Books like 'Claws and Contrivances'
Readers who enjoyed Claws and Contrivances by Stephanie Burgis also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
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The King's Traitor by Jeff Wheeler
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 39 ratingsAgainst all odds, Owen Kiskaddon grew from frightened boy to confident youth to trusted officer in the court of Kingfountain—and watched its regent, Severn Argentine, grow ever more ruthless and power-mad. Robbed of his beloved protector, his noble mentor, and his true love, Owen has anticipated the day when the king he fears and reviles, yet loyally serves, will be toppled... -
A Journey of the Heart by Catherine M. Wilson
Rated: 4.47 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsA Journey of the Heart Book II] shows the same strong storytelling ability of the first book. The language is still almost musical and wraps its sweet spell around you. Storylines that were just starting to grow in the first book are also very well developed here. Intrigue and conflict are fleshed out and take some surprising twists...Categorized as:
historical-fiction lgbtq paranormal action-adventure alpha-mc alternate-history book coming-of-age -
Keeper of Enchanted Rooms by Charlie N. Holmberg
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsRhode Island, 1846. Estranged from his family, writer Merritt Fernsby is surprised when he inherits a remote estate in the Narragansett Bay. Though the property has been uninhabited for more than a century, Merritt is ready to call it home—until he realizes he has no choice. With its doors slamming shut and locking behind him, Whimbrel House is not about to let Merritt leave. Ever...Categorized as:
cozy historical-fiction industrial-era paranormal alternate-history audiobook book fiction -
The Shadows over Marquette by Álex Gilbert
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAriane has found refuge in Illinois, and now plans her rightful return to vampire society. She must stay in control while hiding in nature, while foes old and new converge on her territory... -
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Champions of Time by Sarah Woodbury
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsApril 1294. With David returned from Ireland and Anna from Avalon, the time has come to confront the traitors who sought to assassinate David and take his throne.But before that can happen, David is tested yet again by his inability to account for everything or everyone in his life--and especially the magic that surrounds him... -
Dragons Beyond the Pale by Maria Grace
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSmugglers. A kidnapping. A fire-breathing fairy dragon? The Blue Order is falling apart at the seams.After months in Bath mentoring Dragon Keepers and Friends, Dragon Sage Elizabeth Darcy actually anticipates traveling to London for the Keeper’s Cotillion. Which says a great deal considering the she-dragons who make up the Cotillion board would very much like to show the Sage her proper place...Categorized as:
dragons industrial-era regency historical-fiction sword-sorcery paranormal romance fantasy -
Fourth Point of Contact by A.J. Sherwood, Lloyd Thomas
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsListening Length: 12 hours and 25 minutes“Renjimantoro.” Ren’s head snapped up, as Brahms only used his full name when being completely serious. Those dark blue eyes met his levelly, penetratingly, as if he could see every thought going through Ren’s head. And he likely could. The man was exceptionally good at seeing through people. “Come with me.” Oh hell...Categorized as:
historical-fiction humor lgbtq paranormal action-adventure adult alternate-history angst -
Miss Bennet's Dragon by M. Verant
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsRoyal Dragonfly Award Winner for Fantasy. Foreword INDIE Finalist for Fantasy.An unforgettable fantasy retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice that is romantic, funny, and more relevant than ever.Elizabeth Bennet is hiding a forbidden power. She can speak to draca, the fire-breathing creatures kept as status symbols by English gentry. If only Mr...Categorized as:
dragons historical-fiction industrial-era paranormal regency retellings action-adventure adult -
The Shadow of Water by Jacquelyn Benson
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsLily Albright can see the future, and it looks like hell. In an England on the brink of war, Lily is plagued by visions of the cataclysmic destruction of London. An ancient prophecy is coming to fruition, and it starts with the gruesome discovery of a corpse in the sewers.To save her city, Lily must untangle a web of conspiracy and violence... -
The Fire in the Glass by Jacquelyn Benson
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsLondon, 1914. Lily’s visions could stop a killer… if she’ll trust a reclusive aristocrat with her darkest secret.A monster stalks the gaslit streets of Edwardian London, draining the blood of the city’s mediums. Lily Albright knows who’s next.Lily is plagued by visions of the future she can never change...Categorized as:
historical-fiction industrial-era paranormal alternate-history book fiction gaslamp gothic -
The Naturalist Society by Carrie Vaughn
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsIn this magical tale of self-discovery from New York Times bestselling author Carrie Vaughn, a young widow taps into the power that will change the world—if the man’s world she lives in doesn’t destroy her and her newfound friends first.In the summer of 1880, the death of Beth Stanley’s husband puts her life’s work in jeopardy...Categorized as:
historical-fiction paranormal lgbtq industrial-era romance fantasy fiction magical-realism -
The Other Merlin by Robyn Schneider
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsWelcome to the great kingdom of Camelot. Prince Arthur’s a depressed botanist who would rather marry a library than a princess, Lancelot’s been demoted to castle guard after a terrible misunderstanding, and nothing is going according to plan...Categorized as:
historical-fiction humor lgbtq paranormal retellings sword-sorcery action-adventure adaptations -
The Magician's Diary by C.J. Archer
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsPRAISE FOR C.J. ARCHER'S GLASS AND STEELE SERIES: "Part romance, part mystery, part magic; all of which a joy to read." - Dreamer J's Book Reviews "This story has everything I look for in a quality, entertaining piece of fiction. 1) A strong female lead, 2) a dark and mysterious male character (I admit, they are my weakness), 3) eloquent writing, and 4) lots of quirky humor and banter... -
The House of the Red Balconies by A.J. Demas
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHylas has come to Tykanos to build an aqueduct. He has not come to enjoy the island’s main attraction: the six houses where the companions of Tykanos, courtesans both female and male, offer tea and elegant conversation. Yet he cannot ignore them as he finds himself renting a room in one of the tea houses and meeting his neighbour, the beautiful, chronically ill companion Zo... -
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Refuge for Masterminds by Kathleen Baldwin
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIt’s 1814. Napoleon has escaped his imprisonment on Elba. Britain is at war on four fronts. And at Stranje House, a School for Unusual Girls, five young ladies are secretly being trained for a world of spies, diplomacy, and war…Napoleon’s invasion of England is underway and someone at Stranje House is sneaking information to his spies. Lady Jane Moore is determined to find out who it is... -
Hessians and Hellhounds by Tilly Wallace
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFire erases all… even the undead.... One of London’s most recognisable Afflicted is erased from the earth in a fiery way. Whispers spread that a hellhound prowls the streets, snatching the lost souls who have escaped the afterworld...Categorized as:
cozy historical-fiction industrial-era paranormal regency action-adventure adult alternate-history -
Exile for Dreamers by Kathleen Baldwin
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsIt’s 1814. Napoleon has escaped his imprisonment on Elba. Europe is in shambles. Britain is at war on four fronts. And at Stranje House, a School for Unusual Girls, five young ladies are secretly being trained for a world of spies, diplomacy, and war.Tess Aubreyson can’t run far enough or fast enough to escape the prophetic dreams that haunt her... -
Firestarter by Tara Sim
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe crew of the Prometheus is intent on taking down the world’s clock towers so that time can run freely. Now captives, Colton, Daphne, and the others have a stark choice: join the Prometheus’s cause, or fight back in any small way they can and face the consequences. But Zavier, leader of the terrorists, has a bigger plan—to bring back the lost god of time...Categorized as:
historical-fiction industrial-era lgbtq paranormal alternate-history audiobook book disability -
Jolene by Mercedes Lackey
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe beloved Elemental Masters series moves to America for the first time in a rich retelling of The Queen of the Copper Mountain, set against the backdrop of Tennessee coal country.Anna May Jones is the daughter of a coal miner. When her father succumbs to Black Lung, the coal company wastes no time in turning the family out of their home... -
Hexbreaker by Jordan L. Hawk
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsWill a dark history doom their future together?New York copper Tom Halloran is a man with a past. If anyone finds out he once ran with the notorious O'Connell tunnel gang, he'll spend the rest of his life doing hard time behind bars. But Tom's secret is threatened when a horrible murder on his beat seems to have been caused by the same ancient magic that killed his gang...Categorized as:
historical-fiction humor industrial-era lgbtq paranormal action-adventure adult alternate-history -
The Apothecary's Poison by C.J. Archer
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsWhen a newspaper report of a medical miracle catches Matt's eye, he and India go in search of Dr. Hale in the hope he is more magical doctor than miracle worker and can lead them to Chronos. But Hale turns out to be an apothecary magician keen to educate the public about magic. Their disappointment at not finding Chronos is soon forgotten when Hale is murdered, and Matt becomes a suspect... -
The Untitled Books by C.J. Archer
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsA curated collection of magic…and murder.When a set of bound manuscripts written on magician-made paper is brought to the Glass Library, Sylvia and the professor send the owner away. After all, the library collects books about magic, not containing it.But the murder of the bookbinder who bound them sees the books returned to the library, along with Gabe in his role as consultant for Scotland Yard... -
Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsIt’s difficult to find a husband in Regency England when you’re a young lady with only half a soul.Ever since a faerie cursed her, Theodora Ettings has had no sense of fear, embarrassment, or even happiness—a condition which makes her sadly prone to accidental scandal...Categorized as:
cozy historical-fiction humor industrial-era paranormal regency sword-sorcery action-adventure -
A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsRed White & Royal Blue meets Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell in debut author Freya Marske’s A Marvellous Light, featuring an Edwardian England full of magic, contracts, and conspiracies. Robin Blyth has more than enough bother in his life. He’s struggling to be a good older brother, a responsible employer, and the harried baronet of a seat gutted by his late parents’ excesses... -
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Here There Be Dragons by Maria Grace
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratings" A top fun comfort read."~ Gail CarrigerLife was definitely better when one’s fondest dreams came true.Better, indeed, for newly made baronet, Sir Frederick Wentworth. Enjoying a title, a sea-side estate, a dragon to Keep, and most importantly, marriage to his dearest Anne, life was far better than he dreamed it could be.Better, but not easier...Categorized as:
historical-fiction industrial-era regency dragons cozy sword-sorcery paranormal romance -
A Swift and Savage Tide by Chloe Neill
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsChloe Neill's bold, seafaring heroine Captain Kit Brightling sets sail for high seas and high sorcery in this swashbuckling fantasy series. Captain Kit Brightling is Aligned to the magic of the sea, which makes her an invaluable asset to the Saxon Isles and its monarch, Queen Charlotte... -
Magician's Ward by Patricia C. Wrede
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsWhen Mairelon made Kim his ward, he promised to teach her to be a lady and a magician. But magic proves to be harder than it looks for a girl who has just learned to read, and being a lady is even harder. Before frustration - and Merrill's formidably correct aunt - can drive her mad, a mysterious gentleman attempts to burgle the Merrill town house...Categorized as:
historical-fiction humor industrial-era paranormal regency action-adventure alternate-history book -
Storming by K.M. Weiland
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIn the high-flying, heady world of 1920s aviation, brash pilot Robert “Hitch” Hitchcock’s life does a barrel roll when a young woman in an old-fashioned ball gown falls from the clouds smack in front of his biplane. As fearless as she is peculiar, Jael immediately proves she’s game for just about anything, including wing-walking in his struggling airshow... -
The Mystic Marriage by Heather Rose Jones
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAntuniet Chazillen lost everything the night her brother was executed. In exile, she swore that treason would not be the final chapter of the Chazillen legacy in Alpennia’s history. A long-hidden book of alchemical secrets provides the first hope of success, but her return to the capital is haunted by an enemy who wants those secrets for himself.Jeanne, Vicomtesse de Cherdillac is bored...Categorized as:
historical-fiction industrial-era lgbtq paranormal adult age-gap alternate-history book -
Magicians of Quality by Patricia C. Wrede, Caroline Stevermer
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFor country-bred cousins Cecelia Rushton and Katherine Talgarth, something extraordinary is afoot besides the constant whirl of Regency balls - something Young Ladies of Quality rarely come in contact with: magic. Oh, not the mere love spells used by country folk, but real sorcery capable of thwarting ambitions and destroying life...Categorized as:
historical-fiction humor industrial-era paranormal regency action-adventure alternate-history book -
Harbor for the Nightingale by Kathleen Baldwin
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA girl’s spy school amid Jane Austen’s high society . . .London, 1814. Emperor Napoleon has forced Europe to its knees, and now he plots to seize control of Britain. Miss Maya Barrington, one of Miss Stranje’s unusual girls, must act as a double agent and rely upon her uncanny gift of persuasion to stop Napoleon.She brought the mystery of India with her . . .Maya is from two different worlds...Categorized as:
historical-fiction industrial-era paranormal regency alternate-history book espionage fiction -
The Timeseer's Gambit by Kate McIntyre
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIt’s been three months since mild-mannered Christopher Buckley began working with Olivia Faraday, the eccentric Deathsniffer. They’ve hunted killers, solved murders, and learned to work together. But their greatest challenges are yet to come…As a brutal heat wave wracks an increasingly unstable Darrington City, someone is killing young priests. Worse, they are using bound elementals to do it...Categorized as:
industrial-era lgbtq paranormal action-adventure adult alternate-history alternate-universe book -
Extra Scenes by S.A. Chakraborty
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIn addition to the main trilogy books, there have been a number of alternate, deleted, or extra scenes involving the main characters that have been posted online by the author. Some were pre-order bonuses, fluff written during the Covid-19 quarantine, or old scenes that got cut from the final book script.As a treat for readers in the lead-up to the publication of The Empire of Gold, S.A... -
Courting Magic by Stephanie Burgis
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIn Kat Stephenson's Regency England, magic is even more shocking than a stolen kiss. But now that she's eighteen, it's time for wild and magical Kat to be introduced to high society by her older sisters, whether she likes it or not...and to finally have a romance of her own!Of course, her true love is hopelessly ineligible...Categorized as:
historical-fiction humor industrial-era paranormal regency sword-sorcery alternate-history book -
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A Death at the Dionysus Club by Melissa Scott, Amy Griswold
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIn the sequel to Lambda Literary Award-winning Death by Silver, metaphysician Ned Mathey and private detective Julian Lynes again challenge magical and murderous threats in a Victorian London not quite the city in our history books. Mathey is recruited by Scotland Yard to assist the new Metaphysical Crimes Squad in the case of a literally heartless corpse...Categorized as:
historical-fiction industrial-era lgbtq paranormal adult alternate-history audiobook book -
The Cecelia and Kate Novels: Sorcery & Cecelia, The Grand Tour, and The Mislaid Magician by Patricia C. Wrede
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsCourageous cousins are forced to do battle with magical foes in this series, collected here in a single volume In Sorcery & Cecelia, cousins Kate and Cecelia have been inseparable since childhood. But in 1817, as they approach adulthood, their families force them to spend a summer apart...Categorized as:
historical-fiction industrial-era paranormal regency action-adventure alternate-history book family -
An Echo in Time: Atlantis by Traci Harding, Edwina Wren
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe narrow stairway inside the mountain led to a door that opened into a huge marble plateau. Upon this stood a stone circle of nine of the largest hunks of polished crystal Tory had ever seen. A turbulent cloud erupted overhead, its core alive with electromagnetic activity...Categorized as:
historical-fiction paranormal action-adventure adult alternate-history audiobook book fiction -
Galvanism and Ghouls by Tilly Wallace
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsTogether beyond death... A new unnatural horror is about to rattle Hannah Miles' quiet existence, and it's not the short-tempered viscount prowling the hallways. Someone is creating a monster by stitching together pieces of different people. When a limb makes an escape attempt, Viscount Wycliff is called to investigate... -
Chainbreaker by Tara Sim
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsClock mechanic Danny Hart knows he's being watched. But by whom, or what, remains a mystery. To make matters worse, clock towers have begun falling in India, though time hasn't Stopped yet. He'd hoped after reuniting with his father and exploring his relationship with Colton, he'd have some time to settle into his new life. Instead, he's asked to investigate the attacks... -
Her Majesty's Necromancer by C.J. Archer
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsWhen bodies go missing from the cemetery, Lincoln and the Ministry of Curiosities investigate. But not Charlie. As a housemaid at Lichfield Towers, she doesn't get involved in Ministry business.Instead, she conducts investigations of her own. She searches for details about her real mother, and makes inquiries into Lincoln's background... -
Sword in the Stars by A.R. Capetta, Cory McCarthy
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsIn this epic sequel to Once & Future, to save the future, Ari and her Rainbow knights pull off a heist...thousands of years in the past.Ari Helix may have won her battle against the tyrannical Mercer corporation, but the larger war has just begun...Categorized as:
dragons historical-fiction lgbtq paranormal retellings action-adventure alternate-history arthurian -
Spellbreaker by Charlie N. Holmberg
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 39 ratingsA world of enchanted injustice needs a disenchanting woman in the newest fantasy series by the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Paper Magician.The orphaned Elsie Camden learned as a girl that there were two kinds of wizards in the world: those who pay for the power to cast spells and those, like her, born with the ability to break them... -
Spellbound at Pemberley by Abigail Reynolds
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFitzwilliam Darcy is a powerful mage and master of illusions. His abilities make him the perfect man for a dangerous mission to end the devastating war with Napoleon – a mission that would leave him little chance of returning alive. When he meets the enchanting Elizabeth Bennet, whose magical Talents are as deep as they are inexplicable, he knows he needs her help...Categorized as:
dragons industrial-era regency retellings historical-fiction paranormal humor sword-sorcery -
Horseman by Kyle Robert Shultz
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsIn the year 1790, monster hunter Ichabod Crane searched for a mysterious creature called the Headless Horseman. His quest ended in an embarrassing failure that marked his family with disgrace for generations. Now, in 1891, his descendant (and part-time centaur) Todd Crane is determined to clear his family’s name. There's just one problem--Todd deals in illegal magic potions...Categorized as:
dragons humor industrial-era paranormal retellings sword-sorcery action-adventure alternate-history -
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Pemberley: Mr. Darcy's Dragon by Maria Grace
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsEngland is overrun by dragons of all shapes and sizes. Most people are blissfully unaware of them and the Pendragon Treaty that keeps the peace between human and dragon kind. Only those born with preternatural hearing, like Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet are able to hear and converse with dragonkind...Categorized as:
dragons historical-fiction humor industrial-era paranormal regency retellings sword-sorcery -
The Plastic Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsWall Street Journal bestselling author Charlie N. Holmberg returns to the enchanting world of The Paper Magician.Alvie Brechenmacher has arrived in London to begin her training in Polymaking—the magical discipline of bespelling plastic. Polymaking is the newest form of magic, and in a field where there is so much left to learn, every Polymaker dreams of making the next big discovery... -
The Mapmaker's Apprentice by C.J. Archer
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsWhen an apprentice from the Mapmakers' Guild goes missing, Matt and India are employed to find him. Going undercover as a married couple, they discover that not everyone at the guild is what they seem, and the lad's unearthly maps caused jealousy, suspicion and fear... -
Changeling by Molly Harper
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsSorcery and Society Book 1 “Witty and classic, Changeling had everything I wanted from a coming of age story: friendship, scandal, and a heroine learning to flex her magical muscles... -
Darkwitch Rising by Sara Douglass
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsDarkwitch Rising is the third title in Sara Douglass's compelling Troy Game series, a riveting historical fantasy series of love and revenge set against the very fabric of time itself.Britian. An ancient land. Most think they know its history. But few suspect and fewer still know the truth...Categorized as:
historical-fiction paranormal sword-sorcery adult alternate-history book dark dark-fantasy -
Manners and Monsters by Tilly Wallace
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA lady never reveals the true extent of her decay... Hannah Miles lives a quiet existence, helping her parents conduct research into a most terrible affliction - until a gruesome murder during her best friend's engagement party pulls her from the shadows. With her specialist's knowledge and demure disposition, Hannah is requested to aid the investigation...Categorized as:
cozy historical-fiction humor industrial-era paranormal regency action-adventure adult
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