Books like 'The Bloodstained Key'
Readers who enjoyed The Bloodstained Key by Charity Rau also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
historical fantasy young adult dark romance paranormal mystery magic marriage of convenience age difference regency
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Heaven Official's Blessing: Tian Guan Ci Fu Vol. 3 by Mò Xiāng Tóng Xiù
SOMETHING TO FIGHT FOR, SOMEONE TO LIVE FORGods should never meddle in the affairs of mortals, but Xie Lian is not one to follow the rules when lives are at risk. He spits in the face of heaven and its laws and descends in a fury to save his country from drought and civil war... -
Villains Are Destined to Die, Vol. 4 by SUOL, Gwon Gyeoeul
“When I’m with you, there’s truly never a dull moment.”The Hunt is on! Penelope heads off to the small-game area in hopes of finding a present for Eckles…only to run into a hostile bear! Armed with desperation and a crossbow, Penelope holds it off, until Callisto unexpectedly comes to her rescue... -
Villains Are Destined to Die, Vol. 2 by Gyeoeul Gwon, SUOL
"Nothing good can come from a relationship built on secrets." Penelope's fate is looking grim, but she's got a plan: sneak out, rescue Eckles, and secure herself a one-way ticket out of death... -
Villains Are Destined to Die, Vol. 3 by SUOL, Gwon Gyeoeul
“I don’t want to live like this either, only ever being despised.”Life in hard mode for “villain” Penelope Eckhart means with every step forward, she’s shoved five steps back. Just when things seem to be stabilizing between her and the brothers, she finds herself coming to blows with Reynold, who insists on dredging up the past―an affront Penelope refuses to take lying down... -
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Villains Are Destined to Die, Vol. 6 by Gyeoeul Gwon, SUOL
Following the conditions of a contract between herself and Winter, Penelope is once again leaving the duchy! She joins the marquis for volunteer work in a war-stricken nation, and while their time there is hectic, the two are able to grab a moment alone at the seaside... -
A Fire Endless by Rebecca Ross
In the stunning conclusion to the Elements of Cadence duology, A Fire Endless finds the delicate balance between the human and faerie realm threatened by Bane, the spirit of the North Wind, whose defeat can only come through fire, song, and heart-rending sacrifice.East and West. Humans and Spirits. Breccans and Tamerlaines... -
Villains Are Destined to Die, Vol. 1 (악역의 엔딩은 죽음뿐 [Ag-yeog-eui Ending-eun Jug-eumbbun] (Comic) #1) by SUOL, Gwon Gyeoeul
Rated: 4.47 of 5 stars · 34 ratings"A villain living life in hard mode… whose every path leads to death." Playing Daughter of the Duke's Super Love Project as the easy mode heroine, Ivonne, makes charming the male characters a breeze... -
The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 73 ratingsWhen the dead come back to haunt the living, Lockwood & Co. step in . . .For more than fifty years, the country has been affected by a horrifying epidemic of ghosts. A number of Psychic Investigations Agencies have sprung up to destroy the dangerous apparitions.Lucy Carlyle, a talented young agent, arrives in London hoping for a notable career... -
Under the Oak Tree: Season 1 - 1 by Suji Kim
Maximilian (Maxi), the eldest daughter of the Croyso family, grows up being abused by her father. As a consequence of the physical and mental trauma, she develops a crippling inferiority complex about both her stutter and her physical appearance as well as a general lack of self-respect...Categorized as:
magic new adult marriage of convenience m-f fantasy arranged marriage historical high fantasy -
The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 105 ratingsFrom New York Times Bestselling author Brent Weeks... For Durzo Blint, assassination is an art-and he is the city's most accomplished artist. For Azoth, survival is precarious. Something you never take for granted. As a guild rat, he's grown up in the slums, and learned to judge people quickly - and to take risks. Risks like apprenticing himself to Durzo Blint... -
Heir to Sevenwaters by Juliet Marillier
The chieftains of Sevenwaters have long been custodians of a vast and mysterious forest?and a new heir has been born. But the family?s joy turns to despair when the baby is taken, and something unnatural is left in his place... -
By the Moonbeam and the Mist by Mariah Montoya
Rated: 4.51 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHer memories are gone, but her powers are only growing…Rayna Drey’s second year at the Esholian Institute should be spent advancing her Wild Whispering magic that the Good Council bestowed upon her last year. Unfortunately, she can’t quite focus on her new classes or enjoy all the parties with her friends... -
House of Roots and Ruin by Erin A. Craig
A modern masterpiece, this is a classic Gothic thriller-fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Erin A. Craig, about doomed love, menacing ambition, and the ghosts that haunt us forever.In a manor by the sea, one sister is still cursed... -
Froi of the Exiles by Melina Marchetta
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 46 ratingsBlood sings to blood, Froi . . . Those born last will make the first . . . For Charyn will be barren no more. Three years after the curse on Lumatere was lifted, Froi has found his home... Or so he believes... Fiercely loyal to the Queen and Finnikin, Froi has been trained roughly and lovingly by the Guard sworn to protect the royal family, and has learned to control his quick temper... -
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The King’s Beast, Vol. 8 by Rei Tōma
Rated: 4.53 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsAs Rangetsu and her unlikely allies follow whispered rumors through the palace in search of any hint of her brother, she finds it increasingly difficult to keep from spilling her own secret to Prince Tenyou. But revealing her true nature will upset the uneasy accord she has built between them... -
Luck in the Shadows by Lynn Flewelling
When young Alec of Kerry is taken prisoner for a crime he didn’t commit, he is certain that his life is at an end. But one thing he never expected was his cellmate. Spy, rogue, thief, and noble, Seregil of Rhiminee is many things–none of them predictable. And when he offers to take on Alec as his apprentice, things may never be the same for either of them... -
The King’s Beast, Vol. 5 by Rei Tōma
Rated: 4.48 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsFemale Ajin are prohibited from serving in the palace, and so Rangetsu’s revenge depends on her ability to maintain her ruse... -
Dance With The Sword by Sarah K.L. Wilson
A GRIM BETRAYAL. A DYING KING. A HUSBAND WHO WON'T LET HER GO. With the heart of the Wittenhame still ringing from Izolda's actions and her new husband shocked at her betrayal, the future seems very grim indeed... -
The Skull Throne by Peter V. Brett
The first three novels in New York Times bestselling author Peter V. Brett’s groundbreaking Demon Cycle series—The Warded Man, The Desert Spear, and The Daylight War—set a new standard for heroic fantasy. The powerful saga of humans winnowed to the brink of extinction by night-stalking demons, and the survivors who fight back, has kept readers breathless as they eagerly turned the pages... -
The King’s Beast, Vol. 7 by Rei Tōma
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsRangetsu isn’t the only person in the imperial palace with dark secrets... -
Stone of Farewell by Tad Williams
New York Times-bestselling Tad Williams’ landmark epic fantasy saga of Osten Ard begins an exciting new cycle!“One of my favorite fantasy series.” —George R. R. Martin • “Groundbreaking.” —Patrick Rothfuss • “One of the great fantasy epics of all time... -
Closer to the Chest by Mercedes Lackey
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsHerald Mags, the King of Valdemar’s Herald Spy, has been developing a clandestine network of young informants who operate not only on the streets of the capital city of Haven, but also in the Great Halls and kitchens of the wealthy and highborn. In his own established alternate personas, Mags observes the Court and the alleys alike, quietly gathering information to keep Haven and the Kingdom safe... -
Shadows Return by Lynn Flewelling
With their most treacherous mission yet behind them, heroes Seregil and Alec resume their double life as dissolute nobles and master spies. But in a world of rivals and charmers, fate has a different plan.… After their victory in Aurënen, Alec and Seregil have returned home to Rhíminee. But with most of their allies dead or exiled, it is difficult for them to settle in... -
Asperfell by Jamie Thomas
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsOnly the darkest and most dangerous of Mages are sentenced to pass through the gate to Asperfell. Not one has ever returned.Never did Briony dream she might set foot in the otherworldly prison of Asperfell. She was, after all, neither Mage nor criminal... -
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A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes
Rated: 4.09 of 5 stars · 65 ratingsThis was never the story of one woman, or two. It was the story of all of them…In the middle of the night, Creusa wakes to find her beloved Troy engulfed in flames. Ten seemingly endless years of brutal conflict between the Greeks and the Trojans are over, and the Greeks are victorious. Over the next few hours, the only life she has ever known will turn to ash . . -
Inferno by Kat Ross
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIn the last volume of the Fourth Talisman series, the worlds of the living and the dead collide in a final confrontation that will leave Nocturne and Solis forever changed…. Three talismans adrift. Two mad kings. One poisonous crown. As dark forces gather at the Rock of Ariamazes in Samarqand, Nazafareen discovers that there are worse places than the afterlife... -
Give Your Heart to the Barrow by Sarah K.L. Wilson
A LOSS UNBEARABLE. A DESPERATE PLAN. A WOMAN DETERMINED NOT TO LOSE. Alone and with her hopes dragged to the bottom of the sea, along with the husband she just realized she loves, Izolda finds herself in the mortal world as princess and counselor to her brother Svetgin, now king of Pensmoore. But Izolda is not the practical girl she once was who would have been happy for a home and a place... -
The King’s Beast, Vol. 4 by Rei Tōma
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsSomeone in the imperial palace is trying to kill Prince Tenyou, and Rangetsu has reason to believe it might be the icy third prince, Kougai... -
Song of the Forever Rains by E.J. Mellow
From the award-winning author of the Dreamland series comes a new dark romantic fantasy about a young woman finding hope in her powers of destruction.The Thief Kingdom is a place hidden within the world of Aadlior. Many whisper of its existence, but few have found this place, where magic and pleasure abound... -
The King’s Beast, Vol. 6 by Rei Tōma
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsPrince Kougai’s interest in his brother’s new beast-servant hasn’t waned, and Rangetsu is forced to forge an uneasy truce with him when his prying uncovers the dangerous truth about her identity... -
A Blossom at Midnight by A.L. Knorr
One earns a coveted place among royalty. Another is imprisoned by her betrothed, while the third is exiled until he can prove his worth. Can these three fae prevent a war?Dreaming of escaping her simple country life and tired of keeping her winged familiars a secret, half-fae Jessica finds herself swept into a breathtaking world of an elite retinue of fae performers known as the Calyx... -
Fly with the Arrow by Sarah K.L. Wilson
A STOLEN BRIDE. A TERRIFYING BRIDEGROOM. THE GAME THAT WILL DETERMINE THEIR FATES.No one told her the most important law of the court - the Law of Greeting.If they had, maybe she wouldn't have greeted Bluebeard when he arrived to claim a mortal wife. And if she hadn't greeted him, she wouldn't have become his sixteenth wife or been swept away to the lands of the Wittenhame... -
Fevered Star by Rebecca Roanhorse
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 41 ratingsThere are no tides more treacherous than those of the heart. —Teek sayingThe great city of Tova is shattered. The sun is held within the smothering grip of the Crow God’s eclipse, but a comet that marks the death of a ruler and heralds the rise of a new order is imminent.The Meridian: a land where magic has been codified and the worship of gods suppressed... -
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The Assassin Bride by Anastasis Blythe
It is said that the Neverseen King comes for a bride every hundred years. I thought it was only legend . . . until he came for me. I am one of twelve assassins forced to compete for the hand of our unseen king, who I’m beginning to doubt is even human at all. Why he needs a bride, much less one who wields a blade, isn’t any of my business...Categorized as:
magic new adult mystery m-f marriage of convenience from hate to love abuse high fantasy -
King's Warrior by Frost Kay
Rated: 4.04 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsRevolution and war come with a price in the fourth volume of USA Today Bestselling Author Frost Kay’s The Aermian Feuds Series. Returning to Aermia should’ve been easy, but nightmares and death haunt her, leaving Sage as an outsider, even in her own family...Categorized as:
magic new adult fantasy young adult paranormal high fantasy from hate to love medieval -
Fae's Prisoner by Melissa A. Craven, M. Lynn
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA traitor in search of redemption. A king’s champion on a mission. He wants to free his people, but she’s determined he’ll never succeed. The moment Griffin crossed into the prison realm, every fae he’d ever known forgot he existed. Left with nothing—not even his magic—he’s had to survive in a land of eternal darkness where a ruthless king terrorizes his subjects... -
The Queen's Rising by Rebecca Ross
When her seventeenth summer solstice arrives, Brienna desires only two things: to master her passion and to be chosen by a patron.Growing up in the southern kingdom of Valenia at the renowned Magnalia House should have prepared her. While some are born with a talent for one of the five passions—art, music, dramatics, wit, and knowledge—Brienna struggled to find hers until she chose knowledge... -
Silence and Shadow by Erin Beaty
The sequel to Erin Beaty’s buzzworthy YA medieval fantasy-thriller Blood and Moonlight, Silence and Shadow is full of swoony romance, dangerous magick, and murder. Perfect for fans of Kerri Maniscalco and Mary E. Pearson. After catching a killer and barely escaping with their lives, Cat and Simon arrive in the sprawling city of Londunium disguised as husband and wife to avoid suspicion... -
The Path of Thorns (Sourdough Universe) by A.G. Slatter, Angela Slatter
Rated: 3.99 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsAlone in the world, Asher Todd travels to the remote estate of Morwood Grange to become governess to three small children. Her sole possessions comprise a sea chest and a large carpet bag she hangs onto for dear life. She finds a fine old home, its inhabitants proud of their lineage and impeccable reputation, and a small village nearby... -
Oathblood by Mercedes Lackey
Rated: 3.97 of 5 stars · 45 ratingsThis exciting new anthology includes a new novella featuring Mercedes Lackey 's most popular heroines, Tarma (one of the sword-sworn and most feared of all warriors) and Kethry (who wields magic and weapons for the greater good), whose fates are suddenly bound together in blood by the powers that control their destinies... -
To Bind a Dark Heart by Kathryn Ann Kingsley
“Run, Gwen. Run as far and as hard as you can. Because when I catch you… You will belong to me.”When she shattered the Iron Crystal and returned magic to Avalon, Gwen also shattered Mordred’s heart. Torn between her passion for Mordred and his rage at her betrayal, she fled into the wilds.Gwen’s choice has transformed Avalon, and the island teems with magical wonders freed from the crystal... -
The Starlit Prince by C.F.E. Black
To break his curse, he must break her.The night before her family is set to win a fortune, Talia faces utter ruin. The only way accept a snap deal with a mysterious fae and become his bride.Rafael Romero has one last chance to break his curse, and it lies in the blood of his new wife, if only he can win her heart. What he doesn't expect is to fall for the woman he's chosen as his sacrifice... -
Enemy's Queen by Frost Kay
Rated: 3.94 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsBeauty and perfection come at a price… Abducted and thrust into a court obsessed with perfection, scarred Sage Ramses’ dream of peace and happiness is no longer a possibility. An ancient creature of darkness rules the land along with a people that are no longer human, and she’s forced to learn how to survive despite her inadequacies...Categorized as:
magic new adult fantasy young adult paranormal high fantasy from hate to love medieval -
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The Descent of the Drowned by Ana Lal Din
Rated: 3.96 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsShe is bound to serve. He is meant to kill. Survival is their prison. Choice is their weapon.As the sacred slave of a goddess, Roma is of a lower caste that serves patrons to sustain the balance between gods and men. What she wants is her freedom, but deserters are hunted and hanged, and Roma only knows how to survive in her village where women are vessels without a voice... -
The Drowned Woods by Emily Lloyd-Jones
A magical, ethereal fantasy from IndieBound bestselling author Emily Lloyd-Jones.Once upon a time, the kingdoms of Wales were rife with magic and conflict, and eighteen-year-old Mererid “Mer” is well-acquainted with both. She is the last living water diviner and has spent years running from the prince who bound her into his service... -
The Kingless Crown by Sarah M. Cradit
Rated: 3.91 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsA crown woven together by lies.A kingdom with the power to unravel them.Four Reaches. Four brides. Only a fortnight separates the young women from becoming reluctant queens of the usurper king, Eoghan Rhiagain... -
The Puppetmaster’s Apprentice by Lisa DeSelm
Rated: 3.89 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsA young girl is commissioned to build an assassin for a dark-hearted tyrant.Impressed by the work of the puppetmaster and his apprentice, Tavia’s ruler, The Margrave, has ordered dozens of life-size marionette soldiers to be sent to Wolfspire Hall... -
Blood of Wonderland by Colleen Oakes
Rated: 3.88 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsThe queen will rise.Dinah has been exiled from Wonderland. The vicious father she always feared has framed her for the brutal murder of her brother and turned the kingdom against her. Now hiding in the lush and mysterious Twisted Wood with only her war steed at her side, Dinah is faced with a choice... -
The Women's War by Jenna Glass
Rated: 3.86 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsIn a feminist fantasy epic, a revolutionary spell gives women the ability to control their own fertility—with consequences that rock their patriarchal society to its core.“A compulsive read, riveting characters, life-or-death stakes . . . a smashing book!”—Tamora PierceWhen a nobleman’s first duty is to produce a male heir, women are treated like possessions and bargaining chips...
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