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Stripped Away
In a realm ruled by tyranny, two sisters hold the key to freedom.
The usurper king's thirst for power knows no bounds. Crown and kingdom are not enough; he craves magic, a force only women possess. For years he has tightened his grip, stripping women of their rights and denying them access to their elemental powers through the profane ritual known as the Quickening.
Twins, Kennara and Kellesha, are blessed - or cursed - with these innate magical abilities and have been living in hiding for five harrowing years, concealing their gifts while studying under the protection of a sun-dappled university town. Their peaceful existence shatters when the king's envoys, accompanied by a mysterious scryer, descend upon the town.
Fear grips them, prompting a swift departure. Now, the twins find themselves on the run, joined by Eljin and Cas, friends whose motives remain veiled.
As destinies entwine, the group grapples with a choice that could reshape their world. Is it time to challenge the oppressive order they've known, or should they persist in the shadows, evading the relentless pursuit of the usurper king's Quickenings?
In a narrative woven with trust, romance, and the essence of choice, Stephanie K. Clemens' romantic high fantasy delves into the dynamics of twinhood, the bonds of found family, and a woman's right to wield her own magic.
The usurper king's thirst for power knows no bounds. Crown and kingdom are not enough; he craves magic, a force only women possess. For years he has tightened his grip, stripping women of their rights and denying them access to their elemental powers through the profane ritual known as the Quickening.
Twins, Kennara and Kellesha, are blessed - or cursed - with these innate magical abilities and have been living in hiding for five harrowing years, concealing their gifts while studying under the protection of a sun-dappled university town. Their peaceful existence shatters when the king's envoys, accompanied by a mysterious scryer, descend upon the town.
Fear grips them, prompting a swift departure. Now, the twins find themselves on the run, joined by Eljin and Cas, friends whose motives remain veiled.
As destinies entwine, the group grapples with a choice that could reshape their world. Is it time to challenge the oppressive order they've known, or should they persist in the shadows, evading the relentless pursuit of the usurper king's Quickenings?
In a narrative woven with trust, romance, and the essence of choice, Stephanie K. Clemens' romantic high fantasy delves into the dynamics of twinhood, the bonds of found family, and a woman's right to wield her own magic.
331 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 16, 2024
51 people are currently reading
469 people want to read
About the author
Stephanie K. Clemens
18 books67 followersStephanie K Clemens is known for many things: an author, photographer, dog mom, instagrammer, adventurer, teacher, lawyer, and more. When she’s not sitting behind her laptop she can be found on some adventure. Most of the time it’s a road trip with her two doggos, but recently it has been in the pages of a book.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
July 24, 2024
Ugh I loved this book! It’s so empowering for women! Every emotion was brought out in this book!
August 27, 2024
This book had a lot of potential, but it severely lacked in execution. I picked it up because of the blurb and the cover, and I'm left disappointed. The writing did not flow well, and at times I felt like the chapters ended abruptly. The conversations felt forced, and the characters failed to understand the simplest things the other person was trying to say.
The characters could have been more fleshed out. The female protagonist was toxic. I was sympathetic towards her in the beginning because of her disability, but then she constantly blamed others for every little thing she couldn't do. She gave her twin sister a lot of grief for being protective or trying to help, but the handsome male character was allowed to do it. When the MMC does it, it's out of care but when the sister does it, it's because she sees her as inadequate.
The book was supposed to be about women empowerment, but all Kennara did was fall, cry and complain. The overuse of phrases like she fell, tumbled, tripped, slipped and he/she cried, sobbed, had water in his/her eyes, tears in the eyes, after every 2 pages got exhausting.
Throughout the book the characters only travelled from one place to another. They set up camp, cooked, ate, packed, enjoyed time at an inn with a few minor incidents sprinkled in with some action. And this was when Kennara wasn't doing her usual falling and crying.
The characters also desperately needed to learn how to keep secrets. There were eight characters, and they all coupled up but not a single one had any chemistry.
The ending was anti-climactic and made no sense. The powerful, cruel king cried like a baby within minutes. The right hand guy was also disarmed in no time. There was a dramatic exchange of some dialogues and then the book was over.
The book had too many errors - grammar, spelling and punctuation. I'm not someone who pays attention to these things because English is not even my first language, but it felt like I was reading an unedited version.
I should have stopped reading ages ago, but some of positive reviews had me believing that it would get better.
The characters could have been more fleshed out. The female protagonist was toxic. I was sympathetic towards her in the beginning because of her disability, but then she constantly blamed others for every little thing she couldn't do. She gave her twin sister a lot of grief for being protective or trying to help, but the handsome male character was allowed to do it. When the MMC does it, it's out of care but when the sister does it, it's because she sees her as inadequate.
The book was supposed to be about women empowerment, but all Kennara did was fall, cry and complain. The overuse of phrases like she fell, tumbled, tripped, slipped and he/she cried, sobbed, had water in his/her eyes, tears in the eyes, after every 2 pages got exhausting.
Throughout the book the characters only travelled from one place to another. They set up camp, cooked, ate, packed, enjoyed time at an inn with a few minor incidents sprinkled in with some action. And this was when Kennara wasn't doing her usual falling and crying.
The characters also desperately needed to learn how to keep secrets. There were eight characters, and they all coupled up but not a single one had any chemistry.
The ending was anti-climactic and made no sense. The powerful, cruel king cried like a baby within minutes. The right hand guy was also disarmed in no time. There was a dramatic exchange of some dialogues and then the book was over.
The book had too many errors - grammar, spelling and punctuation. I'm not someone who pays attention to these things because English is not even my first language, but it felt like I was reading an unedited version.
I should have stopped reading ages ago, but some of positive reviews had me believing that it would get better.
August 7, 2024
This isn't the worst thing I've ever read (that award is still tied between Hodd and The Strange Affair of Springheeled Jack) but god it was close.
The most generic of fantasy girl discovers she's the chosen one while falling in love with an exiled prince, having arguments with her twin sister and learning to use her magic powers.
The only thing that makes her vaguely different is the fact that she's disabled, but even that is written kind of inconsistently.
It's trite, the one sex scene involves the word "member" and ends in her causing flames to erupt everywhere but not actually burning anything (I would have given the author some credit if she'd had the balls to set things on fire with the power of an orgasm)
The author desperately needed an editor and a proofreader; there were a bunch of errors and typos. Beyond the twins having red hair, one of the bad guys having white hair, and the king going red every time something happened, I have no idea what anyone is meant to look like.
I'm pretty sure I got this via one of those LGBT+ "stuff your kindle" things, and I'm glad, because that means I didn't pay money for it, because the LGBT content is minimal; the other twin and their protector apparently fall in love but it's all very fucking sudden, and they don't even get a sex scene.
Update: I did pay money for it, but probably about 99p, which is less than I've paid for other terrible books.
The most generic of fantasy girl discovers she's the chosen one while falling in love with an exiled prince, having arguments with her twin sister and learning to use her magic powers.
The only thing that makes her vaguely different is the fact that she's disabled, but even that is written kind of inconsistently.
It's trite, the one sex scene involves the word "member" and ends in her causing flames to erupt everywhere but not actually burning anything (I would have given the author some credit if she'd had the balls to set things on fire with the power of an orgasm)
The author desperately needed an editor and a proofreader; there were a bunch of errors and typos. Beyond the twins having red hair, one of the bad guys having white hair, and the king going red every time something happened, I have no idea what anyone is meant to look like.
I'm pretty sure I got this via one of those LGBT+ "stuff your kindle" things, and I'm glad, because that means I didn't pay money for it, because the LGBT content is minimal; the other twin and their protector apparently fall in love but it's all very fucking sudden, and they don't even get a sex scene.
Update: I did pay money for it, but probably about 99p, which is less than I've paid for other terrible books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 18, 2024
2.5⭐️ Pretty basic story with simple writing. Beautiful cover though
April 16, 2024
Stripped Away is the latest Stephanie Clemens book and it does not disappoint! Stripped Away is a high fantasy romance starring Kennara and Eljin, two people who have been living in hiding from a tyrannical kind for five years.
The king’s tyranny is brutal. In a world where women are blessed with elemental magic, the king’s jealousy and thirst for power leads to a quest to rip the magic from the women who possess it. In a brutal and painful ritual known as a Quickening, the king’s accomplices pry the magic from women’s bodies, leaving these women with a fundamental piece of themselves missing.
Kennara and her twin sister, Kellesha, still have their magic, but are forced to run when the king’s envoys arrive in their town to find women who still have their magic. Elijin and his friend, Cas, join the twins in fleeing town, hiding from the king for their own mysterious reasons.
As their journey continues, Kennara discovers much about herself, finding her inner bravery and a conviction of morality she didn’t know she had. She, Eljin, Kellesha, and Cas, joined by a handful of other friends resistant to the king’s tyranny, embark on an action filled adventure to right the wrongs that the king has inflicted on the land for far too long.
Trigger Warnings: This book features a character with a disability and so some scenes feature ableism. There is off-the-page familicide. There is also a kidnapping subplot during the climax of the book, and the story features a battle scene.
Spice Level: I rate this spice level at a 3. There is one open door sex scene, but it is relatively tame. The sex is not gratuitous; it foreshadows character development and understanding of the magic system in the book. The sex is completely consensual.
This novel is a fun read, but also contains a deeper message than Clemens’ other books. Clemens reveals in her acknowledgments that her motivation for writing was to process the anger she was feeling in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of the landmark case of Roe v. Wade that enshrined the right to abortion and make medical decisions about one’s own body.
Magic becomes a metaphor for bodily autonomy, and the king’s attempts to remove magic are representative of SCOTUS’ sweeping decision to leave women’s bodily autonomy to state legislatures.
While Clemens’ other books are fun, this one was more impactful for me because I felt those same feelings of anger, distrust, and betrayal after the overturning of Roe.
Stripped Away is a great read for people who enjoy commentaries on social and political conventions and events, but also for people who simply love fantasy romance novels.
The world of Stripped Away is not unlike village-based medieval society in our own world, so it is easy for the reader to suspend disbelief and become immersed in the book’s universe.
The imperfection of the characters is also one of Stripped Away’s strengths. Kennara is brave but suffers from anxiety; Eljin is kind but a bit cowardly about his external circumstances (which began prior to the beginning of the book); Kellesha is overprotective of her sister; Abria is stubborn and, at least at first, independent to the point of selfishness. No character in this story is perfect, and that’s what makes them relatable.
This is not a story that will cause you stress or painful emotions. Despite containing serious metaphors, the overall tone of the book is fairly light. Stripped Away is great for readers who love light adventure and romance, as well as those who like serious themes and social commentary!
The king’s tyranny is brutal. In a world where women are blessed with elemental magic, the king’s jealousy and thirst for power leads to a quest to rip the magic from the women who possess it. In a brutal and painful ritual known as a Quickening, the king’s accomplices pry the magic from women’s bodies, leaving these women with a fundamental piece of themselves missing.
Kennara and her twin sister, Kellesha, still have their magic, but are forced to run when the king’s envoys arrive in their town to find women who still have their magic. Elijin and his friend, Cas, join the twins in fleeing town, hiding from the king for their own mysterious reasons.
As their journey continues, Kennara discovers much about herself, finding her inner bravery and a conviction of morality she didn’t know she had. She, Eljin, Kellesha, and Cas, joined by a handful of other friends resistant to the king’s tyranny, embark on an action filled adventure to right the wrongs that the king has inflicted on the land for far too long.
Trigger Warnings: This book features a character with a disability and so some scenes feature ableism. There is off-the-page familicide. There is also a kidnapping subplot during the climax of the book, and the story features a battle scene.
Spice Level: I rate this spice level at a 3. There is one open door sex scene, but it is relatively tame. The sex is not gratuitous; it foreshadows character development and understanding of the magic system in the book. The sex is completely consensual.
This novel is a fun read, but also contains a deeper message than Clemens’ other books. Clemens reveals in her acknowledgments that her motivation for writing was to process the anger she was feeling in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of the landmark case of Roe v. Wade that enshrined the right to abortion and make medical decisions about one’s own body.
Magic becomes a metaphor for bodily autonomy, and the king’s attempts to remove magic are representative of SCOTUS’ sweeping decision to leave women’s bodily autonomy to state legislatures.
While Clemens’ other books are fun, this one was more impactful for me because I felt those same feelings of anger, distrust, and betrayal after the overturning of Roe.
Stripped Away is a great read for people who enjoy commentaries on social and political conventions and events, but also for people who simply love fantasy romance novels.
The world of Stripped Away is not unlike village-based medieval society in our own world, so it is easy for the reader to suspend disbelief and become immersed in the book’s universe.
The imperfection of the characters is also one of Stripped Away’s strengths. Kennara is brave but suffers from anxiety; Eljin is kind but a bit cowardly about his external circumstances (which began prior to the beginning of the book); Kellesha is overprotective of her sister; Abria is stubborn and, at least at first, independent to the point of selfishness. No character in this story is perfect, and that’s what makes them relatable.
This is not a story that will cause you stress or painful emotions. Despite containing serious metaphors, the overall tone of the book is fairly light. Stripped Away is great for readers who love light adventure and romance, as well as those who like serious themes and social commentary!
August 7, 2024
The story follows twins Kellesha and Kennara who are on the run from a king that steals magic from women. This book has the theme of women and empowerment, which I loved. The plot itself is really interesting. I gave the book 2 stars solely because of the writing. Many times I thought it was a bit jumbled and some of the time line got confusing. I also felt like it was resolved really fast. The big battle felt rushed and so did the ending. There were also a lot of grammar errors and I’m not one to even look for them. But overall the plot itself is good, just the writing can use work.
June 25, 2024
Oh, what a splendid tome! I implore you, seize this treasure and immerse yourself in its enchantments; your heart shall not be left wanting. Here unfolds a tale of fantasy, where resilient women wield magic and courageously defend their right to keep their mystical gifts. Amidst the pages, valiant men stand as pillars of support. Let us together unfurl the banners of acclaim for this gem, for it is a narrative deserving of every eye and ear.
April 17, 2024
This story follows twin sisters, Kennara and Kellesha, as they try to hide their magic and stay safe in a kingdom where magic is stolen. When the King's men arrive in the village where they are hiding, they are forced to flee with a couple of friends. The story is fast-paced with some interesting twists and interesting characters.
May 14, 2024
I was so lucky to win this one at a giveaway at a recent Readers event (that shall not be named). Meeting Stephanie was definitely a highlight of the trip
Stripped Away has a beautiful cover and a beautiful message. The parallels to recent American political events were evident but this time the good guys win! The ending was a little anticlimactic for me. Glad to be able to share this story.
Stripped Away has a beautiful cover and a beautiful message. The parallels to recent American political events were evident but this time the good guys win! The ending was a little anticlimactic for me. Glad to be able to share this story.
July 1, 2024
Firstly, thank you for the ARC. I found the beginning to be a little hard to focus on what was happening so it took me a little while to read it. And the ending was a little bit of a let down for me, it felt like the story was building, building, building then boom, anticlimactic. But overall an enjoyable read so a solid 3.5 stars.
July 3, 2024
I loved the story itself and would have given it 4 stars, but found the writing to be too simplistic at times, and it just felt like it was missing something in general. And the mistakes, argh, that always annoys me! And the final "battle" was anticlimactic. But it was a good story and there was a (very) happy ending - Hallmark worthy!!
October 25, 2025
The idea of twin sisters hiding their magic in a kingdom that strips women of their power is compelling and rich with potential. I loved the themes of autonomy and resistance. That said, parts of the writing lagged for me and the climax felt rushed. A solid read for fantasy-romance fans willing to overlook uneven pacing.
June 23, 2025
The fight scenes could use some refinement. This made the big finally rather lack luster, but you chose this book for the drama, and the drama is pretty good. The story line is interesting and the interactions between the characters are enjoyable.
June 23, 2025
This book had so much potential, but overall I was let down. I really didn’t like Eljin. As thing that annoyed me was Zenevieve kept being referred to as ‘the water lady’ why couldn’t they just say Zenevieve?
May 6, 2024
Thank you Stephanie and her team for my #freegifted copy of this book. My review below are my own thoughts:
Wow, what a fun tale. A world full of magic, with a twist. Only females carry the magic, and a King wants it for himself.. for the power.
Twins are foretold to hold the key to freedom. I always find it interesting reading about twins. I knew a couple growing up and some were always polar opposite others were inseparable.
Kennara and Kellesha are portrayed as the inseparable due to being forced into hiding to keep their magic away from the king and his men.
This is a high epic fantasy that has a lot of traveling, budding romances between various characters, and a battle scene to wrap everything up in a nice bow.
Wow, what a fun tale. A world full of magic, with a twist. Only females carry the magic, and a King wants it for himself.. for the power.
Twins are foretold to hold the key to freedom. I always find it interesting reading about twins. I knew a couple growing up and some were always polar opposite others were inseparable.
Kennara and Kellesha are portrayed as the inseparable due to being forced into hiding to keep their magic away from the king and his men.
This is a high epic fantasy that has a lot of traveling, budding romances between various characters, and a battle scene to wrap everything up in a nice bow.
dnf
November 24, 2025I’m not reading a book where the author screws up one of the characters names about 4 pages in.
May 23, 2024
Rating: 3/5
Unfortunately, this book was not for me. I found the writing seemed to be directed towards a younger audience, which is totally fine, though I wish the quality of it was better. I DNFed around 20% due to this. Also, I found the characters just weren't it for me, though I appreciated Kennara's emotional intelligence and resilience. Overall, the plot sounded really cool, I just wish it had been executed a bit better.
If I continue reading this book in the future I will update my review accordingly.
Thank you so much to Stephanie K. Clemens for providing me with an ARC copy of this book. My reviews are entirely honest and based on my own opinion.
Unfortunately, this book was not for me. I found the writing seemed to be directed towards a younger audience, which is totally fine, though I wish the quality of it was better. I DNFed around 20% due to this. Also, I found the characters just weren't it for me, though I appreciated Kennara's emotional intelligence and resilience. Overall, the plot sounded really cool, I just wish it had been executed a bit better.
If I continue reading this book in the future I will update my review accordingly.
Thank you so much to Stephanie K. Clemens for providing me with an ARC copy of this book. My reviews are entirely honest and based on my own opinion.
November 27, 2024
This is a story of two sisters hiding from a king who wants to steal all women’s magic including their’s. For five years, eighteen year old Kennara and Kellesha have been living in a university town but the fragile peace is broken when they are warner to leave. Surprisingly, two of their friends join them: Eljin and Cas - who have secrets of their own.
Kennara is constantly worrying about slowing her sister down or needing more help as she has a limp in her left leg and often needs a mobility aid - a cane or wheelchair because of the pain. She has tension with her sister over this because Kellesha is a warrior and is very protective to the point of being smothering.
Soon, more people join them on their journey: vigilante Abria and Gallagher, healer Reilynne and Genevieve. I did like the found family aspect. Though the story felt hard to get through at the half way mark. It felt abit forced that everyone in the group paired up (some of the couples surprised me like Kellesha and Abria).
Kennara is constantly worrying about slowing her sister down or needing more help as she has a limp in her left leg and often needs a mobility aid - a cane or wheelchair because of the pain. She has tension with her sister over this because Kellesha is a warrior and is very protective to the point of being smothering.
Soon, more people join them on their journey: vigilante Abria and Gallagher, healer Reilynne and Genevieve. I did like the found family aspect. Though the story felt hard to get through at the half way mark. It felt abit forced that everyone in the group paired up (some of the couples surprised me like Kellesha and Abria).
June 17, 2024
Let me start up by saying for me this was a 5/5 for me.❤️ Stephanie K. Clemens You did an amazing job on this book!! For me, it was a light read, but it’s definitely worth reading. I really loved the characters Kennara and Kellesha they are twins❤️ but I did not like The King what’s so ever!!!! That’s my opinion on the king I just did not like him at all and feel others might hate him but definitely can’t wait to see others thoughts!!! 😤I do like a few other characters but I don’t wanna say to many names from book lol 😂 I don’t wanna spoil this book for anyone ❤️ Lol I wanna review every chapter lol but honestly give this book a read if you haven’t already it might surprise you like it did me ❤️ I couldn’t set it down at all and I am definitely recommending this to my friends and family to read to get their thoughts on it and see what they think ❤️ I definitely will read more from this lovely author ❤️
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