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The Crimson Throne
Powerless meets Reign in this new historical romantasy from the New York Times bestselling authors of Night of the Witch.
Samson Calthorpe’s curse has isolated him from everyone he has ever cared about. So, when the opportunity arises to break the curse, he grabs it. All he has to do for his freedom is risk his life and become a royal spy, using every bit of the skills and resolve he’s picked up on the streets of London to infiltrate the court of the Scottish Queen and uncover a plot to assassinate Queen Elizabeth.
For years, Alyth Graham has been protecting Mary Queen of Scots from threats both physical and magical, including the Queen’s own husband, Lord Darnley. Alyth is more than meets the eye though, the child of a fae prince and a human mother, she is among the most powerful protectors in Scotland: guardians sworn to defend against the Red Caps, a bloodthirsty fae clan . . . that Lord Darnley is in league with to overtake Scotland.
As Alyth and Samson circle each other in the volatile and glamorous Scottish court, both seek to uncover threats to their own countries. They have one unifying link: their shared hatred and suspicion of Lord Darnley…and their undeniable pull towards each other. Using secret codes, hidden messages, and a little bit of magic, Alyth and Samson unravel a plot centuries in the making. Lord Darnley is only a pawn, and in this game, the queen takes all.
“A biting historical fantasy series launch that fuses Tudor-era courtcraft with Celtic fae legend... ...confronting duty, destiny, and betrayal” —Publishers Weekly
"An atmospheric fantasy brimming with intrigue and heart." —Kirkus Reviews
Samson Calthorpe’s curse has isolated him from everyone he has ever cared about. So, when the opportunity arises to break the curse, he grabs it. All he has to do for his freedom is risk his life and become a royal spy, using every bit of the skills and resolve he’s picked up on the streets of London to infiltrate the court of the Scottish Queen and uncover a plot to assassinate Queen Elizabeth.
For years, Alyth Graham has been protecting Mary Queen of Scots from threats both physical and magical, including the Queen’s own husband, Lord Darnley. Alyth is more than meets the eye though, the child of a fae prince and a human mother, she is among the most powerful protectors in Scotland: guardians sworn to defend against the Red Caps, a bloodthirsty fae clan . . . that Lord Darnley is in league with to overtake Scotland.
As Alyth and Samson circle each other in the volatile and glamorous Scottish court, both seek to uncover threats to their own countries. They have one unifying link: their shared hatred and suspicion of Lord Darnley…and their undeniable pull towards each other. Using secret codes, hidden messages, and a little bit of magic, Alyth and Samson unravel a plot centuries in the making. Lord Darnley is only a pawn, and in this game, the queen takes all.
“A biting historical fantasy series launch that fuses Tudor-era courtcraft with Celtic fae legend... ...confronting duty, destiny, and betrayal” —Publishers Weekly
"An atmospheric fantasy brimming with intrigue and heart." —Kirkus Reviews
368 pages, Hardcover
First published October 7, 2025
115 people are currently reading
20219 people want to read
About the author
Sara Raasch
30 books7,421 followersSara Raasch has known she was destined for bookish things since the age of five, when her friends had a lemonade stand and she tagged along to sell her hand-drawn picture books too. Not much has changed since then — her friends still cock concerned eyebrows when she attempts to draw things and her enthusiasm for the written word still drives her to extreme measures. Her debut YA fantasy, SNOW LIKE ASHES, the first in a trilogy, came out October 14, 2014 from Balzer + Bray. It does not feature her hand-drawn pictures.
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October 28, 2025
❝ Even when all this was invisible to me, you never were. ❞
~ Samson
∘₊✦ The Crimson Throne ⚔️
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ ~ 3.5
⟡ preread ⟡
⌕ Thanks so much to Netgalley for approving my first ever ARC!! https://www.netgalley.com/book/614535...
✑ overview (spoiler-free!)
⠀⠀⠀ ↳ In this historical fantasy YA novel, Alyth, a magical fae, has a duty to protect the Scotland Queen Mary from dangerous Red Caps who are lurking beyond the enchanted border. Samson, a lowly thief from the city of London has striked a deal with his father to find an object in Scotland that has cursed him since his childhood. Little do they know that there's a deeper, more dangerous plan set underway.
◗ plot
⠀⠀⠀ ✦ The story must lead on to other books in the series, since most of it was building on the characters and the plan in Scotland, and ended with another plotline for the next book.
⠀⠀⠀ ✦ The pacing was quick and enjoyable, I feel like it was more centered on the plot rather than characters, which made it feel disconnected from them and their personalities. The romance was also a bit quick to start at the beginning.
⠀⠀⠀ ✦ The narrative was written as though the actual characters were speaking and thinking in their dialect of Scottish and English, which helped bring life to the writing.
‧₊˚ ✶ "War is coming to both our lands." ~ Alyth
⭑ worldbuilding
‧₊˚ ⚘݄ “Creatures like this, they’re not good or bad. They’re wild. They drift between the worlds, and they deserve to be protected from fae and man alike.” ~ Alyth
⠀⠀⠀ ↠ The way that the story was integrated Scotland and the royal powers in the 1500s with magic and an in-depth group of fae living among them in the borders made the story feel very realistic.
⠀⠀⠀ ↠ I was impressed with the setting, and how it was described just enough to give some parts eerie and mysterious vibe, but wasn’t overdone. I especially liked the description of the countryside and the cities, and how you could clearly picture the surroundings.
⠀⠀⠀ ↠ One highlight of the book was the fae creatures of Scotland, which I loved. The brownies and Alyth having a connecton was sweet, as well as the will-o’-the-wisps, and I loved her determination to protect the magical beings.
❖ characters
⠀⠀⠀ ౨ৎ The characters had great storylines, but I felt their personality and development could have been improved and more detailed, it felt sort of dry at parts and like it was missing something. I think they could have had more unique traits as characters as well. The emotions were there, but I also thought they could have been shown with a bit more life through the character’s actions.
⠀⠀⠀ ౨ৎ I appreciated the added characters in the fae realm, like the goddes of winter and the witch, and I appreciated how their abilities were well-written.
‧₊˚ ✶ “How can I prove myself to you?” ~ Samson
⠀⠀⠀ ➵ Alyth • "I've seen magic all my life, but I've never felt it until now." ~~ She was very focused, and her knowledge and upbringing as a fae with knowledge on the legends and creatures added magical details. The way she could see the auras and intentions of other people was also a unique type of magic. What resonated with me was her deep connection with the fae creatures like the brownies and glaistigs, and how she called on them for help. ✨
⠀⠀⠀ ➵ Samson • “We need each other, you and I.” ~~ I loved his aloofness even with his challenges, and how determined he was to prove himself to Alyth however he could. Although I think that the details on his heritage could have been improved with more depth.
⠀⠀⠀ ➵ Queen Mary ~~ I disliked her personality, especially the self-centered part, but she added to the plot of the fae and human worlds being connected.
✦ favorite parts (spoilers ahead) ✦
⠀⠀⠀ ⊹ Alyth and Samson camping under the stars when they first meet, and watching the stag walk by
⠀⠀⠀ ⊹ Alyth confronting Samson in his room at the castle about the amulet that blocks fae magic
⠀⠀⠀ ⊹ Them dancing together and Samson explaining himself to Altyh at the baptism party, and again in the fae realm to the entrancing music
⠀⠀⠀ ⊹ Alyth riding one of Queen Beira's stags to warn Samson from the explosives, and sending a hoard of robins as a warning sign
⠀⠀⠀ ⊹ Their kiss as the fire storms behind them in the town
➶ my recommendation
⤷ ⟡ age rating: 13+
⤷ ⟡ content warnings:
⠀⠀⠀— language ~ 6/10
⠀⠀⠀— romance ~ 4/10 - kissing, spice-free
⠀⠀⠀— violence ~ 5/10 - stabbing, deaths with magic abilities
⠀⠀⠀— other ~ drinking, manipulation
⤷ ⟡ For fans of the False Prince and books by Jennifer Nielsen
⤷ ⟡ Best for readers who love romantasy and fantay set in real locations
☾ final verdict
⠀⠀⠀ This was a fun adventure, and I especially loved the setting and creatures. Overall, I would say this book was successful in the plot, but the characters were lacking some detail and relatability.
The Crimson Throne — 2025
~ ∘₊ ✦
∘₊✦ The Crimson Throne ⚔️
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ ~ 3.5
⟡ preread ⟡
⌕ Thanks so much to Netgalley for approving my first ever ARC!! https://www.netgalley.com/book/614535...
✑ overview (spoiler-free!)
⠀⠀⠀ ↳ In this historical fantasy YA novel, Alyth, a magical fae, has a duty to protect the Scotland Queen Mary from dangerous Red Caps who are lurking beyond the enchanted border. Samson, a lowly thief from the city of London has striked a deal with his father to find an object in Scotland that has cursed him since his childhood. Little do they know that there's a deeper, more dangerous plan set underway.
◗ plot
⠀⠀⠀ ✦ The story must lead on to other books in the series, since most of it was building on the characters and the plan in Scotland, and ended with another plotline for the next book.
⠀⠀⠀ ✦ The pacing was quick and enjoyable, I feel like it was more centered on the plot rather than characters, which made it feel disconnected from them and their personalities. The romance was also a bit quick to start at the beginning.
⠀⠀⠀ ✦ The narrative was written as though the actual characters were speaking and thinking in their dialect of Scottish and English, which helped bring life to the writing.
‧₊˚ ✶ "War is coming to both our lands." ~ Alyth
⭑ worldbuilding
‧₊˚ ⚘݄ “Creatures like this, they’re not good or bad. They’re wild. They drift between the worlds, and they deserve to be protected from fae and man alike.” ~ Alyth
⠀⠀⠀ ↠ The way that the story was integrated Scotland and the royal powers in the 1500s with magic and an in-depth group of fae living among them in the borders made the story feel very realistic.
⠀⠀⠀ ↠ I was impressed with the setting, and how it was described just enough to give some parts eerie and mysterious vibe, but wasn’t overdone. I especially liked the description of the countryside and the cities, and how you could clearly picture the surroundings.
⠀⠀⠀ ↠ One highlight of the book was the fae creatures of Scotland, which I loved. The brownies and Alyth having a connecton was sweet, as well as the will-o’-the-wisps, and I loved her determination to protect the magical beings.
❖ characters
⠀⠀⠀ ౨ৎ The characters had great storylines, but I felt their personality and development could have been improved and more detailed, it felt sort of dry at parts and like it was missing something. I think they could have had more unique traits as characters as well. The emotions were there, but I also thought they could have been shown with a bit more life through the character’s actions.
⠀⠀⠀ ౨ৎ I appreciated the added characters in the fae realm, like the goddes of winter and the witch, and I appreciated how their abilities were well-written.
‧₊˚ ✶ “How can I prove myself to you?” ~ Samson
⠀⠀⠀ ➵ Alyth • "I've seen magic all my life, but I've never felt it until now." ~~ She was very focused, and her knowledge and upbringing as a fae with knowledge on the legends and creatures added magical details. The way she could see the auras and intentions of other people was also a unique type of magic. What resonated with me was her deep connection with the fae creatures like the brownies and glaistigs, and how she called on them for help. ✨
⠀⠀⠀ ➵ Samson • “We need each other, you and I.” ~~ I loved his aloofness even with his challenges, and how determined he was to prove himself to Alyth however he could. Although I think that the details on his heritage could have been improved with more depth.
⠀⠀⠀ ➵ Queen Mary ~~ I disliked her personality, especially the self-centered part, but she added to the plot of the fae and human worlds being connected.
✦ favorite parts (spoilers ahead) ✦
⠀⠀⠀ ⊹ Alyth and Samson camping under the stars when they first meet, and watching the stag walk by
⠀⠀⠀ ⊹ Alyth confronting Samson in his room at the castle about the amulet that blocks fae magic
⠀⠀⠀ ⊹ Them dancing together and Samson explaining himself to Altyh at the baptism party, and again in the fae realm to the entrancing music
⠀⠀⠀ ⊹ Alyth riding one of Queen Beira's stags to warn Samson from the explosives, and sending a hoard of robins as a warning sign
⠀⠀⠀ ⊹ Their kiss as the fire storms behind them in the town
➶ my recommendation
⤷ ⟡ age rating: 13+
⤷ ⟡ content warnings:
⠀⠀⠀— language ~ 6/10
⠀⠀⠀— romance ~ 4/10 - kissing, spice-free
⠀⠀⠀— violence ~ 5/10 - stabbing, deaths with magic abilities
⠀⠀⠀— other ~ drinking, manipulation
⤷ ⟡ For fans of the False Prince and books by Jennifer Nielsen
⤷ ⟡ Best for readers who love romantasy and fantay set in real locations
☾ final verdict
⠀⠀⠀ This was a fun adventure, and I especially loved the setting and creatures. Overall, I would say this book was successful in the plot, but the characters were lacking some detail and relatability.
The Crimson Throne — 2025
~ ∘₊ ✦
September 29, 2025
3.0 ★— It’s frustrating when you feel like a book doesn’t make use of its very intriguing premise and interesting world-building, but that’s exactly how I feel after finishing The Crimson Throne.
A book set in 16th-century Scotland and England, right in the middle of the conflict between Mary, Queen of Scots, and Queen Elizabeth I (both such iconic historical figures!) with a half-fae heroine who’s trying to preserve the barrier between the fae realm and the human world, all while being part of Mary’s court.
This is the fodder for some amazing stuff! It's sad that the book largely falls flat when it comes to really using its fascinating historical backdrop and setting.
For one, Alyth, the heroine, starts out as a strong, resigned-to-her-position, dutiful character who’s worked with Queen Mary for years. But all this character setup goes out the window once she meets the MMC, Samson. After knowing him for barely… a month maybe (?), she’s suddenly ready to risk the safety of Scotland for him. She’s immediately called out for this, and she even agrees that she’s being reckless… and then just goes right back to doing it anyway.
And all of this would be fine if the authors had actually developed a strong romantic bond between Samson and Alyth. But they didn’t.
They meet, there’s insta-lust, and then after a few more chapters they’re just… suddenly in love and “his soul calls to her”. I kept waiting for some kind of explanation for this rashness, but nope.
On top of that, characters barely react to life-changing revelations. Multiple times, huge secrets are revealed. Things that should shake someone to their core and yet the characters just do not react. It almost made me feel crazy as I was reading, because these moments were brushed over like they were no big deal. It felt like the authors just threw these reveals in because they were needed for plot reasons, without thinking about how they’d actually impact the characters emotionally or mentally.
Another thing that pulled me out of the story was the repeated use of modern slang. This is literally set in 16th-century Scotland, and the MMC, an Englishman, uses the phrase “I was cooked” in his internal monologue. I’m not even super strict about how characters talk in fantasy, but if you’re setting a book in a real historical time period, I think it’s worth at least trying to avoid modern slang like this.
Amidst all this, I did have a few things I liked. Mary, Queen of Scots, was portrayed in an interesting way, and I actually enjoyed the kookiness of her character. I also loved the use of the Scottish language and all the glimpses into Scottish culture I got as a reader. I truly adored how the story showed the fae as being deeply woven into the foundation of Scotland from the very beginning. Like I said in the beginning, so much of this book's setup is so fascinating and has so much potential that it not coming together in the end is upsetting to me, too, as a history nerd.
________________
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
A book set in 16th-century Scotland and England, right in the middle of the conflict between Mary, Queen of Scots, and Queen Elizabeth I (both such iconic historical figures!) with a half-fae heroine who’s trying to preserve the barrier between the fae realm and the human world, all while being part of Mary’s court.
This is the fodder for some amazing stuff! It's sad that the book largely falls flat when it comes to really using its fascinating historical backdrop and setting.
For one, Alyth, the heroine, starts out as a strong, resigned-to-her-position, dutiful character who’s worked with Queen Mary for years. But all this character setup goes out the window once she meets the MMC, Samson. After knowing him for barely… a month maybe (?), she’s suddenly ready to risk the safety of Scotland for him. She’s immediately called out for this, and she even agrees that she’s being reckless… and then just goes right back to doing it anyway.
And all of this would be fine if the authors had actually developed a strong romantic bond between Samson and Alyth. But they didn’t.
They meet, there’s insta-lust, and then after a few more chapters they’re just… suddenly in love and “his soul calls to her”. I kept waiting for some kind of explanation for this rashness, but nope.
On top of that, characters barely react to life-changing revelations. Multiple times, huge secrets are revealed. Things that should shake someone to their core and yet the characters just do not react. It almost made me feel crazy as I was reading, because these moments were brushed over like they were no big deal. It felt like the authors just threw these reveals in because they were needed for plot reasons, without thinking about how they’d actually impact the characters emotionally or mentally.
Another thing that pulled me out of the story was the repeated use of modern slang. This is literally set in 16th-century Scotland, and the MMC, an Englishman, uses the phrase “I was cooked” in his internal monologue. I’m not even super strict about how characters talk in fantasy, but if you’re setting a book in a real historical time period, I think it’s worth at least trying to avoid modern slang like this.
Amidst all this, I did have a few things I liked. Mary, Queen of Scots, was portrayed in an interesting way, and I actually enjoyed the kookiness of her character. I also loved the use of the Scottish language and all the glimpses into Scottish culture I got as a reader. I truly adored how the story showed the fae as being deeply woven into the foundation of Scotland from the very beginning. Like I said in the beginning, so much of this book's setup is so fascinating and has so much potential that it not coming together in the end is upsetting to me, too, as a history nerd.
________________
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
October 9, 2025
The Crimson Throne (The Crimson Throne #1) by Sara Raasch and Beth Revis
Book Blurb: Samson Calthorpe’s curse has isolated him from everyone he has ever cared about. So, when the opportunity arises to break the curse, he grabs it. All he has to do for his freedom is risk his life and become a royal spy, using every bit of the skills and resolve he’s picked up on the streets of London to infiltrate the court of the Scottish Queen and uncover a plot to assassinate Queen Elizabeth.
Rating: ****
Feels:
Style: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Romantasy, Historical Fiction, Historical, Fantasy Romance
First published October 7, 2025 : 368 pages
History with a magical twist , yes please!!. I love a good historical fantasy and this delivered an adventure that kept me page turning. The characters are mostly known as is the setting but the magical elements were woven in so well to make this a fantastical read. I enjoyed the way the human world interacted with the fae world and the varied hierarchies. The plots and drama with the court intrigue was just what I love with historical reads and the fantasy elements blended in perfectly. I am so looking forward to the next book !!
Favorite Quote: There are two types of power. The kind that you're born with, and the kind that you take.
This book has:
History + Magic
Court Intrique
Fae world vrs Human world
Mythical Creatures
Historical retellings with a twist
Slow Burn
Book Blurb: Samson Calthorpe’s curse has isolated him from everyone he has ever cared about. So, when the opportunity arises to break the curse, he grabs it. All he has to do for his freedom is risk his life and become a royal spy, using every bit of the skills and resolve he’s picked up on the streets of London to infiltrate the court of the Scottish Queen and uncover a plot to assassinate Queen Elizabeth.
Rating: ****
Feels:
Style: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Romantasy, Historical Fiction, Historical, Fantasy Romance
First published October 7, 2025 : 368 pages
History with a magical twist , yes please!!. I love a good historical fantasy and this delivered an adventure that kept me page turning. The characters are mostly known as is the setting but the magical elements were woven in so well to make this a fantastical read. I enjoyed the way the human world interacted with the fae world and the varied hierarchies. The plots and drama with the court intrigue was just what I love with historical reads and the fantasy elements blended in perfectly. I am so looking forward to the next book !!
Favorite Quote: There are two types of power. The kind that you're born with, and the kind that you take.
This book has:
History + Magic
Court Intrique
Fae world vrs Human world
Mythical Creatures
Historical retellings with a twist
Slow Burn
July 14, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
This was an original take on the tudors era, as queen Mary of Scots is married to Lord Darnley and is pregnant with his son but with fantasy elements, magical objects and half faes who are called Leth.
Alyth is a powerful Leth, and queen Mary’s lady in waiting and is charged with keeping Scotland and queen Mary of Scots safe as well as ensuring the wall between the human and fae worlds doesn’t get destroyed.
As the attempts on queen’s life intensify, leaving Red Cap objects in their midst, she is determined to find out the culprits and end their threats.
Samson is the bastard son of the powerful English Lord Cecil, but his life is dispensable to him. He sends him to Scotland on a mission to infiltrate the Scottish court and find the Red Caps dangerous objects that the queen keeps in exchange of freeing him from the curse that has been plaguing him since childhood.
The concept and plot was interestingly unique and I was really excited to read this because Reign is one of my favorite series and it was great to find many accurate historical points in this book.
Alyth was a powerful main character, who doesn’t think twice before jumping into danger and saving those she is tasked to protect. Samson has a similar trait two, that made the story really interesting.
I felt that the pacing and the chemistry between the characters could’ve been better though as it was a little boring at times, but overall I had a great time reading this.
Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks UK for this copy!
This was an original take on the tudors era, as queen Mary of Scots is married to Lord Darnley and is pregnant with his son but with fantasy elements, magical objects and half faes who are called Leth.
Alyth is a powerful Leth, and queen Mary’s lady in waiting and is charged with keeping Scotland and queen Mary of Scots safe as well as ensuring the wall between the human and fae worlds doesn’t get destroyed.
As the attempts on queen’s life intensify, leaving Red Cap objects in their midst, she is determined to find out the culprits and end their threats.
Samson is the bastard son of the powerful English Lord Cecil, but his life is dispensable to him. He sends him to Scotland on a mission to infiltrate the Scottish court and find the Red Caps dangerous objects that the queen keeps in exchange of freeing him from the curse that has been plaguing him since childhood.
The concept and plot was interestingly unique and I was really excited to read this because Reign is one of my favorite series and it was great to find many accurate historical points in this book.
Alyth was a powerful main character, who doesn’t think twice before jumping into danger and saving those she is tasked to protect. Samson has a similar trait two, that made the story really interesting.
I felt that the pacing and the chemistry between the characters could’ve been better though as it was a little boring at times, but overall I had a great time reading this.
Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks UK for this copy!
October 7, 2025
This writing duo is doing something right. Because I loved their first collaboration, and this one is just as entertaining.
I will say, however, that dubbing this enemies-to-lovers doesn't quite sit right with me. Because Alyth and Samson do not hate each other. In fact, they were attracted to each other from the start. They never wanted to kill one another, not really. They distrust each other in the beginning, but who in their right mind immediately trusts a stranger? Trust isn't simply given. It's earned.
And these two do earn it.
Secrets, lies, twisted fates, and wicked plots threaten to tear them apart, but they never falter. Samson does not begrudge Alyth for the things he believes she must do, and Alyth isn't so easily fooled into believing Samson is truly the enemy. I found myself rooting for them because they were always rooting for each other. They always choose each other, which means a lot to both of them because they grew up never being anyone's first choice. Both were treated as tools to be used rather than anyone's priority.
Using Scotland as the backdrop and interweaving fae legends with historical people and events made for an interesting read. There is a good amount we know about this particular time of unrest between England and Scotland, but also a lot we don't. It leaves a lot of potential for the authors to work with.
I genuinely enjoyed this a lot, and with the way this book ended, I am eager to see how Alyth and Samson get themselves out of the absolute mess they are in.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I will say, however, that dubbing this enemies-to-lovers doesn't quite sit right with me. Because Alyth and Samson do not hate each other. In fact, they were attracted to each other from the start. They never wanted to kill one another, not really. They distrust each other in the beginning, but who in their right mind immediately trusts a stranger? Trust isn't simply given. It's earned.
And these two do earn it.
Secrets, lies, twisted fates, and wicked plots threaten to tear them apart, but they never falter. Samson does not begrudge Alyth for the things he believes she must do, and Alyth isn't so easily fooled into believing Samson is truly the enemy. I found myself rooting for them because they were always rooting for each other. They always choose each other, which means a lot to both of them because they grew up never being anyone's first choice. Both were treated as tools to be used rather than anyone's priority.
Using Scotland as the backdrop and interweaving fae legends with historical people and events made for an interesting read. There is a good amount we know about this particular time of unrest between England and Scotland, but also a lot we don't. It leaves a lot of potential for the authors to work with.
I genuinely enjoyed this a lot, and with the way this book ended, I am eager to see how Alyth and Samson get themselves out of the absolute mess they are in.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
October 12, 2025
3.5 rounded up!!
overall i really enjoyed this story, i ended up listening to the audiobook as i read along with it and LOVED how the narrators brought the characters and the world to life. anything set in the tudor/mary queen of scot’s time period will always have my attention, especially when fae magic becomes involved!! i loved how unique this story felt with these elements brought into it.
my biggest issue with this book is that i think it would have benefited immensely by being longer, maybe even split up into a duology as there were so many scenarios i felt could have been expanded upon. in all honesty i could not tell you if this was a standalone or not, it felt in complete however nothing really indicated to me that this story line would be continuing, just that we were moving onto elizabeth next? i dont know, but what i do know is that i would have loved to have seen more in almost every aspect of the story and the story have been told over a longer period of time and not a month.
overall i really enjoyed this story, i ended up listening to the audiobook as i read along with it and LOVED how the narrators brought the characters and the world to life. anything set in the tudor/mary queen of scot’s time period will always have my attention, especially when fae magic becomes involved!! i loved how unique this story felt with these elements brought into it.
my biggest issue with this book is that i think it would have benefited immensely by being longer, maybe even split up into a duology as there were so many scenarios i felt could have been expanded upon. in all honesty i could not tell you if this was a standalone or not, it felt in complete however nothing really indicated to me that this story line would be continuing, just that we were moving onto elizabeth next? i dont know, but what i do know is that i would have loved to have seen more in almost every aspect of the story and the story have been told over a longer period of time and not a month.
June 3, 2025
I really enjoyed this book, and all of true history entwined in it. I loved that it was set in Scotland, and their folklore. I apologize for how long it took me to read this, it is no reflection on the book. Unfortunately this month has been crazy, both good and bad. I’m very interested to see where the next book takes me. Thank you NetGalley any SourceBook Fire for the advance copy.
October 4, 2025
Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for this arc in exchange for an honest review!
2.5 stars
Romantasy and YA just don't mix for me.
This had a really interesting premise with some characters that had a shot of being really interesting, but this was overwhelming Young with awkward attempts at being Adult.
There wasn't much development and 0 time spent on the relationship; I just feel like nothing really happened here and I found myself skimming through most of this.
Definitely a bummer because a book titled The Crimson Throne should have served.
2.5 stars
Romantasy and YA just don't mix for me.
This had a really interesting premise with some characters that had a shot of being really interesting, but this was overwhelming Young with awkward attempts at being Adult.
There wasn't much development and 0 time spent on the relationship; I just feel like nothing really happened here and I found myself skimming through most of this.
Definitely a bummer because a book titled The Crimson Throne should have served.
November 26, 2025
“Ik wil zijn bloed vergieten, tot op de laatste druppel. Ik wil het in een plas op de grond laten lopen en er midden in gaan zitten als een draak op zijn schat.”
Ik ging met nul verwachtingen dit boek in en ik heb me zo hard vermaakt. Al die wezens (brownies met pootjes?!) en de niet-zware politieke dilemma’s. Eerlijk, de pacing was een beetje gek. Want hoe bedoel je; er gebeurt erg weinig in de eerste 250 blz en daarna heel veel?! Maar ik heb helemaal zin in boek 2 🤩!!
Ik ging met nul verwachtingen dit boek in en ik heb me zo hard vermaakt. Al die wezens (brownies met pootjes?!) en de niet-zware politieke dilemma’s. Eerlijk, de pacing was een beetje gek. Want hoe bedoel je; er gebeurt erg weinig in de eerste 250 blz en daarna heel veel?! Maar ik heb helemaal zin in boek 2 🤩!!
September 25, 2025
THIS is the fae court intrigue I crave in stories! And I’m adjusting my rating to be what a teen version of myself would have rated this novel, because it is what adult me loves out of Outlander, and the Fae courts of Dresden files - 4.5 rounding up to 5🌟! This was an incredibly fun and romantic read, combining real Scottish and English history with fantastical alternative fae elements. I couldn’t put it down.
I am hesitant to provide too much detail as a big part of what I loved was the surprises I didn’t anticipate. What I can say, the fae of this story are my absolute favorite archetype - very similar to Holly Blacks flavor of fae, where magical beings can come in all sorts of appearances and levels of magical capabilities, and it was fun to discover new characters as the story progresses. The fae depicted in this novel are highly crafty, always searching for an upper hand via word play. We see glimpses of the Unseelie Court, learn about impending threats from the Red Caps, and all this is the backdrop to a well done historical romance (Queen Mary vs Queen Elizabeth era), with a little dash of fae passion. No spice in this story, and I didn’t miss it! Great yearning and kisses!
I came into this novel already a huge fan of Sara Raasch and her spicy adult Royals and Romance holiday stories. Be forewarned, this is true YA (ages 13+), but it ultimately didn’t matter to me, because I was here for the vibes ✨ Were some aspects of the story predictable? Yes. But there were so many more aspects I enjoyed! And again, I can recognize I have the advantage of an adult perspective and ability to guess plot points, especially as the ending approached. That being said, I still had surprises that I didn’t see coming as the world unfolded along the way. Teen me would have made this my whole personality, and I plan on picking up the sequel as soon as it’s available, because that ending teaser was delicious! Thank you to Sara Raasch and Beth Revis, Sourcebooks Fire and NetGalley for this eARC!
I am hesitant to provide too much detail as a big part of what I loved was the surprises I didn’t anticipate. What I can say, the fae of this story are my absolute favorite archetype - very similar to Holly Blacks flavor of fae, where magical beings can come in all sorts of appearances and levels of magical capabilities, and it was fun to discover new characters as the story progresses. The fae depicted in this novel are highly crafty, always searching for an upper hand via word play. We see glimpses of the Unseelie Court, learn about impending threats from the Red Caps, and all this is the backdrop to a well done historical romance (Queen Mary vs Queen Elizabeth era), with a little dash of fae passion. No spice in this story, and I didn’t miss it! Great yearning and kisses!
I came into this novel already a huge fan of Sara Raasch and her spicy adult Royals and Romance holiday stories. Be forewarned, this is true YA (ages 13+), but it ultimately didn’t matter to me, because I was here for the vibes ✨ Were some aspects of the story predictable? Yes. But there were so many more aspects I enjoyed! And again, I can recognize I have the advantage of an adult perspective and ability to guess plot points, especially as the ending approached. That being said, I still had surprises that I didn’t see coming as the world unfolded along the way. Teen me would have made this my whole personality, and I plan on picking up the sequel as soon as it’s available, because that ending teaser was delicious! Thank you to Sara Raasch and Beth Revis, Sourcebooks Fire and NetGalley for this eARC!
August 19, 2025
Thank you Sourcebooks Fire and NetGalley for the arc of The Crimson Throne by Sara Raasch and Beth Revis.
My favorite author duo is back again! Sara and Beth are so brilliant at creating a fantasy world of their own rules and machinations. It was very easy to slip into this book of historical Scotland court intrigue and fae.
Alyth!! The barrier guardian you are!! Reading from her pov was very fun. She's a feisty protagonist that sets the tone for a fast-paced and invigorating read.
Samson :) A just as feisty counterpart, but with self-doubt issues. And daddy issues lol. But, incredibly likeable!!
The two main characters find themselves caught in the pre-war antics between Queen Mary and her traitor husband. Alyth must keep the peace to ensure the safety of the fae wall. Samson struggles to please his father while dealing with a devastating curse. An unlikely comradery brings Alyth and Samson the blueprint to help each other's cause, even if it may be on separate sides.
There was a bit of insta-attraction, but overall it gave the characters and story charm that I ate up.
"I don't understand much of this world so far, but I understand her."
My favorite author duo is back again! Sara and Beth are so brilliant at creating a fantasy world of their own rules and machinations. It was very easy to slip into this book of historical Scotland court intrigue and fae.
Alyth!! The barrier guardian you are!! Reading from her pov was very fun. She's a feisty protagonist that sets the tone for a fast-paced and invigorating read.
Samson :) A just as feisty counterpart, but with self-doubt issues. And daddy issues lol. But, incredibly likeable!!
The two main characters find themselves caught in the pre-war antics between Queen Mary and her traitor husband. Alyth must keep the peace to ensure the safety of the fae wall. Samson struggles to please his father while dealing with a devastating curse. An unlikely comradery brings Alyth and Samson the blueprint to help each other's cause, even if it may be on separate sides.
There was a bit of insta-attraction, but overall it gave the characters and story charm that I ate up.
"I don't understand much of this world so far, but I understand her."
tbr-2
November 6, 2025
September 20, 2025
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC!
Unfortunately, this fell very flat for me. Firstly, there was way too much telling and not showing, which made everything feel very superficial. For instance, we're repeatedly told how Alyth is the most powerful Leth (part human/part fae) in Scotland and I truly cannot tell you what she did that made this feel like I could buy it.
The narration and writing felt extremely colloquial and semi-modernized. I guess if something is heavily reliant on a historical setting, I have a different set of expectations for the writing style. This was not met in The Crimson Throne.
I truly cannot think of anything that really redeemed this for me. I liked the fact that it was a short enough book - I honestly think if it was longer, I would have DNF'd it but it was short enough to power through.
The characters were flat - Samson especially. I couldn't tell you a single personality trait of his, honestly. Because I couldn't connect to their characters, the romance also felt uninspired.
All in all, a very boring and mid read. Not the worst thing I've ever read, certainly, so it can have 2 stars.
Unfortunately, this fell very flat for me. Firstly, there was way too much telling and not showing, which made everything feel very superficial. For instance, we're repeatedly told how Alyth is the most powerful Leth (part human/part fae) in Scotland and I truly cannot tell you what she did that made this feel like I could buy it.
The narration and writing felt extremely colloquial and semi-modernized. I guess if something is heavily reliant on a historical setting, I have a different set of expectations for the writing style. This was not met in The Crimson Throne.
I truly cannot think of anything that really redeemed this for me. I liked the fact that it was a short enough book - I honestly think if it was longer, I would have DNF'd it but it was short enough to power through.
