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Beyond the Shimmer: The Apherian Realm
One forbidden tattoo. One act of defiance. And the visions that reveal the truth no one else can see.
Eighteen-year-old Princess Arinna lives in a kingdom shrouded in endless twilight, where tattoos are outlawed and magic is a relic of the past. But when obedience becomes a cage, she risks everything to carve her own mark—breaking the first law of the realm.
What begins as rebellion soon awakens something ancient inside her. Shadows whisper in the corners of her mind. Her dreams twist into glimpses of a siege no one speaks of—a secret war creeping through her kingdom that only she can sense.
Desperate for answers, Arinna flees into the misted wilds and strikes a deal with a dangerous fae whose power rivals her own. His motives are unclear, his bargains deadly, and his presence impossible to resist. As Arinna’s forbidden magic grows, she must choose between the safety of ignorance and the peril of truth… even if it means destroying everything she’s ever loved.
Forbidden ink. Fae bargains. A slow-burn romance in a world unraveling beneath its own lies.
Beyond the Shimmer is a gothic YA fantasy romance perfect for fans of ACOTAR, Throne of Glass, and From Blood and Ash—filled with forbidden magic, political intrigue, and a love that glows brightest in the dark.
Eighteen-year-old Princess Arinna lives in a kingdom shrouded in endless twilight, where tattoos are outlawed and magic is a relic of the past. But when obedience becomes a cage, she risks everything to carve her own mark—breaking the first law of the realm.
What begins as rebellion soon awakens something ancient inside her. Shadows whisper in the corners of her mind. Her dreams twist into glimpses of a siege no one speaks of—a secret war creeping through her kingdom that only she can sense.
Desperate for answers, Arinna flees into the misted wilds and strikes a deal with a dangerous fae whose power rivals her own. His motives are unclear, his bargains deadly, and his presence impossible to resist. As Arinna’s forbidden magic grows, she must choose between the safety of ignorance and the peril of truth… even if it means destroying everything she’s ever loved.
Forbidden ink. Fae bargains. A slow-burn romance in a world unraveling beneath its own lies.
Beyond the Shimmer is a gothic YA fantasy romance perfect for fans of ACOTAR, Throne of Glass, and From Blood and Ash—filled with forbidden magic, political intrigue, and a love that glows brightest in the dark.
325 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 30, 2025
3 people are currently reading
8 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 24, 2025
What a book. I need the next one immediately. Like, right now. Please.
This book was such an amazing and smooth read, I wasn’t overwhelmed or confused with this world that was wonderfully created, which is a very good job and impressive for a first book. I can tell love and hard work was put into this book, not only with the world, but with the characters. Lake does such a great job making such lovable and hateable characters, which makes the story 10x better than it already is.
Spoilers🫢
My mind was running. God damn. I have read a crap ton of romance and fantasy for the past couple years, so some points of this book were predictable, but they were still such fun to read and experience the emotion that came with the plot twists.
I will say that there were so many men in this book(I aint complaining😳), but friends, that were women weren’t given much attention and connection, especially to an Arinna that is moving into an adult world that she was sheltered by. I know that there are a couple women that have a lot of potential to help Arinna and the plot, and I can’t wait to see how this series and these characters grow, and I can’t wait to fall more in love with it.
This book was such an amazing and smooth read, I wasn’t overwhelmed or confused with this world that was wonderfully created, which is a very good job and impressive for a first book. I can tell love and hard work was put into this book, not only with the world, but with the characters. Lake does such a great job making such lovable and hateable characters, which makes the story 10x better than it already is.
Spoilers🫢
My mind was running. God damn. I have read a crap ton of romance and fantasy for the past couple years, so some points of this book were predictable, but they were still such fun to read and experience the emotion that came with the plot twists.
I will say that there were so many men in this book(I aint complaining😳), but friends, that were women weren’t given much attention and connection, especially to an Arinna that is moving into an adult world that she was sheltered by. I know that there are a couple women that have a lot of potential to help Arinna and the plot, and I can’t wait to see how this series and these characters grow, and I can’t wait to fall more in love with it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 5, 2025
Man this was an amazing book Mars is so witty and Ari journey was really something to watch progress throughout the book. I love how there are multiple love interests. The drama of Ari finding out that King Elenqueath wasn’t here just for Luca finding a Match was a huge plot twist. My favorite part was when Ari’s magic Strangled Bastian.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 12, 2025
This book kept me spellbound. The characters were so original and captivating. The descriptions of the realms and journeys were vivid and enticing. The ending was so exciting. I sincerely enjoyed this book, and I am looking forward to a sequel.
May 12, 2025
Awesome Book
I truly enjoyed reading this book, I couldn't put it down. The story constantly introduced something new, which kept me hooked. I think it stood out from other books. I highly recommend reading it.
I truly enjoyed reading this book, I couldn't put it down. The story constantly introduced something new, which kept me hooked. I think it stood out from other books. I highly recommend reading it.
July 8, 2025
What starts as a standard "will they, won't they" prince and princess arranged marriage story evolves into an explosive third act that leaves you with many questions and anxious for the next book. Very well done and very hard to put down.
December 16, 2025
Beyond the Shimmer creates an interesting realm with dark secrets. The world building is excellent. The novel is full of grabbers from the tattoos to the motives of characters. The pace kept me involved and wanting to learn more. The ending is a great lead-in to the second instalment.
August 15, 2025
This is a fun read! Appropriate for teens and adults alike. The story is easy to follow and keeps you in suspense for upcoming chapters. In some ways, it has an ACOTAR vibe regarding the characters’ personalities. As this is the author’s first self-published book, there are expected grammatical errors, but they don’t take away from the story in the least. I highly recommend! Can’t wait for the next book in the series!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews