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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
Thank you so much for this ARC.
This is my first read by Ruby Dixon.
In order to appease the Gods, a member of each royal family, must be sent as a sacrifice to the tower for 7 years. Once they enter, they cannot cross the threshold again or they'll activate the curse. Unpredictable weather that will decimate the lands and send the kingdoms into poverty.
The Fellians reside in Darkfell, hidden beneath a mountain. They are creatures of the shadows with massive wings and horns. Nemeth is the prince and is sent to the tower.
Candra is a flirtatious princess from Lios, the human lands. Candra has bad blood, literally. Needed to be administered potion daily to ward off the effects. Her sister Meryliese, dies in a shipwreck while traveling to the tower as sacrifice. Forcing Candra to take her place.
Will Candra survive the tower with her blood sickness and the enemy?
*forced proximity
*Enemies to lovers
*plot twists
*chosen mates
This is my first read by Ruby Dixon.
In order to appease the Gods, a member of each royal family, must be sent as a sacrifice to the tower for 7 years. Once they enter, they cannot cross the threshold again or they'll activate the curse. Unpredictable weather that will decimate the lands and send the kingdoms into poverty.
The Fellians reside in Darkfell, hidden beneath a mountain. They are creatures of the shadows with massive wings and horns. Nemeth is the prince and is sent to the tower.
Candra is a flirtatious princess from Lios, the human lands. Candra has bad blood, literally. Needed to be administered potion daily to ward off the effects. Her sister Meryliese, dies in a shipwreck while traveling to the tower as sacrifice. Forcing Candra to take her place.
Will Candra survive the tower with her blood sickness and the enemy?
*forced proximity
*Enemies to lovers
*plot twists
*chosen mates
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
5⭐️s. Loved it. Was I hoping for a full 7 years in the tower? Yes. But I'm happy with what we got. I wish there was a bit more time spent at the end for Nemeth and Candra to resolve a few items but still 5 stars.
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Genocide, Sexual content, War
Moderate: Death, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment
Minor: Animal death, Child death, Rape
Lmao Candra is my spirit animal and these characters in this reel definitely feel right in their demeanors to Candromeda and Nemeth.
Candra is from the sought after royal legendary bloodline but she had tainted blood and can not bear children so she has been off doing whatever she wants in court. She’s been told she is basically worthless but her name still protects her. They need her since every 30 years they have to send one of her blood line to a tower with one of her enemies bloodline. Her sister had been trained her whole life but a freak accident sent her with no notice instead.
This girl is chronically ill and a princess. And they threw her in a dark tower with no windows with a monster. Well for all the stories she thought he was a monster but after their first year he turned out to be more caring then her human caregivers. And omg this girl was thirsting after him. And his wing shiver when she flirted with him was adorable. Yes he had wings, horns and different anatomy, but he was a bookish introvert. She was a saucy extrovert and omg I need fan art and pictures of these two. I can’t tell the size difference but I want to see it lol.
I have already told too much but just now this is a very fun adventure. And definitely not all folk tales are built on fact.
Why am I not seeing this book more on here? Please we all need to read or try this one. Just fyi he wouldn’t go farther than 1st base with her until she put a ring on it.
This is a cozy romance until around 50-60% then it goes off the rail. But there’s an hea. Phew finally. I really hope there’s more of this world. I love her worlds.
slow-paced
A princess is locked away in a tower for 7 years and her only company is a Monstrous prince from an enemy race. I’m a fan of fantasy so hey this sounded good.
THE BIG PROBLEM: in my humble opinion this book should have been edited down. This book is terribly long. The ebook is 55 chapters. The audiobook is 21 hours. And you’re initially talking about a book that has two characters locked in a tower together who don’t even really speak for the first 9 chapters. So it's pretty slow. . I don't need to read whole chapters about cooking stew and candles and medicine. It gets repetitive in the Princess’ head.
the logistics of being locked in a tower designed like this one don't make sense to me at all. The tower has no door and *no windows* - not even slits to let in light or air. She spends the first few months just sitting in the dark. She has nothing but work to do - no books, no sewing, nothing. How did they expect her to pass her 7 years like that. In the first year there are periods of many weeks where doesn’t speak to anyone. Not to mention the food situation - they get a year's worth of food delivered. No fresh fruit and veggies so they're probably both going to die from malnourishment.
