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Quick answer: If you loved Nettle & Bone, read T. Kingfisher's A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking, Swordheart and Thornhedge, then try Uprooted, Spinning Silver and The Bear and the Nightingale. All pair dark fairy-tale settings with humor, courage and unlikely friends.
T. Kingfisher's novel follows Marra, a quiet princess who sets out to kill a prince with the help of a dust-wife, a fairy godmother and a demon-possessed chicken. It blends dark fairy-tale elements with dry wit. The books below share that tone, with sharp heroines and offbeat companions. Most are fantasy for adults or older teens, and all are real, in-print books.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking | T. Kingfisher | Teen and adult | more Kingfisher |
| Swordheart | T. Kingfisher | Adult | fantasy romance |
| Thornhedge | T. Kingfisher | Adult | fairy-tale twist |
| What Moves the Dead | T. Kingfisher | Adult | gothic horror |
| Uprooted | Naomi Novik | Adult | forest magic |
| Spinning Silver | Naomi Novik | Adult | clever heroines |
| The Bear and the Nightingale | Katherine Arden | Adult | folklore fans |
| Sorcery of Thorns | Margaret Rogerson | Teen | books and magic |
| Howl's Moving Castle | Diana Wynne Jones | Teen | cozy fantasy |
| Stardust | Neil Gaiman | Teen and adult | fairy-tale adventures |
| The Princess Bride | William Goldman | Teen and adult | comic quests |
| Piranesi | Susanna Clarke | Adult | quiet mystery |
| The Goblin Emperor | Katherine Addison | Adult | kindness in power |
| Circe | Madeline Miller | Adult | mythic retellings |
| Deathless | Catherynne M. Valente | Adult | dark folklore |
1. A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher
A fourteen-year-old baker with a small magic gift is caught in a murder case in a city under threat. Funny and warm, with sharp action.
Best for: more Kingfisher.
2. Swordheart by T. Kingfisher
A widow inherits a sword with a man bound inside. A charming romance with humor and heart.
Best for: fantasy romance.
3. Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher
A retelling of Sleeping Beauty told from the viewpoint of an overlooked protector. Short, strange and moving.
Best for: fairy-tale twist.
4. What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher
A retelling of The Fall of the House of Usher with fungal horror. Creepy and quick.
Best for: gothic horror.
5. Uprooted by Naomi Novik
A girl is taken by a wizard to live in a tower and fight a haunted wood. Rich, romantic and inspired by Polish folklore.
Best for: forest magic.
6. Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
A moneylender's daughter tricks a winter king and finds her own power. A smart take on Rumpelstiltskin.
Best for: clever heroines.
7. The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
A girl in medieval Russia sees household spirits and defends her village. Atmospheric and wintery.
Best for: folklore fans.
8. Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson
An apprentice in a library of living grimoires fights a sorcerer's plot. Bookish and adventurous.
Best for: books and magic.
9. Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
A young woman is cursed by a witch and finds refuge in a wizard's moving castle. Witty and warm.
Best for: cozy fantasy.
10. Stardust by Neil Gaiman
A young man crosses a wall into a faerie world to retrieve a fallen star. Charming, funny and romantic.
Best for: fairy-tale adventures.
11. The Princess Bride by William Goldman
Swashbuckling adventure, true love and clever banter in a made-up abridgement. A classic of comic fantasy.
Best for: comic quests.
12. Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
A man lives in a house of endless halls and statues. Short, strange and beautiful.
Best for: quiet mystery.
13. The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison
A half-goblin outcast becomes emperor and must survive court politics. Gentle and humane.
Best for: kindness in power.
14. Circe by Madeline Miller
The witch from the Odyssey tells her own story. Lyrical and fierce.
Best for: mythic retellings.
15. Deathless by Catherynne M. Valente
A Russian folktale about a young woman and the immortal Koschei, set in the Soviet era. Lush, strange and poetic.
Best for: dark folklore.
How to Choose
For more Kingfisher, begin with A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking or Swordheart. For retellings, Thornhedge and Spinning Silver. For atmospheric folklore, The Bear and the Nightingale. For comfort, Howl's Moving Castle and Stardust. Kingfisher writes quickly and clearly, so her books are easy to binge. These stories reward readers who like humor in their fantasy. Kingfisher's heroines tend to be practical and kind, with plenty of snacks and sarcasm. If you want audiobooks, many are read by narrators with a dry, warm touch that suits the tone.
Related: 15 Books Like Shadow and Bone You’ll Love: Dark Magic, Chosen Heroines and Royal Courts · 15 Books Like Children of Blood and Bone You’ll Love: African-Inspired Fantasy and Magic
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Nettle & Bone about?
Princess Marra sets out to rescue her sister from an abusive prince, helped by a dust-wife and a few unusual companions.
Is Nettle & Bone a standalone?
Yes. It is complete in one book.
Who is T. Kingfisher?
It is the pen name of Ursula Vernon, an American author and illustrator.
Is it dark?
It has dark themes and some violence, but the humor and warm characters balance it.
Did it win an award?
Yes. It won the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 2023.
Does Kingfisher write for kids as well?
Yes. A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking and Clockwork Boys, for example, have different audiences, and she also writes children's books as Ursula Vernon.
Is there romance in Nettle & Bone?
It has a gentle romance, but the main focus is friendship and survival.
Is this list in order of quality?
No. The books are listed by similarity and variety, so start with the one that sounds best to you, and use the Best for lines to pick quickly.