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IndyBest's Book Club pick for June is a cult romantasy classic
News has just dropped that Rebecca Yarros' Fourth Wing book is being adapted for television. Daisy Lester, Senior Shopping Writer, reported on Wednesday 20 May 2026 at 13:14 BST.
The book, published in 2023, has become a cornerstone of the romantasy genre. Romantasy, or romantic fantasy, is the fastest-growing literary genre, accounting for $610 million in sales for publishers. BookTok, a book community on TikTok, has propelled fantasy titles onto New York Times bestseller lists, as readers increasingly seek escapism over realism.
Cult novels such as Sarah J. Maas's A Court of Thorns and Roses (affectionately dubbed ACOTAR by fans) and SenLinYu's Alchemised now sit alongside works by literary giants like Elizabeth Strout, Richard Osman, and Freida McFadden. However, one romantasy author is increasingly dominating: Rebecca Yarros.
In 2025, the third novel in her Empyrean series, Onyx Storm, became the fastest-selling adult novel in 20 years, selling 2.7 million copies in its first week. Recently, Yarros has not only teased the fourth novel in the series, expected to land in spring 2027, but also confirmed that a television adaptation is in development. The project is being produced by Amazon MGM Studios, with Yarros serving as executive producer alongside Oscar-winning Michael Jordan.
Set in the brutal world of a dragon-riding academy, where violence and warfare are interspersed with enemies-to-lovers romance and newfound friendships, Fourth Wing is the first novel in the series. Alongside ACOTAR, Yarros's novel converted many readers to the genre after years of loyalty to literary fiction. Reminiscent of beloved books like Twilight, The Hunger Games, and The Maze Runner, it quickly revealed its appeal.
Since the launch of the IndyBest Book Club, the team has mostly favoured literary fiction titles, including Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke and Hooked by Asako Yuzuki. However, for this month's pick, they have embraced romantasy to much of the team's elation. A giant of the genre, Yarros's novel is as good a place to start as any. The club will deliver its verdict on whether Fourth Wing lives up to TikTok acclaim next month. For those who wish to read along, here is everything you need to know.
Read more: Best new books, reviewed. Last month's IndyBest Book Club verdict on Yesteryear, the buzzy trad wife-inspired novel that is everywhere.
