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Towerfall #1
The Empress
From New York Times bestselling author of the House of Night series Kristin Cast comes a spicy and spellbinding light romantasy filled with tarot, adventure, and a hero who is broody, sexy, and just the right amount of trouble.
What happens when a no-nonsense modern woman stumbles into a world of magick, mystery, and one ridiculously hot, broody hero? She breaks all the rules, obviously.
Hannah has always played by the book―until a tarot reading goes sideways and drops her into a world where magick is real, danger lurks in the shadows, and men look like they've stepped out of a fantasy novel. Case in point: Kane, the kingdom's gruff yet infuriatingly gorgeous protector, who claims Hannah's arrival isn't an accident. Apparently, she's the key to saving his realm from ruin.
Hannah's priorities?
Get her tarot card back.
Find a way home.
Absolutely not fall for the battle-scarred warrior who makes her want to forget all her plans.
But as the palace's secrets unravel, and enemies close in, the line between duty and desire blurs. Because if Hannah wants to return to her world, she'll have to embrace the magick inside her and trust the one man who makes her question everything.
What happens when a no-nonsense modern woman stumbles into a world of magick, mystery, and one ridiculously hot, broody hero? She breaks all the rules, obviously.
Hannah has always played by the book―until a tarot reading goes sideways and drops her into a world where magick is real, danger lurks in the shadows, and men look like they've stepped out of a fantasy novel. Case in point: Kane, the kingdom's gruff yet infuriatingly gorgeous protector, who claims Hannah's arrival isn't an accident. Apparently, she's the key to saving his realm from ruin.
Hannah's priorities?
Get her tarot card back.
Find a way home.
Absolutely not fall for the battle-scarred warrior who makes her want to forget all her plans.
But as the palace's secrets unravel, and enemies close in, the line between duty and desire blurs. Because if Hannah wants to return to her world, she'll have to embrace the magick inside her and trust the one man who makes her question everything.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published January 7, 2025
640 people are currently reading
7922 people want to read
About the author
Kristin Cast
122 books9,461 followersKristin is a #1 NYT and #1 USA Today bestselling author with over 30 million books in print.
She is proudly neurodivergent (ASD + OCD) and deeply consumed by character-driven chaos, emotionally vulnerable heroes, and smart, sexy heroines who always get the last word and the hot guy. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her devouring thriller, horror, and romance novels, practicing witchcraft, and being the exact kind of unhinged that makes group chats worth opening.
She is proudly neurodivergent (ASD + OCD) and deeply consumed by character-driven chaos, emotionally vulnerable heroes, and smart, sexy heroines who always get the last word and the hot guy. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her devouring thriller, horror, and romance novels, practicing witchcraft, and being the exact kind of unhinged that makes group chats worth opening.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 891 reviews
February 5, 2025
Kristin Cast's The Empress introduces readers to the mystic and perilous world of Towerfall, where tarot cards come alive, and survival hinges on deception and unlikely alliances. While the premise promises an intriguing blend of fantasy, romance, and tarot-inspired magic, the execution is uneven, leaving this romantasy feeling more like a light, entertaining read than a memorable deep dive into a richly developed universe.
The highlight of the story lies in its creative tarot elements, which add a unique twist to the genre and serve as the backbone of Towerfall's world-building. However, while the concept is fascinating, the actual development of this magical realm feels superficial, as though it was designed to support the plot rather than be fully realized in its own right.
The protagonists, Hannah and Kane, are at the heart of the story, and their fake marriage setup injects the plot with tension and occasional humor. Kane, the morally grey and brooding warrior, shows glimmers of charm, but his character never quite transcends the archetype. Meanwhile, Hannah's modern sensibilities clash with her medieval surroundings, often in ways that feel more grating than empowering. Her character arc, while earnest, struggles to resonate, as her impulsive decisions detract from the high-stakes drama.
While The Empress doesn’t deliver the emotional depth or intricate storytelling some readers might expect, it compensates with fast-paced action, flirtatious banter, and a touch of spice that keeps the pages turning. Fans of lighter romantasies with morally ambiguous love interests and a dose of tarot mystique will likely find it enjoyable, if not groundbreaking.
Many thanks to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books | Bloom Books for providing me this arc copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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The highlight of the story lies in its creative tarot elements, which add a unique twist to the genre and serve as the backbone of Towerfall's world-building. However, while the concept is fascinating, the actual development of this magical realm feels superficial, as though it was designed to support the plot rather than be fully realized in its own right.
The protagonists, Hannah and Kane, are at the heart of the story, and their fake marriage setup injects the plot with tension and occasional humor. Kane, the morally grey and brooding warrior, shows glimmers of charm, but his character never quite transcends the archetype. Meanwhile, Hannah's modern sensibilities clash with her medieval surroundings, often in ways that feel more grating than empowering. Her character arc, while earnest, struggles to resonate, as her impulsive decisions detract from the high-stakes drama.
While The Empress doesn’t deliver the emotional depth or intricate storytelling some readers might expect, it compensates with fast-paced action, flirtatious banter, and a touch of spice that keeps the pages turning. Fans of lighter romantasies with morally ambiguous love interests and a dose of tarot mystique will likely find it enjoyable, if not groundbreaking.
Many thanks to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books | Bloom Books for providing me this arc copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
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October 8, 2024
I hate giving one star reviews and don’t think I ever have, but this book really made me want to start.
This book is just…not for me. And that’s putting it lightly. The premise was very intriguing and seemed like something I would love. I’m a huge romantasy fan and the concept of a magical world based on tarot sounded original and unlike anything I’ve read before. Unfortunately, the execution is poor. I had to force myself to keep reading and after a certain point I couldn’t take it anymore and had to stop.
My first issue is that this book is classified as adult, yet reads as *very* immature. With the way the main character talks and acts, I would believe she’s 15 years old. The book reads as very YA and not at all adult. The situations, cliches, and attempts to crack “relatable” and modern jokes did not come off as comical, but as cringeworthy. That’s not to say there were zero comical moments, but most of the time the author’s attempts at humor had me wincing.
The romance itself is super rushed. It is very much insta love/lust. There is zero build up to the attraction or sexual scenes. These characters pretty much immediately lust after one another based on…I couldn’t even tell you. I sensed zero chemistry or connection between them.
And don’t even get me started on the female main character. She repeatedly makes the worst decisions that made me want to bang my head against a wall. She runs into dangerous situations without a second thought and ignores every warning she is given. She was super frustrating to read about and I could not relate to her at all.
I only got about a third of the way through the book before giving up, and I will say that the story was about to take a new direction. The first third was so sloooow and nothing was happening. I’m mildly curious about the direction the story is going in but I physically cannot force myself to keep going. This is my second attempt to read this author and I think after this I can conclude she’s just not for me.
This book is just…not for me. And that’s putting it lightly. The premise was very intriguing and seemed like something I would love. I’m a huge romantasy fan and the concept of a magical world based on tarot sounded original and unlike anything I’ve read before. Unfortunately, the execution is poor. I had to force myself to keep reading and after a certain point I couldn’t take it anymore and had to stop.
My first issue is that this book is classified as adult, yet reads as *very* immature. With the way the main character talks and acts, I would believe she’s 15 years old. The book reads as very YA and not at all adult. The situations, cliches, and attempts to crack “relatable” and modern jokes did not come off as comical, but as cringeworthy. That’s not to say there were zero comical moments, but most of the time the author’s attempts at humor had me wincing.
The romance itself is super rushed. It is very much insta love/lust. There is zero build up to the attraction or sexual scenes. These characters pretty much immediately lust after one another based on…I couldn’t even tell you. I sensed zero chemistry or connection between them.
And don’t even get me started on the female main character. She repeatedly makes the worst decisions that made me want to bang my head against a wall. She runs into dangerous situations without a second thought and ignores every warning she is given. She was super frustrating to read about and I could not relate to her at all.
I only got about a third of the way through the book before giving up, and I will say that the story was about to take a new direction. The first third was so sloooow and nothing was happening. I’m mildly curious about the direction the story is going in but I physically cannot force myself to keep going. This is my second attempt to read this author and I think after this I can conclude she’s just not for me.
December 10, 2024
1.5 stars
It’s not often that a book accidentally makes me mad. Unfortunately, The Empress made me mad through a series of poorly used tropes, confusing misogyny and feminism, and a main character who needed a couple more brain cells.
My first issue was the contradiction of the main character. She starts out failing at a massive presentation and then seems to be shocked when failing at your job has consequences. After receiving a magical tarot card, she gets transported to a poorly defined fantasy kingdom where she immediately falls in love with her rescuer who just happens to be a hot banished knight. Rather than adapt to her new situation, she proceeds to complain. Constantly. It doesn’t matter that people are literally starving around her; she misses her life in Chicago—the same life that she actively despises and complains about.
The main love interest was a shadow of a character. I could tell you that he was dark and broody and had really nice abs. Do I know his backstory or his emotional depth or his personality? Nope. Those things didn’t seem to matter, so they weren’t included in the story. He also wasn’t romantic. All he did was tell the main character that he would protect her and that she was pretty a couple of times. I didn’t believe they were in love (or even in lust). What I was supposed to believe about the love interest is that he magically made the main female character more self-confident by rescuing her a bunch, calling her a girl, and having mediocre sex with her (obviously all the things women need to feel empowered).
This book was an odd combination of misogynistic and feminist. It only took 200 pages for the main character to learn the valuable lesson that misogyny is indeed bad. She had this brilliant realization after dissing other women and almost getting sexually assaulted (which was massively glossed over because apparently her attacker having a submission kink means consent is irrelevant). Despite the sexual violence she encountered, she still managed to hate the other woman who happened to be good at their jobs, therefore making them evil monsters. Once she became a feminist, she was super radical and went as far as to say that women have value beyond their romantic partners (gasp).
Beyond the weird preaching/problematic gender role commentary, the side characters in this novel also sucked. We had the evil ex named Chad, the minority best friend who had to be taught to love herself, the crazy other woman who happened to be just too pretty, the brooding love interest who did the bare minimum, and the main character who was mousy until the love interest “discovered” her beauty. I thought we left those tropes back in the early 2010s, but apparently not.
As for the plot, the main characters witness the brutal murder of foreign dignitaries and decide that the best plan is to be the brutally murdered people (but don’t worry, that never seems to have real consequences because collateral damage doesn’t exist in this world) and sneak into the hostile palace. Part of the wonders of fantasy romance is fantasy. To me, that means swords and masquerades and complex politics, and large-scale conflict. You won’t find any of that here. Instead, get excited to read about a woman failing in the corporate world, so she gets transported to a fantastical world where she can fail at saving the kingdom, but it’s fine because she is randomly the chosen one and the love interest can see how “special” she is.
I know this review is harsh. I recognize that I probably would have enjoyed this book more if I had been a young teenager who hadn’t read extensively in the genre. I would’ve also liked it more if I wasn’t coming at it from a critical angle. At least the cover is gorgeous?
An e-ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions remain my own.
It’s not often that a book accidentally makes me mad. Unfortunately, The Empress made me mad through a series of poorly used tropes, confusing misogyny and feminism, and a main character who needed a couple more brain cells.
My first issue was the contradiction of the main character. She starts out failing at a massive presentation and then seems to be shocked when failing at your job has consequences. After receiving a magical tarot card, she gets transported to a poorly defined fantasy kingdom where she immediately falls in love with her rescuer who just happens to be a hot banished knight. Rather than adapt to her new situation, she proceeds to complain. Constantly. It doesn’t matter that people are literally starving around her; she misses her life in Chicago—the same life that she actively despises and complains about.
The main love interest was a shadow of a character. I could tell you that he was dark and broody and had really nice abs. Do I know his backstory or his emotional depth or his personality? Nope. Those things didn’t seem to matter, so they weren’t included in the story. He also wasn’t romantic. All he did was tell the main character that he would protect her and that she was pretty a couple of times. I didn’t believe they were in love (or even in lust). What I was supposed to believe about the love interest is that he magically made the main female character more self-confident by rescuing her a bunch, calling her a girl, and having mediocre sex with her (obviously all the things women need to feel empowered).
This book was an odd combination of misogynistic and feminist. It only took 200 pages for the main character to learn the valuable lesson that misogyny is indeed bad. She had this brilliant realization after dissing other women and almost getting sexually assaulted (which was massively glossed over because apparently her attacker having a submission kink means consent is irrelevant). Despite the sexual violence she encountered, she still managed to hate the other woman who happened to be good at their jobs, therefore making them evil monsters. Once she became a feminist, she was super radical and went as far as to say that women have value beyond their romantic partners (gasp).
Beyond the weird preaching/problematic gender role commentary, the side characters in this novel also sucked. We had the evil ex named Chad, the minority best friend who had to be taught to love herself, the crazy other woman who happened to be just too pretty, the brooding love interest who did the bare minimum, and the main character who was mousy until the love interest “discovered” her beauty. I thought we left those tropes back in the early 2010s, but apparently not.
As for the plot, the main characters witness the brutal murder of foreign dignitaries and decide that the best plan is to be the brutally murdered people (but don’t worry, that never seems to have real consequences because collateral damage doesn’t exist in this world) and sneak into the hostile palace. Part of the wonders of fantasy romance is fantasy. To me, that means swords and masquerades and complex politics, and large-scale conflict. You won’t find any of that here. Instead, get excited to read about a woman failing in the corporate world, so she gets transported to a fantastical world where she can fail at saving the kingdom, but it’s fine because she is randomly the chosen one and the love interest can see how “special” she is.
I know this review is harsh. I recognize that I probably would have enjoyed this book more if I had been a young teenager who hadn’t read extensively in the genre. I would’ve also liked it more if I wasn’t coming at it from a critical angle. At least the cover is gorgeous?
An e-ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions remain my own.
May 27, 2025
1,5/5 En mi caso me ha parecido aburrido, lento, los personajes no tenían gracia, de hecho a ella le hubiese reventado la cabeza contra el suelo. Luego, lo están vendiendo como que tiene algo que ver el tarot y yo esperaba un libro de fantasía que incorporara elementos que tuviesen que ver con él. No se hace prácticamente mención al tarot, solo a la carta de La Emperatriz, que sirve como una puerta entre mundos. Ya está, no hay nada más del tema.
June 8, 2025
El ridículo y la vergüenza que he sentido leyendo este libro 🙄 y mira que me encanta la cubierta, pero no hay por dónde cogerlo.
January 9, 2025
╭ ✦ •
│ ⊹ 𝟹.𝟻 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚜, 𝚏𝚞𝚕𝚕 𝚁𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠 𝚘𝚗 𝚖𝚢 𝚋𝚕𝚘𝚐! ⊹
╰ ✦ •
I haven't read something from Kristin Cast since House of Night days (when I was in high school), so when I stumbled across ARC sign-ups I couldn’t resist!
I understand why this has a low rating at the moment, but it’s also just the first book in the series, serving primarily as a setup for the rest of the series, even though this did end in a HEA with an epilogue.
────── ✧ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ♡ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ✧ ──────
The Empress by Kristin Cast is a fantasy romance that transports readers from the real world to the magical realm of Towerfall, a place steeped in tarot magic and in need of a reluctant heroine. The story follows Hannah, a reluctant heroine, as she’s thrust from her ordinary life into the magical realm of Towerfall—a world in desperate need of saving. The premise of incorporating tarot lore into the story was both unique and intriguing, even for someone like me with little knowledge of tarot. It was fascinating to see how it tied into both Towerfall and Hannah’s real-world life.
The worldbuilding was imaginative, and the descriptions of Towerfall were immersive, drawing clear contrasts between the realms Hannah, the protagonist, experiences. The secondary characters added humor and heart to the story, with Shadow being a standout for me. And then there’s Kane, mysterious, protective, and undeniably compelling. I really liked Hannah and Kane. Their chemistry and dynamic was definitely one of the highlights of the book.
As much as I was enjoying it, the pacing and character development left me feeling conflicted. Hannah, while relatable in her struggle to simply survive, often felt immature. Her reluctance to embrace her role in Towerfall made it hard to connect with her, but I still found myself rooting for her! The pacing of the story was one of the strangest aspects and I don't even know how to describe it. It felt both fast-paced and slow at the same time, with a lot of filler that didn’t seem to drive the plot forward. By the time I was halfway through the book, nothing of real significance had happened. Also, I feel like a lot of the plot wasn't explained. Hannah is supposed to be someone who's supposed to save Towerfall but that plotline kind of fell off.
Hmmm, from 75% on it felt like it flew by in seconds; it felt like a race to tie up loose ends, leaving me craving more depth and exploration of Towerfall and its lore.
Overall, The Empress had a lot of potential, it was a solid and enjoyable read. I’d be interested to see more of Towerfall in the future, as the world and concept hold so much promise.
────── ✧ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ♡ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ✧ ──────
⊹ 𝔀𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓮𝔁𝓹𝓮𝓬𝓽 ⊹
❥Broody MMC
❥Fake Marriage
❥He ties her up
❥Tarot Card inspired
❥"Little Fawn"
❥Romantasy
❥Transported into a new world
────── ✧ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ♡ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ✧ ──────
⁀➷𝓹𝓻𝓮-𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀:
just got my arc! I'm so excited for this!!
Thank you for the ARC, Kristin♡
_________________________________
Blog ಇ StoryGraph ಇ Instagram ಇ Twitter ಇ Facebook
│ ⊹ 𝟹.𝟻 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚜, 𝚏𝚞𝚕𝚕 𝚁𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠 𝚘𝚗 𝚖𝚢 𝚋𝚕𝚘𝚐! ⊹
╰ ✦ •
I haven't read something from Kristin Cast since House of Night days (when I was in high school), so when I stumbled across ARC sign-ups I couldn’t resist!
I understand why this has a low rating at the moment, but it’s also just the first book in the series, serving primarily as a setup for the rest of the series, even though this did end in a HEA with an epilogue.
────── ✧ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ♡ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ✧ ──────
The Empress by Kristin Cast is a fantasy romance that transports readers from the real world to the magical realm of Towerfall, a place steeped in tarot magic and in need of a reluctant heroine. The story follows Hannah, a reluctant heroine, as she’s thrust from her ordinary life into the magical realm of Towerfall—a world in desperate need of saving. The premise of incorporating tarot lore into the story was both unique and intriguing, even for someone like me with little knowledge of tarot. It was fascinating to see how it tied into both Towerfall and Hannah’s real-world life.
The worldbuilding was imaginative, and the descriptions of Towerfall were immersive, drawing clear contrasts between the realms Hannah, the protagonist, experiences. The secondary characters added humor and heart to the story, with Shadow being a standout for me. And then there’s Kane, mysterious, protective, and undeniably compelling. I really liked Hannah and Kane. Their chemistry and dynamic was definitely one of the highlights of the book.
As much as I was enjoying it, the pacing and character development left me feeling conflicted. Hannah, while relatable in her struggle to simply survive, often felt immature. Her reluctance to embrace her role in Towerfall made it hard to connect with her, but I still found myself rooting for her! The pacing of the story was one of the strangest aspects and I don't even know how to describe it. It felt both fast-paced and slow at the same time, with a lot of filler that didn’t seem to drive the plot forward. By the time I was halfway through the book, nothing of real significance had happened. Also, I feel like a lot of the plot wasn't explained. Hannah is supposed to be someone who's supposed to save Towerfall but that plotline kind of fell off.
Hmmm, from 75% on it felt like it flew by in seconds; it felt like a race to tie up loose ends, leaving me craving more depth and exploration of Towerfall and its lore.
Overall, The Empress had a lot of potential, it was a solid and enjoyable read. I’d be interested to see more of Towerfall in the future, as the world and concept hold so much promise.
────── ✧ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ♡ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ✧ ──────
⊹ 𝔀𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓮𝔁𝓹𝓮𝓬𝓽 ⊹
❥Broody MMC
❥Fake Marriage
❥He ties her up
❥Tarot Card inspired
❥"Little Fawn"
❥Romantasy
❥Transported into a new world
────── ✧ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ♡ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ✧ ──────
⁀➷𝓹𝓻𝓮-𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀:
just got my arc! I'm so excited for this!!
Thank you for the ARC, Kristin♡
_________________________________
Blog ಇ StoryGraph ಇ Instagram ಇ Twitter ಇ Facebook
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December 26, 2024firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc!
unfortunately dnf’d @ 25% — the writing and the fmc were just not for me, despite my intrigue surrounding the tarot cards. i’m not sure how large of a role the tarot play in this book considering i dnf��d, but in the 25% i read i wish there was more.
this book will find its audience, but its not me.
unfortunately dnf’d @ 25% — the writing and the fmc were just not for me, despite my intrigue surrounding the tarot cards. i’m not sure how large of a role the tarot play in this book considering i dnf��d, but in the 25% i read i wish there was more.
this book will find its audience, but its not me.
January 10, 2025
I really really wanted to like this. But it was a miss for me.
I liked the concept but I was so lost.
They also fell into bed with each other waay too fast. And where does the "good girl" crap come from? Like... WTF.
I LOVE a "good girl" now and then. I truly do. But you're in a strange realm, with a strange man, and you let him tie you up and fuck you after 2 or 3 days? 🤔🤣
No. Just no.
I'm also SO over the trend of, "have the heroine discover her partner cheating on her so she can be freshly single..."
Just have her be single when you start. 🙄
3 stars
2.5 on
*Thank you to Bloom Books and the author for an ARC of this title."
I liked the concept but I was so lost.
They also fell into bed with each other waay too fast. And where does the "good girl" crap come from? Like... WTF.
I LOVE a "good girl" now and then. I truly do. But you're in a strange realm, with a strange man, and you let him tie you up and fuck you after 2 or 3 days? 🤔🤣
No. Just no.
I'm also SO over the trend of, "have the heroine discover her partner cheating on her so she can be freshly single..."
Just have her be single when you start. 🙄
3 stars
2.5 on
*Thank you to Bloom Books and the author for an ARC of this title."
January 24, 2025
The Empress is an absolute blast! Between the fake marriage, the snarky banter, and the non stop action I was hooked. The mix of danger and laugh out loud moments made this story hard to put down.
Kane is the ultimate broody but secretly sweet hero, and his dynamic with the heroine had me rooting for them while cracking up at their witty back and forth. Add in a killer audiobook performance with spot-on voices and pacing, and it took the story to a whole new level.
Kane is the ultimate broody but secretly sweet hero, and his dynamic with the heroine had me rooting for them while cracking up at their witty back and forth. Add in a killer audiobook performance with spot-on voices and pacing, and it took the story to a whole new level.
January 5, 2025
I'm afraid that for me this book was nonsensical, vague, and annoying. The tarot influences were basically irrelevant.
December 28, 2024
I’ve read this author before, so I knew going into it that this author has written a lot of YA books. I was skeptical about the low ratings, but ended up really enjoying it. I don’t think this book will be for everyone, but if you enjoy a certain type of book then you will like this. It’s a very low fantasy book where the main character, Hannah, literally falls into another realm. Basically, it’s like she just went back in time. There is a little bit of magic, but it’s not a huge portion of the book. I liked the plot and that the characters were pretending to be people they weren’t in order to save their country/city/whatever-it-was. They also were pretending to be married, which I LOVE a good fake marriage. This was a fairly easy book to read and if you can get past the main character acting like her life was falling apart in the beginning, which it was, then it was a good book. I recommend this one to those who love historical romances, low fantasy, and magic.
I received an ARC of this book, which does not effect my feelings towards this book.
I received an ARC of this book, which does not effect my feelings towards this book.
August 10, 2025
1⭐ por darle alguna.
Este libro es un claro ejemplo de por qué NO dejarse llevar por la belleza de la portada.
Es un firme candidato al galardón de "mi peor lectura de 2025".
Pero OJO que ésto es mi opinión desde la perspectiva de mis gustos personales y, por ello, jamas recomendaría que no lo leais. Aunque a mí esta lectura ni me ha atrapado, ni le he visto atractivo alguno a la trama ni a los personajes, llegando a aburrirme desde las primeras páginas.....
Este libro es un claro ejemplo de por qué NO dejarse llevar por la belleza de la portada.
Es un firme candidato al galardón de "mi peor lectura de 2025".
Pero OJO que ésto es mi opinión desde la perspectiva de mis gustos personales y, por ello, jamas recomendaría que no lo leais. Aunque a mí esta lectura ni me ha atrapado, ni le he visto atractivo alguno a la trama ni a los personajes, llegando a aburrirme desde las primeras páginas.....
January 4, 2025
1.5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks, and Bloom Books for this advanced copy. You can pick up The Empress on January 7, 2025.
I just want to know what possessed me to ask for this book when I've read this author's work before and actively disliked it. SHOCKER, this one was no different. But I did read the ENTIRE book so I could justify my negative feelings with incontrovertible proof that the book is terrible.
Let's begin.
Our main character, Hannah, is a literal walking 2010s meme. She's not like other girls with her messy bun, threadbare clothes, and small body (we'll come back to that). Hannah refers to herself or her life as "desperate" no less than 42 times (yes, I did count). She's literally failing at life with her shitty corporate job, shitty cheating boyfriend, and shitty lack of friends or loved ones.
So, of course, she's the chosen one.
After Hannah anti-climactically falls through a portal into another realm, she's rescued by our tall, muscled, dark-haired leading man, Kane Blackthorne. This is where the 0.5 stars come in -- this man is no different from any other blueprint romantasy MMC, but he DID amuse me with his banter and sexy times with Hannah. The romance served its purpose, until everything went to shit (we'll get to that).
Now, here are some scattered moments that I feel I need to address because they contributed to the overall cringe of this book and how much the writing TRULY brought down every potentially redeemable component:
- She can't get over his manliness.
- She's SO clumsy that she turned her phone flashlight on in the middle of a tavern and everyone literally pointed and screamed, "WITCH!"
- She's so tiny that she might as well be "full of feathers" or "sturdy as a newly birthed fawn."
- His nickname for her is now Little Fawn.
- He used a literal onion to explain a metaphor about the layers between worlds.
- There are not one, but TWO millennial-core makeover montages (and she specifically says in one case, "Let the makeover montage begin."
- They get interrupted during sexy bathwater pomegranate time and she tells the maid, "Ashwood and his erection were just leaving."
- To which he responds, "Actually, I was hoping to come, not go." This line did in fact gag me in the best way.
- There's a ton of shady behavior with the FMC's best friend's husband and the MMC's ex-fiancee that just complicates everything for no reason.
- The second makeover montage is her having a girl boss moment and feeling all powerful and sexy while she literally cosplays as Daenerys Targaryen.
- This line exists: "And, not to sound white savior-ish or anything, but I'm also the only one who can save your kingdom."
- She does literally nothing to save the kingdom but they win anyway.
- They have magical sex that restores an ancient phallic Tower.
All that is to say, if you like self-insert Outlander fan fic or dreamed about being kidnapped by a hot vaguely historical man, this might be your book. Just know what you're getting into with the rest of it.
I just want to know what possessed me to ask for this book when I've read this author's work before and actively disliked it. SHOCKER, this one was no different. But I did read the ENTIRE book so I could justify my negative feelings with incontrovertible proof that the book is terrible.
Let's begin.
Our main character, Hannah, is a literal walking 2010s meme. She's not like other girls with her messy bun, threadbare clothes, and small body (we'll come back to that). Hannah refers to herself or her life as "desperate" no less than 42 times (yes, I did count). She's literally failing at life with her shitty corporate job, shitty cheating boyfriend, and shitty lack of friends or loved ones.
So, of course, she's the chosen one.
After Hannah anti-climactically falls through a portal into another realm, she's rescued by our tall, muscled, dark-haired leading man, Kane Blackthorne. This is where the 0.5 stars come in -- this man is no different from any other blueprint romantasy MMC, but he DID amuse me with his banter and sexy times with Hannah. The romance served its purpose, until everything went to shit (we'll get to that).
Now, here are some scattered moments that I feel I need to address because they contributed to the overall cringe of this book and how much the writing TRULY brought down every potentially redeemable component:
- She can't get over his manliness.
- She's SO clumsy that she turned her phone flashlight on in the middle of a tavern and everyone literally pointed and screamed, "WITCH!"
- She's so tiny that she might as well be "full of feathers" or "sturdy as a newly birthed fawn."
- His nickname for her is now Little Fawn.
- He used a literal onion to explain a metaphor about the layers between worlds.
- There are not one, but TWO millennial-core makeover montages (and she specifically says in one case, "Let the makeover montage begin."
- They get interrupted during sexy bathwater pomegranate time and she tells the maid, "Ashwood and his erection were just leaving."
- To which he responds, "Actually, I was hoping to come, not go." This line did in fact gag me in the best way.
- There's a ton of shady behavior with the FMC's best friend's husband and the MMC's ex-fiancee that just complicates everything for no reason.
- The second makeover montage is her having a girl boss moment and feeling all powerful and sexy while she literally cosplays as Daenerys Targaryen.
- This line exists: "And, not to sound white savior-ish or anything, but I'm also the only one who can save your kingdom."
- She does literally nothing to save the kingdom but they win anyway.
- They have magical sex that restores an ancient phallic Tower.
All that is to say, if you like self-insert Outlander fan fic or dreamed about being kidnapped by a hot vaguely historical man, this might be your book. Just know what you're getting into with the rest of it.
October 26, 2024
ARC provided by the publisher on Netgalley.
I'll provide a review later about why I decided to DNF at 22%. This is a pass for me. Recommended only for fans of this author.
Updated review:
DNF at 22%
The style and tone of this book did not at all match the publisher description. Instead of a romantasy with historical overtones, you get a straight-up fantasy rom-com. The characters and story are not as well developed as you might find in other books in this genre. Skipping to the end did not provide any compelling reason to continue reading. Recommended only for people who are already fans of the author's work.
I'll provide a review later about why I decided to DNF at 22%. This is a pass for me. Recommended only for fans of this author.
Updated review:
DNF at 22%
The style and tone of this book did not at all match the publisher description. Instead of a romantasy with historical overtones, you get a straight-up fantasy rom-com. The characters and story are not as well developed as you might find in other books in this genre. Skipping to the end did not provide any compelling reason to continue reading. Recommended only for people who are already fans of the author's work.
March 27, 2025
The best part about this book was the sprayed edges…
December 18, 2024
I have read most of this author's YA work with her mother so of course I wanted to read this so bad. I thought it was an okay read, it's fast-paced and easy to get through. It reminded me of her YA books with the writing and flow. The fmc life is not going well at the moment and she finds herself out of the modern world and into a fantasy world after seeing a tarot card. She meets this warrior who kidnaps her to save her and help her heal. They are instantly attracted to each other she agrees to pretend to be married to him so she can escape the modern world.
The instant attraction worked well in this book and I liked the tension it brought. The mmc keeps secrets about his world and plans for the kingdom. The world building was okay, there's this kingdom that isn't doing well that he's trying to save even though he isn't allowed to do that. I thought the romance was cute though there is some miscommunication in it. There is spice in this and a lot of the praise kink. Overall this is a fast-read romantasy which I like cause sometimes they're so long. It also wrapped up very nicely so I'm interested in who/what the next book is about. Thank you Bloom for this arc.
The instant attraction worked well in this book and I liked the tension it brought. The mmc keeps secrets about his world and plans for the kingdom. The world building was okay, there's this kingdom that isn't doing well that he's trying to save even though he isn't allowed to do that. I thought the romance was cute though there is some miscommunication in it. There is spice in this and a lot of the praise kink. Overall this is a fast-read romantasy which I like cause sometimes they're so long. It also wrapped up very nicely so I'm interested in who/what the next book is about. Thank you Bloom for this arc.
January 14, 2025
It is a wonderful fantasy world with a bit of smut, political intrigue, and a lot of self growth.
While the description speaks of tarot, it actually has little to do with the plot of the book, so those unfamiliar with tarot cards can still enjoy the story.
I enjoy the friendships and character growth shown in the story. It reads a bit ya but has a few smutty scenes.
While the description speaks of tarot, it actually has little to do with the plot of the book, so those unfamiliar with tarot cards can still enjoy the story.
I enjoy the friendships and character growth shown in the story. It reads a bit ya but has a few smutty scenes.
Read
February 24, 2025dnf @ 10%
this FMC gave me an immediate ick; she was so whiney and desperate sounding and was putting down other women every other sentence. don't care to continue
this FMC gave me an immediate ick; she was so whiney and desperate sounding and was putting down other women every other sentence. don't care to continue
June 2, 2025
2,5 ⭐
La emperatriz es un libro cuya historia, fusiona aventura, magia y romance, ingredientes que, por otra parte, resultan siempre por entero entretenidos y que, trazan una fórmula efectiva. A lo largo de sus páginas, se desarrolla una trama orientada a atrapar lo justo para hacer que su lectura sea una recomendación que solo trata de alejarte del aburrimiento, un objetivo que, por otra parte consigue, aunque es cierto que quizás tenga problemas para encandilar, como si su trama se quedara a medio gas, con escenas no demasiado atrayentes y diálogos mantenidos entre sus personajes que no capturan por entero la atención por su simplismo.
Su trama, está protagonizada por unos personajes que, a simple vista, están bien ya que esconden tras de sí unos alicientes que visualmente y en sus primeras páginas son atractivos, sin embargo, su evolución se queda un poco incompleta, fruto quizás de un escaso toque maduro respecto a sus personalidades y una profundidad un tanto difusa. Como pareja, tras el primer encuentro encajan bien, pero apenas convencen, debido a que las escenas que se configuran a su alrededor, no son del todo elaboradas.
Kristin Cast es una autora que convence a pesar de los puntos negativos de su historia, porque pueden vislumbrarse detalles, como la elegancia de sus descripciones o su estilo cuidado, lo que le lleva a hacer de esta trama un cuento de hadas con un toque de sensualidad explícita muy bien introducida en la trama.
A pesar de sus “peros” es un libro que se lee muy bien y ágilmente.
Reseña completa en el blog: https://aeternamdea.blogspot.com/2025...
La emperatriz es un libro cuya historia, fusiona aventura, magia y romance, ingredientes que, por otra parte, resultan siempre por entero entretenidos y que, trazan una fórmula efectiva. A lo largo de sus páginas, se desarrolla una trama orientada a atrapar lo justo para hacer que su lectura sea una recomendación que solo trata de alejarte del aburrimiento, un objetivo que, por otra parte consigue, aunque es cierto que quizás tenga problemas para encandilar, como si su trama se quedara a medio gas, con escenas no demasiado atrayentes y diálogos mantenidos entre sus personajes que no capturan por entero la atención por su simplismo.
Su trama, está protagonizada por unos personajes que, a simple vista, están bien ya que esconden tras de sí unos alicientes que visualmente y en sus primeras páginas son atractivos, sin embargo, su evolución se queda un poco incompleta, fruto quizás de un escaso toque maduro respecto a sus personalidades y una profundidad un tanto difusa. Como pareja, tras el primer encuentro encajan bien, pero apenas convencen, debido a que las escenas que se configuran a su alrededor, no son del todo elaboradas.
Kristin Cast es una autora que convence a pesar de los puntos negativos de su historia, porque pueden vislumbrarse detalles, como la elegancia de sus descripciones o su estilo cuidado, lo que le lleva a hacer de esta trama un cuento de hadas con un toque de sensualidad explícita muy bien introducida en la trama.
A pesar de sus “peros” es un libro que se lee muy bien y ágilmente.
Reseña completa en el blog: https://aeternamdea.blogspot.com/2025...
March 6, 2025
1.5 stars. Sorry but I’m editing my review so buckle in🫡
The issue with this is that the writing isn’t even *horrible* I’m not saying it’s good, but it’s not offensive to my brain cells. The ISSUE is that this was interesting for about 50 pages and then it was a SNOOZE fest. How is it that when we actually get pulled into the alt world that’s when the story falls flat??
The insta lust is not cute. After about 1 minute of face time between our MC and her love interest, he saves her, heals her, and says this “if there were a version of you here I would remember you.” Sir. You’re saying you know what everyone in your world looks like? Be so fr. Additionally (everyone calm down I’m bringing out my argumentative essay transitions), who were these two falling in love with? Flat Stanley has more dimension than these characters.
Here is the gist between how our FMC made friends/side characters were introduced:
Kane (MMC) “don’t say anything”….Hannah (FMC) *says something*….Third character *instant fan/bff of FMC* Petition to give substance to characters in books🙋🏻♀️
The last thing I’ll speak on before I digress is this: shit just didn’t add up. Point blank period.
Thank you for listening to my TED talk!
The issue with this is that the writing isn’t even *horrible* I’m not saying it’s good, but it’s not offensive to my brain cells. The ISSUE is that this was interesting for about 50 pages and then it was a SNOOZE fest. How is it that when we actually get pulled into the alt world that’s when the story falls flat??
The insta lust is not cute. After about 1 minute of face time between our MC and her love interest, he saves her, heals her, and says this “if there were a version of you here I would remember you.” Sir. You’re saying you know what everyone in your world looks like? Be so fr. Additionally (everyone calm down I’m bringing out my argumentative essay transitions), who were these two falling in love with? Flat Stanley has more dimension than these characters.
Here is the gist between how our FMC made friends/side characters were introduced:
Kane (MMC) “don’t say anything”….Hannah (FMC) *says something*….Third character *instant fan/bff of FMC* Petition to give substance to characters in books🙋🏻♀️
The last thing I’ll speak on before I digress is this: shit just didn’t add up. Point blank period.
Thank you for listening to my TED talk!
June 6, 2025
she reads like she’s 14 and he reads like a one dimensional cardboard cutout of a 14 year olds idea of a perfect man
he’s just so hot and sexy and brooding and intense(ly boring)
there’s no chemistry between the mains which is disappointing, it’s all just instalove
this author tried really hard to do something with the story but unfortunately it was too late, she’d already accidentally spent 150 pages talking how hot the MMC was
Hannah had no likeable traits and no skills whatsoever. It’s like the author tried really hard to make her strong and independent and honestly pitched a lot of “oh Hannah you’re so good and kind and nurturing and amazing” but every single interaction she had with any character on page made me want to bang my head against a wall. She spends the entire book just making really bad decisions and complaining about everything? Also she has an issue with every pretty woman who is good at her job which is just a weird take in the year of our lord and savior 2025. Especially in a novel under the guise of being a feminist novel with a “strong female character.”
I do have to say that I did not see where the plot was going to go or how she was going to be the savior of Towerfall, so like….. honestly the tower chose right, because only Hannah could have made all of the decisions leading up to a petty cat fight being the culmination of saving the kingdom. And then the king just … abdicates the throne to them? What…?
I think this book could have been halfway decent if
1) the characters had any personality at all
2) there was more of a storyline
2b) the storyline made a single ounce of sense
The concept was SO GOOD like yes I want more tarot based stuff because there’s SO MUCH THERE, so much to explore!! But if it’s shoddily written I’ll pass :( like the bones were there but unfortunately they could have completely taken out the tarot element and nothing about the plot would have changed. It still would have been a whiny FMC who hates all women she comes into contact with and a hot MMC with no brain cells who instantly falls for the mousy and plain “not like other girls” girl.
And don’t even get me started on how Hannah was out here dropping “literally” and “super” and “great” and “okay” left and right with no one even batting an eye? You set this in a medieval setting and then the dialogue is just… so poorly written.
And to top it all off, the evil ex is named Chad.
he’s just so hot and sexy and brooding and intense(ly boring)
there’s no chemistry between the mains which is disappointing, it’s all just instalove
this author tried really hard to do something with the story but unfortunately it was too late, she’d already accidentally spent 150 pages talking how hot the MMC was
Hannah had no likeable traits and no skills whatsoever. It’s like the author tried really hard to make her strong and independent and honestly pitched a lot of “oh Hannah you’re so good and kind and nurturing and amazing” but every single interaction she had with any character on page made me want to bang my head against a wall. She spends the entire book just making really bad decisions and complaining about everything? Also she has an issue with every pretty woman who is good at her job which is just a weird take in the year of our lord and savior 2025. Especially in a novel under the guise of being a feminist novel with a “strong female character.”
I do have to say that I did not see where the plot was going to go or how she was going to be the savior of Towerfall, so like….. honestly the tower chose right, because only Hannah could have made all of the decisions leading up to a petty cat fight being the culmination of saving the kingdom. And then the king just … abdicates the throne to them? What…?
I think this book could have been halfway decent if
1) the characters had any personality at all
2) there was more of a storyline
2b) the storyline made a single ounce of sense
The concept was SO GOOD like yes I want more tarot based stuff because there’s SO MUCH THERE, so much to explore!! But if it’s shoddily written I’ll pass :( like the bones were there but unfortunately they could have completely taken out the tarot element and nothing about the plot would have changed. It still would have been a whiny FMC who hates all women she comes into contact with and a hot MMC with no brain cells who instantly falls for the mousy and plain “not like other girls” girl.
And don’t even get me started on how Hannah was out here dropping “literally” and “super” and “great” and “okay” left and right with no one even batting an eye? You set this in a medieval setting and then the dialogue is just… so poorly written.
And to top it all off, the evil ex is named Chad.
February 1, 2025
I had really really high hopes for this books and to say it was a let down would be an understatement. In the description is was said to be a “Outlander”-esque story. And Outlander is one of my fave series! But Outlander this was not and Kane was no Jamie Fraser. And I think that’s where the expectations got off on the wrong foot. The only thing in common this had with Outlander was the fact the FMC “time traveled” to another time/dimension.
I found Hannah to be really really annoying. I get she was trying to “find herself” and like change her life. But she sounded so whiny and mopey 90% of the time. The only time I tolerated her was when she was Towerfall and hanging out with Marion. But also her time in Towerfall felt like a whole lotta nothing was happening except her having sexual tension with Kane. Who also was annoying. Book boyfriend he is not. The brooding, mysterious tall dark and handsome MMC wasn’t happening with this one. Also the two of them didn’t spend enough time together to make their “romance” believable. He sees her naked one and now has “uncontrollable thirst” for her? No thanks.
This was a “meh” for me. The beginning was promising, it lost me in the middle, and the ending was rushed.
I found Hannah to be really really annoying. I get she was trying to “find herself” and like change her life. But she sounded so whiny and mopey 90% of the time. The only time I tolerated her was when she was Towerfall and hanging out with Marion. But also her time in Towerfall felt like a whole lotta nothing was happening except her having sexual tension with Kane. Who also was annoying. Book boyfriend he is not. The brooding, mysterious tall dark and handsome MMC wasn’t happening with this one. Also the two of them didn’t spend enough time together to make their “romance” believable. He sees her naked one and now has “uncontrollable thirst” for her? No thanks.
This was a “meh” for me. The beginning was promising, it lost me in the middle, and the ending was rushed.
July 7, 2025
Pensaba que Powerless iba a ser mi peor lectura del año... ¡Que equivocada estaba!
La Emperatriz tiene una trama que promete mucho, pero da poco. Poco poquísimo, de hecho. La historia tiene potencial, pero la manera de llevarlo y el conjunto de personajes es un NO rotundo.
Los personajes, desde que los conoces en el primer capítulo, te dejan un amargo sabor de boca. La protagonista es la cosa más insípida que he leído en la vida, y pese a que la autora quiere que creamos que tiene un arco de superación a lo largo de la novela, no lo tiene en absoluto. El MMC, Kane, quizá sea el protagonista masculino más cringe y cliché que se ha podido escribir. Cada vez que hablaba era un *roll eyes*.
Y de la trama poco que decir. Está muy mal llevada, pero sin embargo bien narrada. La trama no tiene coherencia, no es homogénea con los personajes; no tira, va a trompicones. Tiene unos saltos extraños, igual como con los personajes, no hay continuidad, no hay esencia ni acción. Es aburridísima.
Para terminar, mencionar que el libro tiene spicy, si es que se le puede llamar así... Desde el primer capítulo no para de mencionarlo la autora, lo cual te saca un poco de la historia porque no tiene sentido que saque el tema en ese momento. Las escenas de sexo son de vergüenza ajena, muy mal narradas, llevadas y actuadas, además de complementamente innecesarias. Es fácil identificar cuándo las escenas de sexo son metidas con calzador, y ahí se nota mucho.
En resumen, La Emperatriz es un libro precioso por fuera, pero insípido, aburrido e incoherente por dentro. Aunque tiene una pluma bonita, es lo único decente de la historia, ya que la novela es muy decepcionante.
La Emperatriz tiene una trama que promete mucho, pero da poco. Poco poquísimo, de hecho. La historia tiene potencial, pero la manera de llevarlo y el conjunto de personajes es un NO rotundo.
Los personajes, desde que los conoces en el primer capítulo, te dejan un amargo sabor de boca. La protagonista es la cosa más insípida que he leído en la vida, y pese a que la autora quiere que creamos que tiene un arco de superación a lo largo de la novela, no lo tiene en absoluto. El MMC, Kane, quizá sea el protagonista masculino más cringe y cliché que se ha podido escribir. Cada vez que hablaba era un *roll eyes*.
Y de la trama poco que decir. Está muy mal llevada, pero sin embargo bien narrada. La trama no tiene coherencia, no es homogénea con los personajes; no tira, va a trompicones. Tiene unos saltos extraños, igual como con los personajes, no hay continuidad, no hay esencia ni acción. Es aburridísima.
Para terminar, mencionar que el libro tiene spicy, si es que se le puede llamar así... Desde el primer capítulo no para de mencionarlo la autora, lo cual te saca un poco de la historia porque no tiene sentido que saque el tema en ese momento. Las escenas de sexo son de vergüenza ajena, muy mal narradas, llevadas y actuadas, además de complementamente innecesarias. Es fácil identificar cuándo las escenas de sexo son metidas con calzador, y ahí se nota mucho.
En resumen, La Emperatriz es un libro precioso por fuera, pero insípido, aburrido e incoherente por dentro. Aunque tiene una pluma bonita, es lo único decente de la historia, ya que la novela es muy decepcionante.
dnf-2025
May 18, 2025efectivamente no pude con la pluma de la autora. DNF 25%
no puedo creer que la protagonista estuviera diciendo que es una fracasada y 4 capítulos después solo porque se va a otro mundo dice que ya ha evolucionado, chica el botón de hacer skip a la evolución de personaje donde está porque no lo veo
no puedo creer que la protagonista estuviera diciendo que es una fracasada y 4 capítulos después solo porque se va a otro mundo dice que ya ha evolucionado, chica el botón de hacer skip a la evolución de personaje donde está porque no lo veo
Want to read
November 5, 2024"He's a ruthless, battle-scarred warrior with a dark past, and she's stuck pretending to be his wife to save a fantasy kingdom. Scarlett St. Clair meets Outlander in the seductive and spellbinding world of Towerfall, a high-heat, fake marriage romantasy with a morally grey love interest."
i love that the cover looks like a tarot card
i love that the cover looks like a tarot card
March 12, 2025
2 stars is… generous.
January 20, 2025
Thank you Kristin Cast and NetGalley for providing me with an arc! I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Actual rating: 3.5 ⭐️
What to expect:
- Fantasy world with multiple kingdoms
- Realm travel/time travel
- Spice 4/5 🥵🥵
- Dirty talk/bondage
- Tarot cards
- Quick and easy read
Going into this book I had lower expectations, mainly due to the average Goodreads rating (at the time it was 3.20) but I’m happy to say that I was pleasantly surprised!
I’ll start with the fmc, Hannah. She’s a woman who seriously cannot catch a break. I mean she really doesn’t have much going for her until she falls through a portal into another realm. Personally, I enjoyed her. I found she could be a bit immature at times but for the most part she was a strong, relatable fmc.
Alright onto the star of the show, Kane. Damn, where can I me one? Amazon? Nope. Already tried. Seriously this man is amazing! He had the hot broody vibe down pat 🥵 and don’t even get me started on his dirty talk, 🫢 did not see that coming. I would have liked some more backstory on him because there could be room for some very interesting plot lines. Also I could understand how people would see him as your typical romantasy mmc, but that doesn’t bother me 🤷♀️
There were a few things I didn’t like about the book. I wish there had been more relationship building between the two characters. I think we had a few meaningful scenes than almost all sex scenes until the profession of love. Now I will give it a bit of leeway as it is a standalone.
I also felt the plot was a little dull for me. It made me feel like I was reading a children’s fairytale book, at least where the plot is concerned. I mean a woman falls through a portal into another realm, meets a handsome man and together they save the kingdom and become king and queen. Now I guess that could be said about any fantasy book but this one in particular was quite similar.
Recommend if you want an easy to read romantasy book!
Actual rating: 3.5 ⭐️
What to expect:
- Fantasy world with multiple kingdoms
- Realm travel/time travel
- Spice 4/5 🥵🥵
- Dirty talk/bondage
- Tarot cards
- Quick and easy read
Going into this book I had lower expectations, mainly due to the average Goodreads rating (at the time it was 3.20) but I’m happy to say that I was pleasantly surprised!
I’ll start with the fmc, Hannah. She’s a woman who seriously cannot catch a break. I mean she really doesn’t have much going for her until she falls through a portal into another realm. Personally, I enjoyed her. I found she could be a bit immature at times but for the most part she was a strong, relatable fmc.
Alright onto the star of the show, Kane. Damn, where can I me one? Amazon? Nope. Already tried. Seriously this man is amazing! He had the hot broody vibe down pat 🥵 and don’t even get me started on his dirty talk, 🫢 did not see that coming. I would have liked some more backstory on him because there could be room for some very interesting plot lines. Also I could understand how people would see him as your typical romantasy mmc, but that doesn’t bother me 🤷♀️
There were a few things I didn’t like about the book. I wish there had been more relationship building between the two characters. I think we had a few meaningful scenes than almost all sex scenes until the profession of love. Now I will give it a bit of leeway as it is a standalone.
I also felt the plot was a little dull for me. It made me feel like I was reading a children’s fairytale book, at least where the plot is concerned. I mean a woman falls through a portal into another realm, meets a handsome man and together they save the kingdom and become king and queen. Now I guess that could be said about any fantasy book but this one in particular was quite similar.
Recommend if you want an easy to read romantasy book!
January 5, 2025
This book is a classic case of the description being much better than the actual execution. I loved the premise of this book but it never went super in depth. I think there definitely could have been more done with tarot and magic overall. Also Hannah was not the best FMC. Nothing about her was powerful or made you think she could be the one to save the kingdom. She was very confident in herself which made it hard to root for her. With that being said, I still enjoyed the romance part of the book. It kind of felt more like a romance book with a few hints of fantasy. Overall could have a been a lot better but also a lot worse.
Thank you to SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books and NetGalley for the ARC!
Thank you to SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books and NetGalley for the ARC!
June 29, 2025
que ha sido esto.
June 4, 2025
A ver... Este libro tiene MUCHAS cosas mal, los personajes son planos, el worldbuilding inexistente, el cómo ridiculiza la autora de forma exagerada a la protagonista al principio, el final forzado a más no poder y la historia en si pues meh. PERO, es una lectura muy ligera que personalmente me ha ayudado a desconectar y que tenía momentos en los que me recordaba a My lady Jane (salvando las distancias, eso sí) Es un libro muy mamarracho que no se toma en serio a si mismo y eso ayuda a que no me parezca tan malo.
¿Recomiendo su lectura? Hombre pues no mucho, hay lecturas mejores.
¿Recomiendo su lectura? Hombre pues no mucho, hay lecturas mejores.
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