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Woven of Lies
In the ashes of their love, vengeance is born.
Julia, eldest daughter of the dragon-training Capel family, and Ramone, eldest son of the dragon-hunting Montas family, were forced into marriage when their romance was discovered. After a deadly attack by a green dragon, Julia decides the best way to further protect the dragons is by learning to take their magic herself. But before she leaves on her journey, Julia learns the truth of Ramone’s late-night outings.
While wrestling with the knowledge of her husband’s actions, Julia finds new friends in unexpected places, comes to terms with her own future, and works to protect those unable to protect themselves.
After a life full of loss and failed dreams, Julia must learn to accept her true self to aid dragons of all kinds, including the shapeshifters.
Check author's review for content warnings. Read responsibly!
Julia, eldest daughter of the dragon-training Capel family, and Ramone, eldest son of the dragon-hunting Montas family, were forced into marriage when their romance was discovered. After a deadly attack by a green dragon, Julia decides the best way to further protect the dragons is by learning to take their magic herself. But before she leaves on her journey, Julia learns the truth of Ramone’s late-night outings.
While wrestling with the knowledge of her husband’s actions, Julia finds new friends in unexpected places, comes to terms with her own future, and works to protect those unable to protect themselves.
After a life full of loss and failed dreams, Julia must learn to accept her true self to aid dragons of all kinds, including the shapeshifters.
Check author's review for content warnings. Read responsibly!
300 pages, Paperback
Published February 18, 2025
1 person is currently reading
13 people want to read
About the author
Cristen Jennette
11 books14 followersCristen Jennette is a mom, English teacher, and fantasy author. Each of her novels features strong female characters and dragons. Currently residing in Northwest Missouri, Cristen Jennette enjoys hanging out with her son, spending afternoons on the back porch, and sharing her love of literature with her students.
You can find Cristen on social media with the username @dragonheartbookworm. Follow to learn more about her current projects, upcoming releases, and more. Her first complete trilogy, The LeNoir Legacy, is available on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
You can find Cristen on social media with the username @dragonheartbookworm. Follow to learn more about her current projects, upcoming releases, and more. Her first complete trilogy, The LeNoir Legacy, is available on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 25, 2025
Cristen Jennette’s Woven of Lies is an intense, emotional, and beautifully layered fantasy that refuses to play by the rules of traditional romantasy. While many dragon-centered books lean on romance tropes, this one instead gives us something rarer and more powerful—a story about choosing yourself, even when the cost is unbearably high.
The story begins with Julia Capel, the eldest daughter of a dragon-training family, whose love affair with Ramone Montas—the heir to a dragon-hunting family—results in a forced marriage. Already, Jennette sets up a world steeped in contradictions: families divided by their relationships to dragons, love overshadowed by betrayal, and a heroine who learns that survival often means shedding illusions.
When tragedy strikes during a dragon attack, Julia realizes her duty is not to her family or her husband, but to the dragons themselves. Her decision to learn to wield their magic—not to destroy, but to protect—marks the first major turning point in her journey.
Jennette excels at building Julia as a flawed, complex, deeply human character. She’s not invincible; she wrestles with betrayal, grief, and the crushing expectations placed upon her. Her discovery of Ramone’s secrets further fractures her world, leaving her both heartbroken and free to forge her own path.
The novel also dives into heavy but necessary themes—domestic violence, emotional abuse, adultery, grief, and miscarriage. These are not easy to read, but they ground the story in raw emotional truth. They ensure that Julia’s resilience is not abstract but earned. Every victory feels like defiance against a world determined to break her.
While the romance element fades into the background, readers will find strength in the friendship, found family, and unexpected alliances Julia builds along the way. The shapeshifters and dragons add a mythic, magical dimension, but the real magic lies in Julia’s decision to embrace her full self—even the parts the world deems unacceptable.
Jennette’s writing style is fluid, emotional, and accessible, with just enough grit to keep the reader turning the pages. Fans of Rebecca Yarros’s Fourth Wing will appreciate the dragon-centric battles and political undertones, but this book is less about sweeping romance and more about hard-won self-discovery.
The pacing is brisk, with moments of quiet reflection balanced by sharp bursts of action. The climax is both painful and triumphant, leaving Julia changed but resolute. It’s not a neat happily-ever-after, but it’s the ending her journey deserves.
