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The Living Courts #1
Courting Death & Desire
Lunar princess Lunelle Aurellis has spent thirty years adhering to the expectations of the crown—a role she willingly takes on as she prepares to ascend to the Lunar throne.
Most of the time.
As court alliances shift and whispers of war grow louder, the Plutonian Court finds itself ousted by the Solar King and at the mercy of the Inner Courts and their Lunar leadership.
At her mother’s insistence, Lunelle leaves home for the first time and joins the regents of the Inner Courts in the Plutonian Court to discuss what their prince, Arcas, has to offer. Unfortunately for his ego, Lunelle finds him lackluster at best, but like any good leader, she’s happy to bite her tongue and play the game for the sake of her court. Luckily, her sister’s fiancé, the Mercurian king, is easy enough to confide in and seems willing to help guide the foolish prince toward wiser choices.
However, Lunelle isn’t sure the same could be said for her as she clings to her rapidly fading resolve to put her politics before her own desires. Tensions abound both in and outside of the Plutonian palace walls, where Nova Rebels aim to take advantage of the regal presence and convince as many monarchs to join the revolution against the gods themselves as possible.
Lunelle finds herself caught between doing what she’s told and doing what she desperately wants as her eye is drawn to new, unexpected places. Out of her element and far from her trusted sister’s confidence, Lunelle must carve her own path and decide if content will ever be enough.
Allegiances will forge and fall apart, often in the same breath, as she explores what her innermost desires can teach her about the benefits of usurping tradition and expectation.
Courting Death & Desire is the first installment of The Living Courts, a series of interconnected standalones following the side plots that thicken during the events of its sister series, The Courts Between.
Follow Astra’s older sister, Lunelle, on this steamy, why choose adventure through the Plutonian Court as she navigates forbidden love and confronts the god of death.
Most of the time.
As court alliances shift and whispers of war grow louder, the Plutonian Court finds itself ousted by the Solar King and at the mercy of the Inner Courts and their Lunar leadership.
At her mother’s insistence, Lunelle leaves home for the first time and joins the regents of the Inner Courts in the Plutonian Court to discuss what their prince, Arcas, has to offer. Unfortunately for his ego, Lunelle finds him lackluster at best, but like any good leader, she’s happy to bite her tongue and play the game for the sake of her court. Luckily, her sister’s fiancé, the Mercurian king, is easy enough to confide in and seems willing to help guide the foolish prince toward wiser choices.
However, Lunelle isn’t sure the same could be said for her as she clings to her rapidly fading resolve to put her politics before her own desires. Tensions abound both in and outside of the Plutonian palace walls, where Nova Rebels aim to take advantage of the regal presence and convince as many monarchs to join the revolution against the gods themselves as possible.
Lunelle finds herself caught between doing what she’s told and doing what she desperately wants as her eye is drawn to new, unexpected places. Out of her element and far from her trusted sister’s confidence, Lunelle must carve her own path and decide if content will ever be enough.
Allegiances will forge and fall apart, often in the same breath, as she explores what her innermost desires can teach her about the benefits of usurping tradition and expectation.
Courting Death & Desire is the first installment of The Living Courts, a series of interconnected standalones following the side plots that thicken during the events of its sister series, The Courts Between.
Follow Astra’s older sister, Lunelle, on this steamy, why choose adventure through the Plutonian Court as she navigates forbidden love and confronts the god of death.
- GenresFantasy
372 pages, Paperback
Published June 20, 2025
4 people are currently reading
103 people want to read
About the author
CB Woods
6 books59 followersCB Woods is an emerging romance author working across genres to bring stories about love, loss, and magic to life. She also sometimes figures out how to post TikToks.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
May 22, 2025
I enjoyed The Rift, but I loved this more! It was really interesting to read the story from the other sister's perspective. And for it to be better than the first! Who thought Lunelle was getting up to all that 😅 Loved Mirq's character even more and warmed to Arcas too.
Thank you C.B. Woods for the ARC!
Thank you C.B. Woods for the ARC!
May 10, 2025
★★★★★ – A lush, emotional, celestial triumph
Courting Death & Desire by C.B. Woods completely captivated me. As a massive fan of Rift, I had so many questions about what was happening on Pluto—and this book delivered answers and so much more.
Following Lunelle, the Lunar princess and older sister to Astra, this story dives deep into political alliances, inner-court dynamics, and the emotional tug-of-war between duty and desire. Lunelle is a phenomenal protagonist: mature, strong, and constantly grappling with what’s expected of her versus what she wants. Her journey is filled with moments of quiet yearning, sharp wit, and raw vulnerability.
