Thorns of Deceit: The Beast Within

by Ivory K. Rose

Skylar carries two the power to summon the kingdom’s deadliest weapon—the Gryphon—and the secret that she, Duke Anathemark and confidant to the Crown Prince, is actually a woman.

Serving as the king’s lethal puppet, Skylar must hide her identity until her unborn brother can claim his birthright… or risk being exploited in far more degrading ways than as a weapon alone. But as she aches for the prince who believes she is nothing more than his trusted friend, her facade becomes an increasing burden to bear.

When an enemy princess arrives to secure a royal alliance, the sight of the prince with his intended bride is torment enough, but his relentless need to keep Skylar close—still blind to who she is and how she feels—cuts deeper than any blade, leading to her fateful choice.

Disguised as a mysterious noblewoman and planning to vanish forever, she attends a royal ball for one last glimpse of the man she loves. But when betrayal strikes, Skylar faces an impossible let the prince die… or summon the Gryphon to save him, exposing a lifetime of lies and risking the consequences of high treason.

Perfect for fans of Shadow and Bone and From Blood and Ash, this dark fantasy romance weaves forbidden love, ancient curses, and the devastating choice between duty and desire.

One-click now to uncover Skylar's fate!

Genres: Fantasy

434 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 10, 2024

About the author

Ivory K. Rose is a fantasy romance author who infuses her writing with lush worldbuilding and steamy slow burn romances. Residing in the heart of Europe with her husband and dog, she loves traveling the world, soaking in inspiration for the next enchanting tale.

She has a keen eye for crafting stories and characters that readers crave. Her fierce female leads spar with brooding male love interests, creating passionate, tension-filled tales.

Her books immerse you in fantastical worlds and tension-filled romances you can’t put down. If you enjoy fantasy romance authors like Sarah J. Maas, Jennifer L. Armentrout, and Victoria Aveyard, you'll devour Ivory's work.

Reviews

[Lulu Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story has captivated me from the beginning. I love Sky and her strength. Her character and loyalty touched me, as she suppressed her feelings. What touched me the most was how Sky tried to keep her secret every day of her life and also suppressed her feelings for Arye, knowing that she would otherwise endanger her mother and unborn brother. She sacrificed so much over the years and yet became an incredibly strong person, fighting alongside Arye to protect the kingdom and its people.

Arye as the male protagonist is the perfect partner. Both form a strong team that presents their authority with dignity and strength. The length of the story is perfect; it is not too short or too long. I like how he values Sky and trusts her as the Duke. The transformation scenes were particularly enjoyable, as they offer a different perspective. It was gripping to witness Sky's battle with the Beast. What bothered me a bit was that we still have too little background knowledge about the Beast. Where does it come from? What does the Millennium King mean with his hints... Ahhh so many unanswered questions. Also, why does Sky's family carry the Beasts as a pact within them and why do they owe loyalty and obedience to the royal family..... Does this mean there will be another book or even more?

If so, oh my God, I can't wait to continue reading. I am a fan of this story! Thank you to the author for a new world and an incredible main lead.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[A. King · Rating 5 out of 5]

From that first jolt of attraction to a thread of heart break, being duty-bound just sucks, doesn't it? I know I can't be the only person who would wish to say, "To hell with the consequences, this is what I want. YOU are what I want." A person can only take so much, most times, before the lines begin to blur.

I love this tale, through every twist and turn. Without putting too many spoilers on here, as I want to do, I will simply state that this story takes you on the complete journey and will absolutely make your mind do somersaults in the background while you're attempting to process every little tidbit of information that comes your way. Pay attention when reading. There's always more to the little details than you might think.

Highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a good fantasy!

[stephanie cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thorns of Deceit by Ivory K. Rose is a captivating start to the Beast Within series, perfect for fans of Shadow and Bone and Throne of Glass. The story weaves a compelling mix of forbidden love, impossible choices, and secrets that threaten to unravel everything.

One standout element is the protagonist’s bond with a griffin—a fascinating aspect that becomes central to her journey and holds deep implications for her destiny. (As a side note, I couldn’t help but love this detail since my cat shares the name Griffin!)

The male main character embodies the "touch her and die" archetype, but Ivory K. Rose executes it masterfully, adding depth and complexity to his protective intensity. With all the bells and whistles of a richly crafted fantasy, Thorns of Deceit delivers an enthralling experience that will leave readers eager for the next installment.

[Yomi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel very conflicted about this book. While I certainly enjoyed the banter of the characters, the main character's incompetence made it difficult to get through.

Every single chapter I was just waiting for something to happen, but Skylar just couldn't comprehend things I guess. It was very irritating, especially to hear her say the same repeated excuses. I wanted to bash my head from her being so ignorant.

On the other hand, Arye was great. I feel as if he deserves better, though. This book deals with a lot of miscommunication or just blatant ignorance, which I understand is necessary for the plot, but at times it was so unbearable.

There were also confusing tidbits. There would be people present and Skylar would reveal her true identity and nothing would come from it. I also wish that the history of the Anathemark curse was delved into more.

The ending to me felt so lackluster. We wait the entire book for the climax to just be like that. Skylar almost ruined it again too, she's a walking contradiction. I genuinely wanted the pair to spend more time together, but it just ends. I thought there were more chapters!

I do think if you like Sarah J Maas you may enjoy this too. It's honestly great if you can handle Skylar's abrasiveness.

I received a free copy of this book from Hidden Gems Books and I am voluntarily leaving this review.

[Adrianna Heaney-velu · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Thorns of Deceit,” by Ivory K. Rose

What I liked:
-She controls a griffin, and it takes years off her life. Really interesting story plot that was really unique in the lore.
-A MMC willing to burn the whole world down. There was so much tension and miscommunication that was obvious lol. Slow Burn.
What I didn’t like as much:
-I felt dropped in abruptly and was scrambling to figure out if I missed something or if this was book 2.

All that said, I did really like the story, 4 out of 5 stars.

-Magic
-Slow Burn
-Girl in disguise

Thank you for the ARC, Hiddengems.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

She is hiding in plain sight as a man and she has fallen in love with. She will be faced with a very difficult choice. She loses herself every time she uses her powers. He will be in danger and she needs to decide what to do. Will she save him at her ruin? Will she keep her ideal world as it is? How will she decide? See what she will do
I received an advance copy from hidden gems and I enjoyed reading

[Samm · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story had me hooked from the first chapter and next thing I know, the book was over and I want more!!!!! I love how Sky is and how she keeps her feelings for Arye a secret. Arye is just perfect for her. I really hope there will be another book. This is a fast paced book with the perfect amount of drama and events. Highly recommend it.

I received an advance reader copy and gave my honest opinion.

[Cottage_reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the book starts off slow, hold on because it picks up pace and will leave your head reeling with all the the twists and turns.

This was such a great dark fantasy, with slow burn romance and so much angst. The action and adventure also isn't in short supply.

Definitely a top read this month.

Thank you Booksprout for the ARC.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Natalie Plothow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely captivating and fantastic from the first page. Such a unique story and a total badass of a FMC. And the MMC? *swoon*. Morally gray, will burn the world down for her? Yes please!

This concluded wonderfully and is a fantastic standalone! However, I would dive head first back into this world and these characters without hesitation!

Don't mind me as I consume everything else Ivory K. Rose has written!

[Kristen_Bussey · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5🌟

I couldn't put it down. I read it in a day!!!!!!

The FMC and MMC were amazing and took you on an epic love journey. The yearning WAS THERE and could cut it with a knife! The ending was magical in every way.

Quick, easy read that I could follow along with and get caught up in the moments.

Enjoy the journey ❤️

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

awesome find! totally recommend

A really solid book with interesting characters and plot. Wished some things didn’t pan out the way they did but it wasn’t enough to make me feel like it wasn’t still good.

There are some really strange parts that are not elaborated on and I’m not sure why. You just kind of need to pretend you understand and go on.

[Tami · Rating 5 out of 5]

Could Have Read Four More Books

Although not a traditional Dual Pov with the MMC narrating only a few sections I fell in love! I only wish I could have read four more books about the plot going over so much time. That being said the timing and structure of this novel were incredible as well as the emotional journey we followed. I will read this again and again.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Caught my interest from the first chapter. This was a new author to me. Enjoyed this story and the writers story telling. Just the right amount of drama and suspense. Fast paced read. Highly recommend.

[Sarah Kirwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thorns of Deceit has wonderful character development and world building with a delicious slow burn. I will say that it was really obvious that Arye knew Skylar’s secret, this should have also been obvious to Skylar but no she was clueless.

Other than tis I really enjoyed this novel.

[Jared Wheeler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought it was a good book overall. Had a good pace, easy to read and follow, and had some relateable characters. I hope theres a sequel to it!

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick read

[Marie Harwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a whirlwind.
"All this time,"..."You knew, and you said nothing. You let me believe-"
There were great characters that I really got to know, and feel for. Packed with action and anticipation. It ends in an epic conclusion.
Skylar was born with the gift and curse to summon the kingdom's greatest weapon. But in order to protect herself and the kingdom she's held a secret for years. The prince only thinks of her as his confidant and best friend, a boy. When the time comes that she has to choose between saving the prince she yearns for or exposing her secret, will she make the right choice? Will she ever be free again?

[Tammi Redman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this story. There is a lot of world building, which I like, especially when it isn’t dragged out. So much secrecy that was bound to in the end break them or make the work burn in their wakes. Had me captured with the dynamics and slow burn romance that kept me itching for more.