Cassara Allencourt had it all and she wore it like a crown. She knew exactly who she was—first of her class, heir to a legacy, and too powerful to fail.
Overnight, her world shatters and Cassara is forced to fight for every inch of status she once took for granted. Failure isn’t an option—not when it means returning home, forfeiting her future, and marrying the boy who sees her as a prize to possess.
But the battlefield isn't the only place she's losing control.
There's her combat instructor, forbidden and dangerous, whose touch she shouldn't crave and whose attention burns like a brand.
And the disciplined rival forced to fight beside her, the only one who sees past her armor and dares to challenge what's beneath.
Torn between the instructor she shouldn't want, the rival who challenges everything she thought she knew, and a future that was decided for her long ago, Cassara must decide what's worth more—her freedom or her heart.
Because at Vallemont, power is survival, love is a liability…
“Sometimes, the people who stayed mattered more than the ones who left.”
“Tamed,” by Avelley Greer
This book gave me serious Fourth Wing vibes, but with beast taming instead of just dragons, and I honestly had a lot of fun with it. The story takes place at an academy that trains students to bond with and tame powerful magical beasts. The setting alone makes it feel big and dramatic right away, and the academy environment is full of competition, secrets, and tension between students and instructors. The romance is definitely a big part of the story. It leans into enemies to lovers with a lot of tension, especially with the instructor x student dynamic and the arranged marriage / marriage of convenience elements layered into everything. There’s also a love triangle, which adds even more emotional chaos to the situation. It’s definitely on the spicier side, and once the romance actually gets going it does not hold back.
4 out of 5 stars. It started a little slow, but the academy setting, beast taming, and spicy enemies-to-lovers tension made it a really fun read by the end. I will say the beginning was a little slow for me. It took about 25% of the book before I was fully hooked, and the story itself wasn’t super shocking or twist-heavy. But once the relationships and academy politics really started moving, it got way more engaging.
-Dark Academia -Beast Taming -Enemies To Lovers -Arranged Marriage -Forbidden Romance -Slowburn -Dragons -Instructor X Student -Love Triangle -Spicy
Thank you for the ARC, Booksprout.
“She didn’t want impressive, she didn’t want obedient, she wanted something real, something fierce and unruly.”
“The weight of expectations felt distant here, easier to bear. Just for a moment, she let herself lean into that feeling, even knowing it couldn’t last.”
“You break harder than you bend, and the moment someone sees the cracks, you lash out.”
“Success has a way of rewriting the rules.”
“Your heart beats differently now. Calmer.”
“…inadequate. How did you capture the weight of humiliation in ink?”
“Sometimes the best way to learn was to leave space for the telling.”
I have never read a book that has to completely different subjects-magic and tech-that is so blended beautifully together. Not only that but the characters development and growth was phenomenal ilI felt all the emotions right along with Cassara. Flicker is my absolute favorite character out of this book! This book gave fourth wing vibes but with more magic and more technology-honestly its very steam punk and I love it. Exactly the book I've been searching for since Fourth Wing. Will recommend to everyone.
I received a free advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review: warning- some spoilers* Tamed is a fantasy academic story with a games a trials flare to it. The story follows Cassara, an upper class girl with an elitist mindset who is trying to break free of the shackles of her life and impending arranged marriage by enrolling in the magically beast tamer academy. Her domineering father allows her to go, following in the footsteps of her deceased mom,- but if she doesn’t place in the top tier she has to return and accept her betrothal. At the academy she is followed by her unwanted fiancée who she believes is a friend but he shows his true colors quickly. Cass eases into the academic life like an spoon through a steak- she digs her heals in, initially rejecting every offer of help and friendship offered intimately showing she’s in very well trained and has innate talent. However, she slowly- and perhaps a bit too slowly (honestly it was aggravating slow) realizes that real friendships are needed to succeed. In the middle of her training and academics- she finds herself inexplicably confused between two love interests- a brooding student with a family steeped in scandal or an even more brooding instructor who lives in the realm of secrets. Cass has to unravel her true feelings for each love interest while also trying to come out in the top of her class to claim her own destiny from the choices that her father and other men in her society try to control. This story had me falling in love with the mythical beasts and the authors at times overly descriptive technology. The characters that are side characters are easily lovable in their flawed traits. There are parts of the story that feel there are lots of unanswered questions. There are so many questions that I hope are going to be answered and that the author intentionally left open to continue to not only the story, but also add insights and backgrounds into the stories into the characters. I fail to believe that an author who shows so much talent and description into the world building is unwittingly leaves gaps in the background of the man characters and even with Cass’s mom. The story as it stands now I would rate an 8 1/2 out of 10, but it has the potential to be a full-blown 10 out of 10 with what I truly believe is the authors intentional gaps I would rate the spice as a one out of five and I would rather sacrifice spice for plot any day. I look forward to the next installment and can’t wait for its release so I can continue to recommend this to all of my friends.
Disclaimer: I was sent this book as an ARC by the author. All views are mine and have not been influenced by anybody else.
Avelley Greers writing goes from strength to strength. From Elliam and Briar to Cassara, Auren and Gideon the depth of her characters is wonderful to see. I do recommend checking trigger warnings before reading as all of them touch of darker subject matter.
Cassaras world is mix of steampunk elements, fantasy, and a layered love story which had me binge reading this over a couple of days and I'm going to be watching for the next book in the series. I don't normally buy a physical copy of ARC reads but I have with Greers books as they are too good to put down. If you'd like something a bit different then I highly recommend Tamed. I'm putting this one up there with Fourth Wing in my favourites.
Amazing! I couldn't put this book down, it was addictive! I've read it twice so far and recommended it to all my friends.
The world building and character arcs are just perfect. I won't share any spoilers but if you’re looking for your next romantasy read with creature taming this is it!! I would have loved more information on all the different creatures and their abilities but that's part the fun, finding out throughout the book.
I absolutely loved this book. It’s one of those rare reads where I finished and immediately thought, I’d read this again.
The worldbuilding in this story is phenomenal. From the floating academy of Vallemont to the beast-bonding system and the wider world beyond it, everything felt immersive and vivid. The author’s writing style is atmospheric, witty, and incredibly cinematic. There were moments described so vividly that I could picture them playing out in slow motion in my head.
Cassara is a determined, ambitious heroine trying to forge her own path despite the weight and expectations placed on her by her family. Watching her fight to prove herself while chasing her own freedom made her incredibly compelling to follow.
The romance between Cassara and Auren is fast, intense, and undeniably forbidden. Their connection builds quickly, fueled by tension, danger, and the constant risk of being discovered. The dynamic between them keeps the emotional stakes high and makes their scenes together hard to look away from.
On the opposite end of the spectrum is Julian. His behavior becomes increasingly possessive, and the more it escalates, the harder I rooted for Cassara’s independence.
The supporting cast really shines as well. Characters like Liri and Gideon quickly become essential parts of Cassara’s story and bring both humor and heart to the narrative.
And then there’s Flicker — easily the best character in the book. Cassara may have expected a massive, impressive beast when she formed her bond, but instead she ended up with a small and mysterious creature who absolutely stole the show.
This book balances fantasy, tension, humor, and character-driven storytelling beautifully. I laughed out loud more than once, and before I realized it I had flown through hundreds of pages.
The final chapter sets up the next book perfectly, and I’m already looking forward to returning to this world.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Aetherian Legacy brings a fresh take to the world of fantasy with Tamed, a story that blends romance, magic, and self-discovery in a beautifully crafted world. Avelley Greer does an excellent job of developing complex characters and relationships that pull you in from the very first page.
The chemistry between the main characters is undeniable, and the slow-burn romance feels genuine, with emotional stakes that really drive the narrative forward. The protagonist's journey of growth, both personally and in terms of their bond with others, is what really makes the story shine. It’s a tale of vulnerability, strength, and learning to trust again.
The world-building is immersive, filled with rich details that draw you deeper into the Aetherian world. Greer’s writing creates a vivid atmosphere, and while the pacing slows down in some spots, the emotional payoff is well worth it. There’s an undeniable magic to the story, and it’s easy to get swept away by the beauty of the characters’ journey.
I received this as an EARC, and I’m so glad I did. Tamed is a captivating read for fans of romantic fantasy, with just the right balance of emotional depth and magical intrigue.
This was an incredible start to a new romantasy series! We follow Cassara who goes to Vallemont Academy to escape the arranged marriage she doesn’t want and to follow in her mother’s footsteps to become a beast tamer. Once she gets there, she feels herself being drawn to one of her instructors, Auren, as well as a brooding classmate, Gideon. But her jealous, unwanted fiancé, Julian, has plans to sabotage her every chance he can get. This book was character driven and had me falling for some characters, such as Gideon, while despising others, such as Julian. The spice in this one was well done and added to the story nicely. And don’t get me started on Cassara‘s bonded creature, Flicker, who was an absolutely adorable sidekick. I found myself getting frustrated with Cassara and her questionable choices on numerous occasions, but I loved this book as a whole and can’t wait to continue on with the series!
Cassara Allencourt had the legacy, the talent, the power. Then Vallemont said: earn it.
She's fighting for her rank, her freedom, and a future that refuses to stay "arranged" and quiet. Add in a forbidden combat instructor, a rival forced to stand at her side, and an arcanepunk world crawling with beasts... and suddenly survival gets complicated.
Tamed is giving power games, sharp yearning, and danger with teeth. The world building is perfect, I was drawn in from the beginning. The slow burn romance & sexual tension is 🔥 I enjoyed watching the FMC come alive & get comfortable in her own skin. I definitely recommend you adding this one to your TBR.
What an absolutely amazing story. I was immediately lost in this phenomenal world building. The description was so vivid. It was like standing right there in the middle of everything. Gazing at the buildings, the battles, the characters. It was just so well done. The depth of this was very captivating. From the first chapter, I knew I was going to be invested. This wasn’t one I was able to put down. I loved living in this world with the characters. It was intense and just kept me there. I’m so glad that I grabbed this story and decided to give it a try. This will definitely be in my read again list.
Tamed is such a captivating read! I was hooked by the first chapter, and couldn't get this book out of my head. Cassara is such an interesting character who is trying to prove herself in a world where she's expected to become smaller to fit the vision of her family. When she is faced with the choice to give in and allow other people in her life to dictate it or fight to choose her own path, she embarks to fight, grow, and become whoever she wants to be. Her story of learning to dream and pushing to realize those dreams is absolutely incredible to watch. I loved this, and can't wait to read more!!
This is Book 1 of the series and a FANrastic start it is! Look forward to more from this world.
'Cassara must decide what's worth more—her freedom or her heart. Because at Vallemont, power is survival, love is a liability… And the beasts aren’t the only ones who bite.'
The characters were very complex and compelling and complicated and perfectly steamy together. Plot was intriguing and intense and exciting and well paced. World building was excellent and impressive. Thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend.
Grab a copy, kick back and enjoy!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
[abandoned] this could so easily have been a 5 star read for me, i LOVED the world and the concept, but annoyingly it was the relationships that ruined it. I didn’t like the super fast pacing and the whole cass/julian/gideon/auren love square thing that was going on was frustrating to the point of pure annoyance. I wish the book had focused on one love interest (auren, if i had my way) and just spent time building that and developing it into an incredible slowburn - because it could have been incredible so easily. none of the other relationship drama was needed at all and ultimately forced me to stop reading.
Wow. Just wow! The world building on this was absolutely amazing!! I was in awe of it all. The characters were so well though out. I definitely developed a soft spot for a few of them. Cassara reminded me of myself at points. She is definitely an intersting and captivating character. There is spice in the book, but it didn't overshadow anything in the plot. There were moments that made me gasp and moments that made me so angry. I was ready to fight a fictional character!! This story keeps you immersed. The writing was magnificent and I can't wait to see what happens next!!!
I loved the unique magic system, the details of the weapons, fights, and most of all, the beasts. The creatures are original and fun, as are the human characters. This books works some of our favorite tropes into a fresh world full of new fantasy ideas. It also leaves so much room for expansion and plot lines to be answered in the next book. The MMCs- 🔥🔥🔥 I can't wait for the rest of this series to be released!!
Wow 🤩 I’m impressed by this story! It’s everything I love About a good fantasy: a phenomenal dream world, magical creatures, a competitive tension and a growing romance!
The characters are carefully developed and there is growth during the story.
I was captured in this brilliant book and so ready for the sequel! 😎.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This book is amazing! There is so much going on and the world the author built is incredible. This has adventure, fantasy, angst, slow burn, heart break, fear, laughs, feel good scenes. Everything. I loved the story, the world she built, and all the characters. Even the ones we need to hate are amazing!
I could not put it down! War college/ academia, love triangle, unique magic. Absolutely amazing! I had a hard time reading FourthWing, I know shocking right, but this has me from the start! And the end! Um what do you mean sir, five years?!
Pokemon meets Fourth Wing meets steampunk. Sure it's stretched over the same academy romantasy frame as a lot of others but it manages to find its own niche quite nicely.
Avelley has quickly become an author that I trust. Everything that I've read has been top tier, and this book is no exception. Tamed has- Academy romance, the most creative creatures, forbidden romance, rivals to lovers, love square that had me changing my mind and doubting myself, tension, spice, banter, some of the absolute sweetest scenes, action, friendships, phenomenal world building, and high stakes.
I instantly fell in love with the characters. Each one was so unique. About halfway through the book, I realized she didn't even need to use dialogue tags because everyone's voice is so distinct.
The slow reveal/progression of the villain was brilliantly done.
She does a beautiful job describing their world and everything in it, but if you're not visual (like me) I highly suggest heading over to her TikTok page and watching her videos to get a better idea of what everything looks like. To me, the vibes of Tamed are like if Treasure Planet, Avatar, and One Tree Hill had a baby.
Pick it up; you won't regret it. As of 2/28, her ARCs are still open. 💕