Books like 'Princess Academy'

Readers who enjoyed Princess Academy by Shannon Hale also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.

historical fantasy romance action / adventure high fantasy children fairy-tale royalty historical-fiction coming-of-age

The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
· 50 ratings
Following their adventures in The Bear and the Nightingale and The Girl in the Tower, Vasya and Morozko return in this stunning conclusion to the bestselling Winternight Trilogy, battling enemies mortal and magical to save both Russias, the seen and the unseen. Now Moscow has been struck by disaster. Its people are searching for answers—and for someone to blame...

Categorized as:
fairy-tale family female-mc historical-fiction magic magical-realism medieval paranormal
Son of the Shadows by Juliet Marillier
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars
· 40 ratings
After years of comparative peace, darkness has fallen upon Ulster. Trouble is brewing and even those in the heart of the forest are not safe. Niamh, elder daughter of Sorcha, is required to make a strategic marriage, while her sister Liadan, who has the gift of Sight and her mother’s talent for healing, finds herself drawn into the shadowy world of the Painted Man and his warrior band...

Categorized as:
coming-of-age fairy-tale family female-mc historical-fiction magic medieval paranormal
The Princess Bride by William Goldman
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars
· 98 ratings
What happens when the most beautiful girl in the world marries the handsomest prince of all time and he turns out to be...well...a lot less than the man of her dreams?As a boy, William Goldman claims, he loved to hear his father read the S. Morgenstern classic, The Princess Bride...

Categorized as:
children classics drama fairy-tale high-school historical-fiction magic paranormal
The Silent Shield by Jeff Wheeler
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars
· 35 ratings
Thrust into the heart of events threatening to rip her kingdom apart, young Trynne Kiskaddon will gain new powers and see old allies fall and new heroes rise as the battle for the kingdom and the lands beyond begins.Courtly intrigue and rumors of invasion plunge Kingfountain into turmoil as the search for Trynne’s father begins in earnest...

Categorized as:
coming-of-age female-mc historical-fiction magic paranormal royalty action-adventure alpha-mc
The Forsaken Throne by Jeff Wheeler
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars
· 36 ratings
A devastating disaster has left the Forbidden Court in ashes, its fountains destroyed, and its magic at risk. It was destined as the site of Trynne Kiskaddon’s coronation as empress. Now, all Trynne can imagine is the roar of flames, the cries of Gahalatine’s people, and the smell of cinders in a city gone dark...

Categorized as:
coming-of-age female-mc historical-fiction magic paranormal royalty action-adventure alpha-mc
Lioness Rampant by Tamora Pierce
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars
· 68 ratings
From Tamora Pierce, the final book in the Song of the Lioness Quartet, honored with the Margaret A. Edwards Award.Having achieved her dream of becoming the first female knight errant, Alanna of Trebond is not sure what to do next. She has triumphed in countless bloody battles, and her adventures are already legendary...

Categorized as:
children classics coming-of-age female-mc high-school historical-fiction magic medieval
Trickster's Queen by Tamora Pierce
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars
· 54 ratings
Aly’s adventure continues…. No longer a slave, Alanna’s daughter is now spying as part of an underground rebellion against the colonial rulers of the Copper Isles. The people in the rebellion believe that a prophecy in which a new queen will rise up to take the throne is about to be realized...

Categorized as:
children coming-of-age female-mc high-school historical-fiction magic medieval paranormal
The Hollow Crown by Jeff Wheeler
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars
· 36 ratings
Following the downfall of a tyrant, years have passed in prosperity for the kingdom of Ceredigion. Now, as the time comes to celebrate the new king’s nuptials, the specter of a new enemy emerges to destroy all that has been painstakingly built in those years.Tryneowy Kiskaddon has grown up learning military and diplomatic strategy from her father, one of the king’s closest advisors...

Categorized as:
coming-of-age historical-fiction magic paranormal retellings royalty action-adventure arthurian
In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars
· 69 ratings
Disguised as a boy, Alanna of Trebond becomes a squire, to none other than the prince of the realm. But Prince Jonathan is much more to Alanna; he is her ally, her best friend, and one of the few who knows that she's really a girl...

Categorized as:
children classics coming-of-age female-mc friendship historical-fiction magic medieval
The Legendary Inge by Kate Stradling
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars
· 12 ratings
An alternative cover edition for this ASIN can be found here.Plagued by misfortune, Ingrid Norling treks into the woods to clear her head. She emerges a monster-slayer, the shaken executioner of a creature so ferocious that even the king’s strongest warriors could not destroy it...

Categorized as:
fairy-tale family female-mc magic magical-realism paranormal retellings royalty
Trickster's Choice by Tamora Pierce
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars
· 54 ratings
Alianne is the teenage daughter of the famed Alanna, the first lady knight in Tortall. Young Aly follows in the quieter footsteps of her father, however, delighting in the art of spying...

Categorized as:
children coming-of-age female-mc high-school historical-fiction magic medieval paranormal
The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars
· 52 ratings
This is the story of Corlath, golden-eyed king of the Free Hillfolk, son of the sons of the Lady Aerin.And this is the story of Harry Crewe, the Homelander orphan girl who became Harimad-sol, King's Rider, and heir to the Blue Sword, Gonturan, that no woman had wielded since the Lady Aerin herself bore it into battle...

Categorized as:
children classics coming-of-age fairy-tale female-mc high-school magic medieval
Rumpelstiltskin by K.M. Shea
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars
· 26 ratings
When 17-year-old Gemma, a seamstress, is ordered by the insane King Torgen to spin straw into gold or be put to death, she knows her life is forfeit. Unwilling to give up, Gemma tries to escape her prison, earning her the respect of the mysterious mage, Stil. Stil offers to complete the impossible task…for a price...

Categorized as:
coming-of-age fairy-tale female-mc magic paranormal retellings royalty action-adventure
Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars
· 74 ratings
Miryem is the daughter and granddaughter of moneylenders, but her father's inability to collect his debts has left his family on the edge of poverty--until Miryem takes matters into her own hands. Hardening her heart, the young woman sets out to claim what is owed and soon gains a reputation for being able to turn silver into gold...

Categorized as:
fairy-tale family female-mc historical-fiction magic magical-realism paranormal retellings
Puss in Boots by K.M. Shea
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars
· 14 ratings
Though she dreams of adventure, Gabrielle—a peasant girl—is given only a cat for her inheritance and is told she must marry, immediately. So when the cat, Puss, offers her a life of excitement in exchange for a pair of boots, Gabrielle jumps at the opportunity. Through Puss’s cunning and Gabrielle’s good deeds, they become celebrated heroes in small villages across the country...

Categorized as:
fairy-tale female-mc magic paranormal retellings royalty action-adventure adaptations
The Queen's Resistance by Rebecca Ross, Suzanne Elise Freeman
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars
· 18 ratings
The highly anticipated sequel to The Queen’s Rising!Finally, Brienna is a mistress of knowledge and is settling into her role as the daughter of Davin MacQuinn, a disgraced lord who returned to Maevana to reclaim his house. Though she’d just survived a revolution, one that will finally return a queen to the throne, she faces another difficult challenge...

Categorized as:
family friendship historical-fiction magic medieval paranormal royalty action-adventure
The Woman Who Rides Like a Man by Tamora Pierce
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
· 64 ratings
"Let her prove herself worthy as a man." Newly knighted, Alanna of Trebond seeks adventure in the vast desert of Tortall. Captured by fierce desert dwellers, she is forced to prove herself in a duel to the death -- either she will be killed or she will be inducted into the tribe. Although she triumphs, dire challenges lie ahead...

Categorized as:
children classics coming-of-age female-mc friendship high-school historical-fiction magic
Enflamed by Jody Hedlund
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
· 6 ratings
During a time when legends were born . . .ENFLAMEDThe most beautiful noblewoman in the kingdom, the lowly knight who can never have her, and the forbidden love they share.When Sylvi Prestegard discovers that her father has arranged for her to marry a wealthy nobleman known for his thieving ways, she’s desperate to avoid the union...

Categorized as:
drama family friendship historical-fiction magical-realism medieval retellings royalty
The Little Selkie by K.M. Shea
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars
· 27 ratings
Dylan—a selkie—makes a terrible mistake when she brashly chases an evil sea witch onto land. Captured and stripped of her pelt—leaving her unable to return to the sea in her sea lion body—Dylan’s only chance of survival is to serve as the sea witch’s tool...

Categorized as:
fairy-tale female-mc magic medieval paranormal retellings royalty action-adventure
The Forgotten Sisters by Shannon Hale
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars
· 21 ratings
After a year at the king's palace, Miri has learned all about being a proper princess. But the tables turn when the student must become the teacher!Instead of returning to her beloved Mount Eskel, Miri is ordered to journey to a distant swamp and start a princess academy for three sisters, cousins of the royal family...

Categorized as:
children coming-of-age drama fairy-tale family female-mc friendship historical-fiction
The Singing by Alison Croggon
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars
· 37 ratings
In an increasingly battle-ravaged land, Maerad, Cadvan, and Hem desperately search for one another as they make their separate journeys. The Black Army is advancing north, and even as Maerad faces a mighty confrontation with the Landrost to save Innail, all of the Seven Kingdoms are threatened with bitter and devastating defeat...

Categorized as:
children coming-of-age family female-mc high-school magic medieval paranormal
The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf by Gerald Morris
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars
· 30 ratings
Her castle under siege by an evil knight who keeps beheading all her would-be rescuers, Lady Lynet sets out for help and finds assistance from an odd dwarf named Roger and a scruffy kitchen hand named Beaumains...

Categorized as:
children classics fairy-tale female-mc high-school historical-fiction magic medieval
Heir to Sevenwaters by Juliet Marillier
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars
· 35 ratings
A brand new novel in the beloved world of Sevenwaters, a fantasy series that should appeal to "Lord of the Rings" fans (VOYA). The chieftains of Sevenwaters have long been custodians of a vast and mysterious forest. Human and Otherworld dwellers have existed there side by side, sharing a wary trust...

Categorized as:
children fairy-tale family female-mc high-school historical-fiction magic medieval
The Legend of Holly Claus by Brittney Ryan
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars
· 14 ratings
The birth of Holly Claus, Santa's daughter, is a miracle but it also brings about a terrible curse from an evil soul. Holly's heart is frozen, and she must face her enemy, free her self, and save her father's kingdom...

Categorized as:
children classics fairy-tale family friendship historical-fiction magic magical-realism
Enchanted by K.M. Shea
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars
· 23 ratings
ASIN moved from less recent editionAfter she is successfully crowned King of Britain and vanquishes those opposed to her rule, Britt thought life would settle down and she could peacefully pretend to be the real King Arthur and search for the lost Round Table. However, her enemies aren’t cowed yet...

Categorized as:
fairy-tale female-mc historical-fiction magic medieval paranormal retellings royalty
The Ordinary Princess by M.M. Kaye
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars
· 36 ratings
Along with Wit, Charm, Health, and Courage, Princess Amy of Phantasmorania receives a special fairy christening gift: Ordinariness. Unlike her six beautiful sisters, she has brown hair and freckles, and would rather have adventures than play the harp, embroider tapestries . . . or become a Queen...

Categorized as:
children classics coming-of-age fairy-tale family female-mc friendship historical-fiction
Dragon Spear by Jessica Day George
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars
· 35 ratings
For Creel, all is right with the world. The dragon king, Shardas, and his queen, Velika, have made a comfy home on the Far Isles, and humans and dragons seem to be at peace. It's the perfect time for Creel to plan her wedding to Prince Luka. Well, it was perfect -- until Velika gets kidnapped, and Creel and Luka set off to save her...

Categorized as:
children fairy-tale family female-mc friendship magic medieval paranormal
The Wide-Awake Princess by E.D. Baker
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars
· 25 ratings
In this new stand-alone fairy tale, Princess Annie is the younger sister to Gwen, the princess destined to be Sleeping Beauty. When Gwennie pricks her finger and the whole castle falls asleep, only Annie is awake, and only Annie-blessed (or cursed?) with being impervious to magic-can venture out beyond the rose-covered hedge for help. She must find Gwen's true love to kiss her awake...

Categorized as:
children fairy-tale family female-mc friendship magic medieval paranormal
The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars
· 66 ratings
She was born with her eyes closed and a word on her tongue, a word she could not taste.Her name was Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee, Crown Princess of Kildenree, and she spent the first years of her life listening to her aunt’s stories and learning the language of the birds, especially the swans...

Categorized as:
children classics coming-of-age drama fairy-tale female-mc friendship high-school
East by Edith Pattou
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars
· 45 ratings
Rose has always been different. Since the day she was born, it was clear she had a special fate. Her superstitious mother keeps the unusual circumstances of Rose's birth a secret, hoping to prevent her adventurous daughter from leaving home... but she can't suppress Rose's true nature forever...

Categorized as:
children classics coming-of-age fairy-tale female-mc high-school historical-fiction magic
The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars
· 57 ratings
Deadly storms have ravaged Mina’s homeland for generations. Floods sweep away entire villages, while bloody wars are waged over the few remaining resources. Her people believe the Sea God, once their protector, now curses them with death and despair...

Categorized as:
fairy-tale family historical-fiction magic magical-realism paranormal retellings royalty
A Dance with Fate by Juliet Marillier
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars
· 24 ratings
A young woman who is both a bard--and a warrior--seeks to repay her debts and settle scores in this thrilling historical fantasy series.The young warrior and bard Liobhan has lost her brother to the Otherworld. Even more determined to gain a place as an elite fighter, she returns to Swan Island to continue her training...

Categorized as:
family female-mc friendship historical-fiction magic magical-realism medieval paranormal
Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan
Rated: 4.09 of 5 stars
· 60 ratings
A captivating debut fantasy inspired by the legend of Chang'e, the Chinese moon goddess, in which a young woman’s quest to free her mother pits her against the most powerful immortal in the realm.Growing up on the moon, Xingyin is accustomed to solitude, unaware that she is being hidden from the feared Celestial Emperor who exiled her mother for stealing his elixir of immortality...

Categorized as:
coming-of-age fairy-tale family female-mc historical-fiction magic paranormal retellings
By Darkness Hid by Jill Williamson
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars
· 17 ratings
Given the chance to train as a squire, kitchen servant Achan Cham hopes to pull himself out of his pitiful life and become a Kingsguard Knight. When Achan's owner learns of his training, he forces Achan to spar with the Crown Prince--more of a death sentence than an honor. Meanwhile, strange voices in Achan's head cause him to fear he's going mad...

Categorized as:
children coming-of-age friendship historical-fiction magic medieval paranormal action-adventure
Voice of Power by Melanie Cellier
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars
· 18 ratings
In Elena's world words have power over life and death--but none more so than hers.As the daughter of shopkeepers, Elena has always known that the mysteries of reading and writing were closed to her. Only the mageborn can risk harnessing the power unleashed from putting pen to paper. Until Elena discovers an impossible new ability and joins the elite ranks of the mages...

Categorized as:
boarding-school coming-of-age fairy-tale female-mc friendship high-school magic medieval
No Place for Magic by E.D. Baker
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars
· 20 ratings
When Emma and her beloved frog-turned-prince Eadric travel to Upper Montevista to ask for Eadric's parents' blessing on their marriage, they find his homeland in chaos: Eadric's annoying little brother Bradston has been kidnapped by trolls! Worse, his mother won't let Emma use magic, even to rescue Bradston, and Eadric seems suddenly a bit too fond of the girls from his past...

Categorized as:
children fairy-tale family friendship magic medieval paranormal retellings
The Banished of Muirwood by Jeff Wheeler
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars
· 20 ratings
In a stand-alone series set in the world of Muirwood, eighteen-year-old Maia is the exiled princess of Comoros and heir to the throne. As a result of her father’s ceaseless need for authority, she was left disinherited and forced to live as a servant in her enemy’s home...

Categorized as:
coming-of-age family female-mc historical-fiction magic paranormal royalty action-adventure
The Perilous Gard by Elizabeth Marie Pope
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars
· 20 ratings
In 1558, while exiled by Queen Mary Tudor to a remote castle known as Perilous Gard, young Kate Sutton becomes involved in a series of mysterious events that lead her to an underground world peopled by Fairy Folk—whose customs are even older than the Druids’ and include human sacrifice...

Categorized as:
children classics fairy-tale female-mc historical-fiction magic magical-realism medieval
Princess of the Silver Woods by Jessica Day George
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars
· 25 ratings
When Petunia, the youngest of King Gregor's twelve dancing daughters, is invited to visit an elderly friend in the neighboring country of Westfalin, she welcomes the change of scenery. But in order to reach Westfalin, Petunia must pass through a forest where strange two-legged wolves are rumored to exist...

Categorized as:
children coming-of-age fairy-tale family female-mc friendship high-school historical-fiction
Child of the Prophecy by Juliet Marillier
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars
· 39 ratings
Child of the Prophecy is the thrilling conclusion to Juliet Marillier's award-winning Sevenwaters Trilogy.Magic is fading... and the ways of Man are driving the Old Ones to the West, beyond the ken of humankind. The ancient groves are being destroyed, and if nothing is done, Ireland will lose its essential mystic core...

Categorized as:
coming-of-age fairy-tale family female-mc historical-fiction magic magical-realism medieval
Flame of Sevenwaters by Juliet Marillier
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars
· 30 ratings
Maeve, daughter of Lord Sean of Sevenwaters, was badly burned as a child and carries the legacy of that fire in her crippled hands. After ten years she’s returning home, a courageous, forthright woman. But while her body’s scars have healed, her spirit remains fragile, fearing the shadows of her past. Sevenwaters is in turmoil...

Categorized as:
coming-of-age fairy-tale female-mc friendship high-school historical-fiction magic magical-realism
The Seer and the Sword by Victoria Hanley
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars
· 35 ratings
Legend states that there exists a mighty sword that makes its possessor invincible to his enemies. But there is a curse on anyone who lifts the sword for conquest. King Kareed of Archeld goes after this sword anyway, winning it from the King of Bellandra. When he returns home from battle, he brings his daughter, Princess Torina, two special gifts...

Categorized as:
children fairy-tale female-mc high-school historical-fiction magic medieval paranormal
Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars
· 39 ratings
High in the Transylvanian woods, at the castle Piscul Draculi, live five daughters and their doting father. It's an idyllic life for Jena, the second eldest, who spends her time exploring the mysterious forest with her constant companion, a most unusual frog. But best by far is the castle's hidden portal, known only to the sisters...

Categorized as:
coming-of-age fairy-tale family female-mc historical-fiction magic paranormal retellings
Oath of the Brotherhood by C.E. Laureano
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
· 6 ratings
In a kingdom where the Old Ways hold fast and a man's worth lies entirely in his skill with the sword, Conor Mac Nir is a scholar, a musician, and a follower of the forbidden Balian faith: problematic for any man, but disastrous for the son of the king.When Conor is sent as a hostage to a neighboring kingdom, he never expects to fall in love with the rival king's sister, Aine...

Categorized as:
family friendship historical-fiction magic medieval paranormal action-adventure book
Ella by Jessilyn Stewart Peaslee
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars
· 10 ratings
Reserved yet resilient, Ella Blakeley lives with her cruel stepmother and stepsisters, without hope of escape—until the day Prince Kenton announces a ball that changes everything. Even without mice, magic, or fairy godmothers, Ella might discover a life that’s better than she ever dreamed. This intricately woven twist on Cinderella is an enchanting book you won’t be able to put down...

Categorized as:
coming-of-age fairy-tale family historical-fiction magic paranormal retellings royalty
Once: Before Midnight / Golden / Wild Orchid by Cameron Dokey
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars
· 12 ratings
Read happily ever after with this magical repackage that includes three enchanting, retold fairy tales.In this value-priced bind-up of three beloved retellings, readers will journey to faraway fairy tale lands. Before Midnight revisits Cinderella's story in France, Golden puts a new spin on Rapunzel's romance, and Wild Orchid reimagines the Chinese tale of Mulan...

Categorized as:
fairy-tale family historical-fiction magic medieval paranormal retellings royalty
Lion Heart by A.C. Gaughen
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars
· 18 ratings
The eagerly-awaited conclusion to the Scarlet trilogy delivers another action-packed and romance-filled adventure.Scarlet has captured the hearts of readers as well as the heart of Robin Hood, and after ceaseless obstacles and countless threats, readers will finally find out the fate of the Lady Thief.Imprisoned by Prince John for months, Scarlet finds herself a long way from Nottinghamshire...

Categorized as:
drama fairy-tale family female-mc friendship historical-fiction medieval retellings
Cybele's Secret by Juliet Marillier
Rated: 4.04 of 5 stars
· 24 ratings
FOR PAULA, ACCOMPANYING her merchant father on a trading voyage to Istanbul is a dream come true. They have come to this city of trade on a special mission to purchase a most rare artifact—a gift from the ancient goddess, Cybele, to her followers. It’s the only remnant of a lost, pagan cult.But no sooner have they arrived when it becomes clear they may be playing at a dangerous game...

Categorized as:
coming-of-age fairy-tale family female-mc historical-fiction magic magical-realism paranormal
Palace of Stone by Shannon Hale
Rated: 4.04 of 5 stars
· 27 ratings
Coming down from the mountain to a new life in the city is a thrill to Miri. She and her princess academy friends have been brought to Asland to help the future princess Britta prepare for her wedding.There, Miri also has a chance to attend school-at the Queen's Castle. But as Miri befriends students who seem sophisticated and exciting she also learns that they have some frightening plans...

Categorized as:
children coming-of-age drama fairy-tale family female-mc friendship historical-fiction
The Book of Flying by Keith Miller
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars
· 23 ratings
In Keith Miller's debut novel, our hero is Pico, a poet and librarian who is forbidden to pursue the girl of his dreams - for she has wings, and Pico does not. When he discovers an ancient letter in his library telling of the mythical Morning Town where the flightless may gain their wings, he sets off on a quest...

Categorized as:
coming-of-age fairy-tale friendship magic magical-realism paranormal 21st-century action-adventure

Fantastic book recommendations by book lovers for book lovers.
Find out more about thebooknaut.com.

Or - use our amazing romance book finder to get recommendations based on your favorite content tropes and themes. Mix and match at will.

© Copyright 2015-2023, Elektrolabs Limited · Advertising Disclosure: Please note that many links to retailers are affiliate links, which yields a commission for us. As an Amazon Associate thebooknaut.com earns from qualifying purchases.