Book picks similar to
Ashen by H.L. Burke


fantasy
fairy-tale-retellings
cinderella
fairy-tale

Cinder Ellie


J.M. Stengl - 2018
    Her lowly rank keeps her always at a distance from the powerful, beautiful guests who spend their summers at Faraway Castle, yet Ellie dares to dream of one day exchanging even just a few words with shy Prince Omar of Khenifra. But when rare magical creatures show up in Faraway Castle’s gardens, Ellie’s life is suddenly complicated. Cinder sprites are causing fires and potentially endangering the beautiful resort. The resort director has sent for an exterminator to deal with these so-called pests. Can Ellie find a way to use her humble magic to save the cinder sprites and Faraway Castle before disaster strikes?

Masque


W.R. Gingell - 2014
    . . Bloody murder? It’s the Annual Ambassadorial Ball in Glause, and Lady Isabella Farrah, the daughter of New Civet’s Ambassador, is feeling pleasantly scintillated. In the library is Lord Pecus, a charming gentleman whose double mask hides a beastly face, and who has decided that Isabella is the very person to break the Pecus curse. In the ball-room is young Lord Topher, who is rapidly falling in love with an older woman. And in the card-room, lying in a pool of his own blood, is the body of one of Isabella’s oldest friends: Raoul, Civet’s Head Guardsman. The papers sewn into his sash seem to suggest espionage gone wrong, but Isabella is not so certain. Lord Pecus, as Commander of the Watch, is of the opinion that Isabella should keep out of the investigation and out of danger. Isabella is of the opinion that it is her murder to investigate, and that what a certain Beast-Lord doesn’t know won’t hurt him. . . . Will Isabella find the murderer before Lord Pecus does, or will she end her investigation as a bloody spatter on the parlour floor?

The Beast and the Enchantress


Camille Peters - 2021
    But when an egocentric prince breaks her sister’s heart, Astrid’s only focus is revenge, and what better way to enact it than with a well-chosen curse? A simple incantation is all it takes to transform the arrogant prince's appearance to match the state of his heart. But something goes wrong, causing the spell to affect not only the prince, but its caster as well. As the curse begins to change her appearance to reflect the state of her own vengeful heart, Astrid becomes desperate to break it at all costs, even if it means entering the castle in disguise and interacting with the prince she loathes.To her surprise, Astrid encounters not a conceited prince, but one very different from the one she cursed. She soon finds her heart softening, but not in the way she expects—she’s losing it to the cursed prince she has vowed to hate. The closer they become, the more desperate Astrid is to free the prince, and herself, from the curse. But in so doing, she may lose the man she loves forever. For how could a prince ever love the woman who turned him into a beast? The Beast and the Enchantress is one of twelve short novels in A Villain's Ever After, a collection of stand-alone stories featuring villainous twists on some of your favorite classic fairy tales. Read the series in any order for magical adventures . . . and fall in love with villains as you've never seen them before. Who said villains can't have happily-ever-afters?

A Wish Made of Glass


Ashlee Willis - 2015
    Their kinship is the very fabric of her childhood. When her mother dies and her world darkens with sorrow, Isidore finds her belief in the fey folk wavering.The love of her new step-sister, Blessing, proves an unexpected gift in her time of need. Yet even as their friendship blooms, Isidore begins to see that Blessing is everything she herself has always wanted to be, but is not. Jealousy grips Isidore as she watches this beautiful new sister steal away all she holds dear.Driven to desperation, Isidore turns to the fey folk once more. She has only one wish to claim from them, one chance to make things right. But she must tread carefully. For wishes, like hearts, are easily broken. And obtaining the one thing she desires could mean destroying the one thing she truly needs.

The Stolen Kingdom


Bethany Atazadeh - 2019
    When she begins to hear the thoughts of those around her, she hides it to the best of her ability. But to her dismay, the forbidden Gift is growing out of control.When a neighboring king tries to force her hand in marriage and steal her kingdom, discovery becomes imminent. Just one slip could cost her throne. And her life.A lamp, a heist, and a Jinni hunter’s crew of thieves are her only hope for removing this Gift--and she must remove it before she’s exposed. Or die trying. THE STOLEN KINGDOM is a loose Aladdin retelling. Set in a world that humans share with Mermaids, Dragons, and the elusive Jinni, this isn’t the fairytale you remember… **Grab your copy today!*****Fans of fairy tale retellings like The Lunar Chronicles, supernatural fantasy worlds like The Cruel Prince, and stories with a crew of thieves like Six of Crows will be drawn to the romance, tension, and magical surprises of the Jinni and human worlds colliding in Bethany Atazadeh’s The Stolen Kingdom Series.*** PRAISE FOR THE BOOK: "A dainty princess and a friendly genie are replaced with a tough heroine who fights back and a magical race everyone fears in this addicting fairy tale twist on Aladdin." - Vivien Reis, author of The Elysian Prophecy“A beautifully whimsical story in a new fantasy retelling series, which pays lovely homage to its predecessor. The Stolen Kingdom is a creative take on a classic that is sure to enrapture readers.” - Jessi Elliott, author of Twisted Fate“The Stolen Kingdom is a spellbinding story that pulled me in from the first page. Atazadeh has created a fantasy world that’s both beautiful and frightening, and this Aladdin retelling will capture the hearts of readers who enjoy the beloved folktale.” - Natalia Leigh, author of Song of the Dryad"The Stolen Kingdom takes a completely new direction to the classic fairy tale, one that is familiar, refreshing, and unlike anything in the current YA genre.” - J. L. Willow, author of Missing Her“The Stolen Kingdom series is a fresh breath of air into the fairy-tale retelling genre. Bethany has a unique way of intertwining her characters into one story that will leave you begging for the next book in the series.” - Mandi Lynn, author of She’s Not Here"The Stolen Kingdom is an immersive, heart-pounding suspenseful experience that will have you reading as fast as you can. Atazadeh delivers characters that you will fall in love with and root for until the very end." - Bri R. Leclerc, author of Beaconfield THE STOLEN KINGDOM SERIES READING ORDER:Book 1: The Stolen Kingdom: An Aladdin retellingBook 2: The Jinni Key: A Little Mermaid retellingBook 3: The Cursed Hunter: A Beauty and the Beast retelling (releasing June 30th & available for preorder)Book 4: The Enchanted Crown: A Sleeping Beauty retelling (coming Fall 2020)

Midnight for a Curse


E.J. Kitchens - 2020
    She also knows the wisdom of agreeing with a powerful enchantress. So when she inadvertently gets mixed up with a cursed Beast and his enchantress, she finds herself tasked with the role of Curse Breaker. That’s not an easy position, for Beast has reasons of his own to keep his curse. There’s also someone else determined to break it by whatever means possible and claim Beast for herself, and she doesn’t take competition well.With wit, clean romance, and a touch of danger, Midnight for a Curse is a retelling of the beloved Beauty and the Beast tale.

What Is Hidden


Lauren Skidmore - 2014
    It is our duty to warn you—do not trust the masks alone.”In Venesia, your mask is your life. It is your face, your rank, and your identity. Without a mask, you are nothing. Which makes the Chameleon the most dangerous criminal in the land. When the Chameleon attacks the talented mask maker Evie, he not only strips away Evie’s mask, destroys her home, and kills her father, but he also brands her face with his own criminal mark that would incriminate her for his wrongdoings should it be discovered. Her only choice is to go into hiding—at the royal palace. But as she creates a new identity —and plans to exact revenge— Evie soon learns that masks hide more than just faces ...Unmask the secrets that Venesia holds in this unique and romantic spin on the classic tale of Cinderella.

A Branch of Silver, a Branch of Gold


Anne Elisabeth Stengl - 2016
    A Peasant Girl. A Curse Six Hundred Years Old . . .For six hundred years I have dwelt in this prison. Trapped. Helpless. Unliving and undying. For six hundred years I have watched as cursebreakers come and go. Brave young women all, gifted with powers beyond mortal understanding. I have watched them die. I have watched them wish to die. Once again the Family of Night invades this country to claim its dues, and this generation’s cursebreaker has her chance to break the endless chain of torment. To save me. To save her sisters. But how can a peasant child scarcely fourteen years of age discover the three-part key and liberate the captives? Will she too be doomed to join the Death Dance binding us all to the Family of Night?

Before Beauty


Brittany Fichter - 2015
    Prince Everard’s father spent the boy's youth forging the prince into a warrior. Upon the king’s death, however, Everard realizes he’s lost himself somewhere along the way, and in his pain, makes a decision that brings a dark curse upon both him and the great Fortress that has so long guarded the people of Destin. The prince's sin doesn’t simply affect those of his citadel, however. Isa, the daughter of a local merchant, has suffered the prince’s hasty temper before, and it changed her life forever. When Everard’s final outburst cuts off his people’s source of protection with the curse, he demands that she, a crippled commoner, come to help him break it. All the while, Destin’s northern enemy crouches at the foot of the Fortress’s mountain, waiting for the right moment to capture the stronghold that has stood for a thousand years. With the freedom of Destin at stake, can both Everard and Isa find ways to move beyond their brokenness and hatred for one another, not only to break the curse, but to find love as well? Or will they and their beloved kingdom remain under darkness forever?

Fated: Cinderella's Story


Kaylin Lee - 2017
    Then it all blows up in her face—literally.A violent, anonymous force has been targeting commoners in horrifying attacks. Now they’ve set their sights on Cinderella. Either that, or she’s losing her mind. It doesn’t help that she’s falling for a mage who’s way out of her league.Just as she manages to recover from the attack that left her scarred and traumatized, the city’s mysterious enemy destroys what’s left of her future. But when they go after her family, they cross the line. The whole city is in danger now.How much is Cinderella willing to risk to save the city that has always hated her?—Fated: Cinderella’s Story is a magical fairy tale retelling filled with hope, sacrifice, and sweet romance. It’s the first book in the planned Destined series, a collection of overlapping fairy tale retellings all set in the same magical world.

Ella and Ash: Cinderella Reimagined


K.A. Last - 2019
    The pendant is the only connection Ella has with her mother, and she will do anything to protect it—even if it means becoming a servant in her own home. To escape her wicked stepfamily, Ella finds solace under the branches of the weeping willow beside her mother’s grave. Ella thought she could practice her magic there in secret, but when she is caught by Ashwin, the son of the richest lord in the county, Ella fears she may lose her pendant after all. Ashwin gains Ella’s trust by promising not to tell anyone about the pendant, but Ella knows they are from different worlds, and she is reluctant to open up to him too much. When Ashwin invites Ella to a masquerade ball, she sees it as a chance to escape her life, even if it is for just one night. But her pendant isn’t the only secret Ella has been keeping. If Ashwin learns who she really is, will the truth ruin her chance of happiness with him, or will it set her free? Find out in this sweet and magical re-imagining of Cinderella.

Queen Cinder


Roy A. Mauritsen - 2012
    She carries the fabled shards of Cinderella's glass slippers, as well as the dark secret of who murdered the last of the fairy godmothers.Roy A.Mauritsen's fantasy adventure fairy tale epic begins with Shards of the Glass Slipper: Queen Cinder. "Fantastic... A Magnificent Epic!" -Sarah Beth Durst, author of Into The Wild & Drink, Slay, Love "The Brothers Grimm meets Lord of the Rings." -Patrick Thomas, author of TheMurphy's Lore series "Roy Mauritsen's enchanting epic comes at a time when fairy tales are back in the forefront of our collective imagination. If you've missed the stone halls and warm fireplaces of Happily Ever After then look no further." -Darin Kennedy, author

A Dance of Silver and Shadow: A Retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses


Melanie Cellier - 2017
    But the people of Marin live under the shadow of a curse—one powerful enough to destroy entire kingdoms. To protect them all, Lily and eleven other princesses are forced to participate in a mysterious and secret tournament.Lily spends her nights competing in a magical underground realm and her days unraveling the dangers of this new court. Although she needs the help of the Marinese prince, Lily knows she can't let herself grow too close to him. There's no time for romance when the duchy is about to fall to the encroaching darkness and the winner of the tournament faces a terrible fate.But Lily and her twin have a secret advantage. And Lily grows increasingly determined to use their magical bond to defeat the tournament, save the princesses, and free Marin. Except she might have to sacrifice true love to do it.In this reimagining of the classic fairy tale, The Twelve Dancing Princesses, there's a lot more at stake than worn out dancing slippers.

The Spinner and the Slipper


Camryn Lockhart - 2016
    Now her stepmother’s thoughtless lie has placed her in danger, for if Eliana cannot spin a roomful of straw into gold by dawn, the greedy king will order her execution.One glimmer of hope lights this dire situation when a mysterious stranger magically appears in Eliana’s prison cell. A series of bargains might be enough to secure Eliana’s freedom.But unfriendly powers observe the doings of faeries and mortals alike. Can Eliana and her nameless champion surmount the odds piling up against them . . . even the wrath of mighty King Oberon himself?

The Beast of Talesend


Kyle Robert Shultz - 2017
    Fairy tales aren’t real. Private detective Nick Beasley knows that. This is 1922 E.A. (Ever After), an age of big cities, automobiles, and airships. Nobody in the Afterlands believes in magic and monsters anymore. Especially not Nick, who’s made a name for himself in the city of Talesend by debunking fraudulent “magical” phenomena.But when a misadventure with alleged enchantress Lady Cordelia Beaumont goes awry, leaving Nick with claws, a tail, and quite a lot of fur, he begins to rethink his stance on magic.There’s only one way for Nick to regain his humanity. He and Cordelia will have to retrieve a powerful magical artifact from a ruthless crime lord—who happens to be Cordelia’s father. Otherwise, Nick won’t be the only monster roaming through Talesend.The fate of the Afterlands lies in the hands of a renegade enchantress and an extremely hairy detective. What could possibly go wrong?