Fantasy Romance, Decoded.
Every genre has its language. Fantasy romance has several, and they all come with dragons, emotional trauma, and questionable life choices.
This glossary exists so you can read with confidence, filter with intention, and never have to Google “what does why choose mean” in private again. Whether you are new to the genre or just tired of pretending you know every acronym, you are welcome here.
Consider this the official language guide of the realm.
Scroll, search, or jump to a section. The Queen’s Dictionary is organized for speed.
Acronyms and Abbreviations
A fast reference guide to the shorthand used across fantasy, romantasy, and paranormal romance. If you have ever paused mid-review to decode a string of letters, this section is for you. Quick clarity. Zero fluff.
ARC
Advanced Reader Copy. A pre-release copy of a book, usually for reviewers.
DNF
Did Not Finish. You stopped reading.
F/F
Female/Female pairing.
HEA
Happily Ever After. The relationship ends happily and securely.
HFN
Happy For Now. A positive ending that may not be permanent.
KU
Kindle Unlimited. Amazon’s ebook subscription service.
M/F
Male/Female pairing.
M/F/M
Male/Female/Male pairing.
M/M
Male/Male pairing.
NB
Non-binary character.
OV
Omniscient Voice. A narrator who knows everything.
PNR
Paranormal Romance. Romance-focused stories with supernatural elements.
POV
Point of View. The perspective the story is told from.
RH
Reverse Harem. One heroine with multiple lovers.
SPF
Self-Published Fantasy.
TBR
To Be Read. Your future reading list.
Trad
Traditionally published.
Genres and Subgenres
An overview of the major fantasy romance categories and the worlds they represent. From cozy to brutal, political to playful, this section helps you understand the type of story you are walking into before you commit your time and feelings.
Links provided to books/authors below are either to the book/series/author on this website if they fit the criteria of this blog. Otherwise I have provided links to Amazon & Kobo for your convenience if they sound intriguing to you.
Core Fantasy Romance Categories
Fantasy Romance
Fantasy with romance as a central pillar. Magic, monsters, quests, and a love story that actually matters. If the relationship could be removed without changing the plot, this is not it.
Well known example: Radiance by Grace Draven
Paranormal Romance
Romance set in a world with supernatural beings like shifters, vampires, witches, demons, and fae. Often modern. Often messy. Frequently spicy.
Well known example: Black Dagger Brotherhood by J.R. Ward
Romantasy
Fantasy first, romance second, but both are important. Big worlds, high stakes, political chaos, and a relationship arc woven through it. Expect courts, crowns, and emotional damage.
Well known example: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
Setting and World Structure
High Fantasy
Fully invented worlds with their own rules, maps, politics, and problems. Think kingdoms, wars, magic systems, and zero concern for your emotional stability.
Well known example: The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
Low Fantasy
Magic exists, but it is quieter, rarer, or intruding into an otherwise normal world. Often more grounded. Still dangerous.
Well known example: The Winternight Trilogy by Katherine Arden
Urban Fantasy
Magic in the modern world. Cities, coffee shops, crime scenes, and supernatural politics hiding in plain sight. Romance may be present, but the plot usually drives.
Well known example: Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews
Contemporary Fantasy
Set in the modern world with magical elements layered in. Less hidden than urban fantasy, more blended into daily life.
Well known example: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Portal Fantasy
A character from our world is transported to another realm. Expect culture shock, destiny nonsense, and a crash course in local survival.
Well known example: The Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis
Time Travel Romance
A character moves backward or forward through time and inevitably complicates history and their own emotional life. Expect paradoxes, longing, and poor decision making.
Well known example: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Time Slip
A softer, often accidental version of time travel. A character slips between timelines or eras, sometimes repeatedly. Less science, more fate and feelings.
Well known example: The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
Historical and Alternate Settings
Historical Fantasy
A real historical setting with magical elements added. Think castles, wars, social rules, and a supernatural layer the history books forgot to mention.
Well known example: Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke
Alternate History Fantasy
A version of our world where history took a different turn and magic or supernatural forces are part of the timeline. Familiar, but wrong in interesting ways.
Well known example: Temeraire series by Naomi Novik
Gaslamp Fantasy
Victorian or industrial-era inspired settings with magic, class tension, and social rules. Corsets, streetlamps, secrets, and usually excellent atmosphere.
Well known example: The Parasol Protectorate series by Gail Carriger
Western Fantasy
Frontiers, outlaws, lawless towns, and dust in your teeth, with magic or supernatural elements layered in. Guns, grit, and often morally questionable decisions.
Well known example: Wake of Vultures by Lila Bowen
Steampunk
Victorian inspired worlds powered by steam, gears, and questionable engineering choices. Goggles, airships, corsets, and mad inventors are common. Style is part of the appeal.
Well known example: The Steampunk Chronicles series by Kady Cross
Science Fantasy
A hybrid genre that blends advanced technology with magic, myth, or supernatural elements. Think cybernetic cities with spellcasters, AI alongside ancient gods, and futuristic worlds where power is both coded and enchanted.
Well known example: Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
Tone and Scale
Epic Fantasy
Large-scale conflict, multiple points of view, wars, prophecies, and a body count. This is commitment reading.
Well known example: The Green Rider series by Kristen Britain
Mythic Fantasy
Stories rooted in mythology or written in a myth-like style. Gods, legends, fate, and a sense that everything is bigger than the characters.
Well known example: Circe by Madeline Miller
Dark Fantasy
Bleak worlds, moral ambiguity, and very little emotional safety. This is not the genre for comfort reading. It is the genre for staring into the void and liking it.
Well known example: The Black Jewel series by Anne Bishop
Cozy Fantasy
Low stakes, warm vibes, emotional safety, and usually a found family situation. May include baking, bookshops, tea, or small magical businesses. The opposite of trauma.
Well known example: The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
Action Driven and Classic Styles
Sword and Sorcery
Action forward fantasy with heroes, battles, monsters, and magic. Plot moves fast. Subtlety does not live here.
Well known example: Red Sonja by Gail Simone
Heroic Fantasy
Focused on a central hero or heroine, personal quests, and individual bravery rather than large political systems. High action, clear stakes, and usually a strong moral core.
Well known example: Alanna by Tamora Pierce
Adventure Fantasy
Plot-forward stories built around journeys, quests, dangerous locations, and constant movement. If the characters are not in trouble, they are about to be.
Well known example: The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley
Warlord Fantasy
Power struggles, military campaigns, brutal leadership, and characters who rule by strength or strategy. Often morally gray and heavy on battlefield politics.
Well known example: The Deed of Paksenarrion by Elizabeth Moon
Grimdark Fantasy
Violence, betrayal, and very little hope. Heroes are flawed, villains are charming, and nobody is safe. Emotional armor recommended.
Well known example: A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin
Dark Heroic Fantasy
Heroic arcs in brutal worlds. Strong protagonists who keep going even when everything is broken. Less nihilistic than grimdark, still heavy.
Well known example: The Witcher by Andrzej Sapkowski
Battle Fantasy
Conflict-driven stories where large-scale fights, training, and warfare are central. Tactics, rivalries, and power progression matter.
Well known example: The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang
Classic Quest Fantasy
The original formula. A small group, a dangerous mission, ancient evil, and a long road. Comforting and predictable in the best way.
Well known example: The Lord of the Rings series by J.R.R. Tolkien
Urban Fantasy Thriller
Urban fantasy driven by tension, danger, and survival rather than investigation. The story focuses on momentum, power imbalance, and personal stakes, with threat woven into everyday life instead of episodic mysteries. Gritty, fast paced, and often unforgiving.
Well known example: The Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs
Tropes and Relationship Dynamics
The emotional architecture of romance. These are the patterns, power dynamics, and relationship structures that shape how a love story unfolds. If you care more about how it feels than how it looks, start here.
Core Romance Structures
Enemies to Lovers
They start out wanting to kill each other or at least emotionally destroy each other. Tension, banter, and a slow slide into mutual obsession.
