9 Books About Characters Reclaiming Their Destiny
Some characters are born to greatness, but others have to fight for it—especially when their destinies are stolen, hidden, or forgotten. These are the stories of lost heirs, fallen warriors, exiled rulers, and underestimated heroes who must rise again, take back what is theirs, and forge their own fate.
If you love tales of revenge, redemption, and power reclaimed, here are 9 books about characters who refuse to let fate decide their future—they take it back themselves.
1. The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
🐉 An Exiled Queen Who Must Reclaim Her Throne
Sabran Berethnet is the last of her line, a queen destined to keep an ancient evil at bay. But threats rise from all sides—assassins, traitors, and a dragon-bound prophecy that could unravel everything. To reclaim her birthright and protect her world, she must uncover the truth of her bloodline and embrace her destiny before it’s too late.
📖 Read if you love: Epic fantasy, dragons, and heroines torn between duty and destiny.
2. The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
🎭 A Con Artist Seeking Revenge for a Stolen Future
Locke Lamora was meant to become a legend among thieves, but when betrayal takes everything from him, he’s left with nothing but his wits, his rage, and a long list of enemies. If he wants to reclaim his name and his power, he’ll have to con, steal, and outwit the most dangerous figures in the city.
📖 Read if you love: Heist stories, clever antiheroes, and ruthless revenge plots.
3. Circe by Madeline Miller
🌀 A Banished Goddess Who Redefines Her Own Fate
Born as the overlooked daughter of the sun god Helios, Circe is cast aside and exiled to an isolated island—but she refuses to be forgotten. As she hones her magic, she transforms from a powerless nymph into one of the most feared and formidable witches in mythology.
📖 Read if you love: Greek mythology, feminist retellings, and slow-burning, powerful character arcs.
4. The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon
🔮 A Clairvoyant on the Run from Those Who Would Control Her
Paige Mahoney is a dreamwalker, a rare kind of clairvoyant in a dystopian world where her kind is hunted. Trapped and enslaved by an unseen force, she must reclaim her power and her freedom—or risk losing herself forever.
📖 Read if you love: Dystopian fantasy, underground rebellions, and mind-bending magic.
5. A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown
👑 A Princess Fighting to Take Back Her Throne
Princess Karina was never supposed to rule, but after the brutal assassination of her mother, she finds herself thrust into a position she never prepared for. To reclaim her destiny and solidify her rule, she must do the unthinkable—sacrifice a life for the magic she needs.
📖 Read if you love: Dark magic, enemies-to-lovers romance, and African mythology-inspired fantasy.
6. An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
🔥 A Scholar Turned Rebel Who Fights for Her Family
Laia is a nobody—until her family is torn apart by the brutal Empire that rules over her people. Forced to go undercover as a spy, she infiltrates the enemy’s military academy, determined to save her brother and reclaim the life that was stolen from her.
📖 Read if you love: High-stakes rebellion, disguises, and fierce characters who refuse to back down.
7. The Wolf and the Woodsman by Ava Reid
🌿 A Girl Who Must Embrace Her Own Power to Survive
Évike is the only girl in her village without magic, an outcast meant to be sacrificed. But when she is taken by the king’s men, she uncovers a power within herself that she never knew existed—one that could reshape the future of an entire kingdom.
📖 Read if you love: Dark fairy tales, mythology-infused fantasy, and slow-burn rivalries.
8. Shadow of the Fox by Julie Kagawa
🦊 A Half-Kitsune Girl Who Holds the Key to a Lost Power
Yumeko has always lived in hiding, keeping her kitsune magic a secret. But when her temple is destroyed, she is thrust into a deadly race to recover a lost artifact that could change the world—and discovers that her own power is more dangerous than she ever realized.
📖 Read if you love: Japanese folklore, shape-shifters, and dangerous quests.
9. The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin
🏙️ A City’s Forgotten Guardians Rising to Power
New York City isn’t just alive—it’s sentient. When a dark force threatens to consume the city, five people across its boroughs awaken to realize they are its protectors, each embodying a piece of its soul. Together, they must reclaim their home before it’s too late.
📖 Read if you love: Urban fantasy, modern mythology, and stories where cities become living, breathing entities.
✨ Which Fate Would You Reclaim?
These stories remind us that destiny is never set in stone—it belongs to those who fight for it, shape it, and refuse to let it be stolen. Which of these books will you read first? Let’s discuss! 🔥✨
