Grown up Princess Books

The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy (series)

While there may not be any princesses in this book (although the Prince of Wales does make an appearance), we’re allowing it, since the entire premise is about a member of the British aristocracy who makes it his life mission to rescue his French counterparts from the guillotine during the French revolution. It is a delightfully quirky book, especially for one set during that particular time in history, but well worth the read!

The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot (series) 

While there are in fact 11 (eleven!) books in this series, most of them are quite short. You may be familiar with the Disney movie by the same name, and the movie does follow the general plot line and combine main points from the first few books. Anne Hathaway reads the first three for the audiobooks and then it switches to another narrator, which may be jarring. But don’t worry, you have 8 more to go to get used to it 😉

The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher

We debated about recommending this book for two reasons: 1) This is Carrie Fisher’s account of her time playing Princess Leia from Star Wars which isn’t really a princess book, but sort of kind of is? And 2) Jill and Amanda both lean on the cleaner side of reading, and this book would most definitely be rated R or M or 18+ or whatever the applicable rating would be for a biblio- IMDB. So be aware that this acclaimed book is very fun to listen to as an audiobook, but is riddled with profanity and adult themes. It does, however, give some great insight into the world of the most popular sci-fi princess the galaxies have ever known.

Maleficent by Elizabeth Rudnick and  Scott A. Piehl

Written to follow the movie script, Maleficent gives the other side of the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale. This is a product of Disney, and well done.

The Entwined Tales series by six different authors (series)

7 members of the same family have remarkable tales to tell, and six different authors wrote a novella each to tell them. Not all of these main characters are in princess tales, but we couldn’t skip this opportunity to direct you to these six authors if you like this sample of their writings.

That Woman by Anna Seba (biography)

This is the book that dethroned Mary Roach’s amazing Stiff as Jill’s favorite nonfiction book. The story of Wallis Warfield Simpson and the King of England willing to give up his crown for her is one that belongs in a novel, but is as true as can be and wonderfully well written in this biography of Wallis.

The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey

Josephine Tey was a prolific British writer in the 1930s and 40s. She wrote a series of mystery novels with Inspector Alan Grant solving the cases, but this one is unique, as the good inspector is bedridden in a hospital after an accident for the entirety of this book. He begins to “investigate” the supposed historic murder of two princes by their uncle, King Richard III of England in the late 1490s. It has been included as one of the top mystery books ever written by both the Crime Writers Association AND the Mystery Writers of America, so if mystery is your thing, then how can you not give this one a try?

I am Princess X by Cherie Priest

A unique book on our list, this one may be best categorized as a realistic, mystery, YA adventure fiction. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, so if this appeals to you, check out the Goodreads description. This is one of Amanda’s favorites from the princess lists.

American Royals by Katharine McGee (+ sequel)

This one definitely has an interesting premise- what would life in the United States be like today had George Washington decided to become a king rather than president?

The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan (+ sequel)

This one is another reimaging of our current present. While the story was definitely inspired by the current Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s relationship, it has a life and charm all of its own.

The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot (series) 

This series keeps giving, with 11 books to walk you through how a modern princess may grow up. You may be familiar with the Disney movie by the same name, and the movie does follow the general plot line and combine main points from the first few books. Anne Hathaway reads the first three for the audiobooks and then it switches to another narrator, which may be jarring. There are a ton of pop culture references to make Millenials quite comfortable.

Princess: A True Story of the Life Behind the Veil in Saudi Arabia by Jean Sasson (series)

A truly eye-opening series, Sasson writes the story of a Saudi woman hidden behind the name of a Princess Sultana. Peak into the world of this enigmatic nation during these modern days and you will come away with new perspectives on women, men, society, and so much more.

Royal Target by Traci Hunter Abramson (trilogy)

Does it get much more modern than a prince plus a CIA operative? It adds an enjoyable twist to what we normally expect to get out of a princess book, while still delivering the glamor one might want from a modern princess tale.

Once Upon a Prince by Rachel Hauck (series)

A Christian romance series, this is a light-hearted and easy read. The characters have a bit more emotional maturity than some other princess books, so the characters seem less dramatic and more realistic, down-to-earth. It’s predictable, fluffy, and nice in all the best ways.

The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher

This is Carrie Fisher’s account of her time playing Princess Leia from Star Wars which isn’t really a princess book, but sort of kind of is, and it’s set in the future, but Carrie Fisher is telling the events that happened in the 1970’s, so it is sort of modern day… maybe? Jill and Amanda both lean on the cleaner side of reading, and this book would most definitely be rated R or M or 18+ or whatever the applicable rating would be for a biblio- IMDB. So be aware that this acclaimed book is very fun to listen to as an audiobook, but is riddled with profanity and adult themes. It does, however, give some great insight into the world of the most popular sci-fi princess the galaxies have ever known.

I am Princess X by Cherie Priest

A unique book on our list, this one may be best categorized as a realistic, mystery, YA adventure fiction. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, so if this appeals to you, check out the Goodreads description. This is one of Amanda’s favorites from the princess lists.

Royal Wedding by Meg Cabot (series)

Though this is part of the Princess Diaries series (the final installment, book #11), it deserves to be separated from the others, as a substantial amount of change has occurred between the beginning of the series and The Royal Wedding. Mia is grown up and acts more like a grownup, and is dealing with a bit more grownup problems, like weddings and such.

The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot

Perhaps the enormous amount of pop culture references may throw Gen Z for a loop, but reading this 11-book series can help your teen get to know the millennials a little bit better.  You may be familiar with the Disney movie by the same name, and the movie does follow the general plot line and combine main points from the first few books. Anne Hathaway reads the first three for the audiobooks and then it switches to another narrator, which may be jarring. These books really see Mia Thermopolis grow up from a teenage drama queen to someone who is less irritating, but no less loveable. There are a lot of topics that are great to talk about with your teen if you’re ready; but be aware that these books are written as a teenage girl sees her life around her, with the teen romances, emotions, and attitudes. You may want to pre-read them before suggesting them to your teen.

The Selection  by Kiera Cass (series)

Imagine a future world with different political boundaries and a very strong caste system in place. The way to appease the people is to publicize the selection of the crown-prince’s bride, in a very similar game/process as the TV show The Bachelor. Who will be chosen as the future queen, and what will she have to leave behind? This series also has a few bonus books thrown in, as well as another series by the same author about the protagonist’s daughter.

Snow Like Ashes series by Sara Raasch

There are quite a few things to like about these books, but a head’s up to note this one sits firmly opposite the “quick reads” category. The realistic and likeable characters, engrossing plot, strong heroine, and of course the wonderfully unique fantastical world combine with many other great things (ahem, like the writing itself) make this a solid winner for princess fans. Also, this almost went in the “Avoid the Romance” category because the romance in this book is relatively slight when stacked against the other princess books, but nonetheless it is there, and in the form of a love triangle. And therefore, here it rests with the other, more-romancey (totally a word, don’t make me use “romantic”) books.

Once Upon a Prince by Rachel Hauck (series)

A Christian romance series, this is a light-hearted and easy read. The characters have a bit more emotional maturity than some other princess books, so the characters seem less dramatic and more realistic, down-to-earth. It’s predictable, fluffy, and nice in all the best ways.

I am Princess X by Cherie Priest

A unique book on our list, this one may be best categorized as a realistic, mystery, YA adventure fiction. It’s a tad bit outdated in the technology department but still quite fun for teens. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, so if this appeals to you, check out the Goodreads description. This is one of Amanda’s favorites from the princess lists.

The Princess Bride by Wilian Goldman

This book is somewhat legendary, but it definitely deserves a spot on our list, just in case there is anyone out there who hasn’t yet discovered its delights. It might drive you a little crazy trying to figure it out (is it really an abridgement? Who really wrote this thing?!), but just lean into the quirk and enjoy! Then go watch the movie, because, hello! Classic.

The Wrath and the Dawn by Reneé Ahdieh (series) 

Inspired by the Middle Eastern folk tales, One Thousand and One Nights, this series has the unique distinction of both belonging with these other retellings of classic tales while simultaneously bringing to life a story and setting unfamiliar to most of us.

Entwined by Heather Dixon

Though this is mostly a Twelve Dancing Princesses re-telling, there are references to Beauty and the Beast in this exciting fairy tale. The relationship between the sisters is very realistic, and the characters surprisingly developed (since there are quite a few).

The Four Kingdoms by Melanie Cellier (series)

This is a favorite series of Amanda’s, and there are even more books to love with the additional series by Melanie Cellier (see our princess books for all ages post here to get Beyond the Four Kingdoms). These books weave the classic fairy tale characters together into four kingdoms and overlapping storylines. Reading Cellier’s writing is effortless and lovely, and the world she envisions is complete and fantastic. And everyone gets a happy ending, which is just what we all need in 2020.

The Medieval Fairy Tale Series by Melanie Dickerson

Melanie Dickerson has written quite a few books about princesses and we happily include her on this list. It is easy to get lost in Dickerson’s world, and the fairy tale book series are joined together by a connector novel. Totally binge-worthy reading, and clever re-tellings that include some lesser-used fairy tale characters. Some do get a bit on the heavy end of the romance spectrum, but all are still clean. It was a toss up for which series to picture here, so be sure to catch her Hagenheim series as well.

The Twentieth Wife by Indu Sundaresan (trilogy)

Like The Wrath and the Dawn, these books remind us that royal stories abound outside of the western world. While novels, this series is based on the life of one of India’s most well-known 17th century Empresses and her descendants, one of whose legacy includes building the Taj Mahal.

The Gown by Jennifer Robson

While the princess, and indeed any royalty, exist mainly in the background of this novel, they are ever present in the story. Rather than featuring the princess herself (Princess Elizabeth, known now as Queen Elizbeth II of England), the story follows the women responsible for the remarkable embroidery on the princess’s wedding gown.

The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley (sequel)

Okay, this is another book on our “princess” book list that doesn’t actually have any princesses in it, but still has royals aplenty, so hear us out! One of the great things about historical fiction is that, if the book itself is good enough, it can pique our interest in periods of history that we perhaps would never have known about. This historic novel (interspersed with a modern storyline), and its sequel (which Jill may or may not have liked even better than the first book), gives us a glimpse into life all over Europe and Russia during the Jacobite risings in the late 17th and early 18th centuries.

Sophia Princess Among Beasts by James Patterson with Emily Raymond

This is definitely not like the other books on this list. Rather polarized reviews on Goodreads didn’t help us much, so after reading it, here it is on the list. If you are a huge James Patterson fan, you may not enjoy this book much. If you want a bit of a darker take on a princess book that allows you many opportunities to create your own answers, you may definitely enjoy this book. Monsters, wars, and gods in an afterlife make up this storyline, all told from the view of a princess turned queen visiting the mortal world and the world beyond life. There is swearing (probably rated PG-13). We recommend reading in advance if you want to recommend to a teen.

The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher

This is Carrie Fisher’s account of her time playing Princess Leia from Star Wars which isn’t really a princess book, but sort of kind of is, and it’s set in the future, but Carrie Fisher is telling the events that happened in the 1970’s, so it is sort of modern day… maybe? Jill and Amanda both lean on the cleaner side of reading, and this book would most definitely be rated R or M or 18+ or whatever the applicable rating would be for a biblio- IMDB. So be aware that this acclaimed book is very fun to listen to as an audiobook, but is riddled with profanity and adult themes. It does, however, give some great insight into the world of the most popular sci-fi princess the galaxies have ever known.

The Ascendence Series by Jennifer Nielsen

Why a series about a prince on a princess list, you ask? If you like princess books, you will likely enjoy these as well. There is a tad bit of a Hunger Games vibe to this series, but when I say “tad bit,” I mean it. The main character, Sage, is deeply entwined into a complex web of lies and people who are most interested in their own power, and eventually he ends up in a very different place than where he began. Readers be warned, there is a fourth book expected to be published sometime soon, in case you want to wait to read them all.

The Entwined Tales series by six different authors (series)

7 members of the same family have remarkable tales to tell, and six different authors wrote a novella each to tell them. Not all of these main characters are in princess tales, but we couldn’t skip this opportunity to direct you to these six authors if you like this sample of their writings.

The Spoken Mage  by Melanie Cellier (series)

This one is included on the outside-the-box list of a princess list because… well, it is. Apologies if that sounds cryptic, but this series is good enough you should go read it all and then we are pretty sure you’ll forgive us.

The Remnant Chronicles by Mary E Pearson

Oh, Mary E Pearson. Need we say more? Well, probably, if you insist. The Remnant Chronicles are centered on Princess Lia, who runs away from home in an attempt to evade the fate most princesses on this reading list seem to dislike: prearranged marriage. The series is fast-paced and very engrossing, and the world is well developed, with an additional series that you’ll want to read if when you like these.