Books like 'Dearest'
Readers who enjoyed Dearest by Alethea Kontis also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
historical fantasy romance action / adventure high fantasy retellings magic fairy-tale paranormal royalty
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The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 50 ratingsFollowing 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... -
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... -
A Sharpened Axe by Jill M. Beene
Rated: 4.59 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsA cursed nation. An unlikely heroine. Deadly stakes. This love could kill...A jaded fae princess and a few words whispered in the dark...that’s all it took for the prosperous country of Leiria to fall under a curse. Disease, famine and calamity followed. Fifteen years later, Samiris is one of the Chosen, a group of young women brought to the palace to try and break the curse... -
The Twelve Dancing Princesses by K.M. Shea
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsQuinn is a loyal soldier of Farset, willing to risk her life on behalf of her country and squad. So, when a fellow soldier volunteers for a dangerous mission, Quinn joins him. Their assignment is to investigate the nightly disappearance of the twelve royal princesses, a mystery none have solved as those who attempt it vanish... -
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The Legendary Inge by Kate Stradling
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsAn 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... -
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... -
Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 56 ratingsA magnificent saga set in the Celtic twilight of 10th century Ireland, when myth was law and magic was a power of nature, brilliantly brought to life: the legendary story of an evil stepmother opposed by a seventh child.The keep at Sevenwaters is a strange, remote place, guarded by silent men who slip through the woodlands clothed in grey, and keep their weapons sharp... -
Rumpelstiltskin by K.M. Shea
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsWhen 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... -
Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 74 ratingsMiryem 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... -
Puss in Boots by K.M. Shea
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThough 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... -
Sacrifice by K.M. Shea
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsSacrifice: the thrilling conclusion to the Snow Queen series! Rakel, once feared and exiled for possessing magic, is now hailed a hero. Leading resistance forces against the Chosen—an army of magic users that invaded her homeland—she is granted everything she has longed for: acceptance, a home, and the love of her friends. But the battle for her country has just begun... -
Genevieve of Dragon Ridge by Shari L. Tapscott
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsGenevieve is no stranger to heartache, but ever since the dragons saved her ten years ago, she’s been content. Though it’s unheard of for a human girl to live in a dragon flight, Genevieve doesn’t mind. She has a family, scaled though they may be, and she enjoys her quiet, simple existence.However, her routine is abruptly disturbed the day a half-dead prince is dropped into her life... -
The Little Selkie by K.M. Shea
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsDylan—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... -
Cinderella and the Colonel by K.M. Shea
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsAn alternative cover edition for this ASIN can be found here.Scratching out a living in a land recovering from war and a hostile takeover, Cinderella—an orphaned, destitute duchess—is desperate to save her lands and servants in spite of the terrible taxes placed upon her by the Erlauf queen, even if it means she must don servants’ clothes and work like a commoner... -
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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... -
The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf by Gerald Morris
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsHer 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... -
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... -
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... -
The Ordinary Princess by M.M. Kaye
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsAlong 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... -
Dragon Spear by Jessica Day George
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsFor 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... -
The Wide-Awake Princess by E.D. Baker
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsIn 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... -
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... -
A Kingdom of Nomads by S.B. Nova
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAs the darkness grows, so must the light…Branded as enemies of the fae kingdom, Serena and her friends are on the run from the witch queen, Morgan. They reach sanctuary, only to discover shocking secrets that separate them.Serena’s newfound destiny takes her to a land plagued by endless war. To survive there, she is forced to bloody her sword, escape an evil king, and confront a god... -
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... -
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Age of Auroras by Shari L. Tapscott
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsTemporary peace has settled across Draegan as a new era begins for the cursed kingdom, but the royals know that tranquility is fleeting. In order to fulfill the magic and save the continent from its imminent destruction, Rhys and Amalia must once again return to Renove and see the rightful king ascend his throne... -
Dawn of Darkness by Shari L. Tapscott
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsPrincess Amalia of Renove expected to find plague and death when she and Rhys entered the kingdom of Draegan, but she didn’t realize she’d find herself in a nest of lies and deception.Now the princess’s world is crumbling. She must learn to navigate a wicked court, where everyone wants something from her—including the one man she thought she could trust.And Amalia isn’t the only one struggling... -
Chosen Champion by Elise Kova
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA princess on the run, with enemies on all sides... Vi Solaris is on the eve of getting everything she’s ever wanted—her family, her home, her throne—and to save the world she’s going to have to give it all up.The Empire sees her as their Crown Princess, returning at long last. But Vi only sees visions of fate guiding her to the world’s gruesome end... -
Forest of Firelight by Shari L. Tapscott
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsAfter the sudden death of her brother, Princess Amalia is charged with what feels like an impossible task—she must choose the next king. Youthful thoughts of love are pushed aside as she accepts her fate, setting upon a quest throughout the kingdom to find a man worthy of her father’s throne.Little does Amalia know, someone has already set his sights on her... -
Swan Lake by K.M. Shea
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWill she choose to save her country or free herself?Cursed to be a swan by day, Odette spends her nights leading a band of smugglers and delivering illegal goods. Though she longs for her spell to be broken, she is stuck flattering the evil sorcerer who cursed her... -
Red Rope of Fate by K.M. Shea
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsIn a land where humans and elves find it difficult to communicate, Tari—an elf—is bound to Captain Arion—a human military officer—in a ceremony designed to promote friendship between the two races. When the ceremony is over the pair discover that the impossible has happened: they can understand each other in spite of the language barrier... -
No Place for Magic by E.D. Baker
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsWhen 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... -
The Perilous Gard by Elizabeth Marie Pope
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsIn 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... -
Princess of the Silver Woods by Jessica Day George
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsWhen 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... -
Shadowcaster by Cinda Williams Chima
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsA lifelong war.Alyssa ana’Raisa is the reluctant princess heir to the Gray Wolf throne of Fells, a queendom embroiled in a seemingly endless war. Hardened by too many losses, Lyss is more comfortable striking with a sword than maneuvering at court. After a brush with death, she goes on the offensive, meaning to end the war that has raged her whole life... -
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Child of the Prophecy by Juliet Marillier
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 39 ratingsChild 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... -
The Changeling Sea by Patricia A. McKillip
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsSince the day her father's fishing boat returned without him, Peri and her mother have mourned his loss. Her mother sinks into a deep depression and spends her days gazing out at the sea. Unable to control her anger and sadness any longer, Peri uses the small magic she knows to hex the sea... -
Princess Ahira by K.M. Shea
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsOnce upon a time? Please! What a joke.Princess Ahira is not your average damsel in distress. She hates being a princess and constantly tries to flee from her mother and her lectures. Pleasantly, her life is shattered on the eve of her sixteenth birthday when she is kidnapped by dragons... -
Pillars of Six by Kelly St. Clare
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsDarkness crashes over the angry sea. After the bloody skirmish on Pleo, my future is a jumbled mess... -
Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 39 ratingsHigh 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... -
Fire in the Blood by W.R. Gingell
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA princess in a dragon-guarded tower. The prince who is to rescue her. The prince’s ensorcelled dragon. And one enchanted keep that might just be enough to kill them all... It’s widely known that Princess Kayami Koto is held captive in the Enchanted Keep by a dragon of great ferocity and skill... -
Ella by Jessilyn Stewart Peaslee
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsReserved 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... -
Once: Before Midnight / Golden / Wild Orchid by Cameron Dokey
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsRead 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... -
A Prince Among Frogs by E.D. Baker
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsPrincess Millie and her fiancé, Audun, are busy preparing for their wedding when trouble starts brewing in Greater Greensward. Millie's baby brother, Felix, has been kidnapped and is trapped in a swamp full of other frogs... -
Lion Heart by A.C. Gaughen
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsThe 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... -
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Beauty and the Beast by K.M. Shea
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsOnce upon a time Elle made a mistake. A small miscalculation sends her through the roof of an enchanted chateau. Stranded until her broken leg mends, Elle is forced to rely on the good will of the sour chateau owner —the cursed Prince Severin... -
Cybele's Secret by Juliet Marillier
Rated: 4.04 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsFOR 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... -
The Dragon Princess by E.D. Baker
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsWith E. D. Baker's trademark humor, wacky animal and human characters, and almost all-new cast, this is the story of Emma's daughter, Millie, who is trying to survive being a magical princess who happens to keep turning into a dragon... -
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
Rated: 4.03 of 5 stars · 83 ratingsAt birth, Ella is inadvertently cursed by an imprudent young fairy named Lucinda, who bestows on her the "gift" of obedience. Anything anyone tells her to do, Ella must obey. Another girl might have been cowed by this affliction, but not feisty Ella: "Instead of making me docile, Lucinda's curse made a rebel of me. Or perhaps I was that way naturally... -
Stepsister by Jennifer Donnelly
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 40 ratingsIsabelle should be blissfully happy – she’s about to win the handsome prince. Except Isabelle isn’t the beautiful girl who lost the glass slipper and captured the prince’s heart. She’s the ugly stepsister who’s cut off her toes to fit into Cinderella’s shoe ... which is now filling with blood.When the prince discovers Isabelle’s deception, she is turned away in shame... -
Blade of Fortriu by Juliet Marillier
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsFive Winters have passed since young king Bridei ascended the throne of Fortriu. Five years, in which the people have felt a contentment unknown for generations. But the security of a people can vanish in a heartbeat, for wolves are often drawn to fields filled with fattened sheep. Bridei is determined to drive the Gaelic invaders from his lands once and for all...
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