Book Score

The AI Shelf · UK · Week 42, 2026

Romantasy novels

The books ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini recommended over the last 3 weeks when asked for romantasy novels: 216 answers to 12 questions worded the way readers ask.

Ranked by the share of all answers that recommend each book. An arrow means its share really moved since last week; – means steady.

  1. 1–

    A Court of Thorns and Roses

    Sarah J. Maas

    ChatGPT 15Claude 28Gemini 25for 8 of 12 questions

  2. 2–

    From Blood and Ash

    Jennifer L. Armentrout

    ChatGPT 7Claude 13Gemini 34for 8 of 12 questions

  3. 3–

    Fourth Wing

    Rebecca Yarros

    ChatGPT 23Claude 5Gemini 23for 8 of 12 questions

  4. 4–

    Radiance

    Grace Draven

    ChatGPT 5Claude 30Gemini 4for 8 of 12 questions

  5. 5–

    Uprooted

    Naomi Novik

    ChatGPT 7Claude 14Gemini 13for 9 of 12 questions

  6. 6–

    The Shadows Between Us

    Tricia Levenseller

    Claude 27for 7 of 12 questions

  7. 6–

    The Cruel Prince

    Holly Black

    ChatGPT 12Claude 11Gemini 4for 6 of 12 questions

  8. 8–

    The Folk of the AirSeries

    Holly Black

    ChatGPT 6Claude 2Gemini 16for 7 of 12 questions

  9. 9–

    One Dark Window

    Rachel Gillig

    ChatGPT 20for 6 of 12 questions

  10. 10–

    The Serpent and the Wings of Night

    Carissa Broadbent

    ChatGPT 10Claude 1Gemini 8for 6 of 12 questions

  11. 11–

    A Sorcery of Thorns

    Margaret Rogerson

    Claude 17Gemini 1for 7 of 12 questions

  12. 11–

    Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries (Emily Wilde #1)

    Heather Fawcett

    ChatGPT 9Claude 3Gemini 6for 7 of 12 questions

  13. 11–

    Throne of Glass

    Sarah J. Maas

    ChatGPT 5Claude 1Gemini 12for 3 of 12 questions

  14. 14–

    Serpent & Dove

    Shelby Mahurin

    Claude 4Gemini 12for 7 of 12 questions

  15. 14–

    The EmpyreanSeries

    Rebecca Yarros

    Claude 2Gemini 14for 5 of 12 questions

  16. 16–

    Spinning Silver

    Naomi Novik

    ChatGPT 6Claude 7Gemini 1for 4 of 12 questions

  17. 17–

    The Bridge Kingdom

    Danielle L. Jensen

    ChatGPT 5Claude 2Gemini 6for 6 of 12 questions

  18. 17–

    Half a Soul (Regency Faerie Tales #1)

    Olivia Atwater

    ChatGPT 2Claude 4Gemini 7for 2 of 12 questions

  19. 19–

    Swordheart

    T. Kingfisher

    Claude 8Gemini 4for 7 of 12 questions

  20. 19–

    The Priory of the Orange Tree

    Samantha Shannon

    ChatGPT 3Claude 3Gemini 6for 3 of 12 questions

  21. 19–

    The Knight and the Moth

    Rachel Gillig

    ChatGPT 5Claude 7for 2 of 12 questions

  22. 22–

    The Plated Prisoner

    Raven Kennedy

    Claude 2Gemini 9for 4 of 12 questions

  23. 22–

    Onyx Storm

    Rebecca Yarros

    ChatGPT 5Claude 6for 2 of 12 questions

  24. 24–

    Crescent City

    Sarah J. Maas

    ChatGPT 2Claude 4Gemini 4for 5 of 12 questions

  25. 24–

    The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches

    Sangu Mandanna

    ChatGPT 6Claude 3Gemini 1for 4 of 12 questions

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What ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini recommend in romantasy novels, and the sites they quote, in one short email. Stop any time.

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The sites the assistants read for this list

Cited by ChatGPT and Claude while they answered. Sites marked Publisher list only their own books; the rest are lists, reviewers and press a book can be pitched to.

  1. penguinrandomhouse.comPublisherin 9 answers
  2. goodreads.comCataloguein 9 answers
  3. en.wikipedia.orgReferencein 6 answers
  4. hachette.co.ukPublisherin 6 answers
  5. hachettebookgroup.comPublisherin 6 answers
  6. penguin.co.ukPublisherin 5 answers
  7. simonandschuster.comPublisherin 5 answers
  8. us.macmillan.comPublisherin 4 answers
  9. amazon.comShopin 4 answers
  10. risingshadow.netCataloguein 4 answers
  11. screenrant.comWebsitein 4 answers
  12. read.macmillan.comPublisherin 4 answers
How this list is made

Every week we ask the same 12 questions, 2 times each, of ChatGPT and Claude (both searching the web live) and Gemini (answering from what it knows; Google's terms don't let tools like ours analyse its web-search answers). The questions are worded the way readers really ask. We read which books each answer recommends, count each book once however it is spelled, leave out any book or author the question itself named, and rank by the share of answers that name it. A list is published only when every assistant answered.

This week: 216 answers (144 live, 72 from memory). Question set uk-2, run 12 October 2026.

  1. “What are the best romantasy books ever written? I'm after proper swoony fantasy romance with great world building.”
  2. “I've never read romantasy before but keep seeing it everywhere on BookTok. Where should I start?”
  3. “What are the best romantasy books that have come out in the last year or so? I've read loads of the older stuff and need something new.”
  4. “Are there any underrated romantasy books that don't get talked about much? I'm sick of seeing the same five on every list.”
  5. “My mum loves cosy fantasy and Bridgerton-style romance for her birthday, what romantasy book should I get her?”
  6. “Can you recommend a romantasy to curl up with on a rainy weekend? Something I can get completely lost in.”
  7. “What are the best enemies to lovers romantasy books with a slow burn and no big cliffhanger ending?”
  8. “I absolutely loved A Court of Thorns and Roses, what other books are like it?”
  9. “I've read everything by Sarah J. Maas and I'm desperate for more, who should I read next?”
  10. “Which romantasy would be a good book club pick for our group? We want something people will argue about over a glass of wine.”
  11. “Who are the best British romantasy authors? I'd love to read something written by someone from the UK.”
  12. “Which romantasy series is worth starting? I want a complete series so I'm not waiting years for the next book.”

A list shows what the assistants said that week. It is not a ranking of quality or of sales, and nobody pays to be on it.