Book cover of Once I Knew

Book description

Chronicles of Elira Book #1

Violet lives her quiet life in her sleepy village, trying to remain as dead to the politics that are threatening their world as possible. She follows the rules, stays out of trouble and does her best to remain out of sight from the dreaded and…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

1 author picked Once I Knew as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Once I Knew is a stirring and adventurous story of a peasant girl who courageously rescues an enemy soldier only to have her entire life torn apart. The fantasy world is interwoven with danger, and I enjoyed the exciting read that shone with hope applicable to our own world today. It addresses hard issues for mature readers and doesn’t shy away from diving into truth and showing that because of that truth, life has a huge and beautiful purpose and hope.

From Hosanna's list on non-magical fantasy for truth seekers.

If you love Once I Knew...

Book cover of The Rosewood Penny

The Rosewood Penny by J.S. Fields,

2023 Queer Indie Award Nominee!

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 from the rich to feed themselves, raiding carriages and dodging the occasional vindictive…

Want books like Once I Knew?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 61 books like Once I Knew.

Browse books like Once I Knew

Book cover of On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness
Book cover of Kingdom's Dawn
Book cover of The Sword, the Ring and the Parchment

Share your top 3 reads of 2025!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,343

readers submitted
so far, will you?

📚 If you like Once I Knew, you might also like...

Book cover of Portrait of an Artist as a Young Woman

Portrait of an Artist as a Young Woman by Alexis Krasilovsky,

Kate from Jules et Jim meets I Love Dick.

A young woman filmmaker’s journey of self-discovery, set against a backdrop of the sexual liberation movement of the 1970s and 1980s. In Portrait of an Artist as a Young Woman, we follow Ana Fried as she faces the ultimate…

Book cover of Malcolm Before X

Malcolm Before X by Patrick Parr,

Malcolm Before X is about finding a way to continue moving forward after everything has been taken from you. While in prison, Malcolm Little discovered the power of reading and found a way to transform his character and become a better man. This half-biography focuses on that transformation, especially his…

5 book lists we think you will like!