Books like 'When We Were Kings'
Readers who enjoyed When We Were Kings by Auryn Hadley also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
historical fantasy romance action / adventure high fantasy dark paranormal royalty slow-burn alpha-mc
-
The Crimson Crown by Cinda Williams Chima
Rated: 4.47 of 5 stars · 51 ratingsA thousand years ago, two young lovers were betrayed—Alger Waterlow to his death, and Hanalea, Queen of the Fells, to a life without love.Now, once again, the Queendom of the Fells seems likely to shatter apart. For young queen Raisa ana’Marianna, maintaining peace even within her own castle walls is nearly impossible; tension between wizards and Clan has reached a fevered pitch...Categorized as:
alpha-mc coming-of-age epic female-mc historical-fiction medieval paranormal political-intrigue -
![Son of the Shadows by Juliet Marillier]()
Son of the Shadows by Juliet Marillier
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 40 ratingsAfter 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... -
![The King's Traitor by Jeff Wheeler]()
The King's Traitor by Jeff Wheeler
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 39 ratingsAgainst all odds, Owen Kiskaddon grew from frightened boy to confident youth to trusted officer in the court of Kingfountain—and watched its regent, Severn Argentine, grow ever more ruthless and power-mad. Robbed of his beloved protector, his noble mentor, and his true love, Owen has anticipated the day when the king he fears and reviles, yet loyally serves, will be toppled...Categorized as:
coming-of-age epic historical-fiction myths paranormal political-intrigue royalty action-adventure -
![The Silent Shield by Jeff Wheeler]()
The Silent Shield by Jeff Wheeler
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsThrust 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... -
-
![The Forsaken Throne by Jeff Wheeler]()
The Forsaken Throne by Jeff Wheeler
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsA 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... -
![Kushiel's Avatar by Jacqueline Carey]()
Kushiel's Avatar by Jacqueline Carey
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 44 ratingsThe land of Terre d'Ange is a place of unsurpassed beauty and grace. It's inhabited by the race that rose from the seed of angels, and they live by one simple rule: Love as thou wilt. Phèdre nó Delaunay was sold into indentured servitude as a child. Her bond was purchased by a nobleman who recognized that she was pricked by Kushiel's dart, chosen to forever experience pain and pleasure as one... -
![Fantasy of Fire by Kelly St. Clare]()
Fantasy of Fire by Kelly St. Clare
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsFantasy of Fire is the third action-packed title in The Tainted Accords series.An army is half way to Glacium. And not just any army - it belongs to my mother. ************************************************************************** Time is running out as I rush to prevent a war which will kill thousands; The Solati people, my brothers, and the many Bruma I've come to care for... -
![Fantasy of Freedom by Kelly St. Clare]()
Fantasy of Freedom by Kelly St. Clare
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsFantasy of Freedom is the final action-packed title in The Tainted Accords series. This is the heaviest the veil has ever felt. But I am the strongest I have ever been. The veil is nothing...Categorized as:
alpha-mc coming-of-age epic female-mc medieval paranormal political-intrigue revenge -
![Lioness Rampant by Tamora Pierce]()
Lioness Rampant by Tamora Pierce
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 68 ratingsFrom 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:
alpha-mc coming-of-age epic female-mc historical-fiction medieval paranormal royalty -
![The Rebel's Vision by Kristen Banet]()
The Rebel's Vision by Kristen Banet
Rated: 4.52 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsOne declaration was all it took. The Andinna Rebellion has begun. Knowing that the fight will be hard, Mave has taken back the title of Champion. King’s Champion. She’s resolved to stand tall beside King Alchan Andini and fight for him, and to fight for her people.But it’s off to a troubling start... -
![A Journey of the Heart by Catherine M. Wilson]()
A Journey of the Heart by Catherine M. Wilson
Rated: 4.47 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsA Journey of the Heart Book II] shows the same strong storytelling ability of the first book. The language is still almost musical and wraps its sweet spell around you. Storylines that were just starting to grow in the first book are also very well developed here. Intrigue and conflict are fleshed out and take some surprising twists... -
![Trickster's Queen by Tamora Pierce]()
Trickster's Queen by Tamora Pierce
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 54 ratingsAly’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... -
![The Hollow Crown by Jeff Wheeler]()
The Hollow Crown by Jeff Wheeler
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsFollowing 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 epic historical-fiction paranormal royalty action-adventure arthurian audiobook -
![In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce]()
In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 69 ratingsDisguised 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:
alpha-mc coming-of-age epic female-mc historical-fiction medieval paranormal royalty -
-
![The Second Blind Son by Amy Harmon]()
The Second Blind Son by Amy Harmon
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsA lost girl and a blind boy discover their greatest strength is their bond with each other in a beguiling fantasy by the New York Times bestselling author of The First Girl Child.An insidious curse is weakening the Norse kingdom of Saylok, where no daughters have been born in years. Washing up on these plagued shores is Ghisla, an orphaned stowaway nursed back to health by a blind cave dweller...Categorized as:
coming-of-age epic friends-to-lovers historical-fiction medieval myths paranormal slow-burn -
![Den of Wolves by Juliet Marillier]()
Den of Wolves by Juliet Marillier
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsThe “powerful and emotionally-charged” fantasy series from the author of the Sevenwaters novels continues, as Blackthorn and Grim face haunting secrets and old adversaries... Feather bright and feather fine, None shall harm this child of mine... Healer Blackthorn knows all too well the rules of her bond to the fey: seek no vengeance, help any who ask, do only good... -
![Trickster's Choice by Tamora Pierce]()
Trickster's Choice by Tamora Pierce
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 54 ratingsAlianne 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... -
![Fantasy of Flight by Kelly St. Clare, Melissa Scott]()
Fantasy of Flight by Kelly St. Clare, Melissa Scott
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsMy veil is gone and I need it back.Stuck in the lethal Outer Rings of Glacium, I must fight to survive while keeping my true identity the gravest of secrets. Only then can I continue the search for Prince Kedrick's murderer and navigate my way back to King Jovan's castle.No one can discover I'm the Tatuma of Osolis - the princess of their enemy world..Categorized as:
alpha-mc coming-of-age epic female-mc medieval paranormal political-intrigue revenge -
![Froi of the Exiles by Melina Marchetta]()
Froi of the Exiles by Melina Marchetta
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsBlood sings to blood, Froi . . . Those born last will make the first . . . For Charyn will be barren no more. Three years after the curse on Lumatere was lifted, Froi has found his home... Or so he believes...Fiercely loyal to the Queen and Finnikin, Froi has been trained roughly and lovingly by the Guard sworn to protect the royal family, and has learned to control his quick temper... -
![Quintana of Charyn by Melina Marchetta]()
Quintana of Charyn by Melina Marchetta
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsThere's a babe in my belly that whispers the valley, Froi. I follow the whispers and come to the road . . .Separated from the girl he loves and has sworn to protect, Froi must travel through Charyn to search for Quintana, the mother of Charyn's unborn king, and protect her against those who will do anything to gain power... -
![The Bitter Kingdom by Rae Carson]()
The Bitter Kingdom by Rae Carson
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 44 ratingsThe champion must not waver.The champion must not fear.The gate of darkness closes.Elisa is a fugitive.Her enemies have stolen the man she loves, and they await her at the gate of darkness. Her country is on the brink of civil war, with her own soldiers ordered to kill her on sight...Categorized as:
alpha-mc coming-of-age epic female-mc historical-fiction medieval paranormal political-intrigue -
![Cage of Destiny by Jennifer Anne Davis]()
Cage of Destiny by Jennifer Anne Davis
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsDestined from birth to be the next empress of Emperion, Allyssa grew up at court weighed down by the expectations of the crown. Kingdom and duty always came first. Until now. Having survived the brutal kingdom of Russek, she is given the choice to walk away and live a peaceful, quiet life. But it also means giving up everything she knows and everyone she loves... -
![When We Were Dancing by Auryn Hadley]()
When We Were Dancing by Auryn Hadley
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsAS QUEEN, SHE CAN NEVER MARRY THE MAN SHE LOVES. SO SHE’S JUST GOING TO HAVE TO GET CREATIVE. They called her the Gladiator Queen, the first female heir to the throne of Norihame. Leyli never wanted this. But her cousin's scheming left no other option. He'd killed her brother, trying to claim the throne for himself, and sold her off to be a gladiator, hoping to get rid of her. It didn't work... -
![The Blight of Muirwood by Jeff Wheeler]()
The Blight of Muirwood by Jeff Wheeler
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsIn The Blight of Muirwood, the second book in the Muirwood Trilogy, Lia finds herself filled with inner turmoil after the great battle of Winterrowd that led to the death of the wicked king and her closest ally... -
-
![King's Warrior by Frost Kay]()
King's Warrior by Frost Kay
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsRevolution and war come with a price in the fourth volume of USA Today Bestselling Author Frost Kay’s The Aermian Feuds Series. Returning to Aermia should’ve been easy, but nightmares and death haunt her, leaving Sage as an outsider, even in her own family... -
![Cage of Darkness by Jennifer Anne Davis]()
Cage of Darkness by Jennifer Anne Davis
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWhile traveling to Fren, Allyssa and Odar are hijacked by a ruthless assassin who divulges a stunning secret that changes everything. Trying to come to terms with this newfound revelation, Allyssa is taken to Russek and delivered into the hands of a malicious and twisted royal family...Categorized as:
alpha-mc dark female-mc historical-fiction medieval myths political-intrigue royalty -
![The First Girl Child by Amy Harmon]()
The First Girl Child by Amy Harmon
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsFrom the New York Times bestselling author comes a breathtaking fantasy of a cursed kingdom, warring clans, and unexpected salvation.Bayr of Saylok, bastard son of a powerful and jealous chieftain, is haunted by the curse once leveled by his dying mother. Bartered, abandoned, and rarely loved, she plagued the land with her words: From this day forward, there will be no daughters in Saylok...Categorized as:
coming-of-age dark epic friends-to-lovers historical-fiction medieval myths paranormal -
![When We Were Crowned by Auryn Hadley]()
When We Were Crowned by Auryn Hadley
Rated: 4.55 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA GLADIATOR QUEEN IS JUST LIKE A GLADIATOR—SHE DOESN'T FIGHT FAIR! AND SHE'S BECOME THE THING SHE MOST FEARED BEING--A PREGNANT GLADIATOR.Long Live the Gladiator Queen!With the crown safely on Leyli's head, her problems should've been over. Her country is safe. Her family is together. What more could a new Queen ask for? Unfortunately, spending her mornings purging her stomach isn't it... -
![The Heart of Betrayal by Mary E. Pearson]()
The Heart of Betrayal by Mary E. Pearson
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 57 ratingsHeld captive in the barbarian kingdom of Venda, Lia and Rafe have little chance of escape . . . and even less of being together.Desperate to save her life, Lia's erstwhile assassin, Kaden, has told the Vendan Komisar that she has a magical gift, and the Komisar's interest in Lia is greater than either Kaden or Lia foresaw...Categorized as:
alpha-mc epic female-mc historical-fiction myths paranormal political-intrigue royalty -
![The Crown of Embers by Rae Carson]()
The Crown of Embers by Rae Carson
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 47 ratingsShe does not know what awaits her at the enemy's gate.Elisa is a hero. She led her people to victory over a terrifying, sorcerous army. Her place as the country's ruler should be secure. But it isn't.Her enemies come at her like ghosts in a dream, from both foreign realms and within her own court. And her destiny as the chosen one has not yet been fulfilled...Categorized as:
alpha-mc coming-of-age epic female-mc friends-to-lovers historical-fiction medieval paranormal -
![The Woman Who Rides Like a Man by Tamora Pierce]()
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:
alpha-mc coming-of-age epic female-mc historical-fiction medieval paranormal royalty -
![Royal Spy by Heather Frost]()
Royal Spy by Heather Frost
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA DECOY recruited to be a spy.A PRINCE compelled to become an assassin.A SERJAH pressured by an unwanted crown.A WORLD covered in shadows.Mere months ago, Clare was just a kitchen maid. Now, she is a decoy for Princess Serene and a novice spy, caught in the royal family's web of secrets...Categorized as:
epic female-mc historical-fiction medieval myths political-intrigue royalty slow-burn -
![Power and Pentad: Part One by Amanda Cashure]()
Power and Pentad: Part One by Amanda Cashure
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsPax, heir to the throne, last wolf shifter in the kingdom, and mate to a woman who up until two days ago was mortal and off-limits, is facing the toughest challenge of his life. No, make that the two toughest challenges. Keeping his mate safe from the tyrant who has sent an army of released prisoners, the worst of the worst, after them... -
![The Bird and the Sword by Amy Harmon]()
The Bird and the Sword by Amy Harmon
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 43 ratingsSwallow, Daughter, pull them in, those words that sit upon your lips. Lock them deep inside your soul, hide them ‘til they’ve time to grow. Close your mouth upon the power, curse not, cure not, ‘til the hour. You won’t speak and you won’t tell, you won’t call on heav’n or hell. You will learn and you will thrive. Silence, Daughter. Stay alive... -
-
![The Assassin and the Healer by Sarah J. Maas]()
The Assassin and the Healer by Sarah J. Maas
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsMeet the Assassin: beautiful, defiant, destined for greatness. Celaena Sardothien has challenged her master. Now she must pay the price. Her journey to the Red Desert will be an arduous one, but it may change the fate of her cursed world forever..Categorized as:
alpha-mc dark epic female-mc historical-fiction medieval paranormal political-intrigue -
![The Well of Shades by Juliet Marillier]()
The Well of Shades by Juliet Marillier
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsJuliet Marillier continues the epic fantasy begun with" The Dark Mirror, " which" Interzone" called: "A fascinating evocation of life in Pictish England and an emotional roller coaster of a story." King Bridei is a man with a mission. His wish to unite his kingdom seems almost within his grasp but there are forces working to undo his dream...Categorized as:
epic female-mc historical-fiction medieval myths paranormal action-adventure audiobook -
![Half the World by Joe Abercrombie]()
Half the World by Joe Abercrombie
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 41 ratingsThorn Bathu was born to fight. But when she kills a boy in the training square she finds herself named a murderer.Fate places her life in the hands of the deep-cunning Father Yarvi as he sets out to cross half the world in search of allies against the ruthless High King. Beside her is Brand, a young warrior who hates to kill...Categorized as:
coming-of-age dark epic female-mc historical-fiction medieval paranormal political-intrigue -
![Spy's Mask by Frost Kay]()
Spy's Mask by Frost Kay
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsWar and freedom from tyranny comes with a price in the fifth volume of the USA Today Bestselling Author Frost Kay's Aermian Feuds Series.No one could have prepared Sage and Tehl for the ruin the Warlord would wreak on the world to get to Aermia. Sage thought she knew how to play his deadly games, but his warped crimes prove she's out of her depth... -
![Winter's Fury by A.E. Rayne]()
Winter's Fury by A.E. Rayne
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsIN A WORLD RULED BY MEN, ONE WOMAN WILL RISE Jael Furyck isn’t happy.Her father is dead. Her uncle has stolen the throne.And now he wants to marry her off to the fallen son of her arch-enemy.But Jael is a battle-hardened warrior, trained to kill since she was ten-years-old.She doesn’t plan on being anyone’s wife.Eadmund Skalleson is drunk.His father is threatening him with a wife again... -
![Enemy's Queen by Frost Kay]()
Enemy's Queen by Frost Kay
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsBeauty and perfection come at a price… Abducted and thrust into a court obsessed with perfection, scarred Sage Ramses’ dream of peace and happiness is no longer a possibility. An ancient creature of darkness rules the land along with a people that are no longer human, and she’s forced to learn how to survive despite her inadequacies... -
![Enchanted by K.M. Shea]()
Enchanted by K.M. Shea
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsASIN 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... -
![Rise by Andrea Cremer]()
Rise by Andrea Cremer
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsThe sequel to Rift and the prequel to the New York Times bestselling novel Nightshade.Everything Conatus stands for is at risk. Hoping to gather enough resistance to save their order, Ember and Barrow attempt a desperate escape. But fate offers little mercy... -
![Royal Decoy (1) by Heather Frost]()
Royal Decoy (1) by Heather Frost
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA SERVANT blackmailed into becoming a princess’s decoy.A BODYGUARD determined to keep her alive. A PRINCE forced to execute his father’s brutal laws.A PRISONER used to keep him compliant. A WORLD on the brink of war. In one horrible night, Clare goes from kitchen maid to royal decoy. She has three months to become the princess's perfect double so she can ensure her betrothal to an enemy prince...Categorized as:
coming-of-age female-mc friends-to-lovers historical-fiction medieval myths royalty slow-burn -
![Storm & Shield by J.D. Evans]()
Storm & Shield by J.D. Evans
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratings“All you see is that I run. Why haven’t you realized I always come back?” She is lightning and storm. A spy, driven out of her home by a tyrant ruler. He is granite and earth. A guard, ordered to keep her contained.To protect herself and her family, she’s learned to go unnoticed, unseen...Categorized as:
alpha-mc epic female-mc historical-fiction medieval myths paranormal political-intrigue -
-
![Siren & Scion by J.D. Evans]()
Siren & Scion by J.D. Evans
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsShe was beautiful the way the ocean was beautiful. In a new way every time one looked. She is water, bright and alluring, fathomless and profound. He is a bridge between peoples, artist and criminal, vengeful and compassionate. Amara Mutar has risen to the highest ranks of Tamar society by her wits and ambition...Categorized as:
epic historical-fiction medieval myths paranormal political-intrigue slow-burn action-adventure -
![Queen & Conqueror by Isabelle Olmo]()
Queen & Conqueror by Isabelle Olmo
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHow does one conquer a kingdom without spilling blood? You offer your hand in marriage to the king who killed your husband. Almira was raised by a calculating father who forged her in political cunning. She’s prepared for this moment since childhood. Like pieces on a board, she lays out the players one by one. One. King Alton, the brother-killer... -
![Queen & Conqueror by Isabelle Olmo]()
Queen & Conqueror by Isabelle Olmo
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHow does one conquer a kingdom without spilling blood? You offer your hand in marriage to the king who killed your husband. Almira was raised by a calculating father who forged her in political cunning. She’s prepared for this moment since childhood. Like pieces on a board, she lays out the players one by one. One. King Alton, the brother-killer... -
![The Dragon Sage by Jay Lynn]()
The Dragon Sage by Jay Lynn
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA mesmerizing blend of breath-taking action and incredible sorcery. Fans of Throne of Glass and A Game of Thrones will not be able to put down this epic fantasy adventure. Standing alone in a dark cell, Alec waits for the death he cannot seem to escape. The pungent smell of sweat and blood are permanently absorbed into his scarred skin...Categorized as:
epic medieval paranormal political-intrigue slavery survival warriors action-adventure -
![A Dance with Fate by Juliet Marillier]()
A Dance with Fate by Juliet Marillier
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsA 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... -
![Saving Marilee by Annette K. Larsen]()
Saving Marilee by Annette K. Larsen
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA proper, clean romance. Marriage wasn't bliss—not for Marilee. Instead of finding contentment with the handsome son of a sovereign duke, she found betrayal and neglect. And fear. A fear that finally lifts when her husband dies, freeing her from his domineering hand...
Or - use our amazing romance book finder to get recommendations based on your favorite content tropes and themes. Mix and match at will.