Friends to Lovers
Built on trust, history, and emotional intimacy. Less chaos, more feelings. Often devastating in a quiet way.
Second Chance Romance
They loved before. It broke. Now they are back. Expect unresolved pain, lingering attraction, and a lot of emotional reckoning.
Forbidden Romance
They should not. Everyone knows they should not. That has never stopped anyone in the history of fiction.
Instalove
Immediate attraction and emotional bonding. Little buildup, lots of intensity. Not for slow burn readers.
Slow Burn
Tension, restraint, longing, and denial. The payoff takes time. The payoff is usually worth it.
Power and Dynamic Based Tropes
Fated Mates
Destiny picked them. Biology agrees. Free will is optional. Often intense, often possessive, always dramatic.
Bonded Mates
A magical or supernatural bond ties them together. Less destiny, more ritual or circumstance. Still intense.
Alpha Hero
Dominant, protective, often controlling. Can be tender or toxic depending on execution.
Morally Gray Love Interest
Not a hero. Not a villain. Questionable ethics, strong loyalty, and usually unreasonably attractive.
Villain Romance
Yes, he is the bad guy. No, that does not stop anyone. Proceed with caution.
Touch Her and Die
Extreme protectiveness taken to violent levels. If someone threatens her, someone else loses a pulse.
Group and Non-Traditional Dynamics
Reverse Harem
One heroine, multiple partners, no choosing required. Also called Why Choose.
Why Choose
The heroine does not pick just one. Everyone stays. Everyone is aware. Everyone is busy.
Polyamorous Romance
Multiple partners in a consensual, emotionally connected structure. Not always centered on one character.
Love Triangle
Two options, one protagonist, maximum angst. Someone will lose. Readers will have opinions.
Emotional and Found Family Tropes
Found Family
Chosen bonds stronger than blood. Loyalty, protection, and ride-or-die energy.
Grumpy Sunshine
One is grumpy. One is not. Chaos ensues. Usually adorable.
Healing Romance
One or both characters are recovering from trauma. The relationship is part of the healing process.
Protective Hero
Less violent than Touch Her and Die, still intense. Watches, guards, worries, and intervenes.
Caretaker Dynamic
One tends, the other resists. Injury, illness, or emotional damage required.
Power Imbalance and Authority Tropes
Teacher Student
Mentorship with romantic tension. High risk. Often controversial.
Boss Employee
Power imbalance, tension, and workplace chaos. Expect secrets and poor decisions.
Royal Commoner
One has power, one does not. Court politics, judgment, and inevitable scandal.
Bodyguard Romance
Proximity, protection, and tension. Lots of watching. Lots of almost touching.
Identity and Transformation Tropes
Hidden Identity
One character is not who they seem. Secrets, reveals, and trust issues incoming.
Secret Royal
Surprise crown. Unexpected destiny. Complicated feelings.
Reluctant Heroine
She did not ask for this. She does it anyway.
Chosen One
Prophecy, destiny, pressure, and very little consent.
Species, Creatures, and Power Types
The cast of characters you will meet across the realm. Shifters, fae, vampires, witches, gods, and everything in between. This section explains what they are, how they function, and why they matter to the story.
Shapeshifters and Hybrids
Shifters
Humans who can shift into animals. Wolves, bears, big cats, and birds are common. Pack dynamics, dominance hierarchies, and territorial behavior are standard.
Werewolves
Wolf shifters with strong pack bonds and heightened instincts. Often ruled by alpha structures and loyalty codes.
Bear Shifters
Large, powerful, and often territorial. Protective to an extreme. Usually built like tanks and emotionally repressed.
Big Cat Shifters
Lions, tigers, panthers, leopards. Solitary tendencies, strong dominance, and a lot of stalking energy.
Dragon Shifters
Humans who can become dragons. Power, hoarding instincts, territorial behavior, and very large egos.
Hybrid Shifters
Characters with mixed bloodlines or unusual shift forms. Often more powerful. Always complicated.
Immortals and Near Immortals
Vampires
Undead or immortal beings who feed on blood. Often aristocratic, territorial, and deeply possessive.
