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Faeblood Unbroken
The siphons take what they want.
The faeblood blame them for everything.
And I am aware of none of it, content to bartend at Celestial Nights and spend weekends with my roommate Leafy and cheap bottles of tequila. But, when a woman with golden eyes and an electric touch sparks my world into embers and challenges everything I thought I knew about myself, a forgotten piece of home returns and leaves me at a perilous crossroads.
Zarina Sinclair now holds my heart between stiletto nails, and my own reckless curiosity yearns to see what she’ll do with it. Despite myths of smoke and shadows, her dangerous world beckons me closer, pleads with me to see beyond the darkness—perhaps home can only be found in oblivion.
Vampires and fae collide in the sapphic slowburn and fantasy romance Faeblood Unbroken, the thrilling and tender first installment in Alyiah Marie Gonzales' debut series, The Faeblood Chronicles.
The faeblood blame them for everything.
And I am aware of none of it, content to bartend at Celestial Nights and spend weekends with my roommate Leafy and cheap bottles of tequila. But, when a woman with golden eyes and an electric touch sparks my world into embers and challenges everything I thought I knew about myself, a forgotten piece of home returns and leaves me at a perilous crossroads.
Zarina Sinclair now holds my heart between stiletto nails, and my own reckless curiosity yearns to see what she’ll do with it. Despite myths of smoke and shadows, her dangerous world beckons me closer, pleads with me to see beyond the darkness—perhaps home can only be found in oblivion.
Vampires and fae collide in the sapphic slowburn and fantasy romance Faeblood Unbroken, the thrilling and tender first installment in Alyiah Marie Gonzales' debut series, The Faeblood Chronicles.
333 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 31, 2021
18 people are currently reading
889 people want to read
About the author
Alyiah Gonzales
1 book32 followersAlyiah Gonzales (she/they) is an unhinged zillenial who spends most of their time escaping into fantasy through both reading and writing. Iced Coffees, mean cats, and colorful hair make up the bulk of Alyiah's life.
Alyiah injects heavy doses of romance and fantasy into her creative fiction and plans to continue producing more Black, queer, fantasy fiction well into the future.
Want to know more? Alyiah can be found on patreon, tiktok, and instagram via the linktree below:
https://linktr.ee/alyiahgonzales
Also feel free to reach out to her at authoralyiahgonzales@gmail.com
Alyiah injects heavy doses of romance and fantasy into her creative fiction and plans to continue producing more Black, queer, fantasy fiction well into the future.
Want to know more? Alyiah can be found on patreon, tiktok, and instagram via the linktree below:
https://linktr.ee/alyiahgonzales
Also feel free to reach out to her at authoralyiahgonzales@gmail.com
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
June 14, 2021
i need the sequel yesterday
July 4, 2021
I SCREAM !
The angst.
The slow-burn sapphic romance with that good, good trope of the two love interests not being able to make physical contact for *magical* reasons.
The new take on vampire lore alongside a more traditional approach to Fae lore.
Ugh😭
I'm so excited to see what this series brings.
Content warnings: This is an Adult Fantasy novel - brief sexual content, off-page death of a loved one, reference off-page to sexual assault + reference to off-page sexual assault attempt, violence.
The angst.
The slow-burn sapphic romance with that good, good trope of the two love interests not being able to make physical contact for *magical* reasons.
The new take on vampire lore alongside a more traditional approach to Fae lore.
Ugh😭
I'm so excited to see what this series brings.
Content warnings: This is an Adult Fantasy novel - brief sexual content, off-page death of a loved one, reference off-page to sexual assault + reference to off-page sexual assault attempt, violence.
June 25, 2021
I think Faeblood Unbroken did exactly what it was supposed to do being a new book!! Putting the fact that this story surrounds vampires/siphons and fae aside, reading it truly felt like a breath of fresh air. It had amazing pacing, likeable characters and so many fun little twists and turns.
Wow, I really enjoyed reading this! THE ENDING??! OMG I can't wait for book 2!
Wow, I really enjoyed reading this! THE ENDING??! OMG I can't wait for book 2!
May 25, 2021
This book roped me in so quickly and just took me along for the ride. The pacing was fantastic. The way we get introduced to the world and the magic system, along with the main character, makes the world-building very easy to digest and understand. I loved these characters and the ending had me on the edge of my seat. I am so excited for the next book and cannot wait to see more by this author.
August 20, 2021
i literally ate this up in a few hours when i read it and i still think ab it all the time. give me the sequel now 😤
April 11, 2021
Entering Faeblood Unbroken as an outsider to the genre and its conventions, I needed a lot to go right for me to buy into the novel. I needed memorable characters, I needed their story to pull me forward, and I needed the world they lived in to be grounded and comprehensible but also teeming with possibility and intrigue. And, as with anything I read or watch, I needed some element to resonate beyond the pages as well, a theme or an idea that transcended the fantasy and romance already present. Despite this high bar, I am thrilled to say that Gonzales’ debut novel delivers all of it and more.
Elyria, a twenty-something bartender in Oregon recently fled her childhood home amid a growing rift with her parents. Enjoying space and a simple life with her earthy-friend Leafy, the two hit the clubs one night and find themself entwined with the lounge owners, the golden-eyed Sinclair siblings: arrogant Cyrus, the WORD Zarec, and the alluring Zarina, the latter two twins. Elyria finds the trio familiar and with just cause: the four of them grew up together, a fact that all seem to remember except Elyria. What follows is a whirlwind of dangerous deception and slow-burning romance, with mystery lurking as Elyria tries to uncover the true nature of her world and her identity, while pulled ever closer to the Sinclairs.
Although the world does inevitably fill with all manner of supernatural creatures, Faeblood Unbroken takes place in a grounded world which went a long way toward inviting me in. We know the settings of Elyria’s world—grimy bars, ear-splitting clubs, coffee shops and kickboxing classes—so, as her world’s radius expands, we too struggle to make sense of it alongside her. There’s a lot to unpack and a lot that gets unpacked, but Gonzales doles it out at a reasonable pace that lets the world build into a coherent one despite radical alterations from the one we expected.
Populating that works are a series of characters that each merit their time on the page. Elyria is the primary figure, narrating her journey from pouring drinks to the front lines of a looming supernatural conflict, and she is the relatable center the packed novel needs. Zarina is a perfect love interest, confident and inviting but also uncertain, still navigating the fallout of the distant past forgotten only by Elyria. Cyrus is familiar in his loathsomeness, smug and condescending but also obviously attracted to Elyria, making him a detestable cipher lurking and scheming, while Leafy is the best friend and early guide as Elyria first enters this intimidating new world and Zarec adds greater dimension to this new world, demonstrating that diverse views transcend species and realm.
Primarily, Faeblood Unbroken is a fantasy romance—I can’t deny that—but I appreciated that it was far more than that as well. Nearly every character—the pure-hearted, the mysterious, and the villainous—are persons of color and/or members of the LGBTQ+ community, which has not been the case for the supernatural romance I’ve read before (Is it almost all Twilight? Not ALL of it...ok, maybe) and that representation matters here as it continues to in film and on television. Moreover, it struck me on my read through just how much Elyria’s experience parallels navigating one’s early twenties even in a world without siphons and fae: every day and every decision seemingly expands our world as new responsibilities and understandings emerge. Elyria’s constant confusion, her never-ending battle between her faded, foggy past and the dangerous world looming in front of her, filled with people who may or may not have her best interests in mind—this is being twenty-two when every decision reverberates forward into the lengthy future that follows. Time and again, we watch Elyria get yanked around by others and by her emerging command of a world that looks identical to her old one but suddenly has wisps of smoke and malignant creatures on the periphery, and that further grounds the novel in a way that only makes it more compelling.
This is a long novel with some hardy chapters, but the world Gonzales crafted begs for more and, unsurprisingly, a second novel is in the works. But there’s a bit of something for everyone here in a story with supernatural characters set in a supernatural-infused Oregon but that is, a suspect, a bit more universal than its genre and synopsis might initially suggest.
I look forward to what comes next.
Elyria, a twenty-something bartender in Oregon recently fled her childhood home amid a growing rift with her parents. Enjoying space and a simple life with her earthy-friend Leafy, the two hit the clubs one night and find themself entwined with the lounge owners, the golden-eyed Sinclair siblings: arrogant Cyrus, the WORD Zarec, and the alluring Zarina, the latter two twins. Elyria finds the trio familiar and with just cause: the four of them grew up together, a fact that all seem to remember except Elyria. What follows is a whirlwind of dangerous deception and slow-burning romance, with mystery lurking as Elyria tries to uncover the true nature of her world and her identity, while pulled ever closer to the Sinclairs.
Although the world does inevitably fill with all manner of supernatural creatures, Faeblood Unbroken takes place in a grounded world which went a long way toward inviting me in. We know the settings of Elyria’s world—grimy bars, ear-splitting clubs, coffee shops and kickboxing classes—so, as her world’s radius expands, we too struggle to make sense of it alongside her. There’s a lot to unpack and a lot that gets unpacked, but Gonzales doles it out at a reasonable pace that lets the world build into a coherent one despite radical alterations from the one we expected.
Populating that works are a series of characters that each merit their time on the page. Elyria is the primary figure, narrating her journey from pouring drinks to the front lines of a looming supernatural conflict, and she is the relatable center the packed novel needs. Zarina is a perfect love interest, confident and inviting but also uncertain, still navigating the fallout of the distant past forgotten only by Elyria. Cyrus is familiar in his loathsomeness, smug and condescending but also obviously attracted to Elyria, making him a detestable cipher lurking and scheming, while Leafy is the best friend and early guide as Elyria first enters this intimidating new world and Zarec adds greater dimension to this new world, demonstrating that diverse views transcend species and realm.
Primarily, Faeblood Unbroken is a fantasy romance—I can’t deny that—but I appreciated that it was far more than that as well. Nearly every character—the pure-hearted, the mysterious, and the villainous—are persons of color and/or members of the LGBTQ+ community, which has not been the case for the supernatural romance I’ve read before (Is it almost all Twilight? Not ALL of it...ok, maybe) and that representation matters here as it continues to in film and on television. Moreover, it struck me on my read through just how much Elyria’s experience parallels navigating one’s early twenties even in a world without siphons and fae: every day and every decision seemingly expands our world as new responsibilities and understandings emerge. Elyria’s constant confusion, her never-ending battle between her faded, foggy past and the dangerous world looming in front of her, filled with people who may or may not have her best interests in mind—this is being twenty-two when every decision reverberates forward into the lengthy future that follows. Time and again, we watch Elyria get yanked around by others and by her emerging command of a world that looks identical to her old one but suddenly has wisps of smoke and malignant creatures on the periphery, and that further grounds the novel in a way that only makes it more compelling.
This is a long novel with some hardy chapters, but the world Gonzales crafted begs for more and, unsurprisingly, a second novel is in the works. But there’s a bit of something for everyone here in a story with supernatural characters set in a supernatural-infused Oregon but that is, a suspect, a bit more universal than its genre and synopsis might initially suggest.
I look forward to what comes next.
February 14, 2022
CW: alcohol, grief, blood, sexual content
I LOVE the direction this series is going. I think I’m grappling with the world building as most things seem present day—and realistic beyond what the characters actually are. I also feel like we kind of glazed over their paranormal existence without much build up to the grand reveals or context. It feels like more world building will HAVE to occur in book two. The imagery was so vivid and I felt immersed in Elyria’s dreams. Really excited to see where this series goes. WE LOVE SAPPHIC FAE AND VAMPS IN THIS HOUSE!!
I LOVE the direction this series is going. I think I’m grappling with the world building as most things seem present day—and realistic beyond what the characters actually are. I also feel like we kind of glazed over their paranormal existence without much build up to the grand reveals or context. It feels like more world building will HAVE to occur in book two. The imagery was so vivid and I felt immersed in Elyria’s dreams. Really excited to see where this series goes. WE LOVE SAPPHIC FAE AND VAMPS IN THIS HOUSE!!
May 24, 2021
Oh my god. When I tell you that I am AMAZED. I'm in love with this book. *Bangs credit card on table* can I pretty please have the arc for book 2????
I love all of the characters ESPECIALLY Elyria and I love the character development and the world development, but the ENDING????? oh honey you can't just leave me like that. But like, Go best friend thats my best friend! This was Amazing, Alyiah, sincerely! Can't wait for book two!
I love all of the characters ESPECIALLY Elyria and I love the character development and the world development, but the ENDING????? oh honey you can't just leave me like that. But like, Go best friend thats my best friend! This was Amazing, Alyiah, sincerely! Can't wait for book two!
April 4, 2021
A wonderful book with so many fun twists and turns. Great for the sapphic sick of the tired tropes in wlw stories of boring plot lines or eager to enjoy some quality fantasy. I read it in a few days because I just couldn’t put it down. I’m obsessed.
April 7, 2021
A page-turner that I couldn't put down.
The world building was effortless - the main character was fantastic. Despite the story revolving around fae and vampires (siphons) not one moment of it didn't feel real and authentic. A great debut!
The world building was effortless - the main character was fantastic. Despite the story revolving around fae and vampires (siphons) not one moment of it didn't feel real and authentic. A great debut!
April 11, 2021
Um yes!! This was 10/10. It’s something new, and the queer representation is amazing. It’s a really well written book and I can’t wait to see what comes next! I was almost late to work today because I forgot I was real for a good 50 pages and was so caught up in the book!
July 6, 2021
So much intrigue on this book! The dialog was very well done; extremely engaging, realistic, and believable. And bless the use of COMMUNICATION and lack of toxicity 🥰
I can't wait for the next one, that ending left me wanting so much more!!
I can't wait for the next one, that ending left me wanting so much more!!
April 15, 2021
I really enjoyed reading this book, the slow burn romance paired with lgbt+ fantasy was great! Definitely worth a read.
April 20, 2022
This was such an enticing story from start to finish! I found myself losing time while indulged in this book.
The fact that my attention span wasn’t fighting for it’s life while reading this book just goes to show just how engaging the writing is!
The characters are relatable in how they just want to find themself and learn about their culture (something I can relate to) and the relationship building was *chefs kiss* the tension was done so well! I look forward to the next book and to see where the story of Ely goes next!
Amazing book!! :)
The fact that my attention span wasn’t fighting for it’s life while reading this book just goes to show just how engaging the writing is!
The characters are relatable in how they just want to find themself and learn about their culture (something I can relate to) and the relationship building was *chefs kiss* the tension was done so well! I look forward to the next book and to see where the story of Ely goes next!
Amazing book!! :)
September 2, 2021
A good, quick gay read but could be a bit better
It's about dang time we got Sapphic fantasy poc. I like the plot and the characters. The only thing I kinda had issue with was how quickly the characters seemed to go back and forward on how they felt about one another within the span of 2 days. And I'm gonna need them to stop taking shots when going on undercover missions.
Other than that I liked reading this and I cannot wait for the sequel.
It's about dang time we got Sapphic fantasy poc. I like the plot and the characters. The only thing I kinda had issue with was how quickly the characters seemed to go back and forward on how they felt about one another within the span of 2 days. And I'm gonna need them to stop taking shots when going on undercover missions.
Other than that I liked reading this and I cannot wait for the sequel.
April 15, 2021
An incredible book with fantastic writing. This was my first romance novel I’ve ever read but I didn’t expect to also get an amazing world building sci fy/ fantasy read out of this too!?! But of course don’t let the fantasy part of it make you think it won’t be a romance book, it is for sure a slow burn with some great spicy scenes. What I also love is the air of mystery it has! Overall, Gonzales’ writing is so immersive and just so great, not often have I read writing like theirs! This book left me wanting more!!!! I very much recommend this book. I am so incredibly excited to see what Gonzales releases next.
March 4, 2022
This book is great.
Elyria Rose is a small town bartender seemingly content with the quiet life. Enter tall sexy mysterious stranger, Zarina Sinclair, that feels familiar somehow? Obviously, we are immediately attracted. As their lives intertwine we get lies and truths, all sorts of cool abilities, memories that were hidden away, all of the risks and all of the dangers, fancy cocktails, the power of friendship!, clever dumb overconfident boys, and a sapphic slow burn for the ages. Also, PLANT MAGIC. Always a personal favorite. (:
It has a super cool take on the supernatural world. All of the characters grab your attention (+ your hearts) and are left room for growth and back stories that I can't wait to read more of in the upcoming sequel! I can't recommend this book enough.<3
Elyria Rose is a small town bartender seemingly content with the quiet life. Enter tall sexy mysterious stranger, Zarina Sinclair, that feels familiar somehow? Obviously, we are immediately attracted. As their lives intertwine we get lies and truths, all sorts of cool abilities, memories that were hidden away, all of the risks and all of the dangers, fancy cocktails, the power of friendship!, clever dumb overconfident boys, and a sapphic slow burn for the ages. Also, PLANT MAGIC. Always a personal favorite. (:
It has a super cool take on the supernatural world. All of the characters grab your attention (+ your hearts) and are left room for growth and back stories that I can't wait to read more of in the upcoming sequel! I can't recommend this book enough.<3
March 29, 2022
I feel bad giving a negative review to a debut novel - especially one with such promise. But I truly didn’t enjoy this book. Maybe it will suit others.
There is a lot of explosition of world building, all jammed in together in very little time. So much relies on just info dumping on the reader. Plus there’s constantly threads being dropped and stuff coming out of random nowhere-
I did finish, and I really hope this author improves with the rest of the series, because there is a lot of potential being left on the table
There is a lot of explosition of world building, all jammed in together in very little time. So much relies on just info dumping on the reader. Plus there’s constantly threads being dropped and stuff coming out of random nowhere-
I did finish, and I really hope this author improves with the rest of the series, because there is a lot of potential being left on the table
September 3, 2025
DNF for me
The elements were right, but it didn’t work for me. I think if it was modified it could be a kick ass short story. But for me the details were in the wrong places; too much in things that didn’t matter or drug on, and missing in ways that got me to believe in the chemistry and characters. Hopeful for future writings as the writer develops tho! Values and interests align, so will swing around and try another in the future.
The elements were right, but it didn’t work for me. I think if it was modified it could be a kick ass short story. But for me the details were in the wrong places; too much in things that didn’t matter or drug on, and missing in ways that got me to believe in the chemistry and characters. Hopeful for future writings as the writer develops tho! Values and interests align, so will swing around and try another in the future.
February 9, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️.75/5
A very fun and quick read! Sapphic slow burn Vampires/Fae & it was very enjoyable! My only critique is at times the writing felt a little first drafty & I don’t know that the world/characters felt fully realized, but it was still really entertaining & was exactly what it said it’d be!
A very fun and quick read! Sapphic slow burn Vampires/Fae & it was very enjoyable! My only critique is at times the writing felt a little first drafty & I don’t know that the world/characters felt fully realized, but it was still really entertaining & was exactly what it said it’d be!
October 21, 2022
I wanted to love this book so badly, but it just fell flat. All of the concepts were incredible, but were rushed / underdeveloped. It almost read like the second book in a series, as opposed to the first one.
March 31, 2023
Elyria is great main character. This is a friends to lovers / second chance romance. Great world building and interesting lore. The book starts off slow but is worth finishing. I can’t wait until the next installment.
February 9, 2022
Can't wait for the sequel
March 5, 2022
This flopped for me. Couldn’t get into it. Didn’t like the characters. Honestly a bit boring. Sorry.
October 29, 2021
THAT ENDING?! What?!
I had such a fun time reading this adult sapphic fantasy! Elyria and Zarina have stolen my heart. I can't get over the ending and how I'll have no idea what happens until 2022. I know it'll be worth the wait though.
Things I liked:
•sapphic romance with steam!!!
•the different take on vampire lore
•Faeblood characters
•dream weaving aspect was really cool
•Leafy is someone I want to be best friends with
Give this book a chance if you're looking for a fantasy with lots of lyrical writing and an interesting paranormal world to learn about.
"You tell me this like darkness isn't bathed in moonlight, as if shadows don't exist in the spaces sunlight touches. Nothing is so simple, Zarina." My fingers lingered are the corner of her parted lips, "especially not you."
I had such a fun time reading this adult sapphic fantasy! Elyria and Zarina have stolen my heart. I can't get over the ending and how I'll have no idea what happens until 2022. I know it'll be worth the wait though.
Things I liked:
•sapphic romance with steam!!!
•the different take on vampire lore
•Faeblood characters
•dream weaving aspect was really cool
•Leafy is someone I want to be best friends with
Give this book a chance if you're looking for a fantasy with lots of lyrical writing and an interesting paranormal world to learn about.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews