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Kingdom of Shadows and Demons
With a price on her head, only one thing will draw Kassia away from the island she now calls home–revenge–but killing the Demon King means certain death.
For fifteen years, the sole survivor of the Shadow Fae Royal Family, slaughtered by the Demon King, has been hiding from the wicked Fae Court. But learning the Demon King is looking for a Bride draws Kassia back to Shadow City, even knowing that if she is recognized, her life will end in a cruel and painful execution.
Cozying up to her parents’ killer burns fresh wounds in Kassia’s hardened heart, but with a death curse plaguing the Fae Kingdom, her resolve is challenged when she discovers the key to ending their suffering is royal blood: alive...or dead.
Working with the Demon King is her only hope of claiming the throne and the only way to stop the curse, which means Kassia must choose between avenging her family...or saving her people.
That is, if the bridal trials don't kill her before she can complete either task.
Perfect for romantasy fans of Stacia Stark, Clare Sager, and Helen Scheuerer, KINGDOM OF SHADOWS AND DEMONS is an epic slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romantasy with luscious world-building, court politics, morally grey characters, and a shadow daddy you'll crave as your next book boyfriend.
For fifteen years, the sole survivor of the Shadow Fae Royal Family, slaughtered by the Demon King, has been hiding from the wicked Fae Court. But learning the Demon King is looking for a Bride draws Kassia back to Shadow City, even knowing that if she is recognized, her life will end in a cruel and painful execution.
Cozying up to her parents’ killer burns fresh wounds in Kassia’s hardened heart, but with a death curse plaguing the Fae Kingdom, her resolve is challenged when she discovers the key to ending their suffering is royal blood: alive...or dead.
Working with the Demon King is her only hope of claiming the throne and the only way to stop the curse, which means Kassia must choose between avenging her family...or saving her people.
That is, if the bridal trials don't kill her before she can complete either task.
Perfect for romantasy fans of Stacia Stark, Clare Sager, and Helen Scheuerer, KINGDOM OF SHADOWS AND DEMONS is an epic slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romantasy with luscious world-building, court politics, morally grey characters, and a shadow daddy you'll crave as your next book boyfriend.
436 pages, Paperback
Published October 20, 2026
About the author
Missy De Graff
12 books770 followersUSA Today Bestselling Author Missy De Graff writes Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, and Paranormal Romance. Drawing inspiration from her vast array of interests, she weaves together worlds of romance and intrigue, mixed with supernatural elements, suspenseful storylines, and addicting characters.
When she isn’t writing about sassy heroines, forbidden romances, and enemies to lovers; she enjoys fresh air, sunshine, hiking, and river time. A dedicated lover of sweet treats, a collector of antiques, and fascinated by all things mystical.
Missy resides in Virginia at the foothills of the Appalachian mountains with her husband and son. She can often be found wandering through their Southern Heirloom Apple Orchard with their mountain cur dog and barns cats close on her heels. She is a bohemian by nature and a Gemini by birth.
Stay up to date on all the latest scoop from book releases to exclusive reader content subscribe to Missy’s monthly newsletter today! linktr.ee/authormissydegraff
When she isn’t writing about sassy heroines, forbidden romances, and enemies to lovers; she enjoys fresh air, sunshine, hiking, and river time. A dedicated lover of sweet treats, a collector of antiques, and fascinated by all things mystical.
Missy resides in Virginia at the foothills of the Appalachian mountains with her husband and son. She can often be found wandering through their Southern Heirloom Apple Orchard with their mountain cur dog and barns cats close on her heels. She is a bohemian by nature and a Gemini by birth.
Stay up to date on all the latest scoop from book releases to exclusive reader content subscribe to Missy’s monthly newsletter today! linktr.ee/authormissydegraff
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
October 12, 2026
**THIS IS AN ARC REVIEW**
First off, I would like to say I really liked this book’s story. I enjoyed reading it, I just think there are some editing type things that would greatly improve it. This book felt like We Who Will Die meets a Court This Cruel and Lovely (both books I love BTW). I think where Kingdom of Shadows and Demons starts to fall short is the pacing. Everything is happening way too fast, I don’t feel like I’m getting a chance to really connect with the characters before Kassia starts feeling like they’re “family” or getting enough tension and longing between Kassia and Lucien. It starts feeling very insta-lovey. I wanted more tension, more connection. I also feel like there could have been more world / magic building. I found myself getting confused by why the council holds so much power over Lucien, I was unclear about the different types of faes, and I don’t understand what their magic system is or how it works. While I enjoy a book that gets straight to the point of things, I still need enough background and world building information to know what’s going on. Again, I want to reiterate, I really liked the story and I do intend on reading the next book in the series because I HAVE to know what happens next. I feel like I got just enough information and story to keep me interested and to continue but I was still left wanting more.
This part of my review has spoilers, I’m including this for the authors benefit. I hope you find this helpful and I appreciate the opportunity to review this ARC! I just wanted to include some scene specific things to back up my overall review:
1. We got an only one horse trope early on, which I am absolutely here for, but I felt no sexual tension or connection between the FMC and MMC during this scene. I was expecting more from this. I think more buildup between the 2 characters prior to this moment would have helped. I didn’t feel like they had the opportunity to connect or it just wasn’t represented enough for me to feel like they were attracted to each other at all at this point.
2. When we meet Kassia’s roommates, we aren’t given much opportunity to connect with their characters. By the time Kassia is referring to them as “something more” or treating them like found family, or when the one roommate dies (I’ve now forgotten her name) I just havent had the time with the characters to feel anything for them. I would have liked to see more of them connecting with Kassia and to the reader.
3. The first kiss scene between Kassia and Lucien. I feel like the timing of it I can get behind, but by the time they have their kiss, I’ve not felt any yearning or connection between them. Their feelings felt very instant and I need to be given reasons to root for them. I need more build up, more moments between them… I just feel like there’s missed opportunities in building up their relationship. Their next kiss after Kassia finds out Lucien is the king is also leaving something to be desired. Even at this point I haven’t been given enough to really root for them as a romantic couple.
All this being said, I just want to say again, I LOVE the story. I just think there’s some things it’s lacking and it’s mostly to do with the pacing, the relationship building, and the world building. You could honestly add another 200 pages onto this book.
First off, I would like to say I really liked this book’s story. I enjoyed reading it, I just think there are some editing type things that would greatly improve it. This book felt like We Who Will Die meets a Court This Cruel and Lovely (both books I love BTW). I think where Kingdom of Shadows and Demons starts to fall short is the pacing. Everything is happening way too fast, I don’t feel like I’m getting a chance to really connect with the characters before Kassia starts feeling like they’re “family” or getting enough tension and longing between Kassia and Lucien. It starts feeling very insta-lovey. I wanted more tension, more connection. I also feel like there could have been more world / magic building. I found myself getting confused by why the council holds so much power over Lucien, I was unclear about the different types of faes, and I don’t understand what their magic system is or how it works. While I enjoy a book that gets straight to the point of things, I still need enough background and world building information to know what’s going on. Again, I want to reiterate, I really liked the story and I do intend on reading the next book in the series because I HAVE to know what happens next. I feel like I got just enough information and story to keep me interested and to continue but I was still left wanting more.
This part of my review has spoilers, I’m including this for the authors benefit. I hope you find this helpful and I appreciate the opportunity to review this ARC! I just wanted to include some scene specific things to back up my overall review:
1. We got an only one horse trope early on, which I am absolutely here for, but I felt no sexual tension or connection between the FMC and MMC during this scene. I was expecting more from this. I think more buildup between the 2 characters prior to this moment would have helped. I didn’t feel like they had the opportunity to connect or it just wasn’t represented enough for me to feel like they were attracted to each other at all at this point.
2. When we meet Kassia’s roommates, we aren’t given much opportunity to connect with their characters. By the time Kassia is referring to them as “something more” or treating them like found family, or when the one roommate dies (I’ve now forgotten her name) I just havent had the time with the characters to feel anything for them. I would have liked to see more of them connecting with Kassia and to the reader.
3. The first kiss scene between Kassia and Lucien. I feel like the timing of it I can get behind, but by the time they have their kiss, I’ve not felt any yearning or connection between them. Their feelings felt very instant and I need to be given reasons to root for them. I need more build up, more moments between them… I just feel like there’s missed opportunities in building up their relationship. Their next kiss after Kassia finds out Lucien is the king is also leaving something to be desired. Even at this point I haven’t been given enough to really root for them as a romantic couple.
All this being said, I just want to say again, I LOVE the story. I just think there’s some things it’s lacking and it’s mostly to do with the pacing, the relationship building, and the world building. You could honestly add another 200 pages onto this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 8, 2026
Omg I devoured this 😍 This was my first book by this author and I’m going to be reading her other books now too.
MMC wielding shadows? Say less.
This book was so good. I had a hard time figuring out the fae lineage, but once this got going, it didn’t slow down. I genuinely enjoyed reading this book. I really enjoyed the forbidden romance aspect between the two main characters. The bridal trials did a good job of bringing some tension and emotional strain between the side characters.
I loved that the FMC was constantly challenging the MMC. We want a queen who will not stand down! This was my first book by this author but it won’t be the last. I’m very excited about book two.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
MMC wielding shadows? Say less.
This book was so good. I had a hard time figuring out the fae lineage, but once this got going, it didn’t slow down. I genuinely enjoyed reading this book. I really enjoyed the forbidden romance aspect between the two main characters. The bridal trials did a good job of bringing some tension and emotional strain between the side characters.
I loved that the FMC was constantly challenging the MMC. We want a queen who will not stand down! This was my first book by this author but it won’t be the last. I’m very excited about book two.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 27, 2026
Ummm… excuse me? I’m sitting here questioning why I have never read this author before? Such a good storyline! Can’t wait to see what happens next! I love it when a FMC gives the MMC a hard time lol
The story moves really fast, and I would have liked to have seen more tension from the MMCs, but all in all still a good storyline and I’ll definitely be reading the next one!
The story moves really fast, and I would have liked to have seen more tension from the MMCs, but all in all still a good storyline and I’ll definitely be reading the next one!
September 27, 2026
The Hunger Games Meets The Bachelor...
This book was received free in exchange for a completely honest review.
Kingdom of Shadows and Demons is an intriguing read that makes you question what’s truth and what’s shadow. Kassia, a princess without her throne, bears memories from the night she lost her family that drive her toward vengeance against the Demon King, whom she witnessed slaughter her family.
She has learned, by walking through fire, the cost of caring, so she shelters herself and keeps others at arm's length, but her heart betrays her, and it's clear that, despite what she portrays, she cares more than she’d ever let on.
She is convinced the Demon King is a monster feeding off the kingdom he’s meant to lead, so she shackles herself to a hybrid mercenary, Lucian, and makes her way to Shadow City to join the Demon King’s Bridal Trials and finally enact her revenge.
What she finds instead is more than she bargained for, and the surprise that her heart still has any capacity to trust and perhaps love. Lucian proves an enigma to her, yet she doesn't fear him or his shadows, as most seem to. Something about him draws her to him, and despite her attempts to fight it, she finds she can't.
On the other hand, Lucian, who has always shown control and restraint, finds that it is nearly impossible when Kassia is around. While he couldn’t care less about what happens to others around him, particularly others who have no bearing on his life, for some reason he can’t quite bring himself to do the same with Kassia. Each of them holds on to secrets that would break the other if they knew.
I was immediately drawn to Kassia as a character, relating to her desire and need to keep others at arm’s length, while still caring far too much. Her desire to protect the weak and care for those in need are admirable qualities, if not expected. The same can be said for Lucian, though; I liked that the author made him a bit darker and more capable of shedding his feelings when the situation called for it. It made him less predictable, and much more relatable.
While I enjoyed the world-building, I don’t think there was enough of it. And while I understand this is a series, I would have liked a bit more history, not the shattered bits we got. For instance, it would have been nice to learn more about the Dragon Shifters and High Elves history, especially why the Fae were split into 3 casts: High Elves, Light, and Shadow.
I’d also have liked to learn more about the antagonist, the Fallen Knight, and what truly drives him, since I suspect the need to avenge his fallen people isn’t the only reason he’s decided to wage war against the remaining Fae.
Still, despite the glaring holes, I plan to read the next book because I am curious what happens to Kassia and Lucian.
This book was received free in exchange for a completely honest review.
Kingdom of Shadows and Demons is an intriguing read that makes you question what’s truth and what’s shadow. Kassia, a princess without her throne, bears memories from the night she lost her family that drive her toward vengeance against the Demon King, whom she witnessed slaughter her family.
She has learned, by walking through fire, the cost of caring, so she shelters herself and keeps others at arm's length, but her heart betrays her, and it's clear that, despite what she portrays, she cares more than she’d ever let on.
She is convinced the Demon King is a monster feeding off the kingdom he’s meant to lead, so she shackles herself to a hybrid mercenary, Lucian, and makes her way to Shadow City to join the Demon King’s Bridal Trials and finally enact her revenge.
What she finds instead is more than she bargained for, and the surprise that her heart still has any capacity to trust and perhaps love. Lucian proves an enigma to her, yet she doesn't fear him or his shadows, as most seem to. Something about him draws her to him, and despite her attempts to fight it, she finds she can't.
On the other hand, Lucian, who has always shown control and restraint, finds that it is nearly impossible when Kassia is around. While he couldn’t care less about what happens to others around him, particularly others who have no bearing on his life, for some reason he can’t quite bring himself to do the same with Kassia. Each of them holds on to secrets that would break the other if they knew.
I was immediately drawn to Kassia as a character, relating to her desire and need to keep others at arm’s length, while still caring far too much. Her desire to protect the weak and care for those in need are admirable qualities, if not expected. The same can be said for Lucian, though; I liked that the author made him a bit darker and more capable of shedding his feelings when the situation called for it. It made him less predictable, and much more relatable.
While I enjoyed the world-building, I don’t think there was enough of it. And while I understand this is a series, I would have liked a bit more history, not the shattered bits we got. For instance, it would have been nice to learn more about the Dragon Shifters and High Elves history, especially why the Fae were split into 3 casts: High Elves, Light, and Shadow.
I’d also have liked to learn more about the antagonist, the Fallen Knight, and what truly drives him, since I suspect the need to avenge his fallen people isn’t the only reason he’s decided to wage war against the remaining Fae.
Still, despite the glaring holes, I plan to read the next book because I am curious what happens to Kassia and Lucian.
October 13, 2026
So many secrets, so little time. This book was interesting and intriguing. I was sucked into the story rather quickly and it didn’t disappoint overall.
Lucien, the king, maintained his secret of being the king for what I felt was too long. He knew he’d be found out eventually in yet he chose to keep that information to himself. I think the biggest secret keeper in this book would be Kassia. She’s a forgotten Princess from the kingdom. Her parents were king and queen and Lucien executed them and stole the crown when she was a small child. She went the entire book not telling him who she really was but proceeded to get romantically involved with him.
Lucien is an extremely weak King who allows his council to run over him and do what they want. They even got bold enough to poison him in a ploy to get him under their control and do their bidding. I was very confused about why he was allowing so much to happen to him and around him like he didn’t have the power to fire them (maybe even execute them). It was strange, honestly. He was operating like a temperamental youth with power he didn’t know what to do with and allocating said power to those who was using that power for their gains and advantage. He, overall, didn’t seem qualified. His perception was off as well because he saw Kassia looking at the family tree in the hidden chamber. With her strong emotions about the king and queen that he executed and her interest in towns that was connected to them how didn’t he put together who she was? All he had to do was look at the family tree and put together the names and ages. She goes by Kassia but her real name is Kassiona…not that big of a leap honestly.
The secrets went on too long and it made the story drag big time. If this is turning into a series I would pick up the pace a little. I kept reading because it was very interesting but I can see people DNF’ing because key information was being dragged on too long.
I also noticed that there were a lot of names lifted from The Empyrean series and the ACOTAR series which was a bit weird. I don’t know if that was done to draw a connection to the two series for those of us that enjoy reading them but I think the names could have been authentic. The villain Brock was giving Varrish vibes, Lara was giving Catriona’s evil twin, etc…even “Kassiona” is close to Catriona in name. The potential series have the possibility of being huge, I just wouldn’t relate no more of the story or future character names to The Empyrean series or ACOTAR.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 8, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 STARS!! 🖤🔥
Kingdom of Shadows and Demons by Missy De Graff
The Forbidden Fae Series, Book 1
OH. MY. SHADOWS!!! 🖤🔥 What an absolutely INCREDIBLE start to a fantasy romance series!! I was completely captivated from the very beginning, and I did NOT want to put this book down!!
Kassia is a lost princess with vengeance burning in her veins, and I LOVED every fierce, determined, stubborn ounce of her!! After spending fifteen years in hiding, she’s ready to risk everything to take back what was stolen from her. And what better way to get close to the Demon King than entering his deadly bridal trials?! Trials designed to break even the strongest competitors, where danger lurks around every corner and survival is anything but guaranteed!
And LUCIAN!!! 🥵🔥 The tension between Kassia and this infuriatingly intriguing mercenary was absolutely DELICIOUS!! The banter, the chemistry, the push and pull!! I was eating up EVERY SINGLE INTERACTION!! The slow burn had me in an absolute chokehold!!
But the Demon King?! Oh, the secrets, the shadows, the deception!! 👀 Nothing is ever quite what it seems, and betrayal feels like it’s lurking around every corner! Add in the terrifying Fallen Knight and his wraiths wreaking havoc across the city, and the stakes just keep climbing!!
The WORLD BUILDING was phenomenal, the PLOT was STUNNING, and the characters?! I loved every single one for completely different reasons!! The deadly trials, hidden identities, court intrigue, dangerous secrets, and delicious tension created the perfect storm of dark romantasy goodness!!
Missy De Graff delivered a world filled with magic, vengeance, danger, and enough twists and tension to keep me absolutely GLUED to the pages!! And the emotional stakes?! SO GOOD!!
I NEED BOOK TWO LIKE I NEED AIR!!! 😭🖤🔥 I am nowhere near ready to leave this world or these characters behind!!
An easy FIVE STARS and a HUGE recommendation for dark romantasy lovers who crave fierce heroines, morally grey men, deadly trials, and slow-burn tension that practically leaps off the page!! 🖤⚔️🔥
✨ ARC provided in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are entirely my own!
Kingdom of Shadows and Demons by Missy De Graff
The Forbidden Fae Series, Book 1
OH. MY. SHADOWS!!! 🖤🔥 What an absolutely INCREDIBLE start to a fantasy romance series!! I was completely captivated from the very beginning, and I did NOT want to put this book down!!
Kassia is a lost princess with vengeance burning in her veins, and I LOVED every fierce, determined, stubborn ounce of her!! After spending fifteen years in hiding, she’s ready to risk everything to take back what was stolen from her. And what better way to get close to the Demon King than entering his deadly bridal trials?! Trials designed to break even the strongest competitors, where danger lurks around every corner and survival is anything but guaranteed!
And LUCIAN!!! 🥵🔥 The tension between Kassia and this infuriatingly intriguing mercenary was absolutely DELICIOUS!! The banter, the chemistry, the push and pull!! I was eating up EVERY SINGLE INTERACTION!! The slow burn had me in an absolute chokehold!!
But the Demon King?! Oh, the secrets, the shadows, the deception!! 👀 Nothing is ever quite what it seems, and betrayal feels like it’s lurking around every corner! Add in the terrifying Fallen Knight and his wraiths wreaking havoc across the city, and the stakes just keep climbing!!
The WORLD BUILDING was phenomenal, the PLOT was STUNNING, and the characters?! I loved every single one for completely different reasons!! The deadly trials, hidden identities, court intrigue, dangerous secrets, and delicious tension created the perfect storm of dark romantasy goodness!!
Missy De Graff delivered a world filled with magic, vengeance, danger, and enough twists and tension to keep me absolutely GLUED to the pages!! And the emotional stakes?! SO GOOD!!
I NEED BOOK TWO LIKE I NEED AIR!!! 😭🖤🔥 I am nowhere near ready to leave this world or these characters behind!!
An easy FIVE STARS and a HUGE recommendation for dark romantasy lovers who crave fierce heroines, morally grey men, deadly trials, and slow-burn tension that practically leaps off the page!! 🖤⚔️🔥
✨ ARC provided in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are entirely my own!
Review of advance copy received from Author
✨Kingdom of Shadows and Demons✨
Oh my goodness, I just had so much fun in this first of Missy’s newest series, The Forbidden Fae. The dynamic between these two MCs was a teeter totter of emotions and a whirlwind of banter, tension, and yearning!
In KOSAD, we follow a dual POV between our MCs, Lucian and Kassia. Kassia has been in hiding for 15 years, ever since the Demon King slaughtered her family. When the opportunity arises to enter the king’s bridal trials, Kassia sees it as the perfect opportunity to deal the killing blow she’s dreamed about for years. However, with the appearance of a mysterious mercenary and a found family she tries her hardest to resist, Kassia begins to wonder if her whole life’s purpose has been a lie or if she’s being played.
Meanwhile, Lucian is on the hunt for the lost fae princess. But when his conniving and manipulating council creates the bridal trials, Lucian is entwined in not only a battle for his throne, life, magic, and lost memories, but also his heart and mind.
KOSAD is a fast paced, high stakes start to an epic 6 book series full of vengeance, feminine rage, and political corruption. The cunning banter is a double edge sword and the tension is tangible as Kassia and Lucian dance around secrets, hard truths, and a magic that runs deeper than they know between them.
