Towers And Tithes

Fairy Tales of the Magicorum #8

by Christina Bauer

I’m a Tower Tithe with a Rapunzel problem. That’s not as weird as it sounds.

Ever wonder how Rapunzel survives without leaving her home? After all, someone must stock groceries, buy hair products and fix the plumbing. Witches don’t wield toilet brushes, so “Rapunzel care” becomes the job of Tower Tithes like me. Not that we choose this gig. We’re just unlucky elves who get magically chucked into servitude. Since our kind live for ages, being a Tower Tithe can drag on for thousands of years… and I’m eighteen. Yipes.

That said, it wouldn’t be too awful if I had a cool Rapunzel. No such luck.

I serve none other than Lady R, the social media sensation and sadist who lives in Manhattan’s famous Apex Towers. With the help of her manager—a witch named Jocasta—Lady R releases daily gossip videos while assigning me “torture chores.” Many tasks are designed to remind me how Lady R is the gorgeous variety of elf, while I’m beyond plain. I spend a lot of time scheming my escape.

My work pays off when an eccentric billionaire offers to magically set me free. The catch? I must move to Arizona and become his personal assistant. Needless to say, I rush for the door. Turns out, my new employer is none other than Lady R’s ex-boyfriend, Dex, a guy who was blinded in a strange accident and has since become a recluse.

In other words, I ran from my fairy tale life, but it found me again anyway.

At this point, I should head for the hills, yet I simply can’t leave Dex. For the first time, I truly feel comfortable around someone. In all honesty, it’s probably because I have self-esteem issues and Dex can’t see my bland face. Even so, it’s all good until Lady R discovers where I am. And that leads to my Rapunzel problem.

With Lady R back in the picture, can I still find my happily ever after? The truth will emerge soon enough.

Because my name is Grayson Eyre, and this is my story.

Ideal for readers who crave a mash-up between Rapunzel and Jane Eyre.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Magic, Young Adult, Retellings, Fairy Tale Retellings

300 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 9, 2021

About the author

Christina 'CEE BEE' Bauer thinks that fantasy books are like bacon: they just make life better. All of which is why she writes young adult romance novels that feature demons, dragons, wizards, witches, elves, elementals, and a bunch of random stuff that she brainstorms while riding the Boston T. Oh, and she includes lots of humor and kick-ass chicks, too. Christina lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby. She loves to connect with her fans at ChristinaBauerAuthor.com.

ANGELBOUND ORIGINS
About a quasi (part demon and part human) girl who loves kicking butt in Purgatory's Arena
1. Angel bound
2. Scala
3. Acca
4. Thrax
5. The Dark Lands
6. The Brutal Time
7. Armageddon
8. Quasi Redux
9. Clockwork Igni
10. Lady Reaper
11. Reaper Games
12. Angry Gods

ANGELBOUND OFFSPRING
The next generation takes on Heaven, Hell, and everything in between
1. Maxon
2. Portia
3. Zinnia
4. Rhodes
5. Kaps
6. Mack
7. Huntress
8. Gage
*This is a finished series

ANGELBOUND LINCOLN
Events of Angelbound from Lincoln's POV
1. Duty Bound
2. Lincoln
3. Trickster
4. Baculum
5. Angelfire

ANGELBOUND XAVIER TRILOGY
The story of the Archangel Xavier
1. Archenemy
2. Archnemesis
3. Archangel

FAIRY TALES OF THE MAGICORUM
Modern fairy tales with sass, action, and romance
1. Wolves And Roses

2. Moonlight And Midtown

3. Slippers And Thieves

4. Shifters And Glyphs

5. Bandits And Ball Gowns

6. Fire And Cinder

7. Fairies And Frosting

8. Towers And Tithes
9. Mirrors And Mysteries
10. Rapunzels And Powers

DIMENSION DRIFT
Dystopian adventures with science, snark, and hot aliens
1. Scythe
2. Umbra
3. Alien Minds
4. ECHO Academy
*This is a completed series

PIXIELAND DIARIES
The story of sassy pixie, Calla, and her elf crush, Dare
1. Pixieland Diaries
2. Calla
3. Dare
*This is a completed series

BEHOLDER
Where a medieval farm girl discovers necromancy and true love
1. Cursed
2. Concealed
3. Cherished
4. Crowned
5. Cradled
*This is a completed series

VAMPIRES OF THE DAEMONVERSE
Adult fantasy written under my pen name, CEE BEE
1. Violins and Vampires
2. Veils and Vampires
3. Vixens and Vampires
4. Valor and Vampires

Reviews

[Ronni Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our story is a twist on the retelling of the Rapunzel fairy tale. Grayson is an Osmos, half troll, half elf. She is bound to her lonely cottage on stilts, Bartlebee, until a Rapunzel chooses her to be a tower tithe. Till that happens, she will help any wolf pup that are brought to her by harpies.

Dex is the alpha at Wulfheim, and looks after the orphaned shifter pups. His main concern is the welfare of his charges and finding his Vita, his mate, who when they are joined will ensure the safety of his pups and the castle castle they call home.

Grayson is given over to the fearsome Lady R as her tower tithe, and Lady R is determined to make life as difficult and unbearable for Grayson as she can. Luckily Grayson has her friend, Elle to count on for help.

As the same time Grayson is trapped in Lady R's tower, Dex has realised that Grayson is his Vita and will do whatever he can to save her.

This book culminates with Grayson escaping the clutches of Lady R and transporting to none other than Dex's home. As always, we end on the best kind of cliffhanger and in anticipation of the next book.

Another winning title from Christina Bauer!

[Westveil Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was granted eARC access to Towers And Tithes by Christina Bauer via NetGalley as part of my participation in a blog tour for this title with XPresso Book Tours. Thank you to all involved in affording me this opportunity! My thoughts are my own and my review is honest.

Towers And Tithes is the first half of a reimagining of Jane Eyre x Rapunzel, starring brand new characters to the Magicorum series but featuring familiar faces like Elle. In a world where your life must follow a prescribed path based on the fairytale archetype you fit best, 18-year-old Grayson is doomed to live the Rapunzel life, but what about that inborn talent for magic she's not supposed to have? What's that prison guard guy not telling her? Who is that sexy shifter named Dex who ends up apparently romantically involved with Grayson's mistress?

Throughout the last two years that I've been doing book tours and reviews on my blog, Christina Bauer and her impressively quickly growing collection of fantasy novels has become a clear favourite for me. I've come to associate Bauer's work with the genuinely young, naive, and optimistic characters like Elle was back in Fairies and Frosting or like Calla in the Pixieland Diaries series. Grayson is much more mature and much more of a realist than those characters, much more down to Earth (err, well, she has her metaphorical feet on the ground even when it isn't Earth.) At first I wasn't sure if this was going to work for me because this meant my favourite aspect of other Bauer titles I've read wasn't going to be there, but I shouldn't have worried at all. Towers And Tithes reminds me of the Elemental Masters and Tales of the 500 Kingdoms series by Mercedes Lackey, the author I credit with bringing my interest back around to modern fantasy in my 20s after sticking so hard and fast to science fiction in my teens. Towers And Tithes is smart, unique, full of intrigue and mystery, and boasts a cast full of complex and believable characters I'd love to have a conversation with in the real world.

Similar to the 500 Kingdoms series, these characters are completely aware of the magical nature of their world that forces them into their roles, and while that may annoy some readers, I love it. This annoys some people because of how meta it is, like stage play actors who constantly break the fourth wall, but I love it because it presents the easy potential for an environmental antagonist that can throw a wrench in plans or lead characters astray without feeling like the book is full of plot holes or deus ex machina events. It allows the story to follow a predictable (or unpredictable) path in a way that's excusably and ignorably forced and makes way for the characters to make interesting choices or to handwave away minor issues without filling three pages with world-building to support it because the reader already knows why it had to be that way.

I am absolutely loving Grayson and Dex as characters and I can't wait to read the second half of their story as soon as it comes out!

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Towers And Tithes is a young adult fantasy by Christina Bauer. It is the 8th book in the Fairy Tales of the Magicorum series. I have read all of the books in this series, and I love the overall concept of the series. Each story, told over the course of a couple of books, tells the story of different fairy tale characters. In this world, you may be selected to follow a certain fairy tale's life template, which means you are destined to carry out their fairy tale story. In earlier books, we meet Elle (cinderella) Alec (prince charming) and Bry (Sleeping Beauty), just to name a few. The books have somewhat of an overarching storyline and they are all set in the same world, with some cool other features of world building with ancient Egypt. I have been intrigued by the past books but most of them have only been ok reads for me. Towers And Tithes tell is a mash up of a Rapunzel life template and Jane Eyre, and it was my favorite book in the series. I am so happy that we got to follow a fresh face as the main character. That was a nice change of pace. For fans of the previous books, don't worry- you still get to see Elle in Towers and Tithes, but here we are focused on the story of Grayson.

Our main character, Grayson, is an Osmos, which is a half elf half troll hybrid. Grayson is assigned to be a Tower Tithe in Lady R's Rapunzel tower. I loved Grayson. I think she is my favorite character out of the whole series so far, and her story was a really quick read. I was intrigued by her possession of magical abilities (which she shouldn't have), and of course Dex also intrigued me. Dex is the alpha at Wulfheim wolf pack, and his life mission is to take in and care for orphaned wolf pups from both the faerie realm and from earth. How can you not love him??

If you are a fan of fairy tale retellings, love the fated mates trope, and a quick read, then Towers and Tithes is one for you to check out. Though it is the 8th book in the series, you can get away with reading this installment without having read the prior books. There is a lot of world building context you learn in the prior books, but you know enough to get by if this is your first peek into the Magicorum series. I enjoyed Towers and Tithes. It was my favorite book of the Fairy Tales of the Magicorum series.

[The Book Junkie Reads . . .]

I am excited to say that Grayson and Dex have arrived. Their journey through the Fairy Tales of the Magicorum has only just begun. Can you say yes, yes, yes? I was ready and waiting for the new couple of the Magicorum. I find a new and interesting take on well loved stories from the past with the twist that only Christina could provide them. There are something that you just have to see for yourself. I cannot in good conscience tell you those things. You need to read it for yourself. I am an avid fan of the Magicorum. I find no disappointment in any of them. You find new reasons to keep moving forward with each new couple, new installment, and new tale incorporated. Just know this is not the end of Garyson's story.

[Renee Winter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the Magicorum series. Each book gets better and better! Great story line. Interesting characters! I definitely will be reading the next one. Thanks #netgalley and #MonsterHouseBooks for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine.

[Kat M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed reading this book, I've been a fan of Ms. Bauer since reading the first book in the Magicorum series Wolves And Roses. It's been a joy to read each book after and see the improvement from Ms. Bauer. This book is no different, it had the fairy tale elements that I enjoyed from her writing and had a great story. I can't wait to read what comes next.

[Nancy (The Avid Reader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Towers And Tithes is the eighth book in the Fairy Tales of the Magicorum Series and was just as wonderful as the first seven books. I love the fairy tale retellings in the world of the Magicorum.

Each book is just as good as the one before it. I don’t know which one I like the best as they are all so good. I love the different takes on each fairy tale character in each book. The world created for each fairy tale is just awesome I really like each and every one.

Each book is unique in its own way just like its characters. I can’t wait to read more in this awesome universe. The more of the Fairy Tales of the Magicorum Series I read the more I would love to see each book on the big screen with its own TV show.

Each story/book tells the tale of different fairy tale characters. Each character follows a different fairy tale life template. Towers And Tithes tell the tale of the Rapunzel life template. Towers And Tithes is Grayson Eyre's fairy tale story.

Grayson is being held captive in a place called Bartlebee in a wooden cottage on stilts as an enchanted river runs underneath the house. Outside there is a long wooden gangplank that connects Grayson’s home to the shore but she can’t cross over the threshold as she is being held prisoner by magic.

But Grayson has visitors on occasion as she is a healer of wolf pups. Harpies bring wounded wolf pups to Grayson to heal. Grayson has magic but she has to keep it hidden as she is not supposed to have magic. Grayson needs to keep her magic hidden if she ever hopes to be free from her prison.

Grayson is granted her freedom from the wooden cottage on stilts when she is assigned a job in the Tower Tithes with an evil elf Lady R. Tower Tithe jobs can last for thousands of years which is a very long time for someone as young as Grayson. So that is why she doesn’t hesitate when she is offered a job working with Dex.

Dex is the leader of the Wulfhelm pack. Dex takes in orphan pups from all over. He takes in wolf pups from Faerie and Earth both. Dex loves taking care of the wolf pups.

As always I highly recommend Towers And Tithes to all fans of faeries, magic, love, and fairy tale retellings. I do recommend reading each book in order as I’m sure you don’t want to miss one enchanting moment from the Fairy Tales of the Magicorum world! One-click your copy of all eight of the Fairy Tales of the Magicorum Series books today for a great magical adventure in the faerie world!

[Dusty · Rating 3 out of 5]

RATING: 3.5 STARS

Christina Bauer’s Towers and Tithes takes readers into a retelling of the Rapunzel fairy tale crossed with Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre. Our main character, Grayson, is an Osmos (half elf half troll hybrid). She is locked in her cottage until the day she becomes a “Tower Tithe” and serves a Rapunzel for the rest of her life, but she manages to get some visitors and stave off loneliness by healing the wolf pups brought to her by harpies. Dex is in charge of all the wolf pups at Wulfheim. As the Alpha or “Brutus”, he is constantly searching for his mate (also known as “Vita”). If he is unable to find her in time, the sanctuary that Wulfheim offers will be threatened. Will the two be able to find their happily ever after by the end of the story?

I loved the artwork that was featured in this book. I’m such a visual person, so the inclusion of the artwork definitely added to my enjoyment of the story. Lady R’s portrait was particularly interesting - the idea of a Rapunzel whose hair has to be contained under a cap was interesting. She and the Prism Master definitely fit the picture of “villains” and “bad guys”. After seeing all this artwork (and seeing Elle’s relationship with Grayson), I’m planning on going back to read Elle’s story to see her artwork.

The biggest issue I had with the book was the “fairy tale life template”. It took away some of the fun in the story. Sure, it can be implied that there are only a couple of paths available to a certain character. But if they quite literally know that they have to follow a fairytale blueprint? The story automatically loses surprise and mystery points. I now have laid out options for what will happen, and I prefer stories that keep me guessing.

Grayson and Dex's story continues in the next book of the series, Mirrors and Mysteries. This book covered more of the Rapunzel aspect, so I’m thinking that the next book will include more references to the Jane Eyre story. I’m crossing my fingers that there will be more time at Wulfheim with the pups and the other shifters. I would recommend this book to fantasy readers who love fairy tale retellings and stories filled with lots of magical elements. While this is part of a series, you don’t have to read the previous books to understand what’s going on with this one (your experience will be more impactful having read the previous books, given that a lot of the side characters from this book were introduced in previous stories).

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Monster House Books for allowing me to read an early copy of the book. I received a review copy of this book as part of my participation in the Xpresso Book Tours promotion.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Towers And Tithes is the 8th book in the Magicorum series by Christina Bauer. Released 9th Nov 2021, it's 191 pages and is available in ebook and paperback formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately; it makes it so easy to find information with the search function.

This is an easy to read, very very light cozy paranormal romance novel aimed at YA readers. It's full of wish fulfillment and teenage angst. The book is written in alternating first person perspective and labeled in the chapter headings which character is being written. This time it's a Rapunzel riff, complete with nasty witch and cruel overbearing Rapunzel (aka Lady R) full of snarky sarcastic dialogue and action driven. The main characters' arcs are written throughout the previous 7 books in the series, but they can certainly be read out of order without much confusion (with the codicil that there will be some semi-spoilers if read that way).

The books are full of fractured fairy tale archetypes and riffs on classic fairy tales. The happily-ever-afters are not easy to attain and there's a metric ton of crisis and drama and tortured teenage angst and longing between the start and finish. I'm about 4 decades outside the target audience (older teens and YA), but I am confident that they'll be gobbled up by the readers for whom they're intended. There is a little bit of rough language, but nothing which would raise an eyebrow in the average school hallway.

The dialogue is sometimes eye-wateringly sarcastic, but again, for readers in the target audience, that will likely be a plus and not at all negative. There are many of the expected themes: unreasonable expectations, control from outside (cruel) forces, belittling and punishment from power figures, longing for independence, and longing for love. This would be a good series to binge, since book 9 is on the horizon, so there won't be a long wait. For fans of Twilight, Marissa Meyer's Lunar Chronicles, and similar, these books will fit the bill.

Three and a half stars for this entry, rounded up for quite competent writing and plotting. I would imagine it will likely be higher for the target audience.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

[books are love · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read every book in this series and not on has disappointed. We get the sassy fun and snarky heroine, in this case it is Grayson. We get the evil one that just has you want to growl. Here we have two, Rapunzel and the Prism Master. We have the fun hero, here it is Dex and we get a mystery. This has a few. We have who is Grayson really. We learn early on this question. She isn’t like other Osmos elves and we also learn a bit about her fairytale template she is supposed to come from, Rapunzel.

We learn about Lady R and how cruel she is. That women is a piece of work and man are there secrets there. The secrets about the Rapunzel template alone is interesting but Lady R takes the cake. You have to wonder what turned her to be so so cruel. And that Prism Master, I know he is greedy but seriously he has some ulterior motives going on and I think Dex is on to something about his Brutus and Vita theory.

Dex he is awesome. He is smart and kind. Funny and can be scary when protecting those he loves. He is fierce for sure and a great leader. He cares. His first encounter with Grayson was magical. those two hit it off and what he does from then on for her has you rooting for them. He is very patient and that draws you to him.

Grayson is sassy, snarky and fun. She is a survivor and you can tell she doesn’t really understand herself but accepts that. I love when she is around Dex how she reacts. I also love that she is friends with Elle. The book draws in characters from previous books and this helps keep the story flowing with the faeries, magic, fairytale template concepts that the series has going on.

A great fun read that has you rooting for Dex and Grayson to win the battle against Lady R and the Prism master, wonder if they can do the quest, hope Dex can beat it all and find out the answers to Rapunzel itself.

[Dragonclaws2 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to thank NetGalley for letting me review a copy of this E-ARC.

I actually really liked this book. At first, I was a little unsure if I would. The beginning started a little unknown, but I didn't realize this was number eight in a series, but I did like that I was able to start here into the series and still enjoy the book. Then, to find out it's like a Jane Eyre retelling with a mix of fairytales like Rapunzel.

First, I really enjoyed Grayson and who she is as a character. She's witty and relatable. I love when a character is relatable to the reader. I do love how she's smart and quick to trying different plans and such.

Dex was a little on the flat side for me. I felt he needed a little more of his own character instead of just being about the Brutus and Vita fairytale. He needed more of a personality. It did seem he made Brutus and Vita his whole personality besides caring for shifter pups. But maybe he'll have a bigger development in the second book. I would like to hope so.

I, also, wished there were more solid side characters. Like I loved that there was such a diversity of characters coming in and out of the scene, but we didn't have a real solid one that was there the entire time. The only one that was close was Elle but even she disappeared for a good chunk of the book.

And Lady R was like petty to an extreme amount. I know the whole time she was represented as "psycho" or "crazy like tower tithe murderer", but I only got petty. Like she did make me scowl every time her name came on the page. With her as the main villain, it worked to make me not like her.

But overall, the book was easy and fun to read. I enjoyed it very much and would like the check out other works by this author

[Lydia Timpson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy from Netgalley and am offering a free review.

The good- The plot. I love the idea of Jane Eyre mixed with A Rapunzel tale and the mix just seems to work. The plot moves along quite steadily and you are quite involved with what's going on. I especially liked that the POV flicked between two different people with different agendas and knowledge, which kept it fresh.
Grayson is an adorable character with a mix of self-doubt and fortitude that made her really likeable. She knows she has a bad situation but, instead of being whiny, is quite proactive.
Dex is also quite sweet. I love his silly side as he plays with the pups.

Now the reason I only gave it 3 Stars.
This desperately needed an editor. The author couldn't decide whether to use capitalization for Prism Master or not, sometimes she did, sometimes she didn't and there seemed to be no rule either way.
Several sentences had weird word order which threw you out of the story and really didn't make sense. Things like "What's up your magic?"
I think she meant what's up WITH your magic.
"No one wants a warm like you."
I think she meant worm.
"This is a woman men that built their lives for."
What?
Again magic web was sometimes put together as MAGICWEB and sometimes as two separate words when it was clearly supposed to be one.
Grayson talks about cartoons and lasers at one point but has no idea what an elevator is.

If I hadn't been enjoying the story so much I would have stopped reading because all of these errors really put me off. It is a testament to how good the plot was that I could ignore the errors and get to the ending.

[Mrs. Kenyon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grayson has a Rapunzel life template, but she is not a Rapunzel. She is destined to be a Tower Tithe and be magically assigned to a Rapunzel to clean and do other duties no one else wants to do. Since she is an elf, that means she may have to do this job for hundreds or thousands of years. Enter Dex … he is looking for his one true love. The problem is that it has been generations since someone in his life template has found theirs. When Grayson and Dex suddenly meet, Dex’s wolf is sure that Grayson is the one, but others don’t see it that way. Will Grayson be able to work against her Rapunzel life template to be with Dex? How will this story tie in with the other stories in the series?

Towers and Tithes is the eighth book in the Fairy Tales of the Magicorum series. With that being said, it is the first book in a mini-series about Grayson and Dex. The author’s note at the beginning of the book tells us that she not only is pulling from fairytales for this story, but she is also basing the larger story on the book Jane Eyre. How exciting! There are cameo appearances of some other beloved characters and I noticed the addition of a few others that might be future storylines. I enjoyed this story and am sad I have to wait a few months for the next … but I will!

[Chrissie · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the 8th installment of the Fairy Tales of the Magicorum series by @christina_cb_bauer we are introduced to some new characters, and still see some of the ones we know. Grayson is an Osmos troll, and being kept prisoner by the Prism Master for reasons she doesn't know. Because of her Rapunzel fairy tale template, she knows she is to one day serve a Rapunzel. But she will do anything to be free and live her life doing what she loves, healing wolf pups.

Dex needs to keep his territory safe, but the magic is weakening and the only way to save the area is to find his Vita, his fated mate. Together they can heal the barrier keeping the wolf shifters safe.

With the dual points of view we see the story unfold. For every win they get, there is a loophole that sets them back again. This is a fast-paced rollercoaster ride that was over way to quickly, but you won't want to put it down either. Even if you know there is a cliffhanger ending...

This is my favorite installment thus far!
Thanks to @xpressotours for the early copy.

#talesofthemagicorum #fairytaleretelling #ireadfairytaleretellings #youngadultbooks #ireadya #readersofinstagram #bibliophile #bookworm

[Michelle Cornish · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first Christina Bauer book I've read, but it won't be my last! Grayson was such a fun character that it was easy for me to route for her. Her spunk was highlighted with her crazy pj pants and classic teen attitude. I'm ashamed to say I haven't read Jane Eyre, and I only vaguely remember the tale of Rapunzel, but I love the many other fairy tale references found in Towers and Tithes. I need to go and read the other books in the series now!

Christina starts the book with a warning about the cliffhanger ending, which I thought was really nice of her since many readers are annoyed by those. The cliffhanger here didn't bother me though. Grayson and Dex are left in a nice place even though their story isn't complete. It wasn't the kind of cliffhanger that made me want to throw the book across the room. I'm looking forward to the next instalment though! If you enjoy fairy tales and stories of hardship and fated mates, you'll love Towers and Tithes.

Thank you to NetGalley and Xpresso Book Tours for the digital ARC.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love fairy tales and fairy tale retellings , but I don't enjoy the meta type where characters know they're in a fairy tale and therefore do things because they have to follow a fairy tale framework. I also don't like insta-soulmates. And unfortunately, this was a meta fairy tale retelling with a fated love-at-first-sight, so this was not my cup of tea.

The half-faerie, half-modern world setting was very intriguing, though I felt like many workings of the world were never fully explained. I realized after I started reading that this was actually a part of a larger series set in the same world, which was probably why some things weren't explained. I may read another story in the series if there's one without instalove.

This is a two book story. There wasn't much of Jane Eyre in this book, other than the main character's name, but book 2 looks like it will focus more on Jane Eyre.

2.5

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC.

[anie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grayson is a half-troll, half-elf - an Osmos and lives in a cottage in Faery that she can't escape. She is held there by the Prism Master until some Rapunzel chooses her as her tower tithe. What he doesn't know is that she has magic, she keeps that very well hidden. The only thing that helps her pass the time, is healing pups, and talking to Elle.

One day the opportunity arrives for escape, but she ends up at the palace of her captor and is soon chosen to be the Tower Tithe to the most horrible Rapunzel ever, lady R, who has a nasty habit of killing her tithes.

Dex is an alpha a Wulfheim. His home is filled with orphaned shifter pups, but his home will not be safe for that much longer if he does find his Vita, his soulmate.

When he first sees Grayson, he knows that she is his Vita. So he does all that he can, to protect her and help her escape from Lady R.

It's a fast-paced, intense story, that you have to read in one sitting - it's impossible to put down. :) It ends on a cliffhanger, so I hope that the next book in the series will be out very soon! :)

I love the romance in this book, it's still in very early stages, but the chemistry just jumps from the pages. :) It's great to see a bit more of the world with each new book in the series, and there was even a Jacoby cameo (love him<3). :)

received from Xpresso Book Tours

[Ashley Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just binge read all the books into this series up to this point and each one is awesome! I love this author's writing anyway, but this series quickly became a new favorite. I loved this fairy tale retelling (Rapunzel) because it is unlike anything I've ever read. A Tower Tithe? I hadn't even considered how a lot of the stuff they did happened in fairytales.

I really liked Dex and Grayson. The story was fast paced and kept me entertained start to finish. I legit didn't want to put it down. There were some twists and turns (because nothing can be easy and straightforward) and I liked not knowing exactly what was going to happen. But holy cow that ending....really? I'm completely ready for the next book and will be getting my hands on it as soon as humanly possible.

5/5



Thank you to the author/publisher for the review copy of this book. I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.

[Irishbookmammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Towers and Tithes is such a clever twist on the Rapunzel story. I loved the idea of Tower Tithes, elves forced into caring for Rapunzels, and how it turned a classic fairy tale into something modern and funny. Grayson was a great lead: relatable, witty, and easy to root for. Her dynamic with Dex added both humour and heart, and the Manhattan-meets-magic setting gave the whole book a fresh vibe.

The writing style is quick and light, which makes this a fun, bingeable read. At times it does lean into the over-the-top side of things, but I honestly didn’t mind because it fit the fairytale tone. The mix of romance, satire, and magical world-building kept me entertained from start to finish.

Overall, this was a playful and inventive reimagining that hit the right balance between humour and heart. A solid 4 stars, and I’m glad to see how this series continues to twist familiar tales into something new.

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grayson is an elf troll mix and she has spent her life locked in a cottage by the Prism Master. Her life template is to be a tower tithe for a Rapunzel life template. When Grayson’s destiny arrives it is with one of the worst Rapunzels out there.
This is the story Grayson has been told but she really has an entirely different destiny with a wolf shifter named Dex.
The book follows Grayson as she starts on her path toward Dex. The author warns the reader of a cliffhanger ending. We’ll all have to wait and see if Dex and Grayson can make it to their happy ending.
I enjoyed reading Towers & Tithes. It is a bit of a sad story because so many bad things befall Grayson. Just have to remember that the fairy tale isn’t over yet, we’re building up to the good stuff.
Thanks to the author for providing an opportunity to review the book.

[Marie -The Reading Otter · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book from NetGalley for review

This series, for me, has gotten to the point where I'm not sure who the series is about anymore. This series suffers from having too many characters. These stories don't feel as interconnected as I think they're supposed to. I think if these weren't part of the same universe, or not meant to be interconnected, they'd work better. Nothing that has happened in later books seems to have much of an impact on the greater world of the series. It affects the characters that take part in the events at the moment, but things that are implied to have a large impact on the world don't seem to.

I was getting tired of reading about Elle and Alec, so it was nice to have a different character to focus on, but I would have preferred to go back to Agatha and Jacoby. Their story felt unfinished, and I would like to see where their story was headed.

I don't know if it would have made a difference or not had I been familiar with Jane Eyre, I just think adding more characters to a story that already has 6 other main characters, makes the focus of the series unclear.

[India Staten · Rating 3 out of 5]

Christina Bauer's world building was well thought out. the character development was Ok, but could have been a bit better. Each characters personality was real. The action scene seemed more like a cheesy action film with a low budget and poor acting. Even though Bauer felt like the book would have been too long with the combination of Jane Eyre and Rapunzel; I felt that everything could have been done in one book. It seemed like the whole story was cut off without going into the major climax of the story. I am interested to find out what's going to happen between Grayson and Dex.

[Anna Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite series by this author (I have a hard time choosing between Angelbound, Magicorum, and the Dimension Drift series). But I like the characters, the ones that get together always work together to solve the issue, being true partners not just the MC and sidekick. I like the retelling of the classic fairy tales. I also like that former characters will show up in later books so that we get more of their story as well.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! I absolutely loved this book (and I'll definitely be checking out the rest of the series now). Although this has fairy tale elements, I'd call it more of a twist than a retelling of sorts. It grabbed me from the start, and I didn't want to put it down. I loved Grayson as a narrator, and couldn't help but like Dex from the start. There were a few moments that made me smile, and some that made me laugh out loud. Lady R is one of those people you love to hate. The only thing I'm upset about is the cliffhanger!

[A book by the Fire · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, thank you to the author for providing me with this book!

Well, it seems that this month I’m going for retellings. This time, it’s the one of Rapunzel and Jane Eyre. Like any fairytale, it’s a very, very quick read and to be honest it felt a bit rushed. I wish I had more time to discover the world and the system of the fairytales used as patterns for the characters’ lives (which I found very unique). But I think all these elements are present in the other books since this one is part of a series, even if it can be read alone.

I liked the characters with the bad ones being slightly psycho, going beyond the usual bad of fairytales. Grayson is cute even if a bit stupid at times but since she never left her cottage before it’s logical. I wished she had more chapters for herself but there are more things happening on Dex’s side so I understand this narrative choice. My favourite was Elle because she seems a bit crazy but has a network I wish I had! It was also fun to go from a fairytale setting with forests and castles to New York which is a bit revisited to fit in the plot.

In brief: a good fairytale but too short! I want more of it! The copy I received had artwork inside which was very nice even if I would have preferred to have it at the end instead of between the chapters.

[Andrea Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The whimsical but intricate mythology of this series is just spectacular. Every book I open, expecting to be transported and I am never disappointed Jane Eyre + Rapunzel? What's not to love? The absolute mastery of world building is my favorite part of these books. So fun!

[Sue Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Towers and tithes by Christina Bauer.
Magicorum book 8.
I’m a Tower Tithe with a Rapunzel problem. That’s not as weird as it sounds.My name is Grayson Eyre, and this is my story.
A very good read. I do like this series. Can't wait for next book. 5*.

[Kirstyn (readwithkirstyn) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is so much fun! This is a new arc of stories for the Magicorum series and it doesn't lose any of the charm and essence that makes this series so special. I adore that when Bauer is done with a character arc the characters will still pop in from time to time!

[Denice Langley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fairy tales with a twist that only Christina Bauer could dream of. If you are a fan of the twisted fairy tale genre and have not read CB's, you need to schedule a binge read and catch up with the rest of her fan club!!!

[melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a fun fairy tale retelling of Rapunzel in a modernized world. Fantastic magical journey as we learn about Grayson, Dex and the conniving, Lady R.