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The Honeyed Tongue Deceives
With the curses of three kingdoms broken, Queen Sealyn embarks on an epic quest to the far-off and enigmatic realm of Glatania. There, her crew must forge alliances with rebels, confront evil royals, face enchanting magic, and try to unlock the secrets hidden within the land to lift the dark curse. Time is of the essence, for the sinister forces of the malevolent kingdom of Stoltland are eagerly waiting to invade.
The illustrious Luxen school of magic continues to guide its eager students in mastering the art of controlling magic, as the youthful Skarpin and his companions embark on enchanting adventures, learning spells and potions, and unveiling wondrous discoveries—some with the potential to reshape the very fabric of their world.
As the plans start with promise, the Glatanian quest plunges into chaos in a realm brimming with treachery and delicious treats laced with dark secrets. Will Queen Sealyn’s courageous crew conquer the perils, or will they succumb to a fate of death and anguish?
In these pages, prepare to travel back in time through Jace’s past, revealing the harrowing trials he faced as a young boy in Stoltland. Be his story is drenched in sorrow and is not for the faint of heart.
Six die.
One betrays.
And one suffers a fate worse than death…
MAGIC · REBELS · CURSES · SECRETS · BATTLES · MYTHICAL CREATURES · POTIONS · ROMANCE
The illustrious Luxen school of magic continues to guide its eager students in mastering the art of controlling magic, as the youthful Skarpin and his companions embark on enchanting adventures, learning spells and potions, and unveiling wondrous discoveries—some with the potential to reshape the very fabric of their world.
As the plans start with promise, the Glatanian quest plunges into chaos in a realm brimming with treachery and delicious treats laced with dark secrets. Will Queen Sealyn’s courageous crew conquer the perils, or will they succumb to a fate of death and anguish?
In these pages, prepare to travel back in time through Jace’s past, revealing the harrowing trials he faced as a young boy in Stoltland. Be his story is drenched in sorrow and is not for the faint of heart.
Six die.
One betrays.
And one suffers a fate worse than death…
MAGIC · REBELS · CURSES · SECRETS · BATTLES · MYTHICAL CREATURES · POTIONS · ROMANCE
641 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 19, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 21, 2026
We get to learn a lot more about Jace's backstory in this book, and it is so sad! I knew it was bad, but actually seeing it is heartbreaking! It makes me love his even more. I really liked the flashback to right before Sealyn's coronation, that he liked Sealyn before he ever met her and that his "family" so majorly miscalculated in their attempts to out maneuver her, and how spectacularly that backfired. In a beautiful parallel to how horrible he was treated growing up, this book also shows Jace learning who his father is and finding real comradary with his brothers. I was kinda worried about how his father's family would react, but they are so wholesome, and I love that for Jace!
Sealyn is really starting to feel the pressure of all of this curse breaking, and I really feel like the moral here is that you can't carry all this weight alone and you need people there to support you and help bear the burdens.
I love the school kids! While there's still danger and suspense going on, seeing what happens at the school feels so much lighter than what's happening with the curse breaking, and it's a nice rest. I love how the kids keep challenging everything the adults think they understand and coming up with things no one ever has before.
Like all the other kingdoms, Glatania is completely unique! It feels like you are stepping into Willy Wonka's chocolate factory or Candy Land or seeing the gingerbread house from Hansel and Gretal, but with dark secrets even beyond the curse. Gluttony seems so innocent compared to envy, greed, or sloth... but it's all the more dangerous for that very reason.
I need to know what happens next!
I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator does a fantastic job! His female voices are distinct but not annoyingly high pitched like some male narrators.
Content warnings:
Bullying and abuse of a child
Infant death
Eating disorder (? Sort of... it's the gluttony book so unhealthy relationships with food are shown)
Slavery
Torture
Descriptive kissing and fade to black (on par with previous books)
Attempted sa (interrupted) and threats of sa
Sealyn is really starting to feel the pressure of all of this curse breaking, and I really feel like the moral here is that you can't carry all this weight alone and you need people there to support you and help bear the burdens.
I love the school kids! While there's still danger and suspense going on, seeing what happens at the school feels so much lighter than what's happening with the curse breaking, and it's a nice rest. I love how the kids keep challenging everything the adults think they understand and coming up with things no one ever has before.
