Books like 'The Defiant Heir'
Readers who enjoyed The Defiant Heir by Melissa Caruso also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
fantasy romance high fantasy action / adventure mystery magic lgbtq female-mc political-intrigue love-triangle
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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:
coming-of-age epic female-mc historical-fiction love-triangle magic paranormal political-intrigue -
![Raelia by Lynette Noni]()
Raelia by Lynette Noni
Rated: 4.47 of 5 stars · 19 ratings“Life is full of crossroads, Alex. Full of choices.”Returning for a second year at Akarnae Academy with her gifted friends, Alexandra Jennings steps back through a doorway into Medora, the fantasy world that is full of impossibilities. Despite the magical wonder of Medora, Alex’s life remains threatened by Aven Dalmarta, the banished prince from the Lost City of Meya who is out for her blood...Categorized as:
coming-of-age epic female-mc magic paranormal political-intrigue action-adventure assassins -
![The Gray Wolf Throne by Cinda Williams Chima]()
The Gray Wolf Throne by Cinda Williams Chima
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 50 ratingsHan Alister thought he had already lost everyone he loved. But when he finds his friend Rebecca Morley near death in the Spirit Mountains, Han knows that nothing matters more than saving her...Categorized as:
coming-of-age epic female-mc love-triangle magic paranormal political-intrigue politics -
![A Darkness At The Door by Intisar Khanani]()
A Darkness At The Door by Intisar Khanani
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsI've been cursed, betrayed, and sold into slavery – but the truth I carry can't be allowed to die.Only Rae knows the extent of the corruption at the heart of the kingdom of Menaiya, from the noble lord who betrayed her, to the Circle of Mages whose wards protect the slavers from discovery. Injured and imprisoned on a slave ship, Rae's options are quickly running out... -
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![The Assassin and the Empire by Sarah J. Maas]()
The Assassin and the Empire by Sarah J. Maas
Rated: 4.37 of 5 stars · 44 ratingsCelaena Sardothien is the assassin with everything: a place to call her own, the love of handsome Sam, and, best of all, freedom. Yet, she won’t be truly free until she is far away from her old master, Arobynn Hamel; Celaena must take one last daring assignment that will liberate her forever. But having it all, means you have a lot to lose . .Categorized as:
epic female-mc historical-fiction magic paranormal political-intrigue suspense action-adventure -
![The Liar's Knot by M.A. Carrick]()
The Liar's Knot by M.A. Carrick
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsTrust is the thread that binds. And the rope that hangs.In Nadežra, peace is as tenuous as a single thread. The ruthless House Indestor has been destroyed, but darkness still weaves through the city’s filthy back alleys and jewel-bright gardens, seen by those who know where to look.Derossi Vargo has always known... -
![The Assassin and the Desert by Sarah J. Maas]()
The Assassin and the Desert by Sarah J. Maas
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 43 ratingsThe Silent Assassins of the Red Desert aren’t much for conversation, and Celaena Sardothien wouldn’t have it any other way. She’s not there to chatter, she’s there to hone her craft as the world’s most feared killer for hire. When the quiet is shattered by forces who want to destroy the Silent Assassins, Celaena must find a way to stop them, or she’ll be lucky to leave the desert alive...Categorized as:
epic female-mc historical-fiction magic paranormal political-intrigue suspense action-adventure -
![The Exiled Queen by Cinda Williams Chima]()
The Exiled Queen by Cinda Williams Chima
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 51 ratingsHaunted by the loss of his mother and sister, Han Alister journeys south to begin his schooling at Mystwerk House in Oden’s Ford. But leaving the Fells doesn’t mean that danger isn't far behind. Han is hunted every step of the way by the Bayars, a powerful wizarding family set on reclaiming the amulet Han stole from them. And Mystwerk House has dangers of its own...Categorized as:
coming-of-age epic female-mc love-triangle magic paranormal political-intrigue politics -
![The Assassin and the Underworld by Sarah J. Maas]()
The Assassin and the Underworld by Sarah J. Maas
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 51 ratingsWhen the King of the Assassins gives Celaena Sardothien a special assignment that will help fight slavery in the kingdom, she jumps at the chance to strike a blow against an evil practice. The mission is a dark and deadly affair which takes Celaena from the rooftops of the city to the bottom of the sewer--and she doesn't like what she finds there...Categorized as:
epic female-mc historical-fiction magic paranormal political-intrigue suspense action-adventure -
![The Steele Wolf by Chanda Hahn]()
The Steele Wolf by Chanda Hahn
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsAfter finally settling into her new life at the Citadel, Thalia is reunited with her father, who is disturbed at the changes within her. Risking banishment, Thalia must work to prove to her clan and herself that she is still capable of leading them. The problem is, her memories haven’t returned, and she cannot shake the feeling that she doesn’t belong...Categorized as:
epic female-mc love-triangle magic paranormal political-intrigue suspense action-adventure -
![The Silver Siren by Chanda Hahn]()
The Silver Siren by Chanda Hahn
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsEvery journey has an end.Unable to find the answers she sought in Skyfell, Thalia, Joss, and Kael travel to Haven with a prisoner in tow. An attack on the road waylays their plans, and Thalia finds herself traveling alone with Kael to the hidden sanctuary of the SwordBrothers.But war is on the horizon and the Raven is amassing his army...Categorized as:
female-mc love-triangle magic paranormal political-intrigue suspense action-adventure alpha-mc -
![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... -
![Kushiel's Chosen by Jacqueline Carey]()
Kushiel's Chosen by Jacqueline Carey
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 43 ratingsMighty Kushiel, of rod and wealLate of the brazen portalsWith blood-tipp'd dart a wound unhealedPricks the eyen of chosen mortalsThe land of Terre d'Ange is a place of unsurpassed beauty and grace. The inhabiting race rose from the seed of angels and men, and they live by one simple rule: Love as thou wilt.Phèdre nó Delaunay was sold into indentured servitude as a child...Categorized as:
epic female-mc historical-fiction lgbtq magic paranormal political-intrigue politics -
![Mastiff by Tamora Pierce]()
Mastiff by Tamora Pierce
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 40 ratingsThe Hunt is on!Three years have passed since Beka Cooper almost died in the sewers of Port Caynn, and she is now a respected member of the Provost's Guard. But her life takes an unexpected turn when her fiancé is killed on a slave raid. Beka is faced with a mixture of emotions as, unbeknownst to many, she was about to call the engagement off...Categorized as:
coming-of-age epic female-mc historical-fiction magic paranormal suspense action-adventure -
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![The Theft of Sunlight by Intisar Khanani]()
The Theft of Sunlight by Intisar Khanani
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsI did not choose this fate. But I will not walk away from it.Children have been disappearing from across Menaiya for longer than Amraeya ni Ansarim can remember. When her friend’s sister is snatched, Rae knows she can’t look away any longer - even if that means seeking answers from the royal court, where her country upbringing and clubfoot will only invite ridicule... -
![The Iron Butterfly by Chanda Hahn]()
The Iron Butterfly by Chanda Hahn
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsImprisoned, starved and left with no memories, Thalia awakens to find herself at the mercy of an evil cult known as the Septori. Their leader has chosen Thalia as the test subject for a torture device of untold power, designed to change and twist her into something that is neither human nor Denai.Escaping, Thalia finds an unwilling warrior to protect her and an unlikely Denai to befriend her...Categorized as:
epic female-mc love-triangle magic paranormal political-intrigue suspense action-adventure -
![The Holy Road by Ginn Hale]()
The Holy Road by Ginn Hale
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsWhen John opens a letter addressed to his missing roommate, Kyle, he expects to find a house key, but instead he is swept into a strange realm of magic, mysticism, revolutionaries and assassins. Though he struggles to escape, John is drawn steadily closer to a fate he share with Kyle—to wake the destroyer god, the Rifter, and shatter a world... -
![Volcrian's Hunt by T.L. Shreffler]()
Volcrian's Hunt by T.L. Shreffler
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA plague is spreading across the land. Crops are rotting. People are dying in the streets. Sora, with the help of her magical Cat's Eye necklace, is the only one who can stop it.She must travel overseas to the Lost Isles, a place of legend and mystery. Only there can she destroy the bloodmage, Volcrian, putting an end to the curse...Categorized as:
coming-of-age epic female-mc magic paranormal political-intrigue action-adventure alpha-mc -
![Elantris by Brandon Sanderson]()
Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 77 ratingsElantris was the capital of Arelon: gigantic, beautiful, literally radiant, filled with benevolent beings who used their powerful magical abilities for the benefit of all. Yet each of these demigods was once an ordinary person until touched by the mysterious transforming power of the Shaod. Ten years ago, without warning, the magic failed...Categorized as:
epic female-mc magic paranormal political-intrigue politics 21st-century action-adventure -
![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:
epic female-mc historical-fiction love-triangle magic paranormal political-intrigue suspense -
![Crown of Strength by Melanie Cellier]()
Crown of Strength by Melanie Cellier
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsVerene and Darius should be celebrating their greatest triumph, but instead they’re left with heavy responsibilities and too many questions. As they dig deeper for the truth, they discover a threat beyond any they could have imagined.With enemies both within and without, even the Academy isn’t a safe haven from the looming threat...Categorized as:
coming-of-age epic magic paranormal political-intrigue action-adventure audiobook boarding-school -
![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... -
![Gathering Darkness by Morgan Rhodes, Michelle Rowen]()
Gathering Darkness by Morgan Rhodes, Michelle Rowen
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 40 ratingsIn GATHERING DARKNESS, book three of the New York Times bestselling Falling Kingdoms series, the stakes have never been higher as three teams push forward on a race to find the Kindred, the four elemental crystals possessing ancient all-powerful magic, first:Prince Magnus has just witnessed torture, death, and miracles during the bloody confrontation that decimated the rebel forces...Categorized as:
epic female-mc lgbtq love-triangle magic paranormal political-intrigue action-adventure -
![Kushiel's Scion by Jacqueline Carey]()
Kushiel's Scion by Jacqueline Carey
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 40 ratingsImriel de la Courcel's blood parents are history's most reviled traitors, but his adoptive parents, the Comtesse Phèdre and the warrior-priest Joscelin, are Terre d'Ange's greatest champions.Stolen, tortured, and enslaved as a young boy, Imriel is now a Prince of the Blood, third in line for the throne in a land that revels in art, beauty, and desire...Categorized as:
coming-of-age epic heroic-fantasy historical-fiction lgbtq magic paranormal political-intrigue -
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![The Searching by Vanessa Nelson]()
The Searching by Vanessa Nelson
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsOath-sworn to help those in need, Yvonne has been framed for murder.Tracking down those responsible for the destruction of the Stone Walls was a difficult enough task, but someone has made it much harder. The King is dead, and Yvonne is accused of his murder... -
![The Beauty of Darkness by Mary E. Pearson]()
The Beauty of Darkness by Mary E. Pearson
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 52 ratingsLia has survived Venda—but so has a great evil bent on the destruction of Morrighan. And only Lia can stop it.With war on the horizon, Lia has no choice but to assume her role as First Daughter, as soldier—as leader. While she struggles to reach Morrighan and warn them, she finds herself at cross-purposes with Rafe and suspicious of Kaden, who has hunted her down... -
![Broken Fortress by Ginn Hale]()
Broken Fortress by Ginn Hale
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsWhen John opens a letter addressed to his missing roommate, Kyle, he expects to find a house key, but instead he is swept into a strange realm of magic, mysticism, revolutionaries and assassins. Though he struggles to escape, John is drawn steadily closer to a fate he share with Kyle—to wake the destroyer god, the Rifter, and shatter a world... -
![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:
epic female-mc historical-fiction magic paranormal political-intrigue suspense abuse -
![Asperfell by Jamie Thomas]()
Asperfell by Jamie Thomas
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsOnly the darkest and most dangerous of Mages are sentenced to pass through the gate to Asperfell. Not one has ever returned.Never did Briony dream she might set foot in the otherworldly prison of Asperfell. She was, after all, neither Mage nor criminal... -
![Between Wrath and Mercy by Jess Wisecup]()
Between Wrath and Mercy by Jess Wisecup
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA mother will do anything to save her child, no matter the cost.After her daughter is kidnapped, Emmeline Highclere—a thirty-four-year-old mother living in isolation with memories and grief her only companion—must do everything in her limited power and divine abilities to get the girl back... -
![Oathbreakers by Mercedes Lackey]()
Oathbreakers by Mercedes Lackey
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 38 ratingsWhen Idra, leader of the crack mercenaries known as the Sunhawks, failed to return from a journey to her home kingdom of Rethwellan, Tarma and Kethry, warrior and mage, set out in search of their vanished leader. Sisters of sword and spell, their fates bound together by Goddess-sworn oath, they were eternally pledged to fight the forces of evil... -
![The Forbidden Land by Kate Forsyth]()
The Forbidden Land by Kate Forsyth
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsAfter her adventures with the League of the Healing Hand, Finn the Cat finds her life at Castle Rurach boring. Snowbound for the winter and faced with the prospect of being molded into "Lady Fionnghal" by her mother, she pines to be on the battlefront with her father against the sea demons.But Finn's talents are needed elsewhere... -
![Lord of the White Hell, Book 2 by Ginn Hale]()
Lord of the White Hell, Book 2 by Ginn Hale
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsKiram fought his family and Cadeleonian bigots to remain in the Sagrada Academy to prove himself as a mechanist and to dispel the deadly shadow curse that threatens to destroy his upperclassman, Javier Tornesal.But when his efforts provoke retaliation, Kiram’s family and home are endangered. Both Kiram and Javier risk everything in a desperate gambit to combat the curse... -
![The High Lord by Trudi Canavan]()
The High Lord by Trudi Canavan
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 53 ratingsIn the city of Imardin, where those who wield magic wield power, a young street-girl, adopted by the Magician's Guild, finds herself at the centre of a terrible plot that may destroy the entire world...Sonea has learned much at the magicians' guild and the other novices now treat her with a grudging respect... -
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![Blackveil by Kristen Britain]()
Blackveil by Kristen Britain
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsRead Kristen Britain's blogs and other content on the Penguin Community. The long-awaited sequel to Green Rider, First Rider's Call, and The High King's Tomb. Once a simple student, Karigan G'ladheon finds herself in a world of deadly danger and complex magic, compelled by forces she cannot understand when she becomes a legendary Green Rider-one of the magical messengers of the king... -
![Fantasy of Frost by Kelly St. Clare]()
Fantasy of Frost by Kelly St. Clare
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsSometimes it takes death to show you how to live.I know many things. What I am capable of, what I will change, what I will become. But there is one thing I will never know...The veil I've worn from birth carries with it a terrible loneliness; a suppression I cannot imagine being free of.Some things never change...My mother will always hate me. Her court will always shun me....Until they do... -
![Namesake by Adrienne Young]()
Namesake by Adrienne Young
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsWelcome to a world made dangerous by the sea and by those who wish to profit from it. Where a young girl must find her place and her family while trying to survive in a world built for men.With the Marigold ship free of her father, Fable and the rest of the crew were set to start over. That freedom is short-lived when Fable becomes a pawn in a notorious thug’s scheme...Categorized as:
coming-of-age epic female-mc historical-fiction lgbtq magic paranormal action-adventure -
![The Assassin and the Pirate Lord by Sarah J. Maas]()
The Assassin and the Pirate Lord by Sarah J. Maas
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 58 ratingsA Throne of Glass novella.On a remote island in a tropical sea, Celaena Sardothien, feared assassin, has come for retribution. She’s been sent by the Assassin’s Guild to collect on a debt they are owed by the Lord of the Pirates...Categorized as:
epic female-mc historical-fiction magic paranormal political-intrigue suspense action-adventure -
![Dawn Study by Maria V. Snyder]()
Dawn Study by Maria V. Snyder
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsNew York Times bestselling author Maria V. Snyder brings her Poison Study series to its exhilarating conclusion.Despite the odds, Yelena and Valek have forged an irrevocable bond and a family that transcends borders. Now, when their two homelands stand on the brink of war, they must fight with magic and cunning to thwart an Ixian plot to invade Sitia...Categorized as:
epic female-mc magic paranormal political-intrigue suspense action-adventure alpha-mc -
![Into the Dying Light by Katy Rose Pool]()
Into the Dying Light by Katy Rose Pool
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIn the jaw-dropping conclusion to the Age of Darkness trilogy, hearts will shatter, cities will fall, and a god will rise. "Solidifies Katy Rose Pool's status as one of the best fantasy writers of the 21st century."—Popsugar on As the Shadow RisesFollowing the destruction of the City of Mercy, an ancient god has been resurrected and sealed inside Beru's body... -
![The First Confessor: The Legend of Magda Searus by Terry Goodkind]()
The First Confessor: The Legend of Magda Searus by Terry Goodkind
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 37 ratingsFrom #1 New York Times bestselling author Terry Goodkind comes The First Confessor, the prequel to the Sword of Truth, for the first time hardcoverIn a time before legends had yet been born...Married to the powerful leader of her people, safe among those gifted with great ability, Magda Searus is protected from a distant world descending into war... -
![Castles in Their Bones by Laura Sebastian]()
Castles in Their Bones by Laura Sebastian
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA spellbinding story of three princesses and the destiny they were born for: seduction, conquest, and the crown. Immerse yourself in the first book in a new fantasy trilogy from the author of the New York Times bestselling Ash Princess series.Empress Margaraux has had plans for her daughters since the day they were born. Princesses Sophronia, Daphne, and Beatriz will be queens... -
![The Storyteller by Traci Chee]()
The Storyteller by Traci Chee
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsSefia is determined to keep Archer out of the Guard's clutches and their plans for war between the Five Kingdoms. The Book, the ancient, infinite codex of the past, present and future, tells of a prophecy that will plunge Kelanna in that bloody war, but it requires a boy—Archer—and Sefia will stop at nothing to ensure his safety... -
![Casket of Souls by Lynn Flewelling]()
Casket of Souls by Lynn Flewelling
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsThe Nightrunners are back in this gripping novel full of Lynn Flewelling’s trademark action, intrigue, and richly imagined characters. More than the dissolute noblemen they appear to be, Alec and Seregil are skillful spies, dedicated to serving queen and country... -
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![Arrow's Flight by Mercedes Lackey]()
Arrow's Flight by Mercedes Lackey
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 41 ratingsSet in the medieval fantasy kingdom of Valdemar, this unique and exciting novel continues the story of Talia. Having mastered the powers necessary to a guardian of the kingdom, she faces the final preparation for her initiation as adviser and protector of the Queen...Categorized as:
coming-of-age epic female-mc heroic-fantasy lgbtq magic mythical-creatures paranormal -
![The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold]()
The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 48 ratingsA man broken in body and spirit, Cazaril, has returned to the noble household he once served as page, and is named, to his great surprise, as the secretary-tutor to the beautiful, strong-willed sister of the impetuous boy who is next in line to rule...Categorized as:
epic heroic-fantasy historical-fiction magic paranormal political-intrigue politics 21st-century -
![Traitor's Moon by Lynn Flewelling]()
Traitor's Moon by Lynn Flewelling
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsMaster spies Seregil and Alec are no strangers to peril. Their assignments, nightrunning for wizards and nobles, have led them into many deadly situations. But sometimes the greatest danger can lurk beneath a Traitor's Moon. . . -
![The Novice by Trudi Canavan]()
The Novice by Trudi Canavan
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 53 ratings"Even if a magician's powers surface of their own accord, he will soon be dead if he does not gain the knowledge of how to control them." Alone among all the novices in the Magicians' Guild, only Sonea comes from lowly beginnings. Yet she has won powerful allies—including Lord Dannyl, newly promoted to Guild Ambassador... -
![Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas]()
Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
Rated: 4.05 of 5 stars · 116 ratingsIn a land without magic, where the king rules with an iron hand, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She comes not to kill the king, but to win her freedom. If she defeats twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition, she is released from prison to serve as the king's champion. Her name is Celaena Sardothien. The Crown Prince will provoke her...Categorized as:
epic female-mc historical-fiction love-triangle magic paranormal political-intrigue suspense -
![Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson]()
Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 67 ratingsAll sorcerers are evil. Elisabeth has known that as long as she has known anything. Raised as a foundling in one of Austermeer’s Great Libraries, Elisabeth has grown up among the tools of sorcery—magical grimoires that whisper on shelves and rattle beneath iron chains. If provoked, they transform into grotesque monsters of ink and leather...Categorized as:
coming-of-age epic female-mc historical-fiction lgbtq magic paranormal action-adventure
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