Tropes you may find in KOSAD are forced proximity, hidden identities, female rage, court intrigue, shadow daddy, banter, tension and yearning, low spice, found family, deadly bridal trials, cuddling for warmth, one horse, steamy training scene, enemies to lovers to ???, and shadow and light powers.
Thank you so much, Missy, for letting me arc read this beautiful story!
Oh my goodness, I just had so much fun in this first of Missy’s newest series, The Forbidden Fae. The dynamic between these two MCs was a teeter totter of emotions and a whirlwind of banter, tension, and yearning!
In KOSAD, we follow a dual POV between our MCs, Lucian and Kassia. Kassia has been in hiding for 15 years, ever since the Demon King slaughtered her family. When the opportunity arises to enter the king’s bridal trials, Kassia sees it as the perfect opportunity to deal the killing blow she’s dreamed about for years. However, with the appearance of a mysterious mercenary and a found family she tries her hardest to resist, Kassia begins to wonder if her whole life’s purpose has been a lie or if she’s being played.
Meanwhile, Lucian is on the hunt for the lost fae princess. But when his conniving and manipulating council creates the bridal trials, Lucian is entwined in not only a battle for his throne, life, magic, and lost memories, but also his heart and mind.
KOSAD is a fast paced, high stakes start to an epic 6 book series full of vengeance, feminine rage, and political corruption. The cunning banter is a double edge sword and the tension is tangible as Kassia and Lucian dance around secrets, hard truths, and a magic that runs deeper than they know between them.
Tropes you may find in KOSAD are forced proximity, hidden identities, female rage, court intrigue, shadow daddy, banter, tension and yearning, low spice, found family, deadly bridal trials, cuddling for warmth, one horse, steamy training scene, enemies to lovers to ???, and shadow and light powers.
Thank you so much, Missy, for letting me arc read this beautiful story!
Review of advance copy received from Author
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 Stars
Kingdom of Shadows and Demons: The Forbidden Fae by Missy De Graff 🖤🐍👑
“Revenge brought her back to Shadow City. Survival might force her to marry her family’s killer.” 🗡️👑
If you love dark romantasy filled with morally grey characters, dangerous court politics, forbidden romance, and twists that keep you guessing, this book deserves a spot on your TBR!
🖤 Things I loved:
👑 The Dark Fantasy Atmosphere: The world of Kingdom of Shadows and Demons has that dark, dangerous royal atmosphere that makes you want to keep turning the pages. The secrets, power struggles, and court intrigue make the story even more compelling.
🗡️ The Revenge Plot: I loved the high-stakes premise of revenge, survival, and being caught in a dangerous world where trusting the wrong person could cost everything.
🔥 The Romance & Tension: The enemies-to-lovers dynamic and morally grey characters add so much delicious tension. I’m always a fan of romance where the characters have complicated motives and nothing is quite as simple as it seems!
🔮 The Twists & Stakes: Between the death curse, the bridal trials, and the secrets surrounding Shadow City, there’s plenty to keep readers invested in the story.
Overall, Kingdom of Shadows and Demons: The Forbidden Fae is a dark romantasy that will appeal to readers who love dangerous royalty, revenge-driven heroines, morally grey love interests, and romance wrapped in secrets and shadows. 🖤✨
If you’re a fan of dark fantasy romance with high stakes and a gothic royal aesthetic, consider adding this one to your TBR!
Thank you to author Missy De Graff for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 🤍📚
Kingdom of Shadows and Demons: The Forbidden Fae by Missy De Graff 🖤🐍👑
“Revenge brought her back to Shadow City. Survival might force her to marry her family’s killer.” 🗡️👑
If you love dark romantasy filled with morally grey characters, dangerous court politics, forbidden romance, and twists that keep you guessing, this book deserves a spot on your TBR!
🖤 Things I loved:
👑 The Dark Fantasy Atmosphere: The world of Kingdom of Shadows and Demons has that dark, dangerous royal atmosphere that makes you want to keep turning the pages. The secrets, power struggles, and court intrigue make the story even more compelling.
🗡️ The Revenge Plot: I loved the high-stakes premise of revenge, survival, and being caught in a dangerous world where trusting the wrong person could cost everything.
🔥 The Romance & Tension: The enemies-to-lovers dynamic and morally grey characters add so much delicious tension. I’m always a fan of romance where the characters have complicated motives and nothing is quite as simple as it seems!
🔮 The Twists & Stakes: Between the death curse, the bridal trials, and the secrets surrounding Shadow City, there’s plenty to keep readers invested in the story.
Overall, Kingdom of Shadows and Demons: The Forbidden Fae is a dark romantasy that will appeal to readers who love dangerous royalty, revenge-driven heroines, morally grey love interests, and romance wrapped in secrets and shadows. 🖤✨
If you’re a fan of dark fantasy romance with high stakes and a gothic royal aesthetic, consider adding this one to your TBR!
Thank you to author Missy De Graff for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 🤍📚
November 5, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🖤 enemies-to-lovers
👑 hidden identities
👥 forced proximity
🐎 only one horse
🔥 cuddling for warmth
⚔️ deadly marriage trials
🧑🧑🧒🧒 found family
❤️🔥 banter & yearning
🗡️ feminine rage
💔 betrayal 🔥 burn the world for you
This story was full of secrets, twists and turns, and leaves you feeling unsure of who to trust.
Kassia, the sole survivor of the Shadow Fae Royal , is in hiding from the one who slaughtered her family- the Demon King. When she hears the Demon King is hosting the bridal trials in search of a queen, she sees this as her chance to avenge her family.
Kassia is a strong, quick witted, fiery, but caring MFC. She’s lets her emotions cloud her judgement at times. 🔥 Once she is able to let down her guard some, she begins to build bonds with people she will need to rely on.
The Demon King, aka Shadow Daddy, has a dark past that haunts him still after 15 years. He is searching for a cure to heal the fae kingdom. He isn’t who he seems to be. He is cautious, but kind.
What I enjoyed:
✨The slow burn romance
✨The banter
✨The characters (even though I was suspicious of almost everyone. 😅)
✨The plot twists and tension kept me wanting more. Though it did feel like a lot happened at one particular point.
✨The Bridal Trials was a nice touch to the story. It felt like Cinderella and the Hunger Games combined.
✨The artwork for the cover is stunning.
What I didn’t enjoy:
✨ I felt the MFC hatred for the Demon King didn’t fit the story at times. After finding out his true identity, Kassia’s feelings were still conflicted, but not much changed. She didn’t hate him more or less.
✨ I felt like the romance needed to be built up a bit more. It felt rushed and confusing at times.
I can’t wait for book 2! 👏🏻👏🏻
*I was an e-ARC for this book
🖤 enemies-to-lovers
👑 hidden identities
👥 forced proximity
🐎 only one horse
🔥 cuddling for warmth
⚔️ deadly marriage trials
🧑🧑🧒🧒 found family
❤️🔥 banter & yearning
🗡️ feminine rage
💔 betrayal 🔥 burn the world for you
This story was full of secrets, twists and turns, and leaves you feeling unsure of who to trust.
Kassia, the sole survivor of the Shadow Fae Royal , is in hiding from the one who slaughtered her family- the Demon King. When she hears the Demon King is hosting the bridal trials in search of a queen, she sees this as her chance to avenge her family.
Kassia is a strong, quick witted, fiery, but caring MFC. She’s lets her emotions cloud her judgement at times. 🔥 Once she is able to let down her guard some, she begins to build bonds with people she will need to rely on.
The Demon King, aka Shadow Daddy, has a dark past that haunts him still after 15 years. He is searching for a cure to heal the fae kingdom. He isn’t who he seems to be. He is cautious, but kind.
What I enjoyed:
✨The slow burn romance
✨The banter
✨The characters (even though I was suspicious of almost everyone. 😅)
✨The plot twists and tension kept me wanting more. Though it did feel like a lot happened at one particular point.
✨The Bridal Trials was a nice touch to the story. It felt like Cinderella and the Hunger Games combined.
✨The artwork for the cover is stunning.
What I didn’t enjoy:
✨ I felt the MFC hatred for the Demon King didn’t fit the story at times. After finding out his true identity, Kassia’s feelings were still conflicted, but not much changed. She didn’t hate him more or less.
✨ I felt like the romance needed to be built up a bit more. It felt rushed and confusing at times.
I can’t wait for book 2! 👏🏻👏🏻
*I was an e-ARC for this book
October 17, 2026
It’s been a while since I have read a book that I couldn’t stop thinking about between reading sessions. This one had me obsessed. Missy has a way of writing that pulls me into the story. The plot moves along great, the characters are believable, the world building is immersive and the writing is just beautiful.
Kassia has learned through her traumatic past and 15 years of hiding how to keep her heart closed off and not let people see through the cracks in her armor. In her quest for revenge against the King who murdered her family and stole her birthright, she reluctantly pairs up with a ruthless mercenary to get to Shadow City to participate in the Bridal Trials. The trials may be her best chance to get close enough to the King to ☠️ him.
The chemistry between Kassia and Lucian is electric. The banter makes it so fun to see them together. Of course, he falls first and will ☠️ anyone who hurts her. But will he feel the same when her secret is found out even though he has secrets of his own?
Kassia goes into the trials alone and is determined to keep everyone else at arms length like she has for the past 15 years. That is until she shares a room with a group of people who are more determined to pull her into their world. Their alliance builds into more than friendship, they are found family.
I truly devoured this book and can’t stop thinking about it which does create some questions that I hope get answered in the next book. We got snippets of the history but there is more to learn about the ancient Fae and the Dragon Shifters. What is the origin of the Fallen Knight and his wraiths?
I received a free eARC from the author and voluntarily leave this honest review.
Kassia has learned through her traumatic past and 15 years of hiding how to keep her heart closed off and not let people see through the cracks in her armor. In her quest for revenge against the King who murdered her family and stole her birthright, she reluctantly pairs up with a ruthless mercenary to get to Shadow City to participate in the Bridal Trials. The trials may be her best chance to get close enough to the King to ☠️ him.
The chemistry between Kassia and Lucian is electric. The banter makes it so fun to see them together. Of course, he falls first and will ☠️ anyone who hurts her. But will he feel the same when her secret is found out even though he has secrets of his own?
Kassia goes into the trials alone and is determined to keep everyone else at arms length like she has for the past 15 years. That is until she shares a room with a group of people who are more determined to pull her into their world. Their alliance builds into more than friendship, they are found family.
I truly devoured this book and can’t stop thinking about it which does create some questions that I hope get answered in the next book. We got snippets of the history but there is more to learn about the ancient Fae and the Dragon Shifters. What is the origin of the Fallen Knight and his wraiths?
I received a free eARC from the author and voluntarily leave this honest review.
October 29, 2026
Okay. I need book two immediately.
Kingdom of Shadows and Demons pulled me in from the very first chapter. Our heroine is a fae princess hiding in plain sight, waiting tables and dealing with awful customers, when news breaks that the demon king is looking for a bride. Add in a mysterious stranger with shadow magic who seems way too interested in her, and I was hooked.
The romance is the heart of this book, and it’s so good. There is so much hatred and so much desire tangled up between these two, and I lived for every second of it. The banter is fun, the tension is constant, and the forced proximity had me kicking my feet. There’s a storm scene early on that had me laughing and swooning at the same time. And when things heat up? It gets hot. Like, fan-yourself hot.
The bridal trials kept the pace moving, and the side characters gave them real stakes. I especially loved the guy who entered the trials for his sister. The council is scheming, there’s an undead army lurking, and the whole thing gave me Game of Thrones vibes in the best way. The world-building pulled me right in, and I loved getting little pieces of her past as the story went on.
Also, the formatting is beautiful. Small thing, but it made reading it such a treat.
If you love enemies-to-lovers, morally gray kings, shadow magic, deadly competitions, and a romance that’s equal parts fire and longing, put this on your TBR now. I truly cannot wait to see where this series goes next.
Kingdom of Shadows and Demons pulled me in from the very first chapter. Our heroine is a fae princess hiding in plain sight, waiting tables and dealing with awful customers, when news breaks that the demon king is looking for a bride. Add in a mysterious stranger with shadow magic who seems way too interested in her, and I was hooked.
The romance is the heart of this book, and it’s so good. There is so much hatred and so much desire tangled up between these two, and I lived for every second of it. The banter is fun, the tension is constant, and the forced proximity had me kicking my feet. There’s a storm scene early on that had me laughing and swooning at the same time. And when things heat up? It gets hot. Like, fan-yourself hot.
The bridal trials kept the pace moving, and the side characters gave them real stakes. I especially loved the guy who entered the trials for his sister. The council is scheming, there’s an undead army lurking, and the whole thing gave me Game of Thrones vibes in the best way. The world-building pulled me right in, and I loved getting little pieces of her past as the story went on.
Also, the formatting is beautiful. Small thing, but it made reading it such a treat.
If you love enemies-to-lovers, morally gray kings, shadow magic, deadly competitions, and a romance that’s equal parts fire and longing, put this on your TBR now. I truly cannot wait to see where this series goes next.
November 5, 2026
I was an ARC reader for “The Kingdom of Shadows & Demons”. I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review. This is my first time reading a book by Missy De Graff but I am now a fan! This book was so good from beginning to the very end.
The story follows Kassia, the long lost Princess who disappeared the night her parents were killed. For the last 15 years she has only dreamed of one thing. Vengeance. To kill the man who killed her family & took her throne. Now that the Demon King is holding the Bridal Trails this is her chance. Before she departs for the Trials she meets Lucian who she believes is a mercenary with the ability to manipulate shadows and have them answer to him. With his help she makes it to Shadow City. But as time goes on and truths are uncovered, Kassia finds herself questioning everything she has believed since that faithful night when she lost everything.
This story had me from the very beginning and it was so hard to put down. I can not wait for Book 2. I am so grateful I was able to be an ARC reader for this book!
Favorite quotes
“I bend. I do not break”
-Kassia
“She tried to kill me. And still…I’d burn the Kingdom to ash to keep her breathing.”
-Lucian
“But I’m no longer the terrified child who fled through secret passages. I am Kassiona Nyx, Princess of the Shadow Fae, the last of my line. And if they want to come for me, let them come. This time, I won’t run.”
-Kassia
The story follows Kassia, the long lost Princess who disappeared the night her parents were killed. For the last 15 years she has only dreamed of one thing. Vengeance. To kill the man who killed her family & took her throne. Now that the Demon King is holding the Bridal Trails this is her chance. Before she departs for the Trials she meets Lucian who she believes is a mercenary with the ability to manipulate shadows and have them answer to him. With his help she makes it to Shadow City. But as time goes on and truths are uncovered, Kassia finds herself questioning everything she has believed since that faithful night when she lost everything.
This story had me from the very beginning and it was so hard to put down. I can not wait for Book 2. I am so grateful I was able to be an ARC reader for this book!
Favorite quotes
“I bend. I do not break”
-Kassia
“She tried to kill me. And still…I’d burn the Kingdom to ash to keep her breathing.”
-Lucian
“But I’m no longer the terrified child who fled through secret passages. I am Kassiona Nyx, Princess of the Shadow Fae, the last of my line. And if they want to come for me, let them come. This time, I won’t run.”
-Kassia
October 22, 2026
Hello, little darkling…
This is my second foray into the writing of this author, and it just keeps getting better.
A fast-paced dark romantasy, with a lot of angst and misunderstandings. When faced with the question of vengeance, morality, and responsibility, I appreciated the author’s approach to giving us just enough of the secrets to understand each character’s emotions, but hinting at so many more uncovered motivations just below the surface. The enemies-to-lovers is a tease, from close-proximity and instant curiosity and attraction, to the tempest of unveiling personal tragedies that would make any person’s heart ache.
There are politics that make you want to scream a little and feel all too real. Deadly trials and a cheat that would make you tear your hair out. Found family (on both sides! Not just a lonely grump and someone who can connect with others) counterbalances these rigid characters with enough distinct personalities that you can see the character growth being set up, without being able to guess exactly which direction either MC will lean.
It’s easy to lose time in this book, and the chapters fly by. I’d call it mid-dark, but definitely hinting at something even darker coming. And I’m here for it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout, and this is my honest, voluntary review.
This is my second foray into the writing of this author, and it just keeps getting better.
A fast-paced dark romantasy, with a lot of angst and misunderstandings. When faced with the question of vengeance, morality, and responsibility, I appreciated the author’s approach to giving us just enough of the secrets to understand each character’s emotions, but hinting at so many more uncovered motivations just below the surface. The enemies-to-lovers is a tease, from close-proximity and instant curiosity and attraction, to the tempest of unveiling personal tragedies that would make any person’s heart ache.
There are politics that make you want to scream a little and feel all too real. Deadly trials and a cheat that would make you tear your hair out. Found family (on both sides! Not just a lonely grump and someone who can connect with others) counterbalances these rigid characters with enough distinct personalities that you can see the character growth being set up, without being able to guess exactly which direction either MC will lean.
It’s easy to lose time in this book, and the chapters fly by. I’d call it mid-dark, but definitely hinting at something even darker coming. And I’m here for it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout, and this is my honest, voluntary review.
October 24, 2026
ARC Review - Kingdom of Shadows and Demons
5 Stars!
Quote from the book: Venge@nce. Love. S@crifice. De@th. I wonder which I'll choose - and which will choose me.
With quotes like that, how could you not drop everything and rush to get this book? The story was gripping right from the first page and it kept me guessing throughout. The pace is excellent and the story never slows. The bridal trials and political intrigue brought tons of drama, action, twists and turns. There are still so many uncertainties on who can be trusted and many secrets yet to be uncovered. Even with the heartbreaking events and truths revealed thus far, it's clear there is so much more story to come. The ending definitely left me wanting more and sets the reader up to anxiously await the next installment. I cannot wait to see how the story continues!
The MMC appears really (seriously, big time) morally grey at the start but as the story unfolds, the reader is drawn into the depth and complexity of both the MMC and FMC. The characters are fantastic and their dynamic makes it easy to become emotionally invested in them.
Run, don't walk to get your hands on Kingdom of Shadows and Demons by @authormissydegraff! Don't just add it to your TBR - read and enjoy it!! :)
#romantasy #marriagetrials #shadowdaddy #arcreader
5 Stars!
Quote from the book: Venge@nce. Love. S@crifice. De@th. I wonder which I'll choose - and which will choose me.
With quotes like that, how could you not drop everything and rush to get this book? The story was gripping right from the first page and it kept me guessing throughout. The pace is excellent and the story never slows. The bridal trials and political intrigue brought tons of drama, action, twists and turns. There are still so many uncertainties on who can be trusted and many secrets yet to be uncovered. Even with the heartbreaking events and truths revealed thus far, it's clear there is so much more story to come. The ending definitely left me wanting more and sets the reader up to anxiously await the next installment. I cannot wait to see how the story continues!
The MMC appears really (seriously, big time) morally grey at the start but as the story unfolds, the reader is drawn into the depth and complexity of both the MMC and FMC. The characters are fantastic and their dynamic makes it easy to become emotionally invested in them.
Run, don't walk to get your hands on Kingdom of Shadows and Demons by @authormissydegraff! Don't just add it to your TBR - read and enjoy it!! :)
#romantasy #marriagetrials #shadowdaddy #arcreader
November 4, 2026
You know I love a shadow daddy, but add high stakes, secrets, and betrayals, and you definitely have my attention!
I felt the attraction between Kassia and Lucian right from the beginning, before they knew who the other really was. There was a magnetic pull between them, and the banter, the way they challenged each other, and those little moments together made their chemistry work for me.
I also found the worldbuilding and magic very easy to follow. I could settle into the story and enjoy everything unfolding without feeling confused.
Kassia frustrated me at times, but I was still rooting for her. I understood why she wanted revenge, although I wanted her to put more of that determination toward helping people rather than dwelling on the revenge she imagined taking. I also wanted her to question whether her memories from childhood gave her the whole picture.
And Lucian! I couldn’t believe how much control the council had over him. I wanted him to push back, and I had plenty of questions about the people around him and what they really wanted.
The secrets and betrayals were some of my favorite parts. There was so much to question, and I loved that!
Now I need book two like NOW. I finished with so many more questions, and I absolutely want to see where this goes!
Thank you Missy De Graff for the advanced copy.
I felt the attraction between Kassia and Lucian right from the beginning, before they knew who the other really was. There was a magnetic pull between them, and the banter, the way they challenged each other, and those little moments together made their chemistry work for me.
I also found the worldbuilding and magic very easy to follow. I could settle into the story and enjoy everything unfolding without feeling confused.
Kassia frustrated me at times, but I was still rooting for her. I understood why she wanted revenge, although I wanted her to put more of that determination toward helping people rather than dwelling on the revenge she imagined taking. I also wanted her to question whether her memories from childhood gave her the whole picture.
And Lucian! I couldn’t believe how much control the council had over him. I wanted him to push back, and I had plenty of questions about the people around him and what they really wanted.
The secrets and betrayals were some of my favorite parts. There was so much to question, and I loved that!
Now I need book two like NOW. I finished with so many more questions, and I absolutely want to see where this goes!
Thank you Missy De Graff for the advanced copy.
Review of advance copy
Suspenseful read that was filled with action, adventure, slow-burn romance, hidden identity, betrayals, political maneuvers, and found family.
The character development of the MMC and FMC was just enough to keep you guessing, questioning and understanding the storyline. I suspect that book 2 will dive further into the history of both of them. I have my suspicions and my guesses on how the MMC is so powerful but no spoilers here. The support characters add enough to the story without distracting from it.
If you are a fan of demons, wraiths, hidden identity, found family, vengeful FMC, adorably delicious banter, fae, magic, hidden magic, and secrets this book is for you.
Ends on a cliffhanger and I still don’t know what the seer was talking about in the middle, like how, where, what happens now and why are honey brown eyes now my favorite? The demon king is a shadow daddy who says mine, a lot, and our FMC just a wants revenge and then to hide and live out her life alone. Or does she?
The character development of the MMC and FMC was just enough to keep you guessing, questioning and understanding the storyline. I suspect that book 2 will dive further into the history of both of them. I have my suspicions and my guesses on how the MMC is so powerful but no spoilers here. The support characters add enough to the story without distracting from it.
If you are a fan of demons, wraiths, hidden identity, found family, vengeful FMC, adorably delicious banter, fae, magic, hidden magic, and secrets this book is for you.
Ends on a cliffhanger and I still don’t know what the seer was talking about in the middle, like how, where, what happens now and why are honey brown eyes now my favorite? The demon king is a shadow daddy who says mine, a lot, and our FMC just a wants revenge and then to hide and live out her life alone. Or does she?
November 6, 2026
Hey, so I'm gonna need book two like, yesterday.
This was CAPTIVATING. I cannot get enough of this story, can't get enough of Lucian and Kassia, the evil plotting and the alliances and friendships being made. This story is woven together so beautifully and the plot is absolutely perfect.
I love the concept of this story. I love how the main characters are introduced and fleshed out, and then fleshed out even more. I do wish some of the side characters had a bit of a larger role to develop themselves more, but they still played an essential role and stood out fairly well. There just wasn't as big of a connection as I would have liked.
The absolute anxiety I felt in some parts of this were so unreal. Missy does such a wonderful job of writing suspenseful and stressful situations. The world building was immaculate.. I honestly could just gush about this book to anyone who would listen for a long time.
I am so glad I stumbled upon this author on Instagram and signed up for an ARC copy of this. I absolutely will be impatiently waiting for the rest of this series to be published.
This was CAPTIVATING. I cannot get enough of this story, can't get enough of Lucian and Kassia, the evil plotting and the alliances and friendships being made. This story is woven together so beautifully and the plot is absolutely perfect.
I love the concept of this story. I love how the main characters are introduced and fleshed out, and then fleshed out even more. I do wish some of the side characters had a bit of a larger role to develop themselves more, but they still played an essential role and stood out fairly well. There just wasn't as big of a connection as I would have liked.
The absolute anxiety I felt in some parts of this were so unreal. Missy does such a wonderful job of writing suspenseful and stressful situations. The world building was immaculate.. I honestly could just gush about this book to anyone who would listen for a long time.
I am so glad I stumbled upon this author on Instagram and signed up for an ARC copy of this. I absolutely will be impatiently waiting for the rest of this series to be published.
November 9, 2026
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This was my second book from Missy and she certainly didn’t disappoint! It grabbed my attention right away and I got sucked into the story. I love our FMC Kassia so much. She was sassy in the best way. I also really liked being in Lucian’s head. Reading his perspective made it a really interesting reading experience. The found family in this was incredible also. I wasn’t blown away by the big reveals but I had a great time with the whole enemies to lovers angle. The pacing towards the end was a bit off for me as well. Most of the book the pacing was great but the last few chapters felt like it dragged some. However I enjoyed this so much and I would love to continue the series when the next book comes out. I would recommend this if you want a book that’s enemies to lovers all the way through. I’m so curious as to what will happen next.
This was my second book from Missy and she certainly didn’t disappoint! It grabbed my attention right away and I got sucked into the story. I love our FMC Kassia so much. She was sassy in the best way. I also really liked being in Lucian’s head. Reading his perspective made it a really interesting reading experience. The found family in this was incredible also. I wasn’t blown away by the big reveals but I had a great time with the whole enemies to lovers angle. The pacing towards the end was a bit off for me as well. Most of the book the pacing was great but the last few chapters felt like it dragged some. However I enjoyed this so much and I would love to continue the series when the next book comes out. I would recommend this if you want a book that’s enemies to lovers all the way through. I’m so curious as to what will happen next.
Review of advance copy received from Author
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Completely Hooked — Bring on Book Two!
I received an advanced copy of Kingdom of Shadows and Demons, and this one grabbed my attention and kept it.
The story was engaging from the beginning, but what really drew me in was the character development. The characters have enough depth that you quickly become invested in them and what happens next. As the story progressed, I found myself getting more and more pulled into the world and wanting to know where everything was going.
It was captivating, well-paced, and had that dangerous, dark fantasy feel that kept me turning the pages. By the end, I was completely invested—and definitely not ready for it to be over.
Book one did its job because now I need book two. Like…now. 😂
I received an advanced copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving my honest review
I received an advanced copy of Kingdom of Shadows and Demons, and this one grabbed my attention and kept it.
The story was engaging from the beginning, but what really drew me in was the character development. The characters have enough depth that you quickly become invested in them and what happens next. As the story progressed, I found myself getting more and more pulled into the world and wanting to know where everything was going.
It was captivating, well-paced, and had that dangerous, dark fantasy feel that kept me turning the pages. By the end, I was completely invested—and definitely not ready for it to be over.
Book one did its job because now I need book two. Like…now. 😂
I received an advanced copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving my honest review
Review of advance copy
As like calls to like and shadows abound a power arises that no one saw coming. Missy De Graff takes us deep into Shadow City where court politics balance on the edge of a blade and betrayal is as common as the people at the gates. Will the heroine choose loyalty or love? Will the Shadow King triumph or tragically fall? Open the pages of a spellbinding book where the character building is unparalleled and the descriptive language transports you to the ashen fields and taverns of a kingdom of the brink of disaster. De Graff deepens the trope of enemies to lovers with banter that will have you smiling and curling your toes as you add the demon king to your list of book boyfriends and leave you wanting more.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I have received this book as an advanced readers copy and leave this review of my one free will.
I have no words. This was so so good. My heart is ripped out and trampled all over. I wish I could read it again for the first time! I must have a copy for my shelf onces the book is published 🥰. Missy, you outdid yourself with this one!
And Lucian, he is just wow, he checks every box I have for my ficitonal men. And he is a man with a soft spot only for her and he has shadow magic (my favourite, I was sold right away). And Kassia, what a refreshing badass fmc, she does not back down, is strong and fierce. And the tension between the two, just a cheff's kiss.
I wont share to much, I do not want to spoile this for anyone.
Just drop everything you are doing, read this amazing book and fall in love with these wonderfull characters! And now we wait for their story to continue 😍
I have no words. This was so so good. My heart is ripped out and trampled all over. I wish I could read it again for the first time! I must have a copy for my shelf onces the book is published 🥰. Missy, you outdid yourself with this one!
And Lucian, he is just wow, he checks every box I have for my ficitonal men. And he is a man with a soft spot only for her and he has shadow magic (my favourite, I was sold right away). And Kassia, what a refreshing badass fmc, she does not back down, is strong and fierce. And the tension between the two, just a cheff's kiss.
I wont share to much, I do not want to spoile this for anyone.
Just drop everything you are doing, read this amazing book and fall in love with these wonderfull characters! And now we wait for their story to continue 😍
November 5, 2026
Thank you Missy De Graff for offering me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I enjoyed this. It was fun, fast paced and easy to follow. That is something that I enjoy in Missy’s book.
