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Terragnata and the Heir of the Earth
Her true power lies dormant inside her, only to be discovered when everything she knows is lost.
Terra stands on the brink of an unremarkable and unwanted life. That is until a shockingly beautiful stranger with dark intentions turns the village's match-making ceremony into a night of bloodshed, leaving her family dead and revealing a power within Terra she cannot comprehend – or wield.
When an unlikely band of not-so-human rebels reveals her true nature and the keys to her forgotten past, Terra is thrust into a magical world beyond her wildest imagination.
The Fae befriend her.
The Witch teaches her.
The Dragon Shifter sets her aflame.
Embarking on a journey of vengeance, burning romance, and inevitable betrayal, Terra ultimately uncovers a web of lies that binds her to a fate far greater than the revenge she seeks.
Terragnata and the Heir of the Earth tells a tale of female self-discovery and self-actualization, wrapped in a layer of lust and intrigue to cure even the worst ACOTAR hangover. Positioned as the first in a four-book series, this new adult Romantasy beckons readers into a narrative where the enchantment of Spinning Silver, the mystery of The Serpent & The Wings of Night, and the courage of Fourth Wing collide.
Terra stands on the brink of an unremarkable and unwanted life. That is until a shockingly beautiful stranger with dark intentions turns the village's match-making ceremony into a night of bloodshed, leaving her family dead and revealing a power within Terra she cannot comprehend – or wield.
When an unlikely band of not-so-human rebels reveals her true nature and the keys to her forgotten past, Terra is thrust into a magical world beyond her wildest imagination.
The Fae befriend her.
The Witch teaches her.
The Dragon Shifter sets her aflame.
Embarking on a journey of vengeance, burning romance, and inevitable betrayal, Terra ultimately uncovers a web of lies that binds her to a fate far greater than the revenge she seeks.
Terragnata and the Heir of the Earth tells a tale of female self-discovery and self-actualization, wrapped in a layer of lust and intrigue to cure even the worst ACOTAR hangover. Positioned as the first in a four-book series, this new adult Romantasy beckons readers into a narrative where the enchantment of Spinning Silver, the mystery of The Serpent & The Wings of Night, and the courage of Fourth Wing collide.
457 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 30, 2024
1139 people are currently reading
9944 people want to read
About the author
C. D. MacKenzie
2 books104 followersC. D. MacKenzie is a 29-year-old professional living in the hills of San Francisco with her partner and a cockapoo puppy named Dobby.
While she works a day job, her heart has always been rooted in the world of imagination. She grew up reading Harry Potter, watching Vampire Diaries, and generally exploring excellence in the art of daydreaming. In 2017, she devoured her first Romantasy novel (SJM, of course). She’s been hooked ever since.
She began writing in 2020 as a fun alternative to nightly Netflix. She is beyond thrilled to share with you her debut novel, Terragnata and the Heir of the Earth.
While she works a day job, her heart has always been rooted in the world of imagination. She grew up reading Harry Potter, watching Vampire Diaries, and generally exploring excellence in the art of daydreaming. In 2017, she devoured her first Romantasy novel (SJM, of course). She’s been hooked ever since.
She began writing in 2020 as a fun alternative to nightly Netflix. She is beyond thrilled to share with you her debut novel, Terragnata and the Heir of the Earth.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 195 reviews
December 8, 2024
I wanted to like it
Terragnata is a debut novel that shows ambition but falls short in execution. While the premise promises an intriguing journey into a new fantasy world, the writing lacks the polish and maturity needed to deliver on its potential. The narrative often feels clunky, with dialogue that comes across as unnatural and exposition that interrupts the flow of the story. This detracts from the immersion and makes it difficult to connect with the characters or their struggles.
The worldbuilding, which should have been the backbone of the story, is a significant letdown. Instead of drawing readers into a richly developed universe, it leaves them in a haze of confusion. Key elements of the world are introduced with little context or explanation, making it hard to piece together the rules or stakes of the story. At times, it feels like the author is throwing out ideas without weaving them into a cohesive tapestry, which diminishes the sense of wonder one hopes for in fantasy.
While it’s understandable that debut novels often come with a learning curve, Terragnata doesn’t quite meet the mark even for a first outing. The bones of a good story may be here, but they’re buried beneath underdeveloped prose and a fragmented world. It’s a challenging read that may appeal to a patient audience but ultimately struggles to leave a lasting impression.
Terragnata is a debut novel that shows ambition but falls short in execution. While the premise promises an intriguing journey into a new fantasy world, the writing lacks the polish and maturity needed to deliver on its potential. The narrative often feels clunky, with dialogue that comes across as unnatural and exposition that interrupts the flow of the story. This detracts from the immersion and makes it difficult to connect with the characters or their struggles.
The worldbuilding, which should have been the backbone of the story, is a significant letdown. Instead of drawing readers into a richly developed universe, it leaves them in a haze of confusion. Key elements of the world are introduced with little context or explanation, making it hard to piece together the rules or stakes of the story. At times, it feels like the author is throwing out ideas without weaving them into a cohesive tapestry, which diminishes the sense of wonder one hopes for in fantasy.
While it’s understandable that debut novels often come with a learning curve, Terragnata doesn’t quite meet the mark even for a first outing. The bones of a good story may be here, but they’re buried beneath underdeveloped prose and a fragmented world. It’s a challenging read that may appeal to a patient audience but ultimately struggles to leave a lasting impression.
December 30, 2024
Don’t let the cover fool you!
I have been seeing this read on multiple platforms. Mostly with positive reviews. However, I am a an old school book nerd and that cover I just could not get past it. To say I am an idiot would be an understatement.
This is a solid 4.5 star read in my opinion. The very few issues I had were pretty small. The storyline is insanely good. Several surprises are found throughout the book that you do not see coming. Betrayal is the first third of the book. Followed by resurrection, of a sort, in the second portion of the book. Last third of the book is reality. Terra is faced with the truth (to an extent) and what is to come in the second book is killing me!!
Heat level I would give 🔥🔥
Happy reading,
DD 🥂
I have been seeing this read on multiple platforms. Mostly with positive reviews. However, I am a an old school book nerd and that cover I just could not get past it. To say I am an idiot would be an understatement.
This is a solid 4.5 star read in my opinion. The very few issues I had were pretty small. The storyline is insanely good. Several surprises are found throughout the book that you do not see coming. Betrayal is the first third of the book. Followed by resurrection, of a sort, in the second portion of the book. Last third of the book is reality. Terra is faced with the truth (to an extent) and what is to come in the second book is killing me!!
Heat level I would give 🔥🔥
Happy reading,
DD 🥂
December 4, 2024
I have to admit, this was kinda overwhelming. sometimes.. less is more BUT multiple povs could have saved this - just to break things up a little.
the plot twist was beyond predictable.
however, the love triangle (ish) caught me off guard.
(side note - I hate love triangles ☺️)
for ezren being the mmc, he was barely in the book.
cas.. lord y’all, I don’t know what the hell he’s got goin on. that’s all I really have to say about him.
our main lady, terra - I genuinely have no opinion on her, she was just very flip floppy.
I guess I’ll read the next one when it comes out? I don’t know.
the plot twist was beyond predictable.
however, the love triangle (ish) caught me off guard.
(side note - I hate love triangles ☺️)
for ezren being the mmc, he was barely in the book.
cas.. lord y’all, I don’t know what the hell he’s got goin on. that’s all I really have to say about him.
our main lady, terra - I genuinely have no opinion on her, she was just very flip floppy.
I guess I’ll read the next one when it comes out? I don’t know.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 2, 2024
✨ Just finished an unforgettable read! ✨
📖 Terragnata and the Heir of the Earth by C.D. Mackenzie absolutely blew me away! I devoured this action-packed fantasy in just two days, and I’m still not over the twists, the incredible characters, and the forbidden romance.
💫 I first discovered this book on TikTok, and it did not disappoint! The author even shares stunning character art that brings the story to life.
📖 Terragnata and the Heir of the Earth by C.D. Mackenzie absolutely blew me away! I devoured this action-packed fantasy in just two days, and I’m still not over the twists, the incredible characters, and the forbidden romance.
💫 I first discovered this book on TikTok, and it did not disappoint! The author even shares stunning character art that brings the story to life.
December 2, 2024
Wow wow wow. It’s been a bit since a fantasy book has shocked me to the core. These plot twists I didn’t see coming. And you’d think after one I might see another but NOPE. Shocked each time. Wonderfully done. If you like Shadow and Bone and Dragons I truly think you’ll love this.
December 7, 2024
Terragnata and the Heir of the Earth
Absolutely worth the read! Terra’s story was just *chefs kiss*. I’m hoping Terra and Ezren are end game. I was not expecting the epilogue and can’t wait to read more about it with the second book. Highly recommend this action packed book!
Absolutely worth the read! Terra’s story was just *chefs kiss*. I’m hoping Terra and Ezren are end game. I was not expecting the epilogue and can’t wait to read more about it with the second book. Highly recommend this action packed book!
dnf
June 12, 2025IDK something about this cover is giving me AI vibes. I hope I'm wrong (and if presented with evidence, I will gladly take this review down). Why are the dragon's wings so different from one another in the place where they're supposed to connect to the dragon? Also no matter how many HD pictures I found of the cover when zoomed in the dragon looks blurry, no scales or anything just one big blur. The right end of the woman's dress at the bottom also appears to disappear and blur into the background. It looks visually wrong. I also saw that Sofia Sanz is the artist who created said cover and did a brief skim of their profile. I didn't find anything that mentions AI, so I guess that's that.
What really hit the nail on the head for me giving up reading this one? Well, it's this spoilery quote from an Amazon review:
As much as I was extremely excited to read this one, it kinda ended going up in flames for me.
What really hit the nail on the head for me giving up reading this one? Well, it's this spoilery quote from an Amazon review:
As much as I was extremely excited to read this one, it kinda ended going up in flames for me.
June 15, 2025
2.5⭐️! I started out really enjoying this book, so much so that I was thinking it was going to be a high four star. However, towards the middle/end, there were some things that were lacking.
I feel like Ezren was barely in this book even though he is technically the main mmc. We started off really strong with his introduction and his interactions between him and Terra, but then he just fell off the face of the earth and was barely seen throughout the rest of the book. It felt like something was missing between their chemistry and them as characters in general.
Terra was a good fmc. I don’t have a high opinion of her because I didn’t feel too attached to her character like I would have liked to have been. I liked her more in the beginning than I did towards the end.
Some of the scenes I felt were a little not needed or a little bit too unnecessarily graphic. I don’t mind violence or graphicness at all in books, but I just felt that it was so not needed for the parts where it was included. I also felt like some scenes were rushed and they were kind of just told to the reader and not actually explained out. For example, when Terra attended her first ball/banquet, whatever you want to call it, and we didn’t even get any scenes of dialogue or nothing from that. The scene just ended when she entered the room and then we went on to later on in the night. I would have really loved more scenes like that and just less closed door scenes. It would have added a lot more depth and made the book more interesting and intriguing to me.
Even with all of this being said…will I most likely read the next book? Yes, yes I will!! 😁🙂↕️ There are going to be three more books so hopefully I will like those better. :)
I feel like Ezren was barely in this book even though he is technically the main mmc. We started off really strong with his introduction and his interactions between him and Terra, but then he just fell off the face of the earth and was barely seen throughout the rest of the book. It felt like something was missing between their chemistry and them as characters in general.
Terra was a good fmc. I don’t have a high opinion of her because I didn’t feel too attached to her character like I would have liked to have been. I liked her more in the beginning than I did towards the end.
Some of the scenes I felt were a little not needed or a little bit too unnecessarily graphic. I don’t mind violence or graphicness at all in books, but I just felt that it was so not needed for the parts where it was included. I also felt like some scenes were rushed and they were kind of just told to the reader and not actually explained out. For example, when Terra attended her first ball/banquet, whatever you want to call it, and we didn’t even get any scenes of dialogue or nothing from that. The scene just ended when she entered the room and then we went on to later on in the night. I would have really loved more scenes like that and just less closed door scenes. It would have added a lot more depth and made the book more interesting and intriguing to me.
Even with all of this being said…will I most likely read the next book? Yes, yes I will!! 😁🙂↕️ There are going to be three more books so hopefully I will like those better. :)
December 5, 2024
Good for YA readers
There is a hint of spice. Not much. Most are fade to black scenes.
I was disappointed with all the description raged about it being as entertaining as Fourth Wing and ACOTAR. It was not nearly as entertaining or able to keep my attention where I couldn’t put the book down.
There is a hint of spice. Not much. Most are fade to black scenes.
I was disappointed with all the description raged about it being as entertaining as Fourth Wing and ACOTAR. It was not nearly as entertaining or able to keep my attention where I couldn’t put the book down.
Want to read
December 8, 2024saw this one on tiktok talking about the fmc recognising the dragons eyes as the hottie she fought in the forest earlier and now i must read this immediately!
December 18, 2024
I devoured this book in less than 24 hours. I loved it so much. It has a mix of ACOTAR, Fourth Wing, and even Hunger Games. The author did such an amazing job!
dnf-d
December 18, 2024author uses AI to promote book 😔
January 29, 2025
Alltsåååå
Från början så hade jag tänkt att ge den här 3/5. En helt okej bok, den va bra, ville hela tiden fortsätta läsa men inte det bästa jag läst liksom, tycker man märker i början speciellt att det är hennes debut bok, vet inte om man bara vänjer sig vid sättet den är skriven eller om det helt enkelt blir bättre.
Men sen efter ca halva boken blev den bra bättre och bättre och bättre, verkligen växte.
Gillar att den är lite annorlunda, alla ”krafter” är bundna till de olika elementen, gillar även att det är witches and faes och inte bara faes som det är i mycket numera.
Och den slutar med sån cliffhangerrrr
Och extra kapitlet??? Hade en känsla om Gia under boken men???? Inte. Det.
Ae rekommenderar definitivt o vill genast ha en bok 2
Från början så hade jag tänkt att ge den här 3/5. En helt okej bok, den va bra, ville hela tiden fortsätta läsa men inte det bästa jag läst liksom, tycker man märker i början speciellt att det är hennes debut bok, vet inte om man bara vänjer sig vid sättet den är skriven eller om det helt enkelt blir bättre.
Men sen efter ca halva boken blev den bra bättre och bättre och bättre, verkligen växte.
Gillar att den är lite annorlunda, alla ”krafter” är bundna till de olika elementen, gillar även att det är witches and faes och inte bara faes som det är i mycket numera.
Och den slutar med sån cliffhangerrrr
Och extra kapitlet??? Hade en känsla om Gia under boken men???? Inte. Det.
Ae rekommenderar definitivt o vill genast ha en bok 2
December 2, 2024
Breathtaking!
This is a perfect representation of found family and character development. A well done fantasy with romance and not your usual romance with fantasy. The world building was excellent, the characters' personalities blended beautifully and the political intrigue was unpredictable in the best way. The author spared no punches when it came to putting this poor FMC through the trenches. A fantasy story with GRIT. I still have so many questions and CANNOT WAIT to see where this story goes.
This is a perfect representation of found family and character development. A well done fantasy with romance and not your usual romance with fantasy. The world building was excellent, the characters' personalities blended beautifully and the political intrigue was unpredictable in the best way. The author spared no punches when it came to putting this poor FMC through the trenches. A fantasy story with GRIT. I still have so many questions and CANNOT WAIT to see where this story goes.
December 3, 2024
This might be my favorite book of 2024!! The fast pace, the complex but straightforward world building, the love triangle, the sheer amount of plot climaxes!!!! I had the most fun I can remember having since I discovered SJM. CD’s writing sucked me in and the plot kept me reading. I still don’t know which MMC I prefer and I am DYING for book 2 after that cliffhanger! Run don’t walk.
December 4, 2024
I could not put this book down!! the world building flowed beautifully!! Ezren has my heart🫶🏼
December 4, 2024
Devoured!
November 18, 2024
I don’t think I’ve ever read a book faster…fast paced and filled with twists I didn’t see coming (I always see them coming), insane character development and SPOILER alert…my favorite trope of all times - love triangle, forced proximity, arranged marriages, everything you need and the writing is spectacular
December 5, 2024
Terragnata is a breath of fresh air in the fantasy world. Fast paced and beautifully written, the characters jump off the page and have you hooked from the beginning. The romance is a TREAT! It was so fun to follow Terra on her journey, I can't wait to see where the characters go in book 2.
January 13, 2025
3.75 ⭐️
This book was like riding a rollercoaster.
When you’re in line and your start getting nervous, but you watch other people return safely and convince yourself that it’s fine. Then once you’re on the ride and slowly going up the incline the stress starts to settle in. You think to yourself, “this wasn’t worth it, I want to get off.” But that that point you’re stuck. There is not getting off this ride. You begin regretting all your life decisions. Then before you know it, you’re speeding down with no sense of what’s up or down. You’re screaming. You can’t tell if you’re crying from fear or fun. You finally start to let go and enjoy the ride, but all to soon it’s over. You slowly pull into the ride station. You have to take a moment to collect yourself. You’re confused but happy. You have absolutely no recollection of what you just went through but you enjoyed it all the same.
All that to say I was stressed and have no clue what happened but enjoyed the ride 🤠
This book was like riding a rollercoaster.
When you’re in line and your start getting nervous, but you watch other people return safely and convince yourself that it’s fine. Then once you’re on the ride and slowly going up the incline the stress starts to settle in. You think to yourself, “this wasn’t worth it, I want to get off.” But that that point you’re stuck. There is not getting off this ride. You begin regretting all your life decisions. Then before you know it, you’re speeding down with no sense of what’s up or down. You’re screaming. You can’t tell if you’re crying from fear or fun. You finally start to let go and enjoy the ride, but all to soon it’s over. You slowly pull into the ride station. You have to take a moment to collect yourself. You’re confused but happy. You have absolutely no recollection of what you just went through but you enjoyed it all the same.
All that to say I was stressed and have no clue what happened but enjoyed the ride 🤠
December 24, 2024
This book was all over the place. I don’t mind multiple love interest if it’s done right. This was not. The dragon is weak and the cat is gross. The betrayals and the shock factor deaths (Olea) fell flat and again left it all feeling gross. I imagine more betrayals are coming because let’s be honest, Gia is not right. I don’t trust anyone, and when you can’t even root for the FMC or have favorite side characters, what is the point? Should have dnf after the Cas scene, but I a masochist.
February 27, 2025
This book was 4.5/5 stars. I am honestly at a loss for words.
I was lucky enough to receive a copy of this from the author herself, and after reading this story I am even more appreciative and thankful. Caitlin, thank you so much for trusting me with your debut, and for wanting to share your story with me. I am in awe of your talent and this book.
This story was so much more than I ever expected. I rarely read the back of a book, but I did for this one and even so, I was taken on a wild ride I never saw coming.
Terragnata’s story had everything. The romance was beautifully woven into the bigger picture of it all. The found family was vital to her being, to who she had been and who she is becoming. The grief was palpable throughout every moment, and it was an unbelievably healing experience.
There were high-stakes, trials (of sorts), plot-twists, and so much more that we love to experience in our fantasy novels. And I can confidently say that every single detail I mentioned above was done with thought, for a purpose. No trope, no quote, no moment was done for the sake of including it. Every line was intentional, all of it tying together page by page.
I am genuinely shocked that this is a debut novel from the language and writing alone. I thought the voice of our author was beautifully done. It was natural, and felt true to the world we were brought into. The world building was easy to follow and understand while also being unique and original. It was exciting to watch everything unfold, to follow along Terra’s journey and learn alongside her.
It was a new experience for me to read from a character’s POV like Terra because of her memory loss. Knowing that all of your supporting characters know things your FMC once did but has forgotten was exhilarating. It was as if we were trying to piece together her past alongside her, while figuring out who you can and cannot trust at the same time. There was so much going on the entire time, and I loved every second of it.
It was a gift to experience both this story and this world. I cannot wait to continue this series as they continue to be written.
I was lucky enough to receive a copy of this from the author herself, and after reading this story I am even more appreciative and thankful. Caitlin, thank you so much for trusting me with your debut, and for wanting to share your story with me. I am in awe of your talent and this book.
This story was so much more than I ever expected. I rarely read the back of a book, but I did for this one and even so, I was taken on a wild ride I never saw coming.
Terragnata’s story had everything. The romance was beautifully woven into the bigger picture of it all. The found family was vital to her being, to who she had been and who she is becoming. The grief was palpable throughout every moment, and it was an unbelievably healing experience.
There were high-stakes, trials (of sorts), plot-twists, and so much more that we love to experience in our fantasy novels. And I can confidently say that every single detail I mentioned above was done with thought, for a purpose. No trope, no quote, no moment was done for the sake of including it. Every line was intentional, all of it tying together page by page.
I am genuinely shocked that this is a debut novel from the language and writing alone. I thought the voice of our author was beautifully done. It was natural, and felt true to the world we were brought into. The world building was easy to follow and understand while also being unique and original. It was exciting to watch everything unfold, to follow along Terra’s journey and learn alongside her.
It was a new experience for me to read from a character’s POV like Terra because of her memory loss. Knowing that all of your supporting characters know things your FMC once did but has forgotten was exhilarating. It was as if we were trying to piece together her past alongside her, while figuring out who you can and cannot trust at the same time. There was so much going on the entire time, and I loved every second of it.
It was a gift to experience both this story and this world. I cannot wait to continue this series as they continue to be written.
March 12, 2025
"Quick, we have to make love to save thousands of human lives!" - So cringe, I thought people were just exaggerating when they made fun of this "trope" in booktok videos.
"If you want me to come back, break your little toe on your left foot. (MMC to FMC)" - Excuse me??!! Isn't there some less painful way?!
"The guy who says I'm his only love, sleeps around with a guy who killed my entire family and violated me but it's ok because he is my childhood best friend and brings me the feeling of safety." - What in the world??
Love between MFC and MMC was terribly lacking. And MMC wasn't there for like half of the book anyways. No. Just no. Many things I didn't like. Maybe 3 stars is too generous.
"If you want me to come back, break your little toe on your left foot. (MMC to FMC)" - Excuse me??!! Isn't there some less painful way?!
"The guy who says I'm his only love, sleeps around with a guy who killed my entire family and violated me but it's ok because he is my childhood best friend and brings me the feeling of safety." - What in the world??
Love between MFC and MMC was terribly lacking. And MMC wasn't there for like half of the book anyways. No. Just no. Many things I didn't like. Maybe 3 stars is too generous.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 8, 2025
This is a tough one.
I honestly think it had all the bones to make it really great. The world building was interesting but I think it just didn’t know what direction it wanted to go in.
The beginning started off STRONG, then it really got slow, picked up, then there was all these little “twists” with the characters. I don’t think they were really needed and didn’t add anything to the story.
The ending was good…I’m interested to see where it goes.
I honestly think it had all the bones to make it really great. The world building was interesting but I think it just didn’t know what direction it wanted to go in.
The beginning started off STRONG, then it really got slow, picked up, then there was all these little “twists” with the characters. I don’t think they were really needed and didn’t add anything to the story.
The ending was good…I’m interested to see where it goes.
January 17, 2025
I read fantasy very often, and the recipe tends to get familiar with most books. However, this was a new concept to me and I was guessing the entire time ( though I did have an inkling about some😉). This is SO well written. The world building, the political systems, and the relationships between every character was amazing to follow. I CANNOT wait for book two. I definitely need it like yesterday 🫶🏻
February 18, 2025
This book was very overwhelming, its like the author wanted to included anything and everything they have ever read that is already out there in the romantasy world and stuff it all into this book, to the point where a lot of scenes and plots felt flat cause it was just too much.
December 27, 2024
3.5. Lots of action at the end saved this rating for me
January 11, 2025
Great read !
Fantastic read for a debut book, interesting characters and twists.
Looking forward to hopefully a second book in the series ❤️
Fantastic read for a debut book, interesting characters and twists.
Looking forward to hopefully a second book in the series ❤️
January 15, 2025
So many plots in one book. I really wanted to love this. It had alot of potential. But damn my head hurts from all the plots in this book that basically went no where.
August 11, 2025
3,5 ⭐️
Displaying 1 - 30 of 195 reviews