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Starry Kingdoms of the Fae Collection
Bound by Treason
*See all the Starry Kingdoms of the Fae Collection HERE.*
A Mysterious Death. A Forbidden Romance. A Reign at its End.
When her third daughter mysteriously dies, Queen Moira will do whatever it takes to discover the truth and keep her youngest safe. She’s lost three children in the span of a year and will not lose another.
Her husband, the dragon king of the fae, had long left her chambers and found solace in his wicked mistresses who eased his erratic fears. He would not help Moira in this quest, and so she turned to the only fae she trusted: Tallis
Tallis, the head of the royal guard and her dear friend, would do anything to protect his queen and the royal line, but as the two fae search around the castle, they discover the truth behind the murders, and bringing the culprit to justice will tear the kingdom apart.
With each passing day, Moira is forced to choose who she is loyal to: the crown or her heart, because she can no longer honor both.
Bound by Treason is the first book in the Starry Kingdoms of the Fae Collection. These books are all standalones written by your favorite fantasy authors and are the perfect read for your summer vacation. Prepare to be swept away into magical worlds with tropes you obsess over and swoon-worthy romance.
A Mysterious Death. A Forbidden Romance. A Reign at its End.
When her third daughter mysteriously dies, Queen Moira will do whatever it takes to discover the truth and keep her youngest safe. She’s lost three children in the span of a year and will not lose another.
Her husband, the dragon king of the fae, had long left her chambers and found solace in his wicked mistresses who eased his erratic fears. He would not help Moira in this quest, and so she turned to the only fae she trusted: Tallis
Tallis, the head of the royal guard and her dear friend, would do anything to protect his queen and the royal line, but as the two fae search around the castle, they discover the truth behind the murders, and bringing the culprit to justice will tear the kingdom apart.
With each passing day, Moira is forced to choose who she is loyal to: the crown or her heart, because she can no longer honor both.
Bound by Treason is the first book in the Starry Kingdoms of the Fae Collection. These books are all standalones written by your favorite fantasy authors and are the perfect read for your summer vacation. Prepare to be swept away into magical worlds with tropes you obsess over and swoon-worthy romance.
122 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 2, 2023
680 people are currently reading
3960 people want to read
About the author
Eliza Tilton
33 books303 followersUSA Today Bestselling author Eliza Tilton graduated from Dowling College with a BA in Visual Communications. When she's not arguing with excel at her day job, chasing after four kids, or playing video games, she's writing fast-paced young adult fantasy and paranormal tales. Check out www.elizatilton.com for more of her books or follow her on tiktok @elizatilton where she shares tons of bookish stuff.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 367 reviews
August 3, 2023
That…That does not count as an HEA ending.
Wasn’t it supposed to be HEA?
*frantically searches through all the Facebook posts,
https://starrykingdomsofthefae.com/ etc etc because I SWORE it was guaranteed HEA*
.
.
.
Guess there wasn’t any guarantees. Oh no. What have I done?! Have I started reading a multi author series that doesn’t guarantee HEAs?!
Ok. Breathing through my panic now
Wow. I needed a trigger warning for death, more death, betrayal, adultery, more betrayal, madness, and not a happily ever after.
The writing was good. The universe building was good.
But no HEA….
I just can’t.
So if you read this book be prepared for anger and sorrow and jealousy and really raw emotions- And not in a cathartic good way either.
________
A month later and I’m still thinking through the plot of this book. It was absolutely heartbreaking and had ALLLL the triggers that I didn’t even know I needed warned about- but if I’m still thinking about it I think it provably deserves more stars.
Wasn’t it supposed to be HEA?
*frantically searches through all the Facebook posts,
https://starrykingdomsofthefae.com/ etc etc because I SWORE it was guaranteed HEA*
.
.
.
Guess there wasn’t any guarantees. Oh no. What have I done?! Have I started reading a multi author series that doesn’t guarantee HEAs?!
Ok. Breathing through my panic now
Wow. I needed a trigger warning for death, more death, betrayal, adultery, more betrayal, madness, and not a happily ever after.
The writing was good. The universe building was good.
But no HEA….
I just can’t.
So if you read this book be prepared for anger and sorrow and jealousy and really raw emotions- And not in a cathartic good way either.
________
A month later and I’m still thinking through the plot of this book. It was absolutely heartbreaking and had ALLLL the triggers that I didn’t even know I needed warned about- but if I’m still thinking about it I think it provably deserves more stars.
February 8, 2024
Ngl some parts were cute but at the end of the day that was an hour and a half of my life I’ll never get back.
September 22, 2023
—🧚🏻♀️ 3.5 stars 🧚🏻♀️—
“She looked at me then as if something was different.
As if she finally understood the meanings of my words.
How every time I was saying ‘Yes, Your Majesty’ I’d really meant...I love you.”
————about the book————
Age: NA/Adult
Genres: Fantasy, Novella,
Writing: 6/10
Quotes: 7/10
World building: 6/10
Characters: 7/10
Romance: 6/10
My rating: 7/10
trigger warnings: Death of a Child, Grief and Loss, Violence, Infidelity, Poison, Death of a Husband, etc.
———my thoughts———
After the mysterious death of her third daughter, Queen Moira will do anything it takes to keep her young son safe.
Her husband, dragon king of the Fae, has long left her to her own devices, wrapped up in his new mistresses.
The only person who believes that Moira’s daughters were killed is her lifelong friend, Tallis.
Working together, they dive deep into the secrets of the court...and who knows what they will find there?
In a word, this book was sweet.
At only 120 pages, it’s obviously too short for an epic plot.
But even with the limited time, the author still manages to weave a good story.
Again, with how short it is, the romance is simplified and a little uneventful.
The friends to lovers trope is perfect for novellas like this, as it gives the characters background together without having to build their relationship quickly.
The main characters, Moira and Tallis are easy to like.
Their relationship is sweet, if a little boring.
From what I read in this short novella, I liked Moira immediately.
Unlike most fae fantasies of this time, she’s around 30/40ish, or at least old enough to have half-grow children.
She’s brave, but also not afraid to cry.
Tallis, our other main character and love interest, is very easy to like.
I mean, he’s sweet, protective, blond and reads...honestly, what’s not to love?
What I would say however, is that the romance definitely takes second stage to the murder mystery and court intrigue.
There’s not a lot of fantasies with court intrigue, so whenever I see one I HAVE to read it.
That side of the story was well done, if a little too easy to ‘fix’ everything.
And I’ll be honest here...the ending felt a little too abrupt.
I know this will be a prequel to the author’s next book, but I still wanted just that bit more!
But what I got?
A court of mysteries and a little bit of fluff.
And I love both of those things.
So all in all...it was good, but not great!
————quotes————
“I am queen,” she whispered. “And I will do as I see fit.”
“I may not be able to remove the sorrow, but I will embrace it with you.”
“If I could reach inside her soul and pluck out the dagger of pain afflicting her, I would relieve her of this burden.”
“We’re going to get through this.”
“Each time I held her, it became harder to let her go.”
“We’ll be safe. I promise.”
“Will you sing for me?”
“It’s been a long time since I’ve sung around anyone.”
———random extra thoughts———
Stuff your kindle day is 20% of my tbr now 😂
Thanks for reading! ❤️
“She looked at me then as if something was different.
As if she finally understood the meanings of my words.
How every time I was saying ‘Yes, Your Majesty’ I’d really meant...I love you.”
————about the book————
Age: NA/Adult
Genres: Fantasy, Novella,
Writing: 6/10
Quotes: 7/10
World building: 6/10
Characters: 7/10
Romance: 6/10
My rating: 7/10
trigger warnings: Death of a Child, Grief and Loss, Violence, Infidelity, Poison, Death of a Husband, etc.
———my thoughts———
After the mysterious death of her third daughter, Queen Moira will do anything it takes to keep her young son safe.
Her husband, dragon king of the Fae, has long left her to her own devices, wrapped up in his new mistresses.
The only person who believes that Moira’s daughters were killed is her lifelong friend, Tallis.
Working together, they dive deep into the secrets of the court...and who knows what they will find there?
In a word, this book was sweet.
At only 120 pages, it’s obviously too short for an epic plot.
But even with the limited time, the author still manages to weave a good story.
Again, with how short it is, the romance is simplified and a little uneventful.
The friends to lovers trope is perfect for novellas like this, as it gives the characters background together without having to build their relationship quickly.
The main characters, Moira and Tallis are easy to like.
Their relationship is sweet, if a little boring.
From what I read in this short novella, I liked Moira immediately.
Unlike most fae fantasies of this time, she’s around 30/40ish, or at least old enough to have half-grow children.
She’s brave, but also not afraid to cry.
Tallis, our other main character and love interest, is very easy to like.
I mean, he’s sweet, protective, blond and reads...honestly, what’s not to love?
What I would say however, is that the romance definitely takes second stage to the murder mystery and court intrigue.
There’s not a lot of fantasies with court intrigue, so whenever I see one I HAVE to read it.
That side of the story was well done, if a little too easy to ‘fix’ everything.
And I’ll be honest here...the ending felt a little too abrupt.
I know this will be a prequel to the author’s next book, but I still wanted just that bit more!
But what I got?
A court of mysteries and a little bit of fluff.
And I love both of those things.
So all in all...it was good, but not great!
————quotes————
“I am queen,” she whispered. “And I will do as I see fit.”
“I may not be able to remove the sorrow, but I will embrace it with you.”
“If I could reach inside her soul and pluck out the dagger of pain afflicting her, I would relieve her of this burden.”
“We’re going to get through this.”
“Each time I held her, it became harder to let her go.”
“We’ll be safe. I promise.”
“Will you sing for me?”
“It’s been a long time since I’ve sung around anyone.”
———random extra thoughts———
Stuff your kindle day is 20% of my tbr now 😂
Thanks for reading! ❤️
October 13, 2023
4 stars.
I really enjoy stories with fae and dragons, however, this is just a novella. I wanted there to be more romance between the leads...however, still a good solid story. Lots of action, heartbreak, and twists.😁
I really enjoy stories with fae and dragons, however, this is just a novella. I wanted there to be more romance between the leads...however, still a good solid story. Lots of action, heartbreak, and twists.😁
June 19, 2023
I’m sorry but I can’t rate this higher when adultery isn’t frowned upon. When the king did it, his wife was super upset (as she ought to be) and angry but for some reason it is alright if she also cheats on her husband? Double standards much?
Genre: romantic fantasy, suspense
Age: adult
Series/Standalone: part of a series by many authors, read as standalone
Tropes: friends to more
Content:
Rating: 2/5 Stars
Genre: romantic fantasy, suspense
Age: adult
Series/Standalone: part of a series by many authors, read as standalone
Tropes: friends to more
Content:
Rating: 2/5 Stars
June 4, 2023
I really expected to like this story, but I wasn't able to connect with it at all. I kept waiting to be drawn in by something - the story, the chemistry, the dialogue - but it just never happened. The pacing left a lot to be desired, with every scene devolving into some sort of dramatics and rushing into the next. With everything that was going on, this was a story that really needed room to breathe - and instead it was suffocated. Maybe that would have worked if the romance had been the focus of the story, but it wound up feeling incidental, until the ending, when it was inexplicably all that mattered. I didn't mind the way the lore was handled - short stories need to throw exposition in however they can, and I didn't find it all that jarring - but the story didn't need to care about as much of the world as it did. I am definitely a reader who wants resolution in a story. I don't mind if a series leaves questions to be answered in the next book, but this story just abruptly decided that it was over, threw on an epilogue and paused for applause.
I don't need a gripping, chewy plot if the characters can make up for it, but here they just... didn't come to life. Their priorities seemed to change from page to page, and their actions barely tied together. Moira especially seemed to exist solely to make new and confusing decisions at the drop of a hat, while Tallis was there to go along with them, regardless of his opinions. Kane in general was handled poorly -
I'm not sure if this was meant as an interlude featuring characters that are more fleshed out in other books set in this world - maybe I would have appreciated it more in a greater context? On the whole, though, disappointing.
I don't need a gripping, chewy plot if the characters can make up for it, but here they just... didn't come to life. Their priorities seemed to change from page to page, and their actions barely tied together. Moira especially seemed to exist solely to make new and confusing decisions at the drop of a hat, while Tallis was there to go along with them, regardless of his opinions. Kane in general was handled poorly -
I'm not sure if this was meant as an interlude featuring characters that are more fleshed out in other books set in this world - maybe I would have appreciated it more in a greater context? On the whole, though, disappointing.
May 16, 2024
2'5*.
January 6, 2024
Bound By Treason (and this entire Bound series that these authors have come together to do) had such a stunning cover and a promising plot that I easily added it to my tbr. Unfortunately, it fell very short as I just didn't see much order to what was going on. The pace of this was very strange and I was actually shocked when I got to the epilogue? It didn't make sense that we were just ending Moira's part of what looks like a continuing story. Her and Tallis barely had any tension or moments to speak to their past and we just hop into their bond like it's nothing.
I just thought it was a very ambitious story that should've been pushed to be a little bit longer to give parts of the story time to breathe. Context. Some kind of important detail. Girl idk. I do have an interest in some of these other books but if I have to read this series in order......... I may have to tap out.
I just thought it was a very ambitious story that should've been pushed to be a little bit longer to give parts of the story time to breathe. Context. Some kind of important detail. Girl idk. I do have an interest in some of these other books but if I have to read this series in order......... I may have to tap out.
October 2, 2023
Well that was painful but at least short. 2*
I was in the mood for light fantasy so I didn’t mind that the romance was limited and it’s not really a hea. But I imagine anyone expecting a romance would be disappointed.
The writing was choppy, world building sub par, and the story chaotic. But what made me drop this to 2 was the total misuse of words. I mean really does the author have no friends willing, or literate enough to catch her obvious errors? Some word choices were so bad I could not even guess what she meant to write. It was painful.
I was in the mood for light fantasy so I didn’t mind that the romance was limited and it’s not really a hea. But I imagine anyone expecting a romance would be disappointed.
The writing was choppy, world building sub par, and the story chaotic. But what made me drop this to 2 was the total misuse of words. I mean really does the author have no friends willing, or literate enough to catch her obvious errors? Some word choices were so bad I could not even guess what she meant to write. It was painful.
June 30, 2023
I didn't like this as much as I thought I would. It was short and angsty, but there were topics here, I don't really care about to see in my romances. (cheating left and right mostly) It had a happy ending though, but it was not my cup of tea in general.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Spice Scale: .5 🌶️
Chemistry: 🔥
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Spice Scale: .5 🌶️
Chemistry: 🔥
February 28, 2025
How bittersweet the ending were!!! 🥲
I wished for the author to atleast made remedies for the Queen!!! All the characters deserved a HEA!
I was hooked from the very first pages of this book and had high hopes! The only thing in this book that frustrates every reader is how the ending is rushed and there is no HEA!
The only thing that I LOVED most in this book were the pixies🧚🏻♀️ and the scenes where one of them hugged the bodyguard's thumb was the cutest! 🥹
📍Minor spoilers📍
Making the characters find love at the end is not a guaranteed for a HEA ending! How I wished I could've re-written the ending!! How I wished I could've resurrected King Kyros!! 🥲
How I wished I could've made Kane believe his mother and kill the other witch!! How I wished they all had their deserved endings!!
And some authors complain how their books don't get the love like the others' books!!
If you don't guarantee the things I have mentioned for your readers, never expect from us to give 4 or 5 stars!! We need HEA! We need remedies! We need.... etc.
I wished for the author to atleast made remedies for the Queen!!! All the characters deserved a HEA!
I was hooked from the very first pages of this book and had high hopes! The only thing in this book that frustrates every reader is how the ending is rushed and there is no HEA!
The only thing that I LOVED most in this book were the pixies🧚🏻♀️ and the scenes where one of them hugged the bodyguard's thumb was the cutest! 🥹
📍Minor spoilers📍
Making the characters find love at the end is not a guaranteed for a HEA ending! How I wished I could've re-written the ending!! How I wished I could've resurrected King Kyros!! 🥲
How I wished I could've made Kane believe his mother and kill the other witch!! How I wished they all had their deserved endings!!
And some authors complain how their books don't get the love like the others' books!!
If you don't guarantee the things I have mentioned for your readers, never expect from us to give 4 or 5 stars!! We need HEA! We need remedies! We need.... etc.
December 19, 2025
jesus, the reviews on this one are so harsh i was expecting it to be god awful. to my surprise, i actually enjoyed it!! now, was this a perfect book? certainly not. it had some very random and questionable plot points. but i feel like for a novella, it did what it could and i, for one, had a fun time reading it! 3 stars for this one 😗
January 27, 2024
The plot was really interesting, but also a bit confusing… especially towards the end. But the main couple was cute!
December 6, 2025
I cannot fathom what I just read
January 21, 2024
It was fine to read just not my kinda thing
May 28, 2023
Enjoyable quick read moving story line
May 23, 2024
⭐⭐⭐⭐
0.5🌶️
"I wanted his heartbeat to pound against my own until they were both in sync."
Potential Triggers: Adultery, loss of a child, cheating, murdered children, murderous child, unwanted advances, grief, betrayal, death, domestic abuse
Tropes: Queen x bodyguard, childhood friends to lovers, older heroine, touch her and die vibes, strong FMC
This does have a happy ever after in the end just not in a way not everyone would perceive. I feel like she got the things her heart truly wanted in the end. Everything not going as someone wants it to does not take away the MC's happiness at the end. This story is one of the darkest out of the ones I have read from the Starry Kingdom of the Fae's series and honestly, I would not expect anything less from a book with treason in the title. We start the book off with the death of a child, I don't expect this book to be cozy in any way shape, or form. I was hooked and I really love the fact that there is so much variation between all these standalones. I am looking forward to reading her son's story!
0.5🌶️
"I wanted his heartbeat to pound against my own until they were both in sync."
Potential Triggers: Adultery, loss of a child, cheating, murdered children, murderous child, unwanted advances, grief, betrayal, death, domestic abuse
Tropes: Queen x bodyguard, childhood friends to lovers, older heroine, touch her and die vibes, strong FMC
This does have a happy ever after in the end just not in a way not everyone would perceive. I feel like she got the things her heart truly wanted in the end. Everything not going as someone wants it to does not take away the MC's happiness at the end. This story is one of the darkest out of the ones I have read from the Starry Kingdom of the Fae's series and honestly, I would not expect anything less from a book with treason in the title. We start the book off with the death of a child, I don't expect this book to be cozy in any way shape, or form. I was hooked and I really love the fact that there is so much variation between all these standalones. I am looking forward to reading her son's story!
January 5, 2024
Bound By Treason by Eliza Tilton
Rating: 4 stars
"I am a god compared to you insects"
Blurb: Moira has lost three of her four children mysteriously. Her husband who is a dragon and King of the Fae found solace in his mistresses. When Moira going searching for answers the only person who she could trust is Tallis, who so happens to be head of the royal guard and her friend. When they start to discover the truth which can tear the Kingdom apart. The crown or her heart, which will she choose to stay loyal to.
~Spoilers~
Review: Overall a short read and steady pacing. The story line was an easy follow so it didn't take long to read. I loved both Moira and Tallis, their charters compliment each other. I also enjoyed Moira's drive to get to the bottom of what has been happening to her kids. She is definitely a strong MC and wants to protect her only kid left (her son). The ending though I wasn't expecting, and I ended up loving her husband towards the end. There isn't too much to say without giving info away, so I will leave it here.
Rating: 4 stars
"I am a god compared to you insects"
Blurb: Moira has lost three of her four children mysteriously. Her husband who is a dragon and King of the Fae found solace in his mistresses. When Moira going searching for answers the only person who she could trust is Tallis, who so happens to be head of the royal guard and her friend. When they start to discover the truth which can tear the Kingdom apart. The crown or her heart, which will she choose to stay loyal to.
~Spoilers~
Review: Overall a short read and steady pacing. The story line was an easy follow so it didn't take long to read. I loved both Moira and Tallis, their charters compliment each other. I also enjoyed Moira's drive to get to the bottom of what has been happening to her kids. She is definitely a strong MC and wants to protect her only kid left (her son). The ending though I wasn't expecting, and I ended up loving her husband towards the end. There isn't too much to say without giving info away, so I will leave it here.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 3, 2023
I am really confused that this is being marketed as a romance. I should have dnfed this instead of pushing through.
It's dark (mental illness = evil, murdered children, women hating on other women, cheating, murder, a child trying to kill his mother, etc) and quite clumsy.
Not for me.
It's dark (mental illness = evil, murdered children, women hating on other women, cheating, murder, a child trying to kill his mother, etc) and quite clumsy.
Not for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 3, 2024
I personally enjoyed this and I personally strongly feel this counts as a HEA and I don't care what the others say. I also wasn't annoyed about the lack of Smut/Spice, frankly when I thought it was about to happen I was getting annoyed because it would have been so poorly timed but it didn't happen so I was happy. I will say though I am in the minority when it comes to spice not being in the book as it won't ruin my enjoyment as I personally don't care for the way a lot of newer spice is written anyways. At this point I'm more interested in the journey of the characters coming to the realization of their feelings for each other.
Now I will say this is more plot focused then it is romance focused so I can definitely see that as being an issue for some people, but for me I loved it. I had a lot of fun with the plot, though at times there were moments when I felt like the characters should have realized something was wrong but it wasn't enough to make me annoyed. Also I enjoyed the lore and world that Tilton made, as a fantasy reader by heart I had zero issues following her lore, it was actually pretty simplistic in comparison to the fantasy I normally read.
In regards to the adultery that everyone is up in arms about, I didn't really have an issue with it, because one, I have always known kings and queens to have their mistresses and lovers, and two, Moira didn't do any "cheating" until Kyros was actively trying to harm her, and she was under the belief that he didn't love her anymore even though she had her suspicions about the witches being involved in that. And if other reviewers are referring to her first husband who she "cheated" on, he was also treating her like crap which is why she started her relationship with Kyros. I honestly don't blame her for falling for her long time friend or Kyros when she did, homegirls life is a mess and she is attempting to navigate it..
I liked Tallis, he is the kind of guys I want to see more in romances, a sweet man who wants to do the right thing. A friend to lovers story this is indeed and I like those. He isn't another copy paste shadow daddy because dear goddess above am I so over that. I loved his wind magic, and the little moments we got of him using it was really cool, would have been even better if we got to see him in a full fight considering he is the best at his wind magic.
Moria was fine, I didn't hate her but I didn't love her either, she had some moments that annoyed me, like walking around in her thin night robe and not realizing why it's an issue for all the men, like please sweetheart don't be dumb. I liked that she was a mother (of multiple kids). Honestly her story is messy which makes her a bit more real than other FMCs I have read.
One big issue I had though and it's funny because it's such a small part of the story, when Moira and Tallis do finally kiss, she states "he is my mate" and I got so irrationally angry because mates were never brought up once in the entire story. It felt shoehorned in and frankly as someone who is sick and tired of the fated mate trope because everyone keeps using it horribly, I just became so angry. She could have used any other term, or explained it any other way but she chose this one and it ruined the moment.
I also wasn't a fan of Kane's part at the end when he returns, I feel like the Dryads failed him in explaining how time works different in their realm because why did he come out that tree so angry with zero knowledge that things would be different. Why did the dryads not say anything? I feel that would have known that. But overall he has such a small part in the story that it doesn't ruin my overall enjoyment.
I enjoyed this and that's what matters, but if your looking for a romance that focuses on the smut this is not for you.
Now I will say this is more plot focused then it is romance focused so I can definitely see that as being an issue for some people, but for me I loved it. I had a lot of fun with the plot, though at times there were moments when I felt like the characters should have realized something was wrong but it wasn't enough to make me annoyed. Also I enjoyed the lore and world that Tilton made, as a fantasy reader by heart I had zero issues following her lore, it was actually pretty simplistic in comparison to the fantasy I normally read.
In regards to the adultery that everyone is up in arms about, I didn't really have an issue with it, because one, I have always known kings and queens to have their mistresses and lovers, and two, Moira didn't do any "cheating" until Kyros was actively trying to harm her, and she was under the belief that he didn't love her anymore even though she had her suspicions about the witches being involved in that. And if other reviewers are referring to her first husband who she "cheated" on, he was also treating her like crap which is why she started her relationship with Kyros. I honestly don't blame her for falling for her long time friend or Kyros when she did, homegirls life is a mess and she is attempting to navigate it..
I liked Tallis, he is the kind of guys I want to see more in romances, a sweet man who wants to do the right thing. A friend to lovers story this is indeed and I like those. He isn't another copy paste shadow daddy because dear goddess above am I so over that. I loved his wind magic, and the little moments we got of him using it was really cool, would have been even better if we got to see him in a full fight considering he is the best at his wind magic.
Moria was fine, I didn't hate her but I didn't love her either, she had some moments that annoyed me, like walking around in her thin night robe and not realizing why it's an issue for all the men, like please sweetheart don't be dumb. I liked that she was a mother (of multiple kids). Honestly her story is messy which makes her a bit more real than other FMCs I have read.
One big issue I had though and it's funny because it's such a small part of the story, when Moira and Tallis do finally kiss, she states "he is my mate" and I got so irrationally angry because mates were never brought up once in the entire story. It felt shoehorned in and frankly as someone who is sick and tired of the fated mate trope because everyone keeps using it horribly, I just became so angry. She could have used any other term, or explained it any other way but she chose this one and it ruined the moment.
I also wasn't a fan of Kane's part at the end when he returns, I feel like the Dryads failed him in explaining how time works different in their realm because why did he come out that tree so angry with zero knowledge that things would be different. Why did the dryads not say anything? I feel that would have known that. But overall he has such a small part in the story that it doesn't ruin my overall enjoyment.
I enjoyed this and that's what matters, but if your looking for a romance that focuses on the smut this is not for you.
November 26, 2023
This is a Macbeth retelling. So if you didn’t like Macbeth, then you’re probably not going to like this book.
The story was just OK and I wouldn’t even say it was good. Understandably, it is a novella so there’s only so much world building you can do and I expected this to be more character driven which proved to be true.
Being that it’s more character driven, I was expecting the relationship between the two main characters, Moira and Tallis to be more fiery and have more chemistry. They’ve been friends since they have been children and it really did not develop appropriately into a romance relationship. They are considered faded mates, but I really only saw that deep connection as pure friendship. It felt like a fake romance that was just trying to be a substitute for the insanity of all the other characters.
I did think some parts of the plot were interesting, and without giving any spoilers, I think the author did a good job, the personality of the king Kyros and what drove him to insanity.
If you’re looking for any spice, there is absolutely none. There is a kiss, but it’s extremely lackluster. Again, it’s like you would kiss your friend.
I honestly wish there was more to the story, and more to the characters, but everything felt more surface level, and even in novellas, you can still develop a deep character plot.
I honestly wouldn’t recommend this book unless you are a huge fan of Macbeth, but it is the prequel to the story of Kane, which is the son of the king and queen. I won’t be reading Kane‘s story just because I do not care for the authors writing style.
The story was just OK and I wouldn’t even say it was good. Understandably, it is a novella so there’s only so much world building you can do and I expected this to be more character driven which proved to be true.
Being that it’s more character driven, I was expecting the relationship between the two main characters, Moira and Tallis to be more fiery and have more chemistry. They’ve been friends since they have been children and it really did not develop appropriately into a romance relationship. They are considered faded mates, but I really only saw that deep connection as pure friendship. It felt like a fake romance that was just trying to be a substitute for the insanity of all the other characters.
I did think some parts of the plot were interesting, and without giving any spoilers, I think the author did a good job, the personality of the king Kyros and what drove him to insanity.
If you’re looking for any spice, there is absolutely none. There is a kiss, but it’s extremely lackluster. Again, it’s like you would kiss your friend.
I honestly wish there was more to the story, and more to the characters, but everything felt more surface level, and even in novellas, you can still develop a deep character plot.
I honestly wouldn’t recommend this book unless you are a huge fan of Macbeth, but it is the prequel to the story of Kane, which is the son of the king and queen. I won’t be reading Kane‘s story just because I do not care for the authors writing style.
June 1, 2023
Lovely novella with a well-developed world and characters.
While reading this book, I had absolutely no impression of it being a novella (except for the page count). You are well ensconced in to the story from the very beginning. The pace is also right from the start. You are also given the necessary info without it being info dumping, really well spaced out at appropriate moments. All this is finished off with a pinch of mystery. You feel that the world has already been built up in the author's head (she has in fact already written a whole series in this world, The Shifting Fae series). On top of that, she also manages to convey this super well in this book. You don't often come across this in novellas given the limited number of pages so it is really well done here.
I also found the characters very enjoyable, and yet original. The main character Moira may be queen, but one who is a bit older and has several children. She is also sometimes very much in two-fighting with herself about right and wrong. Again, this was definitely original. Tallis is also really great, so loyal, concerned but also brave and strong. Really someone you would love to have close by in real life too.
Some things were somewhat predictable, but didn't outweigh how much I enjoyed the rest of the story. Secretly, I hope this book will be a prequel to a new series, the ending has all the potential for it.
So I can definitely recommend this book for those looking for a short and smooth read, full of Fae, magic and treason.
I received an eARC of this book.
While reading this book, I had absolutely no impression of it being a novella (except for the page count). You are well ensconced in to the story from the very beginning. The pace is also right from the start. You are also given the necessary info without it being info dumping, really well spaced out at appropriate moments. All this is finished off with a pinch of mystery. You feel that the world has already been built up in the author's head (she has in fact already written a whole series in this world, The Shifting Fae series). On top of that, she also manages to convey this super well in this book. You don't often come across this in novellas given the limited number of pages so it is really well done here.
I also found the characters very enjoyable, and yet original. The main character Moira may be queen, but one who is a bit older and has several children. She is also sometimes very much in two-fighting with herself about right and wrong. Again, this was definitely original. Tallis is also really great, so loyal, concerned but also brave and strong. Really someone you would love to have close by in real life too.
Some things were somewhat predictable, but didn't outweigh how much I enjoyed the rest of the story. Secretly, I hope this book will be a prequel to a new series, the ending has all the potential for it.
So I can definitely recommend this book for those looking for a short and smooth read, full of Fae, magic and treason.
I received an eARC of this book.
January 30, 2024
Overall a nice, quick read for when you're looking exactly for that. It feels fast paced because it's barely a hundred pages long, and it helps that we're basically thrown into the story. Sometimes I felt we were getting a bit too much exposition for such a short book, but how other way can you explain what seems to be such a complex world in so few pages? So it didn't bother me much. It's obviously a story than could have been much more developed if it had the space for it, but I imagine it had to fit into a certain amount of pages. It can actually serve as a great first taste of the author's style and type of stories; and it's also a good prologue for her next book (which according to a note at the end of the book is coming out this 2024). Something that I liked about this is that the female main character, Moira, is older than the main characters I usually read, so it was interesting to read about her. She's tenacious and brave and I liked her. omg and there was one quote that reminded me of The Princess Bride so that was great to come across!
So if you like this kind of fantasy romance book with a forbidden romance (which is sometimes also cute and fluffy; and it's not super spicy) and childhood friends to lovers vibes, this is great.
So if you like this kind of fantasy romance book with a forbidden romance (which is sometimes also cute and fluffy; and it's not super spicy) and childhood friends to lovers vibes, this is great.
September 24, 2023
Moira is Queen of the Fae and is startled to find out that someone is killing her children. With her trusty best friend, Tallis, who also happens to be the captain of the palace guards, they dive deep into finding out who is murdering the children, and making it look like an accident. Their first suspect is Moira's husband, the dragon shifter King Kyros who is succumbing to the mental deterioration disease of his kind. Dodging suspicion herself, Moria is determined to do whatever it takes to uncover the killer and save her last child, Kane.
It's not a bad story or bad characters. I thought it was going to have a lot more spice in it than it actually did but that's okay. I did actually enjoy reading this, the only thing is that it occasionally got boring and repetitive in some parts for it only being a 122 page read.
From my understanding this is one of several standalone novellas from different authors that takes place in the same world. I am intrigued to see where the next one will take me. (09/2023)
3 out of 5 stars.
It's not a bad story or bad characters. I thought it was going to have a lot more spice in it than it actually did but that's okay. I did actually enjoy reading this, the only thing is that it occasionally got boring and repetitive in some parts for it only being a 122 page read.
From my understanding this is one of several standalone novellas from different authors that takes place in the same world. I am intrigued to see where the next one will take me. (09/2023)
3 out of 5 stars.
July 15, 2024
⭐️2.5⭐️
I liked the premise of this book, starting with a mother who lost her children and has been in two marriages. It was nice to read a story where the character is not a human teenager caught up in a fae world. The main character was a queen with strong magical abilities. This was essentially a royal palace intrigue and a murder mystery. I enjoyed the story and I think it did a good job as a novella.
There were many interesting elements that I wasn't expecting in the world - pixies, humanoid dragons, elemental magic, runes, witch magic, and vampires.
Apart from that, the writing/dialogue could have been better in places. There were a lot of intense mature themes covered in this book. I didn’t like the twist at the end with her son, and the King. It's not exactly the cosy happy ending I would have liked, but I do give it credit for being different.
I liked the premise of this book, starting with a mother who lost her children and has been in two marriages. It was nice to read a story where the character is not a human teenager caught up in a fae world. The main character was a queen with strong magical abilities. This was essentially a royal palace intrigue and a murder mystery. I enjoyed the story and I think it did a good job as a novella.
There were many interesting elements that I wasn't expecting in the world - pixies, humanoid dragons, elemental magic, runes, witch magic, and vampires.
Apart from that, the writing/dialogue could have been better in places. There were a lot of intense mature themes covered in this book. I didn’t like the twist at the end with her son, and the King. It's not exactly the cosy happy ending I would have liked, but I do give it credit for being different.
June 2, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
4.5/5 STARS
This is one of eleven novellas in The Starry Kingdoms of the Fae series written by all different authors. They are all stand alones and can be read in any order.
This is a fantasy romance set in a world filled with fae and dragons. You need to know that this is a novella. It is meant to be a short story where the pace is fast and there isn’t a lot of in depth description of characters and world building. I personally love novellas because they give you a taste of the author’s writing style and you can read them in one sitting.
Synopsis:
Queen Moira’s three daughters have all mysteriously died leaving only her son to continue the bloodline. With the king otherwise occupied by his human mistresses, Moira seeks the help of her longtime friend/bodyguard Tallis to find out who is after her family.
This was a very fun bodyguard fae romance. I loved the castle setting with the secret passages. There were dragons, witches, poisons, fae, and much more to quench your fantasy cravings. I didn’t want it to end! I will be checking out Eliza’s other books in the world this one is based in! 🐉🖤
4.5/5 STARS
This is one of eleven novellas in The Starry Kingdoms of the Fae series written by all different authors. They are all stand alones and can be read in any order.
This is a fantasy romance set in a world filled with fae and dragons. You need to know that this is a novella. It is meant to be a short story where the pace is fast and there isn’t a lot of in depth description of characters and world building. I personally love novellas because they give you a taste of the author’s writing style and you can read them in one sitting.
Synopsis:
Queen Moira’s three daughters have all mysteriously died leaving only her son to continue the bloodline. With the king otherwise occupied by his human mistresses, Moira seeks the help of her longtime friend/bodyguard Tallis to find out who is after her family.
This was a very fun bodyguard fae romance. I loved the castle setting with the secret passages. There were dragons, witches, poisons, fae, and much more to quench your fantasy cravings. I didn’t want it to end! I will be checking out Eliza’s other books in the world this one is based in! 🐉🖤
November 15, 2023
Solid 3.5/4
I read this as a pallet cleanser between cozy books, and it was surprisingly good for such a short story. It had good world building, but not so much that's all it was. It did leave me wanting to know more about the world, but that just tells me it has good world building. The stakes were good, and it had good tension that was resolved in a decent way. There was romance building and sexual tension, but don't expect spice (did not affect my review)
The characters were good, the MMC and FMC were likable, and their choices and decisions made sense, even if I didn't agree with them.
If you're looking for a Happily Ever After ending, this isn't it. The ending isn't tragic or devastating and is good for the story. However, it is not a "and all worked out in the end" kind of ending
I read this as a pallet cleanser between cozy books, and it was surprisingly good for such a short story. It had good world building, but not so much that's all it was. It did leave me wanting to know more about the world, but that just tells me it has good world building. The stakes were good, and it had good tension that was resolved in a decent way. There was romance building and sexual tension, but don't expect spice (did not affect my review)
The characters were good, the MMC and FMC were likable, and their choices and decisions made sense, even if I didn't agree with them.
If you're looking for a Happily Ever After ending, this isn't it. The ending isn't tragic or devastating and is good for the story. However, it is not a "and all worked out in the end" kind of ending
November 24, 2025
I was drawn to this book by its beautiful cover and I wanted a nice easy fantasy story. With only 252 pages this was a very quick read. Knowing you can’t expect much from a book that short, it was a nice little read but the story seemed a little chaotic and the pacing felt off at times. It almost felt like she had a brilliant idea and focussed on setting up a whole complex world but ran out of time to develop the characters and plot further. The ending in particular felt clunky and rushed but overall it had a promising approach and was simple enough to get through.
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