Of Melodies and Maledictions

Lingering Fates #0.5

by Maddox Grey

THE WITCH OF THE WOODS

I protect my sister. And I protect my forest. That’s all I care about. All I need.

But a series of unfortunate events leads to me having to step outside of my beloved woods. The hunt is simple. Find the men who dared to trespass. End them. Return home.

Simple.

What’s not simple? The thief with the dark eyes and sly grin who spells all kinds of trouble... and the way they call to my heart.

THE CURSED WEREWOLF

I protect my sister. And I protect my troupe. That’s all I care about. All I need.

We’re supposed to be taking a break, but the opportunity to get revenge—and some money—falls into my lap. I can hardly turn down that kind of opportunity. It’s just a simple job.

But the mysterious woman who invites herself to our robbery is anything but simple. And the pull I feel towards her... it’s like nothing I’ve ever known.

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Romance, Audiobook, Witches, Ebooks, Novella

151 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 5, 2025

About the author

Maddox Grey is a queer nonbinary elder millennial who still remembers vividly what it was like to be emotionally damaged by the season two finale of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

They write morally grey characters who fall for equally unhinged morally grey love interests. And the banter flows as fast as the action in the stories they craft.

When they’re not putting their characters through hell, Maddox is playing video games, reading smut, burying their nose in comic books, or hiding behind a pillow while they watch horror movies.

NOTE FROM AUTHOR:
Hey there! I'm rarely on this site, only popping over occasionally to make sure my books updated correctly. If you have any questions for me, please use the contact form on my website or message me on Instagram : )

If you’re curious about what I’m reading, you can follow my “reviews” here. Personally I’m not comfortable publicly reviewing other authors books. So if I enjoyed it, it gets five stars from me, lol. My taste in books is… chaotic… but mostly some flavor of fantasy.

Reviews

[rosie (jason todd's version) · Rating 4 out of 5]

ʚɞ of melodies and maledictions by maddox grey ⋆.˚

⋆.˚ 18/5/26 — 18/5/26

⊱ ۫ ׅ book no. 61 of 2026 ── .✦

₊˚ ✧ ━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━ ✧ ₊˚

𑣲 ꜰɪʀꜱᴛ ɪᴍᴘʀᴇꜱꜱɪᴏɴꜱ/ᴘʀᴇ-ʀᴇᴀᴅ:

thank you so so much to behind the pages and maddox grey for the audiobook of this lil novella!! my first ever alc ehehe 🤭and it’s queer?! i’m so ready!!!!

₊˚ ✧ ━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━ ✧ ₊˚

╰› (⭐4)

⋆.˚ ᴍʏ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛꜱ:

oh this was WONDERFUL 😭

the cast for the audiobook is phenomenal. especially talon’s voice actor 🥹 the emotion and pain in their voice towards the end… oh my god. i’m sick to my stomach, i NEED more (thank god i also received the alc for ‘of silver and curses’, the book following this prequel 😛)

i can’t wait to learn more about this world — i’m so invested in talon and scythe !! i’m manifesting that they’re in the next book too cuz omg 😭🙏

the queer rep is FANTASTIC. i adore the concept of the jewelry adorning someone’s body representing their gender. oh how beautiful. and the way everybody is somewhat queer 🥹🫶🏻

listening to this was absolutely incredible, it felt like i was watching a movie tbh 🤭

yeaaahhh talon is my favourite character 😛 idcccc i love themmmm 😌

literally listened to the entire thing in one sitting 😛🤞 i’m obsessed with maddox grey’s easily readable writing 🙂‍↕️

but PLEASE tell me that ending gets resolved in the next book because omg 😭💔 i’m gonna crash outtt i need them to bicker and kiss to make up 🙏 plus i NEED more tal content because omds plsss don’t be in pain anymore i’ll cry 😭😭😭

・・・・・

𑣲 ᴅᴏ ɪ ʀᴇᴄᴏᴍᴍᴇɴᴅ ᴛʜɪꜱ ʙᴏᴏᴋ?

YES!! so fun, so queer, so worth it 💗

[Dani (Daniiireads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excuse me, I am OBSESSED

[Joleen Turns Pages · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shoutout to BehindThePagesPa and the author Maddox Grey for the audiobook!

A smutty little novella and great introduction to the characters for book 1.

Can’t wait to dive in! So excited to read more about Talon and Scythe!

[KMart Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

This spicy little novella absolutely delivered. It’s fast-paced and already has me hooked on these characters after less than 100 pages; which makes me very excited to dive into the full-length novel next.

I loved the morally grey characters, the tension between the leads, and the way it didn’t shy away from complexity despite the shorter format. This does have instant lust, but that's fine because it will likely be expanded upon. Love the fact that the love interest is non-binary. Their chemistry is immediate, but there’s also something deeper simmering under the surface that I can’t wait to explore more of.

Curses, fated mates, and a witch-meets-unique-werewolf; this was such a good time. I’m in. Bring on the next!

Thanks so much to the author and Behind the Pages for the complimentary copy! This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.

[Randee Norton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Behind the Pages and the author for the gifted audio copy🖤

This is such a fun prequel novella that introduces you onto the world, characters, and magic in a fun and digestible way! It leaves you want to continue the series, you want more banter and where the plot is going to go!
Witch and Wolf shifter, sign me up!

[Lazygreypanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Мені стало скучно

[Cassandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ALC of this book and loved it! What a fun and spicy start to this series!

This book follows a witch of the woods and a cursed werewolf as their worlds collide. It was a super quick and fun read and sets the groundwork for an immersive and intriguing world. I immediately needed to pick up the next book in the series because this one gave me just enough to want more!

What to expect:
✨ Witch x Werewolf
✨ Love at first sight
✨ Stabby FMC
✨ Humans, witches, werewolves, and fae!
✨ Lots of spice 🥵

Thank you to the author for the gifted audiobook listening copy. All opinions are my own.

[Addy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars 💫
Thank you to Behind the Pages for the ALC! 🖤

Of Melodies and Maledictions is a spicy, fast-paced novella that I finished in just one sitting! It follows Scythe, the last witch left, and Talin, a cursed werewolf, as we're introduced to them, learning how they met, and the backstory behind it all. Despite just meeting them, I'm obsessed! I'm looking forward to seeing what's in store next with the next installment of the series! 👀

[Joyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice introduction into the characters and the story that is unfolding. Definitely not for YA.

[Queenie2023 aka Rita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok this was a audiobook novella and by itself was really good but excited to go to the main event with the next book!

[Laura Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 stars

Of Melodies and Maledictions is the prequel to Silver and Curses by Maddox Grey.
In this story we are introduced to the two main characters of Silver and Curses. While this was a quick read, it gave us the backstory of how they met.

Thank you to Behind the Page and Maddox Grey for the ALC. I'm excited to listen to Silver and Curses next.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of Melodies & Maledictions is a quick and exciting read that introduces us to the two main characters of Maddox Grey’s new Lingering Fates series.

Read for:
🐺 forest witches and cursed werewolves
🌳 lovers to enemies
🐺 instant chemistry
🌳 found family
🐺 nonbinary MC
🌳 unique magic

First we meet Scythe, who is honestly just a SUPER cool witch and the B.A. protector of her forest. Then we meet Talon. They’re a super smooth and charming cursed werewolf. The two are immediately drawn to each other, but curses and love never mix well 👀

This is a prequel novella to a series of interconnected stand-alones & is available for FREE nearly everywhere!

Thank you, Maddox, for creating such AMAZING and complex characters for us to fall in love with! I loved learning about Talon & Scythe’s origin and I cannot wait to see where the rest of these books take us. 😍

[Raechel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of Melodies and Maledictions is a short prequel to Of Silver and Curses that details how the two main characters met one another. While the story is basically a sexcapade (that is NOT a complaint), I think the interactions between the characters is really helpful backstory for the full-length Of Silver and Curses.

Tropes:
-witch(es), fae, cursed werewolves
-lots of slasher violence
-fated mates
-poly-amory (subplot)

One of the main characters is nonbinary, which I absolutely love. Other than the MMC in The Unmagical Life of Briar Jones, I don't think I've come across an explicitly nonbinary character before. That being said, I trust Maddox to write queer characters well.

There is a lot "scream"-ing during sex scenes, which throws me off (this is a complaint, lol, but a silly and very personal one that is not a fault with the book or the author).

[Elisa's Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly so excited for the next book. When I started reading this I thought it was going to be a one and done kinda book and then I read the ending to find out the next book comes out it 3 days.
But I am excited!

Loved the book. Writing style is very easy to read through. Characters are awesome, loved the banter.


REREAD:
Just reread the book. I really wanted to get into Of Silver Amd Curses amd came to the conclusion that I did not remember anythinf from the novella (granted, it had been a month short of a year ago).

Rating stays the same. Really enjoyed it. Currently reading Of Silver And Curses.

[Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reread via the audiobook. The full cast narration is great!

[Kate Bellamy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating
5/5

spice
4/5

* this review is for both the prequal and Book 1 in the series*

If you are looking for a Queer paranormal romance with reluctant allies to lovers and found family vibes, this is the book for you. Of Melodies and Maledictions is the prequel to Of silver silver and Curses by Maddox Grey in the Lingering Fates series . Firstly, I would like to thank Behind the pages Pa and Maddox Grey for giving me the ARC. Importantly, this book contains some triggering content, so please check the trigger warnings before reading.

Before reading book 1, I highly recommend reading the prequel, as it contains key points in the character's backstory and has very significant plot points. It adds a significant layer to the story and the characters. I do have to say that I am obsessed with these characters and their story. Each character added another level to the overall plot, and the side characters won over my heart many times during this book. This book is both character and plot driven, and each trope really shone through and was accurate to the story. I was hooked from the start of the book to the end , I was listening to it at work, home and even during dinner. The narrators had done an amazing job of displaying the emotions and thoughts of these characters. I could imagine everything happening in real time. Overall, I love so much about this book and hope you all listen to this book on release day. I know I will.

Talon and Scythe's love story was done so well that they absolutely hated each other and felt so betrayed at the end of the prequel, that it had continued on into book 1. I loved how they both hated that they had to work together, then over time, you could see that deep down, they really did care for each other. There were so many times when moments between these two had me shocked , especially when these two headstrong characters were showing how much they really cared for one another. Talon and Scythe are both headstrong people, and you can see why they care so much and deeply about their siblings, which really brought them together . Talon and Scythe were and still are my favourite book couple. There is , I could go on for ages about how much their story went , but I want to read or listen to their book/audiobook. Happy reading

[Caitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Witch of the Woods has only ever cared about two things: protecting her sister and protecting her forest. When a group of trespassers forces her to take action, she sets out on a simple mission: track them down, deal with them, and return home. Unfortunately, things become far more complicated when she crosses paths with Talon, a cursed werewolf whose own quest for revenge has drawn them into the same conflict. As danger closes in and their paths become increasingly intertwined, both find themselves confronting something neither is prepared for - the possibility of love.

This short prequel novella does a good job setting the stage for the main series while still telling a complete story of its own. Despite the limited page count, I felt like I got a strong sense of both Scythe and Talon as characters. Their chemistry is excellent, and their dynamic carries much of the novella's emotional weight. The audiobook narrators also deserve credit for bringing the story to life; their performances kept me engaged throughout and helped sell both the romance and the humor. And for readers looking for spice, this novella certainly doesn't hold back.

The biggest drawback is that the story occasionally feels a little too lore-heavy for its length. There are several sections dedicated to explaining the world and its history, and while the information is relevant, some of it feels more like setup for future books than material this particular story needed. That said, the foundation it builds seems promising, and by the end I was genuinely interested in seeing where the series goes next. Scythe and Talon were easily the highlight for me, and I'm looking forward to spending more time with this world in the sequel novel. Many thanks to the author and Sarah from Behind the Pages LLC for this ALC. This is my honest review.

3/5 The lore occasionally rambled, but the romance never did.

[kym ✨ the midnight review · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Of Melodies and Maledictions

By Maddox Grey

Narrated by: Cassandra Medcalf, Stephen Godleski, Megan Carver, and Nick Monteleone

Of Melodies and Maledictions is a short (150 pages, or roughly 2 hour audio) novella in the Lingering Fates series that sets the scene for Grey's standalone romantasy, Of Silver and Curses. In this spicy novella, our two main characters meet — and inevitably fall for each other hard and fast. Scythe, the Witch of the Woods, is the last of her kind. She accidentally stumbles into a heist by a group of travellers, including Cursed Werewolf Talon, who even convinces her to join them at a ball. The two fly through a whirlwind of emotions while they work together for the greater good and can no longer deny their attraction to each other

The story has a LOT of tension and depth for such a short and spicy book, and although this spice level isn't normally my preference, I was interested enough in the characters and storytelling to listen to the main book, too.

The cast of four narrators made for an honestly great listening experience. Each brought depth and emotion, honestly performing better than some traditionally published, bigger production audio books I've listened to recently (looking at you, Bridgerton.)

I'm also a sucker for queer representation, so a nonbinary main character was a big selling point for me.

This also ends on a cliffhanger — so I recommend grabbing the main book, too.

Thank you to Behind the Pages and Maddox Grey for the advance listening copy. All opinions are my own.

[Lindsey Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️️⭐️/ ️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Under 100 pages, Of Melodies and Maledictions provides the perfect short story that brings together two amazing characters. Maddox Grey delivers a wonderful prequel to set up their new Lingering Fates series. I ate this book up and cannot wait for the first full length novel in this series to come out.

Scythe, our amazing FMC and forest witch, is impossible to not love. She protects the forest and everything within it. When an outside force threatens to disrupt the forest she will do everything she can to remove it. Along her journey, she meets Talon, a cursed werewolf. They are immediately drawn to each other, but each holds their own secrets. Talon is charming, sexy, and has a smile that captivates. They bring something to Scythe she never knew she was missing.

Maddox always creates wonderful characters that you devour within their stories. The world building has set us up for an amazing first novel and I can’t wait to go back to Arandia with this series. Highly recommend reading this stabby, action packed, magical short book before their newest book comes out. Lingering Fates is already a series I know I will love!

As always, review any author notes before reading.

What to Expect:
💀Morally Grey Characters
🖤Stabby FMC
💀Werewolf MMC
🖤Mistaken Identity
💀Instalust
🖤Found Family
💀Unique Magic
🖤Nonbinary Representation

[Kimberly Carroll · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a strong prequel.

One of the hardest things for a prequel to do is make me care about the characters in a short amount of time, and somehow this one pulled it off. I was invested in Cerelia and Talon almost immediately, and by the end I was desperate to know what happens next.

The worldbuilding was surprisingly rich for a shorter story. We get witches, cursed werewolves, fae lore, blood moon celebrations, family dynamics, and enough history of the world to feel grounded without ever slowing down the pacing. It felt like every detail was there for a reason.

Cerelia and Talon's chemistry was intense from the start, but what really worked for me was how quickly their relationship shifted from attraction to conflict. The reveal of who they truly are and the fallout afterward left me equal parts heartbroken and frustrated for them.
I also loved Astria and Ravyn and am already invested in their story too.

My only reason this wasn't quite a five-star read is that, as a prequel, it naturally leaves a lot unresolved. But honestly, that's also what made me immediately want to pick up the next book.

A fast, addictive romantasy prequel with strong worldbuilding, compelling characters, and an ending that had me ready to start book one immediately. 🐺🖤🗡️📖

[FloofyMooseReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of Melodies and Maledictions is a prequel novella to the first book of the Lingering Fates series, Of Silver and Curses. The novella is a spicy romantasy that shows how the main characters of Of Silver and Curses met and why they hate each other. I received an advance listener copy and my thoughts are my own. Thank you to the author for my ALC.

Tropes and themes include:
✨The Witch of the Woods
✨A cursed werewolf
✨Revenge
✨LGBTQ+ representation
✨Strangers to lovers to hate
✨Masks

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars 3/5 Flames

Audiobook Thoughts: This full cast narration audiobook is voiced by Cassandra Medcalf, Stephen Godleski, Megan Carver and Nick Monteleone. The primary female narrator was absolutely perfect, you could hear and feel her disgust at those who trespassed in her woods.

From the first two lines of the book (which caused soda to come out of my nose), I had so much fun with this novella. I found it helpful to hear how the characters met and why they absolutely hate each other. Time to continue on to Of Silver and Curses!

[Sie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a genuinely fun and surprisingly good read for a novella that I got for free. I liked Scythe and Talon from the moment they were both introduced and, while some things are pretty predictable, it was still deeply enjoyable.

I do wish there would have been more fleshing out of the side characters, but I also understand that this is a prequel novella and I'm genuinely hopeful that the book that follows the events does just that. Because I do actually intend to read that at some point (I need to work through more of my tbr before I get any more books).

There were a few errors in the novella, but nothing serious enough to annoy me or make me want to stop reading. I also really love openly queer books with nonbinary rep so that adds to my level of investment here.

Hands down one of the better freebies I've gotten and if y'all want a good, quick read to break a slump or set you up for something that seems really promising, I definitely recommend it.

[bookbaefae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omfg. I absolutely could not put this down.

A witch guardian of the woods and a cursed werewolf - that was enough to draw me in, but there's SO much going on in this action packed novella.

Reasons to listen to it:
1. The narration cast is excellent 👌
2. Hidden identities and subterfuge on multiple levels - how did we learn so much in such a short period of time? How was I drawn in so thoroughly? Had to be magic.
3. Holy wow the spice.
4. Snarky banter for days.
5. A badass witch with a scythe and a pride of devil cat companions AND a cursed werewolf bandit stabby meet cute - YES.

Tl:Dr:
Of Melodies and Maledictions is a fast-paced and spicy queer romantasy that is a prequel novella to Of Silver and Curses. Perfect for fans of stabby morally grey characters, fated mates, forced proximity, banter, and all the found family vibes.

Thank you to the author and Behind the Pages PA for my copy. All thoughts are my own.

[Alyssa Lane · Rating 5 out of 5]

EXCUSE ME?! I am literally OBSESSED with this story already! This is a prequel novella for the series but it completely draws you in! I cannot wait to continue Scythe and Talon’s story!

Can you imagine being the only Witch of the woods sworn to protect from the anyone getting to the barriers for hundreds of years only to have a smelly WOLF mess with your mind?! That’s Scythe’s problem. She was certainly not prepared to meet Talon the cursed werewolf.

Talon didn’t think he’d meet his match when trying to steal from the rich who messed with one of his own. But, he certainly did and boy did they get “into” it if you know what I mean.

For less than 100 pages this novella had me wanting more instantly! Such an action packed storyline I can’t wait to hear more about, and that cliffy… come on! The spicy scenes were so hot I was clutching my lady pearls for sure!

Definitely recommend to anyone who loves a good dark fantasy!

5 ⭐️
3.5 🌶️

[Rhiannon Cheyenne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of Melodies and Maledictions - Maddox Grey

I really enjoyed this book. This is the absolute perfect prequel to a series. This got me hooked on the characters and the setting and the chemistry and vibes between them. I definitely will be reading more by this author, especially the first book in the series I loved not only the main characters, Scythe and Talon, but the sisters of the main characters as well. I like that they have a romance as well.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Out of 5 Stars ⭐️

🔥 / Spice Rating ☀️

# of Pages 🌙 89 pages

Release Date 🌟 5/4/25

Format 💫 Digital

Series 🌙 Lingering Fates, #0.5

Genre/Tropes ✨ Dark fantasy, Romantasy, mates, witch x wolf, prequel, strangers to lovers to enemies

Favorite Character ☀️ Scythe

Favorite Line 🌟 ‘Some people are just asking to get punched in the face. Or killed. Often both.’

[Anna Burkemper · Rating 2 out of 5]

I knew this was prequal, but didn't realize that it's not even 100 pages and barely begins the story.

Scythe and Talon are two people with every reason to hate one another, but are clearly mates. Scythe is the last witch who lives in the woods and Talon is a werewolf cursed by witches to never be able to shift. They meet on the road while killing some bad guys and feel lust at first site. That night at the blood moon festival, they repeatedly hook up in the woods just outside of town, and then they realize who and what the other is.

Just as they are about to murder one another, both of their sisters find them and declare that they are in love.

This little sample of a story is a hot little jaunt but I don't think that the over all writing was good enough for me to truly want to continue the story.

At some point I may read more from this author, but that's not high on my list.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

​Thank you to Behind the Pages PR for providing this ALC! I really enjoyed Of Melodies and Maledictions and it has left me eager to dive into the full series.

​While this story could potentially work as a flashback sequence at the beginning of the first novel, I actually loved it as a prequel novella. A lot happens in a short amount of time, but the world-building and characters are introduced with total clarity, never feeling overwhelming.

​The story does end on a bit of a cliffhanger, so while it doesn't provide a completely finished standalone, it does a brilliant job of planting seeds and leaving you with plenty of questions about the future of the MCs. I’m honestly so curious to see how everything unfolds in the upcoming books.

​Overall, this was the perfect way to get a vibe check on a new series. It’s a great format, and I honestly think more authors should do this!

[Rachel Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was included in the paperback for Of Silver and Curses, and I would absolutely recommend reading this first, before you dive into the main book (even though it's at the back of the book after the story so I read it after LOL)

In this we get to see what happened to Scythe and Talon before Of Silver and Curses begins. We did read that they had a prior encounter together, before Talon knew she was the witch of the wood, and now we get to see what all really went down.

I'm so glad we got this story to see how they first met, how they realized their sisters were in love, this would be a great intro for anyone into this world. I also thought that for a novella, this had a bunch of story packed into it, which I always appreciate!

[Ina_koffen_Reads Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of "Of Melodies And Maledictions" as a novella prequel to an ARC read I will be doing of "Of Silver And Curses" by Maddox Grey.

This novella has me very excited for the series! It served as a perfect short introduction to the setting and the main characters.

I am captivated by Talon's charm and I think this twist on a cursed werewolf is a really interesting plot point. I also love that they are non-binary in a main romantic role!

Scythe's introduction also interested me, and explained how magic works in this setting succinctly and in an understandable way. I am interested to hear more about her former bond, and definitely hooked to find out more about the obvious bond between her and Talon.


The banter and chemistry is FANTASTIC!

[Dani · Rating 3 out of 5]

Prequels are always a bit tricky. If you already know the outcome and what happens going forward, what more can you add?

This one takes an event that was already mentioned in the main story: how our couple initially met, felt connected to each other, and learned who they really are.

It adds a bit more background to our characters and the world, but not too much to the overall story. It is short and quick, and the audiobook was an enjoyable experience.
Is this something you absolutely must read or listen to? No - but you won’t mind it either.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.