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Legends of Lanaria #5
The Keeper of the Tower
Protect the royal family at all costs, and eliminate traitors in their ranks.
As Queen Sylvi closes in, the decision is made to use Evangeline to bait a trap for the unstable queen. She finds herself returning to the last place she wanted to her old watchtower, where she was once held captive by Amaranth Argent—Sylvi’s role model.
But as war approaches Lanaria’s shore, it becomes clear that this battle has been prepared since long before Evangeline’s return to the with enemy sympathizers, it’s up to Horace and select others to root out the evil waiting in their own ranks. Are they already too late?
Loosely inspired by the story of Gideon, you won’t want to miss this whirlwind story of strength and seeking God when He seems to hide His face.
The Keeper of the Tower is book five in the Legends of Lanaria series.
As Queen Sylvi closes in, the decision is made to use Evangeline to bait a trap for the unstable queen. She finds herself returning to the last place she wanted to her old watchtower, where she was once held captive by Amaranth Argent—Sylvi’s role model.
But as war approaches Lanaria’s shore, it becomes clear that this battle has been prepared since long before Evangeline’s return to the with enemy sympathizers, it’s up to Horace and select others to root out the evil waiting in their own ranks. Are they already too late?
Loosely inspired by the story of Gideon, you won’t want to miss this whirlwind story of strength and seeking God when He seems to hide His face.
The Keeper of the Tower is book five in the Legends of Lanaria series.
- GenresFantasy
193 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 27, 2025
1 person is currently reading
52 people want to read
About the author
Michaela Bush
53 books118 followersMichaela Bush is an independent writer of Christian fiction. She graduated from Clarion University of Pennsylvania in 2019 with a degree in English and minor in Psychology. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends, and when she isn't writing, freelancing, or building her own editing business, she's out with her horses or playing violin. Writing has been her calling from a young age and she hopes to touch lives and inspire readers with clean, thoughtful, and impactful novels. Follow her blog at www.tangledupinwriting.com.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 10, 2025
4 stars, personally ⭐️ Christian Fiction - Fantasy/Medieval YA
About this book:
“Protect the royal family at all costs, and eliminate traitors in their ranks.
As Queen Sylvi closes in, the decision is made to use Evangeline to bait a trap for the unstable queen. She finds herself returning to the last place she wanted to her old watchtower, where she was once held captive by Amaranth Argent—Sylvi’s role model.
But as war approaches Lanaria’s shore, it becomes clear that this battle has been prepared since long before Evangeline’s return to the with enemy sympathizers, it’s up to Horace and select others to root out the evil waiting in their own ranks. Are they already too late?”
Series: Book #5 in the “Legends of Lanaria”. Review of Book #1 Here, Book #2 Here, Book #3 Here, and Book #4 Here!
Spiritual Content- James 1:12 & Psalm 73:26 at the beginning; A few Scriptures are mentioned and implied; Many prayers; One character calls God “Dhia” as that is His name in her country; ‘H’s are capital when referring to God; Gabriel wishes that the Lord would smite down their enemies and while he knows he shouldn’t question the Lord’s timing or wish fire to rain down from Heaven on their enemies, it would be nice; A character asks for confirmation about his role in the war and the Lord gives him a clear answer; Another character has dreams she believes are warnings from the Lord, but her father brushes her concerns aside saying that those dreams could be “misdirection from the devil just as much as they are from the Lord”; Many mentions of God, His will and timing, prayers, praying, & faiths; Mentions of a Prophecy; A few mentions of healing through prayer & a character believing that anyone can do it; A few mentions of a character who has dreams that seem to be prophetic; A couple mentions of miracles; A mention of a question that will last until eternity;
*Note: “Holy mother” is exclaimed once; Horace hates threatening to send one of the villain’s followers to “eternal damnation”, but realizes it’s a sure thing because the person couldn’t “practice darkness with no repentance or hope for a future”; The villain led a cult and indoctrinated her followers; The villain and her apprentices make it seem like they have “dark magick” but one main character calls it “simply a trick, a slight of hand” and another says the villain never had power to begin with; A few mentions of bloodletting and blood rituals & witchcraft (done by the villain’s group); A few mentions of the villain training warlocks for her cause; A few mentions of some believing that a country is cursed (but was actually another country poisoning them); A couple mentions of dismantling a woman’s “wicked items she’d worshipped and burning them” and then a group praying over the space they held those items; A couple mentions of luck; A mention of someone aligning himself with darkness; A mention of a woman thinking of another as a goddess; A mention of an old man seeming to have “some otherworldly sense of knowledge from time to time”.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: A ‘hang it, three ‘shut up’s, and four ‘stupid’s (including in another language); A few mentions of curses (said, not written); Some eye rolling; A bit of sarcasm (negatively, which the character corrects her attitude); Some eavesdropping & lying (due to the upcoming war & characters not wanting to be kept out of plans or knowledge); Aurelie has a couple moments of bitterness or a bad attitude towards someone, but then checks herself; Killing enemies in fights/battles, Fighting, Gunfire, Being attacked, Being knocked unconscious, & Injuries (border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed); Seeing fighting, blood, & deaths (barely-above-not-detailed); Some of the characters talk about if they don’t make it through the war & their plans in case that happens; One character thinks he is going to be executed for standing up against the king’s words (he imagines the noose or the guillotine being used); One character wishes that the villain was drowned and later catches herself looking forward to the destruction of the enemy, but tells herself that it is not something to take pleasure or joy in; All about & many mentions of the war looming over Lanaria, assassination plans/attempts, deaths and possible deaths, executions (beheadings with a guillotine and hangings), murders (by slashed throats), & grief (including for a sibling and what is to come); Mentions of near-death experiences; Mentions of injuries, pain, & blood/bleeding; Mentions of threats; Mentions of prisons & attests; Mentions of nightmares; A few mentions of deaths from a “manmade ‘plague’” happened (poison); A few mentions of a kidnapping; A few mentions of blood stains (from an event in Book #1); A few mentions of lies; A few mentions of rumors; A couple mentions of slit/slashed throats (as a threat, but also happens to side characters, barely-above-not-detailed); A couple mentions of human trafficking; A couple mentions of children being held prisoner; A couple mentions of a woman’s deep hatred for men; A couple mentions of hunting; A couple mentions of someone trying to cut another’s horse which if the horse’s tendons were sliced, would ensure “a gunshot awaited the horse in the morning”; A mention of a possible massacre; A mention of jealousy;
*Note: Aurelie prays that Evangeline’s baby doesn’t have any malformation like her due to knowing the pain and shame she’s had because of it (even while also knowing she’s been privileged to live in a country that doesn’t see her as a curse); A few mentions of babies born sleeping (stillborn, which a character recalls being told that is a “glimpse of what the mother will meet when she arrives in Heaven”).
Sexual Content- Married couples cuddle/embrace and share some kisses that have no details (a hand kiss, six head/forehead kisses, a nose kiss, two cheek kisses, four+ kisses, and two remembered kisses);
*Note: Labor pain (barely-above-not-detailed); A mention of nursing.
-Evangeline
-Gabriel
-Horace
-Aurelie
-Isla
-Nicolas
-Asta
P.O.V. switches between them
193 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star (and a half)
Early High School Teens- Three Stars
Older High School Teens- Four Stars
My personal Rating- Four Stars
I’ve had books where I’m anxious for the last bit of the book or even in the last quarter, but I think this maybe one of the very few books where I was anxious nearly the entire time reading it. I messaged a dear book friend to deny my fears about the ending about halfway because I couldn’t take the stress. (Thank you, Sarah!) Thus, I felt like a pendulum swinging back and forth between “oh, this isn’t going to go well 😰” and “oh, maybe it will all work out fine and the last book will be pure happiness 😌” for the rest of the book.
And, well, it’s definitely leaning towards one of those two. 😬
I don’t feel like I can say too much about this book because this is such an intricate series where the books must be read in order—it’s required, really.
Because it’s been so long since I’ve read some of the prior books of the series, I didn’t remember everyone’s backstories or details besides the couples from the first two books. So some things or comments were a bit murky at times or I was re-surprised by facts I most likely already knew from the prior books. That said, I did remember more as the book continued.
One thing I’ve really enjoyed about this series and was highlighted yet again in this book is the faith content and how natural it is for the characters. I greatly enjoy how the author has written it and how strong it is shown throughout the series.
This book is less than 200 pages, but it’s packed and gearing up for the grand finale that is releasing in November. I can’t wait for it now but I’m also incredibly nervous after events in this book—particularly at the end. 😭
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
About this book:
“Protect the royal family at all costs, and eliminate traitors in their ranks.
As Queen Sylvi closes in, the decision is made to use Evangeline to bait a trap for the unstable queen. She finds herself returning to the last place she wanted to her old watchtower, where she was once held captive by Amaranth Argent—Sylvi’s role model.
But as war approaches Lanaria’s shore, it becomes clear that this battle has been prepared since long before Evangeline’s return to the with enemy sympathizers, it’s up to Horace and select others to root out the evil waiting in their own ranks. Are they already too late?”
Series: Book #5 in the “Legends of Lanaria”. Review of Book #1 Here, Book #2 Here, Book #3 Here, and Book #4 Here!
Spiritual Content- James 1:12 & Psalm 73:26 at the beginning; A few Scriptures are mentioned and implied; Many prayers; One character calls God “Dhia” as that is His name in her country; ‘H’s are capital when referring to God; Gabriel wishes that the Lord would smite down their enemies and while he knows he shouldn’t question the Lord’s timing or wish fire to rain down from Heaven on their enemies, it would be nice; A character asks for confirmation about his role in the war and the Lord gives him a clear answer; Another character has dreams she believes are warnings from the Lord, but her father brushes her concerns aside saying that those dreams could be “misdirection from the devil just as much as they are from the Lord”; Many mentions of God, His will and timing, prayers, praying, & faiths; Mentions of a Prophecy; A few mentions of healing through prayer & a character believing that anyone can do it; A few mentions of a character who has dreams that seem to be prophetic; A couple mentions of miracles; A mention of a question that will last until eternity;
*Note: “Holy mother” is exclaimed once; Horace hates threatening to send one of the villain’s followers to “eternal damnation”, but realizes it’s a sure thing because the person couldn’t “practice darkness with no repentance or hope for a future”; The villain led a cult and indoctrinated her followers; The villain and her apprentices make it seem like they have “dark magick” but one main character calls it “simply a trick, a slight of hand” and another says the villain never had power to begin with; A few mentions of bloodletting and blood rituals & witchcraft (done by the villain’s group); A few mentions of the villain training warlocks for her cause; A few mentions of some believing that a country is cursed (but was actually another country poisoning them); A couple mentions of dismantling a woman’s “wicked items she’d worshipped and burning them” and then a group praying over the space they held those items; A couple mentions of luck; A mention of someone aligning himself with darkness; A mention of a woman thinking of another as a goddess; A mention of an old man seeming to have “some otherworldly sense of knowledge from time to time”.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: A ‘hang it, three ‘shut up’s, and four ‘stupid’s (including in another language); A few mentions of curses (said, not written); Some eye rolling; A bit of sarcasm (negatively, which the character corrects her attitude); Some eavesdropping & lying (due to the upcoming war & characters not wanting to be kept out of plans or knowledge); Aurelie has a couple moments of bitterness or a bad attitude towards someone, but then checks herself; Killing enemies in fights/battles, Fighting, Gunfire, Being attacked, Being knocked unconscious, & Injuries (border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed); Seeing fighting, blood, & deaths (barely-above-not-detailed); Some of the characters talk about if they don’t make it through the war & their plans in case that happens; One character thinks he is going to be executed for standing up against the king’s words (he imagines the noose or the guillotine being used); One character wishes that the villain was drowned and later catches herself looking forward to the destruction of the enemy, but tells herself that it is not something to take pleasure or joy in; All about & many mentions of the war looming over Lanaria, assassination plans/attempts, deaths and possible deaths, executions (beheadings with a guillotine and hangings), murders (by slashed throats), & grief (including for a sibling and what is to come); Mentions of near-death experiences; Mentions of injuries, pain, & blood/bleeding; Mentions of threats; Mentions of prisons & attests; Mentions of nightmares; A few mentions of deaths from a “manmade ‘plague’” happened (poison); A few mentions of a kidnapping; A few mentions of blood stains (from an event in Book #1); A few mentions of lies; A few mentions of rumors; A couple mentions of slit/slashed throats (as a threat, but also happens to side characters, barely-above-not-detailed); A couple mentions of human trafficking; A couple mentions of children being held prisoner; A couple mentions of a woman’s deep hatred for men; A couple mentions of hunting; A couple mentions of someone trying to cut another’s horse which if the horse’s tendons were sliced, would ensure “a gunshot awaited the horse in the morning”; A mention of a possible massacre; A mention of jealousy;
*Note: Aurelie prays that Evangeline’s baby doesn’t have any malformation like her due to knowing the pain and shame she’s had because of it (even while also knowing she’s been privileged to live in a country that doesn’t see her as a curse); A few mentions of babies born sleeping (stillborn, which a character recalls being told that is a “glimpse of what the mother will meet when she arrives in Heaven”).
Sexual Content- Married couples cuddle/embrace and share some kisses that have no details (a hand kiss, six head/forehead kisses, a nose kiss, two cheek kisses, four+ kisses, and two remembered kisses);
*Note: Labor pain (barely-above-not-detailed); A mention of nursing.
-Evangeline
-Gabriel
-Horace
-Aurelie
-Isla
-Nicolas
-Asta
P.O.V. switches between them
193 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star (and a half)
Early High School Teens- Three Stars
Older High School Teens- Four Stars
My personal Rating- Four Stars
I’ve had books where I’m anxious for the last bit of the book or even in the last quarter, but I think this maybe one of the very few books where I was anxious nearly the entire time reading it. I messaged a dear book friend to deny my fears about the ending about halfway because I couldn’t take the stress. (Thank you, Sarah!) Thus, I felt like a pendulum swinging back and forth between “oh, this isn’t going to go well 😰” and “oh, maybe it will all work out fine and the last book will be pure happiness 😌” for the rest of the book.
And, well, it’s definitely leaning towards one of those two. 😬
I don’t feel like I can say too much about this book because this is such an intricate series where the books must be read in order—it’s required, really.
Because it’s been so long since I’ve read some of the prior books of the series, I didn’t remember everyone’s backstories or details besides the couples from the first two books. So some things or comments were a bit murky at times or I was re-surprised by facts I most likely already knew from the prior books. That said, I did remember more as the book continued.
One thing I’ve really enjoyed about this series and was highlighted yet again in this book is the faith content and how natural it is for the characters. I greatly enjoy how the author has written it and how strong it is shown throughout the series.
This book is less than 200 pages, but it’s packed and gearing up for the grand finale that is releasing in November. I can’t wait for it now but I’m also incredibly nervous after events in this book—particularly at the end. 😭
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
![Profile Image for Jacquelyn 💐 {This Rapunzel Reads} [Jesus Christ, my Living Hope].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1766269624i%2F169222098._UX200_CR0%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
September 30, 2025
❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹
Um, okay, wow! This book ripped my heart out! 😭 I loved seeing all of these beautiful characters together and living out their married lives! I loved it! But so many sad things happened especially one particular thing that I really didn’t like. 😭 I loved the parts with Evangeline and Gabe…they are the sweetest couple ever and my favorite! My heart was racing the whole time as I devoured this book. It’s going to be bittersweet to read the last one because I don’t think I’m quite ready to let go of these characters!
❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹
Um, okay, wow! This book ripped my heart out! 😭 I loved seeing all of these beautiful characters together and living out their married lives! I loved it! But so many sad things happened especially one particular thing that I really didn’t like. 😭 I loved the parts with Evangeline and Gabe…they are the sweetest couple ever and my favorite! My heart was racing the whole time as I devoured this book. It’s going to be bittersweet to read the last one because I don’t think I’m quite ready to let go of these characters!
❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹
October 6, 2025
Ack, this series is so good! While I’ve forgotten minor details about minor characters and events and how everything all lines up (I NEED to reread them close to when the final book releases, gah!), I still kept up pretty well and remembered enough important details to not be totally lost, haha.
I love that we got POVs from all the major characters and in doing so I was struck by how different and distinct they all are, which may sound like a no brainer but not many authors can nail different, distinct character voices and this really showed Michaela understands and gets that, which is wonderful!
Outside of our main cast though I REALLY wanted to shake the king and the captain of the guard, the first because he was just being frustrating, and the second because he didn’t believe Asta’s vision and said because it was bad that it was from the devil. Um, EXCUSE ME, sir, who are you to say things like that?! She’s proven to have visions from God, why on EARTH wouldn’t this one be one too whether you like it or not?! Ugh, he made me so mad!!!
And that ending…gosh, we authors are mean. 😭😂😅 What on earth is going to happen NOW?! I mean, I guessed as much things would end this way but the fact that it did and in such a way…now I’m even MORE excited to see how this all wraps up!
‼️Content‼️
Violence: fighting with weapons and hand to hand (not detailed); lots of talk about and planning for war; a character has a vision of a bloody throne (not detailed)
Sexual: kissing (not detailed)
Other: a character has visions from God; talk of the villains using witchcraft; death and grief
****Note: I received an early copy as a gift from the author and was not required to write a review at all. I just chose to because I love her books so much. 🥰****
I love that we got POVs from all the major characters and in doing so I was struck by how different and distinct they all are, which may sound like a no brainer but not many authors can nail different, distinct character voices and this really showed Michaela understands and gets that, which is wonderful!
Outside of our main cast though I REALLY wanted to shake the king and the captain of the guard, the first because he was just being frustrating, and the second because he didn’t believe Asta’s vision and said because it was bad that it was from the devil. Um, EXCUSE ME, sir, who are you to say things like that?! She’s proven to have visions from God, why on EARTH wouldn’t this one be one too whether you like it or not?! Ugh, he made me so mad!!!
And that ending…gosh, we authors are mean. 😭😂😅 What on earth is going to happen NOW?! I mean, I guessed as much things would end this way but the fact that it did and in such a way…now I’m even MORE excited to see how this all wraps up!
‼️Content‼️
Violence: fighting with weapons and hand to hand (not detailed); lots of talk about and planning for war; a character has a vision of a bloody throne (not detailed)
Sexual: kissing (not detailed)
Other: a character has visions from God; talk of the villains using witchcraft; death and grief
****Note: I received an early copy as a gift from the author and was not required to write a review at all. I just chose to because I love her books so much. 🥰****
January 25, 2026
My Heart! 😭💔
I thought the characters went through a lot in this book but that ending! 😩I honestly don’t know how they’re going to make it. God has sustained them so far through this story and He’s going to have to sustain them for this next bit. I’m kind of peeking through my fingers, scared about what’s going to happen. There was a lot of action in this book but sometimes I was a bit confused with all of the different storylines going on. I almost think it might have been better if there were chunks of different perspectives instead of rotating chapters. The faith content was just as good as I’ve come to expect in this series. I really am eager to see what happens. I’m deeply wishing for a happy ending for these characters! I would say there was some hope in this book but I think I’m going to have to read the last one to be satisfied.
I thought the characters went through a lot in this book but that ending! 😩I honestly don’t know how they’re going to make it. God has sustained them so far through this story and He’s going to have to sustain them for this next bit. I’m kind of peeking through my fingers, scared about what’s going to happen. There was a lot of action in this book but sometimes I was a bit confused with all of the different storylines going on. I almost think it might have been better if there were chunks of different perspectives instead of rotating chapters. The faith content was just as good as I’ve come to expect in this series. I really am eager to see what happens. I’m deeply wishing for a happy ending for these characters! I would say there was some hope in this book but I think I’m going to have to read the last one to be satisfied.
November 22, 2025
A cat and mouse game, told in a medieval fantasy setting!
Having read all of the books prior to this one a while ago, I felt a little lost as I had to remind myself of who was who. Even though I couldn't remember what I read, I could follow the story well enough. Basically, the gang of characters from the other books gathered together and sought to discover the traitors within their own ranks. The result is a book that builds in suspense until the final moment. However, it has a melancholy tone because everyone suspects everyone, so I am glad I waited until Queen of Lanaria came out to read it. Even though there are glimmers of hope, I wanted more. I am excited to read the next one to see if anyone gets a happy ending!
Having read all of the books prior to this one a while ago, I felt a little lost as I had to remind myself of who was who. Even though I couldn't remember what I read, I could follow the story well enough. Basically, the gang of characters from the other books gathered together and sought to discover the traitors within their own ranks. The result is a book that builds in suspense until the final moment. However, it has a melancholy tone because everyone suspects everyone, so I am glad I waited until Queen of Lanaria came out to read it. Even though there are glimmers of hope, I wanted more. I am excited to read the next one to see if anyone gets a happy ending!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews