Books like 'The Rumpelstiltskin Problem'

Readers who enjoyed The Rumpelstiltskin Problem by Vivian Vande Velde also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.

contemporary  dark romance  paranormal  fantasy  magic  medieval

  • Dreams Made Flesh by Anne Bishop

    Dreams Made Flesh by Anne Bishop

    Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 3 of 5
    Open door [?] · 68 ratings
    The national bestselling Black Jewels trilogy established award-winning Anne Bishop as an author whose "sublime skill. .. blends the darkly macabre with spine-tingling emotional intensity, mesmerizing magic, lush sensuality, and exciting action. "* Now the saga continues-with four all-new adventures of Jaenelle and her kindred.
    Categorized as:
    magic  contemporary  fantasy  demons  dark  witches  paranormal  m-f
  • The Bone Doll's Twin by Lynn Flewelling

    The Bone Doll's Twin by Lynn Flewelling

    Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars
    · 54 ratings
    Sometimes the price of destiny is higher than anyone imagined. .. . Dark Magic, Hidden Destiny. For three centuries a divine prophecy and a line of warrior queens protected Skala. But the people grew complacent and Erius, a usurper king, claimed his young half sister’s throne...
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  • Silksinger by Laini Taylor

    Silksinger by Laini Taylor

    Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars
    · 24 ratings
    One faerie, the last of her clan, must fight to complete her sacred duty. Whisper Silksinger is the last of the secret guardians of the Azazel, one of the powerful Djinn who dreamed the world into being. Relentlessly pursued by bloodthirsty devils, she flees to the city of Nazneen to restore the Azazel to his temple...
  • The Devil's Masquerade: The Remedy by Jennifer Loren

    The Devil's Masquerade: The Remedy by Jennifer Loren

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 5 of 5
    Explicit and plentiful [?] · 12 ratings
    Nick Jayzon is now a Savage, a part of Asmodeus’s army. Kayla has been threatened, cornered and tempted to run and hide, leaving her true love to fight on his own and be forever under the control of the greed hungry devil. However, she meets a mysterious ally that she never knew she had until she needed her the most and that ally encourages Kayla, to stay and to fight...
  • Hidden Warrior by Lynn Flewelling

    Hidden Warrior by Lynn Flewelling

    Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars
    · 45 ratings
    A trick of magic, a twist of fate. As the orphaned nephew of the king, trusted companion to his cousin, and second heir to the throne of Skala, Prince Tobin’s future is clear. But not as clear as the spring in which a hill witch shows him his true face--and his secret destiny. .. . Now Tobin carries a burden he cannot share with even his closest friend, Ki, his squire...
  • The Oracle's Queen by Lynn Flewelling

    The Oracle's Queen by Lynn Flewelling

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 46 ratings
    Under the rule of a usurper king, the realm of Skala has suffered famine, plague, and invasion. But now the time for the rightful heir has come, a return to the tradition of warrior queens. And the Lightbearer’s prophecy is to be upheld at last: so long as a daughter of the royal line defends and rules, Skala will never be subjugated...
  • Death by Sienna Moreau

    Death by Sienna Moreau

    Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars
    · 9 ratings
    It all began with the kiss of Death. Abaddon, the Destroyer, right hand of Lucifer, has returned from the dead with one thing on his mind: revenge on the Horseman who kept him from taking back what is his. But spending time alone with Death has awakened something between them, resulting in an experience that he enjoys more than revenge. The natural conclusion is to keep doing it, of course...
    Categorized as:
    magic  fantasy  m-m  demons  queer  dark  paranormal  from hate to love
  • A Monarch's Fall by J.K. Jeffrey

    A Monarch's Fall by J.K. Jeffrey

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    The kingdom is splintering, and every power is hungry for the same prize — Percy Flores. Torn from Selene’s side and trapped in the power games of those who would use her, Percy uncovers the truth of her bloodline. But knowledge comes at a cost, and every secret makes her a target. Meanwhile, Selene Borealis is being pushed toward the throne and away from the woman she would burn the world for...
    Categorized as:
    magic  f-f  witches  paranormal  queer  dark  fantasy  contemporary
  • Ouija by Emmaleigh Loader

    Ouija by Emmaleigh Loader

    Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    Ava:. Kidnapped by a serial killer with an affinity for pain and madness. Lost to a world created by a sick and twisted monster. I died there, in the belly of the beast. But as the Fates willed it, I came back to life. Now I’m under the King’s Wolves protection, fighting to determine what is real and what are broken delusions. Hunted by the man who thought that he had killed me...
  • Bridge of Dreams by Anne Bishop

    Bridge of Dreams by Anne Bishop

    Rated: 4.05 of 5 stars
    · 34 ratings
    Return to New York Times bestselling author Anne Bishop’s Ephemera, a world of strange and magical landscapes connected only by bridges—bridges that may transport you where you truly belong, rather than where you wish to go...
  • Del Diablo by Natalie Bennett

    Del Diablo by Natalie Bennett

    Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars
    · 9 ratings
    Filthy. Clandestine. Unorthodox. Stygian Isle was born from the brilliant mind of an abominable man. The Alistair patriarch and sovereign of the nonconformist crafted a peaceful refuge for those unashamedly wicked. From his creation came a secret society of filthy heretics. Carnal sin and mayhem fuel their religion. Sex and death drench their doctrine...
  • Greenwode by J. Tullos Hennig

    Greenwode by J. Tullos Hennig

    Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 2 of 5
    Behind closed doors [?] · 8 ratings
    A Novel of Robyn Hood. The Hooded One. The one to breathe the dark and light and dusk between. .. . When an old druid foresees this harbinger of chaos, he also glimpses its outcome...
  • Vengeance by C.Y. Jones

    Vengeance by C.Y. Jones

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    I never thought I'd be that girl. The one that would sacrifice myself, but I did. For him, for love. Now I'm in Hell, and O'Donnell is King of this Underworld. Revenge was my mission, now Vengeance is my goal. Warning: 18+ This is a Dark RH, and contains strong language and certain triggers.
  • Ally and her Mad Hatter by S.N. Hunt

    Ally and her Mad Hatter by S.N. Hunt

    Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars
    · 5 ratings
    Wonderland is just a story. .. . Ally spent her whole life being told Wonderland was just a fantasy, nothing more than a story that lived inside her mother's head. All it took was a tumble through a mirror to prove that was a lie. Now she must find her place within this world of madness without losing her sanity in the arms of the Mad Hatter...
  • The Voice by Anne Bishop

    The Voice by Anne Bishop

    Rated: 4.05 of 5 stars
    · 25 ratings
    An original novella from the New York Times bestselling author of Bridge of Dreams…. In a small village outside the city of Vision, the people know no sorrow or grief. But this seemingly idyllic community is hiding a terrible secret...
  • The Lighthouse Witches by C.J. Cooke

    The Lighthouse Witches by C.J. Cooke

    Rated: 4.03 of 5 stars
    · 32 ratings
    Don’t miss the brand-new chilling gothic thriller from the bestselling author . . . ‘Fascinating and enthralling’ Prima. ‘Wonderfully atmospheric and compelling’ Rosamund Lupton. ‘A flawless read’ Elizabeth Lee. ‘Seething with gothic menace’ Caroline Lea. Upon the cliffs of a remote Scottish island, Lòn Haven, stands a lighthouse. A lighthouse that has weathered more than storms...
  • Sebastian by Anne Bishop

    Sebastian by Anne Bishop

    Rated: 3.98 of 5 stars
    · 48 ratings
    A world of shifting lands connected only by bridges, Ephemera has been kept stable by the magic of the Landscapers. In one land where night reigns and demons dwell, the half-incubus Sebastian revels in dark delights. But then in dreams she calls to him: a woman who wants only to be safe and loved-a woman he hungers for while knowing he may destroy her...
  • The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories by Angela Carter

    The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories by Angela Carter

    Rated: 3.95 of 5 stars
    · 62 ratings
    Angela Carter was a storytelling sorceress, the literary godmother of Neil Gaiman, David Mitchell, Audrey Niffenegger, J. K. Rowling, Kelly Link, and other contemporary masters of supernatural fiction...
  • Belladonna by Anne Bishop

    Belladonna by Anne Bishop

    Rated: 3.96 of 5 stars
    · 45 ratings
    In this follow-up to Sebastian, the Eater of the World casts its shadow over Ephemera. Only Glorianna Belladonna possesses the ability to thwart the Eater--but she is not alone. In dreams, a call has traveled beyond the Landscapes and reached Michael, a man with mysterious powers.
  • The Folk Keeper by Franny Billingsley

    The Folk Keeper by Franny Billingsley

    Rated: 3.97 of 5 stars
    · 28 ratings
    She is never cold, she always knows exactly what time it is, and her hair grows two inches while she sleeps. Fifteen-year-old Corinna Stonewall--the only Folk Keeper in the city of Rhysbridge--sits hour after hour with the Folk in the dark, chilly cellar, "drawing off their anger as a lightning rod draws off lightning...
  • Black Magic by Megan Derr

    Black Magic by Megan Derr

    Rated: 3.96 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 4 of 5
    Explicit open door [?] · 24 ratings
    When High Paladin Sorin discovers the brutally dismembered body of his cousin Alfrey, a much loved priest in the royal palace, he is left baffled as to who would do so terrible a thing to so good a man. But to find the answer to that question, he must cooperate with one of the highly despised necromancers, men who practice black magic, sleep in graveyards and feed upon souls …...
  • Shadows and Light by Anne Bishop

    Shadows and Light by Anne Bishop

    Rated: 3.94 of 5 stars
    · 40 ratings
    National bestselling author Anne Bishop’s novels have been hailed as “genuine gems” (SF Site) and “lavishly sensual” (Library Journal). In her highly anticipated second book in the Tir Alainn Trilogy, she weaves a dazzling tale of romance, high adventure, and thrilling fantasy...
    Categorized as:
    magic  contemporary  fantasy  mystery  dark  paranormal  fae  witches
  • Through Wolf's Eyes by Jane Lindskold

    Through Wolf's Eyes by Jane Lindskold

    Rated: 3.93 of 5 stars
    · 38 ratings
    Firekeeper only vaguely remembers a time when she didn't live with her "family," a pack of "royal wolves"-bigger, stronger, and smarter than normal wolves. Now her pack leaders are sending her back to live among the humans, as they promised her mother years ago. Some of the humans think she may be the lost heir to their throne. This could be good-and it could be very, very dangerous...
  • The Taking by Erin McCarthy

    The Taking by Erin McCarthy

    Rated: 3.94 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 3 of 5
    Open door [?] · 12 ratings
    My Immortal and Fallen showed Erin McCarthy at her provocative best. .. Now she takes paranormal romance one step further with The Taking. Heiress Regan Henry knows that passion can be an illusion, and she keeps her emotions in check-until she falls under the spell of the beguiling Felix LeBlanc...
  • Tangled Webs by Anne Bishop

    Tangled Webs by Anne Bishop

    Rated: 3.90 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 2 of 5
    Behind closed doors [?] · 53 ratings
    Anne Bishop's national bestselling and critically acclaimed Black Jewels series has enthralled readers with its lavish blend of "the darkly macabre with spine-tingling emotional intensity, mesmerizing magic, lush sensuality, and exciting action...
  • Haunted Sanctuary by Moira Rogers

    Haunted Sanctuary by Moira Rogers

    Rated: 3.88 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    The shadows of her past could destroy their future. Green Pines, Book 1. Eden Green can’t remember a time she didn’t believe in monsters—her cousin was born one. Her family’s dark past casts a long shadow, making it hard to make friends and harder to commit to a lover. She lives a quiet life in small-town Clover, Tennessee, but she’s always waiting for the other shoe to drop...
  • The Untold Tale by J.M. Frey

    The Untold Tale by J.M. Frey

    Rated: 3.87 of 5 stars
    · 11 ratings
    Forsyth Turn is not a hero. Lordling of Turn Hall, yes. Spymaster for the king, certainly. But hero? That's his older brother's job, and Kintyre Turn is nothing if not legendary. However, when a raid on the kingdom's worst criminal results in the rescue of a baffling woman, oddly named and even more oddly mannered, Forsyth finds his quaint, sedentary life turned on its head...
  • Petal by Lexi Ray

    Petal by Lexi Ray

    Rated: 3.71 of 5 stars
    · 14 ratings
    I was betrayed. Burned. Tattooed from head to toe. Because of one night, four years ago. Because of the girl who took my heart in her gentle hands and never let go—Callie Mays. I thought she was my curse. But I was wrong. Four years later, my dirty broken heart is still beating. And still beating hard for her. She is my cure. My one. My world. We lost our families. And we only have each other...
  • Grim by Christine Johnson, Kimberly Derting

    Grim by Christine Johnson, Kimberly Derting

    Rated: 3.77 of 5 stars
    · 25 ratings
    Inspired by classic fairy tales, but with a dark and sinister twist, Grim contains short stories from some of the best voices in young adult literature today:. Ellen Hopkins. Amanda Hocking. Julie Kagawa. Claudia Gray. Rachel Hawkins. Kimberly Derting. Myra McEntire. Malinda Lo. Sarah Rees-Brennan. Jackson Pearce. Christine Johnson. Jeri Smith Ready. Shaun David Hutchinson...
  • White as Snow (The Fairy Tale Series) by Tanith Lee, Terri Windling

    White as Snow (The Fairy Tale Series) by Tanith Lee, Terri Windling

    Rated: 3.78 of 5 stars
    · 28 ratings
    Once upon a time there was a mirror. . . . So begins this dark, unusual retelling of the story of Snow White by the writer reviewers have called “the Angela Carter of the fantasy field”—a whole novel based on a beloved story, turning it into a dark and sensual drama full of myth and magic. Arpazia is the aging queen who paces the halls of a warlord’s palace...
  • A Deal For a Kiss by W. Winters

    A Deal For a Kiss by W. Winters

    Rated: 3.68 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 4 of 5
    Explicit open door [?] · 13 ratings
    From USA Today Best selling author Willow Winters, comes a spicy novella, that takes us deep into the underworld. Nothing could hide her from me. The darkness is everywhere and it moves about in the mortal realm…. And then there’s her. Bright and so easily seen. Mine. She calls to me like I prayed to the Gods she would. I should feel guilt for what I’m going to do. What I must do...
  • High Demand by Michaela Jackson

    High Demand by Michaela Jackson

    Rated: 3.56 of 5 stars
    · 9 ratings
    Lauressa Kleen has a psychology degree she isn't using, a boring job to pay the bills, is trying to make amends with her estranged family and friends, and she's never felt more lonely or without purpose. The only thing that gives her some purpose is running her podcast: High Demand...
  • Playing with Shadows (Love is Always Write) by Sasha L. Miller

    Playing with Shadows (Love is Always Write) by Sasha L. Miller

    Rated: 3.50 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    He was told that everything happened for a reason, that there were things out there that watched your every move. He just never thought that the people telling him this were telling the truth. Until he happened to glimpse something out of the corner of his eye, something that he couldn't explain. And now there are things in the shadows, things that want him...
    Categorized as:
    magic  contemporary  fantasy  demons  dark  paranormal  m-m  queer
  • Bedtime Story for a Stolen Child by Anna Mayle

    Bedtime Story for a Stolen Child by Anna Mayle

    Rated: 3.33 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    Stolen away from his cradle as a child, Leinad has been a plaything of the Faerie for thirty years. He has been broken and put back together so many times that he cannot even remember what he used to be. He has given up all hope of escape, until a soft breeze through his cell leads him home, only to find out that home has gone on without him...
  • Creation's Captive by Melody Joanne

    Creation's Captive by Melody Joanne

    Rated: 3.72 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 4 of 5
    Explicit open door [?] · 34 ratings
    The day I started seeing ghosts - my life went to shit. Too bad the Fates don’t hand out gift receipts because respectfully, I’d like a refund. Unfortunately, those meddlesome hags aren’t even close to being done with me. A powerful, destructive creature is on the prowl and threatens the existence of the universe. The only way to stop the creature is with equal destructive power...
  • My Bloody Valentine (Don't Read in the Closet Events) by Andrea Speed

    My Bloody Valentine (Don't Read in the Closet Events) by Andrea Speed

    Rated: 3.17 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    Free short story written for theM/M Romancegroup's "Hot Summer Days" event. ----------Genres/Tags:Gay M/M / Paranormal / Supernatural / Blood / Sorcerer / Haunted / Hook-Up / Dark / ViolenceApprox. Word Count:2,246.
  • The Awakened Mage by Karen Miller

    The Awakened Mage by Karen Miller

    Rated: 3.65 of 5 stars
    · 44 ratings
    "The evil foretold has risen . .. and we are all that stands between it and the end. ". Asher has come a long way for a fisherman's son. Together with his friend Prince Gar, he has defended their kingdom against its bitterest enemy, but at great cost. Now, the evil mage Morg is preparing for his most deadly assault. Desperate, trapped in a broken body, Morg has little time and fewer scruples...
  • Come Closer by Sara Gran

    Come Closer by Sara Gran

    Rated: 3.62 of 5 stars
    · 53 ratings
    Demonic possession or psychic break? One of Esquire's Top 50 horror novels of all time delves deep into the terrifying consequences of losing control. "A perfect horror novel. "—Paul Tremblay, author of 'The Cabin at the End of the World'. A recurrent, unidentifiable noise in her apartment. A memo to her boss that's replaced by obscene insults...
    Categorized as:
    magic  horror  paranormal  mystery  fantasy  demons  dark  contemporary
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