Books like 'Fortune Favors the Cruel'
Readers who enjoyed Fortune Favors the Cruel by Kel Carpenter also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
fantasy romance high fantasy dark fantasy action / adventure supernatural magic dark paranormal slow-burn
-
The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent
37 ratingsHuman or vampire, the rules of survival are the same: never trust, never yield, and always – always – guard your heart. The adopted human daughter of the Nightborn vampire king, Oraya carved her place in a world designed to kill her. Her only chance to become something more than prey is entering the Kejari: a legendary tournament held by the goddess of death herself... -
![Godsgrave by Jay Kristoff]()
Godsgrave by Jay Kristoff
34 ratingsMia Corvere has found her place among the Blades of Our Lady of Blessed Murder, but many in the Red Church hierarchy think she's far from earned it. Plying her bloody trade in a backwater of the Republic, she's no closer to ending the men who destroyed her familia; in fact, she's told directly that Consul Scaeva is off limits... -
![Gleam by Raven Kennedy]()
Gleam by Raven Kennedy
29 ratingsKing 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... -
![Fourth Wing (Part 1 of 2) [Dramatized Adaptation] by Rebecca Yarros]()
Fourth Wing (Part 1 of 2) [Dramatized Adaptation] by Rebecca Yarros
14 ratingsEnter the brutal and elite world of a war college for dragon riders from New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Yarros.Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history... -
-
![Queen of the Darkness by Anne Bishop]()
Queen of the Darkness by Anne Bishop
28 ratingsLibrarian's note: See alternate cover edition of ISBN 0451456734 here.Jaenelle Angelline now reigns as Queen-protector of the Shadow Realm. No longer will the corrupt Blood slaughter her people and defile her lands. But where one chapter ends, a final, unseen battle remains to be written, and Jaenelle must unleash the terrible power that is Witch to destroy her enemies once and for all... -
![Kushiel's Avatar by Jacqueline Carey]()
Kushiel's Avatar by Jacqueline Carey
29 ratingsThe land of Terre d'Ange is a place of unsurpassed beauty and grace. It's inhabited by the race that rose from the seed of angels, and they live by one simple rule: Love as thou wilt. Phèdre nó Delaunay was sold into indentured servitude as a child. Her bond was purchased by a nobleman who recognized that she was pricked by Kushiel's dart, chosen to forever experience pain and pleasure as one... -
![Kushiel's Mercy by Jacqueline Carey]()
Kushiel's Mercy by Jacqueline Carey
25 ratingsHaving learned a lesson about thwarting the will of the gods, Imriel and Sidonie publicly confess their affair, only to see the country boil over in turmoil. Younger generations, infatuated by their heart-twisting, star-cross romance, defend the couple... -
![Shalador's Lady by Anne Bishop]()
Shalador's Lady by Anne Bishop
24 ratingsReturn to the "intense...erotic...and imaginative" world of the national bestselling Black Jewels novels with this sequel to The Shadow Queen. In Anne Bishop's "vividly painted" realm, witches and warlocks channel their power through magical jewels - and one Queen has emerged from the shadows to bring hope to an impoverished people... -
![His Holy Bones by Ginn Hale]()
His Holy Bones by Ginn Hale
12 ratingsWhen John opens a letter addressed to his missing roommate, Kyle, he expects to find a house key, but instead he is swept into a strange realm of magic, mysticism, revolutionaries and assassins. Though he struggles to escape, John is drawn steadily closer to a fate he share with Kyle—to wake the destroyer god, the Rifter, and shatter a world... -
![Heir to the Shadows by Anne Bishop]()
Heir to the Shadows by Anne Bishop
28 ratingsLibrarian's note: See alternate cover for this edition here.Enough time has passed for the young girl Jaenelle, heir to the magical Darkness, for her physical wounds to heal, while amnesia keeps her frightening memories at bay. But with Saetan--a Black-Jewelled Warlord Prince and Jaenelle's foster-father--to protect her, she will continue to grow. Her magic will mature. Her memories will return... -
![Kushiel's Chosen by Jacqueline Carey]()
Kushiel's Chosen by Jacqueline Carey
29 ratingsMighty Kushiel, of rod and wealLate of the brazen portalsWith blood-tipp'd dart a wound unhealedPricks the eyen of chosen mortalsThe land of Terre d'Ange is a place of unsurpassed beauty and grace. The inhabiting race rose from the seed of angels and men, and they live by one simple rule: Love as thou wilt.Phèdre nó Delaunay was sold into indentured servitude as a child... -
![Den of Wolves by Juliet Marillier]()
Den of Wolves by Juliet Marillier
19 ratingsThe “powerful and emotionally-charged” fantasy series from the author of the Sevenwaters novels continues, as Blackthorn and Grim face haunting secrets and old adversaries... Feather bright and feather fine, None shall harm this child of mine... Healer Blackthorn knows all too well the rules of her bond to the fey: seek no vengeance, help any who ask, do only good... -
![The Shadow Queen by Anne Bishop]()
The Shadow Queen by Anne Bishop
24 ratingsIn her national bestselling Black Jewels novels, Anne Bishop’s “surefire spell craft…leave[s] readers’ hearts pounding.” Now her “feverish pacing and terrifying twists” are showcased once again. In a tumultuous world ruled by witches and warlocks who wear their power as jewels, one Queen’s chance at redemption is the last hope for a desperate people…Dena Nehele is a land decimated by its past... -
![Kushiel's Justice by Jacqueline Carey]()
Kushiel's Justice by Jacqueline Carey
25 ratingsMy blood beat hard in my veins and hammered in my ears, like the sound of bronze wings clashing. And I understand for the first time what it meant that Kushiel, the One God's punisher, had loved his charges too well...Imriel de la Courcel's blood parents are history's most reviled traitors, while his adoptive parents, Phèdre and Joscelin, are Terre d'Ange's greatest champions... -
-
![Dreams Made Flesh by Anne Bishop]()
Dreams Made Flesh by Anne Bishop
25 ratingsReturn to the realm of the Blood in Dreams Made Flesh—featuring four revelatory all-new adventures of Jaenelle and her kindred….Jaenelle is the most powerful Witch ever known, centuries of hopes and dreams made flesh at last... -
![Black Coven by E. William Brown]()
Black Coven by E. William Brown
18 ratingsSurviving Ragnarok is challenge no matter what powers you have, and new problems keep cropping up. Demanding witches, genocidal monsters, divine feuds and local politics will all keep Daniel on his toes. But his enemies have made one crucial mistake. They've given an engineer who understands the nature of magic time to build things.. -
![Nevernight by Jay Kristoff]()
Nevernight by Jay Kristoff
39 ratingsIn a land where three suns almost never set, a fledgling killer joins a school of assassins, seeking vengeance against the powers who destroyed her family.Daughter of an executed traitor, Mia Corvere is barely able to escape her father’s failed rebellion with her life... -
![Shadow Wings by Raye Wagner, Kelly St. Clare]()
Shadow Wings by Raye Wagner, Kelly St. Clare
24 ratingsI will never be controlled again. A manipulative dragon shifter. A sexy phaetyn prince. Me? I shouldn’t even exist. With peace established in Verald, I should be free; Lord Tyrrik is liberated from his blood oath, after all. But the freedom in Verald is an illusion. If I remain, destruction will surely follow. As soon as I come into my powers, the blood-thirsty emperor of Draecon will know... -
![The Heart Forger by Rin Chupeco]()
The Heart Forger by Rin Chupeco
26 ratingsIn The Bone Witch, Tea mastered resurrection―now she's after revenge...No one knows death like Tea. A bone witch who can resurrect the dead, she has the power to take life...and return it. And she is done with her self-imposed exile. Her heart is set on vengeance, and she now possesses all she needs to command the mighty daeva... -
![Little Thieves by Margaret Owen]()
Little Thieves by Margaret Owen
18 ratingsOnce upon a time, there was a horrible girl... Vanja Schmidt knows that no gift is freely given, not even a mother's love--and she's on the hook for one hell of a debt. Vanja, the adopted goddaughter of Death and Fortune, was Princess Gisele's dutiful servant up until a year ago... -
![Bite the Woman That Feeds: A Dark Fantasy Romance by Penelope Barsetti]()
Bite the Woman That Feeds: A Dark Fantasy Romance by Penelope Barsetti
8 ratingsKingsnake only wanted my blood—but now he wants all of me.A sickness has claimed the kingdoms of men. Everyone is either sick or dying, weak to a curse that has no cure—except for me. I’m immune to this mysterious illness, and I do my best to heal the sick and ease the pain of the dying... -
![Elantris by Brandon Sanderson]()
Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
49 ratingsElantris was the capital of Arelon: gigantic, beautiful, literally radiant, filled with benevolent beings who used their powerful magical abilities for the benefit of all. Yet each of these demigods was once an ordinary person until touched by the mysterious transforming power of the Shaod. Ten years ago, without warning, the magic failed... -
![Darkdawn by Jay Kristoff]()
Darkdawn by Jay Kristoff
31 ratingsThe epic conclusion to the internationally bestselling Nevernight Chronicle from New York Times bestselling author Jay Kristoff.The greatest games in Godsgrave’s history have ended with the most audacious murders in the history of the Itreyan Republic.Mia Corvere, gladiatii, escaped slave and infamous assassin, is on the run... -
![A Throne of Ruin by K.F. Breene]()
A Throne of Ruin by K.F. Breene
20 ratingsThe only thing protecting me from the demons...is the beast. Nyfain, the golden dragon prince, tried to set me free. But there is no freedom in this kingdom. Not for anyone. The demons have sought me out. They want to trap me. To use me against Nyfain. It's only a matter of time before they call in the demon king. Nyfain thinks I should save myself... -
-
![Naamah's Blessing by Jacqueline Carey]()
Naamah's Blessing by Jacqueline Carey
21 ratingsReturning to Terre d'Ange, Moirin finds the royal family broken. Wracked by unrelenting grief at the loss of his wife, Queen Jehanne, King Daniel is unable to rule. Prince Thierry, leading an expedition to explore the deadly jungles of Terra Nova, is halfway across the world... -
![Twilight's Dawn by Anne Bishop]()
Twilight's Dawn by Anne Bishop
21 ratingsNew York Times bestselling author Anne Bishop’s “darkly fascinating” Black Jewel novels have enthralled readers and critics alike with their mixture of fantasy, intrigue, and romance. Now in Twilight’s Dawn, Bishop returns to the Blood realm with four all-new captivating novellas... -
![Night Study by Maria V. Snyder]()
Night Study by Maria V. Snyder
24 ratingsNew York Times bestselling author Maria V. Snyder transports readers back to the realms of Sitia and Ixia in an exciting new Study novel full of magic, danger and intrigue. Ever since being kidnapped from the Illiais Jungle as a child, Yelena Zaltana's life has been fraught with peril. But the recent loss of her Soulfinding abilities has endangered her more than ever before... -
![Eidolon by Grace Draven]()
Eidolon by Grace Draven
26 ratingsIn a bid for more power, the Shadow Queen of Haradis has unleashed a malignant force into the world. Her son Brishen, younger prince of the Kai royal house, suddenly finds himself ruler of a kingdom blighted by a diseased darkness and on the brink of war. His human wife Ildiko must decide if she will give up the man she loves in order to secure his throne... -
![Kushiel's Scion by Jacqueline Carey]()
Kushiel's Scion by Jacqueline Carey
27 ratingsImriel de la Courcel's blood parents are history's most reviled traitors, but his adoptive parents, the Comtesse Phèdre and the warrior-priest Joscelin, are Terre d'Ange's greatest champions.Stolen, tortured, and enslaved as a young boy, Imriel is now a Prince of the Blood, third in line for the throne in a land that revels in art, beauty, and desire... -
![BloodLust by Auryn Hadley]()
BloodLust by Auryn Hadley
16 ratingsIt’s a treacherous road to belonging—and once you find it, you could lose everything.In an exotic world caught in the throes of a seemingly endless war, a nation of terrorists under the thumb of an evil Emperor has set out to systematically destroy every race but their own. And they’re just about to succeed... -
![Glint by Raven Kennedy]()
Glint by Raven Kennedy
29 ratingsFor ten years, I’ve lived in a gilded cage inside King Midas’s golden castle. But one night changed everything.Now I’m here, a prisoner of Fourth Kingdom’s army, and I’m not sure if I’m going to make it out of this in one piece. They’re marching to battle, and I’m the bargaining chip that will either douse the fire or spark a war.At the heart of my fear, my worry, there’s him—Commander Rip... -
![Der letzte Kampf by Rachel E. Carter]()
Der letzte Kampf by Rachel E. Carter
20 ratingsHe’s the Black Mage and she’s the traitor to the Crown.Ryiah’s world was shattered the night she discovered King Blayne’s nefarious plans. Now, she has to betray the one she loves most in order to save the realm from war... -
![Naamah's Curse by Jacqueline Carey]()
Naamah's Curse by Jacqueline Carey
25 ratingsJacqueline Carey, New York Times bestselling author of the Kushiel's Legacy series, delivers book two in her new lushly imagined trilogy featuring daughter of Alba, Moirin.Far from the land of her birth, Moirin sets out across Tatar territory to find Bao, the proud and virile Ch'in fighter who holds the missing half of her diadh-anam, the divine soul-spark of her mother's people... -
![Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold]()
Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold
27 ratingsIn a land threatened by treacherous war and beset by demons, royal dowager Ista, released from the curse of madness and manipulated by an untrustworthy god, is plunged into a desperate struggle to preserve the endangered souls of a realm... -
-
![Reign of Darkness by Ariana Nash]()
Reign of Darkness by Ariana Nash
12 ratings"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... -
![Curse of the Dark Prince by Ariana Nash]()
Curse of the Dark Prince by Ariana Nash
12 ratingsWith the powerful cities of Seran and Loreen having fallen to elves, and the dark flame escaping its bonds, Prince Vasili Caville’s plight has never been more desperate. But for the first time in his lifetime, he’s not alone. With the formidable Nikolas Yazdan at his side, not all is lost. But Nikolas has changed... -
![Blood & Ice by Ariana Nash]()
Blood & Ice by Ariana Nash
14 ratingsAn elven assassin. A dragon prince. Three days they had together. Three days was not enough. There’s a traitor among the elves. A traitor who will stop at nothing to see Eroan pay for the crime of loving a dragon, and Eroan Ilanea will pay with blood. Lysander has never been free to choose his fate. That is about to change... -
![Terciel and Elinor by Garth Nix]()
Terciel and Elinor by Garth Nix
16 ratingsBestselling novelist Garth Nix returns to the Old Kingdom for the never-before-told love story of Sabriel’s parents, Terciel and Elinor, and the Charter magic that brought them together—and threatened to tear them apart. A long-awaited prequel to a classic fantasy series... -
![The Queen's Bargain by Anne Bishop]()
The Queen's Bargain by Anne Bishop
17 ratingsPOWER HAS A PRICE. SO DOES LOVE. Return to the dark, sensual, and powerful world of the Black Jewels in this long-awaited new story in the New York Times bestselling fantasy saga.After a youthful mistake, Lord Dillon's reputation is in tatters, leaving him vulnerable to aristo girls looking for a bit of fun. To restore his reputation and honor, he needs a handfast--a one-year contract of marriage... -
![Dark Rise by C.S. Pacat]()
Dark Rise by C.S. Pacat
18 ratingsThe ancient world of magic is no more. Its heroes are dead, its halls are ruins, and its great battles between Light and Dark are forgotten. Only the Stewards remember, and they keep their centuries-long vigil, sworn to protect humanity if the Dark King ever returns.Sixteen-year-old dock boy Will is on the run, pursued by the men who killed his mother... -
![The Oracle's Queen by Lynn Flewelling]()
The Oracle's Queen by Lynn Flewelling
18 ratingsUnder 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... -
![Rise by Andrea Cremer]()
Rise by Andrea Cremer
18 ratingsThe sequel to Rift and the prequel to the New York Times bestselling novel Nightshade.Everything Conatus stands for is at risk. Hoping to gather enough resistance to save their order, Ember and Barrow attempt a desperate escape. But fate offers little mercy... -
![The Shadowglass by Rin Chupeco]()
The Shadowglass by Rin Chupeco
22 ratingsIn the highly anticipated finale to the Bone Witch trilogy, Tea’s life—and the fate of the kingdoms—hangs in the balance Tea is a bone witch with the dark magic needed to raise the dead. She has used this magic to breathe life into those she has loved and lost…and those who would join her army against the deceitful royals... -
![Naamah's Kiss by Jacqueline Carey]()
Naamah's Kiss by Jacqueline Carey
25 ratingsOnce there were great magicians born to the Maghuin Dhonn, the folk of the Brown Bear, the oldest tribe in Alba. But generations ago, the greatest of them all broke a sacred oath sworn in the name of all his people. Now only small gifts remain to them. Through her lineage, Moirin possesses such gifts—the ability to summon the twilight and conceal herself, and the skill to coax plants to grow... -
-
![The Novice by Trudi Canavan]()
The Novice by Trudi Canavan
33 ratings"Even if a magician's powers surface of their own accord, he will soon be dead if he does not gain the knowledge of how to control them." Alone among all the novices in the Magicians' Guild, only Sonea comes from lowly beginnings. Yet she has won powerful allies—including Lord Dannyl, newly promoted to Guild Ambassador... -
![The Midnight Star by Marie Lu]()
The Midnight Star by Marie Lu
28 ratingsThere was once a time when darkness shrouded the world, and the darkness had a queen.Adelina Amouteru is done suffering. She’s turned her back on those who have betrayed her and achieved the ultimate revenge: victory. Her reign as the White Wolf has been a triumphant one, but with each conquest her cruelty only grows... -
![A Dawn of Onyx by Kate Golden]()
A Dawn of Onyx by Kate Golden
20 ratingsCaptured by a king of darkness. Forced to find the light within. Arwen Valondale never expected to be the brave one, offering her life to save her brother’s. Now she’s been taken prisoner by the most dangerous kingdom on the continent, and made to use her rare magical abilities to heal the soldiers of the vicious Onyx King... -
![Incendiary by Carole Cummings]()
Incendiary by Carole Cummings
6 ratings"Book 4 of Wolf's-own"Fen Jacin-rei finds himself again on the run after discovering the reality of what he is and why the gods won't let him go. His one source of support, Kamen Malick, is suddenly unavailable, and now hounded and chased by ghosts who want to drive him into insanity and keep him there, Fen will have to face life all alone.Or maybe not... -
![House of Bastiion by K.L. Kolarich]()
House of Bastiion by K.L. Kolarich
6 ratingsTHE SERIESHouse of Bastiion is the first installment in the epic fantasy series, The Haidren Legacy. An immersive adventure armed with dark politics, sharp objects, and bickering characters, this treacherous saga packs a legendary punch for adult and NA readers alike. Fans of Brandon Sanderson, George R.R... -
![Wings So Wicked: A Rivals to Lovers Dark Fantasy Romance by Emily Blackwood]()
Wings So Wicked: A Rivals to Lovers Dark Fantasy Romance by Emily Blackwood
6 ratingsWINGS SO WICKEDA GOLDEN CITY NOVELFourth Wing meets The Serpent and the Wings of Night in this dark, alluring fantasy romance filled with tension, combat, magic, and rivals.Huntyr has fought for survival her entire life. Raised under Lord, the master of assassins in Midgrave, she has spent over twenty years learning to kill the blood-hungry, depraved vampyres that lurk in the darkness...
![Fourth Wing (Part 1 of 2) [Dramatized Adaptation] by Rebecca Yarros](https://48f-1.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/books/small/65eac759c1da30f75513c0ed.jpg)
Or - use our amazing romance book finder to get recommendations based on your favorite content tropes and themes. Mix and match at will.