Reader Takeaways
Resilience matters. Julia is proof that survival is not weakness—it’s strength.
Dragons as mirrors. The dragons are symbols of both destruction and rebirth, reflecting Julia’s own path.
Found family is powerful. Sometimes, those who choose you matter more than those who claim you.
It’s okay to choose yourself. This story is a reminder that reclaiming your power is not selfish—it’s necessary.
Woven of Lies is a book that lingers long after you close it. It’s emotional, challenging, and ultimately empowering—a must-read for fantasy fans looking for more than just romance or dragon battles.
⭐ Final Verdict: 4.5 stars. A fierce, unflinching tale of betrayal, dragons, and the unbreakable will of a woman who refuses to be silenced.
The story begins with Julia Capel, the eldest daughter of a dragon-training family, whose love affair with Ramone Montas—the heir to a dragon-hunting family—results in a forced marriage. Already, Jennette sets up a world steeped in contradictions: families divided by their relationships to dragons, love overshadowed by betrayal, and a heroine who learns that survival often means shedding illusions.
When tragedy strikes during a dragon attack, Julia realizes her duty is not to her family or her husband, but to the dragons themselves. Her decision to learn to wield their magic—not to destroy, but to protect—marks the first major turning point in her journey.
Jennette excels at building Julia as a flawed, complex, deeply human character. She’s not invincible; she wrestles with betrayal, grief, and the crushing expectations placed upon her. Her discovery of Ramone’s secrets further fractures her world, leaving her both heartbroken and free to forge her own path.
The novel also dives into heavy but necessary themes—domestic violence, emotional abuse, adultery, grief, and miscarriage. These are not easy to read, but they ground the story in raw emotional truth. They ensure that Julia’s resilience is not abstract but earned. Every victory feels like defiance against a world determined to break her.
While the romance element fades into the background, readers will find strength in the friendship, found family, and unexpected alliances Julia builds along the way. The shapeshifters and dragons add a mythic, magical dimension, but the real magic lies in Julia’s decision to embrace her full self—even the parts the world deems unacceptable.
Jennette’s writing style is fluid, emotional, and accessible, with just enough grit to keep the reader turning the pages. Fans of Rebecca Yarros’s Fourth Wing will appreciate the dragon-centric battles and political undertones, but this book is less about sweeping romance and more about hard-won self-discovery.
The pacing is brisk, with moments of quiet reflection balanced by sharp bursts of action. The climax is both painful and triumphant, leaving Julia changed but resolute. It’s not a neat happily-ever-after, but it’s the ending her journey deserves.
Reader Takeaways
Resilience matters. Julia is proof that survival is not weakness—it’s strength.
Dragons as mirrors. The dragons are symbols of both destruction and rebirth, reflecting Julia’s own path.
Found family is powerful. Sometimes, those who choose you matter more than those who claim you.
It’s okay to choose yourself. This story is a reminder that reclaiming your power is not selfish—it’s necessary.
Woven of Lies is a book that lingers long after you close it. It’s emotional, challenging, and ultimately empowering—a must-read for fantasy fans looking for more than just romance or dragon battles.
⭐ Final Verdict: 4.5 stars. A fierce, unflinching tale of betrayal, dragons, and the unbreakable will of a woman who refuses to be silenced.
August 27, 2025
A fast paced, magical fantasy about finding a way to merge the human lives with dragons - with some vengeance on the side.
-Self discovery
-Dragons/Shifters
-Found family
-Under 300 pages
-Check TW's!!!
I unexpectedly, really enjoyed this story - and found myself reading it in about a day! Julia finds herself, betrayed by her husband, and having to save not only her friends and family, but the dragons she has come to love.
Being under 300 pages, this was a quick but exciting read. I really hope we get more of Julia's story!
Highly recommend for any dragon fantasy or fantasy lovers!
-Self discovery
-Dragons/Shifters
-Found family
-Under 300 pages
-Check TW's!!!
I unexpectedly, really enjoyed this story - and found myself reading it in about a day! Julia finds herself, betrayed by her husband, and having to save not only her friends and family, but the dragons she has come to love.
Being under 300 pages, this was a quick but exciting read. I really hope we get more of Julia's story!
Highly recommend for any dragon fantasy or fantasy lovers!
January 19, 2025
Woven of Lies is an epic fantasy/romance by Cristen Jennette. I thought that this story was very emotional. Julia is a wonderful character that is good to the dragons and treats people kindly. Her husband, Ramone, is written perfectly… he is mean, betrays people, and is cruel. I found that I could not put the book down because I had to know what happened next. I believe that the ending was unexpected and perfect. Although this novel is not part of a series, I would love a "what happened next book". I received an arc for free and am leaving my review voluntarily.
August 30, 2025
“We heard there’s gonna be a fight…We didn’t come here for a new home; we came to fight for a new world.”
This book BLEW ME AWAY!!! There is DRAGONS (who talk), discovered dragon shifters AND FEMININE RAGE!! This book is also leaning on a historical time piece which I love so much I eat stuff that is historical up!
The FMC is a wife of a leader of the community. In this community they believe all dragons are destructive and capture them to steal their fire and try to train them to be weapons for war, if the dragon does not comply then they are killed. The FMC believes that there could be a different way to live amongst dragons and when she discovers her husband is a cheating bastard she bands an army of people together to execute him and start a new world.
There is also three baby dragons who imprint on the FMC and I loved that aspect so much 😭😭
If you want a book with dragons that is more on the action and uprising side and less on the romance side you’re going to want to read this book!
This book BLEW ME AWAY!!! There is DRAGONS (who talk), discovered dragon shifters AND FEMININE RAGE!! This book is also leaning on a historical time piece which I love so much I eat stuff that is historical up!
The FMC is a wife of a leader of the community. In this community they believe all dragons are destructive and capture them to steal their fire and try to train them to be weapons for war, if the dragon does not comply then they are killed. The FMC believes that there could be a different way to live amongst dragons and when she discovers her husband is a cheating bastard she bands an army of people together to execute him and start a new world.
There is also three baby dragons who imprint on the FMC and I loved that aspect so much 😭😭
If you want a book with dragons that is more on the action and uprising side and less on the romance side you’re going to want to read this book!
January 9, 2025
This book delves into heavy themes such as domestic violence, manipulation, infidelity, miscarriage, loss, and PTSD. For readers ready to confront these topics, it can be both empowering and validating. However, a fair warning: the narrative gets intense and may hit close to home for those who’ve experienced similar struggles.
I thoroughly enjoyed the story and found myself captivated by the characters and the immersive world. The plot felt fresh and unique, and I sincerely hope to see future books that further explore this world and its magic system. While I appreciated the fast-paced nature of the story, I did wish for more character development before the plot fully unfolded. This may have contributed to the ending feeling slightly rushed, leaving me with some lingering questions. Overall, though, it was an engaging and worthwhile read.
I thoroughly enjoyed the story and found myself captivated by the characters and the immersive world. The plot felt fresh and unique, and I sincerely hope to see future books that further explore this world and its magic system. While I appreciated the fast-paced nature of the story, I did wish for more character development before the plot fully unfolded. This may have contributed to the ending feeling slightly rushed, leaving me with some lingering questions. Overall, though, it was an engaging and worthwhile read.
January 1, 2025
If you're here to read the content warnings, tap on the spoiler: As always, be aware of any potential triggers for yourself and read responsibly!
This book was an intense journey to write. Some, not all, is grounded in a reality I have experienced and grown from. Granted, shapeshifting dragons and magic aren't actually real (if only). It is my hope this story resonates with those whom have had to learn to accept themselves for who they are and find their inherent resilience.
Woven of Lies is not a romance story; it is a story of a woman realizing how much she is capable of accomplishing.
This book was an intense journey to write. Some, not all, is grounded in a reality I have experienced and grown from. Granted, shapeshifting dragons and magic aren't actually real (if only). It is my hope this story resonates with those whom have had to learn to accept themselves for who they are and find their inherent resilience.
Woven of Lies is not a romance story; it is a story of a woman realizing how much she is capable of accomplishing.
February 27, 2025
I read this book as an ARC.
Overall I did like the book there were just a few things I wish that were different or we had more of.
I really liked Julia and you can guess my feelings for Ramone (I really liked what happened to him). I wish we got to see more with Santiago because I feel his character had to much more to it that we didn’t get to see.
I was going to give this book 4 stars but then as I was thinking about it I thought 3 was better because while I liked the book I couldn’t connect with the characters. I’m not saying it is a bad book because it isn’t I’m just saying for other people it is a 5 star read but for me it wasn’t.
Overall I did like the book there were just a few things I wish that were different or we had more of.
I really liked Julia and you can guess my feelings for Ramone (I really liked what happened to him). I wish we got to see more with Santiago because I feel his character had to much more to it that we didn’t get to see.
I was going to give this book 4 stars but then as I was thinking about it I thought 3 was better because while I liked the book I couldn’t connect with the characters. I’m not saying it is a bad book because it isn’t I’m just saying for other people it is a 5 star read but for me it wasn’t.
March 15, 2025
Although the basis of the plot was good, I just couldn’t get into this.
The world building missed the mark for me, descriptions were either too long, repetitive or not enough details to build a picture.
The writing was a little choppy for me, the pace was all over the place and at some points I thought maybe editors had removed entire paragraphs as it didn’t flow well and felt disjointed.
I didn’t like any of the characters, Juliet was specifically insufferable.
Loved the premise of the dragons and their flame/magic.
I hate to leave negative reviews but this is my honest opinionand I thank BookSirens for the ARC.
The world building missed the mark for me, descriptions were either too long, repetitive or not enough details to build a picture.
The writing was a little choppy for me, the pace was all over the place and at some points I thought maybe editors had removed entire paragraphs as it didn’t flow well and felt disjointed.
I didn’t like any of the characters, Juliet was specifically insufferable.
Loved the premise of the dragons and their flame/magic.
I hate to leave negative reviews but this is my honest opinionand I thank BookSirens for the ARC.
January 24, 2025
Wow, this book! I went into not knowing anything about it really. I knew it was loosely based on Romeo and Juliet and to say I was surprised is an understatement. This book dives into some very dark and heavy themes, but I believe Jennette handled them well. I loved Julia as a heroine and I loved getting to root for her. The way she overcame her situation and pressed onward was so inspiring to read. The world-building was so fun, and I kept wanting to be in this world where dragons and humans exist. I know this book is going to impact so many people!
March 11, 2025
🐉Woven of Lies🐉
Woven of Lies is a standalone fantasy that is loosely based on Romeo & Juliet and has dragons. What more could you want?
Woven of Lies is a fast paced single POV story centering around Julia, the eldest daughter of a family known for training dragons. I immediately found Julia to be an interesting character who I was able to emphasize with as life throws many hurdles her way throughout the story. All of the characters were super well developed. I found myself getting genuinely quite angry at Ramone, which is definitely what the author intended! I also found the side characters to be well developed and interesting in their own ways. I am such a sucker for side characters so I loved this!
Woven of Lies really took me on an emotional rollercoaster and I was absolutely hooked. I would have finished it in one sitting if sleep wasn’t a thing! I found the story felt so complete and not rushed at all which I find is so rare in a story that is under 300 pages. It felt like exactly the right length to tell a powerful and complete story!
In summary, I absolutely loved Woven of Lies and look forward to reading more books by Cristen Jennette!
⭐5/5 stars⭐
Woven of Lies is a standalone fantasy that is loosely based on Romeo & Juliet and has dragons. What more could you want?
Woven of Lies is a fast paced single POV story centering around Julia, the eldest daughter of a family known for training dragons. I immediately found Julia to be an interesting character who I was able to emphasize with as life throws many hurdles her way throughout the story. All of the characters were super well developed. I found myself getting genuinely quite angry at Ramone, which is definitely what the author intended! I also found the side characters to be well developed and interesting in their own ways. I am such a sucker for side characters so I loved this!
Woven of Lies really took me on an emotional rollercoaster and I was absolutely hooked. I would have finished it in one sitting if sleep wasn’t a thing! I found the story felt so complete and not rushed at all which I find is so rare in a story that is under 300 pages. It felt like exactly the right length to tell a powerful and complete story!
In summary, I absolutely loved Woven of Lies and look forward to reading more books by Cristen Jennette!
⭐5/5 stars⭐
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews