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Taken by the Unseelie Queen
Join Fia Gray as she makes her way through a steamy, lush, new world in the first book of this sapphic, romantasy series.
The Joining is an ancient ritual, one human woman, allowed to venture into the faerie lands, is given the honor of marrying the third son of the faerie king, joining their people together and allowing magic to flow between the worlds.
But Fia doesn't want a prince and certainly doesn't want to be part of any ancient rituals, but her wants have never mattered to her father though, who views the world only through its business opportunity. With no other options, Fia finds herself chosen, swept away into a world she doesn't understand.
On her first night the world that becomes more confusing when she wakes to a blade at her throat and finds herself the captive of a fearsome, horned queen. The queen is strange, quick tempered, and undeniably magnetic, but the Village she takes Fia to is quaint and full of kind people.
Caught between three worlds, her human homeland, the Seelie court she was promised to, and the wild Unseelie realm, Fia must choose not just where she belongs, but who she dares to love.
The Joining is an ancient ritual, one human woman, allowed to venture into the faerie lands, is given the honor of marrying the third son of the faerie king, joining their people together and allowing magic to flow between the worlds.
But Fia doesn't want a prince and certainly doesn't want to be part of any ancient rituals, but her wants have never mattered to her father though, who views the world only through its business opportunity. With no other options, Fia finds herself chosen, swept away into a world she doesn't understand.
On her first night the world that becomes more confusing when she wakes to a blade at her throat and finds herself the captive of a fearsome, horned queen. The queen is strange, quick tempered, and undeniably magnetic, but the Village she takes Fia to is quaint and full of kind people.
Caught between three worlds, her human homeland, the Seelie court she was promised to, and the wild Unseelie realm, Fia must choose not just where she belongs, but who she dares to love.
465 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 31, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
September 8, 2026
Wattpad-ass sapphic ACOTAR-ass book. I’m disappointed and mad and annoyed, but mostly at myself because at some point I really need to develop pattern recognition
Because WHY did I think this was going to be weird dark fae shit. Why did I think the Unseelie Queen might actually be frightening. Why did I think the kidnapping premise would produce an interesting power dynamic. Why did I think we might get genuinely strange fae politics or folklore.
Fool. Idiot. Moron. Stupid…Stupid….STUPID (I’m not crashing out)
This is ACOTAR wearing a lesbian wig.
And I don’t even mean “oh, all fae romantasy kind of resembles ACOTAR if you squint.” No. We have the feared ruler of the dark kingdom who kidnaps the heroine and is supposed to be terrifying, except SURPRISE, she’s actually protecting a quaint little community where everybody knows and loves her. We have the protagonist discovering the supposedly monstrous side is not what she was taught. We have the magical bond that—SURPRISE AGAIN—is a fucking mating bond. We have the heroine returning to the other court as a spy. Magical objects. Impending war. Secret truths about who is actually good and evil.
Girl.
GIRL.
I have been here before.
Okay and the thing is, I probably could have forgiven the derivative plot if I cared about Fia and Elara enough, but I simply did not. Fia spends so much of this book being yanked around by whatever the plot currently needs her to believe, learn, or do that I never felt particularly attached to her as a person. The book clearly wants her progression from sheltered pawn in her father’s schemes to Powerful Important Woman Making Her Own Choices to feel huge, but so much happens around her that the development felt unearned.
Then there’s Elara, who should have been EXACTLY my shit.
A horned Unseelie Queen kidnaps the human woman promised to a Seelie prince and holds a blade to her throat???
HELLO?????
You had me.
And then you lost me almost immediately because apparently we cannot allow a morally questionable fantasy woman to remain morally questionable for five fucking minutes. She has to be misunderstood. She has to secretly care deeply about her people. She needs her cute little village where everyone knows her. She needs increasingly sympathetic motivations. God forbid my terrifying Unseelie Queen actually be TERRIFYING.
The mating-bond reveal also made me want to walk directly into traffic. I am so tired. I am SO tired. Can two women in fantasy please just become obsessed with each other because they have fucked-up psychological chemistry? Do the magical Bluetooth devices in their souls HAVE to pair automatically? Can nobody simply make a terrible romantic decision anymore without destiny issuing a notarized certificate saying actually these two are Cosmically Approved To Fuck?
The magic was another issue because things just sort of…work when they need to? There are all these ideas about magic flowing between worlds, magic being stolen, bonds, artifacts, different courts, Fia becoming more powerful, etc., but the underlying rules felt like somebody was actively making them up behind the curtain while I was reading. I don’t need a Brandon Sanderson flowchart explaining how somebody casts Sparkle Beam Level III, but I would like to understand the basic limitations of the central force driving the entire political conflict.
Instead, magic frequently felt like lazy lazy Plot Juice.
Need something to happen?
Magic.
Need Fia to be special?
Magic.
Need another revelation?
Magic.
Need the story to escalate?
Believe it or not, more magic.
And somehow this thing is over FOUR HUNDRED PAGES.
For WHAT????????
That is honestly what kills me. There are books that are derivative but fast and fun enough that I simply do not care. This had no business feeling this bloated while working with a plot assembled almost entirely out of romantasy spare parts. There were absolutely places where I could see the bones of a story I might have enjoyed, but they were buried underneath so much familiar trope machinery that I started mentally checking boxes instead of being surprised by anything.
The Joining? Interesting!
A human woman used as essentially a political conduit between humanity and the fae? INTERESTING.
Her father treating the entire situation like another business opportunity? There is something there!
The distinction between the Seelie and Unseelie realms and the question of where Fia actually belongs? Again, SOMETHING THERE.
And then the book takes all of that potential and goes:
okay but what if Shadow Mommy 🥺👉👈
I HATE IT HERE.
Because WHY did I think this was going to be weird dark fae shit. Why did I think the Unseelie Queen might actually be frightening. Why did I think the kidnapping premise would produce an interesting power dynamic. Why did I think we might get genuinely strange fae politics or folklore.
Fool. Idiot. Moron. Stupid…Stupid….STUPID (I’m not crashing out)
This is ACOTAR wearing a lesbian wig.
And I don’t even mean “oh, all fae romantasy kind of resembles ACOTAR if you squint.” No. We have the feared ruler of the dark kingdom who kidnaps the heroine and is supposed to be terrifying, except SURPRISE, she’s actually protecting a quaint little community where everybody knows and loves her. We have the protagonist discovering the supposedly monstrous side is not what she was taught. We have the magical bond that—SURPRISE AGAIN—is a fucking mating bond. We have the heroine returning to the other court as a spy. Magical objects. Impending war. Secret truths about who is actually good and evil.
Girl.
GIRL.
I have been here before.
Okay and the thing is, I probably could have forgiven the derivative plot if I cared about Fia and Elara enough, but I simply did not. Fia spends so much of this book being yanked around by whatever the plot currently needs her to believe, learn, or do that I never felt particularly attached to her as a person. The book clearly wants her progression from sheltered pawn in her father’s schemes to Powerful Important Woman Making Her Own Choices to feel huge, but so much happens around her that the development felt unearned.
Then there’s Elara, who should have been EXACTLY my shit.
A horned Unseelie Queen kidnaps the human woman promised to a Seelie prince and holds a blade to her throat???
HELLO?????
You had me.
And then you lost me almost immediately because apparently we cannot allow a morally questionable fantasy woman to remain morally questionable for five fucking minutes. She has to be misunderstood. She has to secretly care deeply about her people. She needs her cute little village where everyone knows her. She needs increasingly sympathetic motivations. God forbid my terrifying Unseelie Queen actually be TERRIFYING.
The mating-bond reveal also made me want to walk directly into traffic. I am so tired. I am SO tired. Can two women in fantasy please just become obsessed with each other because they have fucked-up psychological chemistry? Do the magical Bluetooth devices in their souls HAVE to pair automatically? Can nobody simply make a terrible romantic decision anymore without destiny issuing a notarized certificate saying actually these two are Cosmically Approved To Fuck?
The magic was another issue because things just sort of…work when they need to? There are all these ideas about magic flowing between worlds, magic being stolen, bonds, artifacts, different courts, Fia becoming more powerful, etc., but the underlying rules felt like somebody was actively making them up behind the curtain while I was reading. I don’t need a Brandon Sanderson flowchart explaining how somebody casts Sparkle Beam Level III, but I would like to understand the basic limitations of the central force driving the entire political conflict.
Instead, magic frequently felt like lazy lazy Plot Juice.
Need something to happen?
Magic.
Need Fia to be special?
Magic.
Need another revelation?
Magic.
Need the story to escalate?
Believe it or not, more magic.
And somehow this thing is over FOUR HUNDRED PAGES.
For WHAT????????
That is honestly what kills me. There are books that are derivative but fast and fun enough that I simply do not care. This had no business feeling this bloated while working with a plot assembled almost entirely out of romantasy spare parts. There were absolutely places where I could see the bones of a story I might have enjoyed, but they were buried underneath so much familiar trope machinery that I started mentally checking boxes instead of being surprised by anything.
The Joining? Interesting!
A human woman used as essentially a political conduit between humanity and the fae? INTERESTING.
Her father treating the entire situation like another business opportunity? There is something there!
The distinction between the Seelie and Unseelie realms and the question of where Fia actually belongs? Again, SOMETHING THERE.
And then the book takes all of that potential and goes:
okay but what if Shadow Mommy 🥺👉👈
I HATE IT HERE.
August 13, 2026
A sprawling romantasy with major ACOTAR vibes, perhaps too many.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 29, 2026
Gosh I wish I liked this book more than I do.
The opening is quite interesting: a snot-nosed trust fund girl is sold by her awful father to the son of the Faerie king in exchange for... something. She is then almost immediately kidnapped by the Faerie King's geopolitical enemies, with help from a defector within the Royal household.
This is an amazing start, and truly piqued my interest. There are elements of the worldbuilding that are interesting too: the locked-down Borderlands between the human and Faerie realms and the trade and geopolitics of this magical Suez Canal. The plight of those other faerie kingdoms locked out of this trade.
At that point I was hoping for "faerie Vietnam War:" guerrilla attacks against the hegemonic Southern King, a proper nail-biting mess.
But unfortunately, everything in this book is too easy. The Unseelie Queen of the title is supposed to be dark, scary, violent, and traumatised: driven to do whatever it takes to free her people no matter the cost.
Instead she reads like any other lesfic character. Despite the warnings to the MC from other characters, she isn't the slightest bit scary, and not in truth much different from anyone else.
Everything is too perfect: all the Unseelie love the Queen, she's personable and knows everyone. She's from this perfect model village where everyone knows her and talks to her as a neighbour rather than a ruler.
The lack of trust between her and the mc is papered over far too quickly. The MC almost immediately begins to larp as a revolutionary and there is no identity crisis, lack of legitimacy etc to make this process difficult.
The budding romance is interrupted for a time by an ally who makes a very convincing point about how stupid the two main characters are being. She makes an excellent point, and that would have been a great opportunity for a "scales falling from the eyes" moment, but no, they resolve it within about 15 pages and everything is fine.
There is also nowhere near enough worldbuilding to make the place feel real and lived in. As an example, there's a lot of talk about the patriarchal nature of the Southern Kingdom and the human world, and the Unseelie aren't like that. Good, interesting point of contrast and source of motivation.
The problem is there is never any discussion of *why.* Why are the Unseelie more socially progressive? It's not that I don't like them being that way, it's that there is no real history here. They simply are the good guys.
This all would have been so much more compelling if there were real downsides to the Unseelie way of life, if the Queen really was morally grey, if the MC's naïvete in any meaningful way came back to bite her.
There is no real conflict in this book, only the appearance of conflict.
The opening is quite interesting: a snot-nosed trust fund girl is sold by her awful father to the son of the Faerie king in exchange for... something. She is then almost immediately kidnapped by the Faerie King's geopolitical enemies, with help from a defector within the Royal household.
This is an amazing start, and truly piqued my interest. There are elements of the worldbuilding that are interesting too: the locked-down Borderlands between the human and Faerie realms and the trade and geopolitics of this magical Suez Canal. The plight of those other faerie kingdoms locked out of this trade.
At that point I was hoping for "faerie Vietnam War:" guerrilla attacks against the hegemonic Southern King, a proper nail-biting mess.
But unfortunately, everything in this book is too easy. The Unseelie Queen of the title is supposed to be dark, scary, violent, and traumatised: driven to do whatever it takes to free her people no matter the cost.
Instead she reads like any other lesfic character. Despite the warnings to the MC from other characters, she isn't the slightest bit scary, and not in truth much different from anyone else.
Everything is too perfect: all the Unseelie love the Queen, she's personable and knows everyone. She's from this perfect model village where everyone knows her and talks to her as a neighbour rather than a ruler.
The lack of trust between her and the mc is papered over far too quickly. The MC almost immediately begins to larp as a revolutionary and there is no identity crisis, lack of legitimacy etc to make this process difficult.
The budding romance is interrupted for a time by an ally who makes a very convincing point about how stupid the two main characters are being. She makes an excellent point, and that would have been a great opportunity for a "scales falling from the eyes" moment, but no, they resolve it within about 15 pages and everything is fine.
There is also nowhere near enough worldbuilding to make the place feel real and lived in. As an example, there's a lot of talk about the patriarchal nature of the Southern Kingdom and the human world, and the Unseelie aren't like that. Good, interesting point of contrast and source of motivation.
The problem is there is never any discussion of *why.* Why are the Unseelie more socially progressive? It's not that I don't like them being that way, it's that there is no real history here. They simply are the good guys.
This all would have been so much more compelling if there were real downsides to the Unseelie way of life, if the Queen really was morally grey, if the MC's naïvete in any meaningful way came back to bite her.
There is no real conflict in this book, only the appearance of conflict.
September 20, 2026
This was amazing…
from beginning to end. When you meet men like Fia’s father and what they do to the women in their lives is horrific at best and deadly at worst.
Then there are women like Queen Elara that comes in and helps to right all those wrongs in a savage and deadly package.
And you have other innocents like Callum, Aurora, Vinessa, Kalin and others.
This story moved fast but was so detailed at the same time. You also got their backstories where it mattered most for understanding and storyline continuity.
I hated when I turned the last page hoping that the next installment would be there to continue in the lives of these wonderful characters and what lies ahead.
A few questions left unanswered…
1. What happened with Queen Caliope, the healer, and a dramatic change in her persona afterwards?
2. Who is this new person in Zachary Grays’ life?
3. Why Aurora?
4. Queen Seera and the marriage…?
I can’t wait to find out what happens next!
from beginning to end. When you meet men like Fia’s father and what they do to the women in their lives is horrific at best and deadly at worst.
Then there are women like Queen Elara that comes in and helps to right all those wrongs in a savage and deadly package.
And you have other innocents like Callum, Aurora, Vinessa, Kalin and others.
This story moved fast but was so detailed at the same time. You also got their backstories where it mattered most for understanding and storyline continuity.
I hated when I turned the last page hoping that the next installment would be there to continue in the lives of these wonderful characters and what lies ahead.
A few questions left unanswered…
1. What happened with Queen Caliope, the healer, and a dramatic change in her persona afterwards?
2. Who is this new person in Zachary Grays’ life?
3. Why Aurora?
4. Queen Seera and the marriage…?
I can’t wait to find out what happens next!
September 10, 2026
Left me a bit confused
It's not that the writing was awful, it's just that the book failed to deliver and the ending..well..it felt like a sentence cut short. I do like the whole idea behind the Unseelie Queen, but it felt at times too repetitive, even from chapter to chapter. Instead of learning along with the story it felt more like it was trying to force feed you to believe certain aspects: such as how much the main character has no idea about the fae and their way of living, how she never learned about it, how unknowledgeable she is, how much she needs to learn, etc.
No idea if there is more to this series but I'm not seeing anything advertising additional books right now but based on the set up of this story in guessing there will be.
Overall...a very difficult read due to lack of immersive storyline for me personally
It's not that the writing was awful, it's just that the book failed to deliver and the ending..well..it felt like a sentence cut short. I do like the whole idea behind the Unseelie Queen, but it felt at times too repetitive, even from chapter to chapter. Instead of learning along with the story it felt more like it was trying to force feed you to believe certain aspects: such as how much the main character has no idea about the fae and their way of living, how she never learned about it, how unknowledgeable she is, how much she needs to learn, etc.
No idea if there is more to this series but I'm not seeing anything advertising additional books right now but based on the set up of this story in guessing there will be.
Overall...a very difficult read due to lack of immersive storyline for me personally
Review of advance copy received from Author
I got to read this as an ARC and really enjoyed it. I really liked these stolen magic concept. I didn't like Fia at first but once she matured and decided to fight for something bigger than herself her whole character really turned around. It didn't end on a cliffhanger but definitely unfinished so hopefully there's a sequel planned.
April 5, 2026
I got to read this ARC and it's fantastic! A sapphic spin on the Shadow Daddy was a breath of fresh air, all hail the Shadow Mommy Elara. It had a lot of classic romantasy elements, but also unique spins on fae and magic. Fia was a formidable FMC, and I'm looking forward to following her along into the next story!
August 31, 2026
Full of yearning and adventure
I’ve always loved everything fae, and enjoyed the originality of the unseelie in this story. The romance is strong undercurrent but not the whole of the plot, and the story is fun and engaging, and highly emotional at times!
Recommend for any fans of fae fantasy:)
I’ve always loved everything fae, and enjoyed the originality of the unseelie in this story. The romance is strong undercurrent but not the whole of the plot, and the story is fun and engaging, and highly emotional at times!
Recommend for any fans of fae fantasy:)
April 2, 2026
So friggin good
This book is so d*mn good but it ends in a cliffhanger. Still it's is so worth the read. Very very slow-burning with decent spice when it does come.
This is a must read for anyone who love the fae and magic and let's not forget true mates between women.
This book is so d*mn good but it ends in a cliffhanger. Still it's is so worth the read. Very very slow-burning with decent spice when it does come.
This is a must read for anyone who love the fae and magic and let's not forget true mates between women.
May 28, 2026
good read !!
I honestly can’t wait for book 2. I admit I did go back and forth between reading this book and others just because I needed a break. But over all I enjoyed this book.
I honestly can’t wait for book 2. I admit I did go back and forth between reading this book and others just because I needed a break. But over all I enjoyed this book.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Absolutely loved this!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I loved the world building, and loved the characters. Who doesn’t love fated mates? Tallie does a great job with these characters. This was my first book from her and can’t wait to read more!
April 5, 2026
I received this book as an ARC and I was hooked from page 1! The world gilding and character development was great. I loved it all and can’t wait for the second book!
May 18, 2026
Excellent read! I couldn't put this book down. Just loved it from start to finish. This is my first book by this author but it won't be my last. I can't wait for the next book.
May 30, 2026
Holy. Goodness.
The world building, the flow, the feels!! One of the best reads I have had all year. It gave everything I wanted in a book and had been unable to find.
The world building, the flow, the feels!! One of the best reads I have had all year. It gave everything I wanted in a book and had been unable to find.
June 9, 2026
I Absolutely Need Book 2
Omg. I need book 2 soon. Such an amazing story. From the slow burn to the bit of action we get. I loved it.
Omg. I need book 2 soon. Such an amazing story. From the slow burn to the bit of action we get. I loved it.
June 10, 2026
good read
I do like this approach to the faerie world. I would definitely read book 2. I enjoyed the story a lot.
I do like this approach to the faerie world. I would definitely read book 2. I enjoyed the story a lot.
June 18, 2026
loved
When the truth comes out and breaks the shield, magic grows and shall be returned to those it belongs to. But it will take war and death to get there.
When the truth comes out and breaks the shield, magic grows and shall be returned to those it belongs to. But it will take war and death to get there.
August 22, 2026
Loved this! Kind of like a saphic telling of Malificent. Its sucked me into their worlds as if I were watching it on screen. Best book I've read in a long time and I can't wait for the sequel(s)!
April 27, 2026
Really GOOD
I really enjoyed this book. It had great world building and spice. I’m looking forward to book 2. The relationship building was well done.
I really enjoyed this book. It had great world building and spice. I’m looking forward to book 2. The relationship building was well done.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews