Books like 'The Assassin and the Desert'
Readers who enjoyed The Assassin and the Desert by Sarah J. Maas also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary paranormal fantasy young adult urban fantasy dystopian fae strong heroine magic
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The Assassin and the Underworld by Sarah J. Maas
Rated: 4.48 of 5 stars · 55 ratingsWhen the King of the Assassins gives Celaena Sardothien a special assignment that will help fight slavery in the kingdom, she jumps at the chance to strike a blow against an evil practice. The misson is a dark and deadly affair which takes Celaena from the rooftops of the city to the bottom of the sewer--and she doesn't like what she finds there... -
Vardaesia by Lynette Noni
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsEmbrace the wonder “When Day and Night combine and fight against one Enemy,then Dark and Light shall meet mid-strike and set the Captives free.” In the wake of loss and devastation, Alex must cast aside her grief to seek aid from those who banished the Meyarins long ago... -
Hazards in the Hidden City by Auburn Tempest, Michael Anderle
Rated: 4.73 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsYe screw with this lass, ye get put on yer ass.A wedding on an enchanted island of magic. A guest list of gods, immortals, shifters, dragons, and druids. And a sentient city waking after centuries…What could go wrong?When Fiona’s magnet for mayhem weighs in on her special day, there’s no escaping the fallout…or the island... -
Supernatural Academy: Year Three by Jaymin Eve
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 22 ratingsYear Three at the Academy. The year of Aqua. Maddison has been fighting the gods from the first moment she found out they existed. Those arrogant and power hungry deities have a plan ... a plan that includes destroying everything she holds dear, and she fears that one day soon, they're going to succeed... -
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Raelia by Lynette Noni
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 21 ratings“Life is full of crossroads, Alex. Full of choices.”Returning for a second year at Akarnae Academy with her gifted friends, Alexandra Jennings steps back through a doorway into Medora, the fantasy world that is full of impossibilities. Despite the magical wonder of Medora, Alex’s life remains threatened by Aven Dalmarta, the banished prince from the Lost City of Meya who is out for her blood... -
Wolf of Stone by Quinn Loftis
Rated: 4.47 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsDalton Black, a Canis lupis full of guilt and anger, never expected to find his true mate. Perhaps already slipping into madness, he had resigned himself to the fact that he would walk the earth without the other half of his soul. He was convinced that his sins were enough to keep the Great Luna from giving him such a blessing. He knew it was probably better that way... -
Veiled Threat by Helen Harper
Rated: 4.37 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsIntegrity Taylor has regained possession of her ancestral lands - and inherited a whole host of new problems. The spectre of what really happened to her parents is casting a shadow over everything while Fomori demons are being sighted up and down the Highlands... -
A Faerie's Revenge by Rachel Morgan, Arielle DeLisle
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsStill reeling from a shocking revelation, guardian trainee Calla Larkenwood finds the threads of her world unraveling further when she’s accused of a horrifying crime she didn’t commit: A deadly magical disease has entered the Guild, threatening to wipe out every guardian—and someone is intent on framing Calla for it... -
Rootbound by Shannon Mayer
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsMy name is Larkspur, and I am an Elemental.My people use the power of the earth to sustain life and defy our enemies. I am the half-breed bastard child of a king. I was not meant to survive the trials cast my way. Yet, here I stand. The world has deteriorated in the years I was banished. The Elemental families are rife with deception, violence, and madness more than ever before... -
Secrets of the Sword II by Lindsay Buroker
For ten years, I’ve been using a magical sword that I won in battle to ruthlessly slay enemies, break evil artifacts, and open stubborn pickle jars, but I don’t know much about it.That’s about to change.Thanks to the fact that I’m dating a powerful dragon, I can get a ride to the dwarven home world, and we’re going to research the sword's roots... -
Moment of Truth by Hailey Edwards
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsWitches are marching down the streets, shifters are prowling the night, and portals to Faerie are popping up all over downtown.Hadley has one chance to save Atlanta, but it means trusting her dark side to get it done.The city will survive. She'll see to that... -
Rebel Faerie by Rachel Morgan
Rated: 4.51 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsThe fae world's biggest secret has been revealed ...Having escaped an Unseelie prince and a world of shadows, Emerson and Calla are now hunted by the Guild of Guardians. On the run, constantly trying to remain one step ahead, they must figure out how to find and rescue everyone the Guild has taken from them... -
Into the Fae by Quinn Loftis
Rated: 4.37 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsWith peace finally descending on the Romanian Grey Wolves, longtime fae ambassador to the wolves, Perizada, has been given a new mission by the Great Luna. But Peri’s desire for revenge against her sister, Lorelle, burns in her heart... -
Forever by Chanda Hahn
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsWith the Godmother Guild destroyed by Teague's army, Mina finds herself without the guidance of her Fae godmother. Alone and confused, she must lean on her friends for support. The dark prince threatens their very existence with a show of power on the human plane that has everyone running for their lives... -
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Glass Faerie by Rachel Morgan
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsEmerson Clarke: Sarcastic. Independent. Possibly losing her mind.Because that’s the only explanation for why she occasionally sees things that aren’t there, right? But one night, an impossible power erupts from her, and Em realizes the truth is crazier than she ever thought: she isn’t losing her mind; she’s magical... -
The Ancient Magus' Bride, Vol. 1 by Kore Yamazaki, ヤマザキコレ
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsEnter the Magician's ApprenticeHer name is Chise Hatori, a penniless orphan troubled by visions. Sold as a slave to an inhuman mage, she is about to begin a strange new life, filled with magic, fairies, and other beings of a fantastical nature... -
Burn by Paula Weston
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsSuddenly, Gaby remembers everything. For a year she believe she was a backpacker chilling out in Pandanus Beach. Working at the library. Getting over the accident that killed her twin brother. Then Rafa came to find her and Gaby discovered her true identity as Gabe: one of the Rephaim. Over a hundred years old...Categorized as:
strong heroine dystopian magic fantasy young adult paranormal urban fantasy new adult -
Reign by Chanda Hahn
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 22 ratingsGoing to the Fae plane against Jared’s orders has cost Mina dearly. Her decision continues to haunt her as a new danger surfaces. The Grimms are fading. To save her family’s future, Mina Grime will have to travel to the past with the help of her Fae Godmother and a magic pair of shoes. She must go to where the Story first began, to the beginning of the dark prince’s reign... -
Pack of Lies by Hailey Edwards
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsHadley is losing time, and her shadow refuses to shed light on the gaps in her memory. How can she protect her city if she can't remember where she goes or what she does when she ought to be asleep? Her grim history appears to be stuck on repeat, and the only way forward might be a scythe through her back... -
Infinite Magic by Linsey Hall
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThings aren’t looking great for Cass Clereaux. For one, her greatest fear has come true. She’s stuck in the Prison for Magical Miscreants while her nemesis, Victor Orriodor, is out in the world, putting the last pieces of his plan into place. He’s wreaking havoc, all while she’s stuck in a stone box, awaiting likely execution... -
Shadow Faerie by Rachel Morgan
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsEnter the dazzling and deadly world of Unseelie royalty in the penultimate Creepy Hollow book!Emerson Clarke thought magic might solve all her problems. Turns out, magic only made her life more complicated. Her sick mother is in a worse position than before, and Em just made a risky deal with an Unseelie prince: he will heal her mother if Em agrees to the ultimate alliance—marriage... -
Rapture by Quinn Loftis
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsTriktapic, the deadly dark elf assassin, has been restored by the Forest Lords to his rightful place as king of the Elven realm. Now, he must face his former comrades as he attempts to stop Lorsan, king of the dark elves, from enslaving the human race. Lorsan has already begun distributing Rapture, the irresistible drink that destroys those who unknowingly become addicted to it... -
The Ancient Magus' Bride, Vol. 8 by Kore Yamazaki, マッグガーデン
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsChise may have stopped the dragon's rampage, but at a great cost: she has been cursed, and a dragon's curse is unbreakable! Chise and Elias are visited by Marielle the witch, whose fellow witches claim to know the secret to helping Chise. There's one catch -- in exchange for their aid, Chise must join the witches' coven... -
With All My Soul by Rachel Vincent
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsWhat does it mean when your school is voted the most dangerous in America? It's time to kick some hellion butt... After not really surviving her junior year (does "undead" count as survival?), Kaylee Cavanaugh has vowed to take back her school from the hellions causing all the trouble... -
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Blooms of Consequence by Breeana Puttroff
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIt’s time to make her choices. Quinn Robbins is stuck in Eirentheos, unable to use the gate to go home, and she’s facing the biggest decisions of her life... -
The Ancient Magus' Bride, Vol. 9 by Kore Yamazaki
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsElias hoped to break the deadly draconic curse that weighs upon Chise -- but his methods have created a rift between them. Now Chise prepares to make a gamble of her own: What could she possibly hope to gain from a bargain with Cartaphilus? It is a time of curses cast and forks in the road. Will the paths of master and apprentice soon diverge.. -
Shimmer by Paula Weston
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsGaby thought her life couldn’t get more complicated.She’s almost used to the idea that she’s not the nineteen-year-old backpacker she thought she was. She can just about cope with being one of the Rephaim - a 140-year-old half-angel - whose memories have been stolen. She’s even coming to grips with the fact that Jude, the brother she’s mourned for a year, didn’t die at all...Categorized as:
strong heroine magic dystopian fantasy paranormal young adult urban fantasy new adult -
Wings of the Wicked by Courtney Allison Moulton
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsLife as the Preliator is harder than Ellie ever imagined. Balancing real life with the responsibility of being Heaven’s warrior is a challenge for Ellie. Her relationship with Will has become all business, though they both long for each other. And now that the secret of who she really is has come out, so have Hell’s strongest reapers...Categorized as:
strong heroine magic contemporary fantasy young adult love triangle demons urban fantasy -
Royally Hitched: The Fae Twins by G.K. DeRosa
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe prince is in prison for a murder he didn’t commit—or did he? With all the intrigue at Spring Court, I don’t know who to trust anymore. Even my own sister is keeping secrets from me. The closer we get to Drake, the more dangerous it is for both of us. Not only because of the swirling rumors of murder but also for our traitorous hearts. We were never supposed to fall for the prince... -
Shadows in the Silence by Courtney Allison Moulton
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsYour strength in heart and hand will fall. . . . Ellie knows that the darkest moments are still to come, and she has everything to fight for: She must fight for Will...Categorized as:
strong heroine magic contemporary fantasy young adult love triangle urban fantasy demons -
The Unbound by Victoria Schwab
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsImagine a place where the dead rest on shelves like books. Each body has a story to tell, a life seen in pictures that only Librarians can read. The dead are called Histories, and the vast realm in which they rest is the Archive. Last summer, Mackenzie Bishop, a Keeper tasked with stopping violent Histories from escaping the Archive, almost lost her life to one...Categorized as:
magic strong heroine dystopian contemporary fantasy young adult love triangle suspense -
The Eidolon by K.D. Edwards
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIn the epic conclusion to K.D. Edwards' first blockbuster trilogy in The Tarot Sequence series, readers followed Rune on a race against time as an age-old threat rose to threaten the city of New Atlantis. Now, for the first time, The Eidolon tells what really happened to Max, Quinn, and Anna as prisoners in the Hourglass Throne's base of operation... -
Rogue Wave by Jennifer Donnelly
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsSerafina, Neela, Ling, Ava, Becca, and Astrid, six mermaids from realms scattered throughout the seas and freshwaters, were summoned by the leader of the river witches to learn an incredible truth: the mermaids are direct descendants of the Six Who Ruled—powerful mages who once governed the lost empire of Atlantis... -
The Whispering by L. Filloon
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsTharin and Lily find themselves back in Pathen in search of Julia and the key to Eirrell, but old foes and new ones are in close pursuit. Adding to their plight, all doorways to Velesi have been closed. Forced to discover a way back to their realm, the group finds help from new friends and those who once stood against them are now allies... -
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Elementals: The Complete Series by Michelle Madow
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsThis box set includes all five books in the USA Today recommended Elementals series and is over 1,400 pages of magic, adventure, mythology, and romance. Nicole Cassidy is a witch descended from the Greek gods... but she doesn't know it until she moves to a new town and discovers a dangerous world of magic and monsters that she never knew existed... -
Weapon by Lynette Noni
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsI already knew he was a psychopath. But now?He's more dangerous than ever.And I have less than twenty-four hours to stop him.After escaping Lengard and finding sanctuary with the Remnants, Alyssa Scott is desperate to save those she left behind — and the rest of the world — from the power-hungry scientist, Kendall Vanik... -
Foretold by Jana Oliver
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 22 ratingsIn the fourth Demon Trappers novel, Riley faces the final battle for humanity and Beck's heart—and Hell is the least of her problems Now that Riley’s managed to (just barely) fend off Armageddon, everything’s changed. Well . . . most things. After their passionate kiss before the big battle in the cemetery, Beck is back to treating her like a little girl, as if nothing ever happened...Categorized as:
magic strong heroine dystopian contemporary fantasy young adult witches urban fantasy -
The Secret Trinity: Reign by Jenna Bernel
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFor Aria Darwin, playing with fire has become a way of life, not because her powers have finally been unearthed, but because she’s drawn to the dormant light sparking behind Clay’s eyes. With every move towards that light, she risks her title as Queen. Even though she’s terrified of getting burned by the backdraft, Aria can’t seem to ignore the tempered blaze buried in her heart... -
The Meeting by Richelle Mead
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsA scene from the first book of the Vampire Academy series, as told from Dimitri's point of view...Categorized as:
strong heroine magic contemporary urban fantasy fantasy paranormal young adult vampires -
Peanut Goes to School by Thea Harrison
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsDragos Cuelebre is no longer the only dragon. Dragos’s son Liam Cuelebre (a.k.a. Peanut) is springing into existence, reminiscent of the first of the Elder Races who were born at the beginning of the world. At just six months of age, he has already grown to the size of a large five-year-old boy. He can read, write in complete sentences, and his math skills are off the chart... -
Forgiven by Jana Oliver
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsRiley has made a bargain with Heaven, and now they've come to collect. Lucifer's finest are ruling the streets and it seems that Armageddon might be even closer than Riley imagined. But with her soul and her heart in play it's all she can do to keep herself alive, let alone save the world...Categorized as:
magic strong heroine dystopian contemporary fantasy young adult love triangle demons -
An Iron Fey Valentine by Julie Kagawa
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsAN IRON FEY VALENTINE is a story of pure, unfiltered fluff that Julie Kagawa wrote just for fun, but also a thank you to her readers and fans for all their support and encouragement over the years... -
The Ancient Magus' Bride, Vol. 10 by Kore Yamazaki
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsHIGHER LEARNING Now that Cartaphilus has chosen to enter a long slumber, peace has finally returned to the little cottage west of London. But it's not long before a message arrives for Chise: an invitation to join the college, a society of alchemists. Deep beneath the British Library, the curtain rises on a new story set on a new stage. There, human children learn, think, and grow.. -
Iron's Prophecy by Julie Kagawa
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsMeghan Chase is finally getting used to being the Iron Queen, ruler of the Iron Fey. Her life may be strange, but with former Winter prince Ash by her side at last, she wouldn’t have it any other way... -
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The Iron Legends by Julie Kagawa
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsSummer, Winter, Iron.Together at last. Dangerous faeries. Heartbreaking romance. Thrilling action and limitless adventure. The world of the fey has never been so powerful. This collection includes three novellas set in the world of The Iron Fey plus the expanded Guide to the Nevernever and exclusive information about Julie Kagawa's unforgettable world of Faery... -
The Changelings by Elle Casey
WAR OF THE FAE is a 4-book, YA Contemporary Fantasy series, written for older teens and adults. Jayne Sparks, a potty-mouthed, rebellious seventeen-year-old and her best friend, shy and bookish Tony Green, have a pretty typical high school existence, until several seemingly unrelated incidents converge, causing a cascade of events that change their lives forever... -
Eternal Magic by Linsey Hall
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsCass Clereaux has a few problems. Sure, she just saved her whole town and is now immortal, but immortality sucks. The same spell that made her immortal also takes away her magic. It’s kaput. Finito. Gone. Being a FireSoul and finding magical treasure is who she is. Now, she couldn’t find her left leg with a map. Not even if a dragon pointed the way... -
Elemental Power by Rachel Morgan
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFamily secrets, powerful magic, a slow-burn romance ...Ridley Kayne has discovered she’s not alone.There are others with magic just like hers. Those who are also hunted by the Shadow Society.Elementals.With Archer’s help, Ridley sets out to find the other elementals living in Lumina City... -
Honour Bound by Helen Harper
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsIntegrity Taylor should have been a Clan princess. Instead she's lived a life on the very periphery of society. Now that she's learnt more about her heritage, however, and the magic that she's capable of wielding, she's not going to hide in the shadows any longer... -
Hellhound Twisted by Karen Swart
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsKasadya: Hellhound Twisted (Book #2 of the Kasadya Series) She fought against all odds and became the warrior she was meant to be … or so she thought. In a world where the rules have changed, can she embrace her destiny and become the hellhound she was meant to be? Kasadya is back in Exsilium and finds her world a little different...
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