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Unraveled Fate #1
Lunaria
A fate unraveled and destined to be rewoven back together.
Amira was a pawn in her father's power games. Trapped in a life of lonely monotony, everything changed when the King invited all nobles of marrying age to the castle to find their perfect match.
Now, she must play a new kind of game.
One in which it's not simply her father vying for power, but the entire court. Forced into the political machinations of the ruling class, she knows that the Prince is always watching- and so is his dangerous but alluring right-hand man.
As Amira navigates the wicked games of court, she discovers that maybe her father had a reason for keeping her under his thumb. Maybe he was hiding a secret that could change not only Amira's fate, but the fate of the entire kingdom.
Amira was a pawn in her father's power games. Trapped in a life of lonely monotony, everything changed when the King invited all nobles of marrying age to the castle to find their perfect match.
Now, she must play a new kind of game.
One in which it's not simply her father vying for power, but the entire court. Forced into the political machinations of the ruling class, she knows that the Prince is always watching- and so is his dangerous but alluring right-hand man.
As Amira navigates the wicked games of court, she discovers that maybe her father had a reason for keeping her under his thumb. Maybe he was hiding a secret that could change not only Amira's fate, but the fate of the entire kingdom.
352 pages, Hardcover
Published August 20, 2023
765 people are currently reading
12296 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 419 reviews
August 7, 2023
Thank you to Kara Douglas for this ARC of Lunaria and giving me the chance to read this wonderful story before publish date. 🤍
I finished the book yesterday afternoon, but needed some time to process, fan girl and reel about this story! It has been while since I could read a book and absolutely not want to put it down. I am a complete mood reader and only realized this a couple years ago.
Background:
The story takes place in Crea with a strong female MC named Amira. Insert badass woman vibes! Her father is the royal merchant who uses her as a pawn and to his advantage. She dreams of being free and losing the invisible shackles placed on her. She meets a boy in the market one day and things start to not make sense for her. However, she finds herself sent to the castle to be matched with a high born male. Will this aid in Amira’s attempt to be set free? She agrees to go only if she has an ally within the castle. Linnick, the fruit seller from the market, agrees to accompany her on this new journey. Events happen within the castle, politics come into play, and Amira finds herself in a love triangle.
Listen up! This book had me on edge most of the time. The plot was very well written with twists and turns strategically placed throughout. My mouth dropped and I gasped a couple times at the surprises.
The story reminded me of The Selection book series and the tv series Reign meshed together with other unique hints of magic. The slow burn romance had me guessing what would happen with whom and how it would get there. I found myself rooting for the unlikely person (as always). Just rip my heart out already!
If you are wanting a fantasy read with royals, slow burn romance and a strong female lead who knows what she wants, I highly suggest adding this book to your TBR. Actually, don’t think, just add it!
I will definitely be waiting for and reading the rest of the books in this series. Until then, Lunaria will live rent free in my head.
See you soon Lu! ❤️❤️
I finished the book yesterday afternoon, but needed some time to process, fan girl and reel about this story! It has been while since I could read a book and absolutely not want to put it down. I am a complete mood reader and only realized this a couple years ago.
Background:
The story takes place in Crea with a strong female MC named Amira. Insert badass woman vibes! Her father is the royal merchant who uses her as a pawn and to his advantage. She dreams of being free and losing the invisible shackles placed on her. She meets a boy in the market one day and things start to not make sense for her. However, she finds herself sent to the castle to be matched with a high born male. Will this aid in Amira’s attempt to be set free? She agrees to go only if she has an ally within the castle. Linnick, the fruit seller from the market, agrees to accompany her on this new journey. Events happen within the castle, politics come into play, and Amira finds herself in a love triangle.
Listen up! This book had me on edge most of the time. The plot was very well written with twists and turns strategically placed throughout. My mouth dropped and I gasped a couple times at the surprises.
The story reminded me of The Selection book series and the tv series Reign meshed together with other unique hints of magic. The slow burn romance had me guessing what would happen with whom and how it would get there. I found myself rooting for the unlikely person (as always). Just rip my heart out already!
If you are wanting a fantasy read with royals, slow burn romance and a strong female lead who knows what she wants, I highly suggest adding this book to your TBR. Actually, don’t think, just add it!
I will definitely be waiting for and reading the rest of the books in this series. Until then, Lunaria will live rent free in my head.
See you soon Lu! ❤️❤️
March 30, 2024
3.5⭐️ this was…fine? If you’re looking for something easy to read and not complex, this works. Nothing overly unique. It was rather predictable, but still a good time. Debating on reading the 2nd book or not.
August 24, 2023
Thank you Kara Douglas for the ARC!
Oh my god??? This book was stellar. The world building was incredible & Amira is a refreshing FMC. I can’t believe this is Douglas’ debut novel. I will be hyping this up until release date on August 20th.
Her friendship with Opal & Linnick offer the heart-warming found family trope I love, especially with the life Amira has lived.
While the story took a bit to get into, the “slow” start set up the overall story.
Fake dating & forced proximity needs to be used more, because whew I absolutely loved it in this story. I was giggling at the interactions while also swooning over the love triangle setup.
Avery was amazing & I really hope we get more of her in the series. I can see her & Amira becoming besties as they already have such a strong, pure connection.
The ending absolutely blew me away… like I just stared with my mouth open trying to process what was happening. I didn’t see it coming at ALL. Honestly, the story & writing gives Sarah J Maas vibes & I am going to be patiently waiting for the second book to be announced because I will be pre-ordering it the moment that announcement is made - I NEED MORRREEEE!!! And I need Graylan fan art immediately 😭😭
Oh my god??? This book was stellar. The world building was incredible & Amira is a refreshing FMC. I can’t believe this is Douglas’ debut novel. I will be hyping this up until release date on August 20th.
Her friendship with Opal & Linnick offer the heart-warming found family trope I love, especially with the life Amira has lived.
While the story took a bit to get into, the “slow” start set up the overall story.
Fake dating & forced proximity needs to be used more, because whew I absolutely loved it in this story. I was giggling at the interactions while also swooning over the love triangle setup.
Avery was amazing & I really hope we get more of her in the series. I can see her & Amira becoming besties as they already have such a strong, pure connection.
The ending absolutely blew me away… like I just stared with my mouth open trying to process what was happening. I didn’t see it coming at ALL. Honestly, the story & writing gives Sarah J Maas vibes & I am going to be patiently waiting for the second book to be announced because I will be pre-ordering it the moment that announcement is made - I NEED MORRREEEE!!! And I need Graylan fan art immediately 😭😭
February 12, 2025
omg??? i am at a loss for words.
so, the beginning of this book was slow, and there where parts that felt pretty repetitive, but overall i really enjoyed this!
this has a bit of a YA feel to it, but the atmosphere is so easy to digest, the FMC is just a real easy FMC to read from the perspective of, a bit naive, and you’re learning the rules of this world with her. i really liked her at the end!
now, is a love triangle really a love triangle when one of the MMC’s is blond? come on now. i knew who was endgame and i loved him. a broody warrior labeled as the prince’s snake with a body count that goes on for miles? count me in.
i am so excited for book 2, because this book left off on a CRAZY plot.
4.25 stars. ⭐️
so, the beginning of this book was slow, and there where parts that felt pretty repetitive, but overall i really enjoyed this!
this has a bit of a YA feel to it, but the atmosphere is so easy to digest, the FMC is just a real easy FMC to read from the perspective of, a bit naive, and you’re learning the rules of this world with her. i really liked her at the end!
now, is a love triangle really a love triangle when one of the MMC’s is blond? come on now. i knew who was endgame and i loved him. a broody warrior labeled as the prince’s snake with a body count that goes on for miles? count me in.
i am so excited for book 2, because this book left off on a CRAZY plot.
4.25 stars. ⭐️
August 12, 2023
I received an arc of Lunaria for my honest review 🙂
It releases on KU 20/08!
Only you can decide your future, you just have to be strong enough to take control of it.
3.5 / 5
As always, a little shout out for the map at the front of the book, it's really detailed and I love that.
I just want to preface this by saying I really enjoyed the premise of this book.
Amira, our FMC grows up in the Kings camp, surrounded by men who think lesser of her/ are scared of her because of her Father who's the Royal Merchant and has the Kings ear. Her relationship with her Father is... Strained? I feel like that's maybe the polite way to put it, he's more interested in his political games and how they benefit him, than he is in her. She initially spends a lot of her time doing the tasks he sets and learning to fight with her friend Opal in the camp.
Our MMC is quite aloof, we learn bits about him from Amira's prying but it's not until the end of the book that his true colours are shown. So, I'm not going to put too much emphasis on him. I'll let people make their own minds up.
In terms of the writing style, honestly, it wasn't for me. I can overlook it a lot of the time if the plot really captures me but it really stood out to me this time. That's no shade at Kara though, she can't please everyone with how she writes! There were also parts I found to be a little confusing and I had to re-read it to fully understand what was going on.
The book really didn't grab me until I'd say around 30% in, you have to be patient as a lot of the beginning is spent setting the scene and is descriptive. Which in itself is fine, I just think it could have maybe been condensed a little more in favour of adding more to the later plot and avoid a little of the repetition that I saw. Once you hit the 30% I found it definitely speeds itself up as Amira navigates her way through a whole new game, one she was certainly unprepared for.
There are elements of an almost why choose throughout too, which I think could have been played on.
That being said, the covers beautiful and it's an interesting read. There's just elements I wish we're different but that's my personal opinion and clearly, one of the minority as this book is doing great on its reviews.
It releases on KU 20/08!
Only you can decide your future, you just have to be strong enough to take control of it.
3.5 / 5
As always, a little shout out for the map at the front of the book, it's really detailed and I love that.
I just want to preface this by saying I really enjoyed the premise of this book.
Amira, our FMC grows up in the Kings camp, surrounded by men who think lesser of her/ are scared of her because of her Father who's the Royal Merchant and has the Kings ear. Her relationship with her Father is... Strained? I feel like that's maybe the polite way to put it, he's more interested in his political games and how they benefit him, than he is in her. She initially spends a lot of her time doing the tasks he sets and learning to fight with her friend Opal in the camp.
Our MMC is quite aloof, we learn bits about him from Amira's prying but it's not until the end of the book that his true colours are shown. So, I'm not going to put too much emphasis on him. I'll let people make their own minds up.
In terms of the writing style, honestly, it wasn't for me. I can overlook it a lot of the time if the plot really captures me but it really stood out to me this time. That's no shade at Kara though, she can't please everyone with how she writes! There were also parts I found to be a little confusing and I had to re-read it to fully understand what was going on.
The book really didn't grab me until I'd say around 30% in, you have to be patient as a lot of the beginning is spent setting the scene and is descriptive. Which in itself is fine, I just think it could have maybe been condensed a little more in favour of adding more to the later plot and avoid a little of the repetition that I saw. Once you hit the 30% I found it definitely speeds itself up as Amira navigates her way through a whole new game, one she was certainly unprepared for.
There are elements of an almost why choose throughout too, which I think could have been played on.
That being said, the covers beautiful and it's an interesting read. There's just elements I wish we're different but that's my personal opinion and clearly, one of the minority as this book is doing great on its reviews.
July 15, 2025
Lunaria (Unraveled Fate #1) by Kara Douglas
A fate unraveled and destined to be rewoven back together.
Amira has never been more than a pawn in her powerful father's games, but a chance to escape her life of lonely monotony arises when the king invites all nobles of marrying age to find their perfect match.
Rating: *****
Feels: Surprise, Interest, Anticipation .. more surprise !!!
Style: Fantasy, Romantasy, Young Adult, Fae, Magic, High Fantasy
First published August 20, 2023 : 398 pages, Audio Book
This was the kind of read you just sink into as it lights up your imagination. I kept being surprised by all the details as we get to follow Amira around on her journey and all the amazing cast of characters we meet. I loved Amira so much as the story went on and she trounced around the castle. She was just so fun and her interactions with the other characters were just so enjoyable to listen to. I enjoyed the world building so much, lore and how the world + story unf0lded and we were taken along for the ride. Interpersonal relationships were challenged and it was nice to see the growth with a lot of different characters. I look forward to continuing this series to see what happens to our girl !
AudioBook Review: I absolutely loved the audiobook of this story. The narrator was able to get me engaged in the story with emotion and inflection. Tone, quality, and speed were all perfect. I was able to easily differentiate between all characters. The audio added such depth to the story and definitely made the story enjoyable. This is a narrator I will listen to again !!
This book has:
Strong FMC (Stabby)
Morally Gray MMC
Enemies to Lovers
Touch her and die
Found Family
Fake Engagement
Hidden Identity
Politics
Magic
A fate unraveled and destined to be rewoven back together.
Amira has never been more than a pawn in her powerful father's games, but a chance to escape her life of lonely monotony arises when the king invites all nobles of marrying age to find their perfect match.
Rating: *****
Feels: Surprise, Interest, Anticipation .. more surprise !!!
Style: Fantasy, Romantasy, Young Adult, Fae, Magic, High Fantasy
First published August 20, 2023 : 398 pages, Audio Book
This was the kind of read you just sink into as it lights up your imagination. I kept being surprised by all the details as we get to follow Amira around on her journey and all the amazing cast of characters we meet. I loved Amira so much as the story went on and she trounced around the castle. She was just so fun and her interactions with the other characters were just so enjoyable to listen to. I enjoyed the world building so much, lore and how the world + story unf0lded and we were taken along for the ride. Interpersonal relationships were challenged and it was nice to see the growth with a lot of different characters. I look forward to continuing this series to see what happens to our girl !
AudioBook Review: I absolutely loved the audiobook of this story. The narrator was able to get me engaged in the story with emotion and inflection. Tone, quality, and speed were all perfect. I was able to easily differentiate between all characters. The audio added such depth to the story and definitely made the story enjoyable. This is a narrator I will listen to again !!
This book has:
Strong FMC (Stabby)
Morally Gray MMC
Enemies to Lovers
Touch her and die
Found Family
Fake Engagement
Hidden Identity
Politics
Magic
February 17, 2024
It has potential but it isn’t there yet
I wanted to like this book. The premise and concept are good, the world interesting and the conceptual characters show promise.
However, the pacing and execution make it clear that the book needed more time to be developed effectively. It’s as if the author wrote the concept and outline for the characters, but didn’t know how to execute it. The dialogue was stilted. Sometimes I thought the FMC was 14. There was a lack of maturity in all of the characters. All of the dialogue felt forced and out of nowhere. Add to that that the dialogue isn’t formatted correctly (which makes it difficult to tell who is speaking and who is reacting because everything is on the same line), and it felt chaotic and confusing. Even though things *happen* it often felt like it was going nowhere. It doesn’t help that the main character was pretty bratty.
I think with more editing and guidance, this book could have been good. The world itself hints at being interesting, but with the uneven character development and the inconsistent pacing, it fell flat and I had to force myself to finish reading it.
I think this author has potential but isn’t there yet. I hope she finds an editor who is able to see what works in the book and help her understand how to grow the characters and the world with appropriate pacing and urgency, instead of making a collage of underdeveloped ideas and characters.
I wanted to like this book. The premise and concept are good, the world interesting and the conceptual characters show promise.
However, the pacing and execution make it clear that the book needed more time to be developed effectively. It’s as if the author wrote the concept and outline for the characters, but didn’t know how to execute it. The dialogue was stilted. Sometimes I thought the FMC was 14. There was a lack of maturity in all of the characters. All of the dialogue felt forced and out of nowhere. Add to that that the dialogue isn’t formatted correctly (which makes it difficult to tell who is speaking and who is reacting because everything is on the same line), and it felt chaotic and confusing. Even though things *happen* it often felt like it was going nowhere. It doesn’t help that the main character was pretty bratty.
I think with more editing and guidance, this book could have been good. The world itself hints at being interesting, but with the uneven character development and the inconsistent pacing, it fell flat and I had to force myself to finish reading it.
I think this author has potential but isn’t there yet. I hope she finds an editor who is able to see what works in the book and help her understand how to grow the characters and the world with appropriate pacing and urgency, instead of making a collage of underdeveloped ideas and characters.
August 17, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
THIS ONE WAS SO GOOD!!!! Genuinely.. this was just a fun time all around! i will say, it took me like 28% ishhh to get into.. but once it picked up i was HOOKED! Literally stayed up until 5am to finish this book.. and the ending 😮💨😮💨🤯🤯 INSANE!!
the reason why this is only 3.5⭐️ is bc of the slow start and also bc i feel like there could have been more depth with the writing!! i felt like there were a few holes in the story but overall, i would DEFINITELY recommend you read this one!!
THIS ONE WAS SO GOOD!!!! Genuinely.. this was just a fun time all around! i will say, it took me like 28% ishhh to get into.. but once it picked up i was HOOKED! Literally stayed up until 5am to finish this book.. and the ending 😮💨😮💨🤯🤯 INSANE!!
the reason why this is only 3.5⭐️ is bc of the slow start and also bc i feel like there could have been more depth with the writing!! i felt like there were a few holes in the story but overall, i would DEFINITELY recommend you read this one!!
July 25, 2023
Thank you to the author for an advanced copy for me to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
5/5
WOW. Okay, this book had me in such a chokehold; I could NOT put it down! I was about 50% in and was already recommending it to my friends.
I would recommend this book to those who liked “The Selection” and “Daughter of the Pirate King”, since while I was reading I kept thinking back to those books and getting those vibes.
I went into the book relatively blind (since I forgot every single trope that was listed as well as what the blurb said) and the only thing I remembered was it was a fantasy book—which was enough to know to make me happy.
Knowing next to nothing of what to expect actually made me enjoy the book more, the slow burn was more fun while reading and not knowing the “enemies to lovers” trope made me conflicted on who she would end with and who I wanted her to end up with.
I was completely rooting for the slow burn throughout, as in, I was smiling and giggling at my kindle in public.
The plot twists in this book were really well written, they made sense and weren’t out of nowhere. There were breadcrumbs throughout the story that were slowly hinting towards it, if you looked closely.
Overall, this book was a fun and fast-paced read that threw me into the world of Crea as Amira was searching for a way to find her freedom. The ending is a perfect set-up for the following book(s) in the series, which I will definitely be reading as well!
5/5
WOW. Okay, this book had me in such a chokehold; I could NOT put it down! I was about 50% in and was already recommending it to my friends.
I would recommend this book to those who liked “The Selection” and “Daughter of the Pirate King”, since while I was reading I kept thinking back to those books and getting those vibes.
I went into the book relatively blind (since I forgot every single trope that was listed as well as what the blurb said) and the only thing I remembered was it was a fantasy book—which was enough to know to make me happy.
Knowing next to nothing of what to expect actually made me enjoy the book more, the slow burn was more fun while reading and not knowing the “enemies to lovers” trope made me conflicted on who she would end with and who I wanted her to end up with.
I was completely rooting for the slow burn throughout, as in, I was smiling and giggling at my kindle in public.
The plot twists in this book were really well written, they made sense and weren’t out of nowhere. There were breadcrumbs throughout the story that were slowly hinting towards it, if you looked closely.
Overall, this book was a fun and fast-paced read that threw me into the world of Crea as Amira was searching for a way to find her freedom. The ending is a perfect set-up for the following book(s) in the series, which I will definitely be reading as well!
October 16, 2023
My inner child is healing.
This book is like every daydream/fantasy/wishful thought I ever had as a little girl all combined to create a perfectly enchanting story that made me feel like I had stepped foot in a classic fairytale world brimming with adventure, romance, and morally grey men.
Amira is the kind of FMC I've always longed to be: compassionate, fierce, loyal. Not to mention she's skilled in combat, which is definitely a plus in Amira's world.
Amira's story captured my heart. At her core, she's a girl longing for freedom and adventure, and she's willing to fight to take back control of her life—even if it's scary. Even if it means venturing into unknown territory, both figuratively and literally.
Between Amira's heartwarming friendships with a lovable cast of side characters and the pure, sweet romance that gave me butterflies, I found myself not wanting to leave this charming world that Douglas has created.
I can't wait to read the next installment of Lunaria, and if you haven't already immersed yourself in the magic that is this book, what are you waiting for?!
This book is like every daydream/fantasy/wishful thought I ever had as a little girl all combined to create a perfectly enchanting story that made me feel like I had stepped foot in a classic fairytale world brimming with adventure, romance, and morally grey men.
Amira is the kind of FMC I've always longed to be: compassionate, fierce, loyal. Not to mention she's skilled in combat, which is definitely a plus in Amira's world.
Amira's story captured my heart. At her core, she's a girl longing for freedom and adventure, and she's willing to fight to take back control of her life—even if it's scary. Even if it means venturing into unknown territory, both figuratively and literally.
Between Amira's heartwarming friendships with a lovable cast of side characters and the pure, sweet romance that gave me butterflies, I found myself not wanting to leave this charming world that Douglas has created.
I can't wait to read the next installment of Lunaria, and if you haven't already immersed yourself in the magic that is this book, what are you waiting for?!
July 6, 2024
Free from SYK. It could maybe be 2.5 as it stands. The premise is promising, the story is there I just don’t think executed well. I found it slow paced and repetitive (nothing attention grabbing really started to happen until halfway). The dialogue and drama was stilted and rushed. The story didn’t really unfold, things just abruptly happened.
June 10, 2025
I’ve been in the weirdest fantasy reading slump lately and this book got me out of it! It is such an amazing story with beautiful writing. And that ending?!?! I’m still reeling from it!!
April 6, 2024
Wowwww… this book was insanely good. I experienced all the emotions. Also…. Graylen >>>>>>>
1000/10
P.S. It’s on kindle unlimited right now so go read it please 💖
1000/10
P.S. It’s on kindle unlimited right now so go read it please 💖
December 16, 2024
excuse???
First, thanks so much to the author for the advanced audio of this book. All opinions are my own.
I started this book and was wondering where things would go at the beginning, there wasn’t an immediate path to start so I’m like, ok what’s happening.
From the moment the match ceremonies coming to the castle were announced, I was a goner. I loved literally every decision made beyond that point and am more than excited to begin book two. Megan Wicks does an incredible job narrating this story and bringing it to life, especially helping to clarify who’s speaking sometimes.
I loved the moments Lu started to realize things are not as they seem, and how she handles them in every situation. We love a good, fierce FMC and Lu is nothing short of a determinedly fierce warrior.
Though we don’t know much about Graylen and honestly have more questions than answers, I already know everything I need to know about him to know that I love him. Protective, fierce, “I hate everyone but you” vibes even BEFORE he knows for sure, and I can’t wait to know more.
I highly recommend this book and I am so glad I finally started it!!
First, thanks so much to the author for the advanced audio of this book. All opinions are my own.
I started this book and was wondering where things would go at the beginning, there wasn’t an immediate path to start so I’m like, ok what’s happening.
From the moment the match ceremonies coming to the castle were announced, I was a goner. I loved literally every decision made beyond that point and am more than excited to begin book two. Megan Wicks does an incredible job narrating this story and bringing it to life, especially helping to clarify who’s speaking sometimes.
I loved the moments Lu started to realize things are not as they seem, and how she handles them in every situation. We love a good, fierce FMC and Lu is nothing short of a determinedly fierce warrior.
Though we don’t know much about Graylen and honestly have more questions than answers, I already know everything I need to know about him to know that I love him. Protective, fierce, “I hate everyone but you” vibes even BEFORE he knows for sure, and I can’t wait to know more.
I highly recommend this book and I am so glad I finally started it!!
September 8, 2023
Yall. This book. My heart is feeling things ❤️
I'm ready for the next one now please, Kara 🥹
I'm ready for the next one now please, Kara 🥹
November 14, 2023
ARC review
3.5/5
-found family
-slow burn
-friends to lovers
-love triangle
-magical world
-royal setting
I received this ARC back in August but I completely forgot as I had requested too many arcs around that time (I learned my lesson lol). So I finally got to read it now.
Idk if it was because I had just finished IF prior to reading this, but this book dragged for me until near the end. It was especially slow at the beginning with setting the scene and world building. The middle picked up a bit but I still had to push through. And then the end hits you like a baseball to your face, it just all happens so fast lol. I get it though, sometimes the first books in fantasy series can tend to be slow due to the world and story building. So while this book was not a 5 star for me, I still cannot wait for the next book and have high hopes that it will be so much better than the first.
Thank you NerdFam for the ARC. <3
3.5/5
-found family
-slow burn
-friends to lovers
-love triangle
-magical world
-royal setting
I received this ARC back in August but I completely forgot as I had requested too many arcs around that time (I learned my lesson lol). So I finally got to read it now.
Idk if it was because I had just finished IF prior to reading this, but this book dragged for me until near the end. It was especially slow at the beginning with setting the scene and world building. The middle picked up a bit but I still had to push through. And then the end hits you like a baseball to your face, it just all happens so fast lol. I get it though, sometimes the first books in fantasy series can tend to be slow due to the world and story building. So while this book was not a 5 star for me, I still cannot wait for the next book and have high hopes that it will be so much better than the first.
Thank you NerdFam for the ARC. <3
August 28, 2024
A lot like These Hollow Vows.
Definitely not surprised by the plot twist.
Curious to read the second tho
Definitely not surprised by the plot twist.
Curious to read the second tho
January 14, 2024
"Lunaria" by Kara Douglas unfolds as a quiet yet engaging YA fantasy centered around the life of twenty-year-old Amira Ramsey. Amira longs for freedom from her controlling father. She watches the soldiers living alongside her in the training camp and trains in secret to learn to protect herself. When sent to town to shop for her father, she meets a mysterious young man, and the two become fast friends. When The King decides to host a matchmaking event, it thrusts her into the midst of castle life.
This is a charming tale, with Amira navigating the complexities of a life she never wanted. I especially liked the portrayal of Amira's relationships with her relatively few human and animal friends.
That said, I don't understand the motivations behind the late-book villain. The character seemed wooden and some of the actions of everyone were a little unrealistic with leaps of logic that were necessary for the plot. The beginning was also incredibly slow and I had a difficult time getting into the story. I do think that there is a lot to love here and it has good bones. I can't wait to see what the author will do with the next book.
Thank you to booksirens and the author for the review copy. All opinions are my own.
This is a charming tale, with Amira navigating the complexities of a life she never wanted. I especially liked the portrayal of Amira's relationships with her relatively few human and animal friends.
That said, I don't understand the motivations behind the late-book villain. The character seemed wooden and some of the actions of everyone were a little unrealistic with leaps of logic that were necessary for the plot. The beginning was also incredibly slow and I had a difficult time getting into the story. I do think that there is a lot to love here and it has good bones. I can't wait to see what the author will do with the next book.
Thank you to booksirens and the author for the review copy. All opinions are my own.
June 1, 2025
Sometimes you just need a good NA fantasy in your life. I have spiraled into Dark Romance and Dark Romantic Fantasy lately and it was fun and refreshing to read this amazing YA fantasy.
Amira is our female lead she grew up in the Royal Training Camp of Crea and gets thrown into an event meant to help match the noble born of society.
Greylan is our Morally Grey MMC who is also the right hand to the Prince of Crea.
I think we can see where this is going 😉
Douglas does an amazing job getting us into Amira’s mind space. She tells a captivating story that keeps you engaged and eager to know what happens next. I am already dying to know what happens in book two!
-Fake engagement
-Slow burn
-Morally grey MMC
-Strong FMC
-Court intrigue
-Found Family
-Found magic
-Plot twists
-Cliffhanger ending
Amira is our female lead she grew up in the Royal Training Camp of Crea and gets thrown into an event meant to help match the noble born of society.
Greylan is our Morally Grey MMC who is also the right hand to the Prince of Crea.
I think we can see where this is going 😉
Douglas does an amazing job getting us into Amira’s mind space. She tells a captivating story that keeps you engaged and eager to know what happens next. I am already dying to know what happens in book two!
-Fake engagement
-Slow burn
-Morally grey MMC
-Strong FMC
-Court intrigue
-Found Family
-Found magic
-Plot twists
-Cliffhanger ending
February 23, 2024
Lunaria had me hooked from the get go, Kara building and creating a world with depth, colour and intrigue the whole way through. Court intrigue and politics that are well written and enticing, mind games, internal and external battles- all written well to the point of me wanting to stand and applaud.
If you're a fan of Penn Cole, this book and series is for you, following along political lines and games but make it ✨️fantasy✨️ (which I LOVE).
If you're a fan of Penn Cole, this book and series is for you, following along political lines and games but make it ✨️fantasy✨️ (which I LOVE).
October 9, 2023
Loved the last few chapters of this book, but the start was slow and repetitive. Can’t wait to see where book 2 goes
April 29, 2024
Predictable book. Felt a bit slow and like nothing was really going on. Don’t think I’ll pick up the second one.
August 20, 2023
Thank you Kara Douglas for this ARC in return of an honest review.
"Twenty-year-old Amira Ramsey has lived her entire life desperate to explore her kingdom freely. Stuck beneath the controlling thumb of her father, she’s forced to be a puppet on a string for what best suits him and his greed for power.
Amira’s monotonous life is filled with the same daily tasks. Her only friends consist of a childhood friend, a dog, an old man, and a homeless boy from the market. But an unexpected series of events thrusts her into the center of life in the last place she wishes to the castle.
From a life of loneliness, she's now pressed into the view of those vying for power, and of course, the Prince - and the dangerous but alluring attention of his right-hand man."
This YA fantasy is perfect for anyone who wants to get into fantasy since the world-building is easy to understand and the fantasy elements aren't heavy or complicated! Also, the character development is well done. The beginning is a bit slow but I feel like it's usually the case in fantasy books.
This story has the found family trope which I LOVE!! Amira builds beautiful friendships and learns that love can be found with people outside your family and she strongly needed that since her dad isn't the most loving person, to say it politely.
eded that since her dad isn't the most loving person, to say it politely.
This book is also a love triangle. I am usually not a fan of the love triangle because it's usually predictable with who the MC will end up with but I genuinely did not know who it will be. I did have my preference though, morally grey for the win!!
For a debut novel, Kara did a great job! The reason why I don't give it 5 stars is that I needed more fantasy elements and because of the slow beginning. I am still very interested to see where the story will lead us in book two!
Available on KU!
3.5⭐️
Tropes:
- Love Triangle
- Fake dating
- Friends to lovers
- Enemies to lovers
- Strong FMC
- Slow burn
- Forced proximity
- Royal Setting
- YA
"Twenty-year-old Amira Ramsey has lived her entire life desperate to explore her kingdom freely. Stuck beneath the controlling thumb of her father, she’s forced to be a puppet on a string for what best suits him and his greed for power.
Amira’s monotonous life is filled with the same daily tasks. Her only friends consist of a childhood friend, a dog, an old man, and a homeless boy from the market. But an unexpected series of events thrusts her into the center of life in the last place she wishes to the castle.
From a life of loneliness, she's now pressed into the view of those vying for power, and of course, the Prince - and the dangerous but alluring attention of his right-hand man."
This YA fantasy is perfect for anyone who wants to get into fantasy since the world-building is easy to understand and the fantasy elements aren't heavy or complicated! Also, the character development is well done. The beginning is a bit slow but I feel like it's usually the case in fantasy books.
This story has the found family trope which I LOVE!! Amira builds beautiful friendships and learns that love can be found with people outside your family and she strongly needed that since her dad isn't the most loving person, to say it politely.
eded that since her dad isn't the most loving person, to say it politely.
This book is also a love triangle. I am usually not a fan of the love triangle because it's usually predictable with who the MC will end up with but I genuinely did not know who it will be. I did have my preference though, morally grey for the win!!
For a debut novel, Kara did a great job! The reason why I don't give it 5 stars is that I needed more fantasy elements and because of the slow beginning. I am still very interested to see where the story will lead us in book two!
Available on KU!
3.5⭐️
Tropes:
- Love Triangle
- Fake dating
- Friends to lovers
- Enemies to lovers
- Strong FMC
- Slow burn
- Forced proximity
- Royal Setting
- YA
February 27, 2025
A very solid first book in a series! Expect lots of set up - especially the overall world and characters, of which there are many - all in the context of matchmaking competition that’s like Bridgerton if all the eligible parties were forced to live together for the season.
Lu has been raised within the confines of the royal army training camp, surrounded by awful men, including her strict, power-hungry father. All she has ever dreamed of is to be free to live her own life. Her dreams, however, take a detour when she’s sent to the palace along with every highborn man and woman in order to find an advantageous match. She’s determined to find her way out, even as she gets closer to the Prince himself…and his spy, the enigmatic Graylen Garriden.
For tropes, we have fake dating, a love triangle, and lots of tension (and some smooching) but no on page spice. I truly wasn’t sure exactly how the triangle would go and loved the direction at the end! Emotionally fraught as it was 😩
Lu is a badass warrior but not a cocky one; she’s compassionate and determined, if a bit naive. At the end of the book it definitely feels like her journey is just beginning.
This sentiment extends to the romance, most of the side characters, the MMC, the real conflict of the series…Everything opens up wide at the finish line and I’m looking forward to what’s to come!
Lu has been raised within the confines of the royal army training camp, surrounded by awful men, including her strict, power-hungry father. All she has ever dreamed of is to be free to live her own life. Her dreams, however, take a detour when she’s sent to the palace along with every highborn man and woman in order to find an advantageous match. She’s determined to find her way out, even as she gets closer to the Prince himself…and his spy, the enigmatic Graylen Garriden.
For tropes, we have fake dating, a love triangle, and lots of tension (and some smooching) but no on page spice. I truly wasn’t sure exactly how the triangle would go and loved the direction at the end! Emotionally fraught as it was 😩
Lu is a badass warrior but not a cocky one; she’s compassionate and determined, if a bit naive. At the end of the book it definitely feels like her journey is just beginning.
This sentiment extends to the romance, most of the side characters, the MMC, the real conflict of the series…Everything opens up wide at the finish line and I’m looking forward to what’s to come!
August 24, 2023
I had the opportunity to ARC read and review the first book in the Unraveled Fate series called Lunaria by Kara Douglas!
I can't wrap my head around the fact that this was a debut?! This was such a wonderful book, and the ending absolutely blew my mind!!
This book follows along with Amira Ramsey, the Royal Merchant's daughter, who spends her days hiding from her father as much as she can and wishing to be free from the soldier training camp that he oversees. She wakes up, trains, and goes to sleep. Her only solace is her best friend named Opal, a stray dog named Dog, and an old man named Linnick who runs a small stand in the market. Her father sends her into the market every week for a few items, mainly just to make sure she won't take off, but on one of her trips, she meets a boy who changes the course of her life... forever.
This book is perfect if you like fantasy, kingdom politics and drama, castle settings, and a slow burn romance. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I can't wait for the next one!
Lunaria got released on August 20th, and you'll definitely want to add it to your TBR!
A huge thank you to @thenerdfam and @authorkaradouglas for this eARC! These are my honest thoughts and opinions.
I can't wrap my head around the fact that this was a debut?! This was such a wonderful book, and the ending absolutely blew my mind!!
This book follows along with Amira Ramsey, the Royal Merchant's daughter, who spends her days hiding from her father as much as she can and wishing to be free from the soldier training camp that he oversees. She wakes up, trains, and goes to sleep. Her only solace is her best friend named Opal, a stray dog named Dog, and an old man named Linnick who runs a small stand in the market. Her father sends her into the market every week for a few items, mainly just to make sure she won't take off, but on one of her trips, she meets a boy who changes the course of her life... forever.
This book is perfect if you like fantasy, kingdom politics and drama, castle settings, and a slow burn romance. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I can't wait for the next one!
Lunaria got released on August 20th, and you'll definitely want to add it to your TBR!
A huge thank you to @thenerdfam and @authorkaradouglas for this eARC! These are my honest thoughts and opinions.
November 16, 2023
Finished in one day!!
All I can say is WOW! I was feeling all the emotions with this one!
The beginning starts off with quite a bit of world building and goes pretty in depth with introducing you to the characters. I feel this is important though to get a good understanding of the FMC and why she is the way she is. The ending. HOLY SH*+!!! Let’s just I wasn’t expecting that! And then when I was like wow! That was shocking. BAM! Another shock. And then another. And another.
The only reason I took a star off is because I felt the dialogue was a little confusing when trying to decipher *who* said it.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I can’t wait for #2 in this series!
All I can say is WOW! I was feeling all the emotions with this one!
The beginning starts off with quite a bit of world building and goes pretty in depth with introducing you to the characters. I feel this is important though to get a good understanding of the FMC and why she is the way she is. The ending. HOLY SH*+!!! Let’s just I wasn’t expecting that! And then when I was like wow! That was shocking. BAM! Another shock. And then another. And another.
The only reason I took a star off is because I felt the dialogue was a little confusing when trying to decipher *who* said it.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I can’t wait for #2 in this series!
March 24, 2024
"Lunaria" presents is a New Adult fantasy romance set in a typical magical realm often associated with the genre. Initially, the narrative follows a formulaic path with a young woman yearning for freedom and military training, with vivid dreams of her deceased mother. The story takes a turn when she befriends a mysterious blonde man at the market who intrigues her, their introduction leads to her attendance at the castle during a "matching" season. To avoid undesirable matches, she is forced into a fake engagement.
While the first half feels overly predictable, the latter half introduces more originality. However, the foreshadowing can sometimes feel heavy-handed. Despite lacking explicit steam or spice, tension builds gradually, accompanied by a compelling love triangle.
Although the characters’ choices were puzzling at times, even after significant revelations, hopefully future installments will provide further exploration and development. While not flawless, "Lunaria" marks an impressive debut novel for the author. I do hope author will take more risks with both the story and characters in the next book to give it more originality and character development.
3.5⭐️ easily rounded up.
ETA: I’ve read the second book and ended up skimming/skipping to dialogue for much of the book. I won’t be continuing the series.
While the first half feels overly predictable, the latter half introduces more originality. However, the foreshadowing can sometimes feel heavy-handed. Despite lacking explicit steam or spice, tension builds gradually, accompanied by a compelling love triangle.
Although the characters’ choices were puzzling at times, even after significant revelations, hopefully future installments will provide further exploration and development. While not flawless, "Lunaria" marks an impressive debut novel for the author. I do hope author will take more risks with both the story and characters in the next book to give it more originality and character development.
3.5⭐️ easily rounded up.
ETA: I’ve read the second book and ended up skimming/skipping to dialogue for much of the book. I won’t be continuing the series.
May 24, 2025
3.25 ★
Overall this wasn’t bad! It definitely gave me Reign vibes , but unfortunately I felt like the characters were too flat. I felt like we didn’t learn much about many of them to really connect or care for them.
The pacing threw me off a bit and honestly not many exciting events had happened until the end, but for some reason I was just so curious and wanting to know more about the world
This love triangle between Lu, Graylen, and Adrian didn’t feel that convincing either, nor did the friendship between Graylen and Adrian
I will be continuing the series cause I’m really curious but I think that the characters and world-building need to be more in-depth!
Overall this wasn’t bad! It definitely gave me Reign vibes , but unfortunately I felt like the characters were too flat. I felt like we didn’t learn much about many of them to really connect or care for them.
The pacing threw me off a bit and honestly not many exciting events had happened until the end, but for some reason I was just so curious and wanting to know more about the world
This love triangle between Lu, Graylen, and Adrian didn’t feel that convincing either, nor did the friendship between Graylen and Adrian
I will be continuing the series cause I’m really curious but I think that the characters and world-building need to be more in-depth!
March 11, 2024
Such a good read! This one really picked up for me when Amira got sent to the castle to essentially be offered up for marriage. We had already met Adrian due to her outings in the marketplace, but his position in the castle was surprising. We also get another surprise by who she ends up engaged to, purely for convenience purposes, but who happens to be a mysterious catch. Also the meaning behind the title and the surprise revelation at the end! OMG
Thank you R&R Book Tours for the copy!
Thank you R&R Book Tours for the copy!
March 31, 2025
I absolutely loved this. Learning about a world right along with the character whose eyes you’re reading through is my absolute favorite way to fall into a world. This was such a fun and fast paced read. Even when parts are predictable, it doesn’t even begin to take away from any of the excitement or appreciation for how it was written. Thank God book 2 came in the mail yesterday!
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