Basically they then turn it into a free for all alien/human forced proximity sex thing. This almost became a DNF for me. I know there will be people who like it just for the spice. I am apparently not that person.
THE BIG PROBLEM: in my humble opinion this book should have been edited down. This book is terribly long. The ebook is 55 chapters. The audiobook is 21 hours. And you’re initially talking about a book that has two characters locked in a tower together who don’t even really speak for the first 9 chapters. So it's pretty slow. . I don't need to read whole chapters about cooking stew and candles and medicine. It gets repetitive in the Princess’ head.
the logistics of being locked in a tower designed like this one don't make sense to me at all. The tower has no door and *no windows* - not even slits to let in light or air. She spends the first few months just sitting in the dark. She has nothing but work to do - no books, no sewing, nothing. How did they expect her to pass her 7 years like that. In the first year there are periods of many weeks where doesn’t speak to anyone. Not to mention the food situation - they get a year's worth of food delivered. No fresh fruit and veggies so they're probably both going to die from malnourishment.
Basically they then turn it into a free for all alien/human forced proximity sex thing. This almost became a DNF for me. I know there will be people who like it just for the spice. I am apparently not that person.
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The Vestalin family has always had someone in the family dedicated to the gods and they are also curse with tainted blood that is passed down.
Lady Candromeda is the only one of her siblings who has the tainted blood and must administer daily potions, or she will die.
One day, a messenger comes with a missive for Candromeda advising her that the ship bringing her youngest sister Meryliese to the Tower of Balance crashed and there were no survivors.
Now, someone must take her place dedicating their life to the gods. And that someone is Candromeda.
Now, Candromeda is stuck living in a tower for seven years with a prince from the Darkfell line, who happens to be her enemy and the people her brother in law will be declaring war against.
This was an enjoyable romance! This is definitely an enemies to lovers romance, but how can you stay away from someone who you’re literally locked inside a small tower with 😅
When Candra is describing the Darkfell people, she describes them with grey skin and monster-like. Well, I just thought it was a play on words or what the parents say to scare their kids…well, they definitely look like that and this turned into a monster romance, which thrilled me 🤣 I didn’t know it was one, so I of course enjoyed it!
Candra is a very stubborn gal 😂 She was determined to make it through the year on her own to the point that she almost dies, and it was impressive her tenacity and determination, but also a bit stupid since it was clear she needed help. It did allow them to work together and get to know each other more and I just loved how their relationship developed 🥰 and I just love Candra. She always tried to look for a better and positive way out of a situation. She never thought 🗡️ someone was the answer, and I admired her for it.
Nemeth is also not what you expect. He’s more of a scholarly bookworm cinnamon roll with a feral side. He was enjoyable to read when his feral side came out unexpectedly 😏
It’s very steamy, which I loved, it was done in a delicious way that did not take away from the story, but allows you to enjoy the story and plot, while also enjoying the romance.
Now this is no small book and so I was very surprised with the turn of events as the story progressed. This did NOT go the way I thought it would and made for a thrilling and enjoyable story with a steamy romance added into it.
The twists in here are just 👌🏻
If you enjoy steamy monster romances, and well, Ruby Dixon, then you should definitely check this one out!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the gifted e-arc to read. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Lady Candromeda is the only one of her siblings who has the tainted blood and must administer daily potions, or she will die.
One day, a messenger comes with a missive for Candromeda advising her that the ship bringing her youngest sister Meryliese to the Tower of Balance crashed and there were no survivors.
Now, someone must take her place dedicating their life to the gods. And that someone is Candromeda.
Now, Candromeda is stuck living in a tower for seven years with a prince from the Darkfell line, who happens to be her enemy and the people her brother in law will be declaring war against.
This was an enjoyable romance! This is definitely an enemies to lovers romance, but how can you stay away from someone who you’re literally locked inside a small tower with 😅
When Candra is describing the Darkfell people, she describes them with grey skin and monster-like. Well, I just thought it was a play on words or what the parents say to scare their kids…well, they definitely look like that and this turned into a monster romance, which thrilled me 🤣 I didn’t know it was one, so I of course enjoyed it!
Candra is a very stubborn gal 😂 She was determined to make it through the year on her own to the point that she almost dies, and it was impressive her tenacity and determination, but also a bit stupid since it was clear she needed help. It did allow them to work together and get to know each other more and I just loved how their relationship developed 🥰 and I just love Candra. She always tried to look for a better and positive way out of a situation. She never thought 🗡️ someone was the answer, and I admired her for it.
Nemeth is also not what you expect. He’s more of a scholarly bookworm cinnamon roll with a feral side. He was enjoyable to read when his feral side came out unexpectedly 😏
It’s very steamy, which I loved, it was done in a delicious way that did not take away from the story, but allows you to enjoy the story and plot, while also enjoying the romance.
Now this is no small book and so I was very surprised with the turn of events as the story progressed. This did NOT go the way I thought it would and made for a thrilling and enjoyable story with a steamy romance added into it.
The twists in here are just 👌🏻
If you enjoy steamy monster romances, and well, Ruby Dixon, then you should definitely check this one out!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the gifted e-arc to read. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
If I hear the phrase "dragon shite" ever again, it will be all too soon. GOOD LORD! Compared to other books I've read by Ruby Dixon, I thought this one kind of fell a little flat for me. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't anything memorable, I'm just going to be honest. The premise was this Rapunzel/Beauty & the Beast kind of retelling, which I was definitely here for, and it delivered in some aspects (spice was pretty decent, knotting involved is always fun). But the ending felt a little weird and rushed. Not to mention the FMC was really getting on my nerves there toward the end. I thought the MMC was sweet and kind, yet also tamely primal; ticked off all the broody monster checkboxes for me. I felt like there was a lot of backstory and world-building left out (weird, because a lot of was given, but I still wanted more), the magic system/method was kind of ill-defined, didn't really know what magic Fellians had or what was really going on there (well we started getting a little at the very end but by that time, my mind had peaced out and the book was almost over).
Can't say I would recommend this one, especially when Ruby's other works are so much better. Again, it wasn't bad, but it was just ok for me. If the blurb appeals to you, give it a go. You might like it more than I did!
Happy reading friends! 🤙🏼💕
Thank you to Wattpad Books and NetGalley for an early copy of this book. This review is my honest feedback and given voluntarily.
Can't say I would recommend this one, especially when Ruby's other works are so much better. Again, it wasn't bad, but it was just ok for me. If the blurb appeals to you, give it a go. You might like it more than I did!
Happy reading friends! 🤙🏼💕
Thank you to Wattpad Books and NetGalley for an early copy of this book. This review is my honest feedback and given voluntarily.
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I received an advance review copy from Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group on NetGalley for my honest review. I’m a sucker for Romantasy and love Ruby’s Ice Planet Barbarians so this was a natural request for me.
“Bound to the Shadow Prince” is a thrilling and steamy romance that captivates from start to finish. Princess Candra, locked in a tower to protect her kingdom, finds unexpected company in Nemeth, a fearsome warrior from a rival race. Despite his terrifying appearance, Nemeth’s magnetic presence becomes irresistible. As they spend time together, Candra discovers the man behind the warrior’s facade. When they face an unexpected challenge, they must navigate a changed world that tests their newfound love. Fans of “Ice Planet Barbarians,” “Bride,” and “The Fake Mate” will love this one. Ruby Dixon weaves a compelling tale of love, danger, and resilience that will keep readers hooked until the very last page.
Read if you like:
❤️
“Bound to the Shadow Prince” is a thrilling and steamy romance that captivates from start to finish. Princess Candra, locked in a tower to protect her kingdom, finds unexpected company in Nemeth, a fearsome warrior from a rival race. Despite his terrifying appearance, Nemeth’s magnetic presence becomes irresistible. As they spend time together, Candra discovers the man behind the warrior’s facade. When they face an unexpected challenge, they must navigate a changed world that tests their newfound love. Fans of “Ice Planet Barbarians,” “Bride,” and “The Fake Mate” will love this one. Ruby Dixon weaves a compelling tale of love, danger, and resilience that will keep readers hooked until the very last page.
Read if you like:
❤️