Fans pick 95 books like The Burning Witch

I find the author’s sense of humour on par with my own as I read through the lust, envy, and fury that were a hallmark of these royals. It opened my eyes to what it meant to be a ruling king or queen and just how little they cared about their subjects.

I found those monarchs selected for inclusion truly appalling, made all the more fascinating as they are true accounts.

My sister has always teased me about my love of men in dark capes (Darth Vader and the Phantom from Phantom of the Opera especially). Combine that—shall we say—preference with my fascination with the tarot, courtly intrigue, and a young woman’s quest to embrace her inner darkness while determining her own destiny and bam! You have Rachel Gillig’s One Dark Window.

One of my favorite things about this novel is that it surprised me, which doesn’t happen easily. From the first embedded fairy tale rhyme, Gillig sweeps her readers away into a mist-cloaked kingdom struggling for its very survival, both desperate for and hidden by the magic of the forest that looms beyond its misty borders.

This book sank its hooks into me and refused to let go. When this happens with a book, it’s often because I empathize deeply with the characters and care about their journey. Other times because the writing on a sentence-by-sentence level is beautiful and compulsive. This achieves both.

Simon Jimenez might be the best prose stylist working in the genre right now, and he uses that skill to great effect in crafting a beautiful, slightly surreal world. He also has a keen eye for character and the power to tug on my heartstrings like no one else. I felt hollowed out when I finished this book–in a good way!

This retelling of King Lear from the point of view of the king’s jester (or “Fool”) named Pocket is a fun read, but prepare yourself. If you’re not into bawdy humor, stay away. Personally, I found the vulgar irreverence funny, and seeing the tragic events of the original happen around this character who isn’t really affected by any of it gave the story a unique perspective.

This book is like Shakespeare told by Monty Python after the iconic troop is given the okay to proceed with a hard R-rating. The humor plays in both the small moments and the larger, thematic ones.  

I loved this book because it focuses so closely on young King Louis XIV before he built Versailles (mid-17th century). I also loved that it takes place at the sumptuous palace of Fontainebleau. Louis is devoted to his wife, Queen Maria Theresa, but he can’t help himself when it comes to his mistresses. Even his brother Philippe’s young wife, Henriette, is a temptation.

While the story is told from multiple points of view, we are most often inside Louis’ head as he struggles to govern his kingdom, meet his sexual needs, and solve the mystery of who is leaving the lurid pamphlets in places the King is most likely to find them. For me, it was romance, temptation, and mystery all in one—the perfect combination.  

I love this book for its inventive way of making a potentially hum-drum area of maths (place value) into a problem-solving adventure. An ever-increasing number of party guests threatens to scupper the organization of the royal catering team until someone has the genius idea of corralling everyone into groups of tens, hundreds, and even thousands as more and more people arrive.

The combination of medieval royalty, a comedy crisis, and expressive illustrations carry the reader along, with the maths being an essential part of the problem-solving and eventually saving the day (naturally!)

Mary Renault’s partly fictional biography of Alexander reminds us that the King had more trouble with his courtiers than with his subjects or enemies.

She tells the story of how they poisoned him. That tendency of ours—to shoot the religious messenger bringing strange news—to think that that the strange news is freakish or threatening—is one to remember.  

I love this book by Nisha J. Tuli because of the strong female main character, Lor. She's fearless, smart, and captivating. Lor's resilience and strength make her journey thrilling. 

I couldn't put it down between the deadly trial, finding out who she is, and the steamy romance. Plus, her character development is incredible, making the story engaging and empowering. It's a must-read!

This is another two-for-one book! It is a historical fiction about the life of Alexander the Great, told by his male lover, Bagoas. But it was written in 1972, only five years after the decriminalization of homosexuality in the UK. Bagoas is a nuanced character; he is frank about the nature of his love for Alexander the Great, and there are even a few sex scenes! As I read it, I couldn’t help reflecting on how groundbreaking this must have seemed in the context of the 1970s. 

Mary Renault is a very interesting figure in her own right. She was undoubtedly queer and lived with her partner for over 50 years. There are relatively few women in her novels, and many of them are unflatteringly depicted. Renault eschewed the label of ‘lesbian,’ was uncomfortable with the early gay pride movement, and is said to have told people that she wished… show more.

I didn’t know Georgette Heyer wrote outside of Regency romances until I read The Conqueror. The period covering William the Conqueror’s life, from his accession as Duke of Normandy to his invasion and conquest of England, captivated me.

Heyer’s portrayal not only of the romances of William and Matilda of Flanders and a Norman vassal and English lady but also of the bond of friendship and loyalty between William and Raoul, the aforementioned vassal, were so plausibly written I almost believed both bond and fictional characters existed. Even better, she depicted 11th-century Normandy, England, and France in such riveting detail without sounding like an encyclopedia, often using her characters to help recreate that era. This book remains one of my favorites, and frequently re-read historical romances.