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The Book of All Things #5
The Claw and the Crowned
Freedom is her desire. Vengeance is his price.
Slip into this scintillating tale of a young royal whose loyalty is torn between the prince she was sold to and the tempestuous knight determined to ruin her.
Imryll is unfit to be a princess. Everyone has always told her so. So when the king stuns everyone by crowning her the prince’s consort, her life is completely upended, crushing any lingering dreams of a future away from the suffocating Rhiagain court.
Still reeling from the news, she meets Drazhan, the formidable, mercurial knight who wins the right to be her personal guard. But when he defiantly refuses any show of respect, a dangerous spark ignites between them, one she doesn’t know how to extinguish. Worse, she’s not sure she wants to.
The dark knight’s licentious midnight whispers linger over her, commands she feels inexplicably called to obey. His dangerous promises spread their tendrils over her desperate, failed attempts to embrace life with the prince, her childhood best friend. They take her apart and put her back together, piece by agonizing piece.
Yet she can’t shake the sense Drazhan is hiding something important. He refuses to explain why he surrendered a life of privilege to become her guard. The roaring vengeance burning in his heart, scorching him from the inside out, is a painful mystery Imryll can’t solve.
But she will.
Because Drazhan’s revenge doesn’t just start with Imryll.
It ends with her.
__
The Book of All Things is a series of standalone fantasy romance tales set in the vibrant, epic world first introduced by USA Today Bestselling Author Sarah M. Cradit in the Kingdom of the White Sea trilogy.
The Claw and the Crownedis the first story in the Sceptre Cycle of The Book of All Things.
The Sceptre Cycle:
Stolen thrones, love triangles, arranged marriages, and fractured duty from the descendants of Ilynglass (high heat)
The Claw and the Crowned
The Duke and the Disciple
Slip into this scintillating tale of a young royal whose loyalty is torn between the prince she was sold to and the tempestuous knight determined to ruin her.
Imryll is unfit to be a princess. Everyone has always told her so. So when the king stuns everyone by crowning her the prince’s consort, her life is completely upended, crushing any lingering dreams of a future away from the suffocating Rhiagain court.
Still reeling from the news, she meets Drazhan, the formidable, mercurial knight who wins the right to be her personal guard. But when he defiantly refuses any show of respect, a dangerous spark ignites between them, one she doesn’t know how to extinguish. Worse, she’s not sure she wants to.
The dark knight’s licentious midnight whispers linger over her, commands she feels inexplicably called to obey. His dangerous promises spread their tendrils over her desperate, failed attempts to embrace life with the prince, her childhood best friend. They take her apart and put her back together, piece by agonizing piece.
Yet she can’t shake the sense Drazhan is hiding something important. He refuses to explain why he surrendered a life of privilege to become her guard. The roaring vengeance burning in his heart, scorching him from the inside out, is a painful mystery Imryll can’t solve.
But she will.
Because Drazhan’s revenge doesn’t just start with Imryll.
It ends with her.
__
The Book of All Things is a series of standalone fantasy romance tales set in the vibrant, epic world first introduced by USA Today Bestselling Author Sarah M. Cradit in the Kingdom of the White Sea trilogy.
The Claw and the Crownedis the first story in the Sceptre Cycle of The Book of All Things.
The Sceptre Cycle:
Stolen thrones, love triangles, arranged marriages, and fractured duty from the descendants of Ilynglass (high heat)
The Claw and the Crowned
The Duke and the Disciple
550 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 3, 2023
42 people are currently reading
1816 people want to read
About the author
Sarah M. Cradit
99 books899 followersSarah is the USA Today and International Bestselling Author of over forty contemporary and epic fantasy stories, and the creator of the Kingdom of the White Sea and Saga of Crimson & Clover universes.
Born a geek, Sarah spends her time crafting rich and multilayered worlds, obsessing over history, playing her retribution paladin (and sometimes destruction warlock), and settling provocative Tolkien debates, such as why the Great Eagles are not Gandalf's personal taxi service. Passionate about travel, she's been to over twenty countries collecting sparks of inspiration, and is always planning her next adventure.
Sarah and her husband live in a beautiful corner of SE Pennsylvania with their three tiny benevolent pug dictators.
Connect with Sarah:
sarahmcradit.com
Instagram: @sarahmcradit
Facebook: @sarahmcradit
Born a geek, Sarah spends her time crafting rich and multilayered worlds, obsessing over history, playing her retribution paladin (and sometimes destruction warlock), and settling provocative Tolkien debates, such as why the Great Eagles are not Gandalf's personal taxi service. Passionate about travel, she's been to over twenty countries collecting sparks of inspiration, and is always planning her next adventure.
Sarah and her husband live in a beautiful corner of SE Pennsylvania with their three tiny benevolent pug dictators.
Connect with Sarah:
sarahmcradit.com
Instagram: @sarahmcradit
Facebook: @sarahmcradit
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews
November 20, 2022
”I knew you were a good girl.” 🤤 Ser Wynter, take me.
Read
January 6, 2023DNF
I did not finish this book, so I'm not here to judge the level of smut, but it seemed to be headed into the excessive realm. I feel like authors read our reviews saying we LOVE smut and go "you want smut, I'll give you smut!" and then proceed to write the raunchiest most graphic smut that makes us question our own morals. Like, WHOA we said we wanted smut, we didn't say we wanted THAT...
Anyway, like I said, just based on the first interaction of the MCs I could tell we were going down the road of over the top smut that just doesn't hold appeal or is grounded in any reality. It's just not attractive to me, personally. Call me a prude, but some of this stuff is straight up gross....
I did not finish this book, so I'm not here to judge the level of smut, but it seemed to be headed into the excessive realm. I feel like authors read our reviews saying we LOVE smut and go "you want smut, I'll give you smut!" and then proceed to write the raunchiest most graphic smut that makes us question our own morals. Like, WHOA we said we wanted smut, we didn't say we wanted THAT...
Anyway, like I said, just based on the first interaction of the MCs I could tell we were going down the road of over the top smut that just doesn't hold appeal or is grounded in any reality. It's just not attractive to me, personally. Call me a prude, but some of this stuff is straight up gross....
January 18, 2023
DNF at 39%
Hero is a bodyguard. Heroine is a princess. Fantasy world sounds cool. The promise of a smut. On the surface, The Claw and the Crowned checks off my fantasy romance trope list, but this did not work for me.
The characterization was shallow and limited, and I didn't think it was going to get better.
Everyone is a fool except for the hero who is a dark, brooding man who is superior to everyone.
Do you see why I stopped?
The heroine is weak. I say this as someone who enjoys problematic heroines. I have cheered for hot mess heroines, for heroines who are selfish, petty because the author is so good at making her actions align with her thought process. This heroine has no power to talk back to a bodyguard. Like come on.
The bodyguard hero has a negging quality to him that I don't find attractive the way dark bully hero can be: he expresses his disgust at her for being just like one of those royals. They were in a private conversation and something just tips him off. The heroine sort of just takes it instead of telling him where he can shove it.
The OM is also ineffectual. A pet peeve is when authors create an OM character but neutralize him as a threat by making it clear the heroine does not desire him, and that the hero is also not confident, or too Nice Guy vibes.
Hero is a bodyguard. Heroine is a princess. Fantasy world sounds cool. The promise of a smut. On the surface, The Claw and the Crowned checks off my fantasy romance trope list, but this did not work for me.
The characterization was shallow and limited, and I didn't think it was going to get better.
Everyone is a fool except for the hero who is a dark, brooding man who is superior to everyone.
Do you see why I stopped?
The heroine is weak. I say this as someone who enjoys problematic heroines. I have cheered for hot mess heroines, for heroines who are selfish, petty because the author is so good at making her actions align with her thought process. This heroine has no power to talk back to a bodyguard. Like come on.
The bodyguard hero has a negging quality to him that I don't find attractive the way dark bully hero can be: he expresses his disgust at her for being just like one of those royals. They were in a private conversation and something just tips him off. The heroine sort of just takes it instead of telling him where he can shove it.
The OM is also ineffectual. A pet peeve is when authors create an OM character but neutralize him as a threat by making it clear the heroine does not desire him, and that the hero is also not confident, or too Nice Guy vibes.
November 26, 2022
Rating: 4.5 ✨
Spice: 3 🌶 (YUP, Sarah DELIVERED)
Thank you to the author and her team for the ARC opportunity! 💜
I went into this book thinking I would enjoy it, mainly because it had many of the things I enjoy reading about: enemies to lovers, protector type of hero, forbidden love and a plot that involves a character's awakening??? Sign me up! And let me just say, Sarah M. Cradit delivered with this book for sure. She also wasn't kidding about this book being the spiciest book in the "The Book of All Things" series thus far.
Imryll, Imryll, Imryll. (if you know, you know.) I loved her, loved her from beginning to end and her DEVELOPMENT. She might be my favorite heroine of Cradit's as of now. Imryll's journey was definitely one of self discovery and growth. She is strong, fierce and so curious in the best way as well. Always longing for the freedom she thought she would never get. Yearning to expand the small world she had been in all of her life. I loved her journey and by the end the book, I felt so proud of her and it was bittersweet to finish her story.
Drazhan. Listen, this broody, dark knight stole my heart and you know what? He can KEEP it. The more we get to know him, the more we got to see how broken he was in the beginning, with only one thing in mind. Vengeance. It was beautiful to see his world expand from just that and see the happiness he could have, happiness he definitely deserved.
Drazhan was Imryll's protector, but honestly, it goes both ways. And I honestly feel like they were both exactly what the other needed, they saved each other.
There were parts of this book that made me smile, some made me cry, some made me start giggling and smile really big. There were also side characters that stole my heart and I hope to see more of, and some that I am excited to see more of in their own stories in The Sceptre cycle!
If you love broody MMCs that only have a soft spot for those he loves, this book is for you. If you love protective heroes and princess heroines, this book is for you. If you love forbidden romances, this book is definitely FOR YOU!
I hope you enjoy this new book in the "The Book of All Things" series. Cradit's writing ensnares you from the beginning and leaves you wanting more and more with every book. I truly recommend it 💜
Spice: 3 🌶 (YUP, Sarah DELIVERED)
Thank you to the author and her team for the ARC opportunity! 💜
I went into this book thinking I would enjoy it, mainly because it had many of the things I enjoy reading about: enemies to lovers, protector type of hero, forbidden love and a plot that involves a character's awakening??? Sign me up! And let me just say, Sarah M. Cradit delivered with this book for sure. She also wasn't kidding about this book being the spiciest book in the "The Book of All Things" series thus far.
Imryll, Imryll, Imryll. (if you know, you know.) I loved her, loved her from beginning to end and her DEVELOPMENT. She might be my favorite heroine of Cradit's as of now. Imryll's journey was definitely one of self discovery and growth. She is strong, fierce and so curious in the best way as well. Always longing for the freedom she thought she would never get. Yearning to expand the small world she had been in all of her life. I loved her journey and by the end the book, I felt so proud of her and it was bittersweet to finish her story.
Drazhan. Listen, this broody, dark knight stole my heart and you know what? He can KEEP it. The more we get to know him, the more we got to see how broken he was in the beginning, with only one thing in mind. Vengeance. It was beautiful to see his world expand from just that and see the happiness he could have, happiness he definitely deserved.
Drazhan was Imryll's protector, but honestly, it goes both ways. And I honestly feel like they were both exactly what the other needed, they saved each other.
There were parts of this book that made me smile, some made me cry, some made me start giggling and smile really big. There were also side characters that stole my heart and I hope to see more of, and some that I am excited to see more of in their own stories in The Sceptre cycle!
If you love broody MMCs that only have a soft spot for those he loves, this book is for you. If you love protective heroes and princess heroines, this book is for you. If you love forbidden romances, this book is definitely FOR YOU!
I hope you enjoy this new book in the "The Book of All Things" series. Cradit's writing ensnares you from the beginning and leaves you wanting more and more with every book. I truly recommend it 💜
December 3, 2022
Sarah M. Cradit is one of my favorite dark romantasy authors, and The Claw and the Crowned reaffirms why. It’s twisty, suspenseful, and spicy, and the world-building and story are super immersive. I love the character arcs and the surprising revelations, and the swoon-tastic enemies-to-lovers romance!
Imryll, the female protagonist, goes through so much over the course of the story, and I really felt for her. A strong woman with dreams of leaving the Rhiagain court, her life isn’t her own as she is picked to be the Prince’s First Chosen, which is basically a concubine. It doesn’t matter that the prince is her best friend. Imryll feels trapped, and she yearns for freedom. The story highlights how difficult it is to be a woman in this strict and unforgiving patriarchal society where your fate is decided by men and those in power, and I love how Imryll rejects and confronts the sexism she faces.
There is an interesting love triangle since Torian (the prince) is in love with Imryll, Imryll has feelings for Drazhan, and Drazhan is fighting his growing feelings for Imryll. It’s twisted and complex and further complicated by Drazhan, who wants to kill Torian and sleep with Imryll as a type of revenge.
Poor Torian! He’s so in love with Imryll, but like her, he feels trapped in a situation he can’t control or fix. I can see why he and Imryll are best friends. They are alike in many ways. However, her chemistry lies with Drazhan.
No one knows of Drazhan’s ulterior motives and the lengths he’s willing to go to avenge the deaths of his family. Using Imryll is part of his plan, but he never thought he’d grow feelings for her. Imryll and Drazhan have the most amazing chemistry, and their enemies-to-lovers romance is filled with pining, lust, hatred, confusion, lies, betrayal, growing tender feelings, and so much conflict. Often, it’s hard to tell if they hate or like each other, but the sexual tension and angst are always high. This is definitely the steamiest of the series, and I’m so not complaining. lol
This story really sinks its claws into you (pun intended). Like the other books in the series, the world-building is vivid, immersive, and unique, and there are also some pretty surprising twists and revelations. I was so curious to see what Imryll would do once she learned of them. These shocking surprises change everything she thinks she knows. And the epilogue is EVERYTHING!!!! Special thanks to Sarah M. Cradit for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.
Imryll, the female protagonist, goes through so much over the course of the story, and I really felt for her. A strong woman with dreams of leaving the Rhiagain court, her life isn’t her own as she is picked to be the Prince’s First Chosen, which is basically a concubine. It doesn’t matter that the prince is her best friend. Imryll feels trapped, and she yearns for freedom. The story highlights how difficult it is to be a woman in this strict and unforgiving patriarchal society where your fate is decided by men and those in power, and I love how Imryll rejects and confronts the sexism she faces.
There is an interesting love triangle since Torian (the prince) is in love with Imryll, Imryll has feelings for Drazhan, and Drazhan is fighting his growing feelings for Imryll. It’s twisted and complex and further complicated by Drazhan, who wants to kill Torian and sleep with Imryll as a type of revenge.
Poor Torian! He’s so in love with Imryll, but like her, he feels trapped in a situation he can’t control or fix. I can see why he and Imryll are best friends. They are alike in many ways. However, her chemistry lies with Drazhan.
No one knows of Drazhan’s ulterior motives and the lengths he’s willing to go to avenge the deaths of his family. Using Imryll is part of his plan, but he never thought he’d grow feelings for her. Imryll and Drazhan have the most amazing chemistry, and their enemies-to-lovers romance is filled with pining, lust, hatred, confusion, lies, betrayal, growing tender feelings, and so much conflict. Often, it’s hard to tell if they hate or like each other, but the sexual tension and angst are always high. This is definitely the steamiest of the series, and I’m so not complaining. lol
This story really sinks its claws into you (pun intended). Like the other books in the series, the world-building is vivid, immersive, and unique, and there are also some pretty surprising twists and revelations. I was so curious to see what Imryll would do once she learned of them. These shocking surprises change everything she thinks she knows. And the epilogue is EVERYTHING!!!! Special thanks to Sarah M. Cradit for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.
December 12, 2022
“The Claw and the Crowned” is book five in “The Book of all Things” series, by Sarah Cradit, and certainly it was the most waited 2022’s book for me. The story is also first in Scepter cycle and has truly epic vibes emanated of the night of ages in the Kingdomverse, when the Rhiagain and other nobles of the mysterious Ilynglass, alongside the powerful sorcerers Medwyn, arrived in the lands of the Kingdom of the White Sea and established their reign. However, the power of the Rhiagain dynasty is fragile and they desperately need to produce heirs to continue their bloodline, which stirs up games of interest between Duncarrow's nobility and the aristocratic Kingdom’s native families. In the midst of political intrigues, passion arises between Imryll, descendant of Ilynglass and favorite concubine of the young prince, and Drazhan, knight assigned to protect her and son of one of the native families who rebelled against the foreign dynasty and paid a high price for their revolt. Drazhan is driven by revenge and one of his plans is to seduce the prince's chosen one, tarnishing her reputation. To do this, he plays hard and gradually involves young Imryll in a dangerous and passionate liaison. What he can't stop, however, is surrendering his own heart to the determined and provocative daughter of Ilynglass, in an encounter that will threaten their lives, but also bring them closer to the much-desired freedom. The romance is intense and proves that Sarah has high potential to write scorching hot scenes. But it's just as emotional: you can't help but sympathize with the inquisitive and sensitive heroine, with all her desire for freedom and to see the world. And Drazhan is just that guy you want to give a good slap and then kiss a lot. This is the most epic of the TBOAT books to date. The worldbuilding is immersive, particularly in the details of the locations in Duncarrow and the Eastlands. Magic is present mainly in the motivations of the Medwyns, and we also learn a little more about the magical powers of the inhabitants of the kingdom, such as the alliance between witches and wolves in the Northland. I can't wait to read more stories in Scepter cycle. The tales of Duke Rahn and Tasmin promise, and there are many more characters and settings for Sarah to explore in this nook of the Kingdomverse. I just add that I would like to know more about the other Chosen of Prince Torian. I was curious about the three girls and I think they have interesting stories that could be told, who knows, in future novellas. All in all, I was completely enthralled by the book and I can't recommend it highly enough. With each story Sarah tells us, I become more fascinated and curious about the universe she created, which makes me fully agree with the subtitle she chose as a weaver of worlds.
I receive an arc by the author for a honest review.
I receive an arc by the author for a honest review.
December 12, 2022
This is my first book of the Book of All Things series and by Sarah. And now, I am going to read all the rest now to play catch up. Though I do not feel like I missed anything with this book for not reading the prior ones- the perfect standalone.
This book was spicy (the balcony scene and the chalet). The Claw and the Crowned had 3 POVs which were able to give you a good understand of what was happening as well as seeing into their minds and actions.
I enjoyed watching naive Imryll grow into a strong women throughout the book. Even though she was not allowed to make choices for herself. She was able in things that mattered- to ask for what she wanted and make choices for herself.
Drezhan Wynter was such a mysterious man in the beginning- unwilling to talk or share his stories with fellow Knights. You could see the kind of person he truly was from his actions. I loved seeing his inner wall slowly crumble with Imryll.
When you want friends by your side you want someone as true as Torian (minus his little lapse in jealousy) and Tasmin. I glad he was able to get passed that and become friends with Imryll again. Especially when she needed someone on her side. As well as Tasmin- though she was more truthful and straight to the point. Can’t wait to hear more of her story.
Thank you Sarah for the eARC- these are my honest thoughts. Excited to read more by this author.
I love the beautiful artwork that is throughout the book.
This book was spicy (the balcony scene and the chalet). The Claw and the Crowned had 3 POVs which were able to give you a good understand of what was happening as well as seeing into their minds and actions.
I enjoyed watching naive Imryll grow into a strong women throughout the book. Even though she was not allowed to make choices for herself. She was able in things that mattered- to ask for what she wanted and make choices for herself.
Drezhan Wynter was such a mysterious man in the beginning- unwilling to talk or share his stories with fellow Knights. You could see the kind of person he truly was from his actions. I loved seeing his inner wall slowly crumble with Imryll.
When you want friends by your side you want someone as true as Torian (minus his little lapse in jealousy) and Tasmin. I glad he was able to get passed that and become friends with Imryll again. Especially when she needed someone on her side. As well as Tasmin- though she was more truthful and straight to the point. Can’t wait to hear more of her story.
Thank you Sarah for the eARC- these are my honest thoughts. Excited to read more by this author.
I love the beautiful artwork that is throughout the book.
November 18, 2022
After finishing The Melody and The Master, I was able to beg my way onto Sarah M. Cradit's ARC team. I'm so grateful, and I was super excited for the opportunity to read The Claw and the Crowned! This book is DARK, full of court intrigue, secrets, spice, and a super slow-burn forbidden romance. It's much more intense than TMATM, but I enjoyed seeing another aspect of the detailed and vast White Kingdom world.
Highborn princess Imryl has never fit in among the nobility of the Rhiagian court, and she dreams of running away. When she's chosen as the first of five concubines to her best friend, Crown Prince Torian, most expect her to be happy, but she is devastated that her life choices have been made for her. As "First Chosen," she is assigned a guard, Drazhan. He is rude and impertinent, constantly making her uncomfortable. As she spends more time with him, everyone seems to notice something growing between the two of them - desire? hatred? love? Drazhan's motivations are super suspicious throughout the entire book. He has his reasons for becoming Imryl's guard, but before long, it's obvious that he wasn't expecting to have his ultimate goal thwarted by feelings for the princess.
Drazhan and Imryl's relationship is super toxic. He might be one of the few people to actually see Imryl as her own person, but they are always going through cycles of him not talking to her at all, then riling each other up and passionately arguing, then diving into intense make-up sex. Though the spice is excellent, I couldn't help but keep hoping that she would end up with anyone other than Drazhan. Torian is so sweet, and he loves her so much, I was just devastated that Imryl kept rejecting him. I even kind of liked Marius, though his motivations were just as suspicious as Drazhan's. I am glad that he finally redeems himself at the end, but I was so frustrated with him throughout so much of the book!
The ending of this book was my favorite part. I wish some of the big reveals had come sooner, because I would have loved more details about them. The epilogue is beautiful, and I really think I'm going to love the follow-up novels about the side characters.
Thank you again to Sarah and her team for this opportunity! I cannot wait to read more in this world.
Highborn princess Imryl has never fit in among the nobility of the Rhiagian court, and she dreams of running away. When she's chosen as the first of five concubines to her best friend, Crown Prince Torian, most expect her to be happy, but she is devastated that her life choices have been made for her. As "First Chosen," she is assigned a guard, Drazhan. He is rude and impertinent, constantly making her uncomfortable. As she spends more time with him, everyone seems to notice something growing between the two of them - desire? hatred? love? Drazhan's motivations are super suspicious throughout the entire book. He has his reasons for becoming Imryl's guard, but before long, it's obvious that he wasn't expecting to have his ultimate goal thwarted by feelings for the princess.
Drazhan and Imryl's relationship is super toxic. He might be one of the few people to actually see Imryl as her own person, but they are always going through cycles of him not talking to her at all, then riling each other up and passionately arguing, then diving into intense make-up sex. Though the spice is excellent, I couldn't help but keep hoping that she would end up with anyone other than Drazhan. Torian is so sweet, and he loves her so much, I was just devastated that Imryl kept rejecting him. I even kind of liked Marius, though his motivations were just as suspicious as Drazhan's. I am glad that he finally redeems himself at the end, but I was so frustrated with him throughout so much of the book!
The ending of this book was my favorite part. I wish some of the big reveals had come sooner, because I would have loved more details about them. The epilogue is beautiful, and I really think I'm going to love the follow-up novels about the side characters.
Thank you again to Sarah and her team for this opportunity! I cannot wait to read more in this world.
November 20, 2022
“And the best part, Imryll?” He flicked his tongue out against her earlobe, and she liquefied with a moan. “You look at me now with disgust. With confusion. But when I finally bury myself inside of you, freeing you? It will be because you begged for the release you know in your marrow, in your blood, only I can deliver you.”
Actual rating : 4.5 stars
TCATC is the fifth book in an interconnected but standalone fantasy romance tales - The Book of All Things, all set in the Kingdom of the White Sea world. It's the first story in the Sceptre Cycle (Stolen thrones, love triangles, arranged marriages, and fractured duty from the descendants of Ilynglass).
In this story you will find:
* Enemies to Lovers
* Princess / Knight
* Sexual Awakening
* Forbidden Love
* Royal Concubine
* Soft love triangle
* Vengeance Quest / Blood Feud
* Praise Kink / Good Girl
* Political Intrigue
* Hidden Secrets / Betrayal
* Magic
* There's also a small age gap (FMC 19, MMC 25)
* Please check full list of CW's! Some warnings are: violence, death, manipulation, war crimes, emotional abuse and PTSD.
Lies everywhere. Deception upon deception, to the point I question even my own truths.
Sarah effortlessly continues to create stories, that capture your attention immediately and takes you on a journey, that is full of secrets, lust and dreams. Every time when I read her books, I eagerly wait for the beautiful illustrations to come alive. I also wanted to appreciate how thoughtful she is about her books - author has detailed tropes, CW's, playlists, short introduction to overall story and their characters (even age). I would recommend for you to check out her website, because it's shows all the information you need. And it's pretty :)
Without spoilers - I felt torn about some of the choices characters had to make. The more you read, the more you realize the circumstances of their actions and behavior. How the world came to be, and what certain actions do to other people lives. Prophecies and playing god is a dangerous thing.
I felt disgusted with majority of people on Duncarrow. I felt sad and angry with how Imryll was treated growing up. And still is. I wanted to give her all the vellum in the world. I wanted to hug Torian and tell him how precious he is. I wanted to gossip about marrige with Tasmin, and dance with Octavyen. I certainly wanted to push Adamina from Sky Dungeon. And I wanted to smack Draz's face really hard and then let loose with him, while we dreamt of our future together.
“I didn't think you could take me”. He panted, controlling his pace, but his red face and corded neck betrayed how difficult the restraint was. “But you are taking me so good, Imryll.”
The tension, hate and lust between Imryll and Draz was well done. She is young and unexperienced, still unsure of what she wants and likes. And when time finally came, she took the rains and let others know what she wants. And Draz is ..well, let's say alpha. He gets straight to the business and let's you hear exactly what he will do with you *my knees are weak
It's push and pull between these two. Him daydreaming about all the filthy things he would do to her, while having mid confrontation with other knights was hilarious.
As I said, this story was a journey of so many things and different experiences. There were also couple of short and funny jokes that I liked. Like when Torian was dancing with the enthusiasm of a dying slug haha or banter between the knights in the beginning.
“Commander, so we are to be crushed together with our knights in a tiny space for hours while Duncarrow ponders our chastity and their fealty?” Imryll asked, briefly emboldened by Ada's defiance. Olaf grimaced and then nodded.
Why not 5 stars irl - I was really confused by The Courtship of the Restrained. If the idea was to get them together for forced proximity, I think there would be a better way to play this out. The whole idea to this was bit silly and strange, and it pulled me out of the story a bit. Because the book was long enough, there was a missed opportunity to explore little bit more relationship between Torian and Imryll, as well as how other chosen came to be.
Thank you to Sarah M. Cradit and her team, for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review! All thoughts are my own and left voluntarily.
Actual rating : 4.5 stars
TCATC is the fifth book in an interconnected but standalone fantasy romance tales - The Book of All Things, all set in the Kingdom of the White Sea world. It's the first story in the Sceptre Cycle (Stolen thrones, love triangles, arranged marriages, and fractured duty from the descendants of Ilynglass).
In this story you will find:
* Enemies to Lovers
* Princess / Knight
* Sexual Awakening
* Forbidden Love
* Royal Concubine
* Soft love triangle
* Vengeance Quest / Blood Feud
* Praise Kink / Good Girl
* Political Intrigue
* Hidden Secrets / Betrayal
* Magic
* There's also a small age gap (FMC 19, MMC 25)
* Please check full list of CW's! Some warnings are: violence, death, manipulation, war crimes, emotional abuse and PTSD.
Lies everywhere. Deception upon deception, to the point I question even my own truths.
Sarah effortlessly continues to create stories, that capture your attention immediately and takes you on a journey, that is full of secrets, lust and dreams. Every time when I read her books, I eagerly wait for the beautiful illustrations to come alive. I also wanted to appreciate how thoughtful she is about her books - author has detailed tropes, CW's, playlists, short introduction to overall story and their characters (even age). I would recommend for you to check out her website, because it's shows all the information you need. And it's pretty :)
Without spoilers - I felt torn about some of the choices characters had to make. The more you read, the more you realize the circumstances of their actions and behavior. How the world came to be, and what certain actions do to other people lives. Prophecies and playing god is a dangerous thing.
I felt disgusted with majority of people on Duncarrow. I felt sad and angry with how Imryll was treated growing up. And still is. I wanted to give her all the vellum in the world. I wanted to hug Torian and tell him how precious he is. I wanted to gossip about marrige with Tasmin, and dance with Octavyen. I certainly wanted to push Adamina from Sky Dungeon. And I wanted to smack Draz's face really hard and then let loose with him, while we dreamt of our future together.
“I didn't think you could take me”. He panted, controlling his pace, but his red face and corded neck betrayed how difficult the restraint was. “But you are taking me so good, Imryll.”
The tension, hate and lust between Imryll and Draz was well done. She is young and unexperienced, still unsure of what she wants and likes. And when time finally came, she took the rains and let others know what she wants. And Draz is ..well, let's say alpha. He gets straight to the business and let's you hear exactly what he will do with you *my knees are weak
It's push and pull between these two. Him daydreaming about all the filthy things he would do to her, while having mid confrontation with other knights was hilarious.
As I said, this story was a journey of so many things and different experiences. There were also couple of short and funny jokes that I liked. Like when Torian was dancing with the enthusiasm of a dying slug haha or banter between the knights in the beginning.
“Commander, so we are to be crushed together with our knights in a tiny space for hours while Duncarrow ponders our chastity and their fealty?” Imryll asked, briefly emboldened by Ada's defiance. Olaf grimaced and then nodded.
Why not 5 stars irl - I was really confused by The Courtship of the Restrained. If the idea was to get them together for forced proximity, I think there would be a better way to play this out. The whole idea to this was bit silly and strange, and it pulled me out of the story a bit. Because the book was long enough, there was a missed opportunity to explore little bit more relationship between Torian and Imryll, as well as how other chosen came to be.
Thank you to Sarah M. Cradit and her team, for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review! All thoughts are my own and left voluntarily.
January 4, 2023
✨ 𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖 ✨
this book broke me in pieces and molded me again! i can't even say how much I've adored this book!
𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙚: ★★★★.5
𝙎𝙥𝙞𝙘𝙚: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
𝙀𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜: HEA
𝙋𝙊𝙑: Third Person
𝙂𝙚𝙣𝙧𝙚: Fantasy Romance
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚: Enemies to Lovers/Princess x Knight/sexual awakening/forbidden Love/slight love triangle/Betrayal/Magic/slight age gap
𝙆𝙞𝙣𝙠𝙨: Praise Kink
𝙏𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜: War/Blood/Death/Betrayal
𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆:
Imryll wanted her life to be different but was bound by the king of Duncarrow, to be the first chosen, i.e. the Future Queen of Duncarrow, and wife of Prince Torian, his son. Prince Torian, is her best friend forever. However, her knight, Drazhan Wynter, who is placed in charge for looking after Imryll, came to destroy Duncarrow using Imryll.
Will Draz be able to complete his mission or will he eventually fall in love with Imryll?
𝙈𝙮 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬:
if you know me, I'm not so into fantasy but this book has made an exception. The plot of the story was perfect! I loathed Draz at first cuz he was very desperate but slowly yes, i became obsessed with him. His live for Imryll, how much he protected her despite he came for doing the opposite 🤌🏻
I felt so bad for Torian, he deserved so much better. The best friend someone can ask for! I loved how Tor still cared for Imryll, how they retired back to be the long lost friend.
𝙌𝙪𝙤𝙩𝙚:
“Is this what you want?” His fingers dug into her hips so hard, it stung. “To be fucked like someone’s prize?”
his forehead to hers but didn’t break her gaze. “You can’t scare me, my love. We both have the capacity for darkness, but we know who we are. We know who we are. We showed each other the void, and we can choose to stay in the light. Together.”
“Don’t be afraid of breaking me.” She moaned, twisting against the wood. “Be afraid of not and wishing you had.”
⛔ 𝙈𝙮 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙩, 𝙧𝙖𝙬, 𝙙𝙖𝙧𝙠, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙜𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙘, 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙚𝙥𝙩 𝙛𝙚𝙬 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙄 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚. 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙖𝙡𝙨𝙤 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙨𝙥𝙤𝙞𝙡𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙨. ⛔
⚠️ 𝘾𝙝𝙚𝙘𝙠 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜
this book broke me in pieces and molded me again! i can't even say how much I've adored this book!
𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙚: ★★★★.5
𝙎𝙥𝙞𝙘𝙚: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
𝙀𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜: HEA
𝙋𝙊𝙑: Third Person
𝙂𝙚𝙣𝙧𝙚: Fantasy Romance
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚: Enemies to Lovers/Princess x Knight/sexual awakening/forbidden Love/slight love triangle/Betrayal/Magic/slight age gap
𝙆𝙞𝙣𝙠𝙨: Praise Kink
𝙏𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜: War/Blood/Death/Betrayal
𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆:
Imryll wanted her life to be different but was bound by the king of Duncarrow, to be the first chosen, i.e. the Future Queen of Duncarrow, and wife of Prince Torian, his son. Prince Torian, is her best friend forever. However, her knight, Drazhan Wynter, who is placed in charge for looking after Imryll, came to destroy Duncarrow using Imryll.
Will Draz be able to complete his mission or will he eventually fall in love with Imryll?
𝙈𝙮 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬:
if you know me, I'm not so into fantasy but this book has made an exception. The plot of the story was perfect! I loathed Draz at first cuz he was very desperate but slowly yes, i became obsessed with him. His live for Imryll, how much he protected her despite he came for doing the opposite 🤌🏻
I felt so bad for Torian, he deserved so much better. The best friend someone can ask for! I loved how Tor still cared for Imryll, how they retired back to be the long lost friend.
𝙌𝙪𝙤𝙩𝙚:
“Is this what you want?” His fingers dug into her hips so hard, it stung. “To be fucked like someone’s prize?”
his forehead to hers but didn’t break her gaze. “You can’t scare me, my love. We both have the capacity for darkness, but we know who we are. We know who we are. We showed each other the void, and we can choose to stay in the light. Together.”
“Don’t be afraid of breaking me.” She moaned, twisting against the wood. “Be afraid of not and wishing you had.”
⛔ 𝙈𝙮 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙩, 𝙧𝙖𝙬, 𝙙𝙖𝙧𝙠, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙜𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙘, 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙚𝙥𝙩 𝙛𝙚𝙬 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙄 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚. 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙖𝙡𝙨𝙤 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙨𝙥𝙤𝙞𝙡𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙨. ⛔
⚠️ 𝘾𝙝𝙚𝙘𝙠 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜
January 25, 2023
I’m sorry, but this book was terrible. It jumped between characters (third person POVs) in the middle of the page without warning. A period of time would pass with no indication.
Every time they mentioned his claws I pictured a man with Mr. Krabs claws.
The “love” was so toxic and didn’t even develop, the MMC was trash. The side character Tor, deserved way more. The FMC went her whole life thinking she didn’t have magic but then out of nowhere used it to fly away. YES LITERALLY FLY AWAY TO A CABIN WHERE SHE STAYED FOR 4 MONTHS WITHOUT KNOWING HOW MUCH TIME WENT BY.
Ugh I had high hopes and I honestly don’t know why I finished the book.
Every time they mentioned his claws I pictured a man with Mr. Krabs claws.
The “love” was so toxic and didn’t even develop, the MMC was trash. The side character Tor, deserved way more. The FMC went her whole life thinking she didn’t have magic but then out of nowhere used it to fly away. YES LITERALLY FLY AWAY TO A CABIN WHERE SHE STAYED FOR 4 MONTHS WITHOUT KNOWING HOW MUCH TIME WENT BY.
Ugh I had high hopes and I honestly don’t know why I finished the book.
April 7, 2023
AH. I'm quite conflicted with how I feel about this book. On the one hand, I read all 550 pages in one day and found it entertaining enough to want to spend half the day reading it. That said, did it need to be over 500 pages? I don't think so. Also, there were quite a few things that I found bothersome and that started to frustrate me more the further I read. I'm not sure how to go about with this review because my thoughts are a little all over the place with it, so this might be a bit of a jumble as I try to get it all down! Ultimately, this did deliver what it said it would. It was a pretty steamy forbidden/enemies-to-lovers romance fantasy between a princess and her bodyguard. I'm glad that I've finally read something by this author because I've been meaning to for a while now and though this didn't become a new favourite, I do want to read more by Cradit in the future!
First of all, the cover illustrations and the character + scene illustrations in the book are fantastic! It's what catches my eye every time this author publishes a new book and it's always stunning. I love the emotions that come through in the illustrations and it's just a wonderful added bonus to the story! I thought the world-building was vast and while it was interesting, I do wonder if I would've benefitted from reading previous books in this series. I know all of these books are set in the same world but are technically standalone; however, I have a feeling that maybe reading the earlier books would've helped me understand the complex history and geopolitics better, as I had a hard time following the lines and these aspects weren't as developed as I expected. This also applied to the magic/magic system, which was unclear to me, particularly the who, what, and why of it. I am glad that there was a map at the front of the page though and although it is dense with information, it did at least help me envision the locations of the settings better! Cradit's writing was also easy to read, and the pacing of the story was consistent and driven by the characters plus a fairly loose plot.
But what has me conflicted are the characters. The story is told through three main perspectives: Imryll (FMC), Drazhan (MMC1), and Torian (MMC2-ish). There's a big cast of side characters who exist solely to push the story along and were pretty flat. Most were ruthless power-hungry royals who liked to play games and would sacrifice a baby to get what they want, and because they were so flat, it was a bit hard at times to keep track of who was who.
Thankfully, I actually didn't mind Imryll and found myself rooting for her often. She comes across as young, very sheltered and (sometimes frustratingly) naive but I also appreciated how she constantly questioned everything that everyone else would take at face value. She was inquisitive, strong-willed, and feisty and I especially enjoyed it when she provoked the insufferably obnoxious royals that filled these pages. 😂 She longs to make her own decisions and to get off the rocky and lifeless island that she has always called home and it wasn't hard to feel for her situation. I liked the way the author tried to turn the "weak helpless woman" trope around through Imryll and while it didn't quite hit the mark all of the time, I think she still did a good job of addressing this stereotype in fantasy. Drazhan was a pretty typical grumpy, stoic bodyguard but I did like his storyline and motivation for being there. It's dark and tragic but it also provided a pretty solid reason for him to be as standoffish and cold with Imryll from the start. He's driven by anger and getting revenge on the family that destroyed his own and I did like seeing how those feelings evolved the longer he spent being Imryll's bodyguard. What I found a little frustrating was that his attitude never really changed towards Imryll and he was cold for a good chunk of the story. While I get the enemies aspect and that he was trying hard not to catch feelings, he said pretty hurtful things that I didn't particularly find appealing the longer it went on.
These two do have some pretty intense chemistry and angry/hate-sex vibes, so it was no surprise that their sex scenes were very wild and emotional and incredibly steamy! If you love a fiery enemies-to-lovers moment I think you'll enjoy what's happening between these two a lot. One thing I personally wished was confirmed was Drazhan's age because he came across as much older than Imryll (19) and that did make me question the power dynamics in their romance (his age is the only one (as an MC) that the author doesn't note at the end which leads me to believe that my hunch about the big age gap is right). I think it was quite obvious a lot of the time but also, some characters that I thought were older were actually only in their late 20s, so... I could also be wrong.
Torian is the pov character I'm most conflicted about because although I felt for him being surrounded by such morally deficient people, he was almost pathetically weak-willed and one-dimensional and it was very frustrating! He was a lovesick young man who was completely helpless and at first, I thought maybe he'd get better over time but no, he remains the same until the very end when he suddenly becomes this strict but just ruler who can say no to the people who push him around and make decisions for him. All of his development happens off-page and it was disappointing—if I'm being honest, I didn't quite understand why we needed his perspective at all because I don't feel it added anything. I also felt a little bit weird about this "love triangle" thing between the three of them as it's very clear we're not meant to root for Torian .
Ultimately, the ending was satisfying on the romance front (though I never questioned whether or not these two would get their HEA) but beyond that, the plot felt a little undercooked and the late revelation/twist didn't really "hit" because it felt so out of left-field and it was introduced so late that I didn't understand why it was introduced. There were also a few events towards the end, one in particular, that was confusing because it didn't make sense to me after all the "build-up" with this character—what was it all for? While there were a lot of things that I wanted more clarity on, that doesn't mean I'm not interested in reading the next book in this series and I look forward to when it comes out!
First of all, the cover illustrations and the character + scene illustrations in the book are fantastic! It's what catches my eye every time this author publishes a new book and it's always stunning. I love the emotions that come through in the illustrations and it's just a wonderful added bonus to the story! I thought the world-building was vast and while it was interesting, I do wonder if I would've benefitted from reading previous books in this series. I know all of these books are set in the same world but are technically standalone; however, I have a feeling that maybe reading the earlier books would've helped me understand the complex history and geopolitics better, as I had a hard time following the lines and these aspects weren't as developed as I expected. This also applied to the magic/magic system, which was unclear to me, particularly the who, what, and why of it. I am glad that there was a map at the front of the page though and although it is dense with information, it did at least help me envision the locations of the settings better! Cradit's writing was also easy to read, and the pacing of the story was consistent and driven by the characters plus a fairly loose plot.
But what has me conflicted are the characters. The story is told through three main perspectives: Imryll (FMC), Drazhan (MMC1), and Torian (MMC2-ish). There's a big cast of side characters who exist solely to push the story along and were pretty flat. Most were ruthless power-hungry royals who liked to play games and would sacrifice a baby to get what they want, and because they were so flat, it was a bit hard at times to keep track of who was who.
Thankfully, I actually didn't mind Imryll and found myself rooting for her often. She comes across as young, very sheltered and (sometimes frustratingly) naive but I also appreciated how she constantly questioned everything that everyone else would take at face value. She was inquisitive, strong-willed, and feisty and I especially enjoyed it when she provoked the insufferably obnoxious royals that filled these pages. 😂 She longs to make her own decisions and to get off the rocky and lifeless island that she has always called home and it wasn't hard to feel for her situation. I liked the way the author tried to turn the "weak helpless woman" trope around through Imryll and while it didn't quite hit the mark all of the time, I think she still did a good job of addressing this stereotype in fantasy. Drazhan was a pretty typical grumpy, stoic bodyguard but I did like his storyline and motivation for being there. It's dark and tragic but it also provided a pretty solid reason for him to be as standoffish and cold with Imryll from the start. He's driven by anger and getting revenge on the family that destroyed his own and I did like seeing how those feelings evolved the longer he spent being Imryll's bodyguard. What I found a little frustrating was that his attitude never really changed towards Imryll and he was cold for a good chunk of the story. While I get the enemies aspect and that he was trying hard not to catch feelings, he said pretty hurtful things that I didn't particularly find appealing the longer it went on.
These two do have some pretty intense chemistry and angry/hate-sex vibes, so it was no surprise that their sex scenes were very wild and emotional and incredibly steamy! If you love a fiery enemies-to-lovers moment I think you'll enjoy what's happening between these two a lot. One thing I personally wished was confirmed was Drazhan's age because he came across as much older than Imryll (19) and that did make me question the power dynamics in their romance (his age is the only one (as an MC) that the author doesn't note at the end which leads me to believe that my hunch about the big age gap is right). I think it was quite obvious a lot of the time but also, some characters that I thought were older were actually only in their late 20s, so... I could also be wrong.
Torian is the pov character I'm most conflicted about because although I felt for him being surrounded by such morally deficient people, he was almost pathetically weak-willed and one-dimensional and it was very frustrating! He was a lovesick young man who was completely helpless and at first, I thought maybe he'd get better over time but no, he remains the same until the very end when he suddenly becomes this strict but just ruler who can say no to the people who push him around and make decisions for him. All of his development happens off-page and it was disappointing—if I'm being honest, I didn't quite understand why we needed his perspective at all because I don't feel it added anything. I also felt a little bit weird about this "love triangle" thing between the three of them as it's very clear we're not meant to root for Torian .
Ultimately, the ending was satisfying on the romance front (though I never questioned whether or not these two would get their HEA) but beyond that, the plot felt a little undercooked and the late revelation/twist didn't really "hit" because it felt so out of left-field and it was introduced so late that I didn't understand why it was introduced. There were also a few events towards the end, one in particular, that was confusing because it didn't make sense to me after all the "build-up" with this character—what was it all for? While there were a lot of things that I wanted more clarity on, that doesn't mean I'm not interested in reading the next book in this series and I look forward to when it comes out!
December 31, 2022
Sarah was not kidding when she said this book was going to be spicy because 🥵🥵.
First of all when you read that dedication you already know it's going to be a wet ride.
If you like political intrigue, you'll like this. But this had to be the best enemies to lovers I have ever read and by far the spiciest. I absolutely love Imryll. She's witting and I love it. I love her relationship with Tas and Draz. I love that even though information was withheld from her, she wants to grow and learn more and does not want future generations to be ignorant and know their past.
Draz, from the second I met this man I knew it was going to be good. I just knew the spice was coming and boy did he deliver. I was happy that he found happiness even after that messy childhood he endured. I love seeing him change or rather return to his old self. I love that he can feel safe with Imryll as she does with him.
Tor, I understand his love for Imryll, however there are some things he did that just didn't sit right with me. At least he tried to do right by her in the end but he needed to chill out, was just giving insecure.
But boy oh boy, the plot twists in this book, the revelations. I can't wait to see how that progresses.
This book also highlighted a lot of what women went through, some might still be going through this. Being restricted from learning everything they want to know about the world, being passed off like a piece of property to men with no say in the matter. I'm really happy that Imryll was able to break away from that and find someone who would treat her as an equal.
A perfect 5 star read.
First of all when you read that dedication you already know it's going to be a wet ride.
If you like political intrigue, you'll like this. But this had to be the best enemies to lovers I have ever read and by far the spiciest. I absolutely love Imryll. She's witting and I love it. I love her relationship with Tas and Draz. I love that even though information was withheld from her, she wants to grow and learn more and does not want future generations to be ignorant and know their past.
Draz, from the second I met this man I knew it was going to be good. I just knew the spice was coming and boy did he deliver. I was happy that he found happiness even after that messy childhood he endured. I love seeing him change or rather return to his old self. I love that he can feel safe with Imryll as she does with him.
Tor, I understand his love for Imryll, however there are some things he did that just didn't sit right with me. At least he tried to do right by her in the end but he needed to chill out, was just giving insecure.
But boy oh boy, the plot twists in this book, the revelations. I can't wait to see how that progresses.
This book also highlighted a lot of what women went through, some might still be going through this. Being restricted from learning everything they want to know about the world, being passed off like a piece of property to men with no say in the matter. I'm really happy that Imryll was able to break away from that and find someone who would treat her as an equal.
A perfect 5 star read.
November 29, 2022
Welcome to the first installment of the Spectre Cycle and the 5th in The Book of All Things!
Imryll just wants to escape. However her plans are derailed when she gets forced into the position of prince's consort. To make matters worse, her new guard unsettles her and she suspects that he may have a nefarious reason for becoming her knight. Meanwhile, her dark knight, Drazhan, is plotting revenge on the crown that cost him so much. His first target? The prince's consort, Imryll.
I really loved the characters in this! Blackfen was my favorite, and I'm really hoping he makes an appearance in later books. Also, I like how the enemies to lovers relationship developed between Drazhan and Imryll. Imryll's character arc was immaculate and I did want someone to punch some sense into Drazhan every once in awhile. Torian was a surprise. I really like how he wasn't the typical best friend or prince character. Yes, he has the misfortune of being in love with his best friend, Imryll, who doesn't love him like that, but he tries so hard to do the right thing, even if it hurts. Also Tasmin is the best friend. I love her and Imryll's interactions. And Duke Rahn is great! All in all, this cast has quite a few great characters and some interesting villains.
I liked the world building in this one a lot. I really love how this book ties The Book of All Things series together! I've been making a somewhat comprehensive timeline for this series in my head and this book sets up the timeline perfectly. Also it connects to some of the major overarching plotlines in the other cycles in this series!
Many thanks to the author for the e-ARC and her PA Emily for organizing this!
Imryll just wants to escape. However her plans are derailed when she gets forced into the position of prince's consort. To make matters worse, her new guard unsettles her and she suspects that he may have a nefarious reason for becoming her knight. Meanwhile, her dark knight, Drazhan, is plotting revenge on the crown that cost him so much. His first target? The prince's consort, Imryll.
I really loved the characters in this! Blackfen was my favorite, and I'm really hoping he makes an appearance in later books. Also, I like how the enemies to lovers relationship developed between Drazhan and Imryll. Imryll's character arc was immaculate and I did want someone to punch some sense into Drazhan every once in awhile. Torian was a surprise. I really like how he wasn't the typical best friend or prince character. Yes, he has the misfortune of being in love with his best friend, Imryll, who doesn't love him like that, but he tries so hard to do the right thing, even if it hurts. Also Tasmin is the best friend. I love her and Imryll's interactions. And Duke Rahn is great! All in all, this cast has quite a few great characters and some interesting villains.
I liked the world building in this one a lot. I really love how this book ties The Book of All Things series together! I've been making a somewhat comprehensive timeline for this series in my head and this book sets up the timeline perfectly. Also it connects to some of the major overarching plotlines in the other cycles in this series!
Many thanks to the author for the e-ARC and her PA Emily for organizing this!
November 29, 2022
This book is the darkest and sexiest I've read from the author works and my absolute favourites.
It was one of my anticipated book.
The story was intriguing and suspense and mystery throughout the end. It has ups and downs but it was made up towards charcters and plot.
4.5-⭐⭐⭐⭐
3.5-🌶️🌶️🌶️
- Chosen One/ Royalty
- Future Queen/ Her Bodyguard
- Dark magic
- Revenge/Vengeance
- Love and Duty
- Betrayal
- Love traingle
- Check TWs
In this book, you would see where the women had given no choice but to do what others orders her, even her own parents. Imyrll didn't want to become the queen and do as they say to make the ill-kingdom thrive. Her only wish is to escape from this nightmare and live somewhere where no one could give second thought about her.
She did almost escaped, only to be captured by her mysterious queen-guard solider Draken who sworn to bring the kingdom to the ground and by doing that, he need Imyrll. Would he fulfill his revenge or would he ignite the embers that burn between him and Imyrll?
It was one of my anticipated book.
The story was intriguing and suspense and mystery throughout the end. It has ups and downs but it was made up towards charcters and plot.
4.5-⭐⭐⭐⭐
3.5-🌶️🌶️🌶️
- Chosen One/ Royalty
- Future Queen/ Her Bodyguard
- Dark magic
- Revenge/Vengeance
- Love and Duty
- Betrayal
- Love traingle
- Check TWs
In this book, you would see where the women had given no choice but to do what others orders her, even her own parents. Imyrll didn't want to become the queen and do as they say to make the ill-kingdom thrive. Her only wish is to escape from this nightmare and live somewhere where no one could give second thought about her.
She did almost escaped, only to be captured by her mysterious queen-guard solider Draken who sworn to bring the kingdom to the ground and by doing that, he need Imyrll. Would he fulfill his revenge or would he ignite the embers that burn between him and Imyrll?
December 15, 2022
This book is again wonderfully full of spicy and wonderfully dark 😏.
Whatever you felt a lot while reading. It had wonderful twists and turns. And the world building certainly won't disappoint you either.
November 30, 2022
4.5 stars, only lost a half star because of my most hated trope :(
I really love how this one really amped up the spice, it was a lot but in an amazing way! I love the twists in here, but mostly I couldn't get away from the relationship! It was so intense, so amazing, and their feelings were so independent and strong and confident
I really love how this one really amped up the spice, it was a lot but in an amazing way! I love the twists in here, but mostly I couldn't get away from the relationship! It was so intense, so amazing, and their feelings were so independent and strong and confident
November 28, 2022
It took me about a week to read this book, but that's because I was reading and annotating my favorite scenes and other scenes that resonated with me. Sarah Cradit does such extensive world-building and I want to mark everything because I'm sure it will be important later.
That being said, the Claw and the Crowned is first and foremost a fantasy romance. There is an age gap between the characters as Imryll starts the story at 19 and Drazhan is supposed to be 25. Drazhan's character does seem older than 25 as he's seen a lot, done a lot, and lives only for vengeance. Imryll's characterization was very on par for a 19 year old. She's rather selfish and concerned only with how events affect her. She spends a lot of time focused on her own fate and she doesn't always see how the same events affect her friends. Her relationship with Torian is an interesting one and I found it a bit unexpected for how it was resolved.
These two have sparks flying from the beginning. Imryll is wary of Drazhan and he sees her only as a pawn in his quest for vengeance. But the longing...and the pining...even when they hate each other, they can't keep their eyes off of each other. It makes for some gloriously romantic scenes.
This book definitely does not have any fade to black romantic scenes. I'd say the spice is on par with a typical modern romance novel. It's not erotica by any stretch of the imagination, but it's not vanilla either. Some of the scenes were really hot and Drazhan definitely has a dirty mouth.
There is some violence and some gore (our guy isn't called Stormclaw for nothing), but I didn't think it was any worse than other fantasy romances or regular fantasy books either.
Overall I loved this book. It had everything that I want in fantasy romance and I'm looking forward to getting a final copy of it when my pre-order comes in.
Spice level : 3-4
Violence level : 3-4
Thank you to Sarah Cradit for providing the arc in an exchange for an honest review.
That being said, the Claw and the Crowned is first and foremost a fantasy romance. There is an age gap between the characters as Imryll starts the story at 19 and Drazhan is supposed to be 25. Drazhan's character does seem older than 25 as he's seen a lot, done a lot, and lives only for vengeance. Imryll's characterization was very on par for a 19 year old. She's rather selfish and concerned only with how events affect her. She spends a lot of time focused on her own fate and she doesn't always see how the same events affect her friends. Her relationship with Torian is an interesting one and I found it a bit unexpected for how it was resolved.
These two have sparks flying from the beginning. Imryll is wary of Drazhan and he sees her only as a pawn in his quest for vengeance. But the longing...and the pining...even when they hate each other, they can't keep their eyes off of each other. It makes for some gloriously romantic scenes.
This book definitely does not have any fade to black romantic scenes. I'd say the spice is on par with a typical modern romance novel. It's not erotica by any stretch of the imagination, but it's not vanilla either. Some of the scenes were really hot and Drazhan definitely has a dirty mouth.
There is some violence and some gore (our guy isn't called Stormclaw for nothing), but I didn't think it was any worse than other fantasy romances or regular fantasy books either.
Overall I loved this book. It had everything that I want in fantasy romance and I'm looking forward to getting a final copy of it when my pre-order comes in.
Spice level : 3-4
Violence level : 3-4
Thank you to Sarah Cradit for providing the arc in an exchange for an honest review.
December 18, 2022
I believe Sarah M. Cradit is a fantastic fantasy romance writer, and The Claw and the Crowned reaffirms why. This novel is the perfect blend of twisty, suspenseful, and spicy. As well as, the world-building and story are super immersive. As always with Cradits writing, I enjoyed the character arcs, the surprising revelations, and the enemies-to-lovers romance!
To start, our FMC/ the female protagonist, Imryll, goes through a series of tragic events over the course of the story. I felt this was crucial to make her the strong woman with dreams of leaving the Rhiagain court we see. Her life isn’t particularly her own as she is picked to be the Prince’s First Chosen, which is basically a concubine/harem. It doesn’t matter that the prince is her best friend. Imryll feels trapped, and she yearns for freedom. Imryll’s story highlights how difficult it is to be a woman in this strict and unforgiving patriarchal society where your fate is decided by men and those in power. However, Imryll rejects and confronts the sexism she faces.
With any Cradit story there is drama; in The Claw and The Crowned we are faced with a spicy love triangle and I was here for it! In this interesting love triangle Torian (the prince) is in love with Imryll, Imryll has feelings for Drazhan, and Drazhan is moody. It’s twisted and complex and further complicated by Drazhan’s background history!
Don’t get me started on Drazhan’s and his ulterior motives! This character was so in depth and detailed! Based on his trauma there was lengths and depths he’s willing to go to in order to avenge the deaths of his family. Using Imryll is part of his plan, but he never thought he’d grow feelings for her. Imryll and Drazhan have the most amazing chemistry, and their enemies-to-lovers romance is filled with pining, lust, hatred, confusion, lies, betrayal, growing tender feelings, and so much conflict. Often, it’s hard to tell if their relationship is built on just hate or sexual tension and angst.
Overall, I enjoyed The in-depth hierarchy of this story. I enjoyed the Renaissance period that this fantasy book took us, readers, into. I also appreciated that our female protagonist wasn't compliment when it came to the queens demands it really pushed forth the hardships that this era had.
To start, our FMC/ the female protagonist, Imryll, goes through a series of tragic events over the course of the story. I felt this was crucial to make her the strong woman with dreams of leaving the Rhiagain court we see. Her life isn’t particularly her own as she is picked to be the Prince’s First Chosen, which is basically a concubine/harem. It doesn’t matter that the prince is her best friend. Imryll feels trapped, and she yearns for freedom. Imryll’s story highlights how difficult it is to be a woman in this strict and unforgiving patriarchal society where your fate is decided by men and those in power. However, Imryll rejects and confronts the sexism she faces.
With any Cradit story there is drama; in The Claw and The Crowned we are faced with a spicy love triangle and I was here for it! In this interesting love triangle Torian (the prince) is in love with Imryll, Imryll has feelings for Drazhan, and Drazhan is moody. It’s twisted and complex and further complicated by Drazhan’s background history!
Don’t get me started on Drazhan’s and his ulterior motives! This character was so in depth and detailed! Based on his trauma there was lengths and depths he’s willing to go to in order to avenge the deaths of his family. Using Imryll is part of his plan, but he never thought he’d grow feelings for her. Imryll and Drazhan have the most amazing chemistry, and their enemies-to-lovers romance is filled with pining, lust, hatred, confusion, lies, betrayal, growing tender feelings, and so much conflict. Often, it’s hard to tell if their relationship is built on just hate or sexual tension and angst.
Overall, I enjoyed The in-depth hierarchy of this story. I enjoyed the Renaissance period that this fantasy book took us, readers, into. I also appreciated that our female protagonist wasn't compliment when it came to the queens demands it really pushed forth the hardships that this era had.
January 3, 2023
First of all, I need to say ... this book has it all! Enemies to lovers, character awakening, forbidden love and SPICE.
When I first read the book information provided by Sarah she wasn't wrong when she said this was the spiciest book so far and I LOVED IT. I was sweating like a sinner in church 🥵 that's all I'll say on that ... 👀
If there's one thing I love in a good book is when the main characters have a well written character development story. And Imryll had exactly that. I loved her! She was such a strong character and it was lovely to slowly watch her grow into such a fierce individual.
Now we can't forget the one and only Drazhan can we. No trust me when I say, that man could run me over with a truck and I'd probably thank him. No joke! His story started off with him being a broken soul with vengeance his only goal, but slowly watching him realise the things around him bring him the most happiness (Imryll included 😏). He was such a broody and protective character but sit back and relax and watch him turn into a soft cuddly teddy bear for the women he loves.
Lastly, I absolutely LOVE when a good book has well written side characters. Not ones where they say 2 words and we never hear from them again. Sarah has done a wonderful job as creating side characters that make me want to read their OWN story ..... *pretty please Sarah 🙏
This book seriously had everything and be prepared to go on an emotional roller coaster. I was laughing, I was crying and BOY was a swooning.
If anything I've said has caught your eye ( I know it has) I truly wish for you to pick up this book! You won't regret it.
Thank you so much Sarah and Emily for providing me with an ARC. It might have taken me a exile to start it because if the Christmas madness but I am 1000% happy I did.
I highly recommend!
When I first read the book information provided by Sarah she wasn't wrong when she said this was the spiciest book so far and I LOVED IT. I was sweating like a sinner in church 🥵 that's all I'll say on that ... 👀
If there's one thing I love in a good book is when the main characters have a well written character development story. And Imryll had exactly that. I loved her! She was such a strong character and it was lovely to slowly watch her grow into such a fierce individual.
Now we can't forget the one and only Drazhan can we. No trust me when I say, that man could run me over with a truck and I'd probably thank him. No joke! His story started off with him being a broken soul with vengeance his only goal, but slowly watching him realise the things around him bring him the most happiness (Imryll included 😏). He was such a broody and protective character but sit back and relax and watch him turn into a soft cuddly teddy bear for the women he loves.
Lastly, I absolutely LOVE when a good book has well written side characters. Not ones where they say 2 words and we never hear from them again. Sarah has done a wonderful job as creating side characters that make me want to read their OWN story ..... *pretty please Sarah 🙏
This book seriously had everything and be prepared to go on an emotional roller coaster. I was laughing, I was crying and BOY was a swooning.
If anything I've said has caught your eye ( I know it has) I truly wish for you to pick up this book! You won't regret it.
Thank you so much Sarah and Emily for providing me with an ARC. It might have taken me a exile to start it because if the Christmas madness but I am 1000% happy I did.
I highly recommend!
December 18, 2022
Absolutely wonderful! This has been to be favorite book by Sarah.
This one had everything I could ask for enemies to lovers, fates mates and magic.
Imryll is a strong FMC. She knew what she wants and she does exactly what she wants. She is thrown into a situation that she doesn’t want at all. But she uses it to work for her and she is always trying to get what she needs from the position she is in.
Seeing her grow into her character was amazing. She falls for someone she is not suppose to and during that time she kinda of loses herself but she comes out strong in the end and takes exactly what she wants.
Drazhan is someone you want to hate but once you learn his back story you feel for him. He is so mean to Imryll when he met but seeing him figure out what he truly wants was amazing to read.
The character development was wonderful. The supporting characters were done perfectly and you were able to either connect to them or disliked them. Sarah does an amazing job with giving as much to supporting characters as the main characters.
This was definitely spicier than any other book I have read by Sarah and I loved it. It didn’t take away from the story at all. The connection between Imryll and Drazhan was amazing.
Definitely recommend this one for anyone that enjoyed a spicy enemies to lovers and fated mates. This one does have some triggers regarding family loss and pregnancy.
This one had everything I could ask for enemies to lovers, fates mates and magic.
Imryll is a strong FMC. She knew what she wants and she does exactly what she wants. She is thrown into a situation that she doesn’t want at all. But she uses it to work for her and she is always trying to get what she needs from the position she is in.
Seeing her grow into her character was amazing. She falls for someone she is not suppose to and during that time she kinda of loses herself but she comes out strong in the end and takes exactly what she wants.
Drazhan is someone you want to hate but once you learn his back story you feel for him. He is so mean to Imryll when he met but seeing him figure out what he truly wants was amazing to read.
The character development was wonderful. The supporting characters were done perfectly and you were able to either connect to them or disliked them. Sarah does an amazing job with giving as much to supporting characters as the main characters.
This was definitely spicier than any other book I have read by Sarah and I loved it. It didn’t take away from the story at all. The connection between Imryll and Drazhan was amazing.
Definitely recommend this one for anyone that enjoyed a spicy enemies to lovers and fated mates. This one does have some triggers regarding family loss and pregnancy.
December 27, 2022
The cover and character art drew me in, but the story held my attention. I was intrigued from beginning to end and I can only attribute that to how well the author, Sarah M. Cradit, wrote the story and the characters in it. I was fully immersed and yearned to be a fly on the wall in this elaborate, spicy, dark fantasy romance that was well paced and action filled. So many scenes were memorable and left little to the imagination as they did not fade to black. Which I very much appreciated.
Cradit delivered on some of my favorite tropes.
*enemies to lovers,
*protector/warrior/bodyguard hero,
*sexual awakening,
*age gap (FMC 19, MMC 25)
Each character transformed either physically and/or emotionally and I couldn’t stop reading. Their growth and progression was so well executed. I really would love to see this story come to the big screen!
I highly recommend this to readers who are new to stories with political intrigue. I found the plot easy to follow and was honestly speechless by the end. I can’t wait to pick up more of Cradit’s work. Specifically, the next in The Sceptre Cycle, The Duke and the Disciple coming 2024!
Thank you to the author, Sarah M. Cradit and her PA, Emily Prebich for providing me with an ARC of The Claw and the Crowned in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Cradit delivered on some of my favorite tropes.
*enemies to lovers,
*protector/warrior/bodyguard hero,
*sexual awakening,
*age gap (FMC 19, MMC 25)
Each character transformed either physically and/or emotionally and I couldn’t stop reading. Their growth and progression was so well executed. I really would love to see this story come to the big screen!
I highly recommend this to readers who are new to stories with political intrigue. I found the plot easy to follow and was honestly speechless by the end. I can’t wait to pick up more of Cradit’s work. Specifically, the next in The Sceptre Cycle, The Duke and the Disciple coming 2024!
Thank you to the author, Sarah M. Cradit and her PA, Emily Prebich for providing me with an ARC of The Claw and the Crowned in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
November 19, 2022
All Imryll wants to do is get off the godforsaken island of rocks. But she is chosen as the future kings concubine required to create an heir. Drazhan won the competition to be the one guarding Imryll, and only has on his mind is revenge. These two both get more than they bargained for. With mysterious magical transfers, escape attempts, lots of space, and a strong willed heroine in a dark brooding romance, this book had me enraptured.
I was immediately drawn to this book, and I say this every time I review for Sarah, but this is the best book yet. There’s so much going on, and I loved every second of it. The steam was immaculate, the characters had such a great development and arcs, the plot wasn’t predictable and there are so many opportunities and stories I want to explore more later in the series. If I could give this more than five stars are totally would, this was a book I finished in a day because I cannot put it down.
BONUS: The epilogue had me screaming, definitely a pivotal moment for the whole series.
Thanks so much to the publishing team for the ARC to review. All thoughts are my own.
I was immediately drawn to this book, and I say this every time I review for Sarah, but this is the best book yet. There’s so much going on, and I loved every second of it. The steam was immaculate, the characters had such a great development and arcs, the plot wasn’t predictable and there are so many opportunities and stories I want to explore more later in the series. If I could give this more than five stars are totally would, this was a book I finished in a day because I cannot put it down.
BONUS: The epilogue had me screaming, definitely a pivotal moment for the whole series.
Thanks so much to the publishing team for the ARC to review. All thoughts are my own.
November 27, 2022
I came from the Melody and the Master and that book was tagged a 🌶🌶🌶/5 but for me it’s just okay in terms of spiciness but boy this book has me ROLLING a whole 360 degrees!
I am the BIGGEST fan of books with bad ass female Queens and this book ✨served✨ Imryll is so relatable and I honestly love how she has and speaks her own mind. She is a commoner who does not shy away from big problems and I am obsessed with her chemistry with Wynter (Okay I really prefer this name over Drazhan because I’ve always had a thing with names/ surnames after a season)
We love books who supports and highlight the struggles of women in a patriarchal society! The characters are well rounded and I really love how we are given a mystery on the motives of the male lead and how it gradually changes because of his interaction with the FMC.
I would definitely recommend this to fantasy lovers who are fans of forbidden romance, the knight and the princess, a lead with a troubled past, characters with shifting abilities (some parts of the body only) and a solid storyline!
I am the BIGGEST fan of books with bad ass female Queens and this book ✨served✨ Imryll is so relatable and I honestly love how she has and speaks her own mind. She is a commoner who does not shy away from big problems and I am obsessed with her chemistry with Wynter (Okay I really prefer this name over Drazhan because I’ve always had a thing with names/ surnames after a season)
We love books who supports and highlight the struggles of women in a patriarchal society! The characters are well rounded and I really love how we are given a mystery on the motives of the male lead and how it gradually changes because of his interaction with the FMC.
I would definitely recommend this to fantasy lovers who are fans of forbidden romance, the knight and the princess, a lead with a troubled past, characters with shifting abilities (some parts of the body only) and a solid storyline!
December 17, 2022
The Claw and The Crowned is book 5 of a 7 part series. This is a stand-alone and I gave it 5 stars. I love, love, love Sarah M Cradit’s writing and I fell hard for this romantasy!
This book reminds me why I still read and I’m better for it. It had an angsty romance with steamy scenes that were dream worthy. I got emotional a few times. I was feeling happy, outraged and shocked and that only verifies how well told it was. I can’t recommend this book enough. Get it, it’s good.
Thanks Emily and Sarah M. Cradit for gifting me with this wonderful novel.
This book reminds me why I still read and I’m better for it. It had an angsty romance with steamy scenes that were dream worthy. I got emotional a few times. I was feeling happy, outraged and shocked and that only verifies how well told it was. I can’t recommend this book enough. Get it, it’s good.
Thanks Emily and Sarah M. Cradit for gifting me with this wonderful novel.
December 30, 2022
This is the best book so far in the The Book of All Things series. Sarah has expertly crafted a world full of intrigue that is fully immersive. This story follows a chosen princess, Imryll, who only longs for freedom but is trying to make the best of being princess to Prince Torian, her childhood friend. Drazhan steals this show and is assigned to be Imryll’s knight. He has plans for revenge that includes seducing Imryll. This story will take you on a ride with its twists and will leave you wanting to know what happens next!
October 24, 2024
This one had me giggling so much. The plot was a lil flimsy. Like the whole reason for her bodyguard and the positions they put her in. Just chop things off him so this can't happen. But overall I enjoyed my time with it. I loved the romance specifically our love interest he has a way with words. I also loved the message and the quotes in this one. Will read more from the author.
November 10, 2022
Holy. Freaking. Crap. Sarah M. Cradit has the unique ability to completely break me and then put me back together again with every one of her books, and “The Claw and the Crowned” is no exception! Fans of forbidden love and enemies to lovers will be delighted by this breathtakingly powerful story about a reluctant yet resilient young princess, the dark knight who guards her, and the prince to whom she feels she owes her loyalty.
I loved everything about this book, but what really stood out to me was the flawless world building and deliciously slow burn romance. The heroine, Imryll, was so intelligent and brave, and watching her gain confidence was incredible. And as for her love interest - I won’t give anything away, but this man broke my heart and made me swoon so many times over the course of the novel… and I loved every second of it. All in all, this was a fantastic read - it’s in my top 5 reads of 2022 for sure. I highly recommend!
I loved everything about this book, but what really stood out to me was the flawless world building and deliciously slow burn romance. The heroine, Imryll, was so intelligent and brave, and watching her gain confidence was incredible. And as for her love interest - I won’t give anything away, but this man broke my heart and made me swoon so many times over the course of the novel… and I loved every second of it. All in all, this was a fantastic read - it’s in my top 5 reads of 2022 for sure. I highly recommend!
June 8, 2024
Ugh WHY 😩😩😩 It was soooo good but the scene with Torian pissed me off... Why ???
🤨 Made me DNF it at 68% and I'm mad and sad because without it I would have loved this book 😔
The chemistry between the Li was 🔥🔥🔥🔥
so mad right now 😩
🤨 Made me DNF it at 68% and I'm mad and sad because without it I would have loved this book 😔
The chemistry between the Li was 🔥🔥🔥🔥
so mad right now 😩
November 28, 2022
Another amazing book set in the Kingdom of the White Sea!
This is set waaay in the past compared to the other books in the series and I really enjoyed that setting! I love history and this whole world is so well fleshed out that it has one of its own!
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Following three completely different characters who were all shaped by their circumstances in different ways was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed the romance between Draz and Imryll. It had me hoping and dreading throughout the book. The angst was real in this one 😂
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Thanks so much to Sarah M. Cradit for the opportunity to read the eARC!
This is set waaay in the past compared to the other books in the series and I really enjoyed that setting! I love history and this whole world is so well fleshed out that it has one of its own!
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Following three completely different characters who were all shaped by their circumstances in different ways was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed the romance between Draz and Imryll. It had me hoping and dreading throughout the book. The angst was real in this one 😂
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Thanks so much to Sarah M. Cradit for the opportunity to read the eARC!
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