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The Heiress of Gaia
Tales of a witch, a curse, and an assassination travel between the warring kingdoms of Gaia and Klymora… But only one person has discovered the truth about all three.
Ayne Edelweiss is the heiress of Gaia, with her mind constantly focused on betrothals, etiquette, and living up to her mother’s expectations, she has little time to consider trivial things such as friends and adventure.
That is until she’s whisked away to the enemy’s palace…where she meets Talin, a desolate prince hiding behind a mask of smiles. Talin acts as a shield between his mother’s angry threats and stubborn-headed Ayne, determined to protect her no matter the cost.
But the cost might just be an alliance of marriage… An appalling idea to one, and a bashfully appealing idea to the other.
With lies, magic, and murder causing mayhem in Ayne’s life…who can she really trust?
Ayne Edelweiss is the heiress of Gaia, with her mind constantly focused on betrothals, etiquette, and living up to her mother’s expectations, she has little time to consider trivial things such as friends and adventure.
That is until she’s whisked away to the enemy’s palace…where she meets Talin, a desolate prince hiding behind a mask of smiles. Talin acts as a shield between his mother’s angry threats and stubborn-headed Ayne, determined to protect her no matter the cost.
But the cost might just be an alliance of marriage… An appalling idea to one, and a bashfully appealing idea to the other.
With lies, magic, and murder causing mayhem in Ayne’s life…who can she really trust?
243 pages, Paperback
Published January 2, 2022
2 people are currently reading
29 people want to read
About the author
Daphne Paige
10 books40 followersDaphne Paige has always loved writing; watching and learning from her mother, who’s also a writer. With the majority of her time spent writing, the breaks between stories makes her remember she has an actual life away from her characters.
During those breaks, she loves to play video games, hangout with her various pets, and watch classic black and white films with her family.
Daphne lives in Oregon helping her family with their popcorn business, operating her small press, Popcorn Publishing, and playing with her puppy, Gimli.
Daphne is active on Instagram and TikTok under the handle @daphne.paige.books
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
April 28, 2022
This book was such a fun read! The descriptive writing made it easy to fall in love with this world and the characters. I loved seeing such young characters grow and figure themselves out despite the image they had always grown to know from their parents. Ayne's constant push towards freedom for not only her but those around her kept me turning the page! My opinions on Talin changed as much as Ayne's did and that made me feel a part of the story, his growth was amazing and hey, he's kind of adorable. The mystery and a few shocking plot twists have left me so excited for where this series is going! But if anything happens to Caz I will be throwing my Kindle across the room.
December 22, 2023
This was such a fun, delightful read. Paige paints such a simple, yet beautiful story between these pages. Once I started, I couldn’t get enough. The characters and the plot were both so well crafted and it was written in a way that made it accessible and easy to read. I’m looking forward to reading book two. Hopefully soon! I always love reading short books that feel longer but don’t take long to read.
January 15, 2023
[this review does contain spoilers]
This book kept me entertained, so that’s a plus XD
The characters are well written and interesting, and the plot is multi-faceted and intriguing. I really like the theme of Ayne’s determination to free all the slaves and be a good queen for her people. The murder mystery aspect is also interesting.
I did feel like Ayne and Talin were a little young for what was happening - she’s 13 and he’s 14 and they’re planning to have the wedding at his next birthday? That’s a little concerning to me ;-;
I get that it’s middle grade, so 13 and 14 are near the age of the intended readers, but idk…in my personal opinion, that’s a little young for romance. Still, the circumstances in the book do make it make some sense; it’s not really by Ayne’s choice.
Content warnings: no curse words! Love that! /gen
This is a very clean MG book. There are slight references to violence and abuse; there is a scene with battle wounds, but it wasn’t heavy. One caveat: there is magic/witchcraft and the characters worship a goddess so like if that bothers you, be aware of that.
Overall, this is a well-written MG book!
This book kept me entertained, so that’s a plus XD
The characters are well written and interesting, and the plot is multi-faceted and intriguing. I really like the theme of Ayne’s determination to free all the slaves and be a good queen for her people. The murder mystery aspect is also interesting.
I did feel like Ayne and Talin were a little young for what was happening - she’s 13 and he’s 14 and they’re planning to have the wedding at his next birthday? That’s a little concerning to me ;-;
I get that it’s middle grade, so 13 and 14 are near the age of the intended readers, but idk…in my personal opinion, that’s a little young for romance. Still, the circumstances in the book do make it make some sense; it’s not really by Ayne’s choice.
Content warnings: no curse words! Love that! /gen
This is a very clean MG book. There are slight references to violence and abuse; there is a scene with battle wounds, but it wasn’t heavy. One caveat: there is magic/witchcraft and the characters worship a goddess so like if that bothers you, be aware of that.
Overall, this is a well-written MG book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 6, 2025
Wonderful book without chilly peppers. After all, the characters are too young for that type of thing. It's a cozy read with adventure built in. I love the little gerbil companion. I read this in paperback and loved it so much that I got the hardcover version when it came out, too.
February 2, 2023
Estanova: Don’t tell anyone about your powers
Ayne: You said tell everyone about my powers?
Ayne: You said tell everyone about my powers?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 2, 2023
Such an amazing read ! Love all of the fantasy!
Currently reading
August 12, 2025Currently reading this one!! The cover is BEAUTIFUL! Updating this review soon, but I’m lovin it so far.
October 15, 2024
A real cross-section of genres… with a compelling story!
I had read “Jess” by this author before diving into the Kingdom & Curses series. This was different in several ways. It really is a blend of genres. At times it reads like fantasy, sometimes more of a YA vibe, sometimes historical fiction, sometimes more of a medieval romance. I liked the way Paige very consistently writes in the present tense, and I was relieved to see how each chapter wasn’t a constant character POV switch (I’ve noticed that’s a popular style nowadays… chapter one is called “Bob” and it’s told in Bob’s POV, then chapter two is “Sally” and it’s Sally’s POV, and so on… I find it harder to follow the plot; this book avoids this approach… thank you!). Looking forward to more in the series.
I had read “Jess” by this author before diving into the Kingdom & Curses series. This was different in several ways. It really is a blend of genres. At times it reads like fantasy, sometimes more of a YA vibe, sometimes historical fiction, sometimes more of a medieval romance. I liked the way Paige very consistently writes in the present tense, and I was relieved to see how each chapter wasn’t a constant character POV switch (I’ve noticed that’s a popular style nowadays… chapter one is called “Bob” and it’s told in Bob’s POV, then chapter two is “Sally” and it’s Sally’s POV, and so on… I find it harder to follow the plot; this book avoids this approach… thank you!). Looking forward to more in the series.
May 2, 2025
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
I wrote this book when I was 16, pushing past the cruel hands of self doubt. All I wanted to do was create a story with an immersive world, intriguing characters, and show the growth of a 13-year-old princess as she struggles with her obligation to her family and her obligation to herself. Caz, the main character's gerbil companion, is based on my own gerbil I had when writing this book. This story has bits and pieces of my heart etched between each sentence and I hope you enjoy it 💜
A Little Content Guide/TWs:
- a bit of romance
- battle wounds
- clean language
I wrote this book when I was 16, pushing past the cruel hands of self doubt. All I wanted to do was create a story with an immersive world, intriguing characters, and show the growth of a 13-year-old princess as she struggles with her obligation to her family and her obligation to herself. Caz, the main character's gerbil companion, is based on my own gerbil I had when writing this book. This story has bits and pieces of my heart etched between each sentence and I hope you enjoy it 💜
A Little Content Guide/TWs:
- a bit of romance
- battle wounds
- clean language
May 19, 2024
This is a great book from an up and coming author. It's a fun story following a young princess as she tries to navigate her royal role and her teenage emotions. With her Gerbil companion by her side she travels to another kingdom and her life changes forever. Magic, friendship and loyalty all in one. What a great book to start this series. Love it.
February 18, 2024
What a charming, quick fantasy read.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews