Books like 'Duckling Ugly'
Readers who enjoyed Duckling Ugly by Neal Shusterman also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
fantasy horror supernatural high fantasy myths paranormal fairy-tale retellings dark sword-sorcery
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Something Wicked by K.T. Davies
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSomething Wicked is the third and final novel in the brilliant Chronicles of Breed.Miserable after the loss of (another) friend, and alone in a strange, new world, Breed is taken prisoner by a gang of undead thugs.Stripped of power, Breed is used as a bait dog in an arena where the only reward for surviving is the chance to die another day... -
The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic by Leigh Bardugo
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 53 ratingsLove speaks in flowers. Truth requires thorns. Travel to a world of dark bargains struck by moonlight, of haunted towns and hungry woods, of talking beasts and gingerbread golems, where a young mermaid's voice can summon deadly storms and where a river might do a lovestruck boy's bidding but only for a terrible price... -
Tooth And Claw by K.T. Davies
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe World Needs A Hero, but all its got is Breed. Leaving the Empire to face the wrath of an angry demon and its infernal hordes, Breed takes a ship and flees to Shen. With pockets full of gold, the hammer of the Hammer of the North, a crate of whiskey, and a conscience unburdened by guilt, life doesn't get any better, does it? Well, yes, it does, but it gets a lot worse first... -
House Name by Michelle West
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsIn this epic fantasy series for fans of George R. R. Martin and Robin Hobb, Jewel Markess must contend with deadly court politics, and visions of looming magical threats. Jewel has been assigned the task of finding the entryways to the ancient undercity that lies beneath the streets of the empire’s capital in exchange for shelter for her and her den at House Terafin... -
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Blackmark by Jean Lowe Carlson
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsWrongfully accused of treason, veteran Kingsman Elohl seeks the truth of a betrayal that caused the Kingsmen to vanish a decade ago. Inked with the Blackmark and despised for it, Elohl uncovers the truth and exposes ancient enemies. Now, he must give everything to shatter the hidden sect that usurps power from the throne... -
Troll Nation by James A. Hunter, Eden Hudson
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsBuild. Evolve. Conquer. The dawn of the Troll Nation has begun … Roark von Graf—former noble and hedge-mage, current mid-level mob in a MMORPG—has taken down the Dungeon Lord of the Cruel Citadel, but the battle has only started.Lowen, right hand to the Tyrant King, has come to Hearthworld, and he is building an army of his own... -
Ghost in the Inferno by Jonathan Moeller
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsCAINA AMALAS is the Ghost circlemaster of Istarinmul, leader of the Emperor's spies in the city. She has defeated powerful foes, but more dangerous enemies lie before her.A sorcerous catastrophe threatens to destroy Istarinmul, and the only the mysterious sorceress Annarah, last loremaster of lost Iramis, knows how to stop it... -
Ghost in the Pact by Jonathan Moeller
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsCaina Amalas has found the lost relics of Iramis, but with the relics comes deadly peril. For Grand Master Callatas is ready to work his terrible Apotheosis, and all he needs to unleash the dark power of the nagataaru is the Staff and the Seal of Iramis…once he takes them from Caina’s dead hands. Yet if Caina and Callatas do not work together, they are doomed... -
Ghost in the Ring by Jonathan Moeller
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsCaina Amalas was once a deadly Ghost nightfighter, a spy and agent of the Emperor of Nighmar. Now she only wishes to live quietly with her husband. But civil war grips the Empire, and Caina's skills are needed against the cruel sorcerers of the malevolent Umbarian Order. And Caina has a dangerous connection to the Umbarians... -
Ghost in the Razor by Jonathan Moeller
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsCAINA is the Ghost circlemaster of Istarinmul, leader of the Emperor's spies in the city. She has hindered the malevolent plans of the sinister Grand Master Callatas, but has been unable to defeat him. Callatas has slaughtered every foe who ever challenged him, and Caina may be next. CASSANDER NILAS is a ruthless magus of the brutal Umbarian Order, and seeks to destroy the Emperor... -
Ghost in the Throne by Jonathan Moeller
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsCaina Amalas cheated death and escaped certain doom. So did her mortal enemy, the sorcerer Cassander Nilas. Now the city of Istarinmul teeters on the brink of civil war and sorcerous annihilation. Unless Caina summons all her bravery and cunning, Cassander's dark spell will kill millions of people. Starting with the people she loves.. -
Ghost in the Glass by Jonathan Moeller
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsCaina has a deadly problem. Specifically, she carries the Ring of Rasarion Yagar, a relic created by the tyrannical necromancer-king who once ruled Ulkaar. The deadly sorcerers of the malevolent Umbarian Order wish to seize the Ring for themselves, as do the sinister priests of the ruthless Temnoti cult. And to make matters worse, the Ring is not the only powerful relic of Rasarion Yagar... -
Ghost in the Seal by Jonathan Moeller
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsCAINA AMALAS is out of time. She has risked too much for too long, and her enemies have finally closed around her. The Staff and Seal of Iramis have been found, and threaten to destroy the world with their sorcerous powers. The terrible Apotheosis of the evil Grand Master Callatas will succeed unless Caina makes one final sacrifice. Unless she makes the ultimate sacrifice.. -
In a Glass Grimmly by Adam Gidwitz
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsMore Grimm tales await in the harrowing, hilarious companion to a beloved new classicTake caution ahead—Oversize plant life, eerie amphibious royalty, and fear-inducing creatures abound.Lest you enter with dread.Follow Jack and Jill as they enter startling new landscapes that may (or may not) be scary, bloody, terrifying, and altogether true.Step lively, dear reader . .Categorized as:
dark fairy-tale myths paranormal retellings sword-sorcery action-adventure audiobook -
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Ghost in the Ashes by Jonathan Moeller
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsCaina Amalas is a Ghost nightfighter, one of the elite agents of the Emperor of Nighmar, and she has defeated both corrupt lords and mighty sorcerers. As the Padishah of Istarinmul prepares to make peace with the Emperor, the Ghosts must keep the Padishah’s ambassador safe from assassins. But when an escaped slave begs for Caina’s help, she finds dark plots stirring in the shadows... -
Ghost in the Mask by Jonathan Moeller
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsCaina Amalas is a nightfighter of the Ghosts, the spies and assassins of the Emperor of Nighmar, and through cunning and valor she has cast down both proud lords and mighty sorcerers. But a power darker than any she has ever faced is awakening... -
Ghost in the Surge by Jonathan Moeller
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsCAINA AMALAS is a nightfighter of the Ghosts, one of the elite agents of the Emperor of Nighmar. She has defeated powerful sorcerers and corrupt lords, freed slaves and overthrown great evils. But now someone has begun slaughtering the Ghosts of the Imperial capital, and the killer is wearing her face... -
Oracle by Michelle West
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIn this epic fantasy series for fans of George R. R. Martin and Robin Hobb, Jewel Markess must contend with deadly court politics, and visions of looming magical threats.Beneath the streets of Averalaan, capital city of the Essalieyan Empire, lie the three Princes of the firstborn, doomed to sleep until the end of days... -
Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 70 ratingsFrom Hugo, Nebula, and Locus award-winning author T. Kingfisher comes an original and subversive fantasy adventure. This isn't the kind of fairytale where the princess marries a prince. It's the one where she kills him. Marra never wanted to be a hero...Categorized as:
dark fairy-tale myths paranormal retellings sword-sorcery action-adventure audiobook -
The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 79 ratingsGeralt the Witcher—revered and hated—is a man whose magic powers, enhanced by long training and a mysterious elixir, have made him a brilliant fighter and a merciless assassin. Yet he is no ordinary murderer: his targets are the multifarious monsters and vile fiends that ravage the land and attack the innocent. But not everything monstrous-looking is evil and not everything fair is good..Categorized as:
dark myths paranormal retellings sword-sorcery 20th-century action-adventure anthologies -
Ghost in the Storm by Jonathan Moeller
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsCAINA AMALAS is a Ghost nightfighter, one of the Emperor's elite spies and assassins. And though she remains anonymous, already legends grow around her. Whispers speak of the Ghost nightfighter who stopped the fire of the gods from consuming Rasadda, who defeated sorcerers of terrible power, who liberated slaves and threw down cruel lords.Yet now the storm is coming to claim her.. -
Ghost in the Stone by Jonathan Moeller
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsCaina Amalas is a Ghost nightfighter, an assassin and spy of the Emperor, and her cunning saved the city of Marsis from a brutal invasion.Now she must keep the war from becoming worse.The nobles of the Imperial city of Cyrioch plan to revolt, and assassins stalk the high lords of the Empire. Only Caina stands between the Empire and a ruinous civil war... -
Ghost in the Forge by Jonathan Moeller
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsCaina Amalas is a Ghost nightfigher, a spy and agent of the Emperor, and time and time again she has overcome mighty foes through boldness and cunning.But even her boldness might not be enough to stop the coming destruction.A secretive cabal of sorcerers has created a weapon so powerful that its wielder will have dominion over the entire world - and the weapon is for sale to the highest bidder... -
Alpha Zero by Arthur Stone
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsI should not exist.All children like me are stillborn, or die in infancy. Those who cannot grow stronger, die. No empty child has ever reached a year of age, yet I am now thirteen.It has been a long and miserable thirteen years, where the best I can manage to do is walk with difficulty. Sometimes, I cannot even manage that.My clan has paid dearly for every minute of my life... -
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All-Knowing Novice by Kenneth Arant
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsKnowledge is power. Knowledge is safety. Knowledge is Happiness. But only if you can act on it...In spite of his best efforts, sixteen-year-old Taryn is an outcast. No one in the city will sully themselves by associating with a Clanless, and without someone to jumpstart his Eco core, he's unable to fulfill his dream of walking the path of a cultivator... -
Black Talon by Jaime Castle, Andy Peloquin
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsKullen is the Emperor’s assassin. The sharp hand of justice. The Black Talon.Gifted a soul-forged bond with his dragon, Umbris, Kullen is tasked with hunting any and all who oppose the Empire.But when the secretive Crimson Fang murders two noblemen before his very eyes, Kullen must discover the truth of who they are and what they want... -
The Iron Circlet by Phil Tucker
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe war for the soul of the Ascendant Empire is coming to a head. Factions with fell intent move to undermine or destroy that which has stood for centuries, while armies muster promising slaughter.In this time of desperation, old enemies find common ground. Ancient truths emerge to shatter long held beliefs... -
The White Song by Phil Tucker
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe White Song is the final installment in a gripping new epic fantasy series.The hour of reckoning is at hand. The skies darken with the forces of the enemy while the hopes of the armies of the light dwindle to but a candle flame. Morals, compunctions, oaths - all must be set aside, every sacrifice made, every advantage and ally sought if there is to be any chance for survival... -
The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 70 ratingsGeralt the Witcher—revered and hated—is a man whose magic powers, enhanced by long training and a mysterious elixir, have made him a brilliant fighter and a merciless assassin. Yet he is no ordinary murderer: his targets are the multifarious monsters and vile fiends that ravage the land and attack the innocent. But not everything monstrous-looking is evil and not everything fair is good..Categorized as:
dark myths paranormal retellings sword-sorcery 20th-century action-adventure anthologies -
Heir to Sevenwaters by Juliet Marillier
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsA 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... -
A Warrior's Knowledge by Davis Ashura
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsAlternate Cover Edition for ISBN-10: 099112765X / ISBN-13: 9780991127658."The redemption of the fallen man is neither easy nor quick. It is fraught with hardship and loss, and those who seek to aid someone traveling this twisted path might do best to journey ahead and light the way." (The Word and the Deed)Rukh Shektan has lost everything: his home, his standing, and his future... -
The Lost War by Justin Lee Anderson
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsThe war is over, but something is rotten in the state of Eidyn.With a ragged peace in place, demons burn farmlands, violent Reivers roam the wilds and plague has spread beyond the Black Meadows. The country is on its knees.In a society that fears and shuns him, Aranok is the first magically-skilled draoidh to be named King’s Envoy... -
Ghost in the Maze by Jonathan Moeller
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsCaina Amalas is a Ghost circlemaster, leader of the Emperor's spies in Istarinmul. Yet the people of Istarinmul know her as the Balarigar, the daring master thief who challenged the corrupt lords and cruel princes of the city. And now Grand Master Callatas, the most powerful sorcerer of Istarinmul, wants her dead, and without allies Caina will not survive... -
Ghost in the Hunt by Jonathan Moeller
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsCAINA AMALAS is the Ghost circlemaster of Istarinmul, the leader of the Emperor's spies in the city. With the aid of mysterious allies, she fights to stop the sinister plans of the ruthless Grand Master Callatas. But Callatas has spent two centuries preparing to remake humanity, and he will exterminate any who dare to oppose him... -
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Pilgrim 2 by Harmon Cooper
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA former assassin. An unspeakable past. The powerful people who want him dead.Retiring peacefully in Genshin Valley was never an option for Danzen Ravja, regardless of his intentions... -
Immortal Swordslinger 4 by Dante King
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsEthan Murphy lo Pashat has returned to Radiant Dragon, and everything seems normal until a mysterious monastery appears in Flametongue Valley. Guildmaster Xilarion sends Ethan and his friends to the monastery for a new kind of training that will unlock their most powerful forms of Augmenting so far...Categorized as:
dark myths retellings sword-sorcery action-adventure adult alternate-history audiobook -
Absolution by N.H. Paxton, James A. Hunter
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA Russian weapon engineer's work is never done. Not while the Imperial Legion marches. After dying, losing his soulmate twice, building elemental cannons, and knocking down more than metaphorical walls for the Crimson Alliance, Vlad is looking for a place to call his own: a crafting guild that will be able to produce the most overpowered loot the world of V.G.O. has ever seen... -
Celestial Prison by Avery Song, Veronica Agnus
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIn the deep shadows of the supernatural world lies a prison whose captives are organized by supernatural race, capabilities, and destructive power. The lower the level, the more lethal — and desirable — the individual. As a Nephilim at the Psychic Prison for Supernaturals, I'm banished to the depths of its lowest level, a hellhole from which few ever return... -
Path of the Blood Phoenix by J.D. Astra, James A. Hunter
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsCan a single promise change the world?Even with the Crimson Alliance formed, Rowanheath taken, and Carrera dispatched, the onslaught never ends for Abby Hollander. Keeping the Spider Queen in check and handling water provisions was never what Abby wanted to do with her life, but it's what the war demands of her... -
Ally by K. Eason
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe city of Illharek teeters on the edge of war. Rival godsworn battle in both the Suburban streets and the Senate chambers. And in the fields and forests, a Taliri army plots its attack.When a rebel faction of Taliri offers to help defeat Tal’Shik, Dekklis sends Snow and her partner, Veiko, north to Cardik’s ruins... -
Ghost in the Cowl by Jonathan Moeller
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsOverviewCaina Amalas was a nightfighter of the Ghosts, the spies and assassins of the Emperor of Nighmar, and through her boldness and cunning saved the Empire and the world from sorcerous annihilation.But the victory cost her everything.Now she is exiled and alone in the city of Istarinmul, far from her home and friends... -
The Spectral Blaze by Richard Lee Byers
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAoth and the Brotherhood of the Griffon have succeeded in rescuing Tchazzar, the lost king of Chessenta and a formidable red dragon, and are rewarded with a contract to aid in his war with a powerful dracolich... -
The Unhappy Medium 2: Tom Fool: A Supernatural Comedy by T.J. Brown
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsDr Newton Barlow and the Purgatorians are back. Now that the fight between good and evil has become routine, one-time sceptical physicist and unhappy medium, Dr Newton Barlow, is badly in need of a challenge. It arrives in the shape of a crime so cunning in its planning, so dastardly in its execution, that even the hyper-logical Dr Barlow will struggle to prevent it... -
A Snake's Rise by Kenneth Arant
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsShe promised him for better and for worse.Torga’s been keeping a secret from his wife... -
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Ghost in the Winds by Jonathan Moeller
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe Apotheosis has come at last, and it will shatter the world. CAINA is trapped in the ruins of an ancient necromancer's tomb. Unless she escapes the lethal trap, there will be no one to stop Grand Master Callatas from unleashing the Apotheosis. KYLON is desperate to save Caina's life... -
The Return Of The Sorcerer: The Best Of Clark Ashton Smith by Clark Ashton Smith
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThis work offers both readers and scholars a collection of short fiction and short novels by Clark Ashton Smith... -
Blood of the Lost by J.D. Franx
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsBook 2 from JD Franx's epic new saga! Few people survive the suffering that Kael Symes has experienced. Hot steel, demonic magic, and the loss of those he loves. After escaping the horrors of Arkum Zul, Kael and his companions survive a terror-filled night on the ocean only to find themselves shipwrecked and stranded in the Wildlands... -
Barbarian Outcast by Aaron Crash
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe lands to the South are full of depraved women driven mad by forbidden sorcery. Now that sounds like fun for a barbarian from the Black Wolf Clan. The barbarians of the frozen north live to fight, drink, hunt, and screw, and Ymir is a true son of the Ax Tundra, until a demon curses him with magic... -
Protector of the Grove by Trevor H. Cooley
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe Jharro Grove Saga: Part Two Jhonate’s reprieve from her father has been cut short. She is forced to return home to Malaroo, bringing Justan along with her. The journey she has avoided for so long has become all the more difficult because someone wants Justan dead. The rogue horse Esmine, a mythical beast of remarkable power, has been captured by a troupe of dwarf smugglers...Categorized as:
dark myths paranormal retellings sword-sorcery action-adventure animals anthropomorphism -
The Son of the Morning by Jacob Peppers
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFifty years ago, the nightwalkers appeared, creatures of shadow and darkness, thirsting for blood and death. Thousands died and the kingdom of Entarna was brought to its knees. Then the Chosen came, six men and women endowed with powers by Amedan, the God of Fire and Light. The Chosen joined with the kingdom’s armies and together they managed to defeat the night’s creatures. At least for a time...Categorized as:
dark myths paranormal retellings sword-sorcery action-adventure apocalyptic audiobook
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