Crown of Poison: Book One of The Crown of Poison Saga

by Lily Marie

Haunted by the memory of the arena where she once fought for her lover’s life, Raine is forced into the King’s control as his assassin, hunting those tied to the outlawed Shapeshifters —an order she never chose, but one she cannot escape. She buries her bloodstained hands behind the castle walls. Raine fears she will be doomed to that fate forever. . . Until an unexpected romance lights a fire that alters her path.
Deep beneath the kingdom, Lucienne rises into rebellion— inspired by the teachings of the girl she once loved— freeing Shapeshifters from the dungeons and the cruelty of the Crown. She has lived her entire life in hiding from the magic in her blood, and is determined to save her kind from the same fate.
When Raine is ordered to assassinate Lucienne, their fates collide. Together, they work to uncover the brutal truth behind the Crown’s rule and attempt to restore peace in the kingdom. . . But will they succeed?
As rebellion ignites and an unknown prophecy comes to light, Raine and Lucienne are forced to confront their pasts—with a difficult decision that could shape the future of the kingdom.
In a kingdom built on lies and fractured loyalties, breaking the cycle may cost them their lives, their hope, and the future of their people.

474 pages, Paperback

Published December 23, 2025

Reviews

[Trini☺️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this book and I like the plot of it and I really like the dynamic of the characters. and during emotional scenes like I felt it. The only reason this isn’t a five star is because I don’t like how it went back in time every chapter I understand why I did a few time to like explain stuff but it just kind of got annoying for me but overall, this is a really good book and I’m excited to read the next one!

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is tense from the start, with shapeshifters, court politics, and a rebellion that feels anything but safe. Raine is stuck in this brutal role tied to the king and the court, even though she doesn’t want to be a killer, and there’s this constant pressure underneath everything because you never really know who to trust.
The time jumps threw me off and I had to keep re-orienting myself, especially in the beginning. I was struggling a bit to keep the characters and timelines straight, but once the connections started clicking, I got really invested and the twists started hitting hard.
The Rebel side had me suspicious of everyone, and some of the betrayals and reveals genuinely shocked me. I also liked how messy the loyalties and relationships were, nothing felt simple or safe, and the story really leans into that darker, morally complicated vibe.
Overall, it’s a dark, intense fantasy with a lot of intrigue, and it pays off once everything starts falling into place.
(Thank you to the author for the ARC.)

[bookdragonaurora · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an amazing book! I loved the character development and you were able to really connect with them. This book definitely had me ugly crying towards the end. The time skipping every chapter was the only thing that took the 5th star for me. But overall I loved this book and can’t wait for the next one!

SPOILER!
I’m SO glad Raine and Damien ended up together I was rooting for them the whole time!

[Ilektra Makridou · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fast paced debut novel with interesting characters and magic system.

The story moved quickly changing PoVs keeping me engaged and giving the opportunity to explore the world from different perspectives.

It’s a solid starter.