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Stars and Bones #1
Thief in the Castle
The notorious Juniper Thimble is destined for execution. Caught stealing the king’s crown—in addition to her long list of crimes—she has only one way out. Juniper must survive the biggest, most deadly con of her life, commissioned by the king himself. Disguised as the crown prince’s lover, she is forced to protect him with her life…literally. Guarded by a surly squire, relentlessly attacked by demons, and surrounded by mysteriously disappearing servants, Juniper must dispatch the threat to the prince’s life before they find out who she really is.
304 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 15, 2019
193 people are currently reading
1801 people want to read
About the author
Beatrice B. Morgan
16 books93 followersBeatrice B. Morgan lives in southern Illinois. She loves the country but hates bugs. When she’s not reading or writing, she’s playing a video game. Beatrice is a steadfast optimist, casual nerd, and caffeine addict. She often plays her music (a mix of classic rock and pop) too loud and drives too slow.
She also published under the pen name, B. B. Morgan.
She also published under the pen name, B. B. Morgan.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
January 2, 2022
The Series is not done so I won't be reading on. Not sure if I would keep going if it was done. This one was a toss up. There is so much I loved about this and so much I didn't.
I loved the way the author throws you in. You don't get a back story, you don't know much about anything or anyone until they tell each other. The surprises that come out of now where are so much fun. The story and the setting is great. The characters become more developed and better as the book goes on. The action is fun and it is entertaining to read. The love story was well developed and fun to read. This will make a good series if you can look past the problems.
The problems....This is a story that takes a bit to get going and it is very predictable. There were some holes in the book that were a problem( SPOILER_ If the big mage knew that Ione is infected with a demon why does he do nothing, where was he when the demons attacked. You would think they would want a powerful mage there. You knew when the demons were going to attack, every time she was with the prince they attacked and each attack was very similar to all the others. One needed to be changed. WHy does she spend No time with the prince? Aren't they supposed to be lovers) Is this book Young adult or adult? There are no sex scenes, not anything even close to it. They kiss and then it fades to black. But there is Talk! The talk in this book would lead you to believe there will be sex in it. In a conversation they talk about oral sex, group sex and same sex sex. Why put that in? Go one way or another. SO to me this was an adult read because they added a couple of talks that were unnecessary.
Some of the movement in the book was off. You could tell when they cut out a chapter here or there to try to move things along. One chapter ends and she can't move at all and they begin the next chapter with her jumping around in bed and they don't give a time movement sentence to help the reader know time has past while she healed.
The ending was lacking. Nothing was concluded. You still didn't know much. So if you want a end you need to keep reading the next book.
I loved the way the author throws you in. You don't get a back story, you don't know much about anything or anyone until they tell each other. The surprises that come out of now where are so much fun. The story and the setting is great. The characters become more developed and better as the book goes on. The action is fun and it is entertaining to read. The love story was well developed and fun to read. This will make a good series if you can look past the problems.
The problems....This is a story that takes a bit to get going and it is very predictable. There were some holes in the book that were a problem( SPOILER_ If the big mage knew that Ione is infected with a demon why does he do nothing, where was he when the demons attacked. You would think they would want a powerful mage there. You knew when the demons were going to attack, every time she was with the prince they attacked and each attack was very similar to all the others. One needed to be changed. WHy does she spend No time with the prince? Aren't they supposed to be lovers) Is this book Young adult or adult? There are no sex scenes, not anything even close to it. They kiss and then it fades to black. But there is Talk! The talk in this book would lead you to believe there will be sex in it. In a conversation they talk about oral sex, group sex and same sex sex. Why put that in? Go one way or another. SO to me this was an adult read because they added a couple of talks that were unnecessary.
Some of the movement in the book was off. You could tell when they cut out a chapter here or there to try to move things along. One chapter ends and she can't move at all and they begin the next chapter with her jumping around in bed and they don't give a time movement sentence to help the reader know time has past while she healed.
The ending was lacking. Nothing was concluded. You still didn't know much. So if you want a end you need to keep reading the next book.
