Books like 'The Christmas Cat'
Readers who enjoyed The Christmas Cat by Julie Beard, Jo Beverley, Barbara Bretton & Lynn Kurland also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary young adult paranormal fantasy highlander medieval
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The Gray Wolf Throne by Cinda Williams Chima
Han Alister thought he had already lost everyone he loved. But when he finds his friend Rebecca Morley near death in the Spirit Mountains, Han knows that nothing matters more than saving her... -
The Exiled Queen by Cinda Williams Chima
Haunted by the loss of his mother and sister, Han Alister journeys south to begin his schooling at Mystwerk House in Oden’s Ford. But leaving the Fells doesn’t mean that danger isn't far behind. Han is hunted every step of the way by the Bayars, a powerful wizarding family set on reclaiming the amulet Han stole from them. And Mystwerk House has dangers of its own... -
The Crown of Embers by Rae Carson
She does not know what awaits her at the enemy's gate. Elisa is a hero. She led her people to victory over a terrifying, sorcerous army. Her place as the country's ruler should be secure. But it isn't. Her enemies come at her like ghosts in a dream, from foreign realms and even from within her own court. And her destiny as the chosen one has not yet been fulfilled...Categorized as:
medieval contemporary young adult fantasy mystery strong heroine dystopian paranormal -
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
At 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... -
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The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee, Crown Princess of Kildenree, spends the first years of her life under her aunt's guidance learning to communicate with animals... -
The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley
Harry Crewe is an orphan girl who comes to live in Damar, the desert country shared by the Homelanders and the secretive, magical Hillfolk. Her life is quiet and ordinary-until the night she is kidnapped by Corlath, the Hillfolk King, who takes her deep into the desert. She does not know the Hillfolk language; she does not know why she has been chosen. But Corlath does... -
The Bitter Kingdom by Rae Carson
The champion must not waver.The champion must not fear.The gate of darkness closes. Elisa is a fugitive. Her enemies have stolen the man she loves, and they await her at the gate of darkness. Her country is on the brink of civil war, with her own soldiers ordered to kill her on sight...Categorized as:
medieval contemporary fantasy young adult strong heroine dystopian paranormal royalty -
The Singing by Alison Croggon
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 41 ratingsThe stunning conclusion to the epic Pellinor series—four books telling an extraordinary tale of another world. The Singing follows the separate journeys of Maerad and Cadvan, and their brother Hem, as they desperately seek each other in an increasingly battle-torn land. The Black Army is moving north and Maerad has a mighty confrontation with the Landrost to save Innail... -
First Rider's Call by Kristen Britain
Karigan G'ladheon had been a Green Rider, one of the king of Sacoridia's elite magical messengers... -
The Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine
Twelve-year-old Addie admires her older sister Meryl, who aspires to rid the kingdom of Bamarre of gryphons, specters, and ogres. Addie, on the other hand, is fearful even of spiders and depends on Meryl for courage and protection...Categorized as:
medieval contemporary magic mystery royalty legends & fairy tales historical paranormal -
Beauty by Robin McKinley
A strange imprisonment... Beauty has never liked her nickname. She is thin and awkward; it is her two sisters who are the beautiful ones. But what she lacks in looks, she can perhaps make up for in courage... -
Green Rider by Kristen Britain
On her long journey home from school after a fight which will surely lead to her expulsion, Karigan G'ladheon ponders her future as she trudges through the immense forest called Green Cloak. But her thoughts are interrupted by the clattering of hooves as a galloping horse bursts from the woods, the rider slumped over his mount's neck, impaled by two black-shafted arrows... -
Caprion's Wings by T.L. Shreffler
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsA novella of The Cat's Eye Chronicles. Release Date: February 28th, 2014 By the age of nineteen, all Harpies know how to fly—except Caprion. He has yet pass the test of the Singing and gain his wings. His family has disowned him in shame and people are beginning to talk. Now an evil voice haunts his dreams, taunting him, drawing out his worst fears—that he will remain wingless forever... -
Princess Ahira by K.M. Shea
Once 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...Categorized as:
medieval contemporary paranormal young adult fantasy magic length-short glimpses-kisses -
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On Fortune's Wheel by Cynthia Voigt
There are some who say that the Lady Fortune has a wheel, and all men are fixed upon it. The wheel turns, and the men rise, or fall, with the turning of the wheel...Categorized as:
medieval contemporary magic fantasy young adult pirates legends & fairy tales paranormal -
Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier
High 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... -
Cat's Eye by T.L. Shreffler
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsAn assassin, a necklace,and a girl who dreams of adventure.... Sora planned on running away from her confined life, but she never expected to be kidnapped! Dumped into a world full of thieves, mercenaries, and magic, she soon finds herself in the company of a dangerous assassin, haunted by an even darker past... -
Taste of Darkness by Maria V. Snyder
She's fought death and won. But how can she fight her fears? Avry knows hardship and trouble. She fought the plague and survived. She took on King Tohon and defeated him. But now her heart-mate, Kerrick, is missing, and Avry fears he's gone forever. But there's a more immediate threat: The Skeleton King plots to claim the Fifteen Realms for his own... -
A World Without Princes by Soman Chainani
In the epic sequel to the New York Times bestselling novel, The School for Good and Evil, Sophie and Agatha are home, living out their Ever After. But life isn’t quite the fairy tale they expected. When Agatha secretly wishes she’d chosen a different happy ending, she reopens the gates to the School for Good and Evil. But the world she and Sophie once knew has changed... -
The Seer and the Sword by Victoria Hanley
Legend states that there exists a mighty sword that makes its possessor invincible to his enemies. But there is a curse on anyone who lifts the sword for conquest. King Kareed of Archeld goes after this sword anyway, winning it from the King of Bellandra. When he returns home from battle, he brings his daughter, Princess Torina, two special gifts... -
The Crow by Alison Croggon
Rated: 4.04 of 5 stars · 41 ratingsAs this enthralling epic nears its climax, the young heroine’s brother discovers his own hidden gift—and the role he must play in battling the Dark. Hem is a weary orphan whose struggle for survival ends when he is reunited with his lost sister, Maerad... -
Rebel Spring by Morgan Rhodes, Michelle Rowen
The road to power...is paved with blood and magic.Cleo is now a prisoner in her own palace, forced to be an ambassador for Mytica as the evil King Gaius lies to her people. Magnus stands to eventually inherit the new kingdom but is still obsessed with his feelings for his adopted sister, Lucia... -
Raven Flight by Juliet Marillier
Rated: 4.02 of 5 stars · 38 ratingsNeryn has finally found the rebel group at Shadowfell, and now her task is to seek out the elusive Guardians, vital to her training as a Caller. These four powerful beings have been increasingly at odds with human kind, and Neryn must prove her worth to them. She desperately needs their help to use her gift without compromising herself or the cause of overthrowing the evil King Keldec... -
Sistersong by Lucy Holland
Rated: 4.02 of 5 stars · 35 ratings“A beautiful reimagining of an old British folklore ballad, Sistersong weaves a captivating spell of myth and magic around the reader.” —Jennifer Saint, author of Ariadne My sister’s heart broke on the river – and the river took it and bore it away.In the ancient kingdom of Dumnonia, there is old magic to be found in the whisper of the wind, the roots of the trees, the curl of the grass... -
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Shadowfell by Juliet Marillier
Sixteen-year-old Neryn is alone in the land of Alban, where the oppressive king has ordered anyone with magical strengths captured and brought before him...Categorized as:
medieval contemporary magic fantasy young adult legends & fairy tales fae paranormal -
Keturah and Lord Death by Martine Leavitt
I will tell you a story of magic and love, of daring and death, and one to comfort your heart. It will be the truest story I have ever told. Now listen, and tell me if it is not so. Keturah follows a legendary hart deep into the forest, where she becomes hopelessly lost...Categorized as:
medieval contemporary magic young adult fantasy paranormal legends & fairy tales historical -
Crown Duel by Sherwood Smith
A deathbed promise to their father sends a daring girl and her brother off to war. Filled with intrigue, romance, and magic, this spellbinding novel is a dramatic coming-of-age story about a girl who rises from impoverished beginnings to take command of her own fate. “Smith tells a fast-moving tale of adventure, intrigue, and honor, with Mel a likable heroine and a lively narrator... -
River Secrets by Shannon Hale
Razo has no idea why he was chosen to be a soldier. He can barely swing a sword, and his brothers are forever wrestling him to the ground. Razo is sure it's out of pity that his captain asks him to join an elite mission--escorting the ambassador into Tira, Bayern's great enemy. But when the Bayern arrive in the strange southern country, Razo discovers the first dead body... -
Mark of the Mage by R.K. Ryals
Rated: 3.98 of 5 stars · 22 ratingsBooks never die, but they can be forbidden. Medeisia is a country in turmoil ruled by a blood thirsty king who has outlawed the use of magic and anything pertaining to knowledge. Magery and scribery are forbidden. All who practice are marked with a tattoo branded onto their wrists, their futures precarious... -
The Fairest Beauty by Melanie Dickerson
Rated: 3.96 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsSophie has long wished to get away from her stepmother's jealous anger, and believes escape is her only chance to be happy. Then a young man named Gabe arrives from Hagenheim Castle, claiming she is betrothed to his older brother, and everything twists upside down... -
Seeds Volume Three by M.M. Kin
Rated: 4.01 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe lofty realms of Olympus and the once-fertile land of Hellas are in chaos due to the wrath of a mother gravely affronted. The truth, however unpleasant it is, must be faced. And in the Underworld, Hades must face the repercussions of his actions. Can Persephone ever forgive him?Persephone must find a way to make her life her own, but that is easier said than done... -
Dragonfly by Julia Golding
Rated: 3.96 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsPrincess Taoshira of the Blue Crescent Islands is appalled when she is ordered to marry Prince Ramil of Gerfal. And he's not too pleased, either. She is used to a life of discipline, ritual, and splendor. He is used to hunting and carousing. They hate each other on sight. But both of their countries are under threat from a fearsome warlord, and the only chance of peace is to form an alliance...Categorized as:
medieval contemporary fantasy young adult paranormal legends & fairy tales royalty historical -
Juliet by Anne Fortier
Rated: 3.95 of 5 stars · 40 ratingsTwenty-five-year-old Julie Jacobs is heartbroken over the death of her beloved Aunt Rose. But the shock goes even deeper when she learns that the woman who has been like a mother to her has left her entire estate to Julie’s twin sister. The only thing Julie receives is a key—one carried by her mother on the day she herself died—to a safety-deposit box in Siena, Italy... -
Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale
When Dashti, a maid, and Lady Saren, her mistress, are shut in a tower for seven years because of Saren's refusal to marry a man she despises, the two prepare for a very long and dark imprisonment. As food runs low and the days go from broiling hot to freezing cold, it is all Dashti can do to keep them fed and comfortable... -
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Poison by Bridget Zinn
Sixteen-year-old Kyra, a highly-skilled potions master, is the only one who knows her kingdom is on the verge of destruction—which means she’s the only one who can save it. Faced with no other choice, Kyra decides to do what she does best: poison the kingdom’s future ruler, who also happens to be her former best friend. But, for the first time ever, her poisoned dart . . . misses...Categorized as:
medieval contemporary magic fantasy young adult shapeshifters witches strong heroine -
Princess Academy by Shannon Hale
Miri lives on a mountain where, for generations, her ancestors have quarried stone and lived a simple life. Then word comes that the king's priests have divined her small village the home of the future princess. In a year's time, the prince himself will come and choose his bride from among the girls of the village...Categorized as:
medieval contemporary magic clean royalty legends & fairy tales historical paranormal -
The Once and Future King by T. H. White
Once upon a time, a young boy called “Wart” was tutored by a magician named Merlyn in preparation for a future he couldn’t possibly imagine. A future in which he would ally himself with the greatest knights, love a legendary queen and unite a country dedicated to chivalrous values. A future that would see him crowned and known for all time as Arthur, King of the Britons... -
Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken
The day the rains came was like any other, blistering air coating the canyon in a heavy stillness.... Just as the rains come after ten long, dry years, a young wizard, Wayland North, appears, to whisk Sydelle Mirabil away from her desert village. North needs an assistant, and Sydelle is eager to see the country - and to join him on his quest to stop the war that surely will destroy her home... -
Hero by Alethea Kontis
Rated: 3.87 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsRough and tumble Saturday Woodcutter thinks she's the only one of her sisters without any magic—until the day she accidentally conjures an ocean in the backyard. With her sword in tow, Saturday sets sail on a pirate ship, only to find herself kidnapped and whisked off to the top of the world... -
The Captive Maiden by Melanie Dickerson
Rated: 3.87 of 5 stars · 33 ratingsHappily Ever After...Or Happily Nevermore? Gisela's childhood was filled with laughter and visits from nobles such as the duke and his young son. But since her father's death, each day has been filled with nothing but servitude to her stepmother...Categorized as:
medieval contemporary fantasy young adult clean magic legends & fairy tales christian -
Liar's Moon by Elizabeth C. Bunce
Rated: 3.86 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsPrisons, poisons, and passions combine in a gorgeously written fantasy noir. As a pickpocket, Digger expects to spend a night in jail every now and then. But she doesn't expect to find Lord Durrel Decath there as well--or to hear he's soon to be executed for killing his wife... -
The Fairest Beauty by Melanie Dickerson
Rated: 3.86 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsA daring rescue. A difficult choice. Sophie desperately wants to get away from her stepmother's jealousy, and believes escape is her only chance to be happy. Then a young man named Gabe arrives from Hagenheim Castle, claiming she is betrothed to his older brother, and everything twists upside down...Categorized as:
medieval contemporary fantasy young adult magic clean legends & fairy tales christian -
The Frog Prince by Jenni James
Prince Nolan has had enough of Princess Blythe—the young woman he has been betrothed to since infancy—enough of the ridiculous chatter in her simpering letters. Does the princess truly not have a brain in her head? Never before has he communicated with someone who seemed so childish and spoiled. It is time he meets her for himself, to decide if he can actually follow through with this marriage...Categorized as:
medieval legends & fairy tales young adult historical new adult fantasy christian magic -
The Safe-Keeper's Secret by Sharon Shinn
Rated: 3.86 of 5 stars · 29 ratings"The most promising and original writer of fantasy to come along since Robin McKinley."—Peter S. Beagle, best-selling author of The Last Unicorm Damiana is safe-keeper in the small village of Tambleham. Neighbors and strangers alike come one by one, in secret, to tell her things they dare not share with anyone else, knowing that Damiana will keep then to herself... -
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Entwined by Heather Dixon
Come and mend your broken hearts here. In this retelling of the classic tale "The Twelve Dancing Princesses," the eldest princess must fight to save her family—and her heart—from an ancient dark magic within the palace walls. "Full of mystery, lush settings, and fully orbed characters, Dixon's debut is both suspenseful and rewarding... -
Dragon's Bait by Vivian Vande Velde
Rated: 3.83 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsFifteen-year-old Alys is not a witch. But that doesn't matter--the villagers think she is and have staked her out on a hillside as a sacrifice to the local dragon. It's late, it's cold, and it's raining, and Alys can think of only one thing--revenge... -
Forest Born by Shannon Hale
Rin is sure that something is wrong with her…something really bad. Something that is keeping her from feeling at home in the Forest homestead where she’s lived all her life. Something that is keeping her from trusting herself with anyone at all. When her brother Razo returns from the city for a visit, she accompanies him to the palace, hoping that she can find peace away from home...Categorized as:
medieval contemporary magic fantasy young adult mystery royalty legends & fairy tales -
The Frog Princess by E.D. Baker
Princess Emeralda a.ka. Emma isn't exactly an ideal princess. Her laugh is more like a donkey's bray than tinkling bells, she trips over her own feet and she does not like Prince Jorge, whom her mother hopes she will marry...Categorized as:
medieval contemporary magic royalty witches legends & fairy tales historical paranormal -
The Cadet of Tildor by Alex Lidell
Rated: 3.80 of 5 stars · 22 ratingsTamora Pierce meets George R. R. Martin in this smart, political, medieval fantasy-thriller. There is a new king on the throne of Tildor. Currents of political unrest sweep the country as two warring crime families seek power, angling to exploit the young Crown's inexperience... -
Nicked by M.T. Anderson
Rated: 3.79 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsFrom the award-winning and bestselling author of Feed comes a raucous and slyly funny adult fiction debut, about the quest to steal the mystical bones of a long-dead saintThe year is 1087, and a pox is sweeping through the Italian port city of Bari. When a lowly monk is visited by Saint Nicholas in his dreams, he interprets the vision as a call to action...
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