Genevieve finds herself thrust into the unknown, a whole new world where magic pulses in the air. As she navigates the intricacies of this new realm, she is not just searching for her place in the chaos—she is also learning to wield the magic that has been hidden inside her all along.
Caught amidst the politics between multiple kingdoms, Genevieve must navigate a landscape full of danger and deceit. With each step she takes, Genevieve discovers that her fate is intertwined with forces beyond her comprehension. And as she grapples with love, betrayal, and the shadows of her past, she starts to realize that things are not always as they seem.
In a tale woven with threads of magic and intrigue, love and loss, Genevieve’s journey is a captivating story that will leave readers spellbound until the very last page. It is a spicy and wild ride from start to finish. So buckle up and join her on this epic adventure—it is bound to leave you breathless.
A Note on
This book is not suitable for everyone. It includes adult themes, violence, and strong language. A non-exhaustive list of potentially upsetting content may be reviewed at my website for those so www.maggieforbush.com/content-warnings
*This 2nd Edition paperback offers an updated paperback trim size to match the other books in the series.
I laughed. I cried. I gasped. I slammed the book closed. I cursed (okay, that one isn’t abnormal). I stared blankly at the wall.
The plot is fast paced. That twist at the end will send you REELING. I gasped. There is a map. The world building is super minimal here and honestly, made it such an easy read for my permanently fogged chronic illness brain. The woods? Those surrounding my house will do. That boulder? I’ve got those lining the creek outback. Hiking trails? I’ve been on plenty. I’m not being sarcastic here (roll your eyes if you know me IRL, I’m actually not being sarcastic at this moment), this was the easiest fantasy I’ve gotten to immerse myself in probably ever.
Believe me when I tell you that you will absolutely NOT be able to guess Genevieve’s next move. Well, aside from sex. She will, in fact, be having sex. And taking showers (because, well, sex; so many authors leave this important aftercare out). You will also not be able to guess what the hell is going on. There are worlds, realms, and kingdoms, each with and without magic, world walking, monsters, grief, loss, trauma, soulmates, rescue, betrayal, secrets, adventure, battles, a hot axe wielding warrior, GIANT WOLVES (this is a selling point for me by itself), spice from pretty early in the story (no waiting til book three), self-discovery, a FMC who has been lost to her grief so long she forgot what a badass she was. And yes, G is a total badass.
*SPOILERS *
Look. I’ve seen some compare this to ACOTAR, so naturally, when I met Beck and Devron, I was prepared for them to “be” Tamlin and Lucien. Also, fuck Beck.
Then Voss pops in, and look, FUCK this dude. I’m gonna need him to throw Beck in his damn sex den, only actually not because Beck may enjoy it too much.
But Ryett? Well damn if I didn’t like him from his first appearance. I’m thinking YES! This is the Rhysand.
But then it hit me, HE IS ONLY THE THIRD of seven kings, or I think he is because it is called The Seventh King, afterall. I’m not okay, because I LIKE THIS DUDE. I want to root for him. But at the rate Genevieve is going, she’s not stopping with king three.
Then Kieron. By the time she is with this guy in a cave “for warmth”, who isn’t even a damn king, I’m like, “Genevieve. Look, sis. Just because it’s tall, dark, hot AF, and has a cock doesn’t mean we have to wet said cock for him. Especially this ass who tortured you, drugged you, and delivered you into his king’s damn sex den.” But here we are.
I completed this book in audio format! There are very tough topics that could be triggering for some. I can’t say enough about the characters and how attached I got to each of them. Maggie did an amazing job building a story and a world I did not want to leave.
Congratulations to the author on her debut. I see her on TikTok all the time and she seems nice, so I'm sad that I didn't love this. Didn't hate it but didn't love it.
Spoilers
I enjoyed the concept, the world and the creativity but I found everything else lacking, I'm afraid. Good bones.
It's pegged as dark, and yes there are triggering themes but because Genevieve's emotions never went that deep, it wasn't that shocking. I never really felt connected to her. It didn't really move me.
It was all too easy. She takes discovering magic in her stride, that there are different worlds. No internal torment. Nothing. Even what happens with Beck, the dungeons, Kieron the *aftermath* of that. It was too easy to get over. I wanted to feel her turmoil over the loss of her family, how it felt to avenge them. We're just told about it really.
It was all clothes and wine and a potential found family trope that lacked depth.
There was no cliffhanger at the end - not mandatory with a series, but some foreshadowing helps entice me to want to carry on. It was like an (here's that word again) easy resolution to their problems and then happiness. There's no sense of foreboding at the end of this book about what's to come next. The author then adds some chapters of the next book to tease in some other woman drama. So she's pulling you into book two by sharing book two snippets, but not necessarily ending book one in a way that it entices on its own... If that makes sense.
Personally, I'm not sure what role this old love and Kieron (who I saw may take his claim) could have in adding drama to the relationship because we've already learned the G and R are soul mates. That's just my take on it. It will end up creating drama for the sake of drama. Perhaps the fact that they're soul mates shouldn't have been confirmed so soon then the reader wouldn't know how things might turn out - which I'm clearly making assumptions on having not read book two.
All in all the book was well put together from an editing perspective, except for the incorrect sentence structure with dialogue.
'He said.' Isn't supposed to be a separate sentence. You end dialogue with a comma and then 'he said' ends the sentence. This was done incorrectly throughout the whole book and had I not just glossed over it and read it all line by line would have been really off-putting. It's still grammatically incorrect though. 🤷🏼♀️
I struggled with the dialogue at times as well. There were no contractions at all. It made the dialogue robotic and unnatural at times.
'Underthings' bothered me as well 🤣 Maybe it's a dialect thing but I'm not familiar with the phrase and it sounded like something a child would say, not a grown woman.
I'm not sure I'll continue.
I don't mean to sound negative. Like I say, the concept was really good. Maybe this whole book needed to be longer. Fantasy books do tend to have a lot of world building. This book kinda rushed into the world to try and deliver on some plot points but neither went into enough depth to make the desired impact.
I received the audiobook version of The Seventh King early for an honest review. The voice actor did a terrific job. Overall I thought this book was fine, but there were a few things that I just didn't vibe with. I follow the author on social media (she seems incredibly kind) and have been an arc reader for another of her books in the past and my previous issues are reflected in this book as well. On the surface, this is a classic romantic fantasy book, with all the tropes we love: hidden powers, royalty, fated mates, etc. And that part of the story is fine.
My first issue is with the writing style. As in another of her titles, the author rarely used contractions. This may seem trivial but once you notice it the flow of the narrative is difficult to find. And this isn't just in prose; the dialogue almost never has contractions used which is not reflective of how people speak, whether accented or not. For the life of me I cannot understand the choice to write this way. It's so distracting. Perhaps it's to elevate the total word count?
Secondly, the issue (again) of non-consent. This part will contain spoilers, but really they are trigger warnings. Our protagonist finds herself in multiple instances of being intimate with male characters. In the first, when it becomes violent and non-consensual, the fmc is very clear that this is unacceptable and leaves her partner. She is then imprisoned by a nobleman and is forcibly drugged nightly with something that will make her feel turned on and paraded in a cage where party-goers may touch her. She eventually passes out each night and is taken back to her cell. When she pushes back against this treatment, she is physically beaten by a guard who then SA's her. Multiple times, nightly. When she is clearly unable to consent and is often unconscious. *Additional spoiler* she becomes pregnant from this. Later, when she has escaped and runs into this man again, she ends up consensually sleeping with him again (while pregnant with his child) with no qualms about what happened during her months-long imprisonment.
This seems to be a recurring theme in the author's writing. The fmc is raped and then acts like it is no big deal, even staying with her abuser. In my opinion, this goes beyond the concepts of CNC in popular fiction. It whitewashes the trauma the victims experience and makes it a forgivable and acceptable act for mmc's to engage in. The perpetrators are indeed rewarded in the end.
For this reason, I can't fully support this book. Had this part of the story not been included or had been written differently, perhaps with the fmc and second mmc mutually developing feelings during her imprisonment and engaging in intimacy, I would have given this a rating closer to five stars. Unfortunately I cannot.
I want to thank the author for allowing me to listen to this early.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Overall- I would claim this as a 4.5/5 but you know Goodreads, no halves. This book has everything from fae, forced proximity, found family, fated mates, pregnancy/miscarriage, fighting, world jumping, magic, past trauma, mental health crisis, multiple kingdoms and rulers diplomacy, past lovers, abusive/toxic relationships and then all the smut in-between. Love that this adult fantasy is actually adult. The FMC is 32/33 years old! So yah!!!! On her Tiktok Maggie jokes there is smut before chapter 10, haha it's true but actually there are two smut scenes before chapter 10 🤣 Seriously so many things going on leading to constant twists and turns, emotional pulling, and that's why I only dock that half. If Maggie wanted to, she could have stretched this HUGE and ENTIRE arch over two books (400 pg/ book) of one huge book (800 pg+) by adding in more world building or writing more details/not-bad-fluff BUT I get why she didn't. Maybe I'm just used to reading entire plots, sub plots, and arcs over multiple books for a while 🤣 I cannot wait until the next one comes out!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Overall good writing. however, I couldn't finish the book and DNF it.
I had gotten the book from a Fill your Ears Audiobook free thing. so I did not pay for this book.
It started out okay with the normal human falls into fantasy theme. which I thought was great. then it went to more.... disturbing things.
TRIGGER WARNING ⚠️
There is rape, torture, drug abuse, domestic abuse and other very triggering themes in this book. there also is no trigger warning at all in the description or in the Audiobook readings. I double checked.
It was disturbing for the rape and abuse but what was even worse is the FMC later sought out comfort from her tormenter and rapist. I stopped listening after that.
I gave this book two stars because the writing was good and I was interested in the story. I was hooked on the main plot but I cannot get past the darker points in this story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I just finished the new available The Seventh King audiobook option, and I am so impressed in how the narrators brought the book to life. I had read this book last year and really was looking forward to listening to it as well. I thought it was great as an book itself, but it came came to life and a whole new way via audio. This book was immaculately written. Maggie brought a whole new world to life filled with magic,action and steamy romance. The FMC finds herself in a new world that she must navigate. Genevieve is courageous and will do anything to do the right thing even if she puts her life on the line. What do you do when three Kings all want you??? You read The Seventh King via book form or audiobook!
I basically went into this blind just knowing it was romance. I don’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t the mc being raped/attacked for the first half of the book. I put it down and honestly thought about not finishing it. But I did come back to it later after some lighter books and now knowing this one is a bit heavier, and I’m so glad I did. I really enjoyed the second half of the book, which the first half did a great job of setting up. I look forward to reading/listening to the next book.
I was able to listen to this while reading. The narration was very good. It took me a bit to engage with the story. To be honest I was bored out of my mind through the first half. But once the story got going it was full throttle through the rest. Genevieve has had a rough time of it. She's been through the ringer and keeps bouncing back. This is most definitely a dark fantasy read. The world building and the politics take a minute to grasp. And a lot of characters are thrown in. But I can't wait to get into the second book.
The Seventh King is a dark romantasy page-turner. It will grab you right in chapter one and it wont let go all the way to the end. Maggie's world building is impressive. I was hooked, outraged and captivated by her masterful creation of stunning worlds and the complex dynamics between her characters, who run the gamut from morally grey to pure and heartless villians. I was absolutely mesmerized and I can't wait to read the sequel, Crown of Shadows. Author Melanie Rodgers, The Man Behind the Curtain
Seriously 4.5 stars! I hate that good reads doesn’t allow 1/2 stars. I got an ALC for this book and I loved it! There was great character and world building. I always go into this genre with hesitation because it takes a lot to keep from getting lost in the building of the story, world(s), and characters. Maggie Forbush did an amazing job as did the narrators and I binged this book and walked into work on 3 hours of sleep. Looking forward to starting the next book Crown of Shadows!
DNF’d at 20%. The lack of world-building and character depth lost me. There was a lot of idling—eating, dressing, chatting—while the world-building felt rushed and easily dismissed. I wasn’t sure what kind of world this was. Magic existed, but were they mages? Wizards? Fae? Author has potential, but the characters felt flat.
Spicy fantasy is not my normal reading material but this book had me on page 1 and didn’t let me go until the end. Yes it is spicy but there is such a great story that goes along with that. Can’t wait to get into the second book now!
I actually listened to this book. Traveling to and from work listening to each chapter sometimes gripping my steering wheel, yelling at the console, crying. Hard to leave my car to go to work because of not wanting to stop listening.
I read this book alongside listening to an audio version. Whoo whee! This is a triggering story with some hard to swallow material at times. Steamy fantasy dare I say romantacey.
What in the flying f**k was that ending?! Certainly did not expect that! This book had me gripped from page 1 and I have devoured it in 6 and a half hours! The ACOTAR vibes are STRONG and the story is everything you could possibly want! I don't hand out 5⭐️s often but Maggie? You earned it!
4.5⭐️ (Rounded up on GR) 3.5🌶️ (both on and off page)
If you love dark romantasy, with enemies to lovers… to enemies … adventure, and a heroine that is just straight bad ass, give this book a try.
Some potential TW include, but not limited to: Grief/loss of family Unaliving Drugs Torture Gore
POTENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD
This is a story of second chances - after Genevieve’s family has been murdered, she’s ready to end it all. But, suddenly she finds herself in a strange new world. Gen must face her past head on, if she wants to find her full capacity of her magic. Gen makes mistakes, you make them right along with her, and it really feels like you are on this journey too.
There are twists that you don’t see coming, some you do see - prophecies/fated mates - but over all the world building was easy enough to follow but intricate enough that it transformed you into another realm.
I am the mountain. 🏔️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
The Seventh King by Maggie Forbush pulls you in from the very first page and does not let go. The pacing is relentless in the best way—propelling you forward at warp speed while immersing you in beautifully built worlds and deeply human characters. Every moment is rich with emotion, tension, and wonder. Maggie’s storytelling is masterful, with prose that’s both powerful and poetic. This is the kind of book that leaves you breathless at the end and immediately reaching for the sequel. Unputdownable.
Wow. I couldn’t put this book down. Normally, I am not one for fantasy books, but Maggie Forbush is an incredibly compelling writer. From beginning to end, I felt entranced by what was happening in the book and was thirsty for more as a chapter ended.
What can I say but amazing can’t wait to read the second one I couldn’t put this book down and fell in love with the characters And plot so fast it is I’m real such and amazing story and leave you with anting more
This story is full of epic twists and turns. I never knew who to trust and who not to. Even at the end, I am reeling with mistrust. There were moments I suspected the story would go one way, then it went the other. It was awesome.