Books like 'A Court This Cruel and Lovely'
Readers who enjoyed A Court This Cruel and Lovely by Stacia Stark also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
historical fantasy paranormal dark romance magic fae from hate to love independent heroine possessive hero competent heroine
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Heaven Official's Blessing: Tian Guan Ci Fu Vol. 1 by 墨香铜臭, Mò Xiāng Tóng Xiù
Born the crown prince of a prosperous kingdom, Xie Lian was renowned for his beauty, strength, and purity. His years of dedicated study and noble deeds allowed him to ascend to godhood. But those who rise may also fall, and fall he does--cast from the heavens and banished to the world below...Categorized as:
height-difference slow burn high fantasy magic grumpy sunshine hurt-comfort war royalty -
![Reign of Stars and Fire by L.J. Andrews]()
Reign of Stars and Fire by L.J. Andrews
Nothing is as it seems. It never was.With darkness spreading across the fae isles, the reluctant raven queen seeks the aid of Calista, the storyteller, and unwittingly falls into a dark tale of twisted fates. To save Ari from being lost in a fae sleep, Saga will reach into the past and uncover deadly secrets left behind by her brother, the last fate king... -
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![Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier]()
Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier
Daughter of the Forest is a testimony to an incredible author's talent, a first novel and the beginning of a trilogy like no other: a mixture of history and fantasy, myth and magic, legend and love...Categorized as:
magic high fantasy fae from hate to love strong heroine survival slow burn gifted heroine -
![Gleam by Raven Kennedy]()
Gleam by Raven Kennedy
King Midas made me the woman I am today. Notorious. Unattainable. His.The thing about being confined is that you believe it’s to keep the bad out... Until you realize it’s about keeping you in.I’m now in a strange kingdom surrounded by liars, with no allies of my own, but I won’t sit idly by and let myself wither. No, there’s something that’s bloomed from the pit of my repression. Something dark...Categorized as:
magic fae new adult royalty from hate to love high fantasy strong heroine forced proximity -
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![The Sea by A.H. Lee]()
The Sea by A.H. Lee
Knights and necromancers are never on the same side… are they? Sairis has known all his life that knights are not his friends…until the last few weeks, when he somehow forgot, and tumbled into bed with one. He told Roland to leave, hurt him badly, used as many cruel words as possible. And yet Roland stubbornly refuses to leave Sairis alone, half-naked and friendless in the wilderness...Categorized as:
magic from hate to love royalty war high fantasy height-difference forced proximity hurt-comfort -
![Goldfinch by Raven Kennedy]()
Goldfinch by Raven Kennedy
The seductive and thrilling dark fantasy series comes to an end in this powerful finale. With sizzling romance, devastations, and triumphs, this is the epic conclusion to the gilded world of Orea that everyone has been waiting for.If there is ever a choice between her or the world, it's going to be her.One king caged my body.Another has caged my mind... -
![Reign of Darkness by Ariana Nash]()
Reign of Darkness by Ariana Nash
"Know your place, Nikolas." "Under the heel of your boot, Your Highness?"After a terrible inferno destroys the Caville palace, and with the people of Loreen turned against him, Prince Vasili is left with no choice but to flee his ancestral home, leaving Amir to proclaim himself king. But the prince's life isn't the only one left in ashes... -
![Crown of Blood and Ruin by L.J. Andrews]()
Crown of Blood and Ruin by L.J. Andrews
War begins. But secrets have the power to end...everything.Fallen princess. Traitor. Queen. Forsaking her people and her birthright, Elise Lysander takes her place at the side of the new fae king of a broken land. Revered by some, hated by many, Elise’s fight for her love and freedom is only beginning... -
![The Rebel's Vision by Kristen Banet]()
The Rebel's Vision by Kristen Banet
One declaration was all it took. The Andinna Rebellion has begun. Knowing that the fight will be hard, Mave has taken back the title of Champion. King’s Champion. She’s resolved to stand tall beside King Alchan Andini and fight for him, and to fight for her people.But it’s off to a troubling start... -
![The Burning Sea by A.E. Rayne]()
The Burning Sea by A.E. Rayne
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsIN A WORLD RULED BY MEN, ONE WOMAN WILL RISE As the kingdoms prepare for war, unexpected visitors and a horrifying murder, throw everyone’s plans into disarray. Amidst the chaos, Jael must find a way to lead her men to victory against King Haaron and his sons, watching as Eadmund drifts away from her, powerless to save him... -
![The Ever King by L.J. Andrews]()
The Ever King by L.J. Andrews
They stole his crown, so he stole their daughter…For years Erik, the scarred king of the Ever Kingdom, has thought of nothing but vengeance against the man who killed his father and trapped him beneath the waves, making Erik a prisoner in his own realm.But on a dare gone wrong, his enemy’s daughter recklessly breaks the chains on the Ever...Categorized as:
fae from hate to love magic abduction aristocratic heroine royalty vengeance gifted heroine -
![Magician's End by Raymond E. Feist]()
Magician's End by Raymond E. Feist
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsThree decades . . . Five Riftwars . . . One magnificent saga: From New York Times bestselling author Raymond E. Feist comes Magician's End, the final book in the epic Riftwar Cycle... -
![Thorns of Frost by Krista Street]()
Thorns of Frost by Krista Street
Being entered into the Rising Queen Trial is equivalent to death. If I win, I’ll marry my enemy. If I lose, I’ll marry another fae of the king’s choosing. Either way, my freedom is lost unless I find a way to escape.Intent on fleeing, I train my new affinities and learn what’s needed to survive while pretending to vie for the throne...Categorized as:
fae magic from hate to love fated-mates possessive hero new adult alpha male royalty -
![Between the Moon & Her Night by Jaclyn Kot]()
Between the Moon & Her Night by Jaclyn Kot
“It was like he had lifted the lid to a small locket box, because a soft, beautiful melody began to play—happy and sad, and filled with love and loss.It was the song of us.The song of Life and Death.”Centuries before the events of Between Life and Death and Between Sun and Moon . . . Centuries before she was Sage . . . She was Aurelia, the Goddess of Life...Categorized as:
ancient times fated-mates magic from hate to love m-f competent heroine sassy heroine royalty -
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![Enchantra by Kaylie Smith]()
Enchantra by Kaylie Smith
Return to the world of USA Today bestselling BookTok favorite Phantasma in this spicy, stand-alone romantasy, where seven immortal siblings are trapped in a deadly game of hide and seek . . . until one mortal woman changes the rules. The print edition includes custom silver foiling on the cover. Welcome to Enchantra. There’s only one rule: Never, ever trust your heart... -
![King of the Dark by Ariana Nash]()
King of the Dark by Ariana Nash
From the author who brought you the award-winning Silk & Steel series comes a new dark MM high fantasy. "Your love is worthless, it's your hate I need." ~Prince Vasili CavilleWhen King Talos Caville surrendered the war to the elves, soldier Nikolas Yazdan vowed never to serve the royals again... -
![Court of Ice and Ash by L.J. Andrews]()
Court of Ice and Ash by L.J. Andrews
She 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... -
![Court of Vice and Death by Alexis Calder]()
Court of Vice and Death by Alexis Calder
The stories about the fae court were true and I’m not sure if any of us will survive.Everything in the fae court wants me dead. The monsters who live here, the royal family, even the other tributes. I’m surrounded by enemies but I won’t forget the cause of all this suffering: The Fae King. If I’m going down, I’m going to take him with me.But nothing is easy in Konos... -
![Court of Blood and Bindings by Lisette Marshall]()
Court of Blood and Bindings by Lisette Marshall
They call him the Silent Death, because he kills without sound and leaves none capable of speaking in his wake…When the empire’s deadliest fae murderer catches her wielding forbidden magic, twenty-year-old Emelin believes her hour has come. Instead, her inhumanly beautiful captor spares her life, but carries her off on his velvet wings – into the one place from which no human ever returns... -
![Captive Prince by C.S. Pacat]()
Captive Prince by C.S. Pacat
Damen is a warrior hero to his people, and the truthful heir to the throne of Akielos, but when his half brother seizes power, Damen is captured, stripped of his identity and sent to serve the prince of an enemy nation as a pleasure slave. Beautiful, manipulative and deadly, his new master Prince Laurent epitomizes the worst of the court at Vere... -
![Phoenix Unbound by Grace Draven]()
Phoenix Unbound by Grace Draven
A woman with power over fire and illusion and an enslaved son of a chieftain battle a corrupt empire in this powerful and deeply emotional romantic fantasy. Every year, each village is required to send a young woman to the Empire's capital--her fate to be burned alive for the entertainment of the masses. For the last five years, one small village's tithe has been the same woman... -
![Bite The Terror That Feeds by Penelope Barsetti]()
Bite The Terror That Feeds by Penelope Barsetti
He gave me his word—and he broke it.Kingsnake promised me he would let me go once he found the cure, but he’s known this entire time and never once shared it with me. And now that I know the truth, that there is no cure, he still won’t let me go. Now I’m his prisoner once again.He asks to feed from me several times, but I refuse all his advances... -
![A Dream So Wicked by Tessonja Odette]()
A Dream So Wicked by Tessonja Odette
A vicious rivalry.A forbidden desire.A curse only her enemy can break.After twenty years stuck in a fae convent with no word from whoever abandoned her there, Briony Rose is all out of hope. But when her parents suddenly claim her and reveal she’s a lost fae princess, she’s burdened with the weight of a kingdom on the brink of collapse... -
![Dark Moon, Shallow Sea by David R. Slayton]()
Dark Moon, Shallow Sea by David R. Slayton
The first in a new epic fantasy series from David R. Slayton, Dark Moon, Shallow Sea is a powerful story of divine betrayal, ghosts, and self-discovery, perfect for fans of the Dark Souls series or Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson.When Phoebe, goddess of the moon, is killed by the knights of the sun god, Hyperion, all who follow her are branded heretics... -
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![The Blood of Doves by Melissa McSherry]()
The Blood of Doves by Melissa McSherry
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsAs an orphan, Kasia was raised in the slums of Lethe, forced to steal and kill to survive, but somehow always managed to evade the law. Her luck eventually runs out when she finds herself on the brink of death. A handsome stranger rescues her, bringing her back to his realm. Once there, he informs her of her past, a past she refuses to believe to be true... -
![So Below by Julie Mannino]()
So Below by Julie Mannino
Riley was his, and he better remember that even if he was currently in an angel's bed and shouting someone else's name.The image made Eren see red.Riley While healing from Eren’s betrayal, the first nephalem in centuries will have to learn to feed, do magic, and navigate a different way of life...Categorized as:
new adult high fantasy magic war fated-mates from hate to love alpha male cruel hero -
![Ancient Retribution by Katie Reus]()
Ancient Retribution by Katie Reus
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA dragon princess once lost…Juniper hunts down the most dangerous criminals on her black ops missions—and she’s good at it. A dragon shifter who was raised by wolves, she doesn’t know her birth clan and gave up trying to find them a hundred years ago... -
![The Silent Prince by L. Eveland]()
The Silent Prince by L. Eveland
I will be free, even if it kills me.As a prince of Ostovan, I had everything I the finest wine in my cup, scores of attractive knights to duel and bed, and an endless library of books. I never even saw my brother’s betrayal coming.Captured and stripped of my voice by a magical collar, I’m sold as a slave to a warband of elves... -
![The Mistress & The Renowned by Alexis Rune, Jeanette Rose]()
The Mistress & The Renowned by Alexis Rune, Jeanette Rose
God of the Dead. King of the Underworld. The Unseen. The Renowned…Trapped.One moment, Hades was next to Persephone, having finally claimed her as his queen. The next, he knows only true void, and roots burrowing into his body, feeding from his power and essence. Every ounce of his abilities is used to keep the roots from taking everything, leaving him a broken shell. The King of the Dead... -
![Light by Lacey Lehotzky]()
Light by Lacey Lehotzky
Perfect for fans of The Plated Prisoner, Crystal Bloom, Game of Thrones (tv show), or anyone who wanted to see trauma addressed in ACOTAR. LAST WARNING! SPOILERS AHEAD! Izidora Why does this keep happening to me? Kidnapped again by the Iron Fae, I must survive long enough to get back to my friends in the Night Realm... -
![Curse of the Winter Kingdom by A.J. Nicky]()
Curse of the Winter Kingdom by A.J. Nicky
He would do anything to keep the opulence of a palace life. Never did he think it would end at the hands of an enemy that should have been dead.Though Salas seemingly has everything he could wish for, being the Susconian Emperor's favorite bed-servant, bathed in the luxuries of a thriving kingdom, he is still just a toy...Categorized as:
magic from hate to love high fantasy height-difference angst hurt-comfort slow burn fated-mates -
![Slayer of the Pirate Lord by Rebecca F. Kenney]()
Slayer of the Pirate Lord by Rebecca F. Kenney
Risa works the docks in the port city of Knockaine, servicing multiple men each night. When she's offered a large sum of money to seduce and slay a particular man, she thinks the job will be easy--until she discovers he's a magically-gifted pirate captain with a suspicious nature...Categorized as:
new adult magic from hate to love forced proximity m-f slow burn betrayal alpha male -
![Fires of Hatred by Erin O'Kane]()
Fires of Hatred by Erin O'Kane
Rated: 4.05 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsFires of Hatred ‘My name is 625. At least, that’s the number branded into my skin, the only identity I have. My real name, whatever it was, was stripped from me when I was sold into slavery at age eight. I am now 20, and no more than property, my only purpose working in the palace. Until the day I meet him.’ The Elves and Humans have been at war for millennia... -
![To Poison a King by S.G. Prince]()
To Poison a King by S.G. Prince
S.G. Prince's new standalone is a breathtaking fantasy about sacrifice, self-discovery, and a girl tasked with saving the very man she aimed to kill.Selene is the youngest daughter in a gifted line of healers, born to serve as the king's royal physician. Yet when Selene's mother Persaphe embroils her in a plot to kill the king, Selene finds herself poisoning the very man she is sworn to protect...Categorized as:
magic high fantasy from hate to love new adult slow burn angst m-f political-intrigue -
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![Captive of the Pirate King by Rebecca F. Kenney]()
Captive of the Pirate King by Rebecca F. Kenney
Veronica wants nothing more than to find her brother, who sailed away years ago. But when Veronica's ship is captured by pirates, she's determined to save her own skin, while keeping her magic and her gender a secret. Disguised as male, she finagles a spot as a cabin boy aboard the buccaneers' vessel--which is bound for Ravensbeck, a stronghold where the Pirate King holds sway...Categorized as:
new adult from hate to love magic m-f forced proximity abduction strong heroine gifted heroine -
![Curse of the Thorn King by Lisette Marshall]()
Curse of the Thorn King by Lisette Marshall
Killing a fae king is hard. Doing so politely is even harder.Briannis Iavi – well-bred lady and accidental assassin – is so close to securing the life of her dreams. All she needs to do is complete one last make her way into fae territory, sneak into the enchanted halls of Rosethorn Keep, and kill the king of Faerie... -
![The Bard and the Fairy Prince by Amanda Meuwissen]()
The Bard and the Fairy Prince by Amanda Meuwissen
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsWhen Prince Nemirac learns of his heritage, he vows to become the most powerful demon in history. But he can’t do it alone.Feeling betrayed by his parents’ lies about his true lineage, Nemirac embarks on a quest to visit all five Gemstone Kingdoms and drain the stones of their power to ascend as a new being. But until he obtains that magic, he’s vulnerable.Enter Janskoller the warrior bard... -
![Rise of the Cinder Fae by Whitney Dean]()
Rise of the Cinder Fae by Whitney Dean
Rated: 4.04 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsBorn and raised in the forgotten and broken kingdom of Ashbury, Elora has spent years resenting the royals of Pumpkin Hollow, the kingdom that forced the fall of Ashbury and procured the town as its own... -
![A Heart So Cold and Wicked by Rebecca F. Kenney]()
A Heart So Cold and Wicked by Rebecca F. Kenney
He saved her from a murderer. But can he protect her from himself?Kidnapped by a serial killer, Feather has lived in a remote cabin for years, surviving by cleverness and caution. One night, she unwittingly summons a Fae demon known as Krampus, who enacts vengeance on her kidnapper and leaves Feather free... but with nowhere to go and no memory of the family from which she was stolen... -
![Bite The Power That Feeds by Penelope Barsetti]()
Bite The Power That Feeds by Penelope Barsetti
Ellasara came at me with a blade—and she defeated me.But my eyes open to my bedchambers and I see Kingsnake sitting at my beside with Fang next to my pillow. I expect to feel the horrible pain of my injury, but I already feel healed. When I sit up, the room doesn’t spin and I don’t feel weak. In fact, I feel better than I ever have…Kingsnake takes my face in my hands and pulls me close...Categorized as:
angst high fantasy fae hurt-comfort war vengeance competent heroine independent heroine -
![This Wicked Curse by Amanda Aggie]()
This Wicked Curse by Amanda Aggie
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA cursed princess, a soulless pirate, and a deal that could change both of their fate. In a realm full of monsters, shadows are stolen, and promises are bound with blood… and sometimes marriage vows. Princess by birth and sacrificial lamb by royal decree, Scarlet Midicious is ready to face her fate. She’s known her entire life that this day would come...Categorized as:
ancient times from hate to love magic strong heroine forced proximity dark fantasy historical -
![In Death We Part by M. Bonnet]()
In Death We Part by M. Bonnet
My routine was simple - classes, work, repeat - then an unearthed family secret changed everything. Four mysterious men shattered my life and stomped on the pieces until I had nothing left. They were strangers to me, but I was no stranger to them. They had been watching me… waiting until the time was right to strike... -
![Deerskin by Robin McKinley]()
Deerskin by Robin McKinley
As Princess Lissla Lissar reaches womanhood, it is clear to all the kingdom that in her beauty she is the image of her dead mother, the queen. But this likeness forces her to flee from her father's lust and madness; and in the pain and horror of that flight she forgets who she is and what it is she flees from: forgets almost everything but the love and loyalty of her dog, Ash, who accompanies her...Categorized as:
magic high fantasy betrayal survival competent heroine independent heroine new adult angst -
![A Tainted Claim by Zoey Ellis]()
A Tainted Claim by Zoey Ellis
He will take what he is owedAnd she will not escape himAna is determined to put her nights with Maddoc behind her, but one thing becomes clear.The Alpha outlaw won’t let her go.Infuriated by Ana’s disobedience, Maddoc uses all his resources to reassert his claim, no matter what violent destruction it causes. But Ana is no longer the Omega she once was...Categorized as:
magic abduction from hate to love high fantasy aristocratic heroine fated-mates m-f alpha male -
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![The Prince and the Ice King by Amanda Meuwissen]()
The Prince and the Ice King by Amanda Meuwissen
Rated: 4.04 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsEvery Winter Solstice, the Emerald Kingdom sends the dreaded Ice King a sacrifice—a corrupt soul, a criminal, a deviant, or someone touched by magic. Prince Reardon has always loathed this tradition, partly because he dreams of love with another man instead of a future queen.Then Reardon’s best friend is discovered as a witch and sent to the Frozen Kingdom as tribute... -
![One Little Nightmare by Dawn Darling]()
One Little Nightmare by Dawn Darling
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsA paranoid schizophrenic with a dark passenger lurking in the shadows.A broken Siren who would give anything to end her curse.A mystery girl with the traumas of her past written on her body.Pandora's Box has been opened, and to reclaim their identities they will have to determine what is real, what is fantasy, and face the darkness within... -
![Tangled Secrets by Yve Vale]()
Tangled Secrets by Yve Vale
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsA broken peace treaty. A dangerous secret. How far will they go for love?Abducted and left for dead in the mortal realm, I'm quickly captured by humans. Unfortunately, Oakes and Jaden are arrested for breaking the realms’ peace treaty when they trespassed in their attempt to save me.Prince Eldrin must find a way to free us and prevent another realm war... -
![The Lost Princess by Raven Storm]()
The Lost Princess by Raven Storm
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsI was the diamond of my father's court, and his most prized possession--his 'gift from the gods'. My shimmering skin and pale complexion set me apart from the other nobles of the court. I was cherished. I was loved.Until I wasn't. My father sold me north to settle his debts, and I was shipped off to a strange kingdom...Categorized as:
ancient times from hate to love forced proximity m-f dark paranormal fantasy historical -
![The Hemlock Queen by Hannah F. Whitten]()
The Hemlock Queen by Hannah F. Whitten
In the second installment of New York Times bestselling author Hannah Whitten's lush, romantic epic fantasy series, a young woman who can raise the dead must navigate the dangerous and glamorous world of the Sainted King's royal court. The corrupt king August is dead. Prince Bastian has seized the throne and raised Lore—a necromancer and former smuggler—to his right hand side... -
![Desert Ice by Rose Maefair]()
Desert Ice by Rose Maefair
Standing under the hot sun in the slave market, Wyl thought his fate couldn’t get worse. He’d been betrayed by his family, exiled, and sentenced to slavery in the desert lands where he doesn’t know the language or the customs. Yet, as he faces the scrutiny of an interested buyer, Wyl realizes he was wrong...Categorized as:
high fantasy from hate to love magic angst hurt-comfort forced proximity slow burn alpha male
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