Books like 'First Light'
Readers who enjoyed First Light by Michele Paige Holmes also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
historical romance fantasy action / adventure high fantasy magic retellings alternate-universe royalty fairy-tale
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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]()
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]()
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... -
![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... -
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![The Legendary Inge by Kate Stradling]()
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... -
![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... -
![Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik]()
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]()
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]()
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]()
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... -
![Mortal Trinity by Kelly St. Clare]()
Mortal Trinity by Kelly St. Clare
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe battle is over. My fathers are insistent that we keep fighting and end the pillars’ evil reign. As far as I’m concerned, the battle was lost when hell burst open and someone I loved died. But Mutinous Cannon didn’t just take the root of magic when he broke free, he took Jagger. No matter that I’m lost to grief. No matter that I’m floating in an abyss... -
![The Little Selkie by K.M. Shea]()
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]()
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... -
![The Legend of Holly Claus by Brittney Ryan]()
The Legend of Holly Claus by Brittney Ryan
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe birth of Holly Claus, Santa's daughter, is a miracle but it also brings about a terrible curse from an evil soul. Holly's heart is frozen, and she must face her enemy, free her self, and save her father's kingdom... -
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![Enchanted by K.M. Shea]()
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... -
![Dragon Spear by Jessica Day George]()
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]()
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... -
![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... -
![Warsong by Elizabeth Vaughan]()
Warsong by Elizabeth Vaughan
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe magic has come back to the Plains. The Warrior Priests are no more. The traditions are changing—too quickly for some. Joden has only ever wanted to be a Singer, to know all of the songs. When the time comes for his Trials, he is challenged to take the old paths—and it ends in disaster. But his broken heart and broken body are found by Amyu . . . and she knows what it is to live with pain... -
![The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh]()
The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 57 ratingsDeadly storms have ravaged Mina’s homeland for generations. Floods sweep away entire villages, while bloody wars are waged over the few remaining resources. Her people believe the Sea God, once their protector, now curses them with death and despair... -
![War and Wind by Alex Lidell]()
War and Wind by Alex Lidell
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA cowardly captain. An incompetent crew. A mission she can't fail. Nile and her small band of loyal midshipmen saved the ship, and Captain Rima might just kill them for it . . . one young officer at a time. No one and nothing on the Aurora is safe anymore, least of all Nile’s explosive secrets or her connection with Domenic, which vibrates between them like a cutlass speared into the deck... -
![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... -
![Pool of Dreams by Sam Burns, W.M. Fawkes]()
Pool of Dreams by Sam Burns, W.M. Fawkes
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA fae who betrayed his prince for a doomed passion.Syren sacrificed the man he loved to spare humanity from the wrath of the fae. For three hundred years, he’s been stuck on the mortal plane, floating alone in his pool while his powers slipped away... -
![Dawn of Darkness by Shari L. Tapscott]()
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... -
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![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... -
![Forest of Firelight by Shari L. Tapscott]()
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]()
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... -
![No Place for Magic by E.D. Baker]()
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]()
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... -
![Tower of Thorns by Juliet Marillier]()
Tower of Thorns by Juliet Marillier
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsAward-winning author Juliet Marillier’s “lavishly detailed”* Blackthorn & Grim series continues as a mysterious creature holds an enchanted and imperiled ancient Ireland in thrall. Disillusioned healer Blackthorn and her companion, Grim, have settled in Dalriada to wait out the seven years of Blackthorn’s bond to her fey mentor, hoping to avoid any dire challenges... -
![The Changeling Sea by Patricia A. McKillip]()
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]()
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]()
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... -
![Fires of War by Erin O'Kane]()
Fires of War by Erin O'Kane
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratings“Slavery. Torture. Necromancy. Kidnapping. Genocide.These are just some of the crimes committed by those who would call me their enemy.They tried to break me, to strike fear into my heart, but with my mates at my side, I survived, my body and spirit have endured.I am stronger than they know,But now it’s their turn to be afraid.”War has been declared in Morrowmer... -
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![Fire in the Blood by W.R. Gingell]()
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]()
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... -
![Crown of Destiny by Bertrice Small]()
Crown of Destiny by Bertrice Small
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA hundred years have passed since the Faerie woman Lara last saved the world of Hetar from the darkness. Her youth and her beauty remain as always. The passing years, however, have taken many of her friends and kin. Her influence has waned. Those who remember her heroism in times of peril are few. Even her great-grandson, Cadarn, Dominus of Terah, denies her strong magic... -
![Once: Before Midnight / Golden / Wild Orchid by Cameron Dokey]()
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]()
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... -
![Cybele's Secret by Juliet Marillier]()
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 Book of Flying by Keith Miller]()
The Book of Flying by Keith Miller
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsIn Keith Miller's debut novel, our hero is Pico, a poet and librarian who is forbidden to pursue the girl of his dreams - for she has wings, and Pico does not. When he discovers an ancient letter in his library telling of the mythical Morning Town where the flightless may gain their wings, he sets off on a quest... -
![The Dragon Princess by E.D. Baker]()
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... -
![Isadora by Charlotte McConaghy]()
Isadora by Charlotte McConaghy
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 10 ratings"Prepare to have your heart and soul and imagination invaded." —Isobelle Carmody"The Chronicles of Kaya sweep the reader into an unforgettable world." —Sophie MassonThe kingdom of Kaya has been overthrown by a dark power. Trapped inside the dangerous capital, rebel leader Isadora fights the only way she can – by hunting those more monstrous than she... -
![Stepsister by Jennifer Donnelly]()
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... -
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![Blade of Fortriu by Juliet Marillier]()
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... -
![Court of Ice and Ash by L.J. Andrews]()
Court of Ice and Ash by L.J. Andrews
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsShe chose him. He chose revenge. But some choices have deadly consequences.When Elise agreed to break a vicious curse over the man she loved, she never imagined he was a lost fae prince. But Valen left her to carry out vengeance for his slaughtered family. So when she joins the outlaw fae in their uprising against her own sister, all Elise wants is to forget the prince who holds her heart... -
![Dragon Kiss by E.D. Baker]()
Dragon Kiss by E.D. Baker
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsAudun is a teenage ice dragon in love...with a human princess. Can he become human and win Millie's heart? Audun is on a quest to find Princess Millie, and to become human in order to win her heart. But The Dragon King has set out a number of tasks Audun must perform before he is permitted to even try to woo Millie...and each one is filled with E. D... -
![The Hollow Kingdom by Clare B. Dunkle]()
The Hollow Kingdom by Clare B. Dunkle
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsIn nineteenth-century England, a powerful sorcerer and King of the Goblins chooses Kate, the elder of two orphan girls recently arrived at their ancestral home, Hallow Hill, to become his bride and queen.. -
![Fairytales Slashed by Megan Derr]()
Fairytales Slashed by Megan Derr
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsFairytales never grow old, because there is never an end of new ways to tell them, new ways to see them. In this first volume of many to come, see what happens when a humble blacksmith fights a duel, a prince conspires with bandits, and a lonely thief seeks shelter in a lone tower... -
![Heart of Ice by K.M. Shea]()
Heart of Ice by K.M. Shea
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsRakel, a princess by birth, has spent most of her life exiled on a barren mountain, despised because of her powerful snow magic. Though she longs to be accepted, she hides in her ice-castle and lives with the fear that her brother—the King—will one day order her execution...
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