Kassia is a tough bad ass with secrets. Lucian is our mysterious broody guy with secrets. Both of the main characters we developed well and there is definitely growth with both of them.
I wish there was a little more with the side characters, I liked them but wasn’t overly invested in them. I think that may change with some of them in the next book, so I look forward to that.
Was it a rather predictable romantasy, yes. Do I like that sometime, yes. It was a fun pleasure to read and sometimes we need a break from emotional devastation. And Kudos to Missy for still managing to pull a twist I didn’t see coming.
I will definitely be excited when book 2 gets here!
I enjoyed this. It was fun, fast paced and easy to follow. That is something that I enjoy in Missy’s book.
Kassia is a tough bad ass with secrets. Lucian is our mysterious broody guy with secrets. Both of the main characters we developed well and there is definitely growth with both of them.
I wish there was a little more with the side characters, I liked them but wasn’t overly invested in them. I think that may change with some of them in the next book, so I look forward to that.
Was it a rather predictable romantasy, yes. Do I like that sometime, yes. It was a fun pleasure to read and sometimes we need a break from emotional devastation. And Kudos to Missy for still managing to pull a twist I didn’t see coming.
I will definitely be excited when book 2 gets here!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I was completely pulled into the world and loved the darker atmosphere, the tension between the characters and the danger woven throughout the story. The morally grey characters were definitely a highlight for me—I’m always here for characters who make questionable choices for very good reasons. 😂
The enemies-to-lovers tension kept me hooked, while the found-family element gave the story that emotional side I absolutely love. Add in deadly trials, secrets, danger and plenty of fantasy goodness, and I was sold.
Such an addictive start to The Forbidden Fae series, and I’m definitely ready to see where this story goes next!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The enemies-to-lovers tension kept me hooked, while the found-family element gave the story that emotional side I absolutely love. Add in deadly trials, secrets, danger and plenty of fantasy goodness, and I was sold.
Such an addictive start to The Forbidden Fae series, and I’m definitely ready to see where this story goes next!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I took a chance on reading this since I read Missy De Graff's previous novel A Touch of Celestial Flames which I just couldn't help but LOVE. I have not been one where Shadow realms or magic necessarily appeals to me, however this Author makes it interesting for me. I am finding myself a fan of her writing generally, not sure exactly what it is that very much appeals to me despite some repetition or narrowed use of descriptors sometimes. I just enjoy reading her worlds (this one and the previous) and I am now tuned into both these series. I am just here for it and happy to be so.
(It only took me so long to read this because I was reading 2 different books at one time and both were good and I wanted to take my time in reading them due to enjoying the read.)
(It only took me so long to read this because I was reading 2 different books at one time and both were good and I wanted to take my time in reading them due to enjoying the read.)
Review of advance copy received from Author
The storyline had me intrigued and the emotional development of the characters are very fast-paced. They soften their hardness to certain people very quickly. The powers of the FMC are still very secretive and we don't know exactly what she can do. There is some world building - I would have liked more information on the different classifications on the Fae, the dragon shifter kingdom and the fallen knight. We don't get a lot of back story and maybe this will come in the next books. The main focus was on the trials and the growing relationships of the characters and the turmoil of their kingdom. The MMC is quite the mystery bad but good or is he since we don't really get his backstory only pieces which I found very interesting.
November 11, 2026
A great introduction to the kingdom!
I always enjoy Missy's writing style and she did not disappoint this time. Her writing is so engaging and really pulls you in. I read this in two days and stayed up way past my bedtime to get more chapters in!
I like the characters and the setting. The pacing is good as I didn't find myself bored or rushed at any point. I definitely want to know what happens next and have realized I have less patience for waiting than I thought (but I'll do it because I have to know what happens).
There were a few minor plot points I was iffy on but, like I say in nearly every review, there was likely a reason for what happened and I just don't know it yet. All will probably be explained in the subsequent book(s) so I won't hold that against this book too much.
I always enjoy Missy's writing style and she did not disappoint this time. Her writing is so engaging and really pulls you in. I read this in two days and stayed up way past my bedtime to get more chapters in!
I like the characters and the setting. The pacing is good as I didn't find myself bored or rushed at any point. I definitely want to know what happens next and have realized I have less patience for waiting than I thought (but I'll do it because I have to know what happens).
There were a few minor plot points I was iffy on but, like I say in nearly every review, there was likely a reason for what happened and I just don't know it yet. All will probably be explained in the subsequent book(s) so I won't hold that against this book too much.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I enjoyed this romantasy. Kassia and Lucian were quite relatable characters, and because I'm invested in them, I am interested in knowing what happens next.
The premise of the story and what is going on in the kingdom is interesting, but it definitely needs more world building. I would like to know more about the differences between the Fae, what's going on with the dragon shifters, and the Fallen Knight. I feel like this would lend more weight to the book.
However, the characters are interesting enough to keep me invested even without sufficient world building, and I'm hopeful for more depth in the next book.
The premise of the story and what is going on in the kingdom is interesting, but it definitely needs more world building. I would like to know more about the differences between the Fae, what's going on with the dragon shifters, and the Fallen Knight. I feel like this would lend more weight to the book.
However, the characters are interesting enough to keep me invested even without sufficient world building, and I'm hopeful for more depth in the next book.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Hooked from the beginning! Kassia starts out as a strong woman who isnt afraid to stick up for others. After the announcement of bridal trials for the Demon King to select a queen, she finds herself traveling back to Shadow City, the place where her parents were killed.
The relationship between Kassia and Lucien will have your heart melting, thighs squeezing, then tears flowing. All the characters are easily relatable though you may have more questions about a few of them by the end. Hope to learn more in book 2.
So many secrets are hidden and plots unfurl throughout these pages. I could not put it down.
I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The relationship between Kassia and Lucien will have your heart melting, thighs squeezing, then tears flowing. All the characters are easily relatable though you may have more questions about a few of them by the end. Hope to learn more in book 2.
So many secrets are hidden and plots unfurl throughout these pages. I could not put it down.
I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 26, 2026
Shadow magic, forbidden romance and a heroine who isn’t afraid to challenge and step up. Yes, please! This was such an entertaining read, with plenty of tension to keep me reading.
I really enjoyed the dynamic between the main characters (even if the FMC drove me a little crazy sometimes). The bridal trials added another layer of drama and made everything feel even more complicated. There was plenty to keep me invested!
Some of the fae lineage/magic and world-building took a little time to sort out, but once I found my footing, I was caught up in the story. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens in book two!
Thank you for the ARC!
I really enjoyed the dynamic between the main characters (even if the FMC drove me a little crazy sometimes). The bridal trials added another layer of drama and made everything feel even more complicated. There was plenty to keep me invested!
Some of the fae lineage/magic and world-building took a little time to sort out, but once I found my footing, I was caught up in the story. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens in book two!
Thank you for the ARC!
October 27, 2026
Initially, the story reminded me a little too much of Throne of Glass, and I wasn't sure if I was dealing with a knock-off or not. Despite that initial response, though, I had to remind myself that when you read a lot of books about Fae, it's natural for there to be similarities. BUT, as I kept reading, the story did take some very interesting turns and could very much stand on its own feet. The author surprised me with how she wrote some of the characters and their relationships, as well as the plot twists she incorporated.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and I am looking forward to seeing what happens next in book 2.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and I am looking forward to seeing what happens next in book 2.
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