What was meant to be a gift, turned out to be a curse—But in a world of Gods, monsters, and wicked stepmothers, the princess of the kingdom of Guaraní has no choice but to run away, and spare her family from her ruinous tongue.
There's only one who can break her curse. The Dark Wizard , the Toymaker.
His price for her freedom won't come easy though, one year as a toy in his collection. In dreams, the truth finds her, and it's her heart who tells the most lies.
Dreams of truth is a Dark romance, fantasy novella inspired by multiple fairytales with a dash of Latin American Indigenous Lore. This story is explicit and not intended for readers under 18.
Santana Knox is a Brazilian author, a South American immigrant, a mother, wife and witch.
Santana got tired of letting the voices in her head drive her crazy, and decided to write down the stories they were begging to tell instead. A lover of the unusual, and a hopeless romantic when it comes to toxic villains, Santana's books should always be taken with a grain of salt, specifically the kind that keeps demons away.
I feel like novellas got such a bad wrap from readers expecting more than a short and sweet story. That being said, I loved this one! Snow White retelling vibes with two characters who were made for each other. Absolutely loved it
“A flower will die, and I will mourn its death while in battle. But a kiss from you will be all I need to carry me through the war. I will think of your soft lips every day. Every sword that comes near mine will feel the hot steel of my blade crushing it down because it will be your kiss that reminds me there might be something worth fighting for.”
this was the most perfect short and quick read 💜 i needed my fill of dark fantasy / romantasy and this was just it !!
the way i gobbled this up should be illegal. how sanatana can turn a super short novella into something that will have you yearning for more is beyond me 😩 the ending did feel a bit rushed but it’s a novella !! it’s supposed to be straight to the point.
clara eating these damn berries and continuously picking up the poisonous flowers had me STRESSING THE FUCK OUT 😭 but the warlock was always there to save her. no matter how many times he tells her he didn’t save her from harm, he sure watched her every move 🥰
i love these two so much !! would literally beg on my knees for a full novel 🙌🏼
I was here for it until around the 75–80% mark. Some of that felt too fast/out of nowhere, I think partially because it’s a novella, but also… How did we get here? I loved everything to do with the dreams, though.
Ugh this was so good. Quick, easy, dark, sexy. I loved the twist and combination of the fairytales. These alternate combinations instead of just straight retellings are my favorite version of this trope.
This novella is the perfect mix of plot & spice. I didn’t know what I was getting myself into when I read the first few pages, but I kept turning pages until the book ended. I really liked the combination of different fairytales and the dream scenes.
this was the perfect short story. it had mixed elements of dark romance & fantasy rolled into one. i almost wish it was longer because now i need more of their story 😭
clara left her kingdom, because of her curse . she walked the woods only to find the warlock, the only one to be able to break her curse; but it comes at a price. but CLARA STOP EATING RANDOM FUCKING BERRIES. DAMN IT BROTHER.
you’ll find that this story has a few fairytale features in it and it’s just so good. i loved it.
Dreams of Truth by Santana Knox is a dark romantasy novella.
This is the third book of Santana's that I have read, and it definitely won't be my last. This was such a fun read! I really enjoyed the twist on multiple fairytales. I loved getting Clara and the Warlock's points of views throughout the book. It really brought the story to life.
I would recommend this book if you're looking for a dark romance, fantasy romance, or fairytale retellings.
3.5 This was my first ever romantasy novella it just didn’t hit how I wanted it to it gave me the ick in parts especially the spicy scenes with some of the wording I’m no prune but omg the way things were said just gave me the ick this just wasn’t for me it was ok would I recommend not really unless you want a short novella
Santana Knox never disappoints when it comes to her writing. Without warning, she dropped this novella into the FB group and bolted. I immediately bought it and read it so quickly. I know it is meant to be a spicy and quick read novella, but I want more. I need more of the two main characters. That need is exactly why I will always recommend her books. Santana has a way of creating such unique and captivating books that I want to remain in the characters world and crave more of their adventures/stories. Definitely recommend.
So I went into this book solely on the fact that Santana Knox wrote it and it was probably amazing. lol. The first few pages took me by surprise and I was not sure where this story was going! But, much like all of the other Santana Knox books... I got sucked into it and could not put it down.
Clara. Born a Princess. But after her mother dies and her father is forced to remarry, Clara is quickly shunned by her dearest Step Mother, the Queen. In a land filled with Arkana (special magical items) and Gods and curses...Clara quickly became the pariah and was cursed off to never tell a lie.
After years of solitude, she decided to flee and when she comes across the dark forest, nothing has been clearer.
The toymaker. The Warlock. The Dark Wizard...He went by many names. But, when he found himself opening his door to Princess Clara, he didn't realize his future, too, would be changing.
Dark and mysterious, The Warlock bargains in deals. A deal for your soul. Will Clara be able to live up to the bargain she wants? When her time is all done and over with, will she be able to walk away? Or will she end up another toy on his shelf?
This short story captivates your attention so quick and you need to know what is happening next. I read this book wanting so much more in this world. Yes, it has re-telling's of different fairytales but they are told like no other and I loved it!
The ending came up too fast and left you feeling emotionally satisfied. Clara is finally free from everything in a way like never before. Will we get to see more from her in the future? I hope so.
*Overall 5/5 *Heat? 4/5 *Fast burn for short story *Dual first person POV *Epilogue *Ends in HEA
This quick read is perfect for something short with an interesting story and some spice. It's a dark, romantic novella with beasts, curses, and magic, and it reminds me of Snow White.
Clara is a cursed princess; she cannot lie, which has alienated her for her entire life. Setting out to break the curse takes her to a being few dare to go to, the toymaker. A deal is struck, but everything is different from what it appears. I liked the characters and the fairytale vibes. I enjoyed some exciting twists on the classic idea of fairytales, and the spice was well-written. There's a big part of me that wishes this were a full-length novel because the characters were likable, and it would have been cool to explore the chemistry and storylines with more depth.
Knox is an author I know I can go to for a good story that will keep me on my toes. This fast read was perfect for a late night with insomnia. If you like dark romances, spice, and fairytale reimagining, then check out this novella.
Okay, hear me out. This was not a bad 2 star read. I have been wanting to get into novellas for a while as a quick palette cleanser before committing to a new lengthy book.
There is only so much that can be squeezed into 100 pages - and this book had A LOT of spice within those short chapters. I felt there was more spice than relationship and plot which is why this fell a bit flat for me.
In this story we follow Clara, craving an escape from many things and a powerful warlock who traps souls and uses them to create magical items. These two paths will cross, and our beloved individuals may not be as alone as they thought.
This book did have a clear beginning and ending which is impressive given how short it was. However, the short conflict we had was too easily resolved and felt too convenient for the story? How was Clara so complicit in what was happening?
This is on KU - so if you like short and SPICEY than give this a go!
The pacing was a little off for me. It was very fast at the beginning but would slow down and speed up again throughout the book.
I liked how menacing the warlock was but he did have a soft spot for Clara at the same time.
I wasn't keen on how quickly Clara started lusting after the warlock and then how quickly she forgave him when it was revealed he was controlling her while she was sleeping to have sex with her in her dreams.
I did like the magic and the beasts but I wish there was a bit more world building.
The characters themselves were a bit flat and they could've been developed some more.
I'm not sure if I'll read other books set in this world or not yet
I give this a 3.75, maybe 4 star review I enjoyed the story and the characters in it it was a quick and easy fun read i had wanted to see how this authors writing was since im considered reading another of their books and I enjoyed it overalk though im sure it will be a little different there was a part of me that did kinda wish to have more of this story honestly but since it was on the shorter side I didn't mind it not having everything I wanted but still kinda wish we got more on certain parts but still a super enjoyable read glad I picked it up
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
It is my opinion that Santana Knox can take any story and make me beg for more. This novella was no exception. It had elements of Snow White, Pinocchio, and (maybe?) Beauty and the Beast but it was completely its own thing. It was beautifully written, the characters were well developed, and the spice level was spicing. I could have read another 300 pages of the dream meetings and the backstory and been just as happy.
“Lies were the thread that wove together the fabric of love.”
This is definitely a quick read and is great if you’re looking for something simple with a fairytale retelling - I just didn’t love it. The pacing felt off, sometimes fast, then a bit slow, and then BOOM finished. I enjoyed the fairytale elements, curses, and the beasts and I think it had great potential if these and the characters were flushed out a bit more - but I will keep in mind it is a very short novella.
🐺 fairytale retellings 🍎 curses 🐺 insta lust 🍎 fast paced 🐺 duo POV 🍎 beasts
This was AMAZING! Santana never disappoints and this was a overall such a good read. The writing is always fantastic but I loved the wicked fairytale aspects but mostly how it was mostly in her dreams that she thought that's where she'd be happy just creating figments of her imagination but really the truth was in front of her all along and she almost missed it uh so good! And it had just enough spice for a novella and it not be an installed situation. Just perfect.
AMAZING! This quick, dark fantasy romance is just so GOOD. Santana Knox did an amazing job of blending well-known fairytales with Latin American Indigenous folk tales in order to deliver a steamy story.
The way Santana’s words on the page just grab you, sink their teeth into you and just have you in a chokehold?! Or is that just me. Obsessed, as always. Anything she writes, I eat it all up and leave no crumbs. Just read this. And everything else she writes.
Nothing like a dark PNR work of art! This is a novella directly from the chaos genius of none other than the amazing Santana!!! I loved reading this and seeing a different side of her very dark mind! It is a fantastic quick read that is worth owing a physical copy of!!!! Don't ask questions, JUST DO IT!!!!
Dreams of Truth by Santana Knox “Lies were the thread that wove together the fabric of love.” ~~~ We were gifted with this little novella by Knox, and it was delicious. I loved the spice, the mixing of fairytales and dashing of Latin lore. Then we got the ending of the book which was just as magical, I would love for more of this. All around this novella is 10/10, especially the villain, but when is the villain not anymore.
I knew going into this novella I would love it because I love everything this author writes, and I was right. This was a dark paranormal fantasy novella that not only loosely played with elements of fairy tales most people are familiar with, it also introduced new elements. I enjoyed the teasings of information on Brazilian myths we got. I enjoyed the way the author didn't necessarily go where most would expect in terms of plot and character motivations, it changed things up.