Like all the other kingdoms, Glatania is completely unique! It feels like you are stepping into Willy Wonka's chocolate factory or Candy Land or seeing the gingerbread house from Hansel and Gretal, but with dark secrets even beyond the curse. Gluttony seems so innocent compared to envy, greed, or sloth... but it's all the more dangerous for that very reason.
I need to know what happens next!
I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator does a fantastic job! His female voices are distinct but not annoyingly high pitched like some male narrators.
Content warnings:
Bullying and abuse of a child
Infant death
Eating disorder (? Sort of... it's the gluttony book so unhealthy relationships with food are shown)
Slavery
Torture
Descriptive kissing and fade to black (on par with previous books)
Attempted sa (interrupted) and threats of sa
September 7, 2026
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.25
This series continues to get better and better! I think this book has been the darkest so far; I did not finish this one feeling warm and fuzzy, which makes sense because it ends on a huge cliffhanger.
As Sealyn and Jace head into the kingdom of Glarania, the kingdom cursed by gluttony, marital strife enters their relationship. Sealyn feels the weight of the power she carries from the kingdoms' whose curses she's broken. She becomes increasingly irrational and unpredictable, and her family is concerned for her.
Jace is keeping secrets of his own. This book gives heartbreaking insight into the horrifying treatment he suffered as a child in Stoltland. We see many flashback chapters which focus on his childhood, and we learn more of what his evil mother has planned.
Again, this book is very dark. There is a lot of gruesome death, including that of several well-loved side characters. We see a lot of betrayal, PTSD and mental health issues, Sealyn struggling against the curses of multiple kingdoms, torture of both a child and adult characters, and threat of assault. There are also more fade to black scenes than in previous books, all of which I believe are between villainous characters and witnessed by a child.
While this book contains more darkness than I typically prefer, I see it as the cost of the characters battling the darkness and trying to spread the light. They are weary and broken at the barage of evil and loss they continue to encounter. Some succumb to hopelessness and temptation; others rise to the challenge and continue to stand for light and goodness.
I am looking forward to seeing what the next book holds!
This series continues to get better and better! I think this book has been the darkest so far; I did not finish this one feeling warm and fuzzy, which makes sense because it ends on a huge cliffhanger.
As Sealyn and Jace head into the kingdom of Glarania, the kingdom cursed by gluttony, marital strife enters their relationship. Sealyn feels the weight of the power she carries from the kingdoms' whose curses she's broken. She becomes increasingly irrational and unpredictable, and her family is concerned for her.
Jace is keeping secrets of his own. This book gives heartbreaking insight into the horrifying treatment he suffered as a child in Stoltland. We see many flashback chapters which focus on his childhood, and we learn more of what his evil mother has planned.
Again, this book is very dark. There is a lot of gruesome death, including that of several well-loved side characters. We see a lot of betrayal, PTSD and mental health issues, Sealyn struggling against the curses of multiple kingdoms, torture of both a child and adult characters, and threat of assault. There are also more fade to black scenes than in previous books, all of which I believe are between villainous characters and witnessed by a child.
While this book contains more darkness than I typically prefer, I see it as the cost of the characters battling the darkness and trying to spread the light. They are weary and broken at the barage of evil and loss they continue to encounter. Some succumb to hopelessness and temptation; others rise to the challenge and continue to stand for light and goodness.
I am looking forward to seeing what the next book holds!
September 10, 2026
I’ve been slowly making my way through reviewing each book in this series that I read last month, and we’ve officially made it to Book 4!
I really loved the atmosphere and worldbuilding in this one. So much of the setting revolves around sugar, sweets, and candy, and it gave me the most fun Candyland meets Alice in Wonderland vibes. It was such a whimsical setting to picture while still fitting perfectly into the larger world of the series.
I also loved getting to see our fierce married couple go on another adventure together. Their relationship definitely faces some trials and tension in this book, which added another layer to their story and felt like an important buildup heading into Book 5.
We also get to learn more about Jace’s backstory, which I really enjoyed, along with seeing more of the school for the children. That part gave me major Harry Potter vibes, especially with the adorable little group of mischievous students running around causing trouble. Harry Potter fans will definitely appreciate that aspect of the story!
Maegwen did such a great job continuing to expand this world while still moving the overarching story forward. And that ending?! It absolutely left me wanting to jump straight into Book 5.
I can’t wait to share my thoughts on that one soon too! 🤍
Content Notes:
⚔️ Moderate fantasy violence
⛓️ Kidnapping and torture — nothing explicit, but the circumstances are described
✨ No traditional language, aside from some fantasy-specific terms that are clearly used in place of it
🤍 Closed-door / no spice
💍 Some themes of lust and temptation involving married characters, but the married couple remains committed to one another and their marriage
I really loved the atmosphere and worldbuilding in this one. So much of the setting revolves around sugar, sweets, and candy, and it gave me the most fun Candyland meets Alice in Wonderland vibes. It was such a whimsical setting to picture while still fitting perfectly into the larger world of the series.
I also loved getting to see our fierce married couple go on another adventure together. Their relationship definitely faces some trials and tension in this book, which added another layer to their story and felt like an important buildup heading into Book 5.
We also get to learn more about Jace’s backstory, which I really enjoyed, along with seeing more of the school for the children. That part gave me major Harry Potter vibes, especially with the adorable little group of mischievous students running around causing trouble. Harry Potter fans will definitely appreciate that aspect of the story!
Maegwen did such a great job continuing to expand this world while still moving the overarching story forward. And that ending?! It absolutely left me wanting to jump straight into Book 5.
I can’t wait to share my thoughts on that one soon too! 🤍
Content Notes:
⚔️ Moderate fantasy violence
⛓️ Kidnapping and torture — nothing explicit, but the circumstances are described
✨ No traditional language, aside from some fantasy-specific terms that are clearly used in place of it
🤍 Closed-door / no spice
💍 Some themes of lust and temptation involving married characters, but the married couple remains committed to one another and their marriage
August 26, 2026
This book is my favorite of the series so far! I really liked getting to see into King Jace’s heartbreaking past to learn how he grew up and see that despite the horrible and horrific treatment he endured, he still became an honorable and kind-hearted man, devoted to his wife and kingdom.
I also loved getting to know the children more and seeing their personalities, friendships, and magic abilities grow through their experiences and moments of mischief at the magic school. They are the bright spots in this story! I am looking forward to seeing more of how they help in the rest of the story.
As the story progresses, so does the evil trying to take over the kingdoms and the curses building in Queen Sealyn. I don’t want to give any spoilers, so I’ll just say that I am eager to dive into the next book!
The audiobook narration is fantastic and I highly recommend listening to it. The narrator is so good at all the different voices and accents and different ages of the characters, and it’s a very large cast!
Thank you to the author for the complimentary audiobook and legacy ARC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given willingly.
I also loved getting to know the children more and seeing their personalities, friendships, and magic abilities grow through their experiences and moments of mischief at the magic school. They are the bright spots in this story! I am looking forward to seeing more of how they help in the rest of the story.
As the story progresses, so does the evil trying to take over the kingdoms and the curses building in Queen Sealyn. I don’t want to give any spoilers, so I’ll just say that I am eager to dive into the next book!
The audiobook narration is fantastic and I highly recommend listening to it. The narrator is so good at all the different voices and accents and different ages of the characters, and it’s a very large cast!
Thank you to the author for the complimentary audiobook and legacy ARC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given willingly.
September 11, 2026
a game within a game...trust no one. Now three curses broken Sealyn sets her sights on the next realm of the kingdom - Glatania. Where gluttony rules and sugar controls the mind. But this trek isn't for the weak. Alliances must be formed, evil fought off and face the wrath of Queen Corentine again with Stotland...in this one we get a dual timeline and a whole lot more background on King Jace. You learn of his heartbreaking story and everything he has persevered through and we are just scratching the surface with the knowledge of the gray eyed. When Glatania is reached, people are separated and what Sealyn doesn't know is that this may be her last curse she vows to break...see the royals in Glatania have already pledged to another and they will do everything in their power to take the power. Ugh seriously you all need to read this one - no this whole series. I think book three is still my top favorite but I loved them all.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews