Book picks similar to
Forbidden Queen by R.J. Vickers
fantasy
young-adult
indie-fantasy
ya
You Are Mine
Janeal Falor - 2013
She will always be owned by a warlock. She will never have freedom. She will always do what her warlock wishes, regardless of how inane, frivolous, or cruel it is. And if she doesn’t follow the rules, she will be tarnished. Spelled to be bald, inked, and barren for the rest of her life—worth less than the shadow she casts.Then her ownership is won by a barbarian from another country. With the uncertainty that comes from belonging to a new warlock, Serena questions if being tarnished is really worse than being owned by a barbarian, and tempts fate by breaking the rules. When he looks the other way instead of punishing her, she discovers a new world. The more she ventures into the forbidden, the more she learns of love and a freedom just out of reach. Serena longs for both. But in a society where women are only ever property, hoping for more could be deadly.
Venom & Vanilla
Shannon Mayer - 2016
But when she’s infected with a lethal virus spread by supernatural beings, her only chance for recovery is to make a deal with the devil—or in this case, a warlock.Though he saves her life, it looks nothing like the life she once knew—and neither does she. Alena is a new breed of “Supe” no one has ever seen before. Even the supernatural police don’t know what she is. Now exiled to the northern side of the Wall, which marks the divide between humans and Supes, Alena is thrust into a dark and magical new world.But just as she begins to adjust to all things supernatural, she realizes that her transformation is the least of her worries—and it was no accident. She was chosen…to be killed by a Greek hero trying to make a name for himself once more.Alena was brought up to be subservient, preferring creating to fighting, and vanilla and honey to blood. But that was then. Now, to survive, she must stand up for herself—and this time she’s got fangs. But will she be ready to use them?
All the King's Traitors
Keylin Rivers - 2019
With their fall came centuries of chaos and destruction, but also immense power.Power that separates humans from Gods.Now, in the Kingdom of Azanthea, two adoptive brothers flee from unjust conscription.A fugitive struggles to truly be free.A double-crossing warrior must choose where his allegiances lie: with his wife or with his daughter.A traitorous heir to the Kingdom’s throne roams the lands in search of an army to call his own.A prodigy in the House of Historian competes in a grueling trial to prove her loyalty.And one God-King rules over them all.
Flightless Bird
Kellie McAllen - 2017
Never in a million years did Lexus expect to draw the eyes of two hunky transfer students, Phoenix and Griffin Easton.The troubled brothers are haunted by their own demons and don’t seem bothered by Lexus’ tarnished reputation. They’re too busy trying to figure out why touching her makes them feel like electricity is frying their insides and why they're compelled to obey her every command.You’d think having two hot guys vying for her would improve her reputation, but the bullying at home and school only gets worse. When Lexus’ problems reach a critical tipping point, the boys are drawn to protect her, and the truth about their powerful connection is revealed in an explosive confrontation that will astound them all...
The Eyes of Tamburah
Maria V. Snyder - 2019
Even though Shyla is sun-kissed - an outcast, considered cursed by the Sun Goddess - she is still renowned for uncovering innumerable archaic facts, lost artefacts, ancient maps and obscure historical documents. Her quiet life is about to change when Banqui, an archaeologist, enlists her services to find The Eyes of Tamburah: legendary gemstones that bestow great magic on their wielder. These ancient objects can tip the balance of power and give whoever possesses them complete control of the city.But chaos erupts when The Eyes are stolen soon after they're found - and Shyla is blamed for the theft. Forced to flee, with the Prince's soldiers and the Priestess's deacons on her trail, Shyla must recover the jewels and clear her name. A quest that will unearth secrets even more valuable than The Eyes of Tamburah themselves...
Fae's Deception
M. Lynn - 2020
That’s what everyone tells her when she’s accused of killing her best friend. Her mother always claimed she belonged in a straitjacket. Turns out, she was right. When the man with flashing violet eyes whisks her through a portal into a world beyond her imagination, a world vicious in its beauty and wicked in its lies, Brea begins to wonder if she was ever crazy at all. Every hallucination she’s ever had is real, but this new world has its own set of lies and questions.Why are three royals prepared to battle over her? Who is Griffin O’Shea, and why did he abduct her? And does falling in love with a man trapping her in this deadly land mean she really has lost her mind after all? There is only one thing Brea knows: She can’t trust anything. Not her mind.Not her heart. And certainly not the Fae who claims he’s trying to keep her safe.
The Circle
Cindy Cipriano - 2013
No one until Laurel shows up at his mother’s bookstore wearing a dark clan’s mark.When Calum learns the details surrounding the disappearance of Laurel’s brother, he suspects the evil Hobayeth clan. Calum and Laurel work together in the Realm of Man and the Otherworld to rescue her brother – revealing a connection between Calum and Laurel that may cost Finley his life.
The Wretched of Muirwood
Jeff Wheeler - 2011
Labeled a “wretched,” an outcast unwanted and unworthy of respect, Lia is forbidden to realize her dream to read or write. All but doomed, her days are spent toiling away as a kitchen slave under the charge of the Aldermaston, the Abbey’s watchful overseer. But when an injured squire named Colvin is abandoned at the kitchen’s doorstep, an opportunity arises. The nefarious Sheriff Almaguer soon starts a manhunt for Colvin, and Lia conspires to hide Colvin and change her fate. In the midst of a land torn by a treacherous war between a ruthless king and a rebel army, Lia finds herself on an ominous journey that will push her to wonder if her own hidden magic is enough to set things right. At once captivating, mysterious, and magic-infused, The Wretched of Muirwood takes the classic fantasy adventure and paints it with a story instantly epic, and yet, all its own.
The Cadet of Tildor
Alex Lidell - 2013
R. Martin in this smart, political, medieval fantasy-thriller.There is a new king on the throne of Tildor. Currents of political unrest sweep the country as two warring crime families seek power, angling to exploit the young Crown's inexperience. At the Academy of Tildor, the training ground for elite soldiers, Cadet Renee de Winter struggles to keep up with her male peers. But when her mentor, a notorious commander recalled from active duty to teach at the Academy, is kidnapped to fight in illegal gladiator games, Renee and her best friend Alec find themselves thrust into a world rife with crime, sorting through a maze of political intrigue, and struggling to resolve what they want, what is legal, and what is right.
The Dark Realm
Anthea Sharp - 2011
But she doesn’t suspect the virtual world is close enough to touch — or that she’ll be battling for her life against the Dark Queen of the faeries.TURNS REAL…Tam Linn is the perfect hero — in-game. Too bad the rest of his life is seriously flawed. The last thing he needs is rich-girl Jennet prying into his secrets, insisting he’s the only one who can help her.WINNING IS EVERYTHING…Together, Jennet and Tam enter the Dark Realm of Feyland, only to discover that the entire human world is in danger. Pushed to the limit of their abilities, they must defeat the Dark Queen… before it’s too late.FEYLAND is now available in both paperback and ebook formats.
The Affiliate
K.A. Linde - 2015
Thrust into a world of dangerous political intrigue and deadly magic, Cyrene's position only grows more treacherous when she finds herself drawn to the one man she can never have...King Edric himself.Cyrene must decide if love is truly worth the price of freedom. Find out in this first book in USA Today bestselling author K.A. Linde’s new Ascension series.
Under Different Stars
Amy A. Bartol - 2013
Well versed at dodging caseworkers from Chicago’s foster care system, the past few years on her own have made Kricket an expert at the art of survival and blending in. With her 18th birthday fast approaching, she dreams of the day when she can stop running and find what her heart needs most: a home. Trey Allairis hates Earth and doubts that anyone from his world can thrive here. What he’s learning of Kricket and her existence away from her true home only confirms his theory. But, when he and Kricket lie together under the stars of Ethar, counting them all may be easier than letting her go. Kyon Ensin’s secrets number the stars; he knows more about Kricket's gifts than anyone and plans to possess her because of them. He also knows she’s more valuable than any fire in the night sky. He’ll move the heavens and align them all in order to make her his own. When everything in their world can be broken, will Kricket rely upon love to save her under different stars?
The Knowing
Ninie Hammon - 2015
It ends with the return of an evil as ancient as the skeleton of the universe. In the middle, normal garden-variety people must figure out how to live their everyday lives—how to survive!—after they discover that all those Bible stories about demons and angels...they're true. When the hot call comes over the radio: “Code Red! Active shooter at Carlisle Elementary School,” Police Sergeant Jack Carpenter has only one job: find the gunman; take him out. Carpenter rushes into the school, fully armed and focused on cold, hard reality. But what happens to him in the next few hours shatters the world as he has always known it. And in the next three days, everything Jack Carpenter believes about himself, about life and reality, about good and evil and the whole nature of the universe will be challenged. Can it possibly be true—seriously?—that invisible demons prowl among us every day? That there exists in the real world a winged creature more horrifying than any Hollywood-animated, computer-generated, mechanical unreality? And that the single-minded mission of that beast—a creation of absolute, soul-less evil—is to kill Jack Carpenter? That’s crazy! Fairy-tale-science-fiction-horror-movie-bogeyman crap! Bottom line: it flat-out cannot possibly be true. But it is. In this first book in The Knowing Trilogy, award-winning journalist and bestselling Christian suspense and thriller author Ninie Hammon begins a sprawling tale of spiritual warfare that spans a quarter of a century. If you enjoy sleep-with-the-lights-on suspense coupled with characters so lifelike they'll feel like family, The Knowing will open up for you a world you probably don't want to believe is real. But it is. Interview with the Author Q - What makes The Knowing special? A - It's real life on paper. Things happen that really are "unexplainable." There are forces at work in the universe we can't see, with power we can't begin to imagine and plans we don't understand. Is it any wonder that some things flat out don't have a reasonable, rational explanation? Q - Is The Knowing a paranormal book? A - Not in the sense that most people think of as "paranormal." It's not about zombies or vampires or people who turn into werewolves or giant bears or attack-gerbils. The characters in The Knowing are folks you could bump carts with in a small-town grocery store, so when the unexplainable starts to happen to them, you realize the same thing could happen to you, too. Q - Is this Christian fiction? A -Yes, Christian fiction with a backbone. There are Scriptural realities that many Christians say they believe, even think they believe--but when push comes to shove, they discover they really don't. Theresa Washington from The Knowing says it best: "The smartest thing Satan ever done was to get people to believe he don't exist." Q - Why should readers give this book a try? A - Because it will capture your heart and mind, grab you in a reality so gripping you'll decide you can fold the towels later and the lawn will still be out there to mow tomorrow.
The Rules for Lying
L.A. Kelley - 2017
No good comes from this book. The story has magic, mayhem, theft, murder, sass talk, demons, animals committing felonies, gleeful revenge, and bad things happening to good people for no particular reason. It won’t encourage good habits and probably fine tune bad ones. The only lesson learned is don’t lie unless you know the rules. Teenager Peter Whistler lives at the Little Angels Home for Orphan Boys. Life in New Jersey is harsh in the Great Depression, but Peter has an exceptional ability to lie. He hones his talent, convinced it’s the ticket to easy fortune. He certainly doesn’t foresee the arrival of a murderous conjurer with mysterious designs on a little blind girl named Esther. Drawn into a nefarious plot to unleash a demon, Peter leads Esther and an enchanted terrier on a desperate escape to New Orleans and meets Amelie Marchand. Like all well-bred southern girls she’s trained in deadly martial arts, but with a murderous stepmother, Amelie has troubles of her own. Peter and Amelie’s one chance for survival is to head deep into the bayou and seek help from a mad shaman known as the Frog King. Welcome to an alternate 1930s where both jazz and magic fill New Orleans’ air. Can a little luck, mystical lies, and a dash of Cajun crazy help Peter harness the power to kill an immortal demon? If not, the Depression will be a picnic by comparison when hell arrives on Earth.
Of Silver and Shadow
Jennifer Gruenke - 2021
Ren is just trying to survive, sticking to a life of petty thievery, card games, and pit fighting to get by. But when a wealthy rebel leader discovers her secret, he offers her a fortune to join his revolution. The caveat: she won’t see a single coin until they overthrow the King.Behind the castle walls, a brutal group of warriors known as the King’s Children is engaged in a competition: the first to find the rebel leader will be made King’s Fang, the right hand of the King of Erdis. And Adley Farre is hunting down the rebels one by one, torturing her way to Ren and the rebel leader, and the coveted King’s Fang title.But time is running out for all of them, including the youngest Prince of Erdis, who finds himself pulled into the rebellion. Political tensions have reached a boiling point, and Ren and the rebels must take the throne before war breaks out.