Fans pick 73 books like The Goblin’s Bride

By Leigh Kelsey, Lysandra Glass,

Here are 73 books that The Goblin’s Bride fans have personally recommended if you like The Goblin’s Bride. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of The Workhouse Waif

Laurie Bowler Author Of The Realm of Witches

From my list on fantasy you will get lost inside of.

Why am I passionate about this?

I especially love reading fantasy stories and stories based on actual historical events. I've been an avid reader since I was a little girl; while my siblings were playing outside or inside with toys I was the one sat curled up in the corner reading. I've also worked hard and gained qualifications in creative writing. I've also had a passion for writing and have written my own fantasy novels; being an author is simply amazing because you can create characters that are unique and special as well as true to life, plus you get to create worlds that are entirely different to our own. 

Laurie's book list on fantasy you will get lost inside of

Laurie Bowler Why did Laurie love this book?

This book of the historical workhouse days makes you think and value everything we have today. The tale is heartwrenching and portrays the struggles people faced all those years ago and the treatment they received if they ended up in the workhouse. At times this storyline made me cry, but no matter what the characters faced or what life threw at them, they still fought back and didn't give up. This is a descriptive storyline showing the clear divide between the rich and the poor and the way the sometimes cruel treatment of the poor. 

The descriptions of the workhouse personally made me value not only my family and those around me but everything that I own because historically, people didn't have anything really; in comparison, we are genuinely spoilt with everything we have today and the way our country has reformed, not to mention the assistance available which wasn't…

By Lynette Rees,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Workhouse Waif as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Destined to a life of poverty, this little girl has bigger plans in life...

After the death of her father in a mining accident, Megan and her family had no choice but to move to the local workhouse. Separated from her mother and five siblings, young Megan must learn how to stand on her own two feet.

But one day she meets a young boy who's stealing apples from the local market and together, they set out on a path to find a better life for themselves...

A heartwarming saga, perfect for fans of Dilly Court, Katie Flynn and Nadine…


Book cover of Dora's Workhouse Child

Laurie Bowler Author Of The Realm of Witches

From my list on fantasy you will get lost inside of.

Why am I passionate about this?

I especially love reading fantasy stories and stories based on actual historical events. I've been an avid reader since I was a little girl; while my siblings were playing outside or inside with toys I was the one sat curled up in the corner reading. I've also worked hard and gained qualifications in creative writing. I've also had a passion for writing and have written my own fantasy novels; being an author is simply amazing because you can create characters that are unique and special as well as true to life, plus you get to create worlds that are entirely different to our own. 

Laurie's book list on fantasy you will get lost inside of

Laurie Bowler Why did Laurie love this book?

This story is based on the Blackwell Union Workhouse, where we discover their hidden secrets regarding the intention to swap two innocent children. While one of them lives with a wealthy family, the other is forced into a life of poverty. Again, this storyline is heartwrenching with the descriptive storyline of historical workhouses and the treatment of those who ended up living there. It makes you stop and validate, appreciate and love everything we have today and all the opportunities available to everyone. There is no divide between those with more assets or money and those with very little. 

By Dolly Price,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Dora's Workhouse Child as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Blackwell Union Workhouse hid a secret for 8 long years. Two daughters born behind the dark walls thrust into the arms of the wrong mothers – one mother the Master’s wife, the other a slave of poverty, Dora.

Phoebe and Claretta, the workhouse babies, switched at birth and thrust into an uncertain future.

As the years unfurl, destiny sends the young ladies in different directions, but their hearts are bound. One runs, the other seeks. One haunted by fears, the other reaching for a faith and a future. Both longing for love.

Their stories are woven into a lifelong saga…


Book cover of Dragon Soul: A Reverse Harem Fantasy Romance

Laurie Bowler Author Of The Realm of Witches

From my list on fantasy you will get lost inside of.

Why am I passionate about this?

I especially love reading fantasy stories and stories based on actual historical events. I've been an avid reader since I was a little girl; while my siblings were playing outside or inside with toys I was the one sat curled up in the corner reading. I've also worked hard and gained qualifications in creative writing. I've also had a passion for writing and have written my own fantasy novels; being an author is simply amazing because you can create characters that are unique and special as well as true to life, plus you get to create worlds that are entirely different to our own. 

Laurie's book list on fantasy you will get lost inside of

Laurie Bowler Why did Laurie love this book?

This is a box set containing the complete Daughter of Shadow series. Four full-length books filled with spellbinding fantasy romance. The Daughter of Shadow series is a slow-burn and slow-build romantic fantasy that will have you on the edge of your seat sometimes. This is absolutely perfect for those who love reading about unique worlds combined with supernatural creatures such as elves and dragons. This series will draw you into a fantastic world of pure fantasy featuring strong, fiercely protective men who will do anything for the story's heroine, who just so happens to be the centre of their world. The story's heroine is a strong, mighty, magical woman who is a well-written and relatable character. 

By LJ Swallow,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Dragon Soul as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A sorceress with dark magic who’s a threat to the kingdom. Three powerful men from the royal courts sworn to protect her. And a pet dragon with a secret.

The dragons are dead, the Ebon Queen has destroyed the elven realms, and the courts are at war. The queen’s dark magic is growing in strength, and the kingdom is losing the battle against her. Three men are sent from the Silvercrest stronghold to seek others who can aid their cause.

Leander, a high-ranking and domineering High Lord. Rohan, a fierce and seductive knight of the realm. Galen, a deceptively gentle…


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Book cover of The Rosewood Penny

The Rosewood Penny By J.S. Fields,

The dragons of Yuro have been hunted to extinction. 

On a small, isolated island, in a reclusive forest, lives bandit leader Marani and her brother Jacks. With their outlaw band, they rob the rich to feed themselves, raiding carriages and dodging the occasional vindictive pegasus. Thanks to Marani’s mysterious invulnerability,…

Book cover of Chosen

Laurie Bowler Author Of The Realm of Witches

From my list on fantasy you will get lost inside of.

Why am I passionate about this?

I especially love reading fantasy stories and stories based on actual historical events. I've been an avid reader since I was a little girl; while my siblings were playing outside or inside with toys I was the one sat curled up in the corner reading. I've also worked hard and gained qualifications in creative writing. I've also had a passion for writing and have written my own fantasy novels; being an author is simply amazing because you can create characters that are unique and special as well as true to life, plus you get to create worlds that are entirely different to our own. 

Laurie's book list on fantasy you will get lost inside of

Laurie Bowler Why did Laurie love this book?

Chosen is an incredible action-packed book that had me on the edge of my seat throughout. From the strong heroine, fantastic hero, and a whole group of crusaders banding together as they fight the very thought out and realistic villain. The depth of the characters is intriguing along with the way the author has set the scene throughout the story. The fight scenes are graphic which adds the extra ‘wow’ factor to the entire story. I personally loved this as a book that you can truly sit back, relax, and be pulled out of this world into the world the author has created. 

By K.F. Breene,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Chosen as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This series is what K.F. Breene does best - strong heroine, incredible hero, and a community of underdogs that never say die! Binge this completed series!

"What an incredible action packed adventure!" ★★★★★

"If you like a strong female, great plot, awesome characters, sexy alpha male who is gonna be more complex than you first thought...and a great villain. Then READ THIS SERIES. ★★★★★

It is said that when war threatens the world, one individual will be selected by prophecy to lead the Shadow Warriors out of the Land of Mist and reclaim the freedom which has been stolen.
~~…


Book cover of Spellmonger

HDA Roberts Author Of The Magician's Brother

From my list on light reading from heavy genres.

Why am I passionate about this?

A few years ago, I read the Sword of Truth Series. I thought that it was well-written, but the tone was so horrifically, irredeemably dark, and miserable, with such truly horrible things happening to just about everybody in them that it actually put me off reading for a while. It was books like these that brought me back, that showed me that modern literature could show the best of mankind. They reminded me that even though bad things happened, human beings were inherently good, and that they tried to do their best, that the world was a bright place, not a dark one.

HDA's book list on light reading from heavy genres

HDA Roberts Why did HDA love this book?

The world-building in this series is simply spectacular. You can tell by reading just how much effort Mr. Mancour put into understanding how a medieval world works and how magic might have fit into it. Castles, cavalry, swordsmen, wizards, goblins, building a town, sieges, all of this and more is here. There is nothing else quite like it. It’s Game of Thrones for people tired of all the misery and your favorite characters snuffing it every fifteen pages.

By Terry Mancour,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Spellmonger as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Minalan gave up a promising career as a professional warmage to live the quiet life of a village spellmonger in the remote mountain valley of Boval. It was a peaceful, beautiful little fief, far from the dangerous feudal petty squabbles of the Five Duchies, on the world of Callidore. There were cows. Lots of cows. And cheese.

For six months things went well: he found a quaint little shop, befriended the local lord, the village folk loved him, he found a sharp young apprentice to help out, and best yet, he met a comely young widow with the prettiest eyes…


Book cover of Dance of the Goblins

Austin Crawley Author Of A Halloween Tale

From my list on great horror and dark fantasy off the beaten track.

Why am I passionate about this?

I've been reading Horror and Dark Fantasy books since I was twelve and prefer this genre over any other. The depths of the human psyche explored in these genres expose the core of storytelling itself and the themes that make the best stories really come alive!

Austin's book list on great horror and dark fantasy off the beaten track

Austin Crawley Why did Austin love this book?

For Fantasy readers who wonder why goblins are always at war with humans.

The three books together are epic in scale and the friendship between the leader of the humans and one of the old wise ones among the goblins will be awesome for Dark Fantasy readers who recognize that goblin culture is very different from humans.

Some recognizable mythology is worked into the story and makes perfect sense, especially the purpose of changelings. Also there are dragons, especially in the second book. A strange symbiotic relationship between dragons and goblins is very original and the diversity of different types of goblins makes this Fantasy world one of a kind!

By Jaq D Hawkins,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Dance of the Goblins as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The cult Fantasy book that started it all!Discover a dark world where legends begin and natural magic reignsThey say that the earth shifts on its axis every 200,000 years...When the planet shifted, most of the surface dwellers were destroyed. The few pockets of survivors were left without technology and little supplies, but they built a simple feudal society on the rubble of the city.Meanwhile the creatures in the deep places moved closer to the surface, taking over the old underground transport tunnels abandoned by the humans. Their own Shamanic way of life had survived only by staying out of sight…


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Book cover of The Woodland Stranger: A Fairy Tale with Benefits

The Woodland Stranger By Jane Buehler,

Burne’s been hiding out in the forest since deserting the King’s Guard. Each time he tries to return to the village, he begins to panic. And then one day, he encounters a handsome stranger picking flowers and hides behind a tree instead of talking.

He wants to be braver—and he’s…

Book cover of The Rainbow Goblins

Lauren Redniss Author Of Heatwave

From my list on children’s books raising engaged citizens.

Why am I passionate about this?

For many years, I’ve been creating visual nonfiction books for adults. These books are about climate change, indigenous sovereignty, and nuclear physics—not typical kids’ book fare. But because my books include artwork, everyone always asked me when I would write and illustrate a book for children. Once I had my own children, I was suddenly full of ideas. Children’s books are often underestimated. The best books of the genre are accessible enough to interest a young person, sophisticated enough to engage the adults reading them aloud, and multidimensional enough to reward countless re-readings. I believe books that meet this standard fit alongside civilization’s great works of literature.

Lauren's book list on children’s books raising engaged citizens

Lauren Redniss Why did Lauren love this book?

This book has had a profound impact on me, as a child reader, as an artist, and as a parent. (It was initially published in 1978 and was reissued more recently.) The images are stunning. Each spread is a sweeping perspective of a surreal, Edenic valley. When I first read the book as a kid in the 1980s, I was transfixed. It’s a thriller! In a tension-filled operation, seven goblins are trying to steal the colors of the rainbow.

When I read the book now, I see the story as a parable about resource exploitation and environmental stewardship. The Rainbow Goblins (I won’t spoil the ending, but it is spectacular) has nestled its way into my brain and has become a touchstone for me in thinking about the most effective ways to tell a story.

By Ul de Rico,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Rainbow Goblins as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 4, 5, 6, and 7.

What is this book about?

After seven goblins try to steal it, the Rainbow is careful never again to touch the earth.

Since its original publication in 1978, the fantastic colors, amazing detail, and sweeping scope of The Rainbow Goblins have irresistibly invited tens of thousands of children to plunge their imaginations into its vivid world. This charming allegorical tale is once again available in a new edition. 18 full-color illustrations

Book cover of Life Reset

Eric Walsh Author Of The Mad Immortal

From my list on clever protagonists who bend their world’s rules.

Why am I passionate about this?

My GameLit stories like The Mad Immortal are inspired by the fun I've had playing RPGs such as World of Warcraft and Dungeons & Dragons. It’s that same sense of adventure that I seek out in other stories and that I feel these five books I selected demonstrate. In their own way, each of them inspired my own series as I worked to develop the rules for its magic system and to come up with compelling ways the characters could interact within those established restrictions. I love reading about clever applications of magic to solve problems, especially when it’s not immediately obvious how a given spell would help!

Eric's book list on clever protagonists who bend their world’s rules

Eric Walsh Why did Eric love this book?

Life Reset follows a once-dominant player of the game NEO named Oren who is betrayed by his guildmates and ends up trapped as a goblin NPC within the game. This setup allows the story to focus on unique, goblin-specific abilities.

However, what I found most interesting about this book was its emphasis on an almost real-time strategy system of constructing and upgrading various buildings to manage his goblin tribe. While that wasn’t something I drew upon too heavily for my own story, I did love Oren’s frequent creative problem-solving, as well as the ways he tried to bend or even break the game’s systems to his advantage.

I personally feel that stories like this work best when the protagonist has limited options but the freedom to apply those options in a variety of surprising ways.

By Shemer Kuznits,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Life Reset as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

★ The best selling 6-books series is now complete! ★

In video games, players hunt monsters. But what happens when a veteran player finds himself on the monster's side?

Oren, a high-level guild master, wakes in the body of a lowly goblin. Cast out, betrayed by his most trusted advisors, Oren is stuck in New Era Online. However, there are advantages to being on the monsters’ side. Starting from scratch, he’ll have to build up a powerful monster clan to take revenge.But first, he'll have to survive long enough not be someone else's fodder.Life Reset is the first book in…


Book cover of The Weirdstone of Brisingamen

Geoff Turner Author Of Archie's Mirror

From my list on magic, heroes, and rock ‘n’ roll.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a writer of children’s books, I’ve always been fascinated – not merely by the narrative, characters, and plot that form a story – but how ideas themselves spring to life and cross-pollinate to form some kind of creative endeavor, whether that’s a song, a poem, a book or anything else that provokes an emotional response. Rather than shying away from the question: "Where do you get your ideas?" I like to embrace it and search for answers myself. These books all set contexts through which the nature of imagination and ideas are explored alongside the tales they tell, and they remain an influence on the ideas I have, and the words I write.

Geoff's book list on magic, heroes, and rock ‘n’ roll

Geoff Turner Why did Geoff love this book?

A formative book from my childhood, The Weirdstone of Brisingamen kick-started my love of all things magic, heroic, and fantastical. Not only that, but the setting was close to where I grew up – these were locations I knew but viewed through a mythic lens. Loosely based on the legend of the Wizard of Alderley Edge, Alan Garner creates a fantasy world that feels so real as two children are pulled into an adventure where the very future of the world of men is on the line. It remains so influential on my own writing that I still return to the old dwarf caves of Fundinvale as an adult and enjoy the tale every bit as much as I did when I was a ten-year-old reading by torchlight under the duvet.

By Alan Garner,

Why should I read it?

5 authors picked The Weirdstone of Brisingamen as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

The Weirdstone of Brisingamen is one of the greatest fantasy novels of all time.

"Alan Garner's fiction is something special." - Neil Gaiman

When Colin and Susan are pursued by eerie creatures across Alderley Edge, they are saved by the Wizard. He takes them into the caves of Fundindelve, where he watches over the enchanted sleep of one hundred and forty knights.

But the heart of the magic that binds them - Firefrost, also known as the Weirdstone of Brisingamen - has been lost. The Wizard has been searching for the stone for more than 100 years, but the forces…


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Book cover of Stormwalker Series Connections In Time Bain's Story Book 1

Stormwalker Series Connections In Time Bain's Story Book 1 By S.G. Boudreaux,

Finding Family, Discovery, Destiny. This is what nineteen-year-old Bain Brinley is searching for.

In his homeland, far in the mountains, he stepped into what he could only describe as a time-portal and landed in a strange land known as Egypt. Then he falls through another portal during a storm, only…

Book cover of The Princess and the Goblin

Margaret Dulaney Author Of Whippoorwill Willingly

From my list on healing power of nature.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have been writing for the past 21 years on mystical themes with a good dose of Mother Earth Love tossed in. Fifteen years ago, I launched the spoken word website, offering one ten-minute recorded essay monthly on mystical/philosophical themes. Having published three nonfiction books, I decided to take my love of nature and interest in mysticism and write a novel for young philosophers and Earth-loving elders. My book follows the mystical journey of a rather practical eleven-year-old to an enchanted lake in the high Alps. It contains gentle animals, wise trees, kindred spirits, and healing waters.

Margaret's book list on healing power of nature

Margaret Dulaney Why did Margaret love this book?

George MacDonald’s mystical adoration of nature shines through all his writings. His books take place in Nineteenth-Century Scotland and England, in an obviously much quieter age. His insights into the living chorus of the natural world transcend any I have ever read.

His characters walk everywhere and absorb the natural world as if through a loving relationship with another soul. I consider George MacDonald my teacher, as did C.S. Lewis. This was written for children, or the childlike in all of us. I read it every year and have dedicated my book, Whippoorwill Willingly to MacDonald.

By George MacDonald,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Princess and the Goblin as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, and 10.

What is this book about?

Princess Irene lives in a castle in a wild and lonely mountainous region. One day she discovers a steep and winding stairway leading to a bewildering labyrinth of unused passages with closed doors - and a further stairway. What lies at the top? Can the ring the princess is given protect her against the lurking menace of the goblins from under the mountain?


Book cover of The Workhouse Waif
Book cover of Dora's Workhouse Child
Book cover of Dragon Soul: A Reverse Harem Fantasy Romance

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5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in goblins, Persephone, and Hades?

Goblins 29 books
Persephone 20 books
Hades 18 books