Fae
Not fairies. Ancient, powerful, rule-bound beings with their own courts and politics. Deals matter. Words matter. Humans are usually snacks or toys.
Demons
Otherworldly beings often tied to hell realms or chaos planes. Power comes with a price. Morality is optional.
Angels
Celestial beings tied to divine systems. Often rigid, controlled, and struggling with free will.
Gods and Demi-Gods
Deities and their offspring. Immense power, minimal accountability. Mortals are often collateral damage.
Magic Users
Witches
Humans who use magic through spells, rituals, herbs, and natural forces. Power varies wildly by system.
Mages
Magic users trained through study and discipline. Structured magic. Rules exist. Consequences still happen.
Sorcerers
Born with magic rather than trained. Power is innate, often volatile, and not always controllable.
Warlocks
Magic users who draw power through pacts or external sources. Someone always holds the receipt.
Necromancers
Magic users who work with death, spirits, and the dead. Not always evil. Always unsettling.
Elementals
Magic users tied to elements like fire, water, air, or earth. Power is usually specialized and intense.
Blood Mages
Magic users who draw power from blood. Theirs or someone else’s. High risk, high reward, high concern.
Shadow Mages
Magic users who work with darkness, shadows, or void energy. Stealth, manipulation, and fear are common themes.
Psychic and Mental Powers
Psychics
Characters with telepathy, telekinesis, or extrasensory abilities. Mind reading, mind control, and visions are common.
Empaths
Characters who feel or absorb others’ emotions. Often overwhelmed. Often underestimated.
Seers
Characters who can see the future, fragments of it, or possible outcomes. Fate is rarely kind.
Walkers
Characters who can move between realms, spirit worlds, or dimensions. Often liminal. Often lonely.
Supernatural Beings and Constructs
Gargoyles
Stone guardians that come alive. Loyal, protective, and often ancient.
Djinn
Powerful wish granting beings tied to ancient magic. Deals are dangerous. Loopholes are guaranteed.
Sprites and Fair Folk
Smaller magical beings. Mischievous at best. Malicious at worst.
Golems
Constructs created through magic. Bound to purpose. Rarely free.
Homunculi
Artificial beings created through magic or alchemy. Existence is usually complicated.
Undead and Cursed
Zombies
Reanimated corpses. Usually mindless. Always unpleasant.
Wraiths
Vengeful spirits bound by unfinished business. Anger powered.
Ghosts
Spirits of the dead. Some helpful. Some hostile. Some just sad.
Cursed Beings
Characters trapped by magical curses. Often dangerous. Always tragic.
Magic, Worldbuilding, and Power Systems
The mechanics behind the magic. How power is gained, how it is used, and what it costs. This section breaks down the structure of fantasy worlds so you can better understand stakes, limits, and consequences.
Magic System Structure
Hard Magic System
Magic with clear rules, limits, and costs. Power has structure and consequences. If someone breaks the rules, the story will make them pay.
Soft Magic System
Magic with fewer defined rules. Power feels mysterious, symbolic, or emotional. Vibes matter more than mechanics.
Hybrid Magic System
A mix of structured rules and wild, undefined power. Usually where the chaos lives.
Sources of Power
Mana
Raw magical energy. Often drawn from within, the environment, or a magical source.
Ley Lines
Invisible lines of power that run through the world. Strong magic zones. Excellent places for trouble.
Divine Magic
Power granted by gods or higher beings. Usually comes with strings attached.
Blood Magic
Magic fueled by blood. High risk, high power, and morally complicated.
Shadow Magic
Magic drawn from darkness, void, or shadow realms. Subtle, dangerous, and rarely trusted.
Elemental Magic
Power tied to fire, water, air, earth, or combinations. Often specialized and intense.
Bonds and Connections
Soul Bond
A deep magical or spiritual connection between two characters. Permanent in most systems. Emotional chaos guaranteed.
Mate Bond
A supernatural connection between romantic partners. Often biological or magical. Hard to ignore.
Pack Bond
A magical or emotional link between members of a group, usually shifters. Loyalty, protection, and shared instincts.
Familiar Bond
A magical connection between a magic user and their animal companion. Shared senses and loyalty.
Power Hierarchies and Politics
Courts
Structured ruling bodies, often among fae or vampires. Political, dangerous, and rarely kind.
Covens
Organized groups of witches or magic users. Power is collective. Secrets are currency.
Clans
Family or bloodline based power groups. Loyalty is expected. Betrayal is lethal.
Houses
Noble families or power factions. Politics with magic and better outfits.
Councils
Governing bodies that oversee magical communities. Slow. Political. Often wrong.
Realms and Planes
Realm
A distinct world or plane of existence. Can be physical, magical, or both.
Spirit World
A plane where spirits, ghosts, or ancestors exist. Often overlaps with the living world.
Underworld
A realm of the dead. Not always evil. Rarely cheerful.
Void
A place of nothingness, chaos, or raw power. If someone goes here, it is never casual.
Artifacts and Objects of Power
Relics
Ancient magical objects with history and power. Usually cursed. Always important.
Talismans
Objects used for protection, focus, or enhancement of magic.
Grimoires
Spellbooks or magical texts. Knowledge is power. Also danger.
Runes
Symbols used to channel or enhance magic. Precision matters.
Rules, Costs, and Consequences
Magical Burnout
Overuse of magic leading to exhaustion, injury, or death. The bill always comes due.
Backlash
Negative consequences when magic is misused or pushed too far.
Corruption
Power that changes or degrades the user. Often subtle. Always bad news.
Sacrifice
Power gained through loss. Emotional, physical, or moral. Nothing is free.
Reader Culture and Book Community Language
The shared language of readers. From book hangovers to rage reading, this is the vocabulary of people who live in stories and do not apologize for it. Consider this your cultural fluency guide.
Book Hangover
That hollow, emotionally unstable state after finishing a book that ruined you. Nothing else will satisfy. Food is optional. Feelings are not.
Reading Slump
When every book looks boring and your TBR feels like a personal attack. Temporary. Annoying. Universal.
Comfort Read
A book you return to for emotional safety. You know what happens. You do not care. That is the point.
Binge Read
Reading multiple books in a row without regard for sleep, responsibilities, or personal well-being.
Rage Reading
Continuing a book purely out of spite. You are not enjoying it. You are finishing it.
Scream Reading
Yelling, gasping, or making inhuman noises while reading. Usually caused by plot twists, reunions, or extremely dramatic entrances.
Mood Reading
Choosing books based entirely on emotional state rather than logic. Highly effective. Completely chaotic.
DNF Spiral
When one DNF turns into several and you start questioning all your life choices.
Booktok
The TikTok book community. Powerful. Influential. Occasionally unhinged.
Bookstagram
The Instagram book community. Aesthetic, curated, and emotionally invested.
Bookish
General term for anything related to loving books. Mugs, candles, tote bags, emotional damage.
ARC Team
A group of readers who receive advance copies to review. Fast readers with strong opinions.
Buddy Read
Reading a book with others at the same time. Emotional support recommended.
Reading Buddy
That one person who reads the same unhinged things you do and does not judge you for it.
Shelf Trophy
A book you display because it looks good or meant something to you. Has not necessarily been read.
TBR Pile
The physical or digital stack of books waiting to be read. Grows faster than it shrinks.
TBR Guilt
The emotional weight of buying more books when you already have too many. Does not stop anyone.
Re-Read
Reading a book again because it hurt you the first time and you want that experience repeated.
The Queen’s Language
The official terminology of this site. Our rating systems, standards, and philosophy. These are the words that define how we judge, filter, and crown the heroines who pass through this realm.
Rating System Language
The Queen’s Might
The heroine strength scale. Measures agency, power, resilience, and narrative control. This is about who drives the story, not who looks good doing it.
Paper Crown
A weak or passive heroine. Reactive, easily controlled, or written without agency. Decorative, not decisive.
Tarnished Crown
Some spark, some strength, but inconsistent. She has moments, not command.
Rising Crown
A solid heroine with growth and backbone. Learns, adapts, and begins to claim her space.
