Are There Books Similar To 'This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me'?

The ending sets up a potential sequel nicely while not leaving a bunch of cliffhangers. The new system is still a little rickety, the rest of the empires are leery, and the old nobility is still grumbling. And yes, Leo is alive and still involved but not in the way that one would expect of a king. The author has set up a great starting point for a number of stories on building a democracy in a fantasy setting, and I feel that the author gave Leo the closure to his personal war that he so rightly deserved. This ending is very satisfying while at the same time leaving a lot of room for further stories to be played out within this very rich and alive world. Whether or not the author returns to this world in future stories, it is a great ending either way.

I’ve seen tons of people online wax poetic about how much they love fanfiction for really popular fantasy novels, and honestly I can see why. For one, the A Song of Ice and Fire (Game of Thrones) fandom is HUGEnormous, and so there are thousands of stories about Daenerys and Jon Snow, as well as all sorts of original character/dragon rider pairings. But most particularly, within that huge and dedicated fanbase, there are also tons of really passionately-written novel-length fics that follow the many, many characters in the series through all sorts of scenarios, not least of which is the huge pool of political marriage tropes. I went to Archive of Our Own and searched for the tag “Arranged Marriage” within the A Song of Ice and Fire category, and oh. My. God. There are some seriously, seriously well-written novels there. These writers are operating completely within the parameters of the existing story, and thus are able to be totally immersed in the world and its politics, to craft scenarios that feel completely natural to the characters and the universe in which they reside. And the best part? It’s free. You can read them for yourself, and can see for yourself the incredible amounts of passion and love that the writers have put into these stories.

The next book I wanted to read after Falling Upward was another book on transformation. Even though The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho is mostly fiction and an allegory, it is another very good book on transformation. Learning to Walk in the Dark by Barbara Brown Taylor is another book that portrays darkness as a place of transformation, and ways that we can grow there. Like Rohr, she shows how we can transform our messy lives into something beautiful.

This is a digital library of 4 hard cover books. They are all available on my Kindle. Unfortunately, it was a real challenge to get these published as e-books several years ago. However, they are now once again available as e-books. Each of these lengthy novels is substantially longer than a light novel published in pamphlet form. And, although there are only 4 entries in this library, there is plenty of reading material here to fully immerse yourself in this extraordinary world.

There’s a lot of ‘Tigana’ by Guy Gavriel Kay in this query. That’s historical fantasy, and it’s a story of great loss, memory, and identity. A group of rebels are fighting to restore the name of their homeland to a place that was once known by that name. It’s a beautifully written book with very real and flawed characters. It’s not really an adventure story and it’s a pretty sad book in the end, but it’s a beautiful sadness. People fight for all sorts of things and it’s an interesting look at that.

If you loved 'Women of the Word' for its blend of faith and practical scripture study, you might dive into 'Disciplines of a Godly Woman' by Barbara Hughes. It’s got that same mix of spiritual depth and actionable advice, but with a focus on cultivating daily habits that align with biblical principles. The tone is warm yet challenging—perfect for anyone craving structure in their devotional life. Another gem is 'Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands' by Paul David Tripp. While not exclusively for women, it unpacks how to apply Scripture to personal struggles and relationships in a way that feels deeply relatable. The book’s emphasis on grace and growth echoes the heart of 'Women of the Word,' though it broadens the conversation to include communal discipleship. I often recommend both to friends who want to go deeper without feeling overwhelmed.

The fanfiction world is full of amazing novel-length stories, including many that are coffee shop AUs or artist AUs of existing characters. I talked about building a small business and slow-burn romance in those. You can find a lot of these stories on sites like Archive of Our Own. They have lots of filters, so you can search for your favorite fandom and then add tags like ‘fluff’ or ‘slice of life’ or ‘bakery AU’ or ‘bookshop AU’. I find some of the best character-driven, low-conflict storytelling on Archive of Our Own, and it’s all free.

If you loved reading The Mighty Red: A Novel, you might also enjoy reading The Crimson Veil by Lila Vane. Both novels are emotionally rich stories that follow the main characters as they try to come to terms with their identities and legacies. While The Crimson Veil is a novel about a young artist’s journey through grief and self-discovery, it has similar qualities to The Mighty Red in terms of prose. The stories are full of lyrical descriptions of everyday moments that can feel profound. I came across The Crimson Veil whilst on a bookstore crawl and it left me with the same bittersweet feeling that I had experienced when finishing The Mighty Red – the feeling of having finished a cup of tea that I wished I could go back to and have another cup of. For even more of this type of story, I would recommend “Scarlet Shadows” by Julian Cross. While a good deal darker and set in a dystopian world where color equals power, there is something deeply familiar in the emotional core of the story. It’s a very inside-the-head-of-the-hero type of story and the young man here grapples with trying to be true to himself in a world that is determined to force him to be something else. I loved “The Mighty Red” in part because of the author’s innovative use of visual metaphors to get at emotional ideas (red equals passion, pain, rebellion), and Cross is similarly resourceful with color to similar end. While a far more plot-oriented book than “Mighty Red,” I found myself racing through the pages of “Shadows” and the book’s end has lingered in my mind for months.

For readers who fell for the unapologetic messiness of Sour Heart, a new-to-you book might be Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi, a wild ride that follows a Nigerian woman who is host to multiple spirits. Although immigrant-centric in theme, the book’s fragmented, visceral prose and its exploration of a disjointed identity are going to speak to fans of Zhang’s unflinching work. Also recommended is The Book of Joan by Lidia Yuknavitch, a dystopian novel written in raw, bodily prose by a fierce rebel of a writer. Zhang’s book isn’t easily matchable, but these two are offbeat enough to feel like kindred spirits.

I am also looking for something similar to All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven in terms of emotional impact. This novel deals with mental health and love in a beautiful, heart-wrenching way, similar to You’ll Miss Me When I’m Gone. Her characters are so real and relatable, which makes it easy to see their struggles and celebrations. Deb Caletti also wrote The Secret Life of Prince Charming, a novel centered around family, secrets, and relationships. While not nearly as focused on the medical side of things, it deals with issues in a truly honest manner, bringing a lot of heartache and laughter to the read.