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 possessive hero independent heroine competent heroine
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One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig
Elspeth needs a monster. The monster might be her.Elspeth Spindle needs more than luck to stay safe in the eerie, mist-locked kingdom of Blunder—she needs a monster. She calls him the Nightmare, an ancient, mercurial spirit trapped in her head. He protects her. He keeps her secrets.But nothing comes for free, especially magic...Categorized as:
magic new adult high fantasy gifted heroine from hate to love competent heroine m-f commander -
![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... -
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![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... -
![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... -
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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... -
![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... -
![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... -
![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... -
![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 Sea Witch by Rebecca F. Kenney]()
The Sea Witch by Rebecca F. Kenney
When Averil saves a young man from a shipwreck, she thinks she feels the Soul Echo--the sign that the young human male is her one true mate. And the malevolent Sea Witch is all too happy to offer a deal that could make all her dreams come true. He wants her to win the prince's heart--even coaches her in the art of seduction... -
![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 dual-pov vengeance -
![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... -
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![Bloodraven by P.L. Nunn]()
Bloodraven by P.L. Nunn
A son of a forest dwelling people, Yhalen knows little of the world outside the ancestral forest, until he is captured by a band of ogres on a slave-taking mission. Only grim tales of the barbaric giants had reached the forest, but Yhalen soon learns that even the darkest fireside story only hinted at the brutality of these Northern warriors...Categorized as:
high fantasy from hate to love magic abduction angst war height-difference alpha male -
![A Promise of Lies by Clare Sager]()
A Promise of Lies by Clare Sager
The King is dead. Long live the King. And death to his enemies. Bargained away to Dawn Court, Kat must play the part of a helpless human bewitched by the Day King. But beneath the veneer of submission, she’s playing a far more dangerous game—spying for Dusk Court, and for the one person who holds her heart: Bastian...Categorized as:
fae m-f dual-pov magic competent heroine strong heroine new adult political-intrigue -
![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... -
![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... -
![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... -
![In the Claws of the Raven Prince by Mallory Dunlin]()
In the Claws of the Raven Prince by Mallory Dunlin
To save my life, I became a slave. To keep it, I have to betray my soulmate. When the fae save your life, they own it—and you. But when an attack by the deadly half-manticore, half-fae Raven Prince reveals that my Court's greatest enemy is my soulmate, I'm offered a new Spy on my soulmate, and I'll be free at the end of the war. Expecting a dangerous monster, I agree... -
![Shadows so Cruel by Liv Zander]()
Shadows so Cruel by Liv Zander
More painful than love… are the secrets that bind and divide us. Adrift in a sky shadowed by war, We seek, we ache, Searching for the woman who fled us. We shattered her heart, but she unfurled her feathers, Our sweetheart, our little dove, Escaping our talons on pure white wings. One of us soars over battlements, Haunted by past mistakes, Vowing never to repeat them...Categorized as:
fated-mates cruel hero from hate to love royalty dual-pov possessive hero abduction gifted heroine -
![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... -
![Warrior of the Drowned Empire by Frankie Diane Mallis]()
Warrior of the Drowned Empire by Frankie Diane Mallis
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWarrior of the Drowned Empire is the highly-anticipated fourth book in a sensational romantic series. Perfect for fans of Jennifer L. Armentrout, Danielle L. Jensen, and Rebecca Yarros. The Guardians have returned. As Moriel's reincarnation nears, Lyr is determined to fulfil her harness the power of the red shard and defeat him... -
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![Bitterthorn by Kat Dunn]()
Bitterthorn by Kat Dunn
Blumwald is a town overshadowed by an ancient curse: in a sinister castle in the depths of the wild wood lives a monstrous Witch. Once a generation, she comes to claim a companion to return with her – never to be seen again. Now that time is drawing near once more...Mina, daughter of the duke, is grieving and lonely. She has lost all hope of any future for herself in Blumwald... -
![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... -
![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... -
![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... -
![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 Final Masquerade Special Edition by Ariana Nash]()
The Final Masquerade Special Edition by Ariana Nash
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsSPECIAL EDITIONFeaturing unique character art on the interior and the glossy jacket, this stunning hardback celebrates the hauntingly beautiful world of the Final Masquerade, and will provide a beautiful addition to any bookshelf. A must for The Final Masquerade fans. The winter solstice. The darkest day, the longest night.Every year the solstice heralds the return of the masquerade ball... -
![A Hunt So Wicked by Britt Andrews]()
A Hunt So Wicked by Britt Andrews
Fans of Bridgerton and Game of Thrones will love this brand new dark fantasy romance.The guards arrive at my humble cottage with a ridiculous offer: Come to an exclusive and mysterious isle to compete for the hand of a royal husband.Enjoy a week of glittering balls, dancing, ostentatious wealth…and a royal hunt... -
![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 paranormal -
![Break Her by Cassie Alexander]()
Break Her by Cassie Alexander
I wanted her.She was just two floors away from me here in my castle.And some piece of her—naïve and inexperienced—wanted me.The man who was doomed to die at her hand.I could mostly ignore that fact, now that I was used to her presence, and my intermittent lust. But I wondered if not telling her about it was a bigger betrayal than not telling her about my arrangement with her father...Categorized as:
high fantasy new adult from hate to love magic dual-pov m-f forced proximity alpha male -
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![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...Categorized as:
fae from hate to love competent heroine magic new adult high fantasy forced proximity m-f -
![The Capital by A.H. Lee]()
The Capital by A.H. Lee
It’s a classic fairytale: Knight meets necromancer. They argue. They fight. They…make out?Prince Roland comes home from the war to bury his father and see his sister on the throne. He sneaks out to his favorite tavern for nostalgia’s sake. It’s the place where he kissed a man for the first time, the place where he used to carouse with the lover he buried on a battlefield... -
![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... -
![Le Roi Du Sang by Tiana Laveen]()
Le Roi Du Sang by Tiana Laveen
Alexandre has everything he desires except for that which he wants most of His Blood Queen.Amidst the backdrop of the Hundred Year War, Alexandre Marseille, a centuries-old vampire, seeks his fated mate. Having established his empire in New York City, he is living an opulent life and running a successful law firm. But his ultimate goal is to find her...Categorized as:
alpha male angst strong heroine from hate to love magic m-f height-difference fated-mates -
![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... -
![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 -
![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 -
![Entreat Me by Grace Draven]()
Entreat Me by Grace Draven
Afflicted by a centuries-old curse, a warlord slowly surrenders his humanity and descends toward madness. Ballard of Ketach Tor holds no hope of escaping his fate until his son returns home one day, accompanied by a woman of incomparable beauty. His family believes her arrival may herald Ballard's salvation. ...until they confront her elder sister...Categorized as:
strong heroine magic sassy heroine slow burn competent heroine poor heroine dual-pov m-f -
![Storm Front by Iris Foxglove]()
Storm Front by Iris Foxglove
In a remote village, a man named Azaiah goes wreathed in flowers and smiling to the sacrificial altar, willing to die to keep his village safe from plague. But the Harvester has something else in store for Azaiah, and it isn’t the shores of the world beyond that await him…but the cloak and scythe itself... -
![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 -
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![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... -
![Nightshade by Keri Lake]()
Nightshade by Keri Lake
A love so forbidden, it would shake the heavens ...My father called them messengers.He once told me they walked among us, and that somewhere in this dark and godless city, there shined a faint sliver of hope. I had only to look for the signs...Categorized as:
ancient times vengeance alpha male possessive hero new adult slow burn cold hero forced proximity -
![Fires of Hatred by Erin O'Kane]()
Fires of Hatred by Erin O'Kane
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 22 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... -
![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...Categorized as:
fae magic from hate to love new adult royalty forced proximity cold hero first-person-pov -
![The Heart of What Was Lost by Tad Williams]()
The Heart of What Was Lost by Tad Williams
Rated: 4.02 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsNew York Times-bestselling Tad Williams’ ground-breaking epic fantasy saga of Osten Ard begins an exciting new cycle! The perfect introduction to the epic fantasy world of Osten Ard, The Heart of What Was Lost is Tad Williams’ follow-up to his internationally bestselling landmark trilogy. Osten Ard inspired a generation of modern fantasy writers, including George R.R... -
![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...
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