The characters were flat - Samson especially. I couldn't tell you a single personality trait of his, honestly. Because I couldn't connect to their characters, the romance also felt uninspired.
All in all, a very boring and mid read. Not the worst thing I've ever read, certainly, so it can have 2 stars.
May 27, 2025
Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing this digital ARC for an honest review.
Rating: 3.5 stars
Steam: 🫑
This book was simply a good time. The world was full of Scottish folklore and had that creepy fae vibe. I didn’t feel much depth in the character work but found the story and relationship between our FMC and MMC interesting enough that I kept turning page after page and wanted to know what was going to happen next. Are you going to be totally blown away and surprised by this book? Probably not, but you will have a fun time reading it.
Rating: 3.5 stars
Steam: 🫑
This book was simply a good time. The world was full of Scottish folklore and had that creepy fae vibe. I didn’t feel much depth in the character work but found the story and relationship between our FMC and MMC interesting enough that I kept turning page after page and wanted to know what was going to happen next. Are you going to be totally blown away and surprised by this book? Probably not, but you will have a fun time reading it.
May 20, 2025
What if Mary, Queen of the Scots’ tumultuous reign and the surrounding scheming were influenced by the presence fae magic and other Scottish folklore? Sara Raasch and Beth Revis’s collaboration novel The Crimson Throne is an entertaining and straightforward YA romantasy novel as well as a liberally interpreted historical fiction story. Magical fae powers, cursed objects and weapons, historic grand castles and sweeping scenic landscapes, The Crimson Throne has all the right elements for a great fantasy story. Presented from dual perspectives, one a Scottish half-fae guardian of the crown and one an English spy sent to infiltrate said crown’s inner circle, the scene is set for a forbidden romance between two opponents meant to outplay each other with both the Scottish/England Kingdoms and the Fae Kingdom’s future at stake.
An important note that is not clearly mentioned on early previews and listing for The Crimson Throne at the time of this review is that this is the first book in a brand new fantasy duology (the ARC received as well as Amazon’s presale store states it’s part of a duology titled Spy and Guardian but I don’t see this highlighted on other platforms like Goodreads, Barnes & Nobles, etc.). Due to this novel only telling part of the overall story, this book ends with a notable cliffhanger and plot twist. While there are certain narrative elements and character arcs that are sufficiently concluded within this novel, the majority of the book’s premise and overall storylines are left as “to be continued…” and will require you to read the assumed future sequel novel to see how everything truly ends.
One area that pleasantly surprised me was the story’s commitment and attention to historical details. While Alyth Graham and Samson Calthorpe are entirely fictional characters, many of the other notable characters are based on very real historic individuals. Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth are no-brainers, but one of the antagonist Lord Darnley is entirely true to the real Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley/Mary’s husband. Mary and Lord Darnley’s infant son James is present and integral to the story’s main plot, and Mary’s entire court, close friends, and an assortment of English barons and personalities are all historic people. And while I will refrain from going into too much detail to avoid spoilers, many of the book’s notable scenes are based on real historical events with a magical twist or motivation behind them. While I appreciated the attention to detail and historical accuracy of the story, those far more familiar with Scottish history will be even more delighted by Raasch and Revis’s exciting and quite clever historic retelling.
A great balance between fantasy and historical fiction, The Crimson Throne feels like an all-around solid fantasy YA novel that features whimsical magic, various mysterious fae and other Scottish-inspired folklore beings, and an occasional splash of good action. While the novel is characterized as being a romantasy story, I found the political scheming of various characters seeking the power and influence of the throne to be quite compelling, especially in matters surrounding Alyth’s dual roles as guardian of both human and fae kingdoms. I really enjoyed Alyth’s character who’s stubborn, independent and strong-willed, yet smart and accomplished when need be. Her unorthodox place and role within Queen Mary’s court posed a variety of interesting situations as well as providing a lot of insight and details into this alternate fantasy version of the 16th century. Her character’s mixed heritage and her complicated feelings towards her father and the fae kingdom added another layer to the interconnected human/fae dynamics at play and overall, I found her story and perspective excellent and quick to read! The mix of fae culture and folklore vs more generalized fantasy magic fanfare is highly accessible yet still well constructed and imagined.
The premise and story sets up Samson as Alyth’s foil beyond his English background. Alyth is rough and outspoken while Samson is a street actor capable of wearing a mask to suit the occasion. Where Alyth is recognized as part of Mary’s court, Samson is a simple thief who’s paid to steal magical objects from other lords and notable houses. Yet despite their seemingly opposite backgrounds, the two characters can’t help but feel some sort of odd interest in each other and a growing need to protect the other regardless of better judgement or the potential costs.
While I thoroughly enjoyed Alyth’s perspective throughout the novel, I was personally less enthusiastic about Samson’s perspective for a few reasons. As a Leth, the series term for an individual with both human and fae heritage, Alyth’s knowledge and experience with fae culture and magic automatically make her perspective more colorful and fantasy filled. Samson’s lack of knowledge of all matters fae and his gradual understanding of the political entities in play ordinarily could’ve been a great proxy for the reader learning about the world of The Crimson Throne. Unfortunately, the story starts with Alyth’s perspective first before switching to Samson’s perspective right after, and on multiple occasions Samson and the reader are introduced to magical concepts or details that were already covered albeit more briefly in Alyth’s chapter earlier, leading to repetitive and unnecessary information to avoid plot holes of Samson knowing things he shouldn’t. Additionally, while Alyth is given a lot of time to shine early-on in the book’s dramatic prologue as Scotland's guardian and when she first meets Samson, Samson has a far less notable and far less action-filled introduction. As the story progresses, Samson’s task of spying and infiltrating the Queen’s court isn’t quite as exciting and inspiring to read as it sounds on paper vs Alyth’s half. Samson’s curse and unknown background provides great narrative material towards the end of the novel and the direction of the novel’s ending implies that even better plot threads are to come, but I felt the way his curse was handled and written was a bit generic and typical for the YA fantasy genre. For me, the book’s pacing slightly dragged in the first half particularly when Samson and Alyth are apart and doing their own thing individually. However, whenever they were together things picked right back up, and that’s an especially important point for romantasy readers.
Another minor critique I had was with Alyth and Samson’s relationship and romance, as well as how the romantasy element is marketed. While the two are technically on opposite sides from two opposing kingdoms, their interactions and relationship dynamics didn’t really feel like the expected enemies-to-lovers trope per se (likely an intentional marketing buzzword for romance readers). From their meeting to their unlikely cooperative alliance, their relationship feels more like mysterious dangerous strangers to lovers, or perhaps towards the end of the novel, forbidden lovers. What starts as a subtle interest from both sides also veers a bit into the insta-love territory, particularly from Samson’s perspective; this is undoubtedly a he-falls-first kind of romance vs Alyth’s perspective that develops at a slower and more reasonable pace. Overall, I would’ve liked to see a bit more nuance or development, particularly in the first half of the book to justify both characters’ sudden devotion to each other over all else.
Despite a few minor nitpicks in places, The Crimson Throne has a lot to like, especially for readers looking for a clean romantasy read free of unnecessary miscommunication drama, triggers (apart from some violence and murder), and other cheap methods used to drum up interest. The world-building is great and at times I often felt it far surpassed the base level of detail the straightforward story needed, clearly setting up a lot of excellent material for the sequel novel. The writing style is also solid and having previously collaborated on their past Witch and Hunter duology, Raasch and Revis’s work is expectedly seamless and polished (I'm a fan of Raasch's Royals & Romance series but this is my first experience with Revis's work). A nice balance of fae folklore, historical fiction, political scheming, romance, and classic YA fantasy goodness, the Crimson Thone is an easy book to pick-up and an even easier one to finish and enjoy!
This review is based on a complimentary Advanced Reader Copy provided by Sourcebooks Fire via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
*For more reviews, book lists and reading updates, checkout my blog TheBookGrind!
An important note that is not clearly mentioned on early previews and listing for The Crimson Throne at the time of this review is that this is the first book in a brand new fantasy duology (the ARC received as well as Amazon’s presale store states it’s part of a duology titled Spy and Guardian but I don’t see this highlighted on other platforms like Goodreads, Barnes & Nobles, etc.). Due to this novel only telling part of the overall story, this book ends with a notable cliffhanger and plot twist. While there are certain narrative elements and character arcs that are sufficiently concluded within this novel, the majority of the book’s premise and overall storylines are left as “to be continued…” and will require you to read the assumed future sequel novel to see how everything truly ends.
One area that pleasantly surprised me was the story’s commitment and attention to historical details. While Alyth Graham and Samson Calthorpe are entirely fictional characters, many of the other notable characters are based on very real historic individuals. Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth are no-brainers, but one of the antagonist Lord Darnley is entirely true to the real Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley/Mary’s husband. Mary and Lord Darnley’s infant son James is present and integral to the story’s main plot, and Mary’s entire court, close friends, and an assortment of English barons and personalities are all historic people. And while I will refrain from going into too much detail to avoid spoilers, many of the book’s notable scenes are based on real historical events with a magical twist or motivation behind them. While I appreciated the attention to detail and historical accuracy of the story, those far more familiar with Scottish history will be even more delighted by Raasch and Revis’s exciting and quite clever historic retelling.
A great balance between fantasy and historical fiction, The Crimson Throne feels like an all-around solid fantasy YA novel that features whimsical magic, various mysterious fae and other Scottish-inspired folklore beings, and an occasional splash of good action. While the novel is characterized as being a romantasy story, I found the political scheming of various characters seeking the power and influence of the throne to be quite compelling, especially in matters surrounding Alyth’s dual roles as guardian of both human and fae kingdoms. I really enjoyed Alyth’s character who’s stubborn, independent and strong-willed, yet smart and accomplished when need be. Her unorthodox place and role within Queen Mary’s court posed a variety of interesting situations as well as providing a lot of insight and details into this alternate fantasy version of the 16th century. Her character’s mixed heritage and her complicated feelings towards her father and the fae kingdom added another layer to the interconnected human/fae dynamics at play and overall, I found her story and perspective excellent and quick to read! The mix of fae culture and folklore vs more generalized fantasy magic fanfare is highly accessible yet still well constructed and imagined.
The premise and story sets up Samson as Alyth’s foil beyond his English background. Alyth is rough and outspoken while Samson is a street actor capable of wearing a mask to suit the occasion. Where Alyth is recognized as part of Mary’s court, Samson is a simple thief who’s paid to steal magical objects from other lords and notable houses. Yet despite their seemingly opposite backgrounds, the two characters can’t help but feel some sort of odd interest in each other and a growing need to protect the other regardless of better judgement or the potential costs.
While I thoroughly enjoyed Alyth’s perspective throughout the novel, I was personally less enthusiastic about Samson’s perspective for a few reasons. As a Leth, the series term for an individual with both human and fae heritage, Alyth’s knowledge and experience with fae culture and magic automatically make her perspective more colorful and fantasy filled. Samson’s lack of knowledge of all matters fae and his gradual understanding of the political entities in play ordinarily could’ve been a great proxy for the reader learning about the world of The Crimson Throne. Unfortunately, the story starts with Alyth’s perspective first before switching to Samson’s perspective right after, and on multiple occasions Samson and the reader are introduced to magical concepts or details that were already covered albeit more briefly in Alyth’s chapter earlier, leading to repetitive and unnecessary information to avoid plot holes of Samson knowing things he shouldn’t. Additionally, while Alyth is given a lot of time to shine early-on in the book’s dramatic prologue as Scotland's guardian and when she first meets Samson, Samson has a far less notable and far less action-filled introduction. As the story progresses, Samson’s task of spying and infiltrating the Queen’s court isn’t quite as exciting and inspiring to read as it sounds on paper vs Alyth’s half. Samson’s curse and unknown background provides great narrative material towards the end of the novel and the direction of the novel’s ending implies that even better plot threads are to come, but I felt the way his curse was handled and written was a bit generic and typical for the YA fantasy genre. For me, the book’s pacing slightly dragged in the first half particularly when Samson and Alyth are apart and doing their own thing individually. However, whenever they were together things picked right back up, and that’s an especially important point for romantasy readers.
Another minor critique I had was with Alyth and Samson’s relationship and romance, as well as how the romantasy element is marketed. While the two are technically on opposite sides from two opposing kingdoms, their interactions and relationship dynamics didn’t really feel like the expected enemies-to-lovers trope per se (likely an intentional marketing buzzword for romance readers). From their meeting to their unlikely cooperative alliance, their relationship feels more like mysterious dangerous strangers to lovers, or perhaps towards the end of the novel, forbidden lovers. What starts as a subtle interest from both sides also veers a bit into the insta-love territory, particularly from Samson’s perspective; this is undoubtedly a he-falls-first kind of romance vs Alyth’s perspective that develops at a slower and more reasonable pace. Overall, I would’ve liked to see a bit more nuance or development, particularly in the first half of the book to justify both characters’ sudden devotion to each other over all else.
Despite a few minor nitpicks in places, The Crimson Throne has a lot to like, especially for readers looking for a clean romantasy read free of unnecessary miscommunication drama, triggers (apart from some violence and murder), and other cheap methods used to drum up interest. The world-building is great and at times I often felt it far surpassed the base level of detail the straightforward story needed, clearly setting up a lot of excellent material for the sequel novel. The writing style is also solid and having previously collaborated on their past Witch and Hunter duology, Raasch and Revis’s work is expectedly seamless and polished (I'm a fan of Raasch's Royals & Romance series but this is my first experience with Revis's work). A nice balance of fae folklore, historical fiction, political scheming, romance, and classic YA fantasy goodness, the Crimson Thone is an easy book to pick-up and an even easier one to finish and enjoy!
This review is based on a complimentary Advanced Reader Copy provided by Sourcebooks Fire via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
*For more reviews, book lists and reading updates, checkout my blog TheBookGrind!
November 14, 2025
⭐️3,75
Ja, ik ben echt fan van dit verhaal!
Wat een heerlijke autumn read. Als je houdt van enemies to lovers, Schotse folklore én een tikkeltje magie, dan is dit boek voor jou. :)
Ja, ik ben echt fan van dit verhaal!
Wat een heerlijke autumn read. Als je houdt van enemies to lovers, Schotse folklore én een tikkeltje magie, dan is dit boek voor jou. :)
October 6, 2025
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.
DNF@51%. Well, this is a shame; I thought I had a good feeling about this one. The concept of fae in the court of Mary, Queen of Scots, was fascinating and I was ready for a historical romp full of magic and volatile politics. Unfortunately, so many things just don't work for me. First of all, the writing style is way too colloquial (the two main characters monologue in their heads for paragraphs at a time) and often uses phrases I don't think were commonplace in 16th century Scotland or England, so it didn't convince me of its historical setting. I also felt that the blocking of paragraphs was awkward and ruined the flow, and there was too much telling over showing so I could never really picture the scene in my mind. The dialogue was pretty bland as well, making almost every character come off kind of flat.
Speaking of the characters, the two leads Alyth and Samson are kind of...boring. Despite one supposedly spending almost her entire life at court and another conning people on the streets, both of whom should be skilled at balancing two different identities, they're not very smart or cunning or very good at their jobs? Particularly Alyth, who says herself that she is the most powerful half-fae in all of Scotland yet she is felled easily by an opponent just coming up to her and punching her (why didn't you use any magic?) and it seems like she tries to brute force most of her problems (there's an instance where she just outright demands answers from an enemy who has absolutely no reason to tell her anything and so doesn't and Alyth can't do anything about it - why did she think that would work???). Most of what she uses of her powers doesn't even seem to be *that* useful - she can't ever tell when Samson is lying from reading his aura even during moments where he should be explicitly lying. Samson himself also doesn't come off as charming as the synopsis makes him out to be; it feels more like the narrative needs him to be charming, so everyone around him thinks he is, even though his mannerisms and dialogue are actually pretty average. The two of them are instantly attracted to each other for...some reason. They barely know each other yet Samson makes overly dramatic claims like how Alyth's soul calls to his, and Alyth finds herself getting lost in the thought of his eyes despite having had like, one significant interaction with him up to that point. That's not even getting into the erotic dream she has about him the very first night they meet - the very first!!! It makes it feel like these two have just never before interacted with anyone attractive their age before.
Aside from the two MCs, Mary and her husband Lord Darnley don't particularly feel like real people despite being based on actual historical figures. The aforementioned writing problems make them out to be one-dimensional, especially Darnley who is basically a cartoon villain, and this feels egregious in a novel promising court politics. All of the narration and the dialogue are about as subtle as a brick, and there was so much repetitive information. I know this is a YA novel but not everything and everyone need to be spelled out for the reader, especially not in a setting that depends on what lies unspoken.
I will say that while I'm disappointed with the book as a whole, I did at least enjoy the brief parts interacting with the fae because of how otherworldly they were. I'm hoping that the authors' other books are more to my taste.
DNF@51%. Well, this is a shame; I thought I had a good feeling about this one. The concept of fae in the court of Mary, Queen of Scots, was fascinating and I was ready for a historical romp full of magic and volatile politics. Unfortunately, so many things just don't work for me. First of all, the writing style is way too colloquial (the two main characters monologue in their heads for paragraphs at a time) and often uses phrases I don't think were commonplace in 16th century Scotland or England, so it didn't convince me of its historical setting. I also felt that the blocking of paragraphs was awkward and ruined the flow, and there was too much telling over showing so I could never really picture the scene in my mind. The dialogue was pretty bland as well, making almost every character come off kind of flat.
Speaking of the characters, the two leads Alyth and Samson are kind of...boring. Despite one supposedly spending almost her entire life at court and another conning people on the streets, both of whom should be skilled at balancing two different identities, they're not very smart or cunning or very good at their jobs? Particularly Alyth, who says herself that she is the most powerful half-fae in all of Scotland yet she is felled easily by an opponent just coming up to her and punching her (why didn't you use any magic?) and it seems like she tries to brute force most of her problems (there's an instance where she just outright demands answers from an enemy who has absolutely no reason to tell her anything and so doesn't and Alyth can't do anything about it - why did she think that would work???). Most of what she uses of her powers doesn't even seem to be *that* useful - she can't ever tell when Samson is lying from reading his aura even during moments where he should be explicitly lying. Samson himself also doesn't come off as charming as the synopsis makes him out to be; it feels more like the narrative needs him to be charming, so everyone around him thinks he is, even though his mannerisms and dialogue are actually pretty average. The two of them are instantly attracted to each other for...some reason. They barely know each other yet Samson makes overly dramatic claims like how Alyth's soul calls to his, and Alyth finds herself getting lost in the thought of his eyes despite having had like, one significant interaction with him up to that point. That's not even getting into the erotic dream she has about him the very first night they meet - the very first!!! It makes it feel like these two have just never before interacted with anyone attractive their age before.
Aside from the two MCs, Mary and her husband Lord Darnley don't particularly feel like real people despite being based on actual historical figures. The aforementioned writing problems make them out to be one-dimensional, especially Darnley who is basically a cartoon villain, and this feels egregious in a novel promising court politics. All of the narration and the dialogue are about as subtle as a brick, and there was so much repetitive information. I know this is a YA novel but not everything and everyone need to be spelled out for the reader, especially not in a setting that depends on what lies unspoken.
I will say that while I'm disappointed with the book as a whole, I did at least enjoy the brief parts interacting with the fae because of how otherworldly they were. I'm hoping that the authors' other books are more to my taste.
August 24, 2025
Age Rating 14+
Language 3/5
Spice 1.5/5
Violence 4/5
⭐️Good for people who like romantasy and The Cruel Prince ⭐️
I was so fortunate that my local bookstore opened a program for reviewing advanced readers copies, or I would have not received the chance to read this book before it came out. This copy was so special and I was excited to read it as it is the first ARC I’ve ever read/received!
The Crimson Throne was an amazing blend of history and fantasy; I personally have primarily loved fantasy, but this book made me love the present history aspect even more. Okay now to what I enjoyed about the book in depth:
⭐️The History⭐️
History is one of my most favorite subjects at school and this year I am learning about London and Ireland. Due to the fact that I did not research the book prior to reading it, I didn’t fully grasp how much of a historical element is in this book. The Crimson Throne unveils motives for every history based character that shape how readers see them in reading and in history.
⭐️World building⭐️
I am not the person to judge world building but the world was created in a way that left practically no holes. I love Ireland and since most of the book was history based and took place in a real world country, the world was well written. One thing I may have enjoyed was a little bit more explanation of the world of the faerie, I have read other books (and there will hopefully be more in the next book) but overall it did not take away too much from the story.
⭐️Romance⭐️
Typically I love books that have a little bit of romance. From the start I could sense the romantic tension between Alyth and Samson. It wasn’t as much enemies to lovers, but more instant attraction and forbidden love. Nevertheless I thought that the amount of spice included was perfect for the book and my sensitivity to sexual content.
⭐️Characters ✨(I liked reading dual POVs this book even though I usually don’t because it’s a lot to keep track of)✨
✨Alyth
Alyth’s character was well written and not one sided. I loved her determination and strength but also the vulnerability and fear she expressed. It makes a character a lot more relatable due to the fact that they know they’re not perfect and they actually need the other characters.
✨Samson
I absolutely love Samson’s character! ❤️ He definitely was the MMC that fits in among the rest, he’s done horrible things but the fans still love him (although this time most of the things he’s done he can’t control). He was also well written and I enjoyed reading from his perspective.
✨Royalty & Other Side Characters
Most of the royal characters, while they were interesting, annoyed me so much. Both Queen Mary and Darnley revealed themselves to be cruel and selfish (Darnley was the whole book and I guess I should have sort of expected a little bit because they are royalty).
Language 3/5
Spice 1.5/5
Violence 4/5
⭐️Good for people who like romantasy and The Cruel Prince ⭐️
I was so fortunate that my local bookstore opened a program for reviewing advanced readers copies, or I would have not received the chance to read this book before it came out. This copy was so special and I was excited to read it as it is the first ARC I’ve ever read/received!
The Crimson Throne was an amazing blend of history and fantasy; I personally have primarily loved fantasy, but this book made me love the present history aspect even more. Okay now to what I enjoyed about the book in depth:
⭐️The History⭐️
History is one of my most favorite subjects at school and this year I am learning about London and Ireland. Due to the fact that I did not research the book prior to reading it, I didn’t fully grasp how much of a historical element is in this book. The Crimson Throne unveils motives for every history based character that shape how readers see them in reading and in history.
⭐️World building⭐️
I am not the person to judge world building but the world was created in a way that left practically no holes. I love Ireland and since most of the book was history based and took place in a real world country, the world was well written. One thing I may have enjoyed was a little bit more explanation of the world of the faerie, I have read other books (and there will hopefully be more in the next book) but overall it did not take away too much from the story.
⭐️Romance⭐️
Typically I love books that have a little bit of romance. From the start I could sense the romantic tension between Alyth and Samson. It wasn’t as much enemies to lovers, but more instant attraction and forbidden love. Nevertheless I thought that the amount of spice included was perfect for the book and my sensitivity to sexual content.
⭐️Characters ✨(I liked reading dual POVs this book even though I usually don’t because it’s a lot to keep track of)✨
✨Alyth
Alyth’s character was well written and not one sided. I loved her determination and strength but also the vulnerability and fear she expressed. It makes a character a lot more relatable due to the fact that they know they’re not perfect and they actually need the other characters.
✨Samson
I absolutely love Samson’s character! ❤️ He definitely was the MMC that fits in among the rest, he’s done horrible things but the fans still love him (although this time most of the things he’s done he can’t control). He was also well written and I enjoyed reading from his perspective.
✨Royalty & Other Side Characters
Most of the royal characters, while they were interesting, annoyed me so much. Both Queen Mary and Darnley revealed themselves to be cruel and selfish (Darnley was the whole book and I guess I should have sort of expected a little bit because they are royalty).
July 16, 2025
Thank you Sourcebooks UK for providing me with the eARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Crimson Throne has an interesting premise and opens on a strong note. Unfortunately, my interest kept wavering the more I read. There wasn't much I could truly criticise but it was simply lacking some spark that would keep me more interested. Ultimately, that made this feel like merely an okay read.
This book weaves faerie lore and folktales into actual history making Mary Queen of Scots and other historical figures actual characters. I wasn't entirely sure how well the authors would pull this off but it actually started really strongly - the setting felt authentic and the fantastical elements were tucked in nicely making the whole thing feel organic. But after a while things started going downhill; Mary and Darnley started to feel more and more like caricatures. It's hard to deduce how the real people truly would have been but they felt borderline stupid, petty and completely incompetent at all they did.
Furthermore, this is being advertised as an enemies to lovers whilst not really having any of those elements. Yes, our main characters - half Fae Alyth and English spy Samson - start off on opposing sides. But beyond Alyth's mistrust, they at no point feel like actual enemies and I want to argue that Samson's affection for Alyth was pretty instantaneous. I wouldn't go as far as to say that the romance was bad, but it was definitely poorly marketed and just didn't stand out as anything special either. I personally would describe this more as a kind of reluctant allies dynamic.
Writing, pacing and general plot were all fine. Non were fantastic but also nothing that stood out negatively. Had the historical figures turned characters been more polished and had the plot and romance had just a bit more of a spark, this could have made for a fine historical fantasy. As it is, it's something I can see people who particularly like fae and Scotland enjoy, but I wouldn't tell anyone to expect their next favourite book.
October 11, 2025
So I loved the first book in the other series by these authors, even if I still need to read the second one. And I loved this one as well. While it did bring to mind my favorite show Outlander, as the blurb mentions, that was just because of it taking place in Scotland and the Gaelic words. However really it made me think more of the show Reign, that was about Mary Queen of Scots, and I did love that show too.
I love how these authors can tie actual history into fantasy stories. And the fact that it is fae and fairies works so well with the superstitions that are rampant in Scotland, or were in the past. There was a lot to follow in this story, all the court intrigue that most know of between Mary and her sister Elizabeth. Not to mention all the issues with religion they dealt with at the time. All of the men who didn’t want a woman to rule, yet here we had two women rulers at the time.
The magical world was interesting, loved hearing about the Seelie Court and the way things were when Alyth and Samson visited it. Finding out just why Samson had the violent outbreaks was so unique and kept me turning pages to find out just exactly how and why it happened. And then, the ending, when we find out who the High Blade really is, I wasn’t expecting that! So I will have to get my hands on the second book to read, must put it in my blog calendar for hopefully next year when it comes out so I can make sure to fit it into my reading schedule.
Of course I made note of places I’d visited when I was in Scotland, as well as having to ask my sister who lives there now about Mugdock castle and if she’d been there. Since she lives in Glasgow and it said it was near there. She said she’d been to the park, even texted me pictures of her dog when they went there, but said she’d not been to a castle. She says it is a really big park though.
Anyway, I loved the story and can’t wait for the second part!
Review first posted on Lisa Loves Literature.
I love how these authors can tie actual history into fantasy stories. And the fact that it is fae and fairies works so well with the superstitions that are rampant in Scotland, or were in the past. There was a lot to follow in this story, all the court intrigue that most know of between Mary and her sister Elizabeth. Not to mention all the issues with religion they dealt with at the time. All of the men who didn’t want a woman to rule, yet here we had two women rulers at the time.
The magical world was interesting, loved hearing about the Seelie Court and the way things were when Alyth and Samson visited it. Finding out just why Samson had the violent outbreaks was so unique and kept me turning pages to find out just exactly how and why it happened. And then, the ending, when we find out who the High Blade really is, I wasn’t expecting that! So I will have to get my hands on the second book to read, must put it in my blog calendar for hopefully next year when it comes out so I can make sure to fit it into my reading schedule.
Of course I made note of places I’d visited when I was in Scotland, as well as having to ask my sister who lives there now about Mugdock castle and if she’d been there. Since she lives in Glasgow and it said it was near there. She said she’d been to the park, even texted me pictures of her dog when they went there, but said she’d not been to a castle. She says it is a really big park though.
Anyway, I loved the story and can’t wait for the second part!
Review first posted on Lisa Loves Literature.
December 7, 2025
Wat gebeurt er wanneer de paden van een Engelse spion en een fae elkaar kruisen?
In De scharlaken troon zijn geschiedenis en fantasy met elkaar verweven.
Ik vind het altijd tof als geschiedenis en fantasy samenkomen! Wanneer feitelijke gebeurtenissen als het ware een sausje van fantasy krijgen. Het verhaal en de setting van Schotland zijn erg uniek en leuk om over te lezen (ik hou van Schotland), gecombineerd met magie, politieke intriges, interessante fae-mythes en een spannend plot. Ik was erg benieuwd naar het Seelie hof en het fae-rijk en vond het wel jammer dat daar niet nét iets meer over naar voren kwam, over Alyths achtergrond en het leven van haar vader.
Het boek is geschreven vanuit de twee hoofdpersonages, Alyth en Samson, en vooral Samsons leven boeide me erg! Daar zit ook meteen een element van mysterie in. Wel had ik liever iets meer spanning tussen Samson en Alyth willen zien, maar ik vermoed dat dat in het volgende boek wel goed gaat komen!
Met hier en daar een paar verrassende wendingen in het verhaal las het dan ook erg vlot weg. Zeker een aanrader!
4 ⭐️ sterren.
Heel erg bedankt Best of YA voor het recensie-exemplaar!
In De scharlaken troon zijn geschiedenis en fantasy met elkaar verweven.
Ik vind het altijd tof als geschiedenis en fantasy samenkomen! Wanneer feitelijke gebeurtenissen als het ware een sausje van fantasy krijgen. Het verhaal en de setting van Schotland zijn erg uniek en leuk om over te lezen (ik hou van Schotland), gecombineerd met magie, politieke intriges, interessante fae-mythes en een spannend plot. Ik was erg benieuwd naar het Seelie hof en het fae-rijk en vond het wel jammer dat daar niet nét iets meer over naar voren kwam, over Alyths achtergrond en het leven van haar vader.
Het boek is geschreven vanuit de twee hoofdpersonages, Alyth en Samson, en vooral Samsons leven boeide me erg! Daar zit ook meteen een element van mysterie in. Wel had ik liever iets meer spanning tussen Samson en Alyth willen zien, maar ik vermoed dat dat in het volgende boek wel goed gaat komen!
Met hier en daar een paar verrassende wendingen in het verhaal las het dan ook erg vlot weg. Zeker een aanrader!
4 ⭐️ sterren.
Heel erg bedankt Best of YA voor het recensie-exemplaar!
December 7, 2025
4.25 ⭐️ One thing about Sara Raasch and Beth Revis is they are going to give you history in your fantasy. This was a reimagining of the Mary Queen of Scots story which was so cool. We follow Alyth who is the half fae protector of Mary Queen of Scots. Samson, our MMC, is and Englishmen set by his father to discover a plot against Queen Elizabeth. One thing about Sara Raasch and Beth Revis, they are going to give you history with your fantasy. It is something I truly love about their books. I loved the mystery, court politics, and magic of this world. Altyh gives strong and capable guard vibes. While Samson gives cinnamon roll that could kill you vibes. I unexpectedly inhaled this book in one sitting. It was definitely worth the read.
August 31, 2025
Thanks to the authors and publisher for the ARC.
4.5 stars. After Night of the Witch, I only had to see that this dream team was putting out another book to be all in. When I started the book I wasn’t sure about the setting being in the court of Mary Queen of Scots but once again magic was worked and the story really became its own. I really enjoyed the world building and meeting all the different fae creatures and the nod to the Night of the Witch World with Moyra. I also absolutely love Alyth and Samson and can’t wait to see how things go for them in book 2. Speaking of book 2, that ending has me needing it ASAP!
4.5 stars. After Night of the Witch, I only had to see that this dream team was putting out another book to be all in. When I started the book I wasn’t sure about the setting being in the court of Mary Queen of Scots but once again magic was worked and the story really became its own. I really enjoyed the world building and meeting all the different fae creatures and the nod to the Night of the Witch World with Moyra. I also absolutely love Alyth and Samson and can’t wait to see how things go for them in book 2. Speaking of book 2, that ending has me needing it ASAP!
November 3, 2025
“What are you, Alyth? Your ruin.”
dit was zo een leuke ya fantasy vol met actie en romance, echt twin crown vibes (my fave). enig dat het zich afspeelt in Schotland met Schotse folklore erin. het audioboek is ook zeker een aanrader!! ❤️
dit was zo een leuke ya fantasy vol met actie en romance, echt twin crown vibes (my fave). enig dat het zich afspeelt in Schotland met Schotse folklore erin. het audioboek is ook zeker een aanrader!! ❤️
Want to read
September 23, 2025Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Fire for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 21, 2025
Nice twist on historical fiction, blending the Fae kingdom and that of Queen Elizabeth and Mary, Queen on Scots. Good world-building that makes me curious to read the next book, but not too upset about having to wait.
December 13, 2025
dit boek gaf ontzettende twin crowns vibes, en ik ben echt here for that. daarnaast ben ik echt obsessed met samuel en heb ik echt gesmuld van zijn hoofdstukken, pov en de interactie tussen hun twee.
desondanks ben ik niet weggeblazen. het boek was zeker vermakelijk en ik ben er doorheen gevlogen. maar ik vond het einde van het boek een ontzettende anticlimax, en ook eigenlijk heel voorspelbaar. dat vond ik erg jammer, omdat je daar toch naar toe werkt.
desondanks heb ik wel van de wereld en de personages, en ga ik deel twee zeker ook lezen!
desondanks ben ik niet weggeblazen. het boek was zeker vermakelijk en ik ben er doorheen gevlogen. maar ik vond het einde van het boek een ontzettende anticlimax, en ook eigenlijk heel voorspelbaar. dat vond ik erg jammer, omdat je daar toch naar toe werkt.
desondanks heb ik wel van de wereld en de personages, en ga ik deel twee zeker ook lezen!
Read
June 13, 2025Thank you NetGalley for the eARC!
October 11, 2025
3.5-4 ⭐️ I really enjoyed this but there were small things that bothered me. A big one was the MMC uses modern phrases sometimes and it’s set in 16th century Scotland. He said “I’m cooked” and I didn’t like that. Overall I really enjoyed this!
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