Book picks similar to
The Queen's Training by Noelle Riches
fantasy
romance
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Malice
Heather WalterHeather Walter - 2021
But in this darkly magical retelling of “Sleeping Beauty,” true love is more than a simple fairy tale. Once upon a time, there was a wicked fairy who, in an act of vengeance, cursed a line of princesses to die. A curse that could only be broken by true love’s kiss. You’ve heard this before, haven’t you? The handsome prince. The happily-ever-after. Utter nonsense. Let me tell you, no one in Briar actually cares about what happens to its princesses. Not the way they care about their jewels and elaborate parties and charm-granting elixirs. I thought I didn’t care, either. Until I met her. Princess Aurora. The last heir to Briar’s throne. Kind. Gracious. The future queen her realm needs. One who isn’t bothered that I am Alyce, the Dark Grace, abhorred and feared for the mysterious dark magic that runs in my veins. Humiliated and shamed by the same nobles who pay me to bottle hexes and then brand me a monster. Aurora says I should be proud of my gifts. That she . . . cares for me. Even though it was a power like mine that was responsible for her curse. But with less than a year until that curse will kill her, any future I might see with Aurora is swiftly disintegrating—and she can’t stand to kiss yet another insipid prince. I want to help her. If my power began her curse, perhaps it’s what can lift it. Perhaps, together, we could forge a new world. Nonsense again. Because we all know how this story ends, don’t we? Aurora is the beautiful princess. And I— I am the villain.
Runebinder
Alex R. Kahler - 2017
Now once-human monsters called Howls prowl abandoned streets, their hunger guided by corrupt necromancers and the all-powerful Kin. Only Hunters have the power to fight back in the unending war, using the same magic that ended civilization in the first place.But they are losing.Tenn is a Hunter, resigned to fight even though hope is nearly lost. When he is singled out by a seductive Kin named Tomás and the enigmatic Hunter Jarrett, Tenn realizes he's become a pawn in a bigger game. One that could turn the tides of war. But if his mutinous magic and wayward heart get in the way, his power might not be used in favor of mankind.If Tenn fails to play his part, it could cost him his friends, his life…and the entire world.
Hidden
Catherine McKenzie - 2013
Two women fall to pieces at the news: his wife, Claire, and his co-worker Tish. Reeling from her loss, Claire must comfort her grieving son as well as contend with funeral arrangements, well-meaning family members, and the arrival of Jeff’s estranged brother, who was her ex-boyfriend. Tish volunteers to attend the funeral on her company’s behalf, but only she knows the true risk of inserting herself into the wreckage of Jeff’s life.Told through the three voices of Jeff, Tish, and Claire, Hidden explores the complexity of relationships, the repercussions of our personal choices, and the responsibilities we have to the ones we love.
Furyborn
Claire Legrand - 2018
To prove she is the Sun Queen, Rielle must endure seven elemental magic trials. If she fails, she will be executed...unless the trials kill her first.One thousand years later, the legend of Queen Rielle is a fairy tale to Eliana Ferracora. A bounty hunter for the Undying Empire, Eliana believes herself untouchable--until her mother vanishes. To find her, Eliana joins a rebel captain and discovers that the evil at the empire's heart is more terrible than she ever imagined.As Rielle and Eliana fight in a cosmic war that spans millennia, their stories intersect, and the shocking connections between them ultimately determine the fate of their world--and of each other.
Erotic
J.H. Wolfe - 2022
As the years went by I craved answers, but my mother wouldn't give them to me. Now I'm done with depending on other people. I packed up everything and moved to the town I knew my father still lived in: Birmingham, Alabama.You see, my father's the President of the Sons of Gods MC.I was going to get my answers, and I'd do whatever I needed to. I just never expected to fall in love with one of the men in his club while I sought closure.ConnorMy life was centered around the club. As a prospect I had to prove it to everyone, and then one day when I proved myself enough I'd get patched in. Until then, I did what I was told, backed up the club when needed and life went on as usual.Proving myself to the club would happen in a variety of ways, even helping a friend's sister with some issues at her house. That's where I met her: Callista. She was more beautiful than any woman I saw before, and her eyes showed me she felt true pain.It made me curious and I soon came to discover the heart underneath the shell.I thought we were near perfect for each other. It didn't matter what happened, whether it was a threat to Callista or the club, we overcame it.Until I found out something that changed everything.***The Sons of Gods MC is a darker mythology-themed MC series by J.H. Wolfe and Elizabeth Knox. This series is not paranormal romance. These books are intended for mature audiences only (18+) and do go over triggering subjects. Please proceed with the utmost caution.
Chest of Souls
Michelle Erickson - 2010
In Chest of Souls Book 1, we meet nine year old Talon and the adventure begins . Talon and a young man named Nyk end up running for their lives. Talon meets Brenna, a beautiful six-year-old with power beyond the imagination. Talon and Brenna are the only hope to destroy Sogo. Together they would make a formidable team...if they could live long enough to develop their powers. Michelle Erickson does exactly what all authors should do...begin the book with a dynamic, attention grabbing scene. However, she doesn't stop there; she continues with one heart pounding scene after another. There are plenty monsters to fear and battle in Chest of Souls. Brenna was one of my favorite characters. Although only six years old, she already has self confidence and knows she belongs with Talon. This is the first book in a new series; I can hardly wait to see what our two heroes face in the next book.From the back of the book: Brenna doesn't know that her mother is Hi-Sha of Eyes, or that her father was an assassin and he’s supposed to be dead. She doesn't even know her pet is the Queen of all Shee’s. Brenna is safe because she is oblivious to all but Talon. Talon felt safe until he met Brenna. Once he is ordered to protect her, he's had to fight monsters he never knew existed, run away from an assassin, and escape a forest full of carnivores. His father burned down their cottage and left him with people he just met and he isn't sure who to trust. Talon and Brenna are destined to bring down the wickedest city in the world. They've been hunted their entire lives by the very evil they must destroy. They don't know that when they finally meet that evil, they may not win. In the meantime the Chest of Souls waits to be powered and neither child can guess the price.
Thornfruit
Felicia Davin - 2018
Alizhan can’t see faces, but she can read minds. Her mysterious ability leaves her unable to touch or be touched without excruciating pain. Rescued from abandonment and raised by the wealthy and beautiful Iriyat ha-Varensi, Alizhan has grown up in isolation, using her gift to steal secrets from Iriyat’s rivals, the ruling class of Laalvur. But Iriyat keeps secrets of her own. When Alizhan discovers that she isn’t the only one of her kind, and that a deadly plot threatens everyone like her, there’s only one person she can trust. Ev liked having a secret. None of the other girls in the village had a thief-friend. Evreyet Umarsad—“Ev” to her parents and her one friend—longs to be the kind of hero she reads about in books. But the rest of the world feels impossibly far away from her life on a farm outside Laalvur. Ev will never lay eyes on the underground city of Adappyr, the stars of the Nightward Coast, or the venomous medusas that glow in the dark depths of the sea. At least on her weekly trip to the market, Ev gets to see her thief—the strange young woman who slips by her cart and playfully steals a handful of thornfruit. When the thief needs help, Ev doesn’t hesitate. Together, they uncover a conspiracy that draws them all over Laalvur and beyond. Thornfruit is the first book in The Gardener's Hand trilogy.
Three Dark Crowns
Kendare Blake - 2016
Mirabella is a fierce elemental, able to spark hungry flames or vicious storms at the snap of her fingers. Katharine is a poisoner, one who can ingest the deadliest poisons without so much as a stomachache. Arsinoe, a naturalist, is said to have the ability to bloom the reddest rose and control the fiercest of lions.But becoming the Queen Crowned isn’t solely a matter of royal birth. Each sister has to fight for it. And it’s not just a game of win or lose…it’s life or death. The night the sisters turn sixteen, the battle begins.The last queen standing gets the crown.
Blood of Zeus
Meredith Wild - 2020
A forbidden love. The only thing worse than being a demon is being a Valari. As an undergraduate at Los Angeles’s Alameda University, Kara Valari can sometimes succeed at forgetting she’s both. Lost between the pages of the classics and tucked into the shadows of lecture halls, she can dodge the paparazzi’s lenses as well as her family’s publicized dramas—not to mention their private expectations. She has one more year to feed her true passions. Then she’ll be expected to fulfill a much darker destiny. Cursed with inexplicable strength and god-like stature, literature professor Maximus Kane knows all about darkness. Every day he’s reminded of the missteps of his childhood and the devastating consequences they’ve had on those dearest to him. To atone, Maximus spends his nights alone and his days submerged in the quiet life of academia. His existence has become a study in control, and he’s become a master at it—until Kara Valari walks into his toughest course. Viscerally, Kara’s everything he craves. Logically, she’s everything he rejects. She’s a starlet of privilege. She’s also a student. And after one touch, he can’t deny that she’s awakened something in him that may never go dormant. Nothing about her makes sense, but everything about her feels right. Especially in the deepest strands of his DNA, which are still shadows of mystery to him—a mystery Kara seems determined to uncover. She’s Hollywood royalty. She’s forbidden fruit. And he’s pretty sure she could be the answer to everything.
Dragon Mates: The Complete Dragons of Charok Series Box Set
Meg Ripley - 2021
Brimming with fiery passion, sassy psychics, witches, fae, and adorable dragon babies guaranteed to tug at your heartstrings, Dragon Mates will set your heart ablaze for hours on end.Holden’s MateHumans prove to be odd creatures, but one blue-eyed psychic compels me in ways I’ve never experienced.I can barely keep my inner dragon in check when she’s near.But will my unfathomable secret keep us apart?Xander’s MateI need a mate to help me raise my charge: a baby dragon princess.And I know Summer is most definitely that woman.If we’re destined to be together, can we learn to overcome our differences?Beau’s MateI know it’s best for little Elliot, but I’m not sure I’m ready to find a mate.Especially a human one.Until I meet a sexy redhead who’s just as stubborn as I am.With this sassy witch and my hard-headed dragon, it all comes down to a battle of will.Julian’s MateAfter spending so much time with her back on Charok, I know my mate is nowhere on Earth.But when I come face to face with her again, it’s like a dream come true.Until we find out a powerful demon has slipped into the living realm on Earth along with her.Dragon’s Royal GuardA portal ripped open, thrusting me into a strange new world. And then I met her.Royal Dragon’s ProtectorI’ve been pulled from my home planet, forced to acclimate to this foreign world.But now I’m being pulled to Nora.Royal Dragon DaddyI never expected to be a single dad. Nor did I think I’d ever find a mate willing to raise another woman’s baby.Until I met Aurora.Royal Dragon’s WitchThe powerful, unyielding attraction I feel toward a certain mysterious beauty has my dragon reeling to claim what’s his.But she’s my mortal enemy.★ ★ ★ ★ ★ “A super-sized paranormal romance collection! Steamy and romantic, with adventure and great characters..” ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ “You will fall for these shifters and want one for yourself.” WARNING! Steamy shifter love scenes inside! Readers 18+ only. Dragon Mates packs Meg Ripley’s bestselling Daddy Dragon Guardians and Shifters Between Worlds series into one riveting anthology..
The Defender of Rebel Falls
Erik Christensen - 2017
As a librarian—a reluctant one—his reports catch the eyes of a powerful nobleman, who selects William for an important mission. As he faces danger after danger, he soon realizes that having the right weapon is one thing, but having the wits to use it is quite another. Because when he faces his ultimate challenge, it's more than just his own life at stake.
Princess Avenger
Bernadette Rowley - 2012
Alecia’s only worth is to have a son, who will be heir to the kingdom. …a dangerous shifter, tasked with guarding a princess who refuses to be shielded from danger. Vard’s dark secret could spell the end of the woman he’s sworn to protect. And yet, when thrown together, neither of them can deny the forbidden attraction. As their lives spin out of control, will love be enough to pull them from the vortex and perhaps save the kingdom? Princess Avenger is the first book in the epic Queenmakers Saga, combining the sweeping high fantasy world of Thorius with sizzling romance. If you like magic, political intrigue and mythical creatures, wrapped up in a ‘beauty and the beast’ love story, then you’ll adore Princess Avenger. This book contains sex scenes and is intended for mature readers.
Between Ink and Shadows
Melissa Wright - 2020
Her father’s dealings with the dark society known as the Trust cost Nim her freedom. There’s one way out of the contract on her life and that’s to bide her time and pay the tithes. But when the Trust assigns Nim to a task in the king’s own castle, her freedom is not the only thing she’ll risk.Warrick Spenser has a secret. As king’s seneschal, he should be the last soul in Inara to risk association with dark magic, but long-hidden ties to the Trust are harder to shed than simply cutting the threads. When the Trust sends a thief to his rooms, Warrick thinks he’s finally found a way to be rid of them for good. But Nimona Weston is hiding secrets of her own.Magical contracts, blood-debt accountants, and a deadly game. A dark and twisty fantasy that pits magic against kings, perfect for fans of Sorcery of Thorns and Serpent & Dove.
Touch of Iron
Timandra Whitecastle - 2016
A fated quest. When the world is on the brink, one woman dares to defy destiny…Is the Living Blade real or just a legend? With it… Prince Bashan could win back his kingdom. Master Telen Diaz can free himself of the burden from his past. Owen Smith sees a once-in-a-lifetime chance to gain untold knowledge. … but for Noraya Smith, the Living Blade will bring nothing but suffering and sorrow.
Truthwitch
Susan Dennard - 2016
After clashing with a powerful Guildmaster and his ruthless Bloodwitch bodyguard, the friends are forced to flee their home.Safi must avoid capture at all costs as she's a rare Truthwitch, able to discern truth from lies. Many would kill for her magic, so Safi must keep it hidden - lest she be used in the struggle between empires. And Iseult's true powers are hidden even from herself.In a chance encounter at Court, Safi meets Prince Merik and makes him a reluctant ally. However, his help may not slow down the Bloodwitch now hot on the girls' heels. All Safi and Iseult want is their freedom, but danger lies ahead. With war coming, treaties breaking and a magical contagion sweeping the land, the friends will have to fight emperors and mercenaries alike. For some will stop at nothing to get their hands on a Truthwitch.