TL;DR
The line between "teen fantasy" and "adult smut with dragons" has officially vanished. If your teen is obsessed with A Court of Thorns and Roses or Fourth Wing, they aren't reading the next Harry Potter—they’re reading "Romantasy," a genre heavy on explicit "spice" and graphic violence.
Quick Recommendations:
- For the 13-15 crowd (Lower Spice): The Cruel Prince or Divine Rivals.
- For the 16+ crowd (Mature Themes): Throne of Glass or Powerless.
- The "Read with Caution" list: A Court of Silver Flames and Onyx Storm.
Ask our chatbot for a specific content breakdown of any book your teen is reading
If you feel like you walked into the "Teen" section of the bookstore and accidentally ended up in the HBO late-night programming section, you aren't imagining things. Over the last few years, the publishing world has been upended by BookTok—the massive community on TikTok that turns niche books into global sensations overnight.
The result? A new category called New Adult (NA). It’s designed for 18-to-25-year-olds, featuring characters in college or their early 20s. The problem is that bookstores and libraries often shelve NA right next to Percy Jackson.
Your 14-year-old sees a book with a gorgeous, holographic dragon on the cover, assumes it’s a fun adventure, and three chapters in, they’re reading a graphic description of something that would make a Victorian ghost faint.
Before we start clutching pearls, let's be real: teens have always sought out the "grown-up" stuff. In the 90s, it was passing around dog-eared copies of Flowers in the Attic or VC Andrews. Today, it’s Fourth Wing.
The appeal is simple: High Stakes. YA fantasy offers a level of emotional intensity that regular life just doesn't. When you're 15, everything feels like a life-or-death struggle for survival, so reading about a girl who has to bond with a giant dragon or be incinerated feels weirdly relatable. Toss in a "forbidden romance" (the "enemies-to-lovers" trope is basically the air these kids breathe), and you have a recipe for obsession.
In the world of BookTok, you’ll hear the word "Spice" a lot. This is code for sexual content. Here is how to decode the ratings your teen is seeing online:
- No Spice / "Clean": Think The Hobbit. Magic, maybe a kiss, zero bedroom scenes.
- Fade to Black: The characters are clearly about to get busy, but the chapter ends or the "camera" pans away. This is the standard for classic YA like The Hunger Games.
- Open Door: The door is open. You are in the room. You are seeing everything. Most "Romantasy" hits like A Court of Thorns and Roses fall here.
- 4-5 Peppers: This is essentially erotica. If you see five chili pepper emojis on a review, that book is not for your middle schooler.
The Vibe: Fae politics, survival, and very intense romance. The Reality: While the first book is relatively mild (by today’s standards), the series gets progressively more explicit. By the time you get to book five, A Court of Silver Flames, it is 100% an adult novel. It also deals with heavy themes like PTSD, suicidal ideation, and sexual trauma. Age Recommendation: 16+ (with a conversation about consent and healthy boundaries).
The Vibe: Top Gun meets How to Train Your Dragon at a murder college. The Reality: This is the current "it" book. It is fast-paced, addictive, and fun, but it contains frequent "f-bombs" and two very explicit, multi-page sex scenes. The sequel, Iron Flame, and the 2025 release Onyx Storm, up the ante on both violence and "spice." Age Recommendation: 17+ (or 16 if they’re mature, but maybe suggest they "skip those two chapters").
The Vibe: Dark, twisty, and atmospheric fae royalty. The Reality: This is "True YA." It’s dark and violent, but the romance is "closed door." It’s a great alternative for teens who want the "dark fantasy" aesthetic without the explicit adult content. Age Recommendation: 14+.
Check out our full guide on the best "Clean" Fantasy for teens
This is the one place I won't pull punches: Publishers are being sneaky. There is a massive trend of "illustrated" or "cartoon" covers that look like a fun Netflix rom-com but contain hardcore adult content.
The biggest offender right now is Icebreaker by Hannah Grace. It has a cute, pastel cover with two skaters. It looks like a Disney Channel original movie. It is actually extremely explicit smut. I have seen 12-year-olds carrying this book because it was in the "Trending" section at the bookstore. If you see a book with a "cutesy" cover, always check the back for a "New Adult" label or look it up on Screenwise.
If you find your teen reading something that feels a bit too "old" for them, don't just snatch it away. That just makes it forbidden fruit. Instead, try the "curious friend" approach:
- "What’s the 'spice' level on this one?" Using their terminology shows you aren't out of the loop.
- "Does the romance feel healthy to you?" A lot of these books feature "alphaholes"—male leads who are possessive, aggressive, or controlling. Use it as a springboard to talk about what a real, respectful relationship looks like.
- "Is the violence getting to you?" Sometimes the gore in books like Throne of Glass or The Serpent and the Wings of Night is more jarring than the romance. Check in on their mental health.
- Offer a "Side-Car" Read. If they love the dragon-riding of Fourth Wing, suggest Eragon. If they love the fae magic of ACOTAR, suggest Shadow and Bone.
Learn more about how to discuss healthy relationships with your teen
Fantasy is a safe place for teens to explore big emotions, but the "YA" label is currently the Wild West. You can't trust the shelf location or the cover art.
You don't need to read every single page your teen reads (who has the time?), but you do need to be the "Content Concierge." Check the ratings, know the tropes, and keep the dialogue open. If they're old enough to handle the themes, these books can be a great way to bond. If they aren't, there are plenty of amazing, age-appropriate worlds waiting for them that won't require an awkward conversation at the dinner table.
- Check the shelf: Take a quick peek at your teen’s nightstand. See any dragons or holographic roses?
- Look it up: Use the Screenwise search to check the "Wise Score" for any title you don't recognize.
- Ask the Chatbot: Not sure if a book is "Fade to Black" or "Open Door"? Ask our Screenwise Assistant right now.