Books like 'The Midnight Bargain'
Readers who enjoyed The Midnight Bargain by C.L. Polk also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
historical fantasy romance high fantasy supernatural alternate history historical-fiction magic paranormal witches-wizards
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The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner
29 ratingsBy scheming and theft, the Thief of Eddis has become King of Attolia. Eugenides wanted the queen, not the crown, but he finds himself trapped in a web of his own making.Then he drags a naive young guard into the center of the political maelstrom. Poor Costis knows he is the victim of the king's caprice, but his contempt for Eugenides slowly turns to grudging respect...Categorized as:
friendship historical-fiction magic paranormal action-adventure alternate-history audiobook book -
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... -
The King's Traitor by Jeff Wheeler
24 ratingsAgainst all odds, Owen Kiskaddon grew from frightened boy to confident youth to trusted officer in the court of Kingfountain—and watched its regent, Severn Argentine, grow ever more ruthless and power-mad. Robbed of his beloved protector, his noble mentor, and his true love, Owen has anticipated the day when the king he fears and reviles, yet loyally serves, will be toppled...Categorized as:
historical-fiction magic paranormal action-adventure alternate-history arthurian audiobook book -
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... -
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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...Categorized as:
female-mc historical-fiction lgbtq magic paranormal action-adventure alternate-history audiobook -
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...Categorized as:
historical-fiction lgbtq magic paranormal action-adventure adult alternate-history angels -
The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner
33 ratingsRevengeWhen Eugenides, the Thief of Eddis, stole Hamiathes's Gift, the Queen of Attolia lost more than a mythical relic. She lost face. Everyone knew that Eudenides had outwitted and escaped her. To restore her reputation and reassert her power, the Queen of Attolia will go to any length and accept any help that is offered... she will risk her country to execute the perfect revenge...Categorized as:
historical-fiction magic paranormal action-adventure alternate-history audiobook book children -
Winter Sun by Hollee Mands
13 ratingsHe’d do anything to keep her safe...except give her up.Declan lost her once. Never again. He is an archmage. Fearsome. Terrible. Divine. Yet deadly whispers dare echo in his ear. None more threatening than those of his still-incomplete mate bond and his love’s failing health. In a twist of irony, he must now protect his mate from the greatest danger she's ever faced...Himself...Categorized as:
female-mc historical-fiction magic paranormal adult alpha-mc alternate-history ancient-civilization -
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...Categorized as:
female-mc historical-fiction lgbtq magic paranormal witches-wizards action-adventure adult -
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...Categorized as:
historical-fiction lgbtq magic paranormal action-adventure adult alternate-history audiobook -
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...Categorized as:
female-mc historical-fiction lgbtq magic paranormal witches-wizards action-adventure adult -
The Other Merlin by Robyn Schneider
10 ratingsWelcome to the great kingdom of Camelot. Prince Arthur’s a depressed botanist who would rather marry a library than a princess, Lancelot’s been demoted to castle guard after a terrible misunderstanding, and nothing is going according to plan...Categorized as:
family historical-fiction lgbtq magic paranormal witches-wizards action-adventure adaptations -
Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers
31 ratingsI lean forward, pushing my body out past the battlements. The wind plucks at my cloak, buffets against me, as if it would carry me off in flight, just like the birds or the knight's soul. Let go, it cries, I will take you far, far away. I want to laugh at the exhilarating feeling, I will catch you, it whistles seductively.The convent has returned Sybella to a life that nearly drove her mad...Categorized as:
family female-mc historical-fiction magic paranormal abuse action-adventure alpha-mc -
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... -
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Our Bloody Pearl by D.N. Bryn
10 ratingsThe ocean is uncontrollable and dangerous. But to the sirens who swim the warm island waters, it’s a home more than worth protecting from the humans and their steam-propelled ships. Between their hypnotic voices and the strength of their powerful tails, sirens have little to fear. That is, until the ruthless pirate captain, Kian, creates a device to cancel out their songs...Categorized as:
industrial-era lgbtq magic paranormal poc-mc action-adventure alternate-history book -
Igniting Darkness by Robin LaFevers
14 ratingsFrom New York Times best-selling author Robin LaFevers comes the follow up to “sharp and breathless” (Kirkus Reviews) historical fantasy Courting Darkness. Set in the world of the beloved His Fair Assassin series, this is perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo and Game of Thrones... -
The Perilous Sea by Sherry Thomas
24 ratingsAfter spending the summer away from each other, Titus and Iolanthe (still disguised as Archer Fairfax) are eager to return to Eton College to resume their training to fight the Bane. Although no longer bound to Titus by a blood oath, Iolanthe is more committed than ever to fulfilling her destiny—especially with the agents of Atlantis quickly closing in...Categorized as:
female-mc friendship historical-fiction magic paranormal witches-wizards action-adventure alpha-mc -
Mortal Heart by Robin LaFevers
27 ratingsAnnith has watched her gifted sisters at the convent come and go, carrying out their dark dealings in the name of St. Mortain, patiently awaiting her own turn to serve Death. But her worst fears are realized when she discovers she is being groomed by the abbess as a Seeress, to be forever sequestered in the rock and stone womb of the convent...Categorized as:
female-mc friendship historical-fiction magic magical-realism paranormal action-adventure alpha-mc -
Brilliance of the Moon by Lian Hearn
24 ratingsA beautiful, haunting evocation of the medieval Japan of Lian Hearn's imagination, this thrilling follow-up to Grass for His Pillow and Across the Nightingale Floor delves deeper into the complex loyalties that bind its characters from birth... -
Grass for His Pillow by Lian Hearn
26 ratingsPraised for its epic scope and descriptive detail, Across the Nightingale Floor, the first book in the Tales of the Otori series, was an international bestseller and critical success, named by the London Times as "the most compelling novel to have been published this year... -
Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn
28 ratingsIn his black-walled fortress at Inuyama, the warlord Iida Sadamu surveys his famous nightingale floor. Constructed with exquisite skill, it sings at the tread of each human foot. No assassin can cross it unheard.The youth Takeo has been brought up in a remote mountain village among the Hidden, a reclusive and spiritual people who have taught him only the ways of peace... -
Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey
41 ratingsThe land of Terre d'Ange is a place of unsurpassing beauty and grace. It is said that angels found the land and saw it was good... and the ensuing race that rose from the seed of angels and men live by one simple rule: Love as thou wilt. Phèdre nó Delaunay is a young woman who was born with a scarlet mote in her left eye...Categorized as:
female-mc historical-fiction lgbtq magic paranormal action-adventure alternate-history angels -
Darkwitch Rising by Sara Douglass
16 ratingsDarkwitch Rising is the third title in Sara Douglass's compelling Troy Game series, a riveting historical fantasy series of love and revenge set against the very fabric of time itself.Britian. An ancient land. Most think they know its history. But few suspect and fewer still know the truth... -
The Seat of Magic by J. Kathleen Cheney
8 ratingsMagical beings have been banned from the Golden City for decades, though many live there in secret. Now humans and nonhumans alike are in danger as evil stalks the streets, growing more powerful with every kill…. It’s been two weeks since Oriana Paredes was banished from the Golden City... -
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The Palace of Lost Memories by C.J. Archer
17 ratingsFrom the author of the USA Today bestselling GLASS AND STEELE series comes this captivating new fantasy. The king's magnificent palace was built in a matter of weeks. No one saw the builders, no villagers are allowed beyond the gilded gate, and only one servant has ever left...Categorized as:
family historical-fiction magic paranormal action-adventure alternate-history audiobook book -
The Midnight Sea by Kat Ross
16 ratingsThey are the light against the darkness.The steel against the necromancy of the Druj.And they use demons to hunt demons….Nazafareen lives for revenge. A girl of the isolated Four-Legs Clan, all she knows about the King's elite Water Dogs is that they leash wicked creatures called daevas to protect the empire from the Undead...Categorized as:
female-mc historical-fiction magic paranormal abuse action-adventure alpha-mc alternate-history -
Cold Steel by Kate Elliott
16 ratingsTrouble, treachery, and magic just won't stop plaguing Cat Barahal. The Master of the Wild Hunt has stolen her husband Andevai. The ruler of the Taino kingdom blames her for his mother's murder. The infamous General Camjiata insists she join his army to help defeat the cold mages who rule Europa. An enraged fire mage wants to kill her...Categorized as:
family female-mc friendship historical-fiction industrial-era magic paranormal poc-mc -
The Dark Age by Traci Harding
16 ratingsThe white light surrounded her, exuding from the ground within the circle. The mist rose towards the sky to form a billowing cloud. From within the largest stone a ball of blue light steadily made its way towards her. Late one evening, a car accident leaves Tory - a daughter of a prominent history professor - stranded near a ring of stones in the English countryside...Categorized as:
historical-fiction magic paranormal action-adventure alternate-history arthurian audiobook book -
King Kelson's Bride by Katherine Kurtz
14 ratings“Kurtz’s strengths lie in her patient accumulation of telling detail, well-articulated plots, and believable magics. Should bring the fans flocking, and attract newcomers too.”—Kirkus ReviewsSpeculation runs rampant throughout the kingdom of Gwynedd as to when, and to whom, King Kelson will finally be wed...Categorized as:
historical-fiction magic paranormal action-adventure adult alternate-history angels book -
All the Paths of Shadow by Frank Tuttle
12 ratings“Walk warily, walk swiftly, walk away.”The king’s orders were clear enough. “Move the tower’s shadow,” he bellowed. “I refuse to deliver my commencement speech from the dark.”As the newly appointed mage to the Crown of Tirlin, Meralda Ovis has no choice but to undertake King Yvin’s ill-conceived task... -
The Burning Sky by Sherry Thomas
24 ratingsThis is a previously published edition of ISBN13: 9780062207296.It all began with a ruined elixir and a bolt of lightning.Iolanthe Seabourne is the greatest elemental mage of her generation—or so she's been told. The one prophesied for years to be the savior of The Realm. It is her duty and destiny to face and defeat the Bane, the most powerful tyrant and mage the world has ever known... -
The Harsh Cry of the Heron by Lian Hearn
24 ratingsThe Harsh Cry of the Heron is the rich and stirring finale to a series whose imaginative vision has enthralled millions of readers worldwide, and an extraordinary novel that stands as a thrilling achievement in its own right... -
Kingdom of the Grail by Judith Tarr
6 ratingsThe wizard Merlin, imprisoned within an enchanted forest since the fall of Camelot, receives a visitor possessing strong magical talent. His name is Roland, a knight and warrior who has sworn to free the legendary sorcerer. But, to save the wizard, Roland must first confront an old, powerful enemy of Merlin's on a quest for the Holy Grail...Categorized as:
historical-fiction alternate-history arthurian book coming-of-age epic female-author fiction -
The Deer's Cry by Patricia Kennealy-Morrison
6 ratingsOn a planet far-flung from Earth, the true descendants of the Celts have built a new civilization. Driven from their home by the relentless persecution of priests during the Dark Ages, the Celts fled in great starships to make a home on the green and beautiful world they call Keltia... -
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Courting Darkness by Robin LaFevers
18 ratingsDeath wasn’t the end, it was only the beginning…Sybella has always been the darkest of Death’s daughters, trained at the convent of Saint Mortain to serve as his justice. But she has a new mission now...Categorized as:
female-mc historical-fiction magic paranormal action-adventure alpha-mc alternate-history assassins -
Cold Fire by Kate Elliott
18 ratingsCat and her cousin are key players in a drama of dragons and politics. Everyone wants something from them - including the warlord who's conquering all Europa and the Cold Mages who dare defy him. But the Master of the Wild Hunt is most dangerous of all. He will command Cat's loyalty using what she holds most dear...Categorized as:
family female-mc historical-fiction industrial-era magic paranormal poc-mc witches-wizards -
Dragonswood by Janet Lee Carey
18 ratingsOn Wilde Island, there is no peace between dragons, fairies, and humans.Wilde Island is in an uproar over the recent death of its king. As the uneasy pact between dragons, fairies, and humans begins to fray, the royal witch hunter with a hidden agenda begins a vengeful quest to burn girls suspected of witchcraft before a new king is crowned...Categorized as:
historical-fiction magic paranormal witches-wizards action-adventure alternate-history animals book -
Heartstone by Elle Katharine White
18 ratingsA debut historical fantasy that recasts Jane Austen’s beloved Pride & Prejudice in an imaginative world of wyverns, dragons, and the warriors who fight alongside them against the monsters that threaten the kingdom: gryphons, direwolves, lamias, banshees, and lindworms...Categorized as:
family fantasy-of-manners female-mc historical-fiction industrial-era magic paranormal regency -
The Crown's Game by Evelyn Skye
26 ratingsVika Andreyeva can summon the snow and turn ash into gold. Nikolai Karimov can see through walls and conjure bridges out of thin air. They are enchanters—the only two in Russia—and with the Ottoman Empire and the Kazakhs threatening, the tsar needs a powerful enchanter by his side.And so he initiates the Crown’s Game, an ancient duel of magical skill—the greatest test an enchanter will ever know... -
Ishtar's Blade by Lisa Blackwood
12 ratingsWarrior. King’s confidant. Avenging blade of the Goddess Ishtar. Iltani asked to be none of these things. Yet fate does not ask permission when she weaves souls upon destiny’s loom. On the day of Iltani’s birth, an assassin tried and nearly succeeded in ending the line of the gryphon kings...Categorized as:
historical-fiction magic paranormal alternate-history ancient-civilization book epic fiction -
The Witch Hunter by Virginia Boecker
24 ratingsThe magic and suspense of Graceling meet the political intrigue and unrest of Game of Thrones in this riveting fantasy debut.Your greatest enemy isn't what you fight, but what you fear.Elizabeth Grey is one of the king's best witch hunters, devoted to rooting out witchcraft and doling out justice... -
Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers
44 ratingsWhy be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny...Categorized as:
female-mc historical-fiction magic paranormal action-adventure alpha-mc alternate-history assassins -
Cobweb Bride by Vera Nazarian
14 ratingsMany are called...She alone can save the world and become Death's bride.Cobweb Bride is a history-flavored fantasy novel with romantic elements of the Persephone myth, about Death's ultimatum to the world... -
The Crown's Fate by Evelyn Skye
20 ratingsRussia is on the brink of great change. Pasha’s coronation approaches, and Vika is now the Imperial Enchanter, but the role she once coveted may be more difficult—and dangerous—than she ever expected.Pasha is grappling with his own problems—his legitimacy is in doubt, the girl he loves loathes him, and he believes his best friend is dead... -
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Cold Magic by Kate Elliott
20 ratingsAs they approach adulthood, Cat Barahal and her cousin Bee think they understand the society they live in and their place within it. At a select academy they study new airship technologies and the dawning Industrial Revolution, but magical forces still rule. And the cousins are about to discover the full ruthlessness of this rule...Categorized as:
family female-mc friendship historical-fiction industrial-era magic paranormal poc-mc -
The Spirit Ring by Lois McMaster Bujold
16 ratingsFiametta dreams of making beautiful objets d'art, but her magician goldsmith father thinks it's a waste of time to train a mere daughter. Thur dreams of escaping the mines of Bruinwald. A betrayal at a banquet plunges Thur and Fiametta into a struggle against men who would use vile magic for vile ends... -
Winterwood by Jacey Bedford
10 ratingsSet in 1800 in Britain, Mad King George is on the throne with Napoleon Bonaparte knocking on the door. Unregistered magic users are pursued to the death, while in every genteel home resides uncomplaining rowankind bondservants who have become so commonplace that no one can recall where they came from... -
Legacy of Kings by Eleanor Herman
18 ratingsImagine a time when the gods turn a blind eye to the agony of men, when the last of the hellions roam the plains and evil stirs beyond the edges of the map. A time when cities burn, and in their ashes, empires rise... -
Newt's Emerald by Garth Nix
18 ratingsOn her eighteenth birthday, Lady Truthful, nicknamed “Newt,” will inherit her family’s treasure: the Newington Emerald. A dazzling heart-shaped gem, the Emerald also bestows its wearer with magical powers.When the Emerald disappears one stormy night, Newt sets off to recover it... -
The House of the Four Winds by Mercedes Lackey, James Mallory
16 ratingsThe tiny nation of Swansgaard is a lovely place with abundant natural resources, including the royal family, which has been blessed with twelve daughters and a son...Categorized as:
female-mc friendship historical-fiction magic paranormal witches-wizards action-adventure alpha-mc
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