January 5, 2022
Excellent read in the fantasy genre
This story had me locked into it from the very beginning. Intriguing and multifaceted characters as well as a well told, slowly revealed tale. It has royalty, magic, demons, love, hate, laughter, pain.....you name it. I had never read anything by this author previously, but I guarantee you I'll be checking out more. Starting with the next book in this series!
This story had me locked into it from the very beginning. Intriguing and multifaceted characters as well as a well told, slowly revealed tale. It has royalty, magic, demons, love, hate, laughter, pain.....you name it. I had never read anything by this author previously, but I guarantee you I'll be checking out more. Starting with the next book in this series!
July 16, 2025
Intriguing story. Drags at times, and a bit predictable, but okay overall.
For my clean readers: language-a lot, but no f-bombs. Violence-fighting, attempted murder, murder, and child murder. Romance-kissing, sex(nothing graphic), and discussion about sex. Not for younger audiences.
For my clean readers: language-a lot, but no f-bombs. Violence-fighting, attempted murder, murder, and child murder. Romance-kissing, sex(nothing graphic), and discussion about sex. Not for younger audiences.
April 13, 2025
I love the society built around the magic system/s, I even enjoyed the cliffhanger. It was a great, dramatic pause. Five stars was a reach for me, I'm at a 3.5-4; even though I enjoyed so many elements (the visuals and tbh focus on food was great), I'm honestly not sure if I'm invested enough to read the next books.
The MMC was more fleshed out and drew me in more than the FMC, and I enjoyed their banter immensely. Their relationship felt natural and genuine, and my heart hurt for her a bit at the end.
The MMC was more fleshed out and drew me in more than the FMC, and I enjoyed their banter immensely. Their relationship felt natural and genuine, and my heart hurt for her a bit at the end.
April 18, 2020
~About
Juniper Thimble is a notorious thief, after the king’s golden crown. When she’s caught during her daring attempt, she is presented with a choice: die, or help to protect the king’s only son by pretending to be his lover. With dark forces at work, aiming to attack the prince, it seems Juniper has little choice but to accept the king’s gracious offer.
~Characters
Juniper is a notorious thief, having been brought up by a local thieves guild. She’s a fast learner with an iron will and a cheeky side that made her easy to like.
Reid (otherwise known by his surname Sandpiper) is a practiced squire, hoping to one day join the king’s knights. He is an aloof and private man, slowly opening up over the course of the story as he works alongside Juniper to keep Prince Adrian safe.
Prince Adrian was a pleasant surprise. I always expect Princely characters to be arrogant and pompous, but Adrian was kind and compassionate, with a lovable and flirtatious nature I found endlessly amusing.
As much as I want to say Juniper was my favourite character, its difficult not to simply let these three main characters tie for favourite.
~Likes
I really liked how Juniper’s cheeky nature immediately came into conflict with Reid’s character. Watching their initial dislike of each-other was fun yet intriguing, paving the way for their relationship to bloom.
The careful crafting of relationships between characters (especially Reid and Juniper) was part of what made this book so wonderful. Their conflict arose organically and had me hooked from page one.
~Dislikes?
The only minor issue I had was that there was no explanation of the new status quo once the main conflict was resolved. It felt like torture to read all the way through, only to not know what came next. I guess I’ll just have to anticipate book two. 😊
~Overview
Overall, I think Thief in the Castle was a brilliant read. I enjoyed the writer’s style, the characters and their quirks, and the way conflict seemed effortlessly created.
I would definitely recommend it to lovers of smaller scale fantasy books.
My rating: 5 stars.
An immersive fantasy read, focusing on close relationships and reputations.
Juniper Thimble is a notorious thief, after the king’s golden crown. When she’s caught during her daring attempt, she is presented with a choice: die, or help to protect the king’s only son by pretending to be his lover. With dark forces at work, aiming to attack the prince, it seems Juniper has little choice but to accept the king’s gracious offer.
~Characters
Juniper is a notorious thief, having been brought up by a local thieves guild. She’s a fast learner with an iron will and a cheeky side that made her easy to like.
Reid (otherwise known by his surname Sandpiper) is a practiced squire, hoping to one day join the king’s knights. He is an aloof and private man, slowly opening up over the course of the story as he works alongside Juniper to keep Prince Adrian safe.
Prince Adrian was a pleasant surprise. I always expect Princely characters to be arrogant and pompous, but Adrian was kind and compassionate, with a lovable and flirtatious nature I found endlessly amusing.
As much as I want to say Juniper was my favourite character, its difficult not to simply let these three main characters tie for favourite.
~Likes
I really liked how Juniper’s cheeky nature immediately came into conflict with Reid’s character. Watching their initial dislike of each-other was fun yet intriguing, paving the way for their relationship to bloom.
The careful crafting of relationships between characters (especially Reid and Juniper) was part of what made this book so wonderful. Their conflict arose organically and had me hooked from page one.
~Dislikes?
The only minor issue I had was that there was no explanation of the new status quo once the main conflict was resolved. It felt like torture to read all the way through, only to not know what came next. I guess I’ll just have to anticipate book two. 😊
~Overview
Overall, I think Thief in the Castle was a brilliant read. I enjoyed the writer’s style, the characters and their quirks, and the way conflict seemed effortlessly created.
I would definitely recommend it to lovers of smaller scale fantasy books.
My rating: 5 stars.
An immersive fantasy read, focusing on close relationships and reputations.
March 3, 2025
A really fun fantasy adventure. After Juniper is caught trying to steal the king's crown, she is given a choice - help protect the prince or die. Except protecting the prince isn't exactly safe, and with servants disappearing and demons attacking the castle, Juniper doesn't have a lot of time to unravel the secrets before someone figures out her secrets.
I really liked this! Yessss you do have to set aside the completely bizarre backstory, nothing about how Juniper arrives at the castle or stays at the castle makes sense with her cover story, but the book was interesting enough that I was willing to ignore that. And there was some awkwardness, such as characters who show up for one scene and then are never seen/heard from again.
But! Characters were great! Fun, believable, well-rounded personalities. The plot was very good, with excellent pacing. Just when I was starting to figure things out, a plot twist or another plot arc was added, making things more complicated again.
Another but! Cliffhanger boo-hiss. Very few plot threads wrap up at the end, the story really just pauses and waits for the next book.
Content: Violence, sometimes well described but not too graphic or gory. Very occassional strong language. Slow-burn romance, some steam, several kisses, a couple fade to black scenes
I really liked this! Yessss you do have to set aside the completely bizarre backstory, nothing about how Juniper arrives at the castle or stays at the castle makes sense with her cover story, but the book was interesting enough that I was willing to ignore that. And there was some awkwardness, such as characters who show up for one scene and then are never seen/heard from again.
But! Characters were great! Fun, believable, well-rounded personalities. The plot was very good, with excellent pacing. Just when I was starting to figure things out, a plot twist or another plot arc was added, making things more complicated again.
Another but! Cliffhanger boo-hiss. Very few plot threads wrap up at the end, the story really just pauses and waits for the next book.
Content: Violence, sometimes well described but not too graphic or gory. Very occassional strong language. Slow-burn romance, some steam, several kisses, a couple fade to black scenes
July 6, 2025
Title: A Dagger-Sharp Heroine and a Plot Full of Twists, I’m Obsessed!
Thief in the Castle is the kind of fantasy that grabs you by the collar and doesn’t let go. Beatrice B. Morgan has created a world brimming with danger, magic, and political intrigue, and then dropped a snarky, chaotic thief named Juniper Thimble right into the center of it. And oh my stars, what a character she is.
Juniper is the messy, morally gray heroine I didn’t know I needed. One minute she’s flirting her way through court life, the next she’s fighting for her life (and someone else’s). Watching her play the role of the prince’s lover, while also protecting him and hiding her own secrets, made for nonstop tension and delicious drama.
The story blends fast-paced action, witty dialogue, and emotionally grounded moments in a way that’s hard to pull off, but Morgan does it effortlessly. I especially loved the dynamic between Juniper and the prince’s squire (grumpy/sunshine vibes, anyone?). And don’t even get me started on the supernatural elements, haunting, dangerous, and totally immersive.
It’s gritty, it’s clever, it’s got heart, and I’m already eyeing Book 2 like a dragon hoarding gold.
If you love high-stakes fantasy with a bold female lead, secret identities, royal schemes, and demons lurking in the dark, this book is 100% for you. Highly recommend.
Thief in the Castle is the kind of fantasy that grabs you by the collar and doesn’t let go. Beatrice B. Morgan has created a world brimming with danger, magic, and political intrigue, and then dropped a snarky, chaotic thief named Juniper Thimble right into the center of it. And oh my stars, what a character she is.
Juniper is the messy, morally gray heroine I didn’t know I needed. One minute she’s flirting her way through court life, the next she’s fighting for her life (and someone else’s). Watching her play the role of the prince’s lover, while also protecting him and hiding her own secrets, made for nonstop tension and delicious drama.
The story blends fast-paced action, witty dialogue, and emotionally grounded moments in a way that’s hard to pull off, but Morgan does it effortlessly. I especially loved the dynamic between Juniper and the prince’s squire (grumpy/sunshine vibes, anyone?). And don’t even get me started on the supernatural elements, haunting, dangerous, and totally immersive.
It’s gritty, it’s clever, it’s got heart, and I’m already eyeing Book 2 like a dragon hoarding gold.
If you love high-stakes fantasy with a bold female lead, secret identities, royal schemes, and demons lurking in the dark, this book is 100% for you. Highly recommend.
March 16, 2025
Bound in magic
Caught as a thief trying to steal the Royal crown, Juniper Thimble is punished by being bound to the Prince in order to protect him. The Prince is being hunted by dark magic intent on killing him. As a solution to save his life, the court mage puts a binding contract on Juniper that whatever hurt the Prince endures, the effect will transfer to Juniper and disappear from him.
She poses as the Prince’s current love interest from afar, come to visit him at the palace. To protect her and keep track of her, a handsome squire is placed as her guard.
Soon demons are attacking the castle and servants and guards go missing. The Prince is attacked by demons but Juniper takes the poisonous wounds. Then the magical contract is tampered with.
Close proximity brings forth romantic feelings in both Squire Sandpiper and Juniper. But Juniper has a secret that could damage their blooming liaison and end everything.
I enjoyed the interesting storyline and the character portrayals. Trying to figure out who the dark mage was kept me engaged. All in all, an enjoyable story.
Caught as a thief trying to steal the Royal crown, Juniper Thimble is punished by being bound to the Prince in order to protect him. The Prince is being hunted by dark magic intent on killing him. As a solution to save his life, the court mage puts a binding contract on Juniper that whatever hurt the Prince endures, the effect will transfer to Juniper and disappear from him.
She poses as the Prince’s current love interest from afar, come to visit him at the palace. To protect her and keep track of her, a handsome squire is placed as her guard.
Soon demons are attacking the castle and servants and guards go missing. The Prince is attacked by demons but Juniper takes the poisonous wounds. Then the magical contract is tampered with.
Close proximity brings forth romantic feelings in both Squire Sandpiper and Juniper. But Juniper has a secret that could damage their blooming liaison and end everything.
I enjoyed the interesting storyline and the character portrayals. Trying to figure out who the dark mage was kept me engaged. All in all, an enjoyable story.
June 16, 2024
I decided to read this book because it was free on Amazon and I am SO HAPPY I did. It is basically like if Throne of Glass, Poison Study, and A Darker Shade of Magic had a baby together, and the result was better than any of those books individually.
I loved the characters, I loved the story, and I loved and the fact that we (and the characters) never really knew what was going on. I thought it did a great job straddling the line of giving us enough information for the story to make sense, and also keeping us in the dark enough that it was intriguing and I never wanted to put it down.
I am so excited to see where this story goes.
I loved the characters, I loved the story, and I loved and the fact that we (and the characters) never really knew what was going on. I thought it did a great job straddling the line of giving us enough information for the story to make sense, and also keeping us in the dark enough that it was intriguing and I never wanted to put it down.
I am so excited to see where this story goes.
August 7, 2025
I will admit, I'm guilty of judging this book by it's cover.
I was so pleasantly surprised by this story! I'm not sure why it hasn't gotten more recognition, as it's much better than most of the "romantacy" recommendationss I've seen in the last couple years.
Immediately you're thrown in the middle of a heist. What more could you want for the start?
While there were moments that felt like nothing much was happening (a lot of the MC recovering in bed from injuries), the last half of the book definitely felt like it flew by!
The tension in this romance is delivered on a silver platter, and I ate up every bit. While this is not an explicit romance, I can't say that it's not steamy in it's own right. The banter was perfect, the progression of the relationship was paced just right, and the chemistry was definitely there.
I'm excited to see what journey the next book takes me on!
I was so pleasantly surprised by this story! I'm not sure why it hasn't gotten more recognition, as it's much better than most of the "romantacy" recommendationss I've seen in the last couple years.
Immediately you're thrown in the middle of a heist. What more could you want for the start?
While there were moments that felt like nothing much was happening (a lot of the MC recovering in bed from injuries), the last half of the book definitely felt like it flew by!
The tension in this romance is delivered on a silver platter, and I ate up every bit. While this is not an explicit romance, I can't say that it's not steamy in it's own right. The banter was perfect, the progression of the relationship was paced just right, and the chemistry was definitely there.
I'm excited to see what journey the next book takes me on!
April 10, 2024
Can a thief become a princess and protector? Compelling story
The thief becomes the fake princess to protect the crown prince. Demons are attacking the castle and people are going missing. Juniper must navigate all of this plus her constant guard, Reid. The relationships between the characters is good. I like how Juniper tries to play the role but can’t help being herself. The tension between her and love interest builds nicely. The story kept me interested and I’m ready to read more.
The thief becomes the fake princess to protect the crown prince. Demons are attacking the castle and people are going missing. Juniper must navigate all of this plus her constant guard, Reid. The relationships between the characters is good. I like how Juniper tries to play the role but can’t help being herself. The tension between her and love interest builds nicely. The story kept me interested and I’m ready to read more.
December 4, 2023
Bought this book on a whim because I love a good fantasy about a girl who needs to survive. I was expecting the twist about her secret from almost the beginning and the pay off was great. I was also GREATLY relieved to see there was no unnecessary love triangle. Very enjoyable read, I am interested to see where the story goes. So elements of the story were perhaps underutilized. I felt like the queen didn’t really exist the entire time and was surprised to realize she was even alive in the story. Also juniper parading as a princess would have lent itself to political intrigue. But these are just personal preferences.
December 4, 2020
Incredible
Amazing! I haven’t read a book that pulled me in so immensely in a long time. The author’s ability to paint an incredible picture in your mind as if you’re living the moment is just fantastic! I was looking for book two to make sure there was another even before I’d finished the first!
Amazing! I haven’t read a book that pulled me in so immensely in a long time. The author’s ability to paint an incredible picture in your mind as if you’re living the moment is just fantastic! I was looking for book two to make sure there was another even before I’d finished the first!
August 14, 2021
Wow, this was really good! This was the first book I've read by this author and most certainly will not be the last. I stumbled upon it looking for something new to read, refreshing a happy accident.. The story was creative, well thought out, developed and written. I can't wait to read Mage in the Undersity, I have so many questions!
April 30, 2024
Great read!
If you like fantasy, quiet romance (hate for each other turning into love), demons. This book is for you!
Loved reading about the fake relationship and the friendship that at the beginning I hoped would turn into something and then the ending like wow - can’t wait to read the next one!
If you like fantasy, quiet romance (hate for each other turning into love), demons. This book is for you!
Loved reading about the fake relationship and the friendship that at the beginning I hoped would turn into something and then the ending like wow - can’t wait to read the next one!
August 16, 2024
Not my usual fare
I generally do not read fantasy. However, from the synopsis, I was intrigued. And I was not disappointed! This book is filled with action, mystery, fantasy, and a dash of romance. It met all my requirements and I can’t wait to read the second book of the series!
I generally do not read fantasy. However, from the synopsis, I was intrigued. And I was not disappointed! This book is filled with action, mystery, fantasy, and a dash of romance. It met all my requirements and I can’t wait to read the second book of the series!
August 20, 2024
Excellent read
The author has done a Great job at building the characters. But I feel that their ages are much too young to be believable to portrait such characters. Overall, it’s a great book. Full of actions, drama, fun, adventure and romance. Would love to continue to the next book.
The author has done a Great job at building the characters. But I feel that their ages are much too young to be believable to portrait such characters. Overall, it’s a great book. Full of actions, drama, fun, adventure and romance. Would love to continue to the next book.
August 27, 2024
Stars and Bones Book I
Thief in the Castle (Book I) is a captivating story of magic and evil and the struggle for survival in a kingdom where power is sought by an unknown source. It’s also a love story between star crossed characters. I can’t wait to read Book II as the story unfolds.
Thief in the Castle (Book I) is a captivating story of magic and evil and the struggle for survival in a kingdom where power is sought by an unknown source. It’s also a love story between star crossed characters. I can’t wait to read Book II as the story unfolds.
October 13, 2020
Thief in the castle is a really good book and an amazing read! It truly exceeded my expectations and I cannot recommend it enough. If you like Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas, you should add this book to your tbr right away. You won't be disappointed.
April 21, 2021
I really enjoyed this book! The writing is superb, and the characters are well-defined. It's a fun story with plenty of intrigue, mystery, romance, and unexpected twists that keep you entertained until the very end. Definitely recommend!
August 18, 2024
I was captivated. Fighting demons, solving mysteries, and living the luxe castle life. Some similarities to Throne of Glass: a prince, a guard, and the criminal they work with to save the kingdom. I enjoyed the MC and that she was the most capable of all of them. TW: threat of SA.
April 14, 2025
thief in the castle review
Great story, kept moving, characters were very interesting in all very different. There was no way to anticipate what would happen next and an incredible story to read.
Great story, kept moving, characters were very interesting in all very different. There was no way to anticipate what would happen next and an incredible story to read.
April 21, 2025
Exciting
There are more exciting twists and turns on every page. Magic, binding of one person to another, potions and all under fakst pretense of being someone else. There is never a dull spot in this book. Laced with demons and old world mystery. This is a book not to miss!
There are more exciting twists and turns on every page. Magic, binding of one person to another, potions and all under fakst pretense of being someone else. There is never a dull spot in this book. Laced with demons and old world mystery. This is a book not to miss!
June 7, 2025
adventure at its best with slight heartache for the heroine
Keeps you on the edge wondering if the pretense lady will have her forever after and shows her strength by abundance well written and engaging to the reader can’t wait to see where the journey leads in the next book
Keeps you on the edge wondering if the pretense lady will have her forever after and shows her strength by abundance well written and engaging to the reader can’t wait to see where the journey leads in the next book
January 5, 2026
A thief gets caught trying to steal the king's crown. She is forced to guard the crown prince in the guise of a princess from a distant land. Unfortunately, there are demons attacking people in the castle.
January 3, 2025
Wonderful
Read
March 15, 2025Slow burn
A well written fantasystory that is a bit slow in the middle and unfotunatly has an open ending to be continued in book 2.
A well written fantasystory that is a bit slow in the middle and unfotunatly has an open ending to be continued in book 2.
Read
March 22, 2025Exciting and intriguing. I found myself pulled through the story with all its twists and turns.
April 2, 2025
It is a well written story that unfortunatly is incomplete because the author wants it spreads over several books.
April 28, 2025
Pretty vanilla and boring as far as books go. Not worth reading the second.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews