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The Dawn of The Lightning Goddess: A Dark Romantasy of Fated Lovers, Ancient Powers, and Forbidden Desire
⊛✪⊛GODS. MONSTERS. ROYALTY. DARKNESS.⊛✪⊛
She's lightning and fury.
He's shadows and chains.
Together, they might save the world-or doom it.
Arraetta's life has always been marked by strange visions, mysterious blackouts, and a past she can't remember. Her quest for answers leads her to Seraiah, a cursed prince trapped in a web of ancient, malevolent magic.
In a world where gods walk amongst mortals and monsters rise from shadowed depths, Arraetta and Seraiah must face ruthless foes, fractured realms, and dragons born of darkness. As their bond deepens, they uncover forbidden truths about their world-and each other.
But their love is a defiance of divine order, and it comes at a deadly cost. Can Arraetta embrace her destiny and wield the power within before it's too late?
A NEW EPIC FANTASY TO FALL IN LOVE WITH���� A spellbinding mix of myth, magic, and forbidden romance
���� For fans of high-stakes adventure and enemies-to-lovers tropes
���� Perfect for readers of Sarah J. Maas and Jennifer L. Armentrout
Ready for the next chapter?The story continues in the eagerly awaited sequel, The Insurgence of the Cursed Prince, releasing May 31st, 2025. Pre-order now!
The Dawn of the Lightning Goddess is a gripping, high-stakes fantasy romance filled with gods, monsters, royalty, and forbidden love. With a modern-day setting that pulses with magic and danger, this is the beginning of an epic saga that will leave you breathless and eager for more. This story ends on a cliffhanger that will spark your imagination and have you counting the days until the next instalment.
Dive into a world where love defies the gods and destiny hangs by a thread.
She's lightning and fury.
He's shadows and chains.
Together, they might save the world-or doom it.
Arraetta's life has always been marked by strange visions, mysterious blackouts, and a past she can't remember. Her quest for answers leads her to Seraiah, a cursed prince trapped in a web of ancient, malevolent magic.
In a world where gods walk amongst mortals and monsters rise from shadowed depths, Arraetta and Seraiah must face ruthless foes, fractured realms, and dragons born of darkness. As their bond deepens, they uncover forbidden truths about their world-and each other.
But their love is a defiance of divine order, and it comes at a deadly cost. Can Arraetta embrace her destiny and wield the power within before it's too late?
A NEW EPIC FANTASY TO FALL IN LOVE WITH���� A spellbinding mix of myth, magic, and forbidden romance
���� For fans of high-stakes adventure and enemies-to-lovers tropes
���� Perfect for readers of Sarah J. Maas and Jennifer L. Armentrout
Ready for the next chapter?The story continues in the eagerly awaited sequel, The Insurgence of the Cursed Prince, releasing May 31st, 2025. Pre-order now!
The Dawn of the Lightning Goddess is a gripping, high-stakes fantasy romance filled with gods, monsters, royalty, and forbidden love. With a modern-day setting that pulses with magic and danger, this is the beginning of an epic saga that will leave you breathless and eager for more. This story ends on a cliffhanger that will spark your imagination and have you counting the days until the next instalment.
Dive into a world where love defies the gods and destiny hangs by a thread.
- GenresFantasyFantasy Romance
408 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 23, 2023
13 people are currently reading
312 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
July 13, 2025
4.5
Firstly thank you Charlotte for sending me this book in prep for the 2nd book.
Now lets get down to it...
I bloody enjoyed this lol
Hidden power,
Contemporary fantasy,
Fated mates,
Tyranical king,
Creatures, gods,
Fiesty fmc
Hot Mmc.
All my fave things in one book.
The world building was so easy, we learn as the fmc is, which is one of my fave things in a book.
Now onto book 2 :)
Firstly thank you Charlotte for sending me this book in prep for the 2nd book.
Now lets get down to it...
I bloody enjoyed this lol
Hidden power,
Contemporary fantasy,
Fated mates,
Tyranical king,
Creatures, gods,
Fiesty fmc
Hot Mmc.
All my fave things in one book.
The world building was so easy, we learn as the fmc is, which is one of my fave things in a book.
Now onto book 2 :)
May 26, 2025
oh my god. my first ever fantasy book & I am utterly obsessed! Thank you so much to the author for sending it to me as an eARC for the upcoming second book!!! I am reading the second immediately I cannot wait!!! I can’t express just how much I loved this book. The characters! The writing! The storyline! Everything was so incredible & I was not expecting it at all. This deserves so much more time and appreciation than it has been given, it needs to become viral instantly!!!! see you after the second one :)
June 22, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
Thank you to Charlotte for sending me this book along with the e-ARC for The Insurgance of the Cursed Prince!
Charlotte does a brilliant job of pulling you into the story from the start. The beginning is different from a lot of fantasy books I’ve read where Araetta, our FMC, is living in London and working as a Pizza Delivery Girl. She suffers from mysterious “blackouts” every four years that give her strange visions of her previous life and hidden powers. Arraetta also has a strange connection to electricity that nobody knows about except for her friend “Genie.” One day Genie meets someone on the tube and tells Arraetta about him. Their relationship seems too good to be true but he invites Genie and Arraetta to a ball. When they attend, Arraetta meets a Prince named Seraiah, who she believes is the love of her life. As their relationship grows, Arraetta uncovers the secrets of her past life and her true self. However, the truths she uncovers are more sinister than she would have ever imagined.
I really liked the way that we as the reader were kept in the dark about Arraetta’s past and the cause of her blackouts. It made me feel more connected to her and that we were both on this journey to uncover the truth. The story in itself was gripping and engaging and Charlotte did a great job at feeding us little bits of information that left us wanting to know more. I also enjoyed the pacing of the book! The story picked up really quickly without feeling rushed. I also really liked Charlotte’s writing style and her descriptions of the characters and settings made them really easy to visualise and made it easy to immerse yourself into the world.
However what brought the rating down for me was that the romance didn’t hit as much as I hoped it would. I personally prefer a slow burn romance and this was very insta love, which isn’t a trope I particularly enjoy. I presume that this is to emphasise to the reader that these are two characters who are destined to be together, but I would’ve loved to have seen that chemistry and tension build more slowly. In addition, the miscommunication, or lack thereof, between Arraetta and Seraiah was frustrating to read since their conflicts could have been resolved much quicker if he was more open with her. I was also under the impression that this was going to be a forbidden romance but it didn’t feel like that at all. I will say that I’m interested to see things from Seraiah’s POV.
The sisterly relationship between Arraetta and Genie was my favourite and felt a lot more genuine. I would’ve loved to have seen more of this in the book.
All in all, this was a really strong debut novel and I’m really excited to continue with the series. Although the choices of tropes weren’t my favourite, I still had a great time reading this. I will say that the cliffhanger at the end of the book shocked me and I’m really intrigued to read the next book and see where the story goes!!
Thank you to Charlotte for sending me this book along with the e-ARC for The Insurgance of the Cursed Prince!
Charlotte does a brilliant job of pulling you into the story from the start. The beginning is different from a lot of fantasy books I’ve read where Araetta, our FMC, is living in London and working as a Pizza Delivery Girl. She suffers from mysterious “blackouts” every four years that give her strange visions of her previous life and hidden powers. Arraetta also has a strange connection to electricity that nobody knows about except for her friend “Genie.” One day Genie meets someone on the tube and tells Arraetta about him. Their relationship seems too good to be true but he invites Genie and Arraetta to a ball. When they attend, Arraetta meets a Prince named Seraiah, who she believes is the love of her life. As their relationship grows, Arraetta uncovers the secrets of her past life and her true self. However, the truths she uncovers are more sinister than she would have ever imagined.
I really liked the way that we as the reader were kept in the dark about Arraetta’s past and the cause of her blackouts. It made me feel more connected to her and that we were both on this journey to uncover the truth. The story in itself was gripping and engaging and Charlotte did a great job at feeding us little bits of information that left us wanting to know more. I also enjoyed the pacing of the book! The story picked up really quickly without feeling rushed. I also really liked Charlotte’s writing style and her descriptions of the characters and settings made them really easy to visualise and made it easy to immerse yourself into the world.
However what brought the rating down for me was that the romance didn’t hit as much as I hoped it would. I personally prefer a slow burn romance and this was very insta love, which isn’t a trope I particularly enjoy. I presume that this is to emphasise to the reader that these are two characters who are destined to be together, but I would’ve loved to have seen that chemistry and tension build more slowly. In addition, the miscommunication, or lack thereof, between Arraetta and Seraiah was frustrating to read since their conflicts could have been resolved much quicker if he was more open with her. I was also under the impression that this was going to be a forbidden romance but it didn’t feel like that at all. I will say that I’m interested to see things from Seraiah’s POV.
The sisterly relationship between Arraetta and Genie was my favourite and felt a lot more genuine. I would’ve loved to have seen more of this in the book.
All in all, this was a really strong debut novel and I’m really excited to continue with the series. Although the choices of tropes weren’t my favourite, I still had a great time reading this. I will say that the cliffhanger at the end of the book shocked me and I’m really intrigued to read the next book and see where the story goes!!
March 28, 2023
This is the first book of the Sovereign Series. We follow the Arraetta, the main protagonist, who suffers from mysterious “Blackouts” that occur every four years. These blackouts provide her with visions of her former life and a taste of the power hidden deep within her. In a chance encounter, she meets Seraiah, a prince, and she instantly feels an unexplainable connection toward. As their connection grows, she learns more about her past and her life in another world. As Arraetta learns more about her past, the more it becomes apparent there is something more sinister to uncover.
Bedgood executed the story well and established the characters well. I will suggest if you dislike your fantasy to be contemporary, please skip this one. The primary setting is in 21st century London. I enjoyed Arraetta’s relationships throughout the plot. Her sisterly relationship with Genie was warm and realistic. Despite their fated connection, she didn't rush or push into her relationship with Seraiah. The twists and turns kept the plot moving and exciting. Although we got many questions answered, there was still a lot left to uncover. And the cliffhanger at the end left me craving more.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Bedgood executed the story well and established the characters well. I will suggest if you dislike your fantasy to be contemporary, please skip this one. The primary setting is in 21st century London. I enjoyed Arraetta’s relationships throughout the plot. Her sisterly relationship with Genie was warm and realistic. Despite their fated connection, she didn't rush or push into her relationship with Seraiah. The twists and turns kept the plot moving and exciting. Although we got many questions answered, there was still a lot left to uncover. And the cliffhanger at the end left me craving more.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 9, 2025
I was lucky enough to be picked as an ARC reader for book 2 of this series so knew I just had to read the first in the series beforehand and it’s safe to say, I loved it!
Arraetta appears to be a normal girl to most, struggling to make ends meet, delivering pizzas and someone who loves creating art. That is, until she is plagued by blackouts and strange visions of dark creatures. When she meets Seraiah, a cursed prince, she has to face the truth not only about herself, but her past too. They cannot deny the pull and love they have for each other but it isn’t going to be as easy as true love overcoming all, not when the prince has a darkness of his own that he is concealing.
I so enjoyed this book, it was a wonderfully satisfying read and I fell in love with so many characters. The relationship between Arraetta and Seraiah was frustrating at times due to their utter lack of communication and his protecting her but boy was it worth it to see their relationship develop throughout the book! Jonah and Alex were two of my other favourites and it was amazing seeing their characters being unwrapped slowly, a piece at a time.
I cannot wait to now read The Insurgence of the Cursed Prince, especially after the ending of book 1! Thank you to Charlotte Bedgood as I get to enjoy the next instalment of this incredible series as an ARC reader and I can’t wait!
Arraetta appears to be a normal girl to most, struggling to make ends meet, delivering pizzas and someone who loves creating art. That is, until she is plagued by blackouts and strange visions of dark creatures. When she meets Seraiah, a cursed prince, she has to face the truth not only about herself, but her past too. They cannot deny the pull and love they have for each other but it isn’t going to be as easy as true love overcoming all, not when the prince has a darkness of his own that he is concealing.
I so enjoyed this book, it was a wonderfully satisfying read and I fell in love with so many characters. The relationship between Arraetta and Seraiah was frustrating at times due to their utter lack of communication and his protecting her but boy was it worth it to see their relationship develop throughout the book! Jonah and Alex were two of my other favourites and it was amazing seeing their characters being unwrapped slowly, a piece at a time.
I cannot wait to now read The Insurgence of the Cursed Prince, especially after the ending of book 1! Thank you to Charlotte Bedgood as I get to enjoy the next instalment of this incredible series as an ARC reader and I can’t wait!
June 17, 2025
This was a really really strong first book! While I did feel like I was in the dark alongside Araetta it made sense as we read solely from her POV, which is different from typically dual POV romances I have read lately (and I cannot convey the true joy I felt when realising the second book is from Seraiah’s point of view). The worldbuilding of the alternative dream-esque land and the interspersing of story tidbits kept the novel flowing really well while giving us crumbs to guess at. While the relationship between Araetta and Seraiah seemed a little dramatised with the back and forth (possibly due to my own dislike of the miscommunication trope) I enjoyed them as the story continued to unravel. Overall I really enjoyed this book and look forward to seeing more of the pair and hopefully the chemistry between them explored further (and I NEED Seraiah’s pining POV asap)!
March 28, 2023
Oh lord where would I start to describe this book?!
It pulls you in from the first chapter, on an exciting and exhilarating journey of knowledge, power and love.
Amazing story. I had a movie visual going on in my head instead of seeing words. Loved it
It pulls you in from the first chapter, on an exciting and exhilarating journey of knowledge, power and love.
Amazing story. I had a movie visual going on in my head instead of seeing words. Loved it
June 10, 2025
4.5⭐️ 1🌶️
First off, a huge thank you to the amazing author Charlotte Bedgood for gifting me a copy of this book, as well as an ARC of the next installment, The Insurgence of the Cursed Prince ❤️ I’m so excited to dive into it!
Absolutely loved this debut novel—what an incredible ride! 🌟 The world-building is rich and immersive, yet easy to dive into, and the characters are instantly lovable. I was especially drawn to the beautiful sisterhood between Arraetta and Genie—it felt so genuine and heartwarming 💞. And the relationship between Arraetta and Seraiah? Chef’s kiss! 👏 Their chemistry and witty banter had me grinning constantly 😄.
This book has it all—magic ✨, war ⚔️, romance 💕, and a gripping mystery 🔍 that keeps you on your toes. Every page is packed with surprises—you truly never know what’s coming next 📖. I adored the modern fairytale vibes set against a vibrant 21st-century London backdrop 🇬🇧🏙️. And that ending?! A major cliffhanger 😱 that has me counting down the days until the next installment! ⏳📚 Can’t wait!
First off, a huge thank you to the amazing author Charlotte Bedgood for gifting me a copy of this book, as well as an ARC of the next installment, The Insurgence of the Cursed Prince ❤️ I’m so excited to dive into it!
Absolutely loved this debut novel—what an incredible ride! 🌟 The world-building is rich and immersive, yet easy to dive into, and the characters are instantly lovable. I was especially drawn to the beautiful sisterhood between Arraetta and Genie—it felt so genuine and heartwarming 💞. And the relationship between Arraetta and Seraiah? Chef’s kiss! 👏 Their chemistry and witty banter had me grinning constantly 😄.
This book has it all—magic ✨, war ⚔️, romance 💕, and a gripping mystery 🔍 that keeps you on your toes. Every page is packed with surprises—you truly never know what’s coming next 📖. I adored the modern fairytale vibes set against a vibrant 21st-century London backdrop 🇬🇧🏙️. And that ending?! A major cliffhanger 😱 that has me counting down the days until the next installment! ⏳📚 Can’t wait!
January 11, 2025
SO this book starts off with us being introduced to Arreatta - our female main character who is in the middle of a deep / intense nightmare. The beginning is written so intensely that I was immediately grabbed and throughout the story these visions / nightmares are written fantastically and there were so many moments where I was literally there in the vision with her and I WAS SCARED!!
Back to the story. Once the nightmare is over, we find out that Arreatta lives in London with her best friend Genie and she herself is a pizza delivery driver for a local takeaway. Every 4 years, Arreatta has awful visions / hallucinations and she experiences fainting / dizzy spells and can go into a deep coma. Arreatta has a strange connection with electricity and the only person who knows all of this is Genie.
One evening, Genie comes home to tell Arraetta that she has met someone on the Tube and it sounds like a dream. After seeing each other for a while, Genie is invited to a Ball - a real life Ball! Which seems too good to be true as we have to remember this story is based in the real world - contemporary fantasy and nowadays balls are not a thing! Anyway Genie persuades Arraetta to bunk off work and come with her. All dressed up and ready to party, Arraetta finds herself wondering around a huge empty mansion being nosey and this is where she bumps into Seriah - a cursed prince who happens to be her one true love and kindred spirit. As soon as they meet, a prophecy was set into motion and this is where the story properly begins. Now… no more info as I dont want to spoil it for anyone! Onto my thoughts.
I truly enjoyed the relationship between Arraetta and her best friend Genie it felt real and I really wish we got more of this relationship at the beginning. I felt like it was cut short and Im not going to lie this relationship did feel like the only genuine ‘real life’ connection within the story.
I am intrigued by the ‘magic’ and the fantasy element and I enjoyed the electricity links. The other worldly beasts and portals - again is very interesting and I enjoyed this when reading. Because of this I will be reading the next installment as its in the POV of Seriah. However, I wont lie, there were moments where I had no clue what was going on and even in the end - I still had no clue just like our FMC. The ending did not bring me closure and actually annoyed me in a way as I truly was hoping for some more answers - I appreciate that this is going to be a 5 book series but I wanted more then what we got in the end. It left me a little disappointed I wont lie.
On top of this, the romance side of this romantasy did not hit and this is what primarily has caused the lower rating. I did not believe the connection between our two main characters and there were moments where I was cringing at the interactions between the two. The instant love was frustrating and I did not get any butterflies when the two characters were together. I was left just wanting more! In my eyes there was no ‘Forbidden Romance’ nor was there a morally grey MMC.
HOWEVER please please believe me when I say - there were moments that I thoroughly enjoyed - I wouldnt have finished it otherwise and I am looking forward to reading it in a different POV.
Back to the story. Once the nightmare is over, we find out that Arreatta lives in London with her best friend Genie and she herself is a pizza delivery driver for a local takeaway. Every 4 years, Arreatta has awful visions / hallucinations and she experiences fainting / dizzy spells and can go into a deep coma. Arreatta has a strange connection with electricity and the only person who knows all of this is Genie.
One evening, Genie comes home to tell Arraetta that she has met someone on the Tube and it sounds like a dream. After seeing each other for a while, Genie is invited to a Ball - a real life Ball! Which seems too good to be true as we have to remember this story is based in the real world - contemporary fantasy and nowadays balls are not a thing! Anyway Genie persuades Arraetta to bunk off work and come with her. All dressed up and ready to party, Arraetta finds herself wondering around a huge empty mansion being nosey and this is where she bumps into Seriah - a cursed prince who happens to be her one true love and kindred spirit. As soon as they meet, a prophecy was set into motion and this is where the story properly begins. Now… no more info as I dont want to spoil it for anyone! Onto my thoughts.
I truly enjoyed the relationship between Arraetta and her best friend Genie it felt real and I really wish we got more of this relationship at the beginning. I felt like it was cut short and Im not going to lie this relationship did feel like the only genuine ‘real life’ connection within the story.
I am intrigued by the ‘magic’ and the fantasy element and I enjoyed the electricity links. The other worldly beasts and portals - again is very interesting and I enjoyed this when reading. Because of this I will be reading the next installment as its in the POV of Seriah. However, I wont lie, there were moments where I had no clue what was going on and even in the end - I still had no clue just like our FMC. The ending did not bring me closure and actually annoyed me in a way as I truly was hoping for some more answers - I appreciate that this is going to be a 5 book series but I wanted more then what we got in the end. It left me a little disappointed I wont lie.
On top of this, the romance side of this romantasy did not hit and this is what primarily has caused the lower rating. I did not believe the connection between our two main characters and there were moments where I was cringing at the interactions between the two. The instant love was frustrating and I did not get any butterflies when the two characters were together. I was left just wanting more! In my eyes there was no ‘Forbidden Romance’ nor was there a morally grey MMC.
HOWEVER please please believe me when I say - there were moments that I thoroughly enjoyed - I wouldnt have finished it otherwise and I am looking forward to reading it in a different POV.
January 22, 2025
This book has me confused and conflicted. The plot is interesting and engaging for the reader but has major plot holes in parts. The FMC is a normal girl from London, who has a normal job and bills to pay, which for me draws me in as not many fantasy books start based in life. The opening scene with the hallucination/nightmare was very well done, but from that point on the plot felt a bit all over the place. It frustrated me that Genie is supposed to be Arreatas best friend but they have like three interactions throughout the book- all regarding their relationships (dont get me started on those), some major points that would have been engaging to read about (such as genies failed engagement which Arreata ruined) were completely discarded and left me feeling like the relationship was superficial, the writing was lacking here.
The relationships in the book were not engaging which meant the stakes didn’t feel as high when it came to the final battle, the only relationship you seem to watch grow is the one between the FMC and her body guard, and perhaps between the FMC and her dead father. The MMC, Seriah, just seems to be there as a reason to bring Arreata into this fantasy world- their relationship was built on lust but didn’t have any substance. Basic conversations were lacking in the book between the two, not allowing me to be invested in their relationship- to be honest I did not care for Seriah at all, but I do think that if the author had given him more substance than just a broody prince who keeps disappearing for the greater good, he would be an interesting character given his obvious connection to the dark side.
The writing almost feels like a teenager on Wattpad ran the book through an AI editing system and published a book. The lack of capitalisation and other basic grammar errors distracted me from the book and made the dialogue difficult to read at points. HOWEVER, the story itself is really interesting. The only reason I did not DNF this book is because I was genuinely intrigued by the plot. I loved the use of different realms and the way the story was being developed whilst being set an hour from London created a sense of realism which can sometimes be lacking in other fantasy books. The magic was really interesting, but was poorly explained to the reader. I understand that the FMC is being left in the dark by those around her, however as a reader this made the magic and realms fall a little bit flat. At about 60% in, I really started to wonder why I was reading about a girl who is just sat in a room demanding answers from everybody- the author could have made this more engaging by letting the FMC develop her own ideas about the magic, exploring the library and through the guidance of her father in the dreams and I found myself looking for those aspects.
This book is conflicting for me as I enjoyed the overall plot, I like where I think this is heading and the storyline is engaging in places but the writing is just so poor it is difficult to read. I do look forward to reading Bedgood’s next novel in the series but I just hope the writing is much better!!
The relationships in the book were not engaging which meant the stakes didn’t feel as high when it came to the final battle, the only relationship you seem to watch grow is the one between the FMC and her body guard, and perhaps between the FMC and her dead father. The MMC, Seriah, just seems to be there as a reason to bring Arreata into this fantasy world- their relationship was built on lust but didn’t have any substance. Basic conversations were lacking in the book between the two, not allowing me to be invested in their relationship- to be honest I did not care for Seriah at all, but I do think that if the author had given him more substance than just a broody prince who keeps disappearing for the greater good, he would be an interesting character given his obvious connection to the dark side.
The writing almost feels like a teenager on Wattpad ran the book through an AI editing system and published a book. The lack of capitalisation and other basic grammar errors distracted me from the book and made the dialogue difficult to read at points. HOWEVER, the story itself is really interesting. The only reason I did not DNF this book is because I was genuinely intrigued by the plot. I loved the use of different realms and the way the story was being developed whilst being set an hour from London created a sense of realism which can sometimes be lacking in other fantasy books. The magic was really interesting, but was poorly explained to the reader. I understand that the FMC is being left in the dark by those around her, however as a reader this made the magic and realms fall a little bit flat. At about 60% in, I really started to wonder why I was reading about a girl who is just sat in a room demanding answers from everybody- the author could have made this more engaging by letting the FMC develop her own ideas about the magic, exploring the library and through the guidance of her father in the dreams and I found myself looking for those aspects.
This book is conflicting for me as I enjoyed the overall plot, I like where I think this is heading and the storyline is engaging in places but the writing is just so poor it is difficult to read. I do look forward to reading Bedgood’s next novel in the series but I just hope the writing is much better!!
July 8, 2025
What a wild ride this book is! Magic, Romance, Suspense, Heartbreak, it has the lot!
The book is written in a first person POV which is just brilliant. It is from the POV of our main female character Arraetta, or Arri for short. The novel follows her through a journey of discovery. At the time of writing this review book two The Insurgence of the Cursed prince is not out yet (6th July 2025) but when it does (31st July 2025 I think) it can be tandem read with this, which I highly recommend, as it gives multiple POV's of a brilliant plot.
This series follows the story of a young adult called Arraetta, who has always felt a bit out of place; like something was off with her. This could be partly because she didn't know her parents, or perhaps due to the inexplicable mystical events that plague her every few years. It follows her on a journey of discovery, a test of loyalty, a story of beautiful friendships/relationships, and a series of heartbreaks and challenges that hit you where it hurts!
Charlotte Bedgood uses language here in a wonderful way. Every place, person and moment is described in such a way that it feels like you can almost smell and see what they are describing right in front of you. You really get fully immersed in the world Charlotte has created. And what a world it is, a bright and vibrant multi dimensional world. Whilst set on Earth primarily, where you are taken to out with Earth is just mind blowing.
I also love when a main character is thrown into the civilisation of another people. Having to learn their mannerisms, social etiquette and even overcome language barriers. It always adds an extra layer of excitement to a story.
I would definitely recommend reading this book. I really enjoyed getting stuck into it, and when the second book is released, I would absolutely recommend tandem reading them. The guide to reading them in tandem is on Charlotte Bedgoods TikTok @charlottebedgoodauthor
Spice Rating: 2/5
Plot: 4/5
Character building: 4/5
World building: 4/5
Writing style: 4/5
Read again: YES
Overall rating: 4/5
The book is written in a first person POV which is just brilliant. It is from the POV of our main female character Arraetta, or Arri for short. The novel follows her through a journey of discovery. At the time of writing this review book two The Insurgence of the Cursed prince is not out yet (6th July 2025) but when it does (31st July 2025 I think) it can be tandem read with this, which I highly recommend, as it gives multiple POV's of a brilliant plot.
This series follows the story of a young adult called Arraetta, who has always felt a bit out of place; like something was off with her. This could be partly because she didn't know her parents, or perhaps due to the inexplicable mystical events that plague her every few years. It follows her on a journey of discovery, a test of loyalty, a story of beautiful friendships/relationships, and a series of heartbreaks and challenges that hit you where it hurts!
Charlotte Bedgood uses language here in a wonderful way. Every place, person and moment is described in such a way that it feels like you can almost smell and see what they are describing right in front of you. You really get fully immersed in the world Charlotte has created. And what a world it is, a bright and vibrant multi dimensional world. Whilst set on Earth primarily, where you are taken to out with Earth is just mind blowing.
I also love when a main character is thrown into the civilisation of another people. Having to learn their mannerisms, social etiquette and even overcome language barriers. It always adds an extra layer of excitement to a story.
I would definitely recommend reading this book. I really enjoyed getting stuck into it, and when the second book is released, I would absolutely recommend tandem reading them. The guide to reading them in tandem is on Charlotte Bedgoods TikTok @charlottebedgoodauthor
Spice Rating: 2/5
Plot: 4/5
Character building: 4/5
World building: 4/5
Writing style: 4/5
Read again: YES
Overall rating: 4/5
June 6, 2025
The Dawn of the Lightning Goddess
The concept of our FMC's heritage and blackouts was the carrier that intrigued my curiosity.
It felt fresh and the magic system with the lightening and electricity element, Rapid Fire was something that I wanted to keep reading about to know more.
As an introduction novel to a series, I would have loved a little more world building and premise for the story. At times I got a little confused at what was happening but stayed for the moments where snippets of revelations were explained in part during FMC unconsciousness. I liked how the dream like sequences filled in some story gaps where characters weren't communicating.
The romance element of the story felt a little rushed for me, I love a slow burn romance and this was more of an instalove relationship.
The FMC did have me a little perplexed when she communicated her disapproval of her friend's own instalove experience which was pretty much the same as her own.
There were moments of the FMC relationship that I did enjoy, there was a little bit of push back that gave the 'will she or won't she' in terms of her following or going along with her fate, in ways I was hoping that she would reject the bond to give more conflict and create complications to the relationship.
My favourite relationship was that between the FMC and her female best friend.
To me, this was the relationship that felt the most genuine and real.
I would love to explore their childhood and past experiences with the blackouts to see the strength of their bond and what they have experienced together.
Overall, I was engaged and enjoyed the flow of the story and will continue with the series.
I enjoyed the ending and look forward to the POV from our MMC.
The concept of our FMC's heritage and blackouts was the carrier that intrigued my curiosity.
It felt fresh and the magic system with the lightening and electricity element, Rapid Fire was something that I wanted to keep reading about to know more.
As an introduction novel to a series, I would have loved a little more world building and premise for the story. At times I got a little confused at what was happening but stayed for the moments where snippets of revelations were explained in part during FMC unconsciousness. I liked how the dream like sequences filled in some story gaps where characters weren't communicating.
The romance element of the story felt a little rushed for me, I love a slow burn romance and this was more of an instalove relationship.
The FMC did have me a little perplexed when she communicated her disapproval of her friend's own instalove experience which was pretty much the same as her own.
There were moments of the FMC relationship that I did enjoy, there was a little bit of push back that gave the 'will she or won't she' in terms of her following or going along with her fate, in ways I was hoping that she would reject the bond to give more conflict and create complications to the relationship.
My favourite relationship was that between the FMC and her female best friend.
To me, this was the relationship that felt the most genuine and real.
I would love to explore their childhood and past experiences with the blackouts to see the strength of their bond and what they have experienced together.
Overall, I was engaged and enjoyed the flow of the story and will continue with the series.
I enjoyed the ending and look forward to the POV from our MMC.
July 24, 2025
This is the first debut fantasy novel, written by Charlotte Bedgood. It details two characters with intertwining fated destinies in a modern day London with intricate magic, villains ( called the Dark), secret pasts and a looming battle - definitely up my street 🤩
As the 1st book is to be a part of a series of >3-5 books, it meant the plot was not as rushed and allowed for time to get awareness of the current world, politics within the household and development of the characters.
We meet a young woman, Arraetta with tortured/limited knowledge of her past, having ‘blackouts’ every few years which project unusual visions/prophecies. Her love interest is Seraiah, a prince with darkness lurking inside him, secretive and protective. Although i liked them both, i wished for a little more connection, to really build through their relationship up-to to where it was towards the end of the book, as Seraiah and Arraetta sometimes came off as animated and less meaningful. This made me less less connected as a reader to them which i hate as i’m a sucker for true love 😂
Although we were introduced into the realms which our characters are originally from, we haven’t truly explored this and i’m hopeful we get to experience more incredible world building throughout the series as they sounded magical.
It was an easy read for those starting in the genre of fantasy.
Overall:
3 🌟 / 5
This is a really promising debut romantic fantasy novel with newly found magic, strangers to soulmates, hidden identity tropes.
Excited to read the next book in the series.
As the 1st book is to be a part of a series of >3-5 books, it meant the plot was not as rushed and allowed for time to get awareness of the current world, politics within the household and development of the characters.
We meet a young woman, Arraetta with tortured/limited knowledge of her past, having ‘blackouts’ every few years which project unusual visions/prophecies. Her love interest is Seraiah, a prince with darkness lurking inside him, secretive and protective. Although i liked them both, i wished for a little more connection, to really build through their relationship up-to to where it was towards the end of the book, as Seraiah and Arraetta sometimes came off as animated and less meaningful. This made me less less connected as a reader to them which i hate as i’m a sucker for true love 😂
Although we were introduced into the realms which our characters are originally from, we haven’t truly explored this and i’m hopeful we get to experience more incredible world building throughout the series as they sounded magical.
It was an easy read for those starting in the genre of fantasy.
Overall:
3 🌟 / 5
This is a really promising debut romantic fantasy novel with newly found magic, strangers to soulmates, hidden identity tropes.
Excited to read the next book in the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 6, 2023
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed Kindred! There were no dull moments in this story.
The headstrong Arraetta and her blackout situation had me curious from the beginning. At first, there were so many unanswered questions about her blacking out and the nightmarish events that would take place when she did.
I could relate to her being almost forced by her best friend to go to a ball (all of my close friends have been more outgoing than me and have been in that situation myself, minus the grand ball, haha).
At this ball we are introduced to Seraiah, the handsome prince. It becomes obvious after a bit that he is somehow related to Arraetta's situation and knows more about it than she does and that his life is affected by everything going on too.
He and Arraetta feel some sort of connection early on but I love that it is not instant and perfect and takes time for Arraetta to sort out what she thinks and feels about Seraiah.
I appreciate that the story is eventful and keeps things moving while also not feeling rushed.
Kindred has the feel of a fairy tale but is told in a unique way. It gave me answers to a lot of questions but left me with enough unanswered that I am still curious and I will definitely be reading the next book!
I really enjoyed Kindred! There were no dull moments in this story.
The headstrong Arraetta and her blackout situation had me curious from the beginning. At first, there were so many unanswered questions about her blacking out and the nightmarish events that would take place when she did.
I could relate to her being almost forced by her best friend to go to a ball (all of my close friends have been more outgoing than me and have been in that situation myself, minus the grand ball, haha).
At this ball we are introduced to Seraiah, the handsome prince. It becomes obvious after a bit that he is somehow related to Arraetta's situation and knows more about it than she does and that his life is affected by everything going on too.
He and Arraetta feel some sort of connection early on but I love that it is not instant and perfect and takes time for Arraetta to sort out what she thinks and feels about Seraiah.
I appreciate that the story is eventful and keeps things moving while also not feeling rushed.
Kindred has the feel of a fairy tale but is told in a unique way. It gave me answers to a lot of questions but left me with enough unanswered that I am still curious and I will definitely be reading the next book!
July 29, 2025
I read the Insurgence of the cursed prince and the Dawn of the lightning goddess as a tandem read and OMG. I’ve not done a tandem read before but having both points of view was amazing. Some of my favourite tropes, fated mates, political tension and magic are included. I loved Arraettas story, how intriguing her mystery illnesses are and what could be causing them.
I loved the normality of her life as a pizza delivery girl compared to the magic and mystery of the world she is thrust in to!
I did find some of the world building confusing at times but I felt like how Arraetta must have felt suddenly being in this world, new language, new norms, new clothes and the next Queen. All whilst learning to control her power! There was a lot of tension and it kept me on the edge of my seat!
I loved Arraetta and Genie’s relationship, how they love and care for each other and are both sisters and best friends. I loved how Arraetta is learning to be independent away from Genie and also embrace her love for painting and learn to love Seraiah.
I’m not sure if there will be more books in this series but I’d love to read more about Arraetta, Genie and Seraiah! Thank you for the opportunity to read a a copy of this book along side the ARC copy of the insurgence of the cursed prince!
I loved the normality of her life as a pizza delivery girl compared to the magic and mystery of the world she is thrust in to!
I did find some of the world building confusing at times but I felt like how Arraetta must have felt suddenly being in this world, new language, new norms, new clothes and the next Queen. All whilst learning to control her power! There was a lot of tension and it kept me on the edge of my seat!
I loved Arraetta and Genie’s relationship, how they love and care for each other and are both sisters and best friends. I loved how Arraetta is learning to be independent away from Genie and also embrace her love for painting and learn to love Seraiah.
I’m not sure if there will be more books in this series but I’d love to read more about Arraetta, Genie and Seraiah! Thank you for the opportunity to read a a copy of this book along side the ARC copy of the insurgence of the cursed prince!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 11, 2025
TITLE: The Dawn of the Lightning Goddess
GENRE: Fantasy Romance
AUTHOR: Charlotte Bedgood
TROPE: Fated Lovers, Forbidden Romance
TYPE: Series (The Sovereign Series Book 1)
POV: First Person
MY RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
⚠️ Check trigger warnings; this dark content is for +18 readers
WHAT TO EXPECT:
✔️ Fated Lovers
✔️ Ancient Magic
✔️ Forbidden Love
✔️ Gods & Monsters
✔️ Royalty
✔️ Danger
✔️ Cursed Prince
✔️ Slow Burn
The Dawn of the Lightning Goddess is an exciting start to the Sovereign Series. Arraetta’s life has been anything but easy. A foster child, due to the loss of her family, experiences visions and blackouts, and she takes one day at a time. That's when her roommate/foster sister, Genie, starts falling in love with her new man, earning them an invite to a ball. As soon as Arraetta meets the guest of honour, she knows they are fated to be together, but can Arraetta navigate his world with so many unknowns and recurring blackouts?
The Dawn of the Lightning Goddess is a strong start to the series that easily pulled me into Arraetta’s story as she navigates all the changes thrown her way and her budding relationship with Seraiah. After that cliffhanger, I cannot wait to see what happens in the next book. I am giving a rating of 4 / 5 stars.
GENRE: Fantasy Romance
AUTHOR: Charlotte Bedgood
TROPE: Fated Lovers, Forbidden Romance
TYPE: Series (The Sovereign Series Book 1)
POV: First Person
MY RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
⚠️ Check trigger warnings; this dark content is for +18 readers
WHAT TO EXPECT:
✔️ Fated Lovers
✔️ Ancient Magic
✔️ Forbidden Love
✔️ Gods & Monsters
✔️ Royalty
✔️ Danger
✔️ Cursed Prince
✔️ Slow Burn
The Dawn of the Lightning Goddess is an exciting start to the Sovereign Series. Arraetta’s life has been anything but easy. A foster child, due to the loss of her family, experiences visions and blackouts, and she takes one day at a time. That's when her roommate/foster sister, Genie, starts falling in love with her new man, earning them an invite to a ball. As soon as Arraetta meets the guest of honour, she knows they are fated to be together, but can Arraetta navigate his world with so many unknowns and recurring blackouts?
The Dawn of the Lightning Goddess is a strong start to the series that easily pulled me into Arraetta’s story as she navigates all the changes thrown her way and her budding relationship with Seraiah. After that cliffhanger, I cannot wait to see what happens in the next book. I am giving a rating of 4 / 5 stars.
May 28, 2025
Soft DNF at 40%
I really wanted to love this one - it has elements I usually enjoy, like a mysterious prophecy and new type of magic system, but unfortunately, it’s just not clicking with me right now.
At first, I thought my struggle to connect was due to the genre - contemporary fantasy is something I haven’t explored much. But even after pushing further, I found myself confused about what was actually happening. The writing style felt a bit sporadic at times, which made it difficult to stay grounded in the story.
I did really enjoy Seraiah’s introduction, his banter with Arri at the ball was fun, and there’s definite potential there. I’m just not sure where the forbidden romance angle is headed, especially with how close their dynamic seems already.
Arri herself hasn’t quite hooked me yet as a protagonist. There are glimpses of intrigue with her connection to the prophecy and her rapid-fire personality, but I struggled to feel invested in her journey.
I might revisit this at another time when I’m more in the mood, but for now, it’s a soft DNF. That said, I can see this working really well for readers who enjoy a more abstract writing style.
I really wanted to love this one - it has elements I usually enjoy, like a mysterious prophecy and new type of magic system, but unfortunately, it’s just not clicking with me right now.
At first, I thought my struggle to connect was due to the genre - contemporary fantasy is something I haven’t explored much. But even after pushing further, I found myself confused about what was actually happening. The writing style felt a bit sporadic at times, which made it difficult to stay grounded in the story.
I did really enjoy Seraiah’s introduction, his banter with Arri at the ball was fun, and there’s definite potential there. I’m just not sure where the forbidden romance angle is headed, especially with how close their dynamic seems already.
Arri herself hasn’t quite hooked me yet as a protagonist. There are glimpses of intrigue with her connection to the prophecy and her rapid-fire personality, but I struggled to feel invested in her journey.
I might revisit this at another time when I’m more in the mood, but for now, it’s a soft DNF. That said, I can see this working really well for readers who enjoy a more abstract writing style.
June 22, 2025
ARC Review - This damn book, I loved it. I chose to read it in tandem with the second in the series (Insurgence of the Cursed Prince) and I would encourage everyone to do the same to get the full effect of the beautifully written story. This book is from the FMC's perspective and the poor girl has been through ENOUGH.
We see her navigate her past traumas in real time as she is pulled into a world of confusion, magic and mystery. She is forced into roles she has little understanding of and works through this with found family that she isn't sure who to trust.
We see her grow so much in herself and her believes and confidence. But let's not get it twisted in both books I was shouting at her and the MMC to just COMMUNICATE! We get real insights in their thoughts and feelings as the reader but so much they hide.
This book is the first in the series and the perfect way to kick off your next romantasy obsession.
If you like magic, mystery, twists & turns where a male will do everything in his power for his kindred spirit and fated mate. This book is for you.
More info on my booktok - megthebookgoblin
We see her navigate her past traumas in real time as she is pulled into a world of confusion, magic and mystery. She is forced into roles she has little understanding of and works through this with found family that she isn't sure who to trust.
We see her grow so much in herself and her believes and confidence. But let's not get it twisted in both books I was shouting at her and the MMC to just COMMUNICATE! We get real insights in their thoughts and feelings as the reader but so much they hide.
This book is the first in the series and the perfect way to kick off your next romantasy obsession.
If you like magic, mystery, twists & turns where a male will do everything in his power for his kindred spirit and fated mate. This book is for you.
More info on my booktok - megthebookgoblin
August 1, 2025
After Charlotte made a post recently about her duet being a tandem read I knew I had to read it that way.
It wasn't too difficult to follow through the order on which chapters to read at stages. I liked how TDOTLG is set in Arraetta's POV and TIOTCP from Seraiah's POV. I'm a big fan of dual reads because I like how you get to know what the characters are thinking.
We get some really interesting tropes: fated mates, magic, protective nature & a sprinkle of yearning. There was quite detailed world building and magical intrigue.
There is tension and this is a bit of a slow burn! Some parts contained gore and were scary, which is often found in this genre. So many twists and turns that I did NOT see coming. I was on the edge of my seats and had to find out what happened next!
Some of the scenes are repeated (when you tandem read it) but I didn't mind that because I got to hear both their POV in those scenes.
I feel the characters all have some character development. Genie was one of my favourite characters, and I quite liked Freddie too.
Thank you Charlottes for reaching out and offering me a copy 💜
It wasn't too difficult to follow through the order on which chapters to read at stages. I liked how TDOTLG is set in Arraetta's POV and TIOTCP from Seraiah's POV. I'm a big fan of dual reads because I like how you get to know what the characters are thinking.
We get some really interesting tropes: fated mates, magic, protective nature & a sprinkle of yearning. There was quite detailed world building and magical intrigue.
There is tension and this is a bit of a slow burn! Some parts contained gore and were scary, which is often found in this genre. So many twists and turns that I did NOT see coming. I was on the edge of my seats and had to find out what happened next!
Some of the scenes are repeated (when you tandem read it) but I didn't mind that because I got to hear both their POV in those scenes.
I feel the characters all have some character development. Genie was one of my favourite characters, and I quite liked Freddie too.
Thank you Charlottes for reaching out and offering me a copy 💜
June 3, 2025
This is book one of the Sovereign series. This is a dark, epic, fated love. Forbidden desire, fantasy romance. From the start of the book, you are drawn in and can’t put it down. This book has a strong, well-developed and an interesting story line with twists and unexpected turns that keep you reading and turning the pages. It pulled me in from beginning to end and held my attention. Amazing world building that is detailed and imaginative and so well done that you're drawn into a fantastic world unlike any other. Strong, interesting, and fascinating characters that are well developed and diverse. The storyline is fast-paced and very well written, filled with magic, Gods, monsters, danger, death, politics, intrigue, and subterfuge. The plot thickens, the suspense builds, and the passion erupts! I can’t wait to read the rest of this series. I am voluntarily posting an honest review after reading an Advance Reader Copy of this story.
July 25, 2025
As a lover of fantasy books this one had me really intrigued. I enjoyed that Arreata starts out as a normal young woman navigating life, an unfulfilling job and the reality of having bills to pay. All of this is further overshadowed by Ari's 'episodes' that happen every 4 years.
But life is about to be anything but normal! Being dragged along to a ball by her room mate Genie who has a dashing new love interest and a chance meeting with the handsome Seriaha sets Ari on a rollercoaster of self discovery, different worlds and a whole other life that she doesn't remember.
I really enjoyed the plot of this book and was fully invested in the blossoming relationship between Ari & Seriaha.
I felt the sadness of Ari when the truth of how she lost her parents is revealed but loved that she had some sweet and tender moments to meet her Pa.
This was a well paced book that kept me invested from start to finish and I look forward to reading book 2.
But life is about to be anything but normal! Being dragged along to a ball by her room mate Genie who has a dashing new love interest and a chance meeting with the handsome Seriaha sets Ari on a rollercoaster of self discovery, different worlds and a whole other life that she doesn't remember.
I really enjoyed the plot of this book and was fully invested in the blossoming relationship between Ari & Seriaha.
I felt the sadness of Ari when the truth of how she lost her parents is revealed but loved that she had some sweet and tender moments to meet her Pa.
This was a well paced book that kept me invested from start to finish and I look forward to reading book 2.
August 11, 2025
DNF @ 45 pages.
I’d give this a 1.5 ⭐ but I’ll give it ⭐ ⭐ only because I didn’t read enough to let the story form. But I couldn’t get past the poor sentence structure, the amateur vocabulary, and instalust. If I had to read “flaxen lightning” one more time I was going to lose it.
This reads like someone with a xanga writing a fanfic circa 2005 when Twilight was the pinnacle of tween hyperfixations. The lack of sophisticated storytelling shows me that the author needs to write more. A LOT more. Pick up a thesaurus - and for gods sake a dictionary. At 45 pages in I shouldn’t be looking up words to see if they’re ACTUAL words or if they’re being used in the right context.
I spent more time groaning and rolling my eyes than actually reading. I’m sure there are some great things about this book that I didn’t get to, and I’m sure the writing is even better in the second one, but I refuse to read the second one because I cannot - will not put myself through what I just experienced.
I’d give this a 1.5 ⭐ but I’ll give it ⭐ ⭐ only because I didn’t read enough to let the story form. But I couldn’t get past the poor sentence structure, the amateur vocabulary, and instalust. If I had to read “flaxen lightning” one more time I was going to lose it.
This reads like someone with a xanga writing a fanfic circa 2005 when Twilight was the pinnacle of tween hyperfixations. The lack of sophisticated storytelling shows me that the author needs to write more. A LOT more. Pick up a thesaurus - and for gods sake a dictionary. At 45 pages in I shouldn’t be looking up words to see if they’re ACTUAL words or if they’re being used in the right context.
I spent more time groaning and rolling my eyes than actually reading. I’m sure there are some great things about this book that I didn’t get to, and I’m sure the writing is even better in the second one, but I refuse to read the second one because I cannot - will not put myself through what I just experienced.
July 3, 2025
📚 𝔸ℝℂ ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨
Firstly, to say that this 'ARC' review is for the second book, The Insurgence of The Cursed Prince. However, given that I had not read the first, I decided to do both in tandem.
BEST DECISION EVER! 🙌 While I can't speak for reading the two books independently... I have to say that I think tandem is probably the best way. I also chose to finish the last chapter of IoTCP before DoTLG and it left me like...
Daaaaaaaamnnnnnn!! Book 3, MUST HAVE. gimme. gimme noooowwwwww 😆👌
The story is ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT.
The banter and playfulness between characters had me cackling pretty much all the way through... special shout out to Freddie, who is perhaps my fave 😱
If you like :
✨️ Strong FMC / Cursed Prince
✨️ Chosen one
✨️ Dangerous Powers
✨️ Fated Mates
✨️ Slow burn with 🌶
✨️ Touch her and ☠️
✨️ Political Intrigue
✨️ Found Family
You WILL NOT be disappointed.
✨️ The Dawn of The Lightning Goddess - available now on KU and Amazon ✨️
✨️ The Insurgence of The Cursed Prince - To be released on 31st July, AVAILABLE FOR PREORDER NOW ✨️
Firstly, to say that this 'ARC' review is for the second book, The Insurgence of The Cursed Prince. However, given that I had not read the first, I decided to do both in tandem.
BEST DECISION EVER! 🙌 While I can't speak for reading the two books independently... I have to say that I think tandem is probably the best way. I also chose to finish the last chapter of IoTCP before DoTLG and it left me like...
Daaaaaaaamnnnnnn!! Book 3, MUST HAVE. gimme. gimme noooowwwwww 😆👌
The story is ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT.
The banter and playfulness between characters had me cackling pretty much all the way through... special shout out to Freddie, who is perhaps my fave 😱
If you like :
✨️ Strong FMC / Cursed Prince
✨️ Chosen one
✨️ Dangerous Powers
✨️ Fated Mates
✨️ Slow burn with 🌶
✨️ Touch her and ☠️
✨️ Political Intrigue
✨️ Found Family
You WILL NOT be disappointed.
✨️ The Dawn of The Lightning Goddess - available now on KU and Amazon ✨️
✨️ The Insurgence of The Cursed Prince - To be released on 31st July, AVAILABLE FOR PREORDER NOW ✨️
February 22, 2023
10/10
This classic tale reads almost like a modern fairy tale but within a 21st century london setting with elements of fantastical realms mixed with medieval monarchy, war, romance, sex and more, all of which allow this book to go in any direction at any time without breaking flow.
I found it a very well paced story with impressive imagery throughout, detailing the dreams and mysterious blackouts that main protagonist Arraetta suffers from and we learn with her the truth of her past and enter a rich world of characters, legend and magic. The final showdown notches up the action, building up to an epic cliffhanger and a perfect lead in for book 2. I for one, eagerly look forward to it.
This classic tale reads almost like a modern fairy tale but within a 21st century london setting with elements of fantastical realms mixed with medieval monarchy, war, romance, sex and more, all of which allow this book to go in any direction at any time without breaking flow.
I found it a very well paced story with impressive imagery throughout, detailing the dreams and mysterious blackouts that main protagonist Arraetta suffers from and we learn with her the truth of her past and enter a rich world of characters, legend and magic. The final showdown notches up the action, building up to an epic cliffhanger and a perfect lead in for book 2. I for one, eagerly look forward to it.
March 9, 2023
I often find that I struggle to find books that grip me straight away and have me not wanting to put them down but with this book I had none of those issues
It's interesting from the get go, taking you on the journey of a young woman (Arraetta) finding her place in a world she's unfamiliar with. Through the story there are twists and turns that are unexpected and I didn't want to put the book down.
Anyone looking to escape the reality of life for a time with a love of fantasy and romance should definitely give this book a chance
Patiently waiting for the next book in the saga to see the path Arraetta has to face next
It's interesting from the get go, taking you on the journey of a young woman (Arraetta) finding her place in a world she's unfamiliar with. Through the story there are twists and turns that are unexpected and I didn't want to put the book down.
Anyone looking to escape the reality of life for a time with a love of fantasy and romance should definitely give this book a chance
Patiently waiting for the next book in the saga to see the path Arraetta has to face next
March 27, 2023
Thank you to the author for providing me with an E-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!
This book had me hooked from the beginning, which is very surprising whenever I read a fantasy/sci-fi book. In this book, we follow Arrietta who experiences "The Blackout", which cause her to have these nightmares and strange senses of energy within her veins. This book is filled with magic, war, romance, and mystery. Each page that you read; you never know what is going to happen next. I loved the modern fairytale but within a 21st century London setting. This book ends in a major cliffhanger, and I look forward to the next book!
This book had me hooked from the beginning, which is very surprising whenever I read a fantasy/sci-fi book. In this book, we follow Arrietta who experiences "The Blackout", which cause her to have these nightmares and strange senses of energy within her veins. This book is filled with magic, war, romance, and mystery. Each page that you read; you never know what is going to happen next. I loved the modern fairytale but within a 21st century London setting. This book ends in a major cliffhanger, and I look forward to the next book!
August 20, 2025
First off I would like to thank Charlotte Bedgood for letting me read this book!
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
This book was the definition of twists and turns. With the unknown of what was going to happen in the next chapter. The chapters were so in depth and amazing.
My only issue with this book was it felt a bit rushed, part of me grew to dislike Seraiah because of how he was with Arraetta. I understand that he wanted to protect her, but by the time she needed to protect herself, she knew very little of what she was getting into.
I’m looking forward to reading the second book… which is now out which is so exciting!!
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
This book was the definition of twists and turns. With the unknown of what was going to happen in the next chapter. The chapters were so in depth and amazing.
My only issue with this book was it felt a bit rushed, part of me grew to dislike Seraiah because of how he was with Arraetta. I understand that he wanted to protect her, but by the time she needed to protect herself, she knew very little of what she was getting into.
I’m looking forward to reading the second book… which is now out which is so exciting!!
March 13, 2023
My favourite thing about this book is having a female protagonist that is OLDER! I love a teen saving the world, but having a character that is relatable because she had bills to pay is something I didn’t realised I was missing in NA fantasy.
Romance: 🖤🖤🖤🖤
Spice: 🌶️
Angst: 👀👀
A great book for those wanting to venture into fantasy; a modern world made the rest of the classic fantasy world building easy to digest because you’re learning with the MC.
Notable mention though; the ending will have you itching to get your hands on the next one, what a twist of a cliffhanger!
Romance: 🖤🖤🖤🖤
Spice: 🌶️
Angst: 👀👀
A great book for those wanting to venture into fantasy; a modern world made the rest of the classic fantasy world building easy to digest because you’re learning with the MC.
Notable mention though; the ending will have you itching to get your hands on the next one, what a twist of a cliffhanger!
January 9, 2024
DNF - 30%
All the ingredients are there but so far they are failing to deliver that flavour punch.
The author writes well and I love the relationship between Genie and Arri but, at the moment the other characters feel a bit flat, I just don’t care about them all very much—especially the male lead—there is no chemistry, maybe that is due to them being fated or maybe not, but for me, they are missing that certain ‘je ne sais quoi’.
Considering all the great reviews, I’m thinking maybe I’m not in the right head space.. I will need to come back to this one.
All the ingredients are there but so far they are failing to deliver that flavour punch.
The author writes well and I love the relationship between Genie and Arri but, at the moment the other characters feel a bit flat, I just don’t care about them all very much—especially the male lead—there is no chemistry, maybe that is due to them being fated or maybe not, but for me, they are missing that certain ‘je ne sais quoi’.
Considering all the great reviews, I’m thinking maybe I’m not in the right head space.. I will need to come back to this one.
February 27, 2023
I did not want to put this book down. Arrietta is a strong female lead. I felt like I was a part of the story. This book is full of mystery and makes you wonder what is going to happen next. I was tempted to skip to the back to make sure everything was going to work out the way I wanted it to. I resisted and wait until the end. I cannot wait to read the next in the series. I am assuming there is going to be another.
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