Recommendations based on "The Riven Kingdom"

Filled with political intrigue, violent magic, and malevolent spirits, the mesmerizing second book in Sarah Beth Durst’s Queens of Renthia epic fantasy trilogy that started with the award-winning The Queen of Blood.Everything has a spirit: the willow tree with leaves that kiss the pond, the stream that feeds the river, the wind that exhales fresh snow . . .And those spirits want to kill you.It’s the first lesson that every Renthian learns.Not long ago, Daleina used her strength and skill to survive those spirits and assume the royal throne. Since then, the new queen has kept the peace and protected the humans of her land. But now for all her power, she is hiding a terrible secret: she is dying. And if she leaves the world before a new heir is ready, the spirits that inhabit her beloved realm will run wild, destroying her cities and slaughtering her people.Naelin is one such person, and she couldn’t be further removed from the Queen—and she wouldn’t have it any other way. Her world is her two children, her husband, and the remote village tucked deep in the forest that is her home, and that’s all she needs. But when Ven, the Queens champion, passes through the village, Naelin’s ambitious husband proudly tells him of his wife’s ability to control spirits—magic that Naelin fervently denies. She knows that if the truth of her abilities is known, it will bring only death and separation from those she loves.But Ven has a single task: to find the best possible candidate to protect the people of Aratay. He did it once when he discovered Daleina, and he’s certain he’s done it again. Yet for all his appeals to duty, Naelin is a mother, and she knows her duty is to her children first and foremost. Only as the Queen’s power begins to wane and the spirits become emboldened—even as ominous rumors trickle down from the north—does she realize that the best way to keep her son and daughter safe is to risk everything.Sarah Beth Durst established a place of dark wonder in The Queen of Blood, and now the stakes are even higher as the threat to the Queen and her people grows both from within and beyond the borders of Aratay in this riveting second novel of the Queens of Renthia series.

Wicked faeries, betrayals and forbidden love… This special edition of The Iron Queen includes the bonus novella Summer’s Crossing and an excerpt from the new book in the New York Times international bestselling the Iron Fey series, The Iron Raven.A storm is approaching, an army of Iron fey that will drag me into the core of a conflict so powerful, I’m not sure anyone can survive it.Meghan Chase thought her time with the fey was over, that the sacrifices she had to make were done. But war is brewing as another Iron King rises to destroy the courts of Faery and corrupt the Nevernever forever. The age-old rivalry of the Summer and Winter courts must be put aside as the rulers prepare to face their mutual enemy…and Meghan must step up once more and finally claim her secret destiny. But first, she must make one final, heartbreaking sacrifice.THE IRON FEY:The Iron KingThe Iron DaughterThe Iron QueenThe Iron KnightThe Iron PrinceThe Iron TraitorThe Iron WarriorTHE IRON FEY: EVENFALLThe Iron RavenThe Iron SwordNovellas:Shadow’s Legacy (Evenfall #0.5)

Times are hard in the mountain city of Fellsmarch. Reformed thief Han Alister will do almost anything to eke out a living for himself, his mother, and his sister Mari. Ironically, the only thing of value he has is something he can’t sell. For as long as Han can remember, he’s worn thick silver cuffs engraved with runes. They’re clearly magicked—as he grows, they grow, and he’s never been able to get them off.While out hunting one day, Han and his Clan friend, Dancer catch three young wizards setting fire to the sacred mountain of Hanalea. After a confrontation, Han takes an amulet from Micah Bayar, son of the High Wizard, to ensure the boy won't use it against them. Han soon learns that the amulet has an evil history—it once belonged to the Demon King, the wizard who nearly destroyed the world a millennium ago. With a magical piece that powerful at stake, Han knows that the Bayars will stop at nothing to get it back.Meanwhile, Raisa ana’Marianna, Princess Heir of the Fells, has her own battles to fight. She’s just returned to court after three years of relative freedom with her father’s family at Demonai camp – riding, hunting, and working the famous Clan markets. Although Raisa will become eligible for marriage after her sixteenth name-day, she isn't looking forward to trading in her common sense and new skills for etiquette tutors and stuffy parties.Raisa wants to be more than an ornament in a glittering cage. She aspires to be like Hanalea—the legendary warrior queen who killed the Demon King and saved the world. But it seems like her mother has other plans for her--plans that include a suitor who goes against everything the Queendom stands for.The Seven Realms will tremble when the lives of Han and Raisa collide in this stunning new page-turner from bestselling author Cinda Williams Chima.

"Beware of waking the gods, their dreams are often our nightmares..." A book of dangerous magic draws two readers into a perilous quest to find it--and their own happy ending--in this action-packed standalone fantasy romance from New York Times bestselling sensation Kerri Maniscalco. A prince who prefers games of the head to those of the heart. Prince Sloth hates leaving his enchanted library, but when a forgotten deity threatens the very fabric of the Underworld, he's thrust into a race against time. He must find the Book of Nightmares--an ancient artifact that has the power to break worlds--before it unleashes a deadly game to free its master, the Goddess of Night. When a betrayal leaves him marked, and desperate, his path collides with a young woman who possesses the legendary Phoenix Tear--a portal stone unlike any other. A librarian who is all sweet sunshine...until she burns. Lore Brimstone has always loved getting lost in a book--but she never meant literally. Yet, after visiting a traveling caravan, she quickly finds herself transported to a terrifying but oddly familiar world--with the worst, twisted prince at her side. Realizing they are living out her favorite novels one by one, they face off against an increasingly dark magic as they try to survive the story. A twisted tale that means they can't trust themselves--or their hearts. As Lore and Sloth navigate the pages of her beloved novels gone wrong, she must channel her inner main character to defeat the Book of Nightmares before the wall between the gods and mortals comes crashing down, dooming them all.

A dark epic fantasy inspired by The Prince and the Pauper and the fairy tale The False Prince, from bestselling author C. J. Redwine. Perfect for fans of the Court of Thorns and Roses series and the Wrath and the Dawn duology, The Traitor Prince is a thrilling new standalone novel in the Ravenspire series. Javan Najafai, crown prince of Akram, has spent the last ten years at an elite boarding school, far away from his kingdom. But his eagerly awaited return home is cut short when a mysterious impostor takes his place—and no one believes Javan is the true prince. After barely escaping the impostor’s assassins, Javan is thrown into Maqbara, the kingdom’s most dangerous prison. The only way to gain an audience with the king—and reveal Javan’s identity—is to fight in Maqbara’s yearly tournament. But winning is much harder than acing competitions at school, and soon Javan finds himself beset not just by the terrifying creatures in the arena but also by a band of prisoners allied against him, and even by the warden herself. The only person who can help him is Sajda, who has been enslaved by Maqbara’s warden since she was a child, and whose guarded demeanor and powerful right hook keep the prisoners in check. Working with Sajda might be the only way Javan can escape alive—but she has dangerous secrets. Together, Javan and Sajda have to outwit the vicious warden, outfight deadly creatures, and outlast the murderous prisoners intent on killing Javan. If they fail, they’ll be trapped in Maqbara for good—and the secret Sajda’s been hiding will bury them both. 

Under 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. Now a mystical fire has burned away the male body known as Prince Tobin, revealing Princess Tamír, a girl on the verge of womanhood–and a queen ready to claim her birthright after a life in disguise under the protection of wizards and witches. But will her people, her army–and the friends she was forced to deceive–accept her? Worse, will the crown’s rival heir, friend to Tobin, turn foe to Tamír, igniting civil war in a fierce battle for Skala?

Unlikely alliances are forged and trust is shattered in the stunning conclusion to Erin Beaty's The Traitor’s Trilogy--The Traitor's Kingdom.A new queen under threat. An ambassador with a desperate scheme. Two kingdoms with everything to lose. Once a spy and counselor to the throne, Sage Fowler has secured victory for her kingdom at a terrible cost. Now an ambassador representing Demora, Sage is about to face her greatest challenge to avoid a war with a rival kingdom. After an assassination attempt destroys the chance for peace, Sage and her fiancé Major Alex Quinn risk a dangerous plot to reveal the culprit. But the stakes are higher than ever, and in the game of traitors, betrayal is the only certainty. An Imprint Book "Like a PG-13 Game of Thrones...a satisfying and suspenseful end to a solid political fantasy series." —Kirkus ReviewsPraise for The Traitor’s Ruin “A more YA-friendly Game of Thrones...Recalls classic novels such as Tamora Pierce's Alanna series and Robin McKinley's Blue Sword...should keep readers' appetites whetted for the third installment.” —Kirkus ReviewsPraise for The Traitor’s Kiss “A thrilling tale with an unforgettable heroine and a love story that left me breathless.” —Mary E. Pearson, New York Times bestselling author of The Remnant Chronicles and Dance of Thieves

Sarah Kozloff, author of A Queen in Hiding, continues the breathtaking and cinematic epic fantasy series The Nine Realms with book two, The Queen of Raiders, and all four books will be published within a month of each other, so you can binge your favorite new fantasy series.The soldiers of Oromondo have invaded the Free States, leaving a wake of misery and death. Thalen, a young scholar, survives and gathers a small cadre of guerilla fighters for a one-way mission into the heart of an enemy land.Unconsciously guided by the elemental Spirits of Ennea Mon, Cerulia is drawn to the Land of the Fire Mountains to join Thelan's Raiders, where she will learn the price of war.The Nine Realms Series#1 A Queen in Hiding#2 The Queen of Raiders#3 A Broken Queen #4 The Cerulean Queen

A prince repelled by magic. A king bent on revenge. A witchdoctor who does not walk alone. Brimming with dark magic, high stakes, and serpentine twists, the second book in Rena Barron’s thrilling YA fantasy saga is perfect for fans of Laini Taylor, Sabaa Tahir, and Tomi Adeyemi. After so many years yearning for the gift of magic, Arrah has the one thing she’s always wanted—but it came at too steep a price. Now the last surviving witchdoctor, she’s been left to pick up the shattered pieces of a family that betrayed her, a kingdom plunged into chaos, and a love that can never be. While Arrah returns to the tribal lands to search for survivors of the demons’ attack, her beloved Rudjek hunts down the remnants of the demon army—and uncovers a plot that would destroy what’s left of their world. The Demon King wants Arrah, and if she and Rudjek can’t unravel his schemes, he will destroy everything, and everyone, standing in his way. Set in a richly imagined world inspired by whispered tales of voodoo and folk magic, the Kingdom of Souls trilogy has been optioned for film by Michael B. Jordan and his Warner Bros. production company, Outlier Society. “I couldn’t get enough of Kingdom of Souls. Wonderfully written, and full of dark magic and danger, it was a story I couldn’t wait to escape into. Highly recommended!”—Kendare Blake, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Three Dark Crowns series Dark Magic and Voodoo: Arrah is now the last witchdoctor, wielding the power of five tribal chieftains in a richly imagined world inspired by West African folklore. War Between Gods: As ancient orishas return to the mortal plane, Arrah and Rudjek are caught in a celestial conflict that threatens to tear their world apart. Multiple POV Fantasy: Experience the unfolding chaos through the eyes of Arrah, the powerful witchdoctor, and Rudjek, the prince trapped by his anti-magic lineage. High Stakes Quest: While Arrah searches for survivors of the demon attack, Rudjek uncovers a devastating plot by the Demon King that could mean the end of everything.

Alchemist. Poisoner. Reluctant queen. Wren Embervale knows her duty demands a crown, even if it means a strategic betrothal to the influential Lord Darian Devereux. Their arranged marriage promises the formidable army she needs to wrestle her kingdom from the clutches of the tyrannical usurper, Silas. Yet Wren's heart still belongs to Torj Elderbrock, her soul-bonded Warsword. Torn between her pragmatic alliance and the visceral pull of her bond with Torj, Wren must navigate a treacherous landscape of courtly intrigue and looming war. As Silas's shadow alchemy tightens its grip on the midrealms and a creeping poison steals Torj's strength, Wren's carefully constructed facade begins to crack . . . Can Wren play the dutiful fiancée to secure her throne while her body and soul yearns for the warrior who would lay down his life for her? Or will the tangled threads of political necessity leave her kingdom - and her heart - in ashes? From the Sunday Times bestselling author of Iron & Embers, Silver & Smoke is the blistering finale to the Ashes of Thezmarr series. Readers love The Ashes of Thezmarr . . . 'Helen is an auto-buy author for me. If she writes it - I'll read it!' 'So much yearning and angst!' 'If I had all three of these books in my possession, I would binge-read them and then stare at the wall wondering where I go from here'