Steel Crown
Strong, capable, emotionally grounded. She holds her ground and shapes the outcome.
Queen Supreme
Unquestioned authority. Powerful, layered, commanding. She owns the page and does not ask permission.
Site Sections and Language
The Heroine’s Vault
The archive of reviewed heroines. Filtered by strength, power, and agency. This is not a participation trophy shelf.
The Rule of This Realm
The standards. The expectations. The line. Books are welcome. Weak heroines are not.
Pick the World. We Will Judge the Queen.
The core philosophy of this site. Worldbuilding matters. Plot matters. But the heroine is the final authority.
Tone and Philosophy
Fierce Women. Fierce Reviews.
Not branding. A promise.
Strong Women. Strong Reviews.
The alternate war banner. Also accurate.
No Apologies, No Paper Crowns
A recurring principle. Weak writing is not empowered. Passive is not powerful.
Agency Is Not Optional
A core value. If she is not choosing, acting, or influencing, we have a problem.
Community Language
The Realm
This site and the readers within it. You are not browsing. You are entering.
Queens
Our shorthand for readers. Gender inclusive. Power exclusive.
Court Approved
A book that meets the standard. Strong heroine. Solid world. No nonsense.
Exiled
A book that fails the test. Weak agency, lazy writing, or betrayal of the heroine.
Content, Heat, and Dark Romance Terms
Reader Advisory Section
This section contains terms related to sexual content, dark themes, and potentially triggering material. Everything here is opt in. Nothing is assumed. You deserve to know what you are walking into.
Heat and Intimacy Levels
Closed Door
Romance exists, but sexual scenes are not shown on page. Emotional connection without explicit detail.
Fade to Black
A scene begins but cuts away before sexual content is shown. Implied intimacy.
Open Door
Sexual scenes are present and described, but not graphically.
Explicit
Detailed, on-page sexual content. Clear descriptions. No ambiguity.
Spicy
A general term for books with noticeable sexual content. Can range from open door to explicit.
High Heat
Frequent and explicit sexual scenes. The plot and the bedroom are equally busy.
Tone and Relationship Framing
Dark Romance
Romance with morally complex, dangerous, or taboo dynamics. Power imbalance, violence, or manipulation may be present. Not comfort reading.
Morally Gray
Characters who do bad things for understandable reasons. Ethics are flexible. Loyalty is not.
Villain Romance
The love interest is the antagonist or aligned with the antagonist. Yes, that is intentional.
Anti Hero Romance
The love interest is not a good person, but is the main character. Red flags included.
Consent and Power Dynamics
Dubcon
Dubious consent. Consent is unclear, pressured, or compromised by circumstance. This is a content warning category, not a vibe.
Noncon
Non-consensual sexual content. Sexual assault is depicted. This is a serious content warning.
Power Imbalance
One character holds authority, control, or leverage over the other. This can be situational, social, or supernatural.
Coercion
Consent obtained through pressure, threat, or manipulation. Not the same as enthusiastic consent.
Control and Possession Themes
Possessive Romance
Extreme attachment, jealousy, and territorial behavior. Can be protective or problematic depending on execution.
Obsessive Love Interest
Fixation taken to unhealthy levels. Often intense. Often dangerous.
Captor Captive
One character is physically held or restrained by the other. High tension. High risk.
Forced Proximity
Characters are trapped together by circumstance. Can be emotional, physical, or situational.
Violence and Psychological Themes
On Page Violence
Violence is shown directly in the story, not implied.
Graphic Violence
Detailed, explicit depiction of injury or harm.
Psychological Manipulation
Gaslighting, control, or emotional abuse used as a relationship dynamic or plot device.
Trauma Heavy
The story contains significant emotional or psychological trauma. Often central to character development.
Reader Safety Language
Trigger Warning
A notice that certain sensitive topics are present. Not censorship. Information.
Content Warning
A broader notice about themes that may be distressing or unwanted.
Not Safe For Work
Explicit sexual or violent content. Do not open in public spaces unless you enjoy awkward conversations.