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The Prince of Magic and Lies
Prince Lyrian was never going to rule.
Not only is he the second son, he has a secret—he can manipulate anyone’s will as he pleases. But having any magic at all is considered a sin in Carith and is punishable by death. The only one he trusts to confide his secret in is his lover, Lord Vail Casart. It’s a necessary trust, since every use of Lyrian’s magic leaves permanent marks on his flesh.
But when the king suddenly announces that he is considering naming Lyrian as heir instead, he panics. After all, he can’t be king—not without his magic being discovered and being forced to set aside the man he loves for a political marriage. Lyrian decides that if the king thinks that his older brother is too weak and naive to rule, then he must take matters into his own hands.
For the first time, Lyrian embraces his hidden magic, manipulating his brother into the brutal ruler the kingdom needs. But brutality is against his brother’s nature, and such behavior doesn’t go unnoticed. And when a royal refugee from a neighboring kingdom discovers Lyrian’s secret, everything he’s meticulously hidden threatens to be uncovered. Before his secrets are revealed—and his love and life ripped apart—Lyrian must find a way to seize the power that he’s spent his entire life fighting to hide, or risk losing everything.
In a heart-wrenching new series perfect for fans of C.S. Pacat, Ariana Nash, and Jex Lane, Prince Lyrian Talis must reckon with his forbidden powers without losing his love…or his life. The Prince of Magic and Lies is a m/m fantasy romance with dark themes and a sprinkling of spice.
Not only is he the second son, he has a secret—he can manipulate anyone’s will as he pleases. But having any magic at all is considered a sin in Carith and is punishable by death. The only one he trusts to confide his secret in is his lover, Lord Vail Casart. It’s a necessary trust, since every use of Lyrian’s magic leaves permanent marks on his flesh.
But when the king suddenly announces that he is considering naming Lyrian as heir instead, he panics. After all, he can’t be king—not without his magic being discovered and being forced to set aside the man he loves for a political marriage. Lyrian decides that if the king thinks that his older brother is too weak and naive to rule, then he must take matters into his own hands.
For the first time, Lyrian embraces his hidden magic, manipulating his brother into the brutal ruler the kingdom needs. But brutality is against his brother’s nature, and such behavior doesn’t go unnoticed. And when a royal refugee from a neighboring kingdom discovers Lyrian’s secret, everything he’s meticulously hidden threatens to be uncovered. Before his secrets are revealed—and his love and life ripped apart—Lyrian must find a way to seize the power that he’s spent his entire life fighting to hide, or risk losing everything.
In a heart-wrenching new series perfect for fans of C.S. Pacat, Ariana Nash, and Jex Lane, Prince Lyrian Talis must reckon with his forbidden powers without losing his love…or his life. The Prince of Magic and Lies is a m/m fantasy romance with dark themes and a sprinkling of spice.
359 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2022
9 people are currently reading
1140 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth S. Trafalgar
4 books53 followersElizabeth S. Trafalgar grew up writing stories—and then never stopped. When she’s not working on her next book, she spends her time reading all the fantasy she can get her hands on, trying new cookie recipes, and catering to the whims of her two enormous cats. She lives on the east coast with her spouse. Follow her on Instagram at @elizabethstrafalgar.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
February 10, 2024
I received a copy of this book via BookSirens. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
✅ MM romance (no on-page smut)
✅ Politics and scheming
✅ Characters
✅ Plot
✅🆗 Pace
✅🆗 Background information / World-building
This is a story full of politics and magic, where a young prince sadly learns that one decision can change your life forever.
In Carith, using magic is considered blasphemy against the gods, and anyone having the marks of a magic user is killed, whether it’s a peasant or a prince. Prince Lyrian has magic in him, and he spent his whole life hiding his magical marks. No one knows his secret, except for Vail, his lover. When the king tells Lyrian that he was thinking about naming him as his official heir instead of Dom, Lyrian knows that he must act quickly and find a way to make his brother more "worthy" of the throne (meaning more ruthless). The easiest way is for Lyrian to control Dom's mind, but Lyrian will learn that doing the wrong thing for the right reasons does not mean that there are no consequences.
I loved the idea of magic users having magical marks like tattoos. The more magic they use, the bigger the marks get. The world-building is interesting, but not developed enough to my taste, and there is a good mix of politics, scheming, magic, and mythology. For a book that is not even 300 pages long, I was pleasantly surprised.
This book also has a good pace, but it was almost too fast at one point. I feel that a slower pace would allow for better development and explanation of the politics and it would also have helped with the character development. Some changes about Dom happened quite suddenly, and it bugged me a little (I don't want to say more because I don't want to spoil anyone). Still, it is a quick read and the last 20% of the book was amazing. I am now anxiously waiting for the second book to be released because the ending of this one promises more court intrigue and conflicts to come.
The citizens of Carith believe that magic is blasphemy and that all magic-wielders must be killed to appease the gods, while the people of Thastian believe the opposite: for them, anyone who does not have magic is a failure. I enjoyed the political aspect of this book. Carith and Thastian are obviously enemy nations, but we can see how they are both beating around the bush, not ready to declare an official war, but trying to find a way to conquer the other nation "in the name of their gods". Lyrian is a good strategist, and I liked that he was able to use this talent in the book, and did not rely only on his magic.
I have to say though that I would have really enjoyed more background information about Lyrian's family and their beliefs. We are told that they believe magic is blasphemy, but there is no explanation or details given on the reason they think that. I had many questions about the fact that magic is outlawed and Lyrian is risking his life every single day just by being alive in Carith. Why is magic outlawed? Why can't he just leave (I know he does not want to abandon his family, but still...)? What is the geography when it comes to the different kingdoms (I do believe that a map would help a lot with that)? What exactly do their religions entail?
Lyrian is a nice main character, but there is still room for growth and improvement, which is good because we will probably see some change in him in the next book. He is a compelling main character and it's easy to understand him and empathize with him. I do not agree with some of his choices, but I do understand them, and I get why he acted this way. He really is a good example of "doing the wrong things for the right reason".
I like that Vail and Lyrian are already in a steady and strong relationship from the beginning of the book. It allowed the author to focus more on the politics and Lyrian's struggles, rather than romance. They are really cute, and I really hope that they will remain together because we can see the depth of their feelings. They are really devoted to each other and they would sacrifice themselves if it meant saving the other.
Dom is Lyrian's older brother, the one meant to rule, but sadly for Lyrian, his father gets to choose which of his sons will inherit the crown, and he thinks that Lyrian will make a better king than his brother. Dom has a utopic idea of what it means to rule a country. He wants to show his father that one can rule without making harsh and tough decisions and that having executions or war will make people love the king less. It comes from a good place, but his idea that he can rule more efficiently if his subjects love him instead of fearing him is all good and true in theory, but sadly, with his country’s beliefs about magic-user and the war they need to wage in order to unite all the lands, ruling without making tough choices would be impossible.
I really like Nerissa. She shows us that women can be as fierce and cunning as men in this game of lies and betrayals, but she also shows everyone that not having magic does not mean that she is weak and useless. I was appalled when I realized what her family planned on doing if she did not develop any magic, and I couldn't wait for her to show them that she was not a weak and shameful stain on the family, but a brave woman, willing to do what needed to be done in order to remain alive.
Aramis of Xyria is a very intriguing side character. He does not have a lot of on-page time in this book, but with the ending, we know that he will play a bigger part in the next book, and I am very curious to see how things will go now that he is involved in the scheming and court politics. I honestly have no idea where exactly this series is going and how things will turn out, but I will read the sequel for sure!
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✅ MM romance (no on-page smut)
✅ Politics and scheming
✅ Characters
✅ Plot
✅🆗 Pace
✅🆗 Background information / World-building
A magic user couldn’t rule a kingdom where magic was forbidden.
This is a story full of politics and magic, where a young prince sadly learns that one decision can change your life forever.
The law was frightfully clear. Anyone possessing magic was to be killed. Any subject who found a magic user was given a thousand gold marks, an estate, and a status as a lord in return for fulfilling the mandate of the gods. Anyone who helped eliminate people with the magic that allowed sinners to twist others to their will was a hero.
In Carith, using magic is considered blasphemy against the gods, and anyone having the marks of a magic user is killed, whether it’s a peasant or a prince. Prince Lyrian has magic in him, and he spent his whole life hiding his magical marks. No one knows his secret, except for Vail, his lover. When the king tells Lyrian that he was thinking about naming him as his official heir instead of Dom, Lyrian knows that he must act quickly and find a way to make his brother more "worthy" of the throne (meaning more ruthless). The easiest way is for Lyrian to control Dom's mind, but Lyrian will learn that doing the wrong thing for the right reasons does not mean that there are no consequences.
I loved the idea of magic users having magical marks like tattoos. The more magic they use, the bigger the marks get. The world-building is interesting, but not developed enough to my taste, and there is a good mix of politics, scheming, magic, and mythology. For a book that is not even 300 pages long, I was pleasantly surprised.
This book also has a good pace, but it was almost too fast at one point. I feel that a slower pace would allow for better development and explanation of the politics and it would also have helped with the character development. Some changes about Dom happened quite suddenly, and it bugged me a little (I don't want to say more because I don't want to spoil anyone). Still, it is a quick read and the last 20% of the book was amazing. I am now anxiously waiting for the second book to be released because the ending of this one promises more court intrigue and conflicts to come.
Yes. She would've killed me. Without hesitation. “Then she’s not a friend.” Nerissa snorted. “Friends accept the whole of you. The good, and the bad, and the illegal.”
The citizens of Carith believe that magic is blasphemy and that all magic-wielders must be killed to appease the gods, while the people of Thastian believe the opposite: for them, anyone who does not have magic is a failure. I enjoyed the political aspect of this book. Carith and Thastian are obviously enemy nations, but we can see how they are both beating around the bush, not ready to declare an official war, but trying to find a way to conquer the other nation "in the name of their gods". Lyrian is a good strategist, and I liked that he was able to use this talent in the book, and did not rely only on his magic.
I have to say though that I would have really enjoyed more background information about Lyrian's family and their beliefs. We are told that they believe magic is blasphemy, but there is no explanation or details given on the reason they think that. I had many questions about the fact that magic is outlawed and Lyrian is risking his life every single day just by being alive in Carith. Why is magic outlawed? Why can't he just leave (I know he does not want to abandon his family, but still...)? What is the geography when it comes to the different kingdoms (I do believe that a map would help a lot with that)? What exactly do their religions entail?
“Lyrian Talis, you could bring an army to its feet.” She looked at me, her eyes piercing. “You could cause a thousand soldiers to slit their own throats. Such is your power, even if you don’t know it.”
Lyrian is a nice main character, but there is still room for growth and improvement, which is good because we will probably see some change in him in the next book. He is a compelling main character and it's easy to understand him and empathize with him. I do not agree with some of his choices, but I do understand them, and I get why he acted this way. He really is a good example of "doing the wrong things for the right reason".
I like that Vail and Lyrian are already in a steady and strong relationship from the beginning of the book. It allowed the author to focus more on the politics and Lyrian's struggles, rather than romance. They are really cute, and I really hope that they will remain together because we can see the depth of their feelings. They are really devoted to each other and they would sacrifice themselves if it meant saving the other.
”(…) What’s the point of having power if you can’t use it to make the life of ordinary people better?”
Dom is Lyrian's older brother, the one meant to rule, but sadly for Lyrian, his father gets to choose which of his sons will inherit the crown, and he thinks that Lyrian will make a better king than his brother. Dom has a utopic idea of what it means to rule a country. He wants to show his father that one can rule without making harsh and tough decisions and that having executions or war will make people love the king less. It comes from a good place, but his idea that he can rule more efficiently if his subjects love him instead of fearing him is all good and true in theory, but sadly, with his country’s beliefs about magic-user and the war they need to wage in order to unite all the lands, ruling without making tough choices would be impossible.
“(…) I am hardly remarkable in my courage. Simply in my lack of magic.”
I really like Nerissa. She shows us that women can be as fierce and cunning as men in this game of lies and betrayals, but she also shows everyone that not having magic does not mean that she is weak and useless. I was appalled when I realized what her family planned on doing if she did not develop any magic, and I couldn't wait for her to show them that she was not a weak and shameful stain on the family, but a brave woman, willing to do what needed to be done in order to remain alive.
“So,” I said, letting out a breath. “Let’s figure out how to phrase this. I’ve never committed treason and proposed marriage in the same letter. It’s going to take a few tries to get this right.”
Aramis of Xyria is a very intriguing side character. He does not have a lot of on-page time in this book, but with the ending, we know that he will play a bigger part in the next book, and I am very curious to see how things will go now that he is involved in the scheming and court politics. I honestly have no idea where exactly this series is going and how things will turn out, but I will read the sequel for sure!
“I’m nothing,” I choked out. “A second-born prince whose family counts him a traitor. Nothing more. All I’m the prince of now is forbidden magic and treasonous lies.”
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dnf
August 2, 2022DNF at 28%
I‘m sorry, but no.
The writing is actually pretty good, but I can‘t really connect with any of the characters, least of all the MC. Some of the choices he made are just awful in my opinion.
Guess this one isn‘t for me 🤷🏼♀️
I‘m sorry, but no.
The writing is actually pretty good, but I can‘t really connect with any of the characters, least of all the MC. Some of the choices he made are just awful in my opinion.
Guess this one isn‘t for me 🤷🏼♀️
October 22, 2025
5 stars
it's been a few years since i read this and but i still think about it from time to time. it's not objectively the best story but still pretty engaging and i had a great time reading it. it had some good twists and turns and it was also way darker than i expected. i am still waiting on a sequel hope it releases soon!
Reviewed on 22nd October 2025
DISCLAIMER-All opinions on books I’ve read and reviewed are my own, and are with no intention to offend anyone. If you feel offended by my reviews, let me know how I can fix it.
How I Rate-
1 star- Hardly liked anything/ was disappointed
2 star- Had potential but did not deliver/ was disappointed
3 stars- Was ok but could have been better/ was average / Enjoyed a lot but something was missing
4 stars- Loved a lot but something was missing
5 stars- Loved it/ new favourite
..................................
5 stars. This was so good. I haven't read such an entertaining fantasy that had me absolutely gripped since a long time. BR with Ash. RTC!
it's been a few years since i read this and but i still think about it from time to time. it's not objectively the best story but still pretty engaging and i had a great time reading it. it had some good twists and turns and it was also way darker than i expected. i am still waiting on a sequel hope it releases soon!
Reviewed on 22nd October 2025
DISCLAIMER-All opinions on books I’ve read and reviewed are my own, and are with no intention to offend anyone. If you feel offended by my reviews, let me know how I can fix it.
How I Rate-
1 star- Hardly liked anything/ was disappointed
2 star- Had potential but did not deliver/ was disappointed
3 stars- Was ok but could have been better/ was average / Enjoyed a lot but something was missing
4 stars- Loved a lot but something was missing
5 stars- Loved it/ new favourite
..................................
5 stars. This was so good. I haven't read such an entertaining fantasy that had me absolutely gripped since a long time. BR with Ash. RTC!
October 24, 2025
this was a blast! entertaining, fast paced and thrilling... i nEED THE SEQUEL
May 11, 2022
Thank you to BookSirens for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an host review.
Before picking up 'The Prince of Magic and Lies', I had not read anything by the author, Elizabeth S. Trafalgar, before. The plot summary and the themes presented in the blurb really intrigued me, and so I decided to pick it up. I was not disappointed. I greatly enjoyed the direction of the story and look forward to a sequel in the future!
General Thoughts: A really enjoyable read, which got me invested quickly, in a world with a fascinating magic system and interesting characters.
WARNING: Possible Minor Spoilers Ahead
What I Liked:
- Lyrian as a protagonist. Lyrian's description in the blurb translates really well on paper and he is a compelling protagonist. He is easy to empathise with and understand, and whilst I did not agree with all of his actions, I understood why he made the decisions that he did.
- The pre-established romance between Lyrian and Vail. Because this book focuses more on politics and magic, I enjoyed that Vail was already with Lyrian from the first page. Their relationship was incredibly sweet and I didn't need to see them get together to support their relationship.
- The magic system. I really loved the magic system in this book, especially with the depictions of what magic did physically to the user. It made Lyrian's concerns more palpable.
- The side cast. There wasn't a moment when I was confused between characters as they were all unique and fully realised.
What Didn't Work for Me:
- Without spoiling the story and going off what is written in the blurb, I wish that Lyrian's control over his brother Dom's mind had not be so drastic from the jump.
Things I felt would improve the reading experience:
- A Map. This book has references to kingdoms and wars with other kingdoms. I would have loved to see a map to fully realise the scale of the kingdoms and the world.
- General understanding of same-sex succession. I absolutely loved that the book is set in a world where there is no homophobia and same-sex relationships are accepted, even being considered of equal standing to heterosexual couples. The only question I had from the book was, if Lyrian married a man and his brother Dom also married a man, how would the royal line continue? Would the king adopt or would they find the closest blood relative?
After reading this book, I am excited to read more of Elizabeth S. Trafalgar's books, as well as this books sequel when it comes out. The blending of magic, politics and romance was equally weighted and no section felt too drawn out or under represented.
Before picking up 'The Prince of Magic and Lies', I had not read anything by the author, Elizabeth S. Trafalgar, before. The plot summary and the themes presented in the blurb really intrigued me, and so I decided to pick it up. I was not disappointed. I greatly enjoyed the direction of the story and look forward to a sequel in the future!
General Thoughts: A really enjoyable read, which got me invested quickly, in a world with a fascinating magic system and interesting characters.
WARNING: Possible Minor Spoilers Ahead
What I Liked:
- Lyrian as a protagonist. Lyrian's description in the blurb translates really well on paper and he is a compelling protagonist. He is easy to empathise with and understand, and whilst I did not agree with all of his actions, I understood why he made the decisions that he did.
- The pre-established romance between Lyrian and Vail. Because this book focuses more on politics and magic, I enjoyed that Vail was already with Lyrian from the first page. Their relationship was incredibly sweet and I didn't need to see them get together to support their relationship.
- The magic system. I really loved the magic system in this book, especially with the depictions of what magic did physically to the user. It made Lyrian's concerns more palpable.
- The side cast. There wasn't a moment when I was confused between characters as they were all unique and fully realised.
What Didn't Work for Me:
- Without spoiling the story and going off what is written in the blurb, I wish that Lyrian's control over his brother Dom's mind had not be so drastic from the jump.
Things I felt would improve the reading experience:
- A Map. This book has references to kingdoms and wars with other kingdoms. I would have loved to see a map to fully realise the scale of the kingdoms and the world.
- General understanding of same-sex succession. I absolutely loved that the book is set in a world where there is no homophobia and same-sex relationships are accepted, even being considered of equal standing to heterosexual couples. The only question I had from the book was, if Lyrian married a man and his brother Dom also married a man, how would the royal line continue? Would the king adopt or would they find the closest blood relative?
After reading this book, I am excited to read more of Elizabeth S. Trafalgar's books, as well as this books sequel when it comes out. The blending of magic, politics and romance was equally weighted and no section felt too drawn out or under represented.
April 21, 2022
*ARC received from author in exchange for my honest review. *
Sometimes I forget that even as an adult I can still enjoy a young adult novel. Elizabeth S. Trafalgar created a story of magic, kingdoms and what it means for your life to be changed forever by one person's decision.
Prince Lyrian was the spare he was never supposed to rule, that job was supposed to go to the eldest. Now, his life is changing before him and the secret he has been keeping were it to get out could mean his death. You see in Carith magic is punishable by death and if that secret were ever to get out it would mean everyone, he loves would be against him.
The Markings were a bit of a unique situation for me because through the whole book I was seeing tattoos they weren't really that at all. It was something entirely different. Honestly, that could have been a me thing. That is the only aspect of the story that left me a little bit confused for a time.
There are so many things that I want to say about this book, but I feel like if I say too much then the story won't have the same impact it would if you were going into it blind.
If you take one thing away from this review let it be that while this is YA story some of the themes at play here hit on a much deeper level than I was expecting. Prince Lyrian won my heart entirely. His struggles through this book for me were much more about him finding himself than it was anything else. With reading we all come to our own conclusions and that is mine.
Sometimes I forget that even as an adult I can still enjoy a young adult novel. Elizabeth S. Trafalgar created a story of magic, kingdoms and what it means for your life to be changed forever by one person's decision.
Prince Lyrian was the spare he was never supposed to rule, that job was supposed to go to the eldest. Now, his life is changing before him and the secret he has been keeping were it to get out could mean his death. You see in Carith magic is punishable by death and if that secret were ever to get out it would mean everyone, he loves would be against him.
The Markings were a bit of a unique situation for me because through the whole book I was seeing tattoos they weren't really that at all. It was something entirely different. Honestly, that could have been a me thing. That is the only aspect of the story that left me a little bit confused for a time.
There are so many things that I want to say about this book, but I feel like if I say too much then the story won't have the same impact it would if you were going into it blind.
If you take one thing away from this review let it be that while this is YA story some of the themes at play here hit on a much deeper level than I was expecting. Prince Lyrian won my heart entirely. His struggles through this book for me were much more about him finding himself than it was anything else. With reading we all come to our own conclusions and that is mine.
April 19, 2022
Primero de todo, doy las gracias a BookSirens por darme una copia de este libro. ESTA RESEÑA ES TOTALMENTE VOLUNTARIA.
Sinceramente, tengo que decir que la portada de este libro me enamoró. Me recuerda mucho al libro "The Shadows between us" (libro que también recomiendo). Este libro, a parte de esta maravillosa portada me pareció bastante chulo, y con esto me refiero a que la trama está bien explicada y creo sinceramente que tiene muchísimo potencial.
Tengo que destacar que es un libro bastante largo, pero que de verdad te lo puedes leer enseguida. Por ejemplo, en mi caso lo adquirí el 17/04 y estamos a 19/04 y os digo que me lo hubiese leído antes, pero con los estudios + las pascuas, no me ha dado casi tiempo a concentrarme en la lectura.
En este caso estamos hablando de un mundo de fantasía y lo que me gustó mucho es que esta autora se le nota que SÍ que sabe describir bien un mundo de fantasía. Es verdad que con estos libros hay veces que te ponen tantas descripciones que a tu cerebro no le da ni tiempo para poder procesarlo todo, pero en este caso Elizabeth hizo un maravilloso trabajo dado que te mete en la historia directamente y te da la descripción necesaria para que no quieras dejar el libro ni por un segundo.
También me gustaría destacar que este libro tiene romance LGTB y la verdad aunque no suelo leer muchos libros con este tipo de trama, este libro me gustó bastante y a parte una vez te introducen a los protagonistas te das cuenta de que el romance no va a ser la principal trama, lo cual es genial porque ya tiene suficiente el libro con la magia y el mundo fantástico.
Para concluir me gustaría dar las gracias a la autora dado que me ha abierto un nuevo mundo con este libro y me ha hecho ver que hay un montón de diferentes tramas de fantasía que descubrir y no deberíamos siempre de quedarnos con el típico "MF trope", sino que hay veces que "MM trope" vale mucho la pena.
Ay! Casi se me olvida! Quería decir que recomiendo este libro mucho y que espero que el segundo salga pronto porque ahora me ha dejado con las ganas de ver lo que le espera a Lyrian.
Por cierto, me gustaría advertir que este es el primer libro de lo que creo que será una dilogía.
## REVIEW IN ENGLISH##
First of all, I thank BookSirens for giving me a copy of this book. THIS REVIEW IS COMPLETELY VOLUNTARY.
Honestly, I have to say that the cover of this book made me fall in love with it. It reminds me a lot of the book "The Shadows between us" (book that I also recommend). This book, apart from this wonderful cover I found it quite cool, and by this I mean that the plot is well explained and I sincerely believe that it has a lot of potential.
I have to point out that it is quite a long book, but you can really read it right away. For example, in my case they gave it to me on 17/04 and we are at 19/04 and I tell you that I would have read it before, but with my studies + Easter,I didn't have almost any time to concentrate on reading.
In this case, we are talking about a fantasy world and what I really liked is that this author shows that she DOES know how to describe a fantasy world well. It is true that with these books there are times when you get so many descriptions that your brain doesn't even have time to process it all, but in this case Elizabeth did a wonderful job since she gets you directly into the story and gives you the necessary description so that you don't want to put the book down for a second.
I would also like to point out that this book has LGBT romance and to tell the truth although I don't usually read many books with this kind of plot, I liked this book quite a lot and besides once you are introduced to the main characters you realize that romance is not going to be the main plot, which is great because the book already has enough magic and fantasy world.
To conclude, I would like to thank the author since she has opened a new world for me with this book and made me realize that there are a lot of different fantasy plots to discover and we shouldn't always stick to the typical "MF trope", but there are times when "MM trope" is really worth it.
Oh, I almost forgot! I wanted to say that I highly recommend this book and that I hope the second one comes out soon because now you've left me wanting to see what's in store for Lyrian.
By the way, I would like to warn that this is the first book in what I think will be a dilogy.
Sinceramente, tengo que decir que la portada de este libro me enamoró. Me recuerda mucho al libro "The Shadows between us" (libro que también recomiendo). Este libro, a parte de esta maravillosa portada me pareció bastante chulo, y con esto me refiero a que la trama está bien explicada y creo sinceramente que tiene muchísimo potencial.
Tengo que destacar que es un libro bastante largo, pero que de verdad te lo puedes leer enseguida. Por ejemplo, en mi caso lo adquirí el 17/04 y estamos a 19/04 y os digo que me lo hubiese leído antes, pero con los estudios + las pascuas, no me ha dado casi tiempo a concentrarme en la lectura.
En este caso estamos hablando de un mundo de fantasía y lo que me gustó mucho es que esta autora se le nota que SÍ que sabe describir bien un mundo de fantasía. Es verdad que con estos libros hay veces que te ponen tantas descripciones que a tu cerebro no le da ni tiempo para poder procesarlo todo, pero en este caso Elizabeth hizo un maravilloso trabajo dado que te mete en la historia directamente y te da la descripción necesaria para que no quieras dejar el libro ni por un segundo.
También me gustaría destacar que este libro tiene romance LGTB y la verdad aunque no suelo leer muchos libros con este tipo de trama, este libro me gustó bastante y a parte una vez te introducen a los protagonistas te das cuenta de que el romance no va a ser la principal trama, lo cual es genial porque ya tiene suficiente el libro con la magia y el mundo fantástico.
Para concluir me gustaría dar las gracias a la autora dado que me ha abierto un nuevo mundo con este libro y me ha hecho ver que hay un montón de diferentes tramas de fantasía que descubrir y no deberíamos siempre de quedarnos con el típico "MF trope", sino que hay veces que "MM trope" vale mucho la pena.
Ay! Casi se me olvida! Quería decir que recomiendo este libro mucho y que espero que el segundo salga pronto porque ahora me ha dejado con las ganas de ver lo que le espera a Lyrian.
Por cierto, me gustaría advertir que este es el primer libro de lo que creo que será una dilogía.
## REVIEW IN ENGLISH##
First of all, I thank BookSirens for giving me a copy of this book. THIS REVIEW IS COMPLETELY VOLUNTARY.
Honestly, I have to say that the cover of this book made me fall in love with it. It reminds me a lot of the book "The Shadows between us" (book that I also recommend). This book, apart from this wonderful cover I found it quite cool, and by this I mean that the plot is well explained and I sincerely believe that it has a lot of potential.
I have to point out that it is quite a long book, but you can really read it right away. For example, in my case they gave it to me on 17/04 and we are at 19/04 and I tell you that I would have read it before, but with my studies + Easter,I didn't have almost any time to concentrate on reading.
In this case, we are talking about a fantasy world and what I really liked is that this author shows that she DOES know how to describe a fantasy world well. It is true that with these books there are times when you get so many descriptions that your brain doesn't even have time to process it all, but in this case Elizabeth did a wonderful job since she gets you directly into the story and gives you the necessary description so that you don't want to put the book down for a second.
I would also like to point out that this book has LGBT romance and to tell the truth although I don't usually read many books with this kind of plot, I liked this book quite a lot and besides once you are introduced to the main characters you realize that romance is not going to be the main plot, which is great because the book already has enough magic and fantasy world.
To conclude, I would like to thank the author since she has opened a new world for me with this book and made me realize that there are a lot of different fantasy plots to discover and we shouldn't always stick to the typical "MF trope", but there are times when "MM trope" is really worth it.
Oh, I almost forgot! I wanted to say that I highly recommend this book and that I hope the second one comes out soon because now you've left me wanting to see what's in store for Lyrian.
By the way, I would like to warn that this is the first book in what I think will be a dilogy.
April 28, 2022
I really wanted to like this book. I didn’t like that the main character, Lyrian, was crying and carrying on at the beginning of the book. It seemed that he couldn’t get a grip, and I do realize that the stakes are high and that he could be executed for his magic-user abilities. It didn’t feel like a very emotional story and I had a hard time getting into Lyrian’s head.
I think the lack of connection, beyond what we’re told about the characters is what made me give a 3-star review.
I really didn’t understand why a second son would be chosen for an heir, and there didn’t seem to be a reason other than the fact that it served the plot.
I liked that Lyrian seemed to experience panic and anxiety as most people do, and I thought that was very relatable. His relationship with his brother was a bit strange and I didn’t truly grasp what was the issue with Dom.
The King (Lyrian’s father) seemed like a tyrant, and the banning of magic didn’t feel really explained? What happened to make magic so intolerable in this world?
I think I would have rated it higher if there was more of an emotional connection with the characters, and more time spent on the hows and whys of the world.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I think the lack of connection, beyond what we’re told about the characters is what made me give a 3-star review.
I really didn’t understand why a second son would be chosen for an heir, and there didn’t seem to be a reason other than the fact that it served the plot.
I liked that Lyrian seemed to experience panic and anxiety as most people do, and I thought that was very relatable. His relationship with his brother was a bit strange and I didn’t truly grasp what was the issue with Dom.
The King (Lyrian’s father) seemed like a tyrant, and the banning of magic didn’t feel really explained? What happened to make magic so intolerable in this world?
I think I would have rated it higher if there was more of an emotional connection with the characters, and more time spent on the hows and whys of the world.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
tsk-i-dnfed
August 24, 2024Dnfing at 50%. It's been a month+ since i last picked up this book, I'm throwing in the towel. I dont care about any of the characters and actively was praying for Lyrians downfall ngl 🙈. It just kept going in loops and felt very unseasoned in general, i gotta move on to better things
September 17, 2022
I'd like to start this review with a huge THANK YOU to Elizabeth S. Trafalgar who entrusted my half brain, short attention span and crappy English with an ARC of her book, The Prince of Magic and Lies.
LET'S GET STARTED.
Although keep in mind that I will be talking about the whole story - although not entirely but if you want to avoid spoilers, please don't read this. If you clicked even though you haven't read it, then I'm not responsible. I did this a lot, enough to say you'll regret it.
The Prince, well that's Lyrian. He's a young man, a prince who's slightly shy and has a kiiind of problem with himself, to say the least. He basically lives, as a mage, in a country where the national sport is killing mages.
The first part of the book relies heavily on Lyrian's point of view (he's the POV character and we see the whole thing through his eyes). The description is heavily focused on what he feels, what he thinks. Because sweet Lyrian was of course born with magic, but he wasn't born without a brain.
And boy is he a schemer. I'd say a schemer-by-necessity, as if... If he hadn't been like this since childhood, well he wouldn't have grown past his childhood. He loves his brother, his dad and mom, but they'd kill him if they knew.
The first part of the book is a Dune-like intrigue where he needs NOT to be king and shapes his brother Dom into one. Palace life, important focus on characters. A "behind closed doors" feeling that really suited the story.
I found the description really focus ont Lyrian's feelings, a really deep, complex and detailed description whereas the description of both countries, other characters and places were somewhat lacking. I could vaguely remember Vail being a soldier, Dom's wavy hair. I had a hard time giving a style to the two countries of Carith and Thastia because of the lack of description. The imbalance was clearly visible at times between the lush psychological details and the lack of physical ones.
We get a bit of a step back when encountering Nerissa Voxis - whom I like very much, much like Ayra. Her arrival in the story marks one of the two big turning points of the book ; the focus shifts and then, Lyrian is not alone anymore.
No well he's got a new ennemy, although he can use her to study magic. Turns out he's quite good at it.
This leads us to the last part, where he actually shows his power to subdue dozens of men. Because he's not just quite good at it - he's the best known so far.
The story was full of twists and turns, which was very good - up until the last page I had NO IDEA how this would and and I was truly stuck to this book at each and every break I had at work (who cares about ating with colleague when you can stay at your desk, binge on coffee and reading ???).
Said twists had a tendency of arriving too rapidly and a bit too strongly - let's say, killing the entire royal family and and entire court. I truly had no time to get accustomed to the characters, to like them and, although the point was they were ready to kill Nerissa because of her lack of magic, this point could have been written upon a bit more. Even succintly (does that word even exist).
There was something really tragic in both Lyrian and Nerissa's stories where their families loved them buuuut anyway, if they would get rid of them, that's for the better. A mix between the Silmarillion and some greek tragedy, let's say a blend of Agamemnon (without anthropophagic ancestors - wait, who knows).
Some more context was needed, but the relationship between the character was fluid and sincere - first being Lyrian and Vail's. Vail is my baby and I would crush skulls for him.
I grew to like this book by the line, by the page, and by the end you could trust me, I could not stop. This is a great work!
LET'S GET STARTED.
Although keep in mind that I will be talking about the whole story - although not entirely but if you want to avoid spoilers, please don't read this. If you clicked even though you haven't read it, then I'm not responsible. I did this a lot, enough to say you'll regret it.
The Prince, well that's Lyrian. He's a young man, a prince who's slightly shy and has a kiiind of problem with himself, to say the least. He basically lives, as a mage, in a country where the national sport is killing mages.
The first part of the book relies heavily on Lyrian's point of view (he's the POV character and we see the whole thing through his eyes). The description is heavily focused on what he feels, what he thinks. Because sweet Lyrian was of course born with magic, but he wasn't born without a brain.
And boy is he a schemer. I'd say a schemer-by-necessity, as if... If he hadn't been like this since childhood, well he wouldn't have grown past his childhood. He loves his brother, his dad and mom, but they'd kill him if they knew.
The first part of the book is a Dune-like intrigue where he needs NOT to be king and shapes his brother Dom into one. Palace life, important focus on characters. A "behind closed doors" feeling that really suited the story.
I found the description really focus ont Lyrian's feelings, a really deep, complex and detailed description whereas the description of both countries, other characters and places were somewhat lacking. I could vaguely remember Vail being a soldier, Dom's wavy hair. I had a hard time giving a style to the two countries of Carith and Thastia because of the lack of description. The imbalance was clearly visible at times between the lush psychological details and the lack of physical ones.
We get a bit of a step back when encountering Nerissa Voxis - whom I like very much, much like Ayra. Her arrival in the story marks one of the two big turning points of the book ; the focus shifts and then, Lyrian is not alone anymore.
No well he's got a new ennemy, although he can use her to study magic. Turns out he's quite good at it.
This leads us to the last part, where he actually shows his power to subdue dozens of men. Because he's not just quite good at it - he's the best known so far.
The story was full of twists and turns, which was very good - up until the last page I had NO IDEA how this would and and I was truly stuck to this book at each and every break I had at work (who cares about ating with colleague when you can stay at your desk, binge on coffee and reading ???).
Said twists had a tendency of arriving too rapidly and a bit too strongly - let's say, killing the entire royal family and and entire court. I truly had no time to get accustomed to the characters, to like them and, although the point was they were ready to kill Nerissa because of her lack of magic, this point could have been written upon a bit more. Even succintly (does that word even exist).
There was something really tragic in both Lyrian and Nerissa's stories where their families loved them buuuut anyway, if they would get rid of them, that's for the better. A mix between the Silmarillion and some greek tragedy, let's say a blend of Agamemnon (without anthropophagic ancestors - wait, who knows).
Some more context was needed, but the relationship between the character was fluid and sincere - first being Lyrian and Vail's. Vail is my baby and I would crush skulls for him.
I grew to like this book by the line, by the page, and by the end you could trust me, I could not stop. This is a great work!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 19, 2022
***Thank you to BookSirens for providing a copy of the book. My review contains my honest thoughts about my reading experience.***
I have mixed feelings about this book. There were many things I really liked, but it felt like an absolute chore getting through the first half. I was sucked in almost instantly by the writing and characterization of the main character. However, that immersion quickly eroded because it felt like the character and plot were stagnant for too long. The presentation of the character's fear of being found out quickly became repetitive, and the plot didn't progress much until the halfway point of the book. Then things moved super quickly, almost too quickly at times. I would have loved to spend more time with the battles and other important things happening towards the end of the book, but it seemed like they were over in the blink of an eye. The plot twists and rapid pace did have me hooked, though, because I read the second half of the book in one sitting. Whereas, it took me an entire week to even want to get through the first half.
The world-building was a bit hit or miss, as well. The magic system was really interesting, and I enjoyed getting to learn more about the mind control powers alongside Lyrian as he grew to accept his magic and develop his abilities. The rest of the world-building was seriously lacking, though. The backdrop was bare bones, and I really wanted more info on what set these two kingdoms at odds. Maybe that will come in later books, but it just felt really underdeveloped. It left things feeling like they were a certain way only because the plot required them to be rather than seeming like a living and breathing world. I also found some of the scenarios to really stretch the limit of common sense. For example, it would have been super unlikely that no one would have seriously questioned Lyrian's odd behavior and fashion sense much earlier given how zealous everyone seemed to be about rooting out magic users.
I loved the characterization of Lyrian. He was a complex character that ended up being someone I hated feeling sorry for. He was in a horrible situation of having to hide his true nature from everyone he loved. The awfulness of the religious fanaticism really hit home and made me feel uncomfortable. It reminded me of the horrible, dehumanizing things I used to hear about gay people from members of my church when I was growing up. So, initially I really identified with Lyrian and his struggle to keep his magic a secret for fear of his own safety. Then he began doing really horrible things, including to other people like him, in order to protect himself. Many, including myself, would argue they were probably justified to some extent given the immediate threat to his own life, but it still made the character harder to root for even though he was making impossible choices. I also couldn't help shaking the feeling that the better choice from the very beginning of the story would have just been to run away to a kingdom that accepted magic users. It's not like he didn't have the resources to do it. As things cascaded, it eventually just began to seem like it was selfishness, rather than self-preservation, that kept spurring him to make horrible choices, especially as he grew to accept himself and his power. Absolute power corrupts absolutely, and Lyrian was definitely an interesting case study of that premise at times.
I enjoyed the rest of the characters, as well, but they all felt a bit like one-dimensional cardboard cutouts for most, if not all, of the book. The only exception was probably Thea, who had a similar story and trajectory to Lyrian. The relationship between Vail and Lyrian was sweet and very endearing, and Vail himself was also very sweet and noble. I wish there would have been even more of them just being a cute couple because those moments really helped to lighten up a lot of the darker aspects of the book. In general, the LGBT+ rep was really great amongst all the characters, and I liked that this world accepted those differences while using the prosecution of magic to explore themes related to queer trauma. It was an interesting juxtaposition to read.
Overall, this was a good start to a fantasy series with great queer rep and the exploration of pretty powerful themes. It has great potential despite the pacing, world-building, and secondary characters being a bit shaky. The complex characterization of Lyrian really stood out as the best thing about the book to me, along with the general exploration of the dangers associated with fanaticism. I'm definitely intrigued enough to give the sequel a shot when it comes out. Therefore, I rate this book 3 out of 5 stars.
See more of my reviews and other bookish content here!
I have mixed feelings about this book. There were many things I really liked, but it felt like an absolute chore getting through the first half. I was sucked in almost instantly by the writing and characterization of the main character. However, that immersion quickly eroded because it felt like the character and plot were stagnant for too long. The presentation of the character's fear of being found out quickly became repetitive, and the plot didn't progress much until the halfway point of the book. Then things moved super quickly, almost too quickly at times. I would have loved to spend more time with the battles and other important things happening towards the end of the book, but it seemed like they were over in the blink of an eye. The plot twists and rapid pace did have me hooked, though, because I read the second half of the book in one sitting. Whereas, it took me an entire week to even want to get through the first half.
The world-building was a bit hit or miss, as well. The magic system was really interesting, and I enjoyed getting to learn more about the mind control powers alongside Lyrian as he grew to accept his magic and develop his abilities. The rest of the world-building was seriously lacking, though. The backdrop was bare bones, and I really wanted more info on what set these two kingdoms at odds. Maybe that will come in later books, but it just felt really underdeveloped. It left things feeling like they were a certain way only because the plot required them to be rather than seeming like a living and breathing world. I also found some of the scenarios to really stretch the limit of common sense. For example, it would have been super unlikely that no one would have seriously questioned Lyrian's odd behavior and fashion sense much earlier given how zealous everyone seemed to be about rooting out magic users.
I loved the characterization of Lyrian. He was a complex character that ended up being someone I hated feeling sorry for. He was in a horrible situation of having to hide his true nature from everyone he loved. The awfulness of the religious fanaticism really hit home and made me feel uncomfortable. It reminded me of the horrible, dehumanizing things I used to hear about gay people from members of my church when I was growing up. So, initially I really identified with Lyrian and his struggle to keep his magic a secret for fear of his own safety. Then he began doing really horrible things, including to other people like him, in order to protect himself. Many, including myself, would argue they were probably justified to some extent given the immediate threat to his own life, but it still made the character harder to root for even though he was making impossible choices. I also couldn't help shaking the feeling that the better choice from the very beginning of the story would have just been to run away to a kingdom that accepted magic users. It's not like he didn't have the resources to do it. As things cascaded, it eventually just began to seem like it was selfishness, rather than self-preservation, that kept spurring him to make horrible choices, especially as he grew to accept himself and his power. Absolute power corrupts absolutely, and Lyrian was definitely an interesting case study of that premise at times.
I enjoyed the rest of the characters, as well, but they all felt a bit like one-dimensional cardboard cutouts for most, if not all, of the book. The only exception was probably Thea, who had a similar story and trajectory to Lyrian. The relationship between Vail and Lyrian was sweet and very endearing, and Vail himself was also very sweet and noble. I wish there would have been even more of them just being a cute couple because those moments really helped to lighten up a lot of the darker aspects of the book. In general, the LGBT+ rep was really great amongst all the characters, and I liked that this world accepted those differences while using the prosecution of magic to explore themes related to queer trauma. It was an interesting juxtaposition to read.
Overall, this was a good start to a fantasy series with great queer rep and the exploration of pretty powerful themes. It has great potential despite the pacing, world-building, and secondary characters being a bit shaky. The complex characterization of Lyrian really stood out as the best thing about the book to me, along with the general exploration of the dangers associated with fanaticism. I'm definitely intrigued enough to give the sequel a shot when it comes out. Therefore, I rate this book 3 out of 5 stars.
See more of my reviews and other bookish content here!
June 1, 2022
THIS IS THE QUEER POLITICAL FANTASY NOVEL WE'VE BEEN WAITING ON!!!
The only thing that kept me from giving that 5th star was a personal desire for more smut & I want a map.
Let's talk characters--MASTERY. There are about 10 noteworthy characters (told in 1st person) and they're all easily distinguished, even with fantasy-esque names. I adored all the relationships and how they shaped and formed throughout the book. And also, I'm so here for everyone being openly sexual, partner fluid, bi/pan, whatever. It's so great. I loved reading a book in a world where sex is sex (though no graphic onscreen sex, just MM fade to black) and there's no homophobia. I honestly thought this was going to be a preachy fable where magic=sexuality and the non-magical kingdom was code for straight cis homophobes but it isn't! It's just a really good book.
I read the first 30-60% over the course of 2 days but that last 30% in one setting bc the PLOT TWISTS come at you FAST. I can honestly say I did not see that ending coming & I look forward to the next book because I have to know how this ends!!!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The only thing that kept me from giving that 5th star was a personal desire for more smut & I want a map.
Let's talk characters--MASTERY. There are about 10 noteworthy characters (told in 1st person) and they're all easily distinguished, even with fantasy-esque names. I adored all the relationships and how they shaped and formed throughout the book. And also, I'm so here for everyone being openly sexual, partner fluid, bi/pan, whatever. It's so great. I loved reading a book in a world where sex is sex (though no graphic onscreen sex, just MM fade to black) and there's no homophobia. I honestly thought this was going to be a preachy fable where magic=sexuality and the non-magical kingdom was code for straight cis homophobes but it isn't! It's just a really good book.
I read the first 30-60% over the course of 2 days but that last 30% in one setting bc the PLOT TWISTS come at you FAST. I can honestly say I did not see that ending coming & I look forward to the next book because I have to know how this ends!!!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 22, 2022
First, I want to thank the publisher for sending me this free ebook giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
I loved and appreciated the LGBTQ+ representation in this book which I haven't often found in other fantasy stories. My biggest issue with this story was the repetitive nature of how the author chose to pace the story. I understand the main character possessing his power is dangerous in this world, and it's an aspect incorporated into this world. However, I felt like every third sentence or more was some reference to how he was in constant fear of what he could do and what it meant if someone found out. I get the author was trying to keep us on our toes and maybe was trying to make us feel how concerned the main character was feeling about his situation. Still, I was maybe ten chapters into the story, and that was the only thing I had learned about this world: Magic is considered bad, and our main character has magic. I'm sure someone will enjoy this book more than I did but these are my opinions/feelings about this book.
I loved and appreciated the LGBTQ+ representation in this book which I haven't often found in other fantasy stories. My biggest issue with this story was the repetitive nature of how the author chose to pace the story. I understand the main character possessing his power is dangerous in this world, and it's an aspect incorporated into this world. However, I felt like every third sentence or more was some reference to how he was in constant fear of what he could do and what it meant if someone found out. I get the author was trying to keep us on our toes and maybe was trying to make us feel how concerned the main character was feeling about his situation. Still, I was maybe ten chapters into the story, and that was the only thing I had learned about this world: Magic is considered bad, and our main character has magic. I'm sure someone will enjoy this book more than I did but these are my opinions/feelings about this book.
May 12, 2022
The literal only problem I have with this book is that I can’t read the next one immediately, the world building and character development was flawless, a Prince who shouldn’t have magic but does, two kingdoms at war over the use of magic, two kingdoms trying to bend the will of the gods to be in their favor, on their side, a Prince who will stop at nothing to protect those he loves, I love this book so much and desperately hate the cliffhanger I was left with but respect it because making this a stand-alone would have been a terrible injustice to these characters, I can only hope Elizabeth graces us with the sequel soon.
And I literally came back here to add this cause there were so many great things about this book that I forgot to mention that most of the main characters are sexually fluid and I love that so much
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
And I literally came back here to add this cause there were so many great things about this book that I forgot to mention that most of the main characters are sexually fluid and I love that so much
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 21, 2022
🌟🌟🌟 (3.7/5)
This book could be the start to a pretty good new fantasy series. I enjoyed the writing and the book itself, but I also do have some criticism.
Pros:
- the plot: I really liked the story itself. It's not a completely unique story and there are certainly some fantasy books that have similar plots. But still, it was entertainingly written and I generally always looked forward to reading a bit more. I started to really enjoy it in the second half, though, when it felt like more was finally happening.
- the character development: I think it's always important for a character to develop within the book. Especially with book series, the development is often very slow, so I like to ask myself why the character makes the same mistake 3 times in a row. That was different in this book - the character development was fast, at times almost a bit too fast. Nevertheless, the more character development Lyrian went through, the more I became friends with him.
Cons:
- the worldbuilding: I feel like even though it was the prelude to a book series, the worldbuilding was almost completely lacking. Especially in fantasy books, I think good worldbuilding is an absolute must because we can't go by historical aspects. But with this book I actually have the feeling that everyone who reads it would imagine completely different worlds, because simply extremely little of the world we are in is described.
- the reasoning: In this book we follow a character who is different from all the other characters around him - he is the only one who has magic. And not once in this entire book is the background written about. We, as readers, are just supposed to believe that this is the case. But why? Is there any family history that we don't know? Why does Lyrian, of all people, have magic and the entire rest of his family does not? And not only do we not learn the reason, but our protagonist doesn't ask himself these questions - which I think is simply unrealistic.
- the pacing: Personally, the book is too fast-paced for me. This is where I think the lack of worldbuilding comes into play again, because that would give a good balance to the really fast-paced, eventful story.
- even if it is only a small thing, I have to mention it because it bothers me: there are quite often grammatical or spelling mistakes. I know, many people don't even notice them, but it bothers me, especially when it happens in every chapter.
All in all, a solid start to a new fantasy series with a lot of potential!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This book could be the start to a pretty good new fantasy series. I enjoyed the writing and the book itself, but I also do have some criticism.
Pros:
- the plot: I really liked the story itself. It's not a completely unique story and there are certainly some fantasy books that have similar plots. But still, it was entertainingly written and I generally always looked forward to reading a bit more. I started to really enjoy it in the second half, though, when it felt like more was finally happening.
- the character development: I think it's always important for a character to develop within the book. Especially with book series, the development is often very slow, so I like to ask myself why the character makes the same mistake 3 times in a row. That was different in this book - the character development was fast, at times almost a bit too fast. Nevertheless, the more character development Lyrian went through, the more I became friends with him.
Cons:
- the worldbuilding: I feel like even though it was the prelude to a book series, the worldbuilding was almost completely lacking. Especially in fantasy books, I think good worldbuilding is an absolute must because we can't go by historical aspects. But with this book I actually have the feeling that everyone who reads it would imagine completely different worlds, because simply extremely little of the world we are in is described.
- the reasoning: In this book we follow a character who is different from all the other characters around him - he is the only one who has magic. And not once in this entire book is the background written about. We, as readers, are just supposed to believe that this is the case. But why? Is there any family history that we don't know? Why does Lyrian, of all people, have magic and the entire rest of his family does not? And not only do we not learn the reason, but our protagonist doesn't ask himself these questions - which I think is simply unrealistic.
- the pacing: Personally, the book is too fast-paced for me. This is where I think the lack of worldbuilding comes into play again, because that would give a good balance to the really fast-paced, eventful story.
- even if it is only a small thing, I have to mention it because it bothers me: there are quite often grammatical or spelling mistakes. I know, many people don't even notice them, but it bothers me, especially when it happens in every chapter.
All in all, a solid start to a new fantasy series with a lot of potential!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 17, 2022
This book had poor execution of what could've been a decent plot. No really, I can see the potential where it lies, but that's where it stops too.
-There was no background into why any of plot should make any sense. Why is magic outlawed? Why not go to another kingdom? What's the deal with the religion? Is EVERYONE religious? How big are these kingdoms? None of it makes any sense.
-Royals that DON'T act like royals, religious figures that don't act like religious figures and over all, people that don't act like f*cking people! No one was relatable, no scenario seemed realistic, as far as charcters and dialogue go, I felt like I was reading a rough draft for a short story I was writing in 5th grade. Seriously.
-Two princes "one strong, one not" and somehow they're both the wimpyest characters I've ever read about. I can't seem to stress this enough. There's one prince, born first, raised to become King, handsome, strong, and smart. There's no reason for him to be so vain about his image with the people yet still so "selfless" that he won't harm any one for any reason. For goodness sake he reads The Act Of War and has been to war councels his whole life! He won't even punish a criminal? Nope. Not to mention how easily his mind is tampered with by his brother. He's mot strong enough to fight it even though his brother is NO master with magic? Not even smart enough to question what happened when the magic isnt there? Apparently not. Then there's the second prince, born with magic (that's illegal) because it's good for the plot right? Errrrrrr, wrong. He's some how even more wimpy than his brother! And let me tell you it's not because he's literally be ridden with anxiety, no, although the author could've done a better job with the execution of that too. No, it's because this character has NO bravery, none, no daring role to fulfill, nothing! It was so aggravating! There were two things that were decent about his character. One, he thinks like a king (somehow?) He knows how war works, marriage alliances, how to keep the people happy and in line. Two, he has magic. On the first thing, it seemed extremely out of character for him to have such thought processes with those things considering how his character is with everything else. On the second thing, he's TERRIFIED of his magic! And he ONLY uses it as a cop out.
It's ridiculous how much potential this character and book had and lost.
I honestly feel like I wasted my time, I really hate to give a book a bad review but ugh.
-There was no background into why any of plot should make any sense. Why is magic outlawed? Why not go to another kingdom? What's the deal with the religion? Is EVERYONE religious? How big are these kingdoms? None of it makes any sense.
-Royals that DON'T act like royals, religious figures that don't act like religious figures and over all, people that don't act like f*cking people! No one was relatable, no scenario seemed realistic, as far as charcters and dialogue go, I felt like I was reading a rough draft for a short story I was writing in 5th grade. Seriously.
-Two princes "one strong, one not" and somehow they're both the wimpyest characters I've ever read about. I can't seem to stress this enough. There's one prince, born first, raised to become King, handsome, strong, and smart. There's no reason for him to be so vain about his image with the people yet still so "selfless" that he won't harm any one for any reason. For goodness sake he reads The Act Of War and has been to war councels his whole life! He won't even punish a criminal? Nope. Not to mention how easily his mind is tampered with by his brother. He's mot strong enough to fight it even though his brother is NO master with magic? Not even smart enough to question what happened when the magic isnt there? Apparently not. Then there's the second prince, born with magic (that's illegal) because it's good for the plot right? Errrrrrr, wrong. He's some how even more wimpy than his brother! And let me tell you it's not because he's literally be ridden with anxiety, no, although the author could've done a better job with the execution of that too. No, it's because this character has NO bravery, none, no daring role to fulfill, nothing! It was so aggravating! There were two things that were decent about his character. One, he thinks like a king (somehow?) He knows how war works, marriage alliances, how to keep the people happy and in line. Two, he has magic. On the first thing, it seemed extremely out of character for him to have such thought processes with those things considering how his character is with everything else. On the second thing, he's TERRIFIED of his magic! And he ONLY uses it as a cop out.
It's ridiculous how much potential this character and book had and lost.
I honestly feel like I wasted my time, I really hate to give a book a bad review but ugh.
May 5, 2022
A good read for fans of fast-paced fantasy, heavy on court politics and magic, very light on romance. Overall, it's a rather dark story, featuring some disturbing scenes, and definitely not a standalone, with the ending promising more conflict and political machinations.
The book follows prince Lyrian, the only magic user in the royal family of Carith, a country where the use of magic is punishable by death. Lyrian is an interesting, well-developed and very human character, plagued by anxiety and panic attacks, desperately hoping for his brother's love and acceptance. On the other hand, he's also rather selfish, manipulative and at times downright cruel. While his situation is very far from being enviable and I could sympathize with him at the beginning, when living under constant threat of death was clearly taking a toll on him, he lost me over his questionable solution to ensuring his brother's succession. Still, YMMV.
On the whole, I don't find any of the main characters particularly likeable. Maybe with the exception of Vail, but as much as the love for him motivates a lot of Lyrian's decisions, he himself doesn't get a lot of page time. The author has certainly created an interesting cast of complicated, deeply flawed personalities struggling against duty, religion, and family expectations. However, there's something very disturbing in how easily they sacrifice and discard other people, how they navigate their relationships, how they deal with difficult situations. That's problematic in an ordinary person, but even more so for someone in a position of power like most characters here. And while I occasionally feel like rooting for them, mainly because I don't want anyone to fall victim to things like religious zealotry or toxic family relationships, I'm not that invested in their personal happy endings.
What I would have liked is a bit more world building. For two countries where religion plays such a big role, we learn very little about their gods, their mythology, their history with magic. We don't know where magic comes from, why some people have it and some don't, what forms it can take besides mind control or creating light. Hopefully the sequel will answer at least some of those questions.
What I really did like is the complex plot with quite a few twists and turns, which kept me engaged throughout the book. Funnily enough, as much as I'm not invested in the fates of individuals, I got really invested in the fates of countries and nations and will be looking forward to reading the next installment to know how the pieces will fall after Aramis of Xyria shakes the board. No idea where this story is ultimately going, but I have high hopes for the sequel.
I received an ARC of this book and I'm voluntarily leaving an honest review.
The book follows prince Lyrian, the only magic user in the royal family of Carith, a country where the use of magic is punishable by death. Lyrian is an interesting, well-developed and very human character, plagued by anxiety and panic attacks, desperately hoping for his brother's love and acceptance. On the other hand, he's also rather selfish, manipulative and at times downright cruel. While his situation is very far from being enviable and I could sympathize with him at the beginning, when living under constant threat of death was clearly taking a toll on him, he lost me over his questionable solution to ensuring his brother's succession. Still, YMMV.
On the whole, I don't find any of the main characters particularly likeable. Maybe with the exception of Vail, but as much as the love for him motivates a lot of Lyrian's decisions, he himself doesn't get a lot of page time. The author has certainly created an interesting cast of complicated, deeply flawed personalities struggling against duty, religion, and family expectations. However, there's something very disturbing in how easily they sacrifice and discard other people, how they navigate their relationships, how they deal with difficult situations. That's problematic in an ordinary person, but even more so for someone in a position of power like most characters here. And while I occasionally feel like rooting for them, mainly because I don't want anyone to fall victim to things like religious zealotry or toxic family relationships, I'm not that invested in their personal happy endings.
What I would have liked is a bit more world building. For two countries where religion plays such a big role, we learn very little about their gods, their mythology, their history with magic. We don't know where magic comes from, why some people have it and some don't, what forms it can take besides mind control or creating light. Hopefully the sequel will answer at least some of those questions.
What I really did like is the complex plot with quite a few twists and turns, which kept me engaged throughout the book. Funnily enough, as much as I'm not invested in the fates of individuals, I got really invested in the fates of countries and nations and will be looking forward to reading the next installment to know how the pieces will fall after Aramis of Xyria shakes the board. No idea where this story is ultimately going, but I have high hopes for the sequel.
I received an ARC of this book and I'm voluntarily leaving an honest review.
May 24, 2022
Thanks to BookSirens for the ARC I used for this review. All opinions are my own.
Okay y'all, it's 3 am on a Wednesday night and I am here writing this because I put this book down ONCE only because I wasn't going to finish another 15 chapters at dawn and also go to work the next day.
I know that princes, knights and said princes and knights being lovers is my ~aesthetic~, but all that bias aside? This book is on my short list for the best book I will read this year. It's MAGNETIC, and I don't throw that around lightly. Magic, court intrigue, and in the center of it all a beautiful romance between two main characters who you actually care about, whose relationship feels natural and intimate even without explicit sex scenes. However, don't get me wrong--what is there, well within a YA rating and surely appropriate for a young teen should that be relevant to you, is very sensual. You get the impression the scenes were written for the room, and not because the author was in any way squeamish or biased negatively against sexual content, which is not only difficult to pull off, but refreshing to see. I only wanted them to be a little more explicit because I WANT THOSE TWO TO BE HAPPY IN EXPLICIT DETAIL. That's how much I care. Speaking of refreshing, there's also the point that there's a male-female Power of Friendship that never gets pigeonholed into a romance, and if representation is something you base your reads on, Lyrian is openly bisexual while Vail is gay--and Lyrian is hopelessly devoted to Vail, spurning other advances for him; he's not in any way the stereotypical bisexual slut, nor is he a pure virgin in an attempt to pull the needle the other way. He and Vail both are just very likeable.
The book is set up for a sequel, which is usually a peeve of mine with new titles, but considering how much of a privilege this was to read? Just give me the next one when it's done, I'll be waiting to not sleep again!
I can't say enough about this, especially since after a series of disappointments, this book reminded me that I really do love reading, when it hits right; and I am so glad this one did.
Okay y'all, it's 3 am on a Wednesday night and I am here writing this because I put this book down ONCE only because I wasn't going to finish another 15 chapters at dawn and also go to work the next day.
I know that princes, knights and said princes and knights being lovers is my ~aesthetic~, but all that bias aside? This book is on my short list for the best book I will read this year. It's MAGNETIC, and I don't throw that around lightly. Magic, court intrigue, and in the center of it all a beautiful romance between two main characters who you actually care about, whose relationship feels natural and intimate even without explicit sex scenes. However, don't get me wrong--what is there, well within a YA rating and surely appropriate for a young teen should that be relevant to you, is very sensual. You get the impression the scenes were written for the room, and not because the author was in any way squeamish or biased negatively against sexual content, which is not only difficult to pull off, but refreshing to see. I only wanted them to be a little more explicit because I WANT THOSE TWO TO BE HAPPY IN EXPLICIT DETAIL. That's how much I care. Speaking of refreshing, there's also the point that there's a male-female Power of Friendship that never gets pigeonholed into a romance, and if representation is something you base your reads on, Lyrian is openly bisexual while Vail is gay--and Lyrian is hopelessly devoted to Vail, spurning other advances for him; he's not in any way the stereotypical bisexual slut, nor is he a pure virgin in an attempt to pull the needle the other way. He and Vail both are just very likeable.
The book is set up for a sequel, which is usually a peeve of mine with new titles, but considering how much of a privilege this was to read? Just give me the next one when it's done, I'll be waiting to not sleep again!
I can't say enough about this, especially since after a series of disappointments, this book reminded me that I really do love reading, when it hits right; and I am so glad this one did.
May 3, 2022
Many thanks to BookSirens and the publishers for the eARC of this book for an honest review.
2/5
This book is what put me into a reading slump :/
I tried really hard to like it, but after forcing myself through the pages, I gave up. DNF @ 21%.
This book follows Prince Lyrian as he tries to hide his magic. Being second to the throne he thinks that he would never be in the spotlight long enough to have people question, but when he gets told that he will be Crown Prince, this all changes. Lyrian uses his magic, the ability to control people, over his brother- making him the better fit for the throne- to keep his brother the Crown Prince so that he can remain in the shadows.
The book strongly reminded me of the show Merlin; where Merlin needed to hide his magic from all but one person because if anyone knew that he had it, he would be killed. This story is similar except instead of an apprentice, this MC is a prince.
I was a little confused on how the “markings” that show he used magic works, I first assumed it would be like a tattoo. Something like Feyre’s from A Court of Thorns and Roses, but then it says how it is his veins becoming a black shade and standing out more because of that. Then why would it not spread? That’s my question, if it is his veins that are black, how is it confined to only certain areas, such as his hip?
Overall, I just didn't like the writing style of the book. It felt to Wattpad like for me, I'm sorry. The writing just wasn't it for me and I felt that everything was too casually spoken for them to be royals. The idea sounded good, I just didn't like the execution.
2/5
This book is what put me into a reading slump :/
I tried really hard to like it, but after forcing myself through the pages, I gave up. DNF @ 21%.
This book follows Prince Lyrian as he tries to hide his magic. Being second to the throne he thinks that he would never be in the spotlight long enough to have people question, but when he gets told that he will be Crown Prince, this all changes. Lyrian uses his magic, the ability to control people, over his brother- making him the better fit for the throne- to keep his brother the Crown Prince so that he can remain in the shadows.
The book strongly reminded me of the show Merlin; where Merlin needed to hide his magic from all but one person because if anyone knew that he had it, he would be killed. This story is similar except instead of an apprentice, this MC is a prince.
I was a little confused on how the “markings” that show he used magic works, I first assumed it would be like a tattoo. Something like Feyre’s from A Court of Thorns and Roses, but then it says how it is his veins becoming a black shade and standing out more because of that. Then why would it not spread? That’s my question, if it is his veins that are black, how is it confined to only certain areas, such as his hip?
Overall, I just didn't like the writing style of the book. It felt to Wattpad like for me, I'm sorry. The writing just wasn't it for me and I felt that everything was too casually spoken for them to be royals. The idea sounded good, I just didn't like the execution.
January 2, 2025
The Prince of Magic and Lies - a ★★★☆☆ rating!
Drum roll please, it's time for Toasts and Roasts:
Toasts:
- complexity and depth of main character
- connection between the two mains
- LGBTQ+ representation
Roasts:
- underdeveloped world building
- mixed pacing
- lack of connection to secondary characters
I absolutely love Lyrian. His character has so much depth, and his devotion to Vail shines throughout the entire book. While I didn’t always agree with his actions or thought process, the author did an excellent job of helping us understand his perspective. Lyrian feels so human, which is a rare and standout quality. It’s one of the main reasons I kept reading—he just feels real.
That said, while Lyrian stood out, the other characters unfortunately didn’t leave the same impression. At times, they felt like extras with lines and actions to perform, without much depth. Combined with pacing issues—where the story started slow, then rushed through moments that could have been more drawn out—the overall flow felt a bit disjointed. However, these issues didn’t drastically impact the reading experience of The Prince of Magic and Lies.
I also adored the magical world Elizabeth S. Trafalgar created! The concepts she introduced were so unique and beautifully tied to the characters (no spoilers, I promise!). If the world-building had been more fleshed out and the pacing smoothed over, this book would easily earn an extra star in my rating.
Thank you to BookSirens for the advanced review copy for free! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Drum roll please, it's time for Toasts and Roasts:
Toasts:
- complexity and depth of main character
- connection between the two mains
- LGBTQ+ representation
Roasts:
- underdeveloped world building
- mixed pacing
- lack of connection to secondary characters
I absolutely love Lyrian. His character has so much depth, and his devotion to Vail shines throughout the entire book. While I didn’t always agree with his actions or thought process, the author did an excellent job of helping us understand his perspective. Lyrian feels so human, which is a rare and standout quality. It’s one of the main reasons I kept reading—he just feels real.
That said, while Lyrian stood out, the other characters unfortunately didn’t leave the same impression. At times, they felt like extras with lines and actions to perform, without much depth. Combined with pacing issues—where the story started slow, then rushed through moments that could have been more drawn out—the overall flow felt a bit disjointed. However, these issues didn’t drastically impact the reading experience of The Prince of Magic and Lies.
I also adored the magical world Elizabeth S. Trafalgar created! The concepts she introduced were so unique and beautifully tied to the characters (no spoilers, I promise!). If the world-building had been more fleshed out and the pacing smoothed over, this book would easily earn an extra star in my rating.
Thank you to BookSirens for the advanced review copy for free! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
May 23, 2022
"I blocked her words out as best I could, letting them skirt around the edges of my mind, not thinking too hard about their meaning."
POV : First
Pace : Medium
MM Romance
"I thought of lying in a sunlit meadow with his body pressed against mine, and I wanted that more in that moment than anything else."
The Prince of Magic and Lies is a magical, heart-wrenching fantasy that centers around Prince Lyrian, who has kept his magical powers a secret throughout his life, for it is punishable by death in his kingdom Carith. Time is ticking, and fearing that he might be crowned king (risking exposure of his magic), he takes matters into his hands, setting in motion an array of devastating political events.
"Right now, I was far from safe, and my breath was catching in my chest and my fingers were jittering in a staccato rhythm against my thigh."
The storytelling is beautiful, and I particularly relished the friendship between Lyrian and Nerissa. The character portrayals are done well, each one of them has a unique identifiable persona. The political strategies were a joy to delve into, and I love how they were weaved into plot twists throughout. Vail and Lyrian have quite the wholesome dynamic, and seeing a society where sexual orientation is treated like a spectrum was refreshing . I couldn't help but binge read the book in a day, the anticipation of what turn the tale would take kept me hooked!
The magic system was a delight. The mind control aspect reminded me of The Lunar Chronicles, and the idea of linking the practice of magic to easily discoverable magical tattoos was a genius companion to the building suspense.
"I thought of my magic like a needle, gliding through fabric, looking for the right place to emerge and make the next stitch."
I'd have loved to see more aspects of worldbuilding, particularly in the ways different kingdoms were described. It was difficult to imagine the kingdoms and their geography, especially in the absence of a map. A deeper delve in the local cultures of the citizens could be nice!
Looking forward to the sequel, to see how all the loose ends are tied together.
(I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.)
POV : First
Pace : Medium
MM Romance
"I thought of lying in a sunlit meadow with his body pressed against mine, and I wanted that more in that moment than anything else."
The Prince of Magic and Lies is a magical, heart-wrenching fantasy that centers around Prince Lyrian, who has kept his magical powers a secret throughout his life, for it is punishable by death in his kingdom Carith. Time is ticking, and fearing that he might be crowned king (risking exposure of his magic), he takes matters into his hands, setting in motion an array of devastating political events.
"Right now, I was far from safe, and my breath was catching in my chest and my fingers were jittering in a staccato rhythm against my thigh."
The storytelling is beautiful, and I particularly relished the friendship between Lyrian and Nerissa. The character portrayals are done well, each one of them has a unique identifiable persona. The political strategies were a joy to delve into, and I love how they were weaved into plot twists throughout. Vail and Lyrian have quite the wholesome dynamic, and seeing a society where sexual orientation is treated like a spectrum was refreshing . I couldn't help but binge read the book in a day, the anticipation of what turn the tale would take kept me hooked!
The magic system was a delight. The mind control aspect reminded me of The Lunar Chronicles, and the idea of linking the practice of magic to easily discoverable magical tattoos was a genius companion to the building suspense.
"I thought of my magic like a needle, gliding through fabric, looking for the right place to emerge and make the next stitch."
I'd have loved to see more aspects of worldbuilding, particularly in the ways different kingdoms were described. It was difficult to imagine the kingdoms and their geography, especially in the absence of a map. A deeper delve in the local cultures of the citizens could be nice!
Looking forward to the sequel, to see how all the loose ends are tied together.
(I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.)
May 22, 2022
I enjoyed The Prince of Magic and Lies, it was a relatively quick and easy read. Considering that my attention gets distracted very easily lately, it did a good job keeping it. Unfortunately, I can't say it is one of my favourite books.
I loved the fact that homosexuality (bisexuality?) was openly accepted in that world and was pleasantly surprised that even one of the heir's options for marriage was a man as well. The relationship between Lyrian and Vail was so sweet and sexy and it made me want to melt more than once, their scenes together were my absolute favourite! I wish we could've seen them filrt with each other more and genelly be couple goals.
What bothered me was the lack of worldbuilding, which is very important in a fantasy book. I could not understand how the world or the different countries looked like or how technologically advanced they were. Or anything about their religion besides that magic is considered a sin. I'm not even sure magic is considered a sin.
The rhythm was slow up to a certain point, which I enjoyed because it gave me time to process events, but then suddenly too much happened all at once. Might've been to give you the sence of urgency, which was achieved, but at certain situations it just felt rushed and out of nowhere.
It seems to have potential, but I don't think I will pick up the sequel.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I loved the fact that homosexuality (bisexuality?) was openly accepted in that world and was pleasantly surprised that even one of the heir's options for marriage was a man as well. The relationship between Lyrian and Vail was so sweet and sexy and it made me want to melt more than once, their scenes together were my absolute favourite! I wish we could've seen them filrt with each other more and genelly be couple goals.
What bothered me was the lack of worldbuilding, which is very important in a fantasy book. I could not understand how the world or the different countries looked like or how technologically advanced they were. Or anything about their religion besides that magic is considered a sin. I'm not even sure magic is considered a sin.
The rhythm was slow up to a certain point, which I enjoyed because it gave me time to process events, but then suddenly too much happened all at once. Might've been to give you the sence of urgency, which was achieved, but at certain situations it just felt rushed and out of nowhere.
It seems to have potential, but I don't think I will pick up the sequel.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 4, 2022
The Prince of Magic and Lies is an well written book. In Carith Prince Lyrian second in line to the throne has Magic he lives in a country where it is a penalty by death to have it. In this world you can be who you want to be except a magic user. The enemy Thastia they have magic they live freely the one thing they are fighting about is magic versus not magic. They worship the same gods and the same goddess's. Carith's Heir Apparent and more popular brother Prince Domineck is weaker, kinder and not as savvy.
Prince Lyrian is more savvy tactical more conservative in dress. I really loved this book a lot, I picture this as a series. It reminded me in a positive manner of Marie Lu's Young Elites in a different way. ( Good way) This book really hits all of the emotions at the same time.
I received an advanced copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Prince Lyrian is more savvy tactical more conservative in dress. I really loved this book a lot, I picture this as a series. It reminded me in a positive manner of Marie Lu's Young Elites in a different way. ( Good way) This book really hits all of the emotions at the same time.
I received an advanced copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 28, 2022
This was fantastic. I'm very much in love with this world and its inhabitants.
Forbidden magic, court intrigue and betrayal. Romance, bonds of family and friendship, hard choices and sacrifice. Excellent worldbuilding and character development, a beautifully crafted established romance to truly get invested in, an expertly woven plot that slowly draws the reader in and had me screaming for the sequel before I'd even finished this first book - in short, there's a lot to love in this immensely compelling fantasy tale and I want more of it. Immediately. Especially given that this series opener ends on somewhat of a cliffhange and I absolutely must know what happens next. Release date for book two, pretty please?
*** I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. ***
Forbidden magic, court intrigue and betrayal. Romance, bonds of family and friendship, hard choices and sacrifice. Excellent worldbuilding and character development, a beautifully crafted established romance to truly get invested in, an expertly woven plot that slowly draws the reader in and had me screaming for the sequel before I'd even finished this first book - in short, there's a lot to love in this immensely compelling fantasy tale and I want more of it. Immediately. Especially given that this series opener ends on somewhat of a cliffhange and I absolutely must know what happens next. Release date for book two, pretty please?
*** I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. ***
April 29, 2022
There so many things about this book that I love. It's such a breath of fresh air. In no particular order:
First, I love how love and marriage between males are normalized.
Second, I love how women are just as strong and just as important as men. Usually in Mm genres, women are in the backseat or the villains.
Third, I love the devotion, loyalty and love between Vail and Lyrian. However I was more interested in the dynamics between Aramis and Lyrian. I love how Aramis forced Lyrian into a marriage. My favorite trope is forced/arranged marriages. So I'm looking forward to what becomes of their relationship.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
First, I love how love and marriage between males are normalized.
Second, I love how women are just as strong and just as important as men. Usually in Mm genres, women are in the backseat or the villains.
Third, I love the devotion, loyalty and love between Vail and Lyrian. However I was more interested in the dynamics between Aramis and Lyrian. I love how Aramis forced Lyrian into a marriage. My favorite trope is forced/arranged marriages. So I'm looking forward to what becomes of their relationship.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 5, 2022
*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*
This is the story I didn't even know I was looking for. It's messy and raw, in the best way. From the first chapter to the very last page, my stomach was in knots and my anxiety was out of control allowing me to deeply relate to Lyrian, our tortured main character. The Prince of Magic and Lies delves deep into the idea that often your enemies aren't the monsters you believe they are and sometimes the monsters are much closer than you think. I'm not sure if I was able to breathe through the entire second half of this book. I will be waiting for the sequel to help wash away my concern for my favorite characters and hope there is still happiness to be found after so much damage has been done.
This is the story I didn't even know I was looking for. It's messy and raw, in the best way. From the first chapter to the very last page, my stomach was in knots and my anxiety was out of control allowing me to deeply relate to Lyrian, our tortured main character. The Prince of Magic and Lies delves deep into the idea that often your enemies aren't the monsters you believe they are and sometimes the monsters are much closer than you think. I'm not sure if I was able to breathe through the entire second half of this book. I will be waiting for the sequel to help wash away my concern for my favorite characters and hope there is still happiness to be found after so much damage has been done.
June 10, 2022
I received an advance reader review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. !!! Thank you B.S for the opportunity to review.
This book caught my interest in the beginning because of the implied LGBT representation right in the beginning. And in all honesty, I really did like this book. Once I made my way through it, it was good and interesting. I thought it was pretty typical of this genre, and I like books that sort of follow the same format, so this was definitely up my alley. Unfortunately I just felt like I was trudging through it a little bit. I wasn’t captivated by it, and it’s totally likely that has more to do with me than it does this book. Overall I thought it was pretty good.
This book caught my interest in the beginning because of the implied LGBT representation right in the beginning. And in all honesty, I really did like this book. Once I made my way through it, it was good and interesting. I thought it was pretty typical of this genre, and I like books that sort of follow the same format, so this was definitely up my alley. Unfortunately I just felt like I was trudging through it a little bit. I wasn’t captivated by it, and it’s totally likely that has more to do with me than it does this book. Overall I thought it was pretty good.
April 26, 2022
(I received this book as an ARC for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.)
I thoroughly enjoyed The Prince of Magic and Lies. The characters were all unique and lovable. As the story progressed, it was easy to get attached to them. You could really see how Lyrian and Vail loved each other. The plot was fast paced and kept me captivated.
One disappointment was the world building. There was so little information regarding Magic and the other kinds besides Lyrian’s. I also hoped for some more details about the gods. There were just “the gods who like magic” and “the gods who hate magic”. I wished there was more clarification.
At any rate, the book was fun and a lovely beginning to the series. I have high hopes for the rest of the series.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Prince of Magic and Lies. The characters were all unique and lovable. As the story progressed, it was easy to get attached to them. You could really see how Lyrian and Vail loved each other. The plot was fast paced and kept me captivated.
One disappointment was the world building. There was so little information regarding Magic and the other kinds besides Lyrian’s. I also hoped for some more details about the gods. There were just “the gods who like magic” and “the gods who hate magic”. I wished there was more clarification.
At any rate, the book was fun and a lovely beginning to the series. I have high hopes for the rest of the series.
May 27, 2022
The Prince of Magic and Lies is a phenomenal fantasy that captivates from the first line. I love the relationships in this story, from the familial bonds to the romantic pairings. Prince Talis and Vail were my favorite characters by far but I enjoyed each of the new people I met as the story progressed. The mix of epic fantasy and religious fervor was intoxicating and I found myself speeding through this book. I'd recommend it to anyone who loves complicated coups and lovable characters.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 22, 2022
First off, thank you to BookSirens and the author for the ARC copy!
The description was right up my alley and the book itself did not disappoint. I was confused in one or two places of the book just in terms of the markings, but nothing detrimental.
I grew a slight attachment to Lyrian the more I read. He was written beautifully.
I personally recommend this book to fans of the Grishaverse (It reminded me a little of Jesper hiding his Grisha powers), ACOTAR, and perhaps even The Mortal Instruments and other books by Cassandra Clare.
The description was right up my alley and the book itself did not disappoint. I was confused in one or two places of the book just in terms of the markings, but nothing detrimental.
I grew a slight attachment to Lyrian the more I read. He was written beautifully.
I personally recommend this book to fans of the Grishaverse (It reminded me a little of Jesper hiding his Grisha powers), ACOTAR, and perhaps even The Mortal Instruments and other books by Cassandra Clare.
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