Books like 'Pretender to the Crown'
Readers who enjoyed Pretender to the Crown by Melissa McShane also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
historical fantasy romance high fantasy action / adventure female-mc witches-wizards magic historical-fiction coming-of-age
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Memories of Prophecies by Davis Ashura
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe memories of the past may be forgotten, but prophecies linger.Cinder Shade and his fellow cadets have survived a brutal mission in the vast wilds of the Dagger Mountains. Laying to rest many of their brother warriors, they return to the Third Directorate, battered, bruised, and weary of soul.But the world turns, and new challenges press... -
![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...Categorized as:
coming-of-age epic female-mc historical-fiction magic paranormal witches-wizards 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...Categorized as:
coming-of-age epic female-mc historical-fiction magic paranormal sword-sorcery action-adventure -
![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...Categorized as:
coming-of-age epic female-mc historical-fiction magic paranormal sword-sorcery action-adventure -
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![The Twelve Dancing Princesses by K.M. Shea]()
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...Categorized as:
female-mc magic military paranormal sword-sorcery witches-wizards action-adventure adaptations -
![Gold Dragon by Lindsay Buroker]()
Gold Dragon by Lindsay Buroker
Rated: 4.49 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsNow that Trip’s siblings are safely back in the capital, he would like it if life got back to normal. As normal as possible for a half-dragon army officer learning to use his magical powers when he isn’t busy piloting with Wolf Squadron. But trouble keeps popping up, and the capital isn’t the safe haven Trip had hoped... -
![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 magic paranormal action-adventure arthurian audiobook -
![The Words of Kings and Prophets by Shauna Lawless]()
The Words of Kings and Prophets by Shauna Lawless
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe sequel to the critically acclaimed The Children of Gods and Fighting Men, The Words of Kings and Prophets is the powerful new historical fantasy novel by Shauna Lawless.Ireland, 1000 AD. Gormflaith is unhappily married to Brian Boru, High King of Ireland, and although a queen she struggles with her limited position...Categorized as:
historical-fiction magic witches-wizards epic sword-sorcery military female-mc europe -
![Mistress of the Empire by Raymond E. Feist, Janny Wurts]()
Mistress of the Empire by Raymond E. Feist, Janny Wurts
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 38 ratingsThe world on the other side of the rift: Kelewan, a land seething with political intrigue and deadly conspiracies. Following the opulent panoply of Daughter Of The Empire and the dazzling pageantry of Servant Of The Empire comes the resounding conclusion to the Empire trilogy... -
![Raptor by Lindsay Buroker]()
Raptor by Lindsay Buroker
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsResponsible for her friend’s death, Lieutenant Caslin Ahn wants nothing more than to be left alone. She no longer deserves the company of comrades or the fulfillment she felt as a Wolf Squadron fighter pilot. But a summons from the king leaves her with no choice but to rejoin her teammates... -
![The Thief's Daughter by Jeff Wheeler]()
The Thief's Daughter by Jeff Wheeler
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsA Wall Street Journal bestseller Owen Kiskaddon first came to the court of the formidable King Severn as a prisoner, winning favor with the stormy monarch by masquerading as a boy truly blessed by the Fountain... -
![Revelations by Lindsay Buroker]()
Revelations by Lindsay Buroker
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsPower that’s growing ever more impossible to hide… Captain Telryn “Trip” Yert is on the most important mission of his life. Accompanied by Captain Kaika, the sentient soulblade Jaxi, and Rysha Ravenwood—the noble-born scholar and officer he definitely shouldn’t be developing feelings for—he must find a way to close a portal that’s allowing more and more dragons into the world... -
![By the Sword by Mercedes Lackey]()
By the Sword by Mercedes Lackey
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 39 ratingsGranddaughter of the sorceress Kethry, daughter of a noble house, Kerowyn had been forced to run the family keep since her mother’s untimely death. Yet now at last her brother was preparing to wed, and when his bride became the lady of the keep, Kerowyn could return to her true enjoyments—training horses and hunting...Categorized as:
coming-of-age epic female-mc magic military paranormal sword-sorcery witches-wizards -
![The Blade's Memory by Lindsay Buroker]()
The Blade's Memory by Lindsay Buroker
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsThe king is missing.A secret organization is hunting sorcerers.The enemy has powerful new weapons to deploy, and the capital is more vulnerable than it's ever been.Worst of all, at least in Ridge Zirkander's view, someone put that jackass Colonel Therrik in charge of the flier battalion... -
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![Rumpelstiltskin by K.M. Shea]()
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...Categorized as:
coming-of-age female-mc magic paranormal sword-sorcery witches-wizards action-adventure adaptations -
![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...Categorized as:
coming-of-age epic female-mc historical-fiction magic paranormal sword-sorcery 21st-century -
![Shattered Past by Lindsay Buroker]()
Shattered Past by Lindsay Buroker
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsAn elite forces officer with a dreadful reputation. A bookish paleontologist with a love for mysteries. An ancient stronghold full of secrets that will take both of them to unearth... -
![Puss in Boots by K.M. Shea]()
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...Categorized as:
female-mc magic paranormal sword-sorcery witches-wizards action-adventure adaptations alpha-mc -
![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...Categorized as:
epic female-mc historical-fiction magic paranormal sword-sorcery action-adventure alpha-mc -
![Penric’s Mission by Lois McMaster Bujold]()
Penric’s Mission by Lois McMaster Bujold
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsIn his 30th year, Penric fell in love with light.Learned Penric, a sorcerer and divine of the Bastard's Order, travels across the sea to sunlit Cedonia on his first covert diplomatic mission, to attempt to secure the services of a disaffected Cedonian general for the Duke of Adria. However, nothing is as it seems...Categorized as:
epic female-mc magic paranormal sword-sorcery witches-wizards action-adventure adult -
![The Fathomless Caves by Kate Forsyth]()
The Fathomless Caves by Kate Forsyth
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsIn Eileanan, victory has finally been won, and those of faery kind--from the mighty dragons to the mysterious nyx--have sworn their friendship and aid. Only the sea-dwelling Fairgean have refused to sign the Pact of Peace. Driven by ancient hatreds, they have devoted themselves to destroying all who dwell upon the land... -
![Unraveled by Lindsay Buroker]()
Unraveled by Lindsay Buroker
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsA mission to a foreign land has left Captain Trip Yert with a responsibility he never anticipated: watching over two dozen magical stasis chambers containing half-dragon young, including eight that are half-human. As bewildering as he finds it, all of them are related to him... -
![Dragon on Top by G.A. Aiken]()
Dragon on Top by G.A. Aiken
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsTry a little dragon tenderness. I am Glheanna the Decimator. I am a warrior. A soldier. I know no fear. No pain. No mercy. I do, however, know acute embarrassment! How could I not after getting dumped by a bastard dragon in front of my own troops? So I tuck tail and return to my cave, drowning my sorrows in ale—as is my family’s way...Categorized as:
epic female-mc historical-fiction magic military paranormal sword-sorcery witches-wizards -
![The Human Familiar by Honor Raconteur]()
The Human Familiar by Honor Raconteur
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsWhile Bannen had every intention of finding adventure, being yanked through a magical portal two continents away isn’t quite what he imagined happening. For that matter, being magically bound to a mage-in-training hadn’t ever crossed his mind. Being the first human familiar ever summoned in Corcoran? Not on his to-do list... -
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![Followed by Frost by Charlie N. Holmberg]()
Followed by Frost by Charlie N. Holmberg
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsSeventeen-year-old Smitha has the wealth, status, and beauty that make her the envy of her town—until she rejects a strange man’s marriage proposal and disastrous consequences follow. Smitha becomes cursed, and frost begins to encompass everything she touches...Categorized as:
coming-of-age epic female-mc historical-fiction magic paranormal sword-sorcery witches-wizards -
![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... -
![Elven Fury by Lindsay Buroker]()
Elven Fury by Lindsay Buroker
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsJev Dharrow is trying to convince his father to cancel his arranged marriage so he can wed Zenia, the woman he loves. But when elven assassins arrive in the city, all his personal problems must be set aside. They are after his good friend, Lornysh, an elf who has saved Jev's life a dozen times over the years...Categorized as:
epic historical-fiction magic paranormal sword-sorcery action-adventure adult audiobook -
![The Void Mage by Honor Raconteur]()
The Void Mage by Honor Raconteur
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsAfter two years of training in Turransky under a new master, Rena is a proper Void Mage, supposedly ready to handle whatever the world throws at her. Which is just as well because Toh’sellor’s influence has proven it can pop shards up anywhere at any given time across all three continents, with nothing to use to predict it. Worse still, it doesn’t seem to have any real restrictions... -
![Remnants by Honor Raconteur]()
Remnants by Honor Raconteur
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFinally over with the wedding, managed to escape the parents, signed up with the MISD, yay! Got assigned a permanent team with Chi, Vee, and Maksohm, double yay! Toh’sellor has been stolen. Yeah, this is not going to be fun. It is, in fact, anti-fun. Oh, and monkeys. Poor Chi... -
![Fist of the Furor by R.K. Ryals]()
Fist of the Furor by R.K. Ryals
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratings“People die for freedom …”There is chaos in the kingdom of Medeisia. The rebels have gone into the mountains to hide, protected by the dragons... -
![Tempest by R.K. Ryals]()
Tempest by R.K. Ryals
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWe must overcome and prevail ...King Raemon of Medeisia is slaughtering tattooed scribes and mages, forcing them into hiding. All marked and those associated with them are destroyed. The people are desperate. Months after challenging Raemon, the marked rebels of Medeisia must rise against their bloodthirsty king or chance being annihilated... -
![Patterns in the Dark by Lindsay Buroker]()
Patterns in the Dark by Lindsay Buroker
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsEveryone knows dragons have been extinct for over a thousand years. Everyone is wrong. At least one dragon remains, and military scientists from the Cofah Empire are experimenting with its blood, using the magical substance to power deadly new weapons that could be used to bring the world to its knees...Categorized as:
epic female-mc magic military paranormal sword-sorcery witches-wizards action-adventure -
![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... -
![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...Categorized as:
coming-of-age epic female-mc historical-fiction paranormal sword-sorcery action-adventure alpha-mc -
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![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...Categorized as:
coming-of-age epic female-mc magic military paranormal sword-sorcery witches-wizards -
![Terciel and Elinor by Garth Nix]()
Terciel and Elinor by Garth Nix
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsBestselling novelist Garth Nix returns to the Old Kingdom for the never-before-told love story of Sabriel’s parents, Terciel and Elinor, and the Charter magic that brought them together—and threatened to tear them apart. A long-awaited prequel to a classic fantasy series...Categorized as:
coming-of-age epic magic paranormal sword-sorcery witches-wizards action-adventure audiobook -
![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...Categorized as:
coming-of-age epic female-mc historical-fiction magic paranormal sword-sorcery action-adventure -
![The Archmage Unbound by Michael G. Manning]()
The Archmage Unbound by Michael G. Manning
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsMordecai’s growing power and success have made him a threat, not just to the gods and their minions, but also to the king of Lothion. An unholy bargain has been struck to bring him to heel and increasingly it seems that victory may not be worth the price, not if the cost is measured in the blood of his family. Wizard, lord, husband, father, and now archmage..Categorized as:
epic historical-fiction magic paranormal sword-sorcery action-adventure audiobook book -
![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 magic paranormal sword-sorcery action-adventure -
![Champion of the Crown by Melissa McShane]()
Champion of the Crown by Melissa McShane
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWillow North has safely brought the boy-King Felix out of Tremontane and secured the support of neighboring Eskandel in his bid to recover the Crown. Now she faces her greatest challenge yet: convincing the Counts and Barons of Tremontane to support Felix as he confronts his uncle, the pretender to the Crown... -
![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:
epic female-mc historical-fiction magic paranormal sword-sorcery witches-wizards action-adventure -
![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 magic paranormal sword-sorcery witches-wizards action-adventure adult -
![A Kingdom of Nomads by S.B. Nova]()
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... -
![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...Categorized as:
historical-fiction female-mc epic sword-sorcery romance fantasy high-fantasy historical -
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![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...Categorized as:
coming-of-age epic magic paranormal sword-sorcery witches-wizards action-adventure audiobook -
![Age of Auroras by Shari L. Tapscott]()
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... -
![Warrior by Jennifer Fallon]()
Warrior by Jennifer Fallon
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsIt is eight years since Marla Wolfblade buried her second husband. In that time, she has become the power behind Hythria's throne -- as much from a desire to control her own destiny in any way she can, as to protect her son, young Damin... -
![Spark City by Robert J. Power]()
Spark City by Robert J. Power
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsp> Erroh has a plan. A simple plan. It’ll never work. Despite his family's warrior pedigree, he'd rather gamble and drink while living from one tavern to the next. But when his wanderings bring him upon a gruesome slaughter of innocents he is torn from carefree ways.Spark City is on the horizon and with it the mysterious trials of The Cull...Categorized as:
coming-of-age epic historical-fiction paranormal sword-sorcery action-adventure adult audiobook -
![The Crystal Gryphon by Andre Norton]()
The Crystal Gryphon by Andre Norton
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsThe story of Kerovan, whose cloven hooves set him apart from the human folk of the Dales, as he seeks his rights as heir to the throne of Ulm at a time when strange sea invaders are shattering the old kingdoms, and equally enigmatic manifestations of the Old Ones coming to interfere with humanity... -
![Chosen Champion by Elise Kova]()
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...Categorized as:
coming-of-age epic female-mc magic paranormal sword-sorcery witches-wizards action-adventure
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