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Unmarked #1
The Unmarked Witch
ALL RAVEN WANTS IS PEACE. BUT IN A MAGICAL REALM PLAGUED BY DECEPTION, THE ONLY THING HER WORLD KNOWS IS TURMOIL.
A land where witches wear their spells like tattoos is no place for a woman without a single magical mark—except for Raven, whose unblemished skin contradicts the truth of her power. Surviving under the scowls of her fellow witches has carved indelible scars into her mind over the years—just as the day she watched the Dark King's men murder her grandmother in cold blood.
But the Dark King's reign of terror is far-reaching, and Raven's grandmother won't be the last witch to die under his rule. After the death of a coven leader heralds the start of the infamous Witch Trials, Raven finds herself dodging death to triumph. The journey quickly descends into perils far greater than she'd ever imagined, including a war on her heart from a man she’d only ever known as a villain.
Still, trust is always fragile in kingdoms ruled by magic, especially when love enters the fold. Yet, something else is awry in the land of spells and shadows and Raven must decide whether she trusts her gut or her heart.
The Unmarked Witch is the first gripping book in the seductive and intriguing duology, Unmarked.
From the author of the heart-pounding fantasy series, Fae Rising comes this new darkly ambitious tale.
A land where witches wear their spells like tattoos is no place for a woman without a single magical mark—except for Raven, whose unblemished skin contradicts the truth of her power. Surviving under the scowls of her fellow witches has carved indelible scars into her mind over the years—just as the day she watched the Dark King's men murder her grandmother in cold blood.
But the Dark King's reign of terror is far-reaching, and Raven's grandmother won't be the last witch to die under his rule. After the death of a coven leader heralds the start of the infamous Witch Trials, Raven finds herself dodging death to triumph. The journey quickly descends into perils far greater than she'd ever imagined, including a war on her heart from a man she’d only ever known as a villain.
Still, trust is always fragile in kingdoms ruled by magic, especially when love enters the fold. Yet, something else is awry in the land of spells and shadows and Raven must decide whether she trusts her gut or her heart.
The Unmarked Witch is the first gripping book in the seductive and intriguing duology, Unmarked.
From the author of the heart-pounding fantasy series, Fae Rising comes this new darkly ambitious tale.
421 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 12, 2022
About the author
Miranda Lyn
8 books787 followersBlood and Promise was the debut new adult, high fantasy, fae novel for Miranda Lyn. She grew up smack dab in the middle of the United States with nothing to do but dream up stories of fantastical creatures and powerful heroines. Now married with three children of her own, an idea sparked a buried passion within her to follow a dream and teach her children that anything is possible if you’re willing to work hard for it.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,085 reviews
October 19, 2022
2.5⭐️ This is was disappointing..it started off well and then slowly just went down hill, the plot was just..meh?
Raven was annoying with zero common sense. She hates the king, she loves the king, she hates the king..
The romance, again was just the same old thing with a misunderstood villain who smirked a lot and is fascinated by the fmc from the second he meets her because she’s oh so special. She was actually just really boring
I enjoyed the magic system and the world building, both were explained well without being too overdone, but the characters and plot just weren’t overly interesting. But it is on kindle unlimited if anyone is interested in giving it a go.
Raven was annoying with zero common sense. She hates the king, she loves the king, she hates the king..
The romance, again was just the same old thing with a misunderstood villain who smirked a lot and is fascinated by the fmc from the second he meets her because she’s oh so special. She was actually just really boring
I enjoyed the magic system and the world building, both were explained well without being too overdone, but the characters and plot just weren’t overly interesting. But it is on kindle unlimited if anyone is interested in giving it a go.
October 5, 2022
2 Spice Level
I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH!!
We follow raven who goes through witchy trials to become the coven leader. These trials are run by the Dark King....*insert heart eyes*.
He is morally grey, but he has all the heart eyes for our FMC. The trials were fun and had high stakes. I enjoyed the magic and the friendships as well. I very much enjoyed their romantic build up and the spice was CHEFS KISS! Cannot wait for book 2 after that ending!
I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH!!
We follow raven who goes through witchy trials to become the coven leader. These trials are run by the Dark King....*insert heart eyes*.
He is morally grey, but he has all the heart eyes for our FMC. The trials were fun and had high stakes. I enjoyed the magic and the friendships as well. I very much enjoyed their romantic build up and the spice was CHEFS KISS! Cannot wait for book 2 after that ending!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 19, 2022
OMG where do I even start. The way Miranda writes can really suck you into a world and make you hate when the book is over!
I loved how different this book was for me. The different covens and their experiences. Of course I loved our main character Raven.
If you like an amazing world building, Beautifully written story and witches then make sure you read The Unmarked Witch.
Overall ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️/ 5
Spice 🌶🌶🌶/ 5
I loved how different this book was for me. The different covens and their experiences. Of course I loved our main character Raven.
If you like an amazing world building, Beautifully written story and witches then make sure you read The Unmarked Witch.
Overall ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️/ 5
Spice 🌶🌶🌶/ 5
April 5, 2023
This shit is mf stupid.
October 23, 2022
"It was about him. It seemed it was always about him."
A quote that summarises the core of this book perfectly. If you're hoping for a story about a strong female character and her journey, you'll need to keep looking.
The Unmarked Witch is an exercise in wasted potential. When I started reading it, I was actually excited, as the premise looked a lot like The Hunger Games with witches as the main protagonists. However, as the plot (and I am using the term extremely loosely) progressed, this was definitely not the case.
As I said, the premise of the book is intriguing, and the magical trials element of the plot is its biggest strength. Unfortunately, the execution of this part of the story has failed completely. The trials themselves aren't given nearly as much attention as they deserve and, as a result, they feel very arbitrary and poorly thought out. The magic system in this book gives the impression there will be rules that guide it, but very quickly, it becomes very vague and convenient.
It becomes clear early on that this is a relationship-driven book. Not character-driven, as none of the characters are properly fleshed out, they are all extremely flat and one-dimensional, particularly the main character of Raven. As far as female main characters go, she is completely bland, constantly makes poor decisions, and never seems to learn from their outcomes, and it is frankly baffling to see all of the other characters orbit around her the way they do. To be fair though, the rest of the cast isn't much better in terms of complexity.
As a result, the relationships in The Unmarked Witch make no sense whatsoever and feel forced to me. It took me a while to pin down my biggest issue with the main pairing, but in the second part of the book, it suddenly hit me. Raven and Bastian's relationship arc is a very sloppy carbon copy of Rhysand and Feyre from the ACOTAR series (a poor choice to begin with, if you ask me) with some Darklina vibes thrown into the mix. There are even some of Darkling's famous lines sprinkled throughout the text.
It's an unhealthy relationship, to say the least, the angst is tortured and it descends into the cheap smut territory very quickly. Just to clarify, I have nothing whatsoever against sex scenes in literature but if the sex is gratuitous and solely there to fill the space between chapters, it is an instant turn-off for me. One particular scene is especially cringy, given its timing, and it shows the complete emotional colour-blindness of the author.
One additional point, though a minor one in comparison with the rest, is the use of language. It is very inconsistent and mismatched, and it kept pulling me out of the book. The overall aesthetic of this book is medieval/Victorian and it revolves around witches, magic, castles, etc. Therefore, the words like "corset", "thrashing" and "bedchamber" are perfectly fitting for the narrative. However, the author also uses terms like "asshole", "small dick syndrome" and "I don't give a shit" which gave me constant whiplash. There are plenty of more archaic expletives that would have suited the overall tone much better. It's a rookie mistake I would have expected to be addressed by any half-decent editor at the very least.
In summary, if you are an avid Feysand or Darklina fan, you will probably enjoy this book far more than I did. It was clearly not for me, even though I have to give praise to the audiobook narrator who did an excellent job. As to the story itself, I'm afraid I am going to need a palate cleanser after this one.
A quote that summarises the core of this book perfectly. If you're hoping for a story about a strong female character and her journey, you'll need to keep looking.
The Unmarked Witch is an exercise in wasted potential. When I started reading it, I was actually excited, as the premise looked a lot like The Hunger Games with witches as the main protagonists. However, as the plot (and I am using the term extremely loosely) progressed, this was definitely not the case.
As I said, the premise of the book is intriguing, and the magical trials element of the plot is its biggest strength. Unfortunately, the execution of this part of the story has failed completely. The trials themselves aren't given nearly as much attention as they deserve and, as a result, they feel very arbitrary and poorly thought out. The magic system in this book gives the impression there will be rules that guide it, but very quickly, it becomes very vague and convenient.
It becomes clear early on that this is a relationship-driven book. Not character-driven, as none of the characters are properly fleshed out, they are all extremely flat and one-dimensional, particularly the main character of Raven. As far as female main characters go, she is completely bland, constantly makes poor decisions, and never seems to learn from their outcomes, and it is frankly baffling to see all of the other characters orbit around her the way they do. To be fair though, the rest of the cast isn't much better in terms of complexity.
As a result, the relationships in The Unmarked Witch make no sense whatsoever and feel forced to me. It took me a while to pin down my biggest issue with the main pairing, but in the second part of the book, it suddenly hit me. Raven and Bastian's relationship arc is a very sloppy carbon copy of Rhysand and Feyre from the ACOTAR series (a poor choice to begin with, if you ask me) with some Darklina vibes thrown into the mix. There are even some of Darkling's famous lines sprinkled throughout the text.
It's an unhealthy relationship, to say the least, the angst is tortured and it descends into the cheap smut territory very quickly. Just to clarify, I have nothing whatsoever against sex scenes in literature but if the sex is gratuitous and solely there to fill the space between chapters, it is an instant turn-off for me. One particular scene is especially cringy, given its timing, and it shows the complete emotional colour-blindness of the author.
One additional point, though a minor one in comparison with the rest, is the use of language. It is very inconsistent and mismatched, and it kept pulling me out of the book. The overall aesthetic of this book is medieval/Victorian and it revolves around witches, magic, castles, etc. Therefore, the words like "corset", "thrashing" and "bedchamber" are perfectly fitting for the narrative. However, the author also uses terms like "asshole", "small dick syndrome" and "I don't give a shit" which gave me constant whiplash. There are plenty of more archaic expletives that would have suited the overall tone much better. It's a rookie mistake I would have expected to be addressed by any half-decent editor at the very least.
In summary, if you are an avid Feysand or Darklina fan, you will probably enjoy this book far more than I did. It was clearly not for me, even though I have to give praise to the audiobook narrator who did an excellent job. As to the story itself, I'm afraid I am going to need a palate cleanser after this one.
October 19, 2022
Overall an enjoyable witchy read with elemental magic. The romance was kind of lacking and I wasn’t attached to the love interest. The side characters, magic, and trials is what really made this book.
January 31, 2023
DNF @ 41%
The heroine's antics are just too YA-ish for me to continue. No grown woman would speak to a man they thought was a tyrant and brutal killer, the way Raven does. Obviously he's the love interest instead, but at least make the 'enemies' part believable first before making them enemies to lovers. It comes off as petulant instead.
The heroine's antics are just too YA-ish for me to continue. No grown woman would speak to a man they thought was a tyrant and brutal killer, the way Raven does. Obviously he's the love interest instead, but at least make the 'enemies' part believable first before making them enemies to lovers. It comes off as petulant instead.
May 15, 2024
⤏ Actual rating: 4.5🌟
This book exceeded all my expectations. I expected a love story but I was pleasantly surprised to find this complex fantasy story full of adventure, dangerous trials, great characters and more.
⤏ What to expect:
∘ Adult Fantasy
∘ Romance
∘ Witches & Shifters
∘ Dangerous witchy trials
∘ Unique magic system
∘ Intriguing plot
∘ Strong & Level-headed main character
∘ Well developed characters
∘ Morally Grey MCs
∘ Letter passing - sweet ~
∘ Action packed
∘ Fast Paced
∘ "Ride or Die" friendship goals
⤏ Tropes:
∘ Enemies to Lovers
∘ Slowburn
∘ Forced proximity
∘ "Who did this to you"
∘ "I'll burn the world down for you"
∘ He falls first
This book exceeded all my expectations. I expected a love story but I was pleasantly surprised to find this complex fantasy story full of adventure, dangerous trials, great characters and more.
⤏ What to expect:
∘ Adult Fantasy
∘ Romance
∘ Witches & Shifters
∘ Dangerous witchy trials
∘ Unique magic system
∘ Intriguing plot
∘ Strong & Level-headed main character
∘ Well developed characters
∘ Morally Grey MCs
∘ Letter passing - sweet ~
∘ Action packed
∘ Fast Paced
∘ "Ride or Die" friendship goals
⤏ Tropes:
∘ Enemies to Lovers
∘ Slowburn
∘ Forced proximity
∘ "Who did this to you"
∘ "I'll burn the world down for you"
∘ He falls first
September 7, 2023
Stand-out tropes:
-“Who hurt you?”
-Magical competition
-Enemies to lovers
-🌶️🌶️/5
This is the perfect book to get you into the Autumnal spirit 🍂. If you're searching for fall/witchy vibes, look no further🌙🔮
FMC runs an apothecary ✅
Coven drama ✅
Spell-casting ✅
Tarot cards ✅
Dancing barefoot in the forest under the full moon ✅
-“Who hurt you?”
-Magical competition
-Enemies to lovers
-🌶️🌶️/5
This is the perfect book to get you into the Autumnal spirit 🍂. If you're searching for fall/witchy vibes, look no further🌙🔮
FMC runs an apothecary ✅
Coven drama ✅
Spell-casting ✅
Tarot cards ✅
Dancing barefoot in the forest under the full moon ✅
December 31, 2022
I am not okay. That is all. Authors are evil AF.
November 13, 2023
I read this via audiobook and it was addictive, heartbreaking, and unpredictable. I loved the tournament the witches competed in, the slow burn romance, and the cliffhanger ending. Can’t wait for book 2.
March 6, 2023
3.5⭐️
I really loved the plot of this book, witch trials, a dark king, enemies to lovers, fast paced, everything I love. I can see the potential in this story however the way it was written was not my favourite.
Let’s start with the positives, the trials were great and interesting, the romance was delicious, the dark king was so protective and obsessed with the FMC Raven.
However, I felt like I barely knew the characters which made it hard for me to feel for them once they started dying in the trials. Onyx and Willow barely had conversations with Raven so it was hard to know their motivations for hating her so much. Was it simply because she is unmarked?
Aside from her enemies, I barely knew he best friends Kir & Nikos as well. It read quite YA with the lack of character depth
Possibly could have benefited from multi POV
As for the romance, Raven was slightly frustrating, one minute she likes him, next she hates him and he’s evil but since she believes he is just pure evil why does she even entertain this romance?
It had me side eyeing her like girl you think he killed your grandma and you just gonna kiss him…
I think it would of made more sense if she hated him until she discovered the truth about him.
Also as a witch I think she should of known it was the real him in her dreams…I didn’t buy that it was her imagination at all which made the confrontation fall flat for me
The overall plot was good but the execution was not so great. I will read book 2 and hope it gets better
I really loved the plot of this book, witch trials, a dark king, enemies to lovers, fast paced, everything I love. I can see the potential in this story however the way it was written was not my favourite.
Let’s start with the positives, the trials were great and interesting, the romance was delicious, the dark king was so protective and obsessed with the FMC Raven.
However, I felt like I barely knew the characters which made it hard for me to feel for them once they started dying in the trials. Onyx and Willow barely had conversations with Raven so it was hard to know their motivations for hating her so much. Was it simply because she is unmarked?
Aside from her enemies, I barely knew he best friends Kir & Nikos as well. It read quite YA with the lack of character depth
Possibly could have benefited from multi POV
As for the romance, Raven was slightly frustrating, one minute she likes him, next she hates him and he’s evil but since she believes he is just pure evil why does she even entertain this romance?
It had me side eyeing her like girl you think he killed your grandma and you just gonna kiss him…
I think it would of made more sense if she hated him until she discovered the truth about him.
Also as a witch I think she should of known it was the real him in her dreams…I didn’t buy that it was her imagination at all which made the confrontation fall flat for me
The overall plot was good but the execution was not so great. I will read book 2 and hope it gets better
February 21, 2024
✩ ✩ ✩
“𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘱𝘶𝘻𝘻𝘭𝘦, 𝘢 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘷𝘢𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘰𝘧 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴, 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘴, 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘵. 𝘈𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘱 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢 𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶.”
𝖯𝗋𝖾𝗍𝗍𝗒 𝗀𝗈𝗈𝖽. 𝖠 𝗅𝗂𝗍𝗍𝗅𝖾 𝗉𝗋𝖾𝖽𝗂𝖼𝗍𝖺𝖻𝗅𝖾. 𝖪𝗂𝗇𝖽𝖺 𝗌𝗅𝗈𝗐 𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖻𝖾𝗀𝗂𝗇𝗇𝗂𝗇𝗀. 𝖣𝗂𝖽𝗇’𝗍 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗅𝗅𝗒 𝗉𝗂𝖼𝗄 𝗎𝗉 𝗎𝗇𝗍𝗂𝗅 𝖨 𝗀𝗈𝗍 𝖺𝗍 𝗅𝖾𝖺𝗌𝗍 30% 𝗂𝗇. 𝖳𝗁𝖾 𝗋𝗈𝗆𝖺𝗇𝖼𝖾 𝗐𝖺𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾, 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗋𝖾𝗅𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇𝗌𝗁𝗂𝗉𝗌 𝗐𝖾𝗋𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝗈𝗎𝗀𝗁𝗍𝖿𝗎𝗅. 𝖲𝗈𝗆𝖾𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗏𝖺𝗀𝗎𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝖨 𝖼𝖺𝗇’𝗍 𝖽𝖾𝖿𝗂𝗇𝖾 𝗈𝗋 𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗇 𝖾𝗑𝗉𝗅𝖺𝗂𝗇 𝗐𝖺𝗌 𝗆𝗂𝗌𝗌𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗁𝗈𝗎𝗀𝗁. 𝖫𝗂𝗄𝖾 𝖨 𝗇𝖾𝖾𝖽𝖾𝖽 𝗃𝗎𝗌𝗍 𝖺 𝗅𝗂𝗍𝗍𝗅𝖾 𝖻𝗂𝗍 𝗆𝗈𝗋𝖾 𝗍𝗈 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗅𝗅𝗒 𝖼𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗂𝗇𝗏𝖾𝗌𝗍 𝗂𝗇 𝗂𝗍 𝖿𝗎𝗅𝗅𝗒. 𝖮𝗏𝖾𝗋𝖺𝗅𝗅, 𝖾𝗇𝗀𝖺𝗀𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖼𝗅𝗂𝖿𝖿𝗁𝖺𝗇𝗀𝖾𝗋 𝗐𝖺𝗌 𝗀𝗈𝗈𝖽.
“𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘱𝘶𝘻𝘻𝘭𝘦, 𝘢 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘷𝘢𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘰𝘧 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴, 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘴, 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘵. 𝘈𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘱 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢 𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶.”
𝖯𝗋𝖾𝗍𝗍𝗒 𝗀𝗈𝗈𝖽. 𝖠 𝗅𝗂𝗍𝗍𝗅𝖾 𝗉𝗋𝖾𝖽𝗂𝖼𝗍𝖺𝖻𝗅𝖾. 𝖪𝗂𝗇𝖽𝖺 𝗌𝗅𝗈𝗐 𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖻𝖾𝗀𝗂𝗇𝗇𝗂𝗇𝗀. 𝖣𝗂𝖽𝗇’𝗍 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗅𝗅𝗒 𝗉𝗂𝖼𝗄 𝗎𝗉 𝗎𝗇𝗍𝗂𝗅 𝖨 𝗀𝗈𝗍 𝖺𝗍 𝗅𝖾𝖺𝗌𝗍 30% 𝗂𝗇. 𝖳𝗁𝖾 𝗋𝗈𝗆𝖺𝗇𝖼𝖾 𝗐𝖺𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾, 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗋𝖾𝗅𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇𝗌𝗁𝗂𝗉𝗌 𝗐𝖾𝗋𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝗈𝗎𝗀𝗁𝗍𝖿𝗎𝗅. 𝖲𝗈𝗆𝖾𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗏𝖺𝗀𝗎𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝖨 𝖼𝖺𝗇’𝗍 𝖽𝖾𝖿𝗂𝗇𝖾 𝗈𝗋 𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗇 𝖾𝗑𝗉𝗅𝖺𝗂𝗇 𝗐𝖺𝗌 𝗆𝗂𝗌𝗌𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗁𝗈𝗎𝗀𝗁. 𝖫𝗂𝗄𝖾 𝖨 𝗇𝖾𝖾𝖽𝖾𝖽 𝗃𝗎𝗌𝗍 𝖺 𝗅𝗂𝗍𝗍𝗅𝖾 𝖻𝗂𝗍 𝗆𝗈𝗋𝖾 𝗍𝗈 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗅𝗅𝗒 𝖼𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗂𝗇𝗏𝖾𝗌𝗍 𝗂𝗇 𝗂𝗍 𝖿𝗎𝗅𝗅𝗒. 𝖮𝗏𝖾𝗋𝖺𝗅𝗅, 𝖾𝗇𝗀𝖺𝗀𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖼𝗅𝗂𝖿𝖿𝗁𝖺𝗇𝗀𝖾𝗋 𝗐𝖺𝗌 𝗀𝗈𝗈𝖽.
March 22, 2023
One of the best witchy books I have EVER read! I expected nothing less from Miranda.
We journey through the book with Raven Moonstone as she discovers her coven leader dead. With this news, Raven enters the trials to fight to be the new Moon Coven leader, and realizes it’s a fight for so much more. There is intrigue, snarky banter, lots of fun witchy magical powers, a super sexy dark King, twists and in typical Miranda fashion we go through all the emotions. Be prepared to read something that will truly transport you to a magical world and make you feel.
I always know that in Miranda’s books, I am home. The Unmarked Witch is no different, and another favorite read added to my list.
We journey through the book with Raven Moonstone as she discovers her coven leader dead. With this news, Raven enters the trials to fight to be the new Moon Coven leader, and realizes it’s a fight for so much more. There is intrigue, snarky banter, lots of fun witchy magical powers, a super sexy dark King, twists and in typical Miranda fashion we go through all the emotions. Be prepared to read something that will truly transport you to a magical world and make you feel.
I always know that in Miranda’s books, I am home. The Unmarked Witch is no different, and another favorite read added to my list.
September 29, 2022
This book started off slow for me and while it did get better as it went along I felt slightly confused with the politics and world building. The motives of the characters were not explained or flushed out very well. The magic world was interesting but lacked the intricate political building that would have made it much more enjoyable.
April 30, 2022
4.5/5 Stars
Disclaimer: I received an ARC copy from the author and I'm a part of her street team. This did not effect my review and this was actually my first book by her.
The Unmarked Witch follows Raven as she enters trials to try to win the right to become a coven leader. In her world witches wear their spells on their skin as Markings, and she has spells but no marks so she is a bit of an outcast. Raven has a few close friends but otherwise her coven seems to judge her. I love the way she was written and how strong she is despite what she's had to overcome.
I loved the friendship Raven had with Kirsi. Kirsi is like her ride or die best friend. They run a shop together, join the trials together, and etc. The love interest in this book, though. Super swoony. It's a bit of a slow burn, enemies to lovers kind of situation which is my favorite kind of romance.
The trials are all a little different and they keep you turning the pages wanting to know what will happen next. Each trial requires something a little different and with that we learn about the magic system and a little world building.
This book has everything I love: romance, friendship, magic, betrayal, and a good amount of action.
Highly recommend!
Disclaimer: I received an ARC copy from the author and I'm a part of her street team. This did not effect my review and this was actually my first book by her.
The Unmarked Witch follows Raven as she enters trials to try to win the right to become a coven leader. In her world witches wear their spells on their skin as Markings, and she has spells but no marks so she is a bit of an outcast. Raven has a few close friends but otherwise her coven seems to judge her. I love the way she was written and how strong she is despite what she's had to overcome.
I loved the friendship Raven had with Kirsi. Kirsi is like her ride or die best friend. They run a shop together, join the trials together, and etc. The love interest in this book, though. Super swoony. It's a bit of a slow burn, enemies to lovers kind of situation which is my favorite kind of romance.
The trials are all a little different and they keep you turning the pages wanting to know what will happen next. Each trial requires something a little different and with that we learn about the magic system and a little world building.
This book has everything I love: romance, friendship, magic, betrayal, and a good amount of action.
Highly recommend!
August 23, 2024
3.5⭐
This book is niicee. I swear I didn't expect it to be good. I read 400 pages in less than a day.(っ º - º ς)
it has fantasy , it has witches it has magic a handsome villain😏.
The only thing I didn't like was how heavily described things are.
This book is niicee. I swear I didn't expect it to be good. I read 400 pages in less than a day.(っ º - º ς)
it has fantasy , it has witches it has magic a handsome villain😏.
The only thing I didn't like was how heavily described things are.
October 22, 2022
4.5 ⭐️
This was a really fun read and everything I could want in a witchy fantasy. The magic system was unique and so cool with some excellent, easy world-building. The plot was twisty and intriguing with trials (Goblet of Fire fans, anyone?), oppressed witches and stolen grimoires, and a tyrannical king. Great enemies to lovers/he falls first/“I’ll burn the world down for you” romance. I LOVED the chemistry between the love interests and my absolute favorite part was the note passing (ACOMAF, anyone?). The side characters were all well done, too! I adored the ride-or-die friendship between Raven and Kirsi. I have no clue how the hell I’m supposed to wait for book two of this duology. Highly recommend if you like fantasy books about witches. And it’s on Kindle Unlimited!
This was a really fun read and everything I could want in a witchy fantasy. The magic system was unique and so cool with some excellent, easy world-building. The plot was twisty and intriguing with trials (Goblet of Fire fans, anyone?), oppressed witches and stolen grimoires, and a tyrannical king. Great enemies to lovers/he falls first/“I’ll burn the world down for you” romance. I LOVED the chemistry between the love interests and my absolute favorite part was the note passing (ACOMAF, anyone?). The side characters were all well done, too! I adored the ride-or-die friendship between Raven and Kirsi. I have no clue how the hell I’m supposed to wait for book two of this duology. Highly recommend if you like fantasy books about witches. And it’s on Kindle Unlimited!
November 13, 2023
I absolutely loved this book.
I love witchy books and the concept here was so cool.
In this world, the witches don't have all powers, neither do they each have one specific power. The witches receive spells that later on appear on their bodies as marks. The more marks a witch has on her body, the more spells she have and therefore the more power.
And then we have our heroine, Raven.
“You always have a choice in this world. You can be the hero or the villain. Never both. Think hard about which path you want to walk.”
Raven is an unmarked witch. She receives spells but they don't appear on her body and no one knows why.
Raven is an amazing protagonist. She's smart, she's kind and compassionate and caring towards others. She has morals and stick to them.
I think you should be the change you want to see in the world.
“Do one thing each day that is just for you.”
life was happening around me, and I could either embrace it or fall victim to it.
Raven's other half is Kirsi.
My best friend, the sister I always needed, the one that would kill a king for me.
Kirsi is Raven's best friend. She's her fierce protector. She's always by Raven side.
Kirsi is funny and brutally honest. She doesn't afraid to speak her mind and put people in their place.
”come after my best friend, and I'll end you. Coven rules or not.”
“What would you know about the higher road?”
“Oh, nothing. But I've heard great things.”
“I won't let anything happen to you, Rave. I promise. We're in this together.”
I absolutely loved Kirsi. I wish she could've been MY best friend.
Grey is one of the king's men. He's basically everything. He's a guard, he's a messenger. He's funny, and later he becomes a friend to Raven and Kirsi.
“It didn't look like he wanted to kill you. Sleep with you, probably, but not kill.”
“Agreed.” Grey's voice crept over my shoulder.
“Mind your business, Messenger.”
“I like your business so much more than mine.”
“He's really not that bad, Rave. May I call you Rave? I feel like that's such a good nickname for your fiery spirit.”
Lastly we have The Dark King.
Bastian. He's such a cinnamon roll.
He's the cruel and murderous king in public, and he's a misunderstood puppy in private.unless it's "in private" with Raven 🤭
He's instantly drawn to Raven. He seeks her out. Let her fight with him. Send her secret letters and tease her relentlessly, and he's enjoying every second of it.
Ms. Raven Moonstone,
Thanks for not dying.
Ever the Stalker,
~ Bastian
One of my favorite trope is He fall first and harder and this one here, served
Bastian is literally, smitten with Raven.
Ms. Moonstone,
On no planet could I sit in a room with a woman as beautiful as you and not make a fool of myself. Forgive me for leaving so abruptly. The first dance is mine.
In awe,
Bastian Firepool
"Raven. I would break every fucking rule, I would burn the world down for you".
And let me tell you, I don't know why I thought it was ya, because while it was a slow burn, when it finally burned, it burned🥵
And that list of shadow daddy just keeps growing...
And that ending 😭
That was so CRUEL.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WHAT THE HELL
Is this what it feels like to watch one train wreck after the other?
Omg I'm unwell.
I WILL NOT be gaslighted by that ending. Ummm no. No way. There's no way that what they implied that happened, happened.
And my poor precious Kirsi 💔
Might review later after I get my thoughts in order and stop crying.
I love witchy books and the concept here was so cool.
In this world, the witches don't have all powers, neither do they each have one specific power. The witches receive spells that later on appear on their bodies as marks. The more marks a witch has on her body, the more spells she have and therefore the more power.
And then we have our heroine, Raven.
“You always have a choice in this world. You can be the hero or the villain. Never both. Think hard about which path you want to walk.”
Raven is an unmarked witch. She receives spells but they don't appear on her body and no one knows why.
Raven is an amazing protagonist. She's smart, she's kind and compassionate and caring towards others. She has morals and stick to them.
I think you should be the change you want to see in the world.
“Do one thing each day that is just for you.”
life was happening around me, and I could either embrace it or fall victim to it.
Raven's other half is Kirsi.
My best friend, the sister I always needed, the one that would kill a king for me.
Kirsi is Raven's best friend. She's her fierce protector. She's always by Raven side.
Kirsi is funny and brutally honest. She doesn't afraid to speak her mind and put people in their place.
”come after my best friend, and I'll end you. Coven rules or not.”
“What would you know about the higher road?”
“Oh, nothing. But I've heard great things.”
“I won't let anything happen to you, Rave. I promise. We're in this together.”
I absolutely loved Kirsi. I wish she could've been MY best friend.
Grey is one of the king's men. He's basically everything. He's a guard, he's a messenger. He's funny, and later he becomes a friend to Raven and Kirsi.
“It didn't look like he wanted to kill you. Sleep with you, probably, but not kill.”
“Agreed.” Grey's voice crept over my shoulder.
“Mind your business, Messenger.”
“I like your business so much more than mine.”
“He's really not that bad, Rave. May I call you Rave? I feel like that's such a good nickname for your fiery spirit.”
Lastly we have The Dark King.
Bastian. He's such a cinnamon roll.
He's the cruel and murderous king in public, and he's a misunderstood puppy in private.
He's instantly drawn to Raven. He seeks her out. Let her fight with him. Send her secret letters and tease her relentlessly, and he's enjoying every second of it.
Ms. Raven Moonstone,
Thanks for not dying.
Ever the Stalker,
~ Bastian
One of my favorite trope is He fall first and harder and this one here, served
Bastian is literally, smitten with Raven.
Ms. Moonstone,
On no planet could I sit in a room with a woman as beautiful as you and not make a fool of myself. Forgive me for leaving so abruptly. The first dance is mine.
In awe,
Bastian Firepool
"Raven. I would break every fucking rule, I would burn the world down for you".
And let me tell you, I don't know why I thought it was ya, because while it was a slow burn, when it finally burned, it burned🥵
And that list of shadow daddy just keeps growing...
And that ending 😭
That was so CRUEL.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WHAT THE HELL
Is this what it feels like to watch one train wreck after the other?
Omg I'm unwell.
I WILL NOT be gaslighted by that ending. Ummm no. No way. There's no way that what they implied that happened, happened.
And my poor precious Kirsi 💔
Might review later after I get my thoughts in order and stop crying.
March 18, 2023
2.0 STARS
I'm not even sure what to say, this book was so mediocre. I literally had to force myself to finish it.
Things I Hated
The dialogue SUCKED, I kid you not every time I read the characters talking I literally couldn't believe that this had been published. Maybe I'm overreacting but I was led to believe that this was a fantasy book set in a time like the 1500s or something, not in 2023. Here are some examples:
-“Kirsi!” I gasped, yanking her back. “She'll come back as a wraith just to haunt your ass.”
-“I'd hate to have to fight a bitch today.”
-“Say what you want about Nikos, he can fight his own battles, but come after my best friend, and I'll end you. Coven rules or not.”
-“Because Kirsi would wake up and choose violence every single day if anyone so much as looked at her familiar.”
-“Great.” Kirsi rubbed her hands together. “So, when do we go kill the Whisper Coven bitches?”
-“Insecure man with small dick syndrome”
-“Hurry Rave, I’m over this shit”
🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢
I’ve never cringed at dialogue the way that I cringed while reading this book. The worst part is that I had to deal with this the WHOLE book! It wasn’t even once or twice. Choosing violence? Fighting bitches today? Why do these characters sound like teenagers on Twitter in 2023? This book helped me discover a new ick, cringy out of place dialogue in fantasy romance. It just threw me so off and I had to wonder what decade the author was going for. You have a setting that is very olden day with no electricity, carriages, trolls, fairies, castles, and no running water. But then you have characters saying things so modern? Very confusing to me honestly, this is the main reason why this book doesn't even get three stars.
The next reason was the romance which was so lackluster I almost wanted to pull my hair out. The FMC Raven hates the King (MMC) because he killed her grandmother or whatever. But then she proceeds to get horny off of his shadow magic? Okay….
This was the slowest slow burn I’ve ever read. We waited the whole book for some fluff or romance and then even when they get together or “hooked up” it's the worst smut I’ve ever read! Even the candle play and icicles the author tried to sneak in there didn't help. This connection and desire she had been “building up” wasn’t even culminated in an exciting way which was so frustrating. I found myself confused about how or why the King even liked her, it just came out of nowhere. All of a sudden he’s telling her he would burn the world down for her. Sir??? I’m literally so confused why do you even like her? Why does she even like him? All that we get is that there's this connection between them. What connection? Is it magic, love at first sight? What? All we get is him being an absolute creep and appearing in her room at night and giving her dreams about him. You all get the point, the romance part of this book was one star. It was so bad that the two side characters Kirsi and Nym have a better romance than the actual main couple in the book????? Not even the classic “Who hurt you” scene the author added could save this book.
The other component of this low rating was the FMC Raven’s obnoxiousness. She is infuriating and tiresome. She’s supposed to be a morally righteous person or whatever caring about strangers and upholding the overall good but it just comes off as irritating. She enters the Trials which is a competition to win the position of coven leader that everyone signs up knowing they might die. But no, that's just not right in her eyes, she’ll do whatever it takes to save EVERYBODY. Omg, GROW UP this is a competition. This is her throughout the whole book:
Another annoying person was the FMC’s best friend Kirsi, I won't even go into why she was annoying too much but just know that most of the cringy dialogue I mentioned at the beginning of this review was said by her. She was supposed to be the sassy best friend but she was just an unnecessary side character. Here is some dialogue from the scene that made me officially hate her.
“I pulled her into my arms. “I don't deserve you.”
“Not even a little bit.” She kissed the top of my head and went back to her rooms.”
WHAT??? What do you mean not even a little bit? You’re not a prize either Kirsi!!
Anyway, I’m going to end the review here because not even the three positive things I have to say about this book stand out. They won't even trump the horrible writing and plot I had to suffer through. I skimmed the last 30% of the book and only finished because I’m not a quitter. Overall, don't read this book it was trash. Don't read for the romance because that wasn't even average and don't read for the plot because that was ass. Also, the ending SUCKED I definitely will not continue reading the series.
Bye!
I'm not even sure what to say, this book was so mediocre. I literally had to force myself to finish it.
Things I Hated
The dialogue SUCKED, I kid you not every time I read the characters talking I literally couldn't believe that this had been published. Maybe I'm overreacting but I was led to believe that this was a fantasy book set in a time like the 1500s or something, not in 2023. Here are some examples:
-“Kirsi!” I gasped, yanking her back. “She'll come back as a wraith just to haunt your ass.”
-“I'd hate to have to fight a bitch today.”
-“Say what you want about Nikos, he can fight his own battles, but come after my best friend, and I'll end you. Coven rules or not.”
-“Because Kirsi would wake up and choose violence every single day if anyone so much as looked at her familiar.”
-“Great.” Kirsi rubbed her hands together. “So, when do we go kill the Whisper Coven bitches?”
-“Insecure man with small dick syndrome”
-“Hurry Rave, I’m over this shit”
🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢
I’ve never cringed at dialogue the way that I cringed while reading this book. The worst part is that I had to deal with this the WHOLE book! It wasn’t even once or twice. Choosing violence? Fighting bitches today? Why do these characters sound like teenagers on Twitter in 2023? This book helped me discover a new ick, cringy out of place dialogue in fantasy romance. It just threw me so off and I had to wonder what decade the author was going for. You have a setting that is very olden day with no electricity, carriages, trolls, fairies, castles, and no running water. But then you have characters saying things so modern? Very confusing to me honestly, this is the main reason why this book doesn't even get three stars.
The next reason was the romance which was so lackluster I almost wanted to pull my hair out. The FMC Raven hates the King (MMC) because he killed her grandmother or whatever. But then she proceeds to get horny off of his shadow magic? Okay….
This was the slowest slow burn I’ve ever read. We waited the whole book for some fluff or romance and then even when they get together or “hooked up” it's the worst smut I’ve ever read! Even the candle play and icicles the author tried to sneak in there didn't help. This connection and desire she had been “building up” wasn’t even culminated in an exciting way which was so frustrating. I found myself confused about how or why the King even liked her, it just came out of nowhere. All of a sudden he’s telling her he would burn the world down for her. Sir??? I’m literally so confused why do you even like her? Why does she even like him? All that we get is that there's this connection between them. What connection? Is it magic, love at first sight? What? All we get is him being an absolute creep and appearing in her room at night and giving her dreams about him. You all get the point, the romance part of this book was one star. It was so bad that the two side characters Kirsi and Nym have a better romance than the actual main couple in the book????? Not even the classic “Who hurt you” scene the author added could save this book.
The other component of this low rating was the FMC Raven’s obnoxiousness. She is infuriating and tiresome. She’s supposed to be a morally righteous person or whatever caring about strangers and upholding the overall good but it just comes off as irritating. She enters the Trials which is a competition to win the position of coven leader that everyone signs up knowing they might die. But no, that's just not right in her eyes, she’ll do whatever it takes to save EVERYBODY. Omg, GROW UP this is a competition. This is her throughout the whole book:
Another annoying person was the FMC’s best friend Kirsi, I won't even go into why she was annoying too much but just know that most of the cringy dialogue I mentioned at the beginning of this review was said by her. She was supposed to be the sassy best friend but she was just an unnecessary side character. Here is some dialogue from the scene that made me officially hate her.
“I pulled her into my arms. “I don't deserve you.”
“Not even a little bit.” She kissed the top of my head and went back to her rooms.”
WHAT??? What do you mean not even a little bit? You’re not a prize either Kirsi!!
Anyway, I’m going to end the review here because not even the three positive things I have to say about this book stand out. They won't even trump the horrible writing and plot I had to suffer through. I skimmed the last 30% of the book and only finished because I’m not a quitter. Overall, don't read this book it was trash. Don't read for the romance because that wasn't even average and don't read for the plot because that was ass. Also, the ending SUCKED I definitely will not continue reading the series.
Bye!
April 6, 2023
5 ⭐️♾️
😱😱
I dont think I can say anything more than that tbh. That cliffhanger has me immediately starting the second book. My thoughts and emotions are all over the place right now.
Maybe I'll write something more coherent once I've gathered myself, but likely not. I'm too shocked.
😱😱
I dont think I can say anything more than that tbh. That cliffhanger has me immediately starting the second book. My thoughts and emotions are all over the place right now.
Maybe I'll write something more coherent once I've gathered myself, but likely not. I'm too shocked.
Read
July 4, 2023The writing style is not for me. The heroine literally annoyed me from the first page. DNF
December 20, 2022
4.5⭐️
2 🌶
This story got better & better as it went.
At the beginning it felt a little slow - almost felt written quite YA for the first 50% - but then it 100% moved into the NA territory & the pacing & character development really picked up for the 2nd half.
It truly encapsulates the NA Romantasy category for me - the whimsical world, a strong FMC trying to do better for her world, but with more adult themes (& 🌶content with the mmc)
I really liked the love interest & their development. It felt organic… & I highlighted so many of his lines ❤️🔥❤️🔥
The trials were interesting & kept action on the page.
Full of betrayals & twists & turns that I didn’t expect.
The cliffhangers & what happens in the last 25% though 🤯🤯 WOW!
I can’t wait to read the next book!!
2 🌶
This story got better & better as it went.
At the beginning it felt a little slow - almost felt written quite YA for the first 50% - but then it 100% moved into the NA territory & the pacing & character development really picked up for the 2nd half.
It truly encapsulates the NA Romantasy category for me - the whimsical world, a strong FMC trying to do better for her world, but with more adult themes (& 🌶content with the mmc)
I really liked the love interest & their development. It felt organic… & I highlighted so many of his lines ❤️🔥❤️🔥
The trials were interesting & kept action on the page.
Full of betrayals & twists & turns that I didn’t expect.
The cliffhangers & what happens in the last 25% though 🤯🤯 WOW!
I can’t wait to read the next book!!
March 12, 2023
Awful narrator! The book sounded as exciting as listening to the phone book being read to me...
As for everything else, I hate writing unsubstantiated reviews. But, here goes one.
The story itself? The heroine is called Raven Moonstone. RAVEN MOONSTONE. And she is tstl. That's basically it.
As for everything else, I hate writing unsubstantiated reviews. But, here goes one.
The story itself? The heroine is called Raven Moonstone. RAVEN MOONSTONE. And she is tstl. That's basically it.
May 26, 2023
Esto de que la prota se enamore del villano tiene su encanto. 🤣🙈
Raven, participa en unas pruebas para elegir al próximo líder de su aquelarre. Esas pruebas están supervisadas por el Dark King, Bastian, que desde el principio nos dicen que tienen oprimidos a los aquelarres, hasta el punto de la hambruna.
Todos los participantes deben vivir en el castillo y ahí es donde los mantendrán controlados hasta el termino de las pruebas (los que logren sobrevivir).
El libro termina en cliffhanger. Así que obviamente hay que leer el 2do ASAP.
Pd. Hay una cosa que no me gustó mucho, pero sería spoiler comentarla aquí.
📖
“Better a villain by truth than a hero by lies. I'll be the devil in your story if that's what you need, but I will not apologize for what I choose to protect.”
_
"I would break every fucking rule, I would burn the world down for you. I know you're worth it without needing the time to figure it out."
_
“I hope you aren't in a rush, Ms. Moonstone, because I plan to devour you slowly.” 🔥
Raven, participa en unas pruebas para elegir al próximo líder de su aquelarre. Esas pruebas están supervisadas por el Dark King, Bastian, que desde el principio nos dicen que tienen oprimidos a los aquelarres, hasta el punto de la hambruna.
Todos los participantes deben vivir en el castillo y ahí es donde los mantendrán controlados hasta el termino de las pruebas (los que logren sobrevivir).
El libro termina en cliffhanger. Así que obviamente hay que leer el 2do ASAP.
Pd. Hay una cosa que no me gustó mucho, pero sería spoiler comentarla aquí.
📖
“Better a villain by truth than a hero by lies. I'll be the devil in your story if that's what you need, but I will not apologize for what I choose to protect.”
_
"I would break every fucking rule, I would burn the world down for you. I know you're worth it without needing the time to figure it out."
_
“I hope you aren't in a rush, Ms. Moonstone, because I plan to devour you slowly.” 🔥
October 19, 2022
That👏🏻third👏🏻act 👏🏻slapped. Context for this review - I just read “City of Ruin” a couple weeks ago so as I started this book, it wasn’t giving me a ton of originality besides the magic system. I’m not saying it copied off The Witch Collector, I’m just saying they had many similar tropes/characters archetypes and I think that affected how I perceived this book. Maybe if I’d been on a witch-hiatus, the first two acts would’ve felt fresher.
There’s a sassy FMC who is powerful, but different.
A dark, delicious MMC. And damn, these monologues where he professes his affections would make Hozier jealous. HOZIER.
Then … mouthy friends who banter. I exerted strong puffs of air from my nose multiple times and found myself with a smile I didn’t know was there. So, basically, it ranged from mildly amusing to downright tickled.
The trials. Or as every millennial woman describes it “a sort of hunger games.” (Just so we are all clear, that’s a trope. HG doesn’t own it but I get the use of a popular reference so a wide variety of people catch the meaning - It’s effective.) In true trial trope fashion, people try to subvert one another and alliances are formed. (😍alliteration😍)
There are a few predictable, albeit solid, twists. So Acts 1&2 - strong 3.5-4⭐️. They were super enjoyable. 10/10 would recommend. But they didn’t ignite.
But you know what did bang? That’s right. No need for rhetorical questions cause I wrote it in the first sentence. THAT MF THIRD ACT. That slow burn? It finally lights up (not explosive but a scene with some satisfaction). Those twists? Oh they give Chubby Checker a little run. That pace kicks up. Our girl is in peril. Tension. Uncertainty. And a panic attack for good measure.
There was one plot point with Nik that set off the big finish that felt too easy and cut into my suspension of disbelief. That’s probably my harshest criticism of the plot soon after finishing it.
And then we, the audience, are thrust out of the world and back to the reality that is human oblivion … because this crescendo ENDS. It ends. RIP. Death by cliffhanger.
So now you think your blood pressure can stabilize, but then the author is all “thanks for reading! The first chapter of the next book is at the end.” And you’re like “thank f*ck, because this is the least you can do.”
But do you know what she does? What does she do to us? What?
EFFING CHAPTER CLIFFY.
I’m as bad as these subs I read in all the contemporary romance books because it hurt so good. It was John Cougar Mellencamp, level of hurt so good.
There’s a sassy FMC who is powerful, but different.
A dark, delicious MMC. And damn, these monologues where he professes his affections would make Hozier jealous. HOZIER.
Then … mouthy friends who banter. I exerted strong puffs of air from my nose multiple times and found myself with a smile I didn’t know was there. So, basically, it ranged from mildly amusing to downright tickled.
The trials. Or as every millennial woman describes it “a sort of hunger games.” (Just so we are all clear, that’s a trope. HG doesn’t own it but I get the use of a popular reference so a wide variety of people catch the meaning - It’s effective.) In true trial trope fashion, people try to subvert one another and alliances are formed. (😍alliteration😍)
There are a few predictable, albeit solid, twists. So Acts 1&2 - strong 3.5-4⭐️. They were super enjoyable. 10/10 would recommend. But they didn’t ignite.
But you know what did bang? That’s right. No need for rhetorical questions cause I wrote it in the first sentence. THAT MF THIRD ACT. That slow burn? It finally lights up (not explosive but a scene with some satisfaction). Those twists? Oh they give Chubby Checker a little run. That pace kicks up. Our girl is in peril. Tension. Uncertainty. And a panic attack for good measure.
There was one plot point with Nik that set off the big finish that felt too easy and cut into my suspension of disbelief. That’s probably my harshest criticism of the plot soon after finishing it.
And then we, the audience, are thrust out of the world and back to the reality that is human oblivion … because this crescendo ENDS. It ends. RIP. Death by cliffhanger.
So now you think your blood pressure can stabilize, but then the author is all “thanks for reading! The first chapter of the next book is at the end.” And you’re like “thank f*ck, because this is the least you can do.”
But do you know what she does? What does she do to us? What?
EFFING CHAPTER CLIFFY.
I’m as bad as these subs I read in all the contemporary romance books because it hurt so good. It was John Cougar Mellencamp, level of hurt so good.
October 3, 2022
Everyone needs to stop what you're reading and pick up this book. If you like the romantic fantasy genre and have enjoyed books like ACOTAR or FBAA or The Hollow Vows then you need to check this book series out. This is an adult fantasy book, not YA so expect adult content.
Our story begins with our main character Raven, who is an unmarked witch. A witches power is dictated by the amount of marking up on her skin and Raven has none - yet still was gifted with power and is the only one of her kind. When the head of her coven and also her grandmother is murdered a new coven leader must be selected. The process of naming a new coven leader is achieved through trials (think Hunger Games). Raven promised her grandmother she would enter the trials when the opportunity came about. She believes she will be able to lead her coven through changes and hopefully keep them protected from the evil king whose persecution, starvation and murder of her fellow witches is common knowledge. The trials are held at the palace under the watchful eye of the King and so Raven must leave her lands behind to free her people and become the leader her coven needs. However, once she is there she discovers additional layers and dark secrets that could threaten all she's even known to be true. All while being captivated by the mysterious "dark king" who may not be her true enemy.
This book has everything!!
✅ Enemies to lovers
✅ Letter passing *swoon* (it was the best part tbh)
✅ Morally Grey MCs
✅ Banter
✅ Well developed friends/side characters
✅ Thorough world building
✅ Unique magic system
✅ Forced Proximity
✅ "Who did this to you?"
✅ He would burn the world for her
✅ He falls first
Honestly, I had trouble initially getting into this book but once I did, holy crap did I love it. The character development was fantastic, and the romance was *chef's kiss.* It's just the right amount of mysterious, romantic, thrilling adventure and witchy. Definitely, a great spooky read. Romantasy at it's finest.
The audio was fantastic too. The voice actress, Nicci Prior was amazing. This book was a single POV but the actress did a stellar job with making each character unique and dynamic.
Overall,
Story ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice 🌶️🌶️ (open door with low-medium explicitness)
Audio 🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧
Our story begins with our main character Raven, who is an unmarked witch. A witches power is dictated by the amount of marking up on her skin and Raven has none - yet still was gifted with power and is the only one of her kind. When the head of her coven and also her grandmother is murdered a new coven leader must be selected. The process of naming a new coven leader is achieved through trials (think Hunger Games). Raven promised her grandmother she would enter the trials when the opportunity came about. She believes she will be able to lead her coven through changes and hopefully keep them protected from the evil king whose persecution, starvation and murder of her fellow witches is common knowledge. The trials are held at the palace under the watchful eye of the King and so Raven must leave her lands behind to free her people and become the leader her coven needs. However, once she is there she discovers additional layers and dark secrets that could threaten all she's even known to be true. All while being captivated by the mysterious "dark king" who may not be her true enemy.
This book has everything!!
✅ Enemies to lovers
✅ Letter passing *swoon* (it was the best part tbh)
✅ Morally Grey MCs
✅ Banter
✅ Well developed friends/side characters
✅ Thorough world building
✅ Unique magic system
✅ Forced Proximity
✅ "Who did this to you?"
✅ He would burn the world for her
✅ He falls first
Honestly, I had trouble initially getting into this book but once I did, holy crap did I love it. The character development was fantastic, and the romance was *chef's kiss.* It's just the right amount of mysterious, romantic, thrilling adventure and witchy. Definitely, a great spooky read. Romantasy at it's finest.
The audio was fantastic too. The voice actress, Nicci Prior was amazing. This book was a single POV but the actress did a stellar job with making each character unique and dynamic.
Overall,
Story ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice 🌶️🌶️ (open door with low-medium explicitness)
Audio 🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧
October 11, 2022
"You are quite possibly the most stunning little witch I've ever laid eyes on, Ms. Moonstone."
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐|5
🌶️🌶️.5|5
heads up - this review may contain spoilers!!
GENRE: paranormal romance
TROPES: enemies to lovers // forced proximity // guy falls first // slow burn
POV: single
TW: unaliving
CLIFFHANGER: yesssss!
HEA: we'll see!
Miranda Lyn 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
THIS. BOOK. I came across this book in a review video and immediately downloaded it. IT'S SPOOKY SEASON and this is about witches, so how could I not?
I am obsessed. I read this any free chance that I had and for good reason. The world building, the characters, the magic system, the entire plot were all written so beautifully.
"What kind of woman sought the touch of a murderer?"
(If you're asking me, I'm not your girl 😏😬😂)
The relationship with our MC, Raven Moonstone, and our Dark King, Bastian Firepool, and how it developed was perfection. Who doesn't love a good enemies to lovers?! The lies, the deceit, the truth, their chemistry 🥵 It was so well done. I was dying to get to the scene where Bastian and Raven talked about his past, his family and why he is the way he is.... or isn't. This man. He is easily one of my favorite book boyfriends now. He is so charming, his banter is spot on, hates when she's hurt, he would literally burn the world down for our girl, ANNND HE WROTE HER (cute, funny, witty) LETTERS *fans self*
Ms. Moonstone,
Would stalking be another symptom of small dick syndrome? Keeping notes for future reference,
~ Bastian
THE PLOT. The way it unfolded with the different covens, who was behind the thrashings and why were the grimoires stolen, the coven leaders was WILD. I had an inkling about what really went down, but I did not see THAT 👀 and that ending? I AM UNWELL OVER HERE!
I truly don't know how I'm going to just sit here and wait for book two. Might cry.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐|5
🌶️🌶️.5|5
heads up - this review may contain spoilers!!
GENRE: paranormal romance
TROPES: enemies to lovers // forced proximity // guy falls first // slow burn
POV: single
TW: unaliving
CLIFFHANGER: yesssss!
HEA: we'll see!
Miranda Lyn 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
THIS. BOOK. I came across this book in a review video and immediately downloaded it. IT'S SPOOKY SEASON and this is about witches, so how could I not?
I am obsessed. I read this any free chance that I had and for good reason. The world building, the characters, the magic system, the entire plot were all written so beautifully.
"What kind of woman sought the touch of a murderer?"
(If you're asking me, I'm not your girl 😏😬😂)
The relationship with our MC, Raven Moonstone, and our Dark King, Bastian Firepool, and how it developed was perfection. Who doesn't love a good enemies to lovers?! The lies, the deceit, the truth, their chemistry 🥵 It was so well done. I was dying to get to the scene where Bastian and Raven talked about his past, his family and why he is the way he is.... or isn't. This man. He is easily one of my favorite book boyfriends now. He is so charming, his banter is spot on, hates when she's hurt, he would literally burn the world down for our girl, ANNND HE WROTE HER (cute, funny, witty) LETTERS *fans self*
Ms. Moonstone,
Would stalking be another symptom of small dick syndrome? Keeping notes for future reference,
~ Bastian
THE PLOT. The way it unfolded with the different covens, who was behind the thrashings and why were the grimoires stolen, the coven leaders was WILD. I had an inkling about what really went down, but I did not see THAT 👀 and that ending? I AM UNWELL OVER HERE!
I truly don't know how I'm going to just sit here and wait for book two. Might cry.
March 18, 2023
This book was a rollercoaster and I was there for every part of it: the anxiety, the anger, the despair, the laughter, the love, the spice, literally everything!
I have never felt such a kinship to a character before. Raven is my spirit character. Brave, a little bit over trusting, but smart, and headstrong, and everything I love in a female MC.
This story was such an adventure and it was so hard to put down, I felt like I was in the trials with them. I loved being hurt every second of this book, it kept me on my toes and it kept my anxiety flowing. My fingers still felt tingly 30 minutes after I finished. If that’s not the sign of a book that really has an impact, I don’t know what is. While I shed no tears for this one, I still felt it deeply. There was so much that happened and I have so many questions and I don’t want to leave the world yet. I can’t wait for book two, I’m so excited to see how this ends!
I have never felt such a kinship to a character before. Raven is my spirit character. Brave, a little bit over trusting, but smart, and headstrong, and everything I love in a female MC.
This story was such an adventure and it was so hard to put down, I felt like I was in the trials with them. I loved being hurt every second of this book, it kept me on my toes and it kept my anxiety flowing. My fingers still felt tingly 30 minutes after I finished. If that’s not the sign of a book that really has an impact, I don’t know what is. While I shed no tears for this one, I still felt it deeply. There was so much that happened and I have so many questions and I don’t want to leave the world yet. I can’t wait for book two, I’m so excited to see how this ends!
March 7, 2023
this was probably the most mid book i’ve ever read. the world-building had SUCH potential and the overall plot was cool (very fantasy hunger games) but after the second half it just fell flat. the FMC was snooze, the male love interest was just a great value brand rhysand with no development, and the ending left me audibly saying “…. ok?” to myself. the really creative magic system and plot was wasted on a classic “he’s supposed to be broody but is really just boring” vibe.
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