn offers escape. “In real life, I’m caught up in a mad juggle of work, childcare and housework, but in the pages of these books, I’m a strong, empowered woman who is sexy, strong and good at archery,” says one 40-something fan of the genre.
Girl meets boy is a classic story, but these novels are so much more than that; enemies are slain, curses are broken, rights are wronged. They’re pacy, addictive and, as a form of stress relief, better for you than a glass of wine or a bar of chocolate.
If you haven’t discovered fairy porn yet, here are our six books to fall in love (and lust) with…
Faebound by Saara El-Arifi
Faebound and Cursebound by Saara El-Arifi
Faebound opens with two hot elves in bed and, from there, the adventure only keeps heating up. There’s a transgenerational curse and an enemies-to-lovers storyline, set against a lush and otherworldly backdrop. Just as engrossing is the imaginative magic system where elves cast spells with a drum and faes are bound to their enigmatic obeah familiars. You’ll definitely want more and, luckily for fans, Cursebound, the second book in the trilogy, is about to be released.
Quicksilver by Callie Hart
Quicksilver by Callie Hart
The brooding, armoured man on the cover of Quicksilver is the perfect representation of the “fairy porn book boyfriend”. He’s a fae warrior with a murky past, big secrets and a nefarious agenda of his own – all in the name of saving his people. What can thief Saeris Fane do except for desire the man, especially when she’s bound to him in ways neither can escape? Come for the intrigue and the smut, stay for the fiery banter and the irresistible pull of two characters forced to grow – and burn – together.
A Witch's Guide to Fake Dating a Demon by Sarah Hawley
A Witch’s Guide To Fake Dating A Demon by Sarah Hawley
Mariel is trying her best at being a witch when she summons Oz, a well-endowed demon (important fairy porn trope alert!). As Oz struggles to navigate the human world, he falls head over horns for the witch. One to add to your reading list if you believe in the power of romantic love in helping us come into our own.
A Curse of Blood and Wolves bY Melissa McTernan
A Curse of Blood And Wolves by Melissa McTernan
Little Red Riding Hood – but make it hot! Ruby knows better than to pine for the golden eyes she saw in the wood. Yet she yearns for them night after night, hoping to hear the telltale sound of crunching leaves as she walks home from her late-night shift at the bar. Those eyes belong to Rafe, the werewolf who can’t get the smell of Ruby out of his head. This is for fans of small-town vibes, fated-mates romance and next-level spice.
Witchmark by CL Polk
Witchmark by C L Polk
Witchmark combines the best of romance, erotic fiction and fantasy in an unforgettable murder-mystery novel you’ll soon be recommending to all your friends. In a steampunk Edwardian London-like city, witch-in-hiding Miles works as a doctor – until the murder of one of his patients exposes his supernatural healing ability and his witchmark. Enter Tristan, a handsome and gifted investigator, who sees through Miles’ closely guarded secrets. Bicycle chases have never been so exciting or sexy.
The Magpie Lord by KJ Charles
The Magpie Lord by KJ Charles
One thing guaranteed when you open a KJ Charles novel: her sex scenes are as good as her plotting. Here, she gets the prize for most erotically charged use of a magpie back tattoo in fiction. Lucien Vaudrey is the black sheep of her family who didn’t just inherit a gothic estate and a title, but also a host of deadly enemies. With the help of magician Stephen Day and his dark magic, she must defeat them – and even better if this means winding up tangled in the bedsheets together.
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