The romance is beautifully done. Mirquios remains my favorite—his warmth, easy confidence, and unwavering support make him the kind of love interest you root for. And then there’s Arcas: guarded, stubborn, and devastating in the best way. His tension with Lunelle crackles off the page. The slow unraveling of both of these relationships is paced perfectly, making the emotional payoffs incredibly satisfying.
There’s an undercurrent of revolution and divine interference that raises the stakes, but never overshadows the characters. Everything—world-building, plot, romance—is balanced with intention and care.
The “why choose” element feels natural and emotionally grounded. It’s soft, slow-burn spice with all the yearning I crave. Plus, the side characters are stellar—Lura, Yallara, and especially Nayson. I love Nayson SO FREAKING MUCH.
I’ve already read Risk, the follow-up novella in this series, and it is to die for. I cannot recommend this series enough. C.B. Woods has created a universe that’s as emotionally rich as it is magically epic.
If you love court intrigue, forbidden romance, and celestial world-building, this is the series for you.
Thank you CB Woods for the ARC. I literally screamed when I got it. I wanted to know Lunelle's story THAT MUCH!!
Courting Death & Desire by C.B. Woods completely captivated me. As a massive fan of Rift, I had so many questions about what was happening on Pluto—and this book delivered answers and so much more.
Following Lunelle, the Lunar princess and older sister to Astra, this story dives deep into political alliances, inner-court dynamics, and the emotional tug-of-war between duty and desire. Lunelle is a phenomenal protagonist: mature, strong, and constantly grappling with what’s expected of her versus what she wants. Her journey is filled with moments of quiet yearning, sharp wit, and raw vulnerability.
The romance is beautifully done. Mirquios remains my favorite—his warmth, easy confidence, and unwavering support make him the kind of love interest you root for. And then there’s Arcas: guarded, stubborn, and devastating in the best way. His tension with Lunelle crackles off the page. The slow unraveling of both of these relationships is paced perfectly, making the emotional payoffs incredibly satisfying.
There’s an undercurrent of revolution and divine interference that raises the stakes, but never overshadows the characters. Everything—world-building, plot, romance—is balanced with intention and care.
The “why choose” element feels natural and emotionally grounded. It’s soft, slow-burn spice with all the yearning I crave. Plus, the side characters are stellar—Lura, Yallara, and especially Nayson. I love Nayson SO FREAKING MUCH.
I’ve already read Risk, the follow-up novella in this series, and it is to die for. I cannot recommend this series enough. C.B. Woods has created a universe that’s as emotionally rich as it is magically epic.
If you love court intrigue, forbidden romance, and celestial world-building, this is the series for you.
Thank you CB Woods for the ARC. I literally screamed when I got it. I wanted to know Lunelle's story THAT MUCH!!
May 5, 2025
Did I devour Courting Death and Desire in two days? Absolutely. Do I need more of this world immediately? Also, yes.
Getting to see things from Lunelle’s perspective was such a treat—especially revisiting some of the best scenes from Rift through her eyes. The internal war she’s constantly fighting—between what she wants and what’s expected of her—is so raw and compelling. The political tension layered over her personal struggle? Perfection.
Also… there’s definitely a bit more spice in this one. A “why choose” vibe sneaks in, but it never feels forced—it still totally fits CB Woods’ 'soft spice' style. Just enough to keep you intrigued without overshadowing the emotional connections.
Once again, she delivers that agonising yearning and tension that just hits so hard. If you loved the “we want each other but absolutely shouldn’t” vibes in Rift, get ready for more of that delicious torment.
Arcas? Written to perfection. The love/hate dynamic is executed so well. And let’s just say it—Mirquios is THAT king. I knew it before, but this book really proves it.
Also… Nayson. He’s got like two lines and yet somehow completely owns them. I need that novella immediately.
Thank you again, CB Woods, for letting me read this ARC in return for an honest review.
Getting to see things from Lunelle’s perspective was such a treat—especially revisiting some of the best scenes from Rift through her eyes. The internal war she’s constantly fighting—between what she wants and what’s expected of her—is so raw and compelling. The political tension layered over her personal struggle? Perfection.
Also… there’s definitely a bit more spice in this one. A “why choose” vibe sneaks in, but it never feels forced—it still totally fits CB Woods’ 'soft spice' style. Just enough to keep you intrigued without overshadowing the emotional connections.
Once again, she delivers that agonising yearning and tension that just hits so hard. If you loved the “we want each other but absolutely shouldn’t” vibes in Rift, get ready for more of that delicious torment.
Arcas? Written to perfection. The love/hate dynamic is executed so well. And let’s just say it—Mirquios is THAT king. I knew it before, but this book really proves it.
Also… Nayson. He’s got like two lines and yet somehow completely owns them. I need that novella immediately.
Thank you again, CB Woods, for letting me read this ARC in return for an honest review.
June 9, 2025
Courting Death and Desire (a 4.5 ⭐️ rounded up to 5⭐️ book for me), it was such a breath of fresh air in the fantasy genre. Before we begin, a disclaimer that I received a free ARC of Courting Death and Desire, which is set at the same time as Rift. I was lucky enough to read these books as a tandem read, so I did have a slightly different experience than someone who read them in order, but I’d highly recommend it! I loved that I could experience the whole story from both sisters points of views instead of already knowing what would happen with Lunelle while reading Courting Death and Desire. I think that the books as a tandem read were better than individually, Rift gave so much plot, and Courting Death and Desire gave me all the feels, so the combination was better than them separately.
As always, I think it is very fun to just read books blind without doing much research. Sometimes the dedication of a book can give the vibes of a book better than a summary ever could, and I feel like CB Woods keeps doing an excellent job with this. Here’s the dedication, and if you like it then you should just get the book! “To the eldest daughters wearing crowns of thorns. May you find they were stars all along.”
So why do I feel like that dedication is perfect? If I had to describe Courting Death and Desire in one sentence, it would be that this book is “a love letter to oldest daughters.” As an oldest daughter & oldest sister, there were some times when I was reading it and felt like I was truly being seen. The idea that it wouldn’t matter what it took I would do anything to help my younger siblings succeed and be happy is something that I have always felt. But then seeing our MFC (Lunelle) come to the realization that she also should go after what she wants and needs was so cool. It’s hard to describe how it made me feel, but it made me feel so much (in the best way).
This book is a why choose book, with one MMF and two MMCs, and I definitely had a favorite. I absolutely ADORED the main MMC. He was a 100/10. Honestly, that was the only thing that dropped my rating slightly. I understand on a mental level that our second MMC represents the parts of Lunelle’s darkest shadows and desires that she doesn’t feel like she can have, and that as she learns to love him she is learning to love herself. I logically understand that. But until the last two chapters, when he finally has some character development, I just aggressively hated him. So it made it really really hard for me to be okay with her being in a why choose relationship when one of the guys just made me so frustrated. I’ve accepted it by now, he had some good character development at the end, but it made me SO frustrated for a large amount of the book.
I would definitely recommend reading this book as a tandem read with Rift though, it was so cool to not have spoilers about what would happen! And the parallels between the books are artistic and beautiful.
As always, I think it is very fun to just read books blind without doing much research. Sometimes the dedication of a book can give the vibes of a book better than a summary ever could, and I feel like CB Woods keeps doing an excellent job with this. Here’s the dedication, and if you like it then you should just get the book! “To the eldest daughters wearing crowns of thorns. May you find they were stars all along.”
So why do I feel like that dedication is perfect? If I had to describe Courting Death and Desire in one sentence, it would be that this book is “a love letter to oldest daughters.” As an oldest daughter & oldest sister, there were some times when I was reading it and felt like I was truly being seen. The idea that it wouldn’t matter what it took I would do anything to help my younger siblings succeed and be happy is something that I have always felt. But then seeing our MFC (Lunelle) come to the realization that she also should go after what she wants and needs was so cool. It’s hard to describe how it made me feel, but it made me feel so much (in the best way).
This book is a why choose book, with one MMF and two MMCs, and I definitely had a favorite. I absolutely ADORED the main MMC. He was a 100/10. Honestly, that was the only thing that dropped my rating slightly. I understand on a mental level that our second MMC represents the parts of Lunelle’s darkest shadows and desires that she doesn’t feel like she can have, and that as she learns to love him she is learning to love herself. I logically understand that. But until the last two chapters, when he finally has some character development, I just aggressively hated him. So it made it really really hard for me to be okay with her being in a why choose relationship when one of the guys just made me so frustrated. I’ve accepted it by now, he had some good character development at the end, but it made me SO frustrated for a large amount of the book.
I would definitely recommend reading this book as a tandem read with Rift though, it was so cool to not have spoilers about what would happen! And the parallels between the books are artistic and beautiful.
July 3, 2025
First of all I was happy to return back to the world of Rift 🌙💫🌌🩵 Was really interesting to get a different perspective on what happened in Rift and from Lunelle’s POV especially. I was excited to also get to learn more about her and how this book went into depth about how she really thought. (Ngl I was a little surprised lol) I can’t wait to read both the books in tandem whenever I get my physical copies! 🌙 🍓
June 5, 2025
4.75 ⭐️
Arc read thanks to CB Woods.
CB woods hasn’t disappointed again!
I really enjoyed learning what happened in the plutonium court and piecing it together with what happened in Rift. I am 100% going to tandem read these two books!
Lunelles character became far more interesting and I feel like we have more to learn about her. I also have a lot of time for Miq, he is still no Lux but he has gone up in my books.
Arcas character was much more developed in this book and I really felt for him. I feel like we understand him a lot more rather than a young & whiney prince I understood in rift.
I feel like there was less political intrigue in this book but that is probably because courting death & desire continues on what is established in Rift.
Arc read thanks to CB Woods.
CB woods hasn’t disappointed again!
I really enjoyed learning what happened in the plutonium court and piecing it together with what happened in Rift. I am 100% going to tandem read these two books!
Lunelles character became far more interesting and I feel like we have more to learn about her. I also have a lot of time for Miq, he is still no Lux but he has gone up in my books.
Arcas character was much more developed in this book and I really felt for him. I feel like we understand him a lot more rather than a young & whiney prince I understood in rift.
I feel like there was less political intrigue in this book but that is probably because courting death & desire continues on what is established in Rift.
April 3, 2025
🪐b e t a r e v i e w🪐
Title: Courting Death & Desire
Author: CB Woods
Release Date: June 20, 2025
Preorder Link in Bio 🔗
✨Romantasy
✨Slow Burn
✨Why Choose
✨Mythology Appearance
✨Absolute Goddess of an FMC
✨Older MCs
✨Political Intrigue
✨Celestial World-Building
I was blessed graciously with the opportunity to beta read for @cbwoodsbooks after being so viciously obsessed with Rift, and let me start by saying Courting Death & Desire did NOT disappoint 🤭
While I was given an early, unedited copy of this book, I will say that I cannot even start to imagine what a finished copy will look like, that’s how much I absolutely ate this book up. Once that moment hit (we all know the moment, the intense chest flare-y moment) I simply did not want to put it down. I’m not kidding, last night alone I devoured probably 50% of the book in one sitting.
The characters? To die for. The romance? To die for. The spice? TO. DIE. FOR. The plot is evenly paced, and just when you think it might slow down for a beat, nope she’s back at it again with her wit and sass and eldest daughter charm we all know and love. There is some overlap with Rift, but I loved that so much, seeing it from another perspective, getting to experience some of my favorite parts all over again… Ugh. Obsessed.
To make the longest story ever semi-short, I am still madly in love with the world that CB Woods created within these pages. If I could pack up and move there, I feel I’d be the perfect Lunarian courtier as a Cancer sign girlie. Though I must say, I might find myself slipping off to Pluto once or twice. Especially for the trippy tea they serve at those parties and the sapphire everything (they’re my favorite).
Definitely a 5 star read and it’s not even at its highest, fullest capacity yet. I cannot WAIT to buy every available format and dive in all over again when it’s released.
Title: Courting Death & Desire
Author: CB Woods
Release Date: June 20, 2025
Preorder Link in Bio 🔗
✨Romantasy
✨Slow Burn
✨Why Choose
✨Mythology Appearance
✨Absolute Goddess of an FMC
✨Older MCs
✨Political Intrigue
✨Celestial World-Building
I was blessed graciously with the opportunity to beta read for @cbwoodsbooks after being so viciously obsessed with Rift, and let me start by saying Courting Death & Desire did NOT disappoint 🤭
While I was given an early, unedited copy of this book, I will say that I cannot even start to imagine what a finished copy will look like, that’s how much I absolutely ate this book up. Once that moment hit (we all know the moment, the intense chest flare-y moment) I simply did not want to put it down. I’m not kidding, last night alone I devoured probably 50% of the book in one sitting.
The characters? To die for. The romance? To die for. The spice? TO. DIE. FOR. The plot is evenly paced, and just when you think it might slow down for a beat, nope she’s back at it again with her wit and sass and eldest daughter charm we all know and love. There is some overlap with Rift, but I loved that so much, seeing it from another perspective, getting to experience some of my favorite parts all over again… Ugh. Obsessed.
To make the longest story ever semi-short, I am still madly in love with the world that CB Woods created within these pages. If I could pack up and move there, I feel I’d be the perfect Lunarian courtier as a Cancer sign girlie. Though I must say, I might find myself slipping off to Pluto once or twice. Especially for the trippy tea they serve at those parties and the sapphire everything (they’re my favorite).
Definitely a 5 star read and it’s not even at its highest, fullest capacity yet. I cannot WAIT to buy every available format and dive in all over again when it’s released.
May 3, 2025
CB Woods has truly outdone herself and leveled up in the way of storytelling, managing to weave an intricate and unique story beneath what had already been established in Rift - letting Lunelle, Mirquios, and Arcas shine in a story entirely their own. I'm so grateful to have gotten a chance to read this as an ARC because I so desperately needed something to pick me up out of a reading slump caused by my reading too many enemies-to-lovers and insta-love books.
You could count me as a simp for Mirquios, our Mercurian king, since Rift. I loved the man from moment one. He's genuinely a good guy with his easy smiles and charming willingness to act as whatever support is needed. He's so easy to fall in love with and watching Lunelle do just that is such a treat. Their relationship with her initial uncertainty blossoming into friendship and the ultimate head-over-heels fall is paced so perfectly.
Arcas, the Plutonian prince, with so much to lose and everything to gain stands in stark contrast to Mirquios. He's not easy to love and he's got walls built up around his heart so high that he almost feels like a lost cause - but who is Lunelle to back down from a challenge? Some of my most favorite moments and quotes are between Arcas and Lunelle as they push one another to fall in line or exceed their limitations, or perceived expectations, at the same time.
I love the world which CB Woods has created. I fall in love with every one of her side characters and cherish them as much as the mains. Lura and Yallara are additional standout characters in this novel and I'm looking forward to seeing more of them in cameos in The Courts Between series alongside Lunelle, Mirquios, and Arcas.
You could count me as a simp for Mirquios, our Mercurian king, since Rift. I loved the man from moment one. He's genuinely a good guy with his easy smiles and charming willingness to act as whatever support is needed. He's so easy to fall in love with and watching Lunelle do just that is such a treat. Their relationship with her initial uncertainty blossoming into friendship and the ultimate head-over-heels fall is paced so perfectly.
Arcas, the Plutonian prince, with so much to lose and everything to gain stands in stark contrast to Mirquios. He's not easy to love and he's got walls built up around his heart so high that he almost feels like a lost cause - but who is Lunelle to back down from a challenge? Some of my most favorite moments and quotes are between Arcas and Lunelle as they push one another to fall in line or exceed their limitations, or perceived expectations, at the same time.
I love the world which CB Woods has created. I fall in love with every one of her side characters and cherish them as much as the mains. Lura and Yallara are additional standout characters in this novel and I'm looking forward to seeing more of them in cameos in The Courts Between series alongside Lunelle, Mirquios, and Arcas.
June 16, 2025
WOW, add Lunelle Aurellis to my list of favorite FMCs STAT!
This is a companion book to the previously published Rift, which I read at the beginning of the year. I chose to try out the tandem read for this book, and was happy to have had the refresher for the events of Rift, as this book takes place concurrently and follows Lunelle on her trip to Pluto. Rift is integral to this story, so either make sure you've read it first or plan to read it tandem.
While reading Rift, I vacillated between indifference and mild suspicion of Lunelle simply because she is outwardly more quiet and reserved. But make no mistake - she is a Queen-in-training in the streets and a freak in the sheets (both literally AND metaphorically!) While she is her own, strong woman, she has traits similar to Aelin Galathynius, Nesta Archeron, Diem Bellator and Sera Mierel (among others), so if you love any/all of those characters, you'll be as obsessed with Lunelle as I am. She surprised me at almost every turn, in the best of ways, and I found she was such a well-drawn multi-dimensional character. I hope we see so much more of her in future books in this universe.
All-in-all, (and similarly to Rift) most of the characters are extremely likable and you find yourself rooting for them all to thrive in their own ways. And the tropes here are so well done—for example, the why choose doesn't feel at all forced, and by the end you're wondering what happens next, thirsting for more for everyone involved.
I highly recommend delving into this world if you haven't already, you won't be disappointed!
Thank you to CB Woods and Emrae Publishing for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
This is a companion book to the previously published Rift, which I read at the beginning of the year. I chose to try out the tandem read for this book, and was happy to have had the refresher for the events of Rift, as this book takes place concurrently and follows Lunelle on her trip to Pluto. Rift is integral to this story, so either make sure you've read it first or plan to read it tandem.
While reading Rift, I vacillated between indifference and mild suspicion of Lunelle simply because she is outwardly more quiet and reserved. But make no mistake - she is a Queen-in-training in the streets and a freak in the sheets (both literally AND metaphorically!) While she is her own, strong woman, she has traits similar to Aelin Galathynius, Nesta Archeron, Diem Bellator and Sera Mierel (among others), so if you love any/all of those characters, you'll be as obsessed with Lunelle as I am. She surprised me at almost every turn, in the best of ways, and I found she was such a well-drawn multi-dimensional character. I hope we see so much more of her in future books in this universe.
All-in-all, (and similarly to Rift) most of the characters are extremely likable and you find yourself rooting for them all to thrive in their own ways. And the tropes here are so well done—for example, the why choose doesn't feel at all forced, and by the end you're wondering what happens next, thirsting for more for everyone involved.
I highly recommend delving into this world if you haven't already, you won't be disappointed!
Thank you to CB Woods and Emrae Publishing for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
November 16, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I received a copy of this book from the author and am voluntarily leaving this review. All opinions are my own.
Good things come to those who take them.
I LOVED Rift and i was so invested in this world. So I was so very excited when I learned that a companion novel to Rift was coming out, and it followed Lunelle during the events of Rift. I adored Mirquios within Rift itself, but being able to see so much more of him in this book is wonderful. I love him as a character; he is such a competent and confident man. I also adored having a Lunelle-based book, especially with its twists and turns. While reading Rift, I was constantly wondering what was happening with Lunelle, and I was just so excited to see her experience of all the events. And oh man, this book blew me away. Lunelle is fantastic; she is so smart and observant, and I love how nothing gets past her; she sees everything, and I love it. I am still so in love with this world, its politics, magic system, and courts. But the way the characters interact with each other and their dynamics pulls me right in and doesn't let me go. This book has probably 2 of my favorite book boyfriends ever, and I am genuinely obsessed with them. I cannot tell you how many times Arcas had me absolutely screaming and giggling. I am IN LOVE with that man. This is genuinely one of the best romantasy books I have ever read. If you are even interested in romantasy, please read these books.
🌖Fated Mates
🌗Court Politics
🌘 Companion Series
🌑Why Choose
🌒Older MCs
🌓Forbidden Love
🌔Slow Burn
I received a copy of this book from the author and am voluntarily leaving this review. All opinions are my own.
Good things come to those who take them.
I LOVED Rift and i was so invested in this world. So I was so very excited when I learned that a companion novel to Rift was coming out, and it followed Lunelle during the events of Rift. I adored Mirquios within Rift itself, but being able to see so much more of him in this book is wonderful. I love him as a character; he is such a competent and confident man. I also adored having a Lunelle-based book, especially with its twists and turns. While reading Rift, I was constantly wondering what was happening with Lunelle, and I was just so excited to see her experience of all the events. And oh man, this book blew me away. Lunelle is fantastic; she is so smart and observant, and I love how nothing gets past her; she sees everything, and I love it. I am still so in love with this world, its politics, magic system, and courts. But the way the characters interact with each other and their dynamics pulls me right in and doesn't let me go. This book has probably 2 of my favorite book boyfriends ever, and I am genuinely obsessed with them. I cannot tell you how many times Arcas had me absolutely screaming and giggling. I am IN LOVE with that man. This is genuinely one of the best romantasy books I have ever read. If you are even interested in romantasy, please read these books.
🌖Fated Mates
🌗Court Politics
🌘 Companion Series
🌑Why Choose
🌒Older MCs
🌓Forbidden Love
🌔Slow Burn
July 7, 2025
5 Stars, 3 Spice
Synopsis:
Lunelle is sent to the Plutonian Court along with her sister’s betrothed in order to find out what is happening on Pluto and to see if Prince Arcas has anything to offer. Arcas is inexperienced and temperamental but she knows she must work with him to restore order.
Without the aid of Astra, she confines more with Mercurio who has experience running his court. As Lunelle continues to learn more, she finds herself questioning if what she is working towards is the right path, and what her own desires are.
This is a standalone novel, but recommended to read tandem or after Rift, in the series The Courts Between.
Review:
When reading the story initially as a BETA reader, and then later on as an ARC, I loved Lunelle’s journey just as much as Astra’s. It was interesting hearing Lunelle’s thoughts as she went through her journeys, not just in the political setting but also through her personal reflections. CB’s writing style is unique and picturesque, immersing yourself in the Plutonian Court.
Favorite Quotes:
“I love you. Is that what you need to hear? Because you know it, you demand it, and I cannot do a damned thing about it.”
“She wanted to be seen. only ever looked at her. He never saw her for who she truly was.”
Bottom Line: Absolutely recommend!
Synopsis:
Lunelle is sent to the Plutonian Court along with her sister’s betrothed in order to find out what is happening on Pluto and to see if Prince Arcas has anything to offer. Arcas is inexperienced and temperamental but she knows she must work with him to restore order.
Without the aid of Astra, she confines more with Mercurio who has experience running his court. As Lunelle continues to learn more, she finds herself questioning if what she is working towards is the right path, and what her own desires are.
This is a standalone novel, but recommended to read tandem or after Rift, in the series The Courts Between.
Review:
When reading the story initially as a BETA reader, and then later on as an ARC, I loved Lunelle’s journey just as much as Astra’s. It was interesting hearing Lunelle’s thoughts as she went through her journeys, not just in the political setting but also through her personal reflections. CB’s writing style is unique and picturesque, immersing yourself in the Plutonian Court.
Favorite Quotes:
“I love you. Is that what you need to hear? Because you know it, you demand it, and I cannot do a damned thing about it.”
“She wanted to be seen. only ever looked at her. He never saw her for who she truly was.”
Bottom Line: Absolutely recommend!
June 12, 2025
This book had plenty of quotable & romantic moments!
“A woman can never lose herself to a man, she merely loans him her splendor.”
This novella can be read after the first book in the series (Rift) or as a tandem read with said book. I do not have physical copies of this story, so a tandem read wasn’t really in the cards for me, but I can see how beautiful it would be!
The story is told from the point of view of Lunelle, the older sister of Rift’s FMC. It was fun to understand her character more and the events following her choices.
Her love interests are polar opposites in every way except one - how they worship this queen to be. I really enjoyed the two MMCs and their differences.
Thank you to the author and her team at Emrae Publishing for the Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of Courting Death & Desire by C.B. Woods.
“A woman can never lose herself to a man, she merely loans him her splendor.”
This novella can be read after the first book in the series (Rift) or as a tandem read with said book. I do not have physical copies of this story, so a tandem read wasn’t really in the cards for me, but I can see how beautiful it would be!
The story is told from the point of view of Lunelle, the older sister of Rift’s FMC. It was fun to understand her character more and the events following her choices.
Her love interests are polar opposites in every way except one - how they worship this queen to be. I really enjoyed the two MMCs and their differences.
Thank you to the author and her team at Emrae Publishing for the Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of Courting Death & Desire by C.B. Woods.
June 21, 2025
Thank you for letting me ARC Lunelle’s story. I fell in love with Astra and Lux in book one (Rift) but wanted more and wondered about Lu’s side and this book delivered. We really got to see what happened in Pluto and I was so happy to see more of the courts and more of what happened in the trial. You have to read book one to really understand this book. But once you do you will not regret it. It’s a different mythology spin, the world that has been created is fantastic. Princess Yallara seems so lovely and Prince Arcas really grew on me. I already knew from book one I liked the King of Mercury. I love that we got to see a spin on Hades and Persephone/ Pluto and Proerpina where she wasn’t kidnapped. I love the world CB Woods has built with the Devine Courts, the Court Above, and the Courts below. There are so many more stories to be told and I hope we get them all.
June 1, 2025
I was lucky enough to be an ARC reader for this wonderful book!!!! I loved Rift, so I was excited to see what Lunelle and Mirquios were up to while they were in Pluto, and it did not disappoint! As an older sister myself, I have always been more drawn to Lunelle than Astra, and I loved getting to form a deeper connection to her in this book! It was great to see the struggles of an older sister be discussed so openly in this book. I also loved how we got to see Lunelle’s perspective of the end of Rift in this book! I was curious to see how what she was thinking during all that went down, and I’m glad this book let us get a look into that! Thank you to CB Woods and all those who made it possible for me to be an ARC reader for this book!!
June 17, 2025
This was an excellent expansion of the Living Courts universe, and a deeper dive into Lunelle's psyche, reasoning, and the weight of being the first-born daughter and heir groomed to take over the throne. I loved getting to see more of the world in Pluto and Mercury, and explore multiple character arcs through Lunelle's interactions with them (primarily Arcas and Mirquois). The ending chapters felt a little choppy given the re-integration into Astra's storyline, but also gave more perspective on what happened when Astra was away.
June 20, 2025
I really enjoyed getting to peek behind the scenes of the Rift events to follow Lunelle’s journey. If you are like me and don’t typically have the attention span for the same plot in a different POV, you may enjoy the tandem read with Rift more.
I absolutely love C.B.’s prose, and I cannot wait for the Courts Between book 2!
Light spoilers below:
I loved that it was a why choose and those scenes were 🥵 but I do wish I had not known that before reading it since I already knew the whole plot from Rift and there wasn’t anything “new” that surprised me.
Thank you C.B. Woods & Emrae Publishing for the ARC of this book! This is my honest review.
I absolutely love C.B.’s prose, and I cannot wait for the Courts Between book 2!
Light spoilers below:
I loved that it was a why choose and those scenes were 🥵 but I do wish I had not known that before reading it since I already knew the whole plot from Rift and there wasn’t anything “new” that surprised me.
Thank you C.B. Woods & Emrae Publishing for the ARC of this book! This is my honest review.
May 25, 2025
This book was so perfect! Getting to witness Lunelle’s personality first hand and watching her blossom in to who she was destined to become was stunning on every level! The hold this series has on me is like no other!
Mirq is the most perfect King and his love knows no bounds. Throw in the torn Plutonian Prince, Arcus, into the mix and you have a story not only full of the most stunningly described courts full of crystals and colours you have the tale of a love that will conquer all the worlds. Gods be with you on this most stunning fantasy ride of all time!
Mirq is the most perfect King and his love knows no bounds. Throw in the torn Plutonian Prince, Arcus, into the mix and you have a story not only full of the most stunningly described courts full of crystals and colours you have the tale of a love that will conquer all the worlds. Gods be with you on this most stunning fantasy ride of all time!
June 25, 2025
I LOVED Rift and couldn't wait to gobble up more from this world. I love the Celestial Court system CB Woods created. The nuances and personalities she written into the planets and the universe are so clever and well written. I love the characters and their growth throughout, and I really can't wait until more books in this universe come out because CB Woods' writing is truly just that good. She writes plot twists I didn't expect and the moments I guessed at were even better than I hoped. It's truly a joy to read her books. Highly HIGHLY recommend.
July 16, 2025
📚Book Review📚
⭐️4 Stars⭐️
Thank u so much to the amazing @cbwoodsbooks for this arc! I was so excited when I found out Princess Lunelle would have her own story! Lunelle quickly became my favorite character and I loved getting to see more of her personality in this book. The tension between Lunelle, Arcas and Mirquios was so beautifully done and made me needing more as I read this story! Thank u again to the amazing @cbwoodsbooks for this arc and writing this story!💕📚
Tropes:
-Why Choose😳
-Romantasy❤️🔥
-Fated Mates💕
-Celestial Magic✨
-Spice🌶️
⭐️4 Stars⭐️
Thank u so much to the amazing @cbwoodsbooks for this arc! I was so excited when I found out Princess Lunelle would have her own story! Lunelle quickly became my favorite character and I loved getting to see more of her personality in this book. The tension between Lunelle, Arcas and Mirquios was so beautifully done and made me needing more as I read this story! Thank u again to the amazing @cbwoodsbooks for this arc and writing this story!💕📚
Tropes:
-Why Choose😳
-Romantasy❤️🔥
-Fated Mates💕
-Celestial Magic✨
-Spice🌶️
June 9, 2025
It's rare a spin off/second in a series is better than the first. This might also be biased because I related more with the older sister character.
Lunelle is confident and wears a mask that protects herself and her younger sister. Putting herself first or admitting she isn't fine is a hard thing.
These events go over the 1st book when they are separated and it was more fun in my opinion.
These should be ready in order so you aren't lost.
Lunelle is confident and wears a mask that protects herself and her younger sister. Putting herself first or admitting she isn't fine is a hard thing.
These events go over the 1st book when they are separated and it was more fun in my opinion.
These should be ready in order so you aren't lost.
June 28, 2025
I thought nothing could be better than Rift, but this?! I was on the edge of my seat craving more from Lunelle’s story of what happened with Arcas and Mirquios! I love love love them all so much (well Arcas maybe I haven’t decided fully yet) and I can’t wait to read more.
Thank you CB Woods for this arc
Thank you CB Woods for this arc
December 3, 2025
I loved reading Rift and was so excited to dive into Courting Death and Desire to get into Lunelle's story. I love why choose and this was absolutely riveting. Her complicated relationship with not only Mirq but also Arcas as well.
Read
May 21, 2025RTC!!
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