King

Swords Tarot Towerfall

by Kristin Cast, Gina L. Maxwell

From New York Times bestselling authors Kristin Cast and Gina L. Maxwell, King is an enchanting, steamy romantasy novella in the tarot-inspired Towerfall universe.

A night of wine and witchcraft turns into a waking nightmare when Elara is torn from her world and thrown into the fantastical kingdom of Towerfall—where magick is power, and she's the prize.

Auctioned to the highest bidder, she's bought and rescued by Ronan, the King of Swords—a broody warrior seeking vengeance against the person who destroyed his life. He doesn't believe in fate. He doesn't believe in love. But Elara isn't just another pawn he can use in his games—she's sharp and cutting, beauty and banter at every turn.

She makes him a deal: her help with his revenge in exchange for a way home. But as Ronan trains her, the line between their agreement and their desire blurs.

He never meant to crave her. She never meant to fall in love.

But in a world not her own and a situation growing more precarious by the day, falling for the King of Swords might be the most dangerous gamble of all.

*This novella was formerly published as Bound by Shadows*

Genres: Romantasy, Fantasy, Paranormal, Novella, Magic

130 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 3, 2024

About the author

Kristin is a #1 NYT and #1 USA Today bestselling author with over 30 million books in print.

She is proudly neurodivergent (ASD + OCD) and deeply consumed by character-driven chaos, emotionally vulnerable heroes, and smart, sexy heroines who always get the last word and the hot guy. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her devouring thriller, horror, and romance novels, practicing witchcraft, and being the exact kind of unhinged that makes group chats worth opening.

Reviews

[Gina L. Maxwell]

I'm so glad readers are loving this co-authored introduction to the magickal world of Towerfall! The next novella in this prequel duet is Two: A Swords Tarot Towerfall Novella, and if you thought this one was steamy, Two gets EVEN HOTTER! Also, make sure you read Kristin's first full-length novel in the main Towerfall series, The Empress!

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such an enjoyable read with a great enemies to lovers story- which is difficult to do in my opinion considering it’s a novella! The fmc is incredibly headstrong and sassy which I loved, and the mmc is broody and mysterious… which.. duh. 🫶🏼 If you’re looking for a quick read packed with tension, easy to grasp world building, and a juicy enemies to lovers plot, look no further 🤭

[brittany:) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an exciting introduction to the Towerfall universe! I can’t wait to dive into The Empress and fully immerse myself in this magical world.🪄🔮✨

[Hannah F. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute read! I obviously knew going in this was a short story but found myself shocked when it ended, and not because of a cliffhanger. Definitely recommend, I would say read the empress first just because it makes this story already begin familiar to you. I hope they do a bunch of these in the future!

[Lovely Loveday]

I just finished Bound by Shadows by Kristin Cast, and wow—it’s such a gripping dark romance! It’s packed with passion, danger, and two characters whose love feels destined to defy all odds. This novella is a fantastic start to a new series, and I’m already hooked on the magical world Cast is building.

The setting, Towerfall, is full of mystery, with kingdoms, magic, and plenty of intrigue. Even though we only get a small taste of it in this story, it’s enough to leave me excited to explore more in future books.

The characters really stand out here. They’re so well-written that they feel real almost instantly, and their chemistry practically jumps off the page. I was completely drawn into their emotions and couldn’t help rooting for them.

That said, I do have a couple of small gripes. The ending felt a bit rushed compared to how well other parts of the story were fleshed out. And honestly, I just wanted more! It’s a short read, but that only made me wish the story had lasted longer.

If you’re into romantasy, you’ll probably love this one. It’s a quick, addictive read, and I can’t wait to see where the series goes next!

[Stasi Apple (The Reads of an Apple) · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting peek into the towerfall world. I'm not sure exactly how tarot-y this is, but that might be more for the main series books. An okay novella, I'm just not to sure how to feel with it being the quick timeline (which insta-love doesn't bother me), but for Elara to suddenly not want to get back to present day was a little unbelievable. At least let her get to the point where she can go back and has learned more about the situation before deciding to stay. Also, for how smart she is she made some silly decisions, but I guess she went through a tarot card portal and in a different universe.

[Dario Pacheco · Rating 3 out of 5]

a promising yet uneven intro to the Towerfall Universe

Just as the title of my review says, this introduction to the tower fall universe has promise but I’m holding my reservations because Cast has had a lot of failed starts to series that have left me disappointed.

[jordon lane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick little novella introducing you to the world of Towerfall ahead of The Empress

The speed of the events in the book have me rolling my eyes a little… also with Elara’s decision at the end, her and Ronan BETTER be in The Empress with some more details and plot for them!!

[micolreads · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 ⭐

I need more from this world building, can't wait for the empress!

[Cassie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always loving Gina’s words! Excellent collab.

[Alisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly not bad for a novella. Short sweet and to the point. I liked the dynamics of the main characters. Overall, nothing offensive or otherworldly. A decent time was had.

[Nicole H. ✨️nicoledreamsofbooks✨️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶
45/125📚

I love enemies to lovers and I think it was done well, the world building was easy enough (especially hard to do with a novella I find) and the spice was good!! This was definitely a great intro to the Towerfall world. The use of an ancient tarot deck is pretty cool, I haven't read anything like that before.

[Ashley Button · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a lovely Novella. I love the whole idea of the Towerfall universe and haven't personally read anything similar to this particular world. The mfc is super sassy which I loved as well as that broody mmc! I hope to read more in future novellas of Towerfall about these characters. I didn't feel that their story was truly done yet.

[Caleb · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25

This book is a Funtime. It's a novella that doesn't do much world building or anything like that. Really just is a self contained adventure set in Towerfell. It definitely makes me curious to see a whole novel set in the Kingdom on Pentagrams for sure.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

PLEASE DONT READ IF YOU DONT WANT SPOILERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!!!!!!!!!

Alright, So just to give some perspective. I read The Empress before this book. But I have to say, this book, although it was a novella, far surpassed The Empress the Kristin Cast wrote. And this book is a NOVELLA!

In the book we are quickly introduced to Elara who has a not so nice past with her family dynamics. But the book starts off with her celebrating her friends Stella B-day with an Edible and some Tarot card fun.

When Elara shuffles the deck and the 9 of Swords come out, she is quickly transported in the world of Towerfall. What I love about this transition is that the character (Elara) automatically thinks she is hallucinating due to the edible and with her very logical mind thinking it fit the transition from her world to the next world more realistic.

Going further in the book we are introduced to Ronan. The knight of swords with a dark past that still haunts him to this day. What I love about this book is the switch from Elara's POV to Ronan's POV (which The Empress did not have) made me feel I was more connected with both of their worlds.

Overall, the Character development for Ronan was developed well, considering what the whole mission is to enacting vengeance on the one person who destroyed the life he knew all so well. I wish there was more storyline development with Elara. She only spent 1 week practicing being a spawn and she was suddenly the best? That made the story a bit less "realistic", if only they though to do it more like a month would have been a better option.

The ending left me wondering Elara's choice of staying the Ronan. If I was falling for someone in a new world I wouldn't forget about the life I did have...but maybe it was the lack of life she had that made her stay with someone she was falling for?

With this being said, I give the a 4 out of 5 star rating as this book had me hooked right from the start. Although some of it was slightly predictable it was very well written and didn't feel like a teen book and The Empress had.

I would recommend for anyone who is interested in reading this book. But, The Empress (which is the first book in the series) read with an open mind...I had higher expectations with that book and it unfortunately didn't meet my expectations.

[Summer Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been a fan of Kristin Cast's work for a while now along w/ her mother's P.C. Cast. So when this was released, I had to buy it & read it!It is a prequel/introduction novella set in the same universe to her upcoming Romantasy novel "Empress"(out 1/7/25). It follows Elara, a modern woman celebrating her friend's bday in New York w/ tarot reading, wine & edibles, when she ends up in another realm & time period. She meets a handsome, morally grey prince named Ronan, who saves her from a slave auction and gives her shelter. Their love for each other starts off in your typical "enemies to lovers"/ "Hero-Damsel in Distress" & a "one-bed" type way. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I just thought it could've been a full-on book instead of just a short story; the plot could've easily been expanded on Ronan's backstory & the world building of the different kingdoms. I enjoyed the banter btwn the MCs, but I feel the morally grey traits in the MMC could've been more grey; I didn't even know he was morally grey until mid-way through. He should've presented himself that way from the beginning, giving her a "pet name" & using empty threats like "spanking her" and dominating her in s*x is good, but there is more to be "morally grey" than just that. I wanted more sexual tension, more mystery, more longing for his touch & presence. With that ending, this whole thing could've just been a long prologue in the first book in the series. I like the potential it has, but I wanted more, way more. I am looking forward to seeing how "Empress" interweaves the narrative. The smut scenes are 🌶🌶🌶 I give it 4🌟.

[INeedABookBreak · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Bound By Shadows! It was intriguing, fun, and spicy! This novella introduces us to the Towerfall series, which is a romantasy series inspired by the tarot deck.

Alara trying to cut loose with a friend when she magically gets transported to a new realm. Due to the substances she took, Alara believes the whole thing is a hallucination. However, it is actually very real when she gets taken and sold to the highest bidder. Ronan, who is out for vengeance, is drawn to Alara and buys her. Roman agrees to help Alara get home if she helps him with his plan for revenge.

Alara and Roman are attracted to each other, but neither particularly likes the other at first. Alara is not used to how things are done in this new realm and her fiery personality contrasts strongly with her new docile and submissive role. The banter between the two is fantastic and Roman finds some spicy ways to make Alara’s submission more enjoyable.

I am so excited to see what is next for Elara and Ronan in the Empress, which will be released in January.
4.5/5

[Belle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novella is an engaging preview of a new series and a charming magical realm that I can’t wait to delve into more. Towerfall is a realm enveloped in enigma, comprising realms, sorcery, and fascination, presenting only a hint of its profundity in this tale. The main characters are depicted so vividly that they seem extremely authentic, with their feelings jumping off the page. My sole criticism is that it concluded too fast, and the ending seemed somewhat hurried in comparison to the more thoroughly crafted earlier moments. As soon as I began to read, I couldn't stop. If you enjoy romantasy, this is essential reading. I consumed Elara and Ronan’s love story quickly—it’s an ideal rapid, steamy read featuring breathtaking world-building influenced by The Arcana. The dual perspective increases depth, enabling readers to directly engage with the broody MMC’s thoughts. Elara, with her passionate nature, is unmissable to cheer for!

[Dianne Scrivner · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book through an IG book recommendation. A person I will not continue following as this is the second odd book they recommended. I’m not exactly sure how to describe this writing style for a Romance. This book very much reads like an 80s love song, or listening to a porno that your mom’s generation would listen to. It felt very cringe for someone my age to be listening to. Literally everything was turned into a smolder-y sexy vibe. “The tendrils of his hair deliciously touched his chiseled jaw”. “I could not smother the coiling flames of my center as I took in his generous length”. I just don’t know what to say. I’ve read plenty of smut, and of course there is always a little of that in every book. But this book stopped at nothing, every moment, every look, was made sexual. It felt way too much like something someone in their 60s or 70s would be into. it just didnt feel sexy at all to me. overall, im glad this was a super short audiobook.

[Cassy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5.

Did Elara fall in love and abandon her entire life in less than a week? Yes. Do I care? Turns out not a single iota. 🤣🤷🏼‍♀️

Elara is feisty and defiant and mostly level headed. Which doesn’t really help her when she gets dropped into the middle of a Renn Fest on steroids and immediately gets taken prisoner to be sold.

Ronan is out for revenge and is instantly attracted to her. Also, against human trafficking himself, so he purchases her with the intent to set her free.

It was a short, sweet story with a good spice scene or two and a LOT of sexual tension.

[Raven Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this novella and felt it was paced the same way as The Empress. I already love Cast as an author and hadn't read anything of Maxwells I til this collaboration but I really liked it. Their writing was so similar that I didn't feel disconnected at all like I can sometimes when there are multiple authors.
Elera was hilarious and relatable and I honestly felt connected to her in a way. The banter between her and Ronan was funny at times, sweet and sincere when needed and I love that about both characters as this is what made them feel relatable.

[Patty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun, quick read!

The pull from current world into Towerfall is unexplained. I feel like there's some strange connection between the world we just don't get and doesn't get explained. But the MMC seems to adjust to the strangeness a little too quickly, while the FMC really seemed to struggle with the jump.

The story of finding their own ways and learning what's important in their own moral compasses was lovely, and I look forward to more stories.

[Samantha Carol-Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished this amazing book today.

It's been hard to put it down but life was busy this week.

Ronan and Elara's story is one I wasn't expecting to play out how it did. Because of the knowledge I got from reading TWO before this one, I knew they ended up together but I did not expect the path that lead them to that moment.

Elara is my spirit FMC.

I had so much fun reading this book. I am quickly falling in love with the world of Towerfall and I'm not mad about it.

[Casey Malinoski · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a nice light, quick read. The story drew me in but it left wondering why it was only a novella and how I could get more of this realm. The characters were developed minimally as expected in a novella, but it left you wondering about their history and futures. I would have liked a little more information on how exactly the pawn ended up in the towerfall. I enjoyed this read I am looking forward to the second novella.

[Stesha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed the preliminary building of a world I know will expand in coming Towerfall books. Elara and Reven were dynamic and drew me in. The first 75% pulled me in. However, the last 25% felt rushed and incomplete. Left wanting more of what seemed like a completed storyline for these characters, but maybe not. Would recommend it definitely and hoping it builds in the coming Towerfall books.

[Kyla Esprit · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this novella leaving things to be wanted. The tarot inspired world feels very loosely tarot inspired with minimal magic throughout. The plot was lacking and I think that as an introduction to another world it should have set the scene better but main focus was on the relationship. Overall I was looking for more tarot/witchy vibes from this, but it turned out to be just another romantasy

[Paulina · Rating 5 out of 5]

CAPTURES YOU IMMEDIATELY

I’m not good at reading physical books. However this book…is literally the BEST. It immediately captured me and was hooked. I read this in four days and it was extremely well thought of and created.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sexy and intriguing novella that introduces a new fantasy world based on tarot card magic.

I loved the banter between Ronan and Elara.

It's short and sexy and not that deep. Curious to see where the Towerfall series goes!

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another exceptional write from Kristin Cast.
A captivating story, with spicy romance, enemy to lovers, HEA & an ending that wraps everything up perfectly. I have loved every moment of being in Towerfall, both in this book & from The Empress. I do look forward to more stories from this realm. 🖤

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magical

I couldn't put it down. It was just enough of a story to make me want more. Can't wait until I get The Empress and dive deeper into this world.