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Bound by the Veil #1
Marked by the Moon
For fans of The Bridge Kingdom and A Deal with the Elf King, this forbidden love romance is sure to entice!
All my life, death was right around the corner, I just never expected it to be delivered by the man I was falling in love with…
Magic has been outlawed for almost a century and anyone caught wielding it, or bearing its mark, is executed. Which is why I know every day could be my last.
I’m marked for death. My skin bears the branding of the moon. I just thank the stars that it’s not somewhere visible.
For one night I willingly put myself in danger, picking a stranger to lose myself in before I begin my life of servitude to the crown as a member of the King’s Guard. But the man I thought was a stranger turns out to be the Blade of the King, Thorn, my new boss.
It doesn’t matter that he’s temptation incarnate or that the slightest flick of his fingers against my skin brings back echoes of the night we spent in each other’s arms. We can never be together again because I can’t risk losing this job and I definitely can’t risk him finding out my secret.
Not everything in the Eaorin Kingdom is as it seems though and my boss has secrets too. Ones that are just as deadly as my own…
The first book in a new fantasy romance series, Marked by the Moon is filled with steamy enemies-to-lovers romance, mystery, a heroine who will fight for everything she has, and a hero who might just be a villain. One-click this epic adventure of magic, love, and betrayal today!
All my life, death was right around the corner, I just never expected it to be delivered by the man I was falling in love with…
Magic has been outlawed for almost a century and anyone caught wielding it, or bearing its mark, is executed. Which is why I know every day could be my last.
I’m marked for death. My skin bears the branding of the moon. I just thank the stars that it’s not somewhere visible.
For one night I willingly put myself in danger, picking a stranger to lose myself in before I begin my life of servitude to the crown as a member of the King’s Guard. But the man I thought was a stranger turns out to be the Blade of the King, Thorn, my new boss.
It doesn’t matter that he’s temptation incarnate or that the slightest flick of his fingers against my skin brings back echoes of the night we spent in each other’s arms. We can never be together again because I can’t risk losing this job and I definitely can’t risk him finding out my secret.
Not everything in the Eaorin Kingdom is as it seems though and my boss has secrets too. Ones that are just as deadly as my own…
The first book in a new fantasy romance series, Marked by the Moon is filled with steamy enemies-to-lovers romance, mystery, a heroine who will fight for everything she has, and a hero who might just be a villain. One-click this epic adventure of magic, love, and betrayal today!
312 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 17, 2023
1458 people are currently reading
6812 people want to read
About the author
Helen Scott
102 books1,253 followersUSA Today bestselling author Helen Scott spends her time alternating between fantasy and reality. She likes to think she’d be sorted into Hufflepuff and would have been a Physical Kid from Brakebills. Her days are fueled by tea and cuddles from her four-legged kids and amazing husband in their home in the Chicago suburbs.
When not reading or writing, Helen can be found baking, enjoying a walk in the woods, crafting, or playing video games. She’s a lover of sushi and K-Dramas and is convinced there is magic in the world if you know where to look.
Whether paranormal or contemporary, Helen loves writing sassy, kick-butt heroines and drool-worthy love interests. She's the author of the House of Wolves and Magic series, the Cerberus series, and the Of Demons and Dragons series.
Subscribe to Helen’s newsletter for a free book to get started on the adventure today! https://geni.us/HelenScottNewsletter
When not reading or writing, Helen can be found baking, enjoying a walk in the woods, crafting, or playing video games. She’s a lover of sushi and K-Dramas and is convinced there is magic in the world if you know where to look.
Whether paranormal or contemporary, Helen loves writing sassy, kick-butt heroines and drool-worthy love interests. She's the author of the House of Wolves and Magic series, the Cerberus series, and the Of Demons and Dragons series.
Subscribe to Helen’s newsletter for a free book to get started on the adventure today! https://geni.us/HelenScottNewsletter
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 408 reviews
May 17, 2023
what the hell - how does this have so many positive reviews
within the first 30 pages the same line of dialogue between two characters is used twice
why did it seem like this book was saying a character's eye patched eye was unseemly but lucky the rest of his face was hot ? and gave the same exact description of his face twice
the dialogue flowed horribly . we'd get one line and then a whole ass paragraph (like five+ sentences) and finally the next line.
weird thing where a characters hands are black and they use a glamor to cover it up but the books calls it "normal colored skin" ooookay so we're gonna call white skin over black skin normal in this day and age - weirdddd - there was definitely a better way to phrase that situation
why does everyone hate her? there's literally no reason given. there are other females in her same place but they aren't getting the same treatment like tf . if she's such a fearsome warrior from the frontlines then seems like most people should know that - especially other warriors/guards
this next one had me baffled - how am i supposed to find a scene of dubious consent romantic!!! borderline sa like EXCUSE ME it's horrid because i know some people were swooning over this and it was written in that tone but people let me tell you THAT IS NOT OKAY (this is a spicy scene towards the end of the book where the power dynamics lead to it being dubious consent and therefore very gross to be looked at as any kind of romantic/sexy/whateverthehell kind of moment)
just so many problems and it wasn't like i could just enjoy it for what it was - do you know those books that are really just only about the spice so they can get away with some random plot, it didn't seem like this book was trying to be that so I don't understand
i only read the whole thing so i could rate and review it since i don't r/r books i don't finish in case the end picks up - the end of this only made it worse ...
within the first 30 pages the same line of dialogue between two characters is used twice
why did it seem like this book was saying a character's eye patched eye was unseemly but lucky the rest of his face was hot ? and gave the same exact description of his face twice
the dialogue flowed horribly . we'd get one line and then a whole ass paragraph (like five+ sentences) and finally the next line.
weird thing where a characters hands are black and they use a glamor to cover it up but the books calls it "normal colored skin" ooookay so we're gonna call white skin over black skin normal in this day and age - weirdddd - there was definitely a better way to phrase that situation
why does everyone hate her? there's literally no reason given. there are other females in her same place but they aren't getting the same treatment like tf . if she's such a fearsome warrior from the frontlines then seems like most people should know that - especially other warriors/guards
this next one had me baffled - how am i supposed to find a scene of dubious consent romantic!!! borderline sa like EXCUSE ME it's horrid because i know some people were swooning over this and it was written in that tone but people let me tell you THAT IS NOT OKAY (this is a spicy scene towards the end of the book where the power dynamics lead to it being dubious consent and therefore very gross to be looked at as any kind of romantic/sexy/whateverthehell kind of moment)
just so many problems and it wasn't like i could just enjoy it for what it was - do you know those books that are really just only about the spice so they can get away with some random plot, it didn't seem like this book was trying to be that so I don't understand
i only read the whole thing so i could rate and review it since i don't r/r books i don't finish in case the end picks up - the end of this only made it worse ...
January 12, 2024
Really rocky start to the book, but the ending was quite good (albeit predictable). It hooked me enough at the end to give book 2 a try and pre-order.
I have a lot more to say about the book but it's 3:00am, so more thoughts coming tomorrow.
____________________________
Ok, I'm back. Spoilers ahead so please read at your own risk.
Marked by the Moon was a decent, moderately dark, fantasy romance. However, it isn't really anything new. This felt like the love child of 4 popular recent romantasy books: From Blood and Ash, Lady of Darkness, What Lies Beyond the Veil, and A Kingdom of Stars and Shadows. This isn't necessarily a bad thing because I enjoyed all of those books, but my point is that this is not really anything new or unique.
Plot: (heavy spoilers)
Our FMC, Senara, is secretly moon-marked which means she has a magic marking on her back. Unfortunately for her, the king hates magic and executes all moon-marked/magic users, so she has kept her mark hidden her whole life. Her parents abandoned her because she was born with the mark, so she was raised on the streets as an orphan, alongside her best friend Wyn, who is also marked. They survive by stealing food/expensive items and hustling people out of money. Senara has unnatural strength so she is able to beat a lot of men in wrestling/arm wrestling competitions by hustling them because she's also petite and beautiful, so they all think they can easily beat her.
As adults, Senara goes into the military and becomes a famous warrior who works her way up the King's Guard, and Wyn gets a job as a librarian at the palace in the royal library. On the night before Senara officially starts with the King's Guard, she goes out to a tavern with Wyn, and Senara has a one-night stand with a sexy stranger who wears an eye-patch whom she feels an instant electric connection to. They both have the best sex of their lives, but luckily, the man never sees her back because Senara is careful, so he does not know she is moon-marked.
Come morning, during King's Guard orientation, we discover that the mysterious one-night stand is really a man named Thorn, aka the "Blade of the King" aka the captain of the King's Guard aka Senara's new boss. He tells her they have to keep their past a secret and stay away from each other or they could be executed (unclear why, other than he's her superior, I guess).
Senara is quickly hated by every other guard (for literally no reason) and she is bullied, attacked, assaulted, and has 0 friends. This goes on for a little while, but then she and Thorn eventually reconnect and have sex a few more times because they're done denying their attraction.
My thoughts
It's a pretty short fantasy book, so it's a relatively easy read. The characters are decent. The story is good and engaging enough. The ending is very good (not surprising but still really good cliffhanger). I have a strong feeling that book 2 will be a lot better because this felt like a lot of set-up.
I do hope that in book 2, the author explains the magic system and world-building a little bit better. Why does the king hate magic? We need further explanation on being moon-marked (how/why does it happen to some, what does it mean/do, why does it get bigger with each moon, what does it look like, etc.). What kind of magic can they do? All we've really seen so far is healing/glamour magic and potions. Also, is there a war going on between humans or are there fae involved in the war too? This kingdom doesn't believe in fae (but they hate magic users), but Senara kept talking about how she came from the front-line of battles, and I was like who are they fighting if they don't believe in fae? Other humans? Also, not sure if I missed it at the beginning of the book, but a map would be super helpful. I had no idea what this world looked like or what magic could do or what other species/realms there are, etc. It's never really explained.
FYI for people with triggers - there is a sex scene towards of the end of the book between the 2 main characters that's a bit iffy on consent. Basically, the FMC and her best friend are being led by Thorn and a few other guards to be pushed into the veil, which would (allegedly) cause their death, after the kingdom finds out that they are moon-marked. In an effort to save Wyn, Senara begs Thorn and says that she will do *anything* for him to release her best friend. Thorn then tells Senara that he will think about releasing Wyn if Senara "sucks his dick"/"bends over the table" so that he can fuck her. Senara does this, Thorn fucks her, and another guard (Ronan, who is basically similar to Kieran in the 1st From Blood and Ash book) watches the whole time. So, obviously the power dynamics and the situation makes consent a bit questionable and can set off triggers for some people. Personally, I wasn't particularly enthusiastic about the scene, but I've read way worse in lots of dark romances, so I personally wasn't especially triggered, but this may vary based on reader. Anyways, just typing all this out so you can be mindful of this trigger warning before diving into this!
_____________
Here are the 2 big things about the writing style that I didn't like:
1. The writing has so much repetition. The main characters' POVs (particularly Senara) would think the same thing over and over again. It felt like the author would write a sentence, and then re-word it to say the same sentence 4 more times all within a few pages. We kept getting repeat information. For example, the first ~9% of the book is basically Senara thinking in a nonstop loop about how great the tavern worker, Grimsby is (i.e. Grimsby is cranky, but he loves us in his own way. Grimsby is grumpy, but he is a softie who feeds us special meals. He watches out for us by feeding us and he acts like he doesn't care about us because he's grumpy but he always saves us food and a room. Grimsby stays up late so I hope I don't wake him. These barrels are heavy so I hope Grimsby doesn't wake up. He probably won't wake up). Do you see what I mean? It's exhausting to keep reading the same exact thoughts. The kicker is that Grimsby makes no further appearances in the book for the next 90% of the book.
Other times where I specifically noticed how repetitive the language was all within a few pages:
- end of chapter 7: "Usually I asked guys to leave after, if I ever had them come back to my rooms that is, but the idea of waking Thorn and feeling him leave made me go cold"
versus
the beginning of chapter 8 "Typically, I would ask my one-night stands to leave as soon as we were done, but the sex I'd had with Thorn last night was unlike anything I'd ever experienced."
....YOU ARE SAYING THE SAME THING
- Chapter 12 when Senara thinks 3 separate times in 3 consecutive paragraphs about how she has her own room and she's disappointed that she's alone because it would be nice to make friends, but she's also relieved to be alone so she can let her guard down and it's a respite from the chaos/she can let herself relax/doesn't have to hide her mark, etc. .....WE GET IT
- Tower the librarian is flirting with her, and Wyn has a crush on him, and he gives Senara bad vibes (ok we get it...he's going to be a villain)
- some variation of "why is everyone so mean to me? what did i do?" which to be fair, this is a legit question. everyone is so mean to the FMC but she literally did not do anything...she's just absolutely hated by the other soldiers from day 1, and it's never explained
- Both MCs constantly having ENDLESS inner monologue about how hot the other main character is and how it's unnatural how obsessed they are with each other after 1 day, etc, etc.
This got super annoying. Around halfway through the book, there are 2 consecutive chapters from each POV where the MCs just think about how obsessed they are with the other. Literally barely anything else happens...it's just like "the days passed and I couldn't stop thinking about _____" I was like WE GET IT...MOVE ON. I assume they're fated mates or something fae-related (bonded, etc.) because they're annoyingly obsessed with each other and there keeps being an electric shock every time they touch each other, but I'm kinda like...get to the point.
2. The only other part of the writing style that annoyed me was how much inner monologue or description would happen in the middle of dialogue. Characters would be having a conversation, but after one quote, there would then be like 5 paragraphs of inner monologue before the next character responded to the initial dialogue. It made it hard to follow the conversations and I kept having the scroll back in the book to see the last thing that was said aloud.
_________
Anyways, I liked it. It started off a 2-star book because the beginning is very slow and repetitive. It's a little overly descriptive at times. The pacing is weird. The first 25% was the 1st night they met. I think the first 50% is honestly all 24 hours, and then the book is suddenly like "weeks went by," "days went by," etc. every chapter. However, the last 30% was entertaining and hooked it's claws into me, even though I knew what was coming.
I'd recommend if you like fantasy romance books, but don't expect anything new or the next great American novel. It's a fun enough, easy read. I think book 2 has the potential to be a lot better and more fun on the other side of the Veil. I think Thorn has a lot of groveling to do--hopefully Senara isn't a pushover who forgives & fucks him in the first like 20% of the book. I'm excited to get more on the world-building and magic system, as well as learn more about the war/fae character who kept sneaking into the palace. I also really like Thorn and Ronan's friendship--they made me lol...I hope it was a legit friendship. I'm guessing Thorn is the fae prince or something and Ronan is his general, and they were spying in the human realm together, but who knows...
I have a lot more to say about the book but it's 3:00am, so more thoughts coming tomorrow.
____________________________
Ok, I'm back. Spoilers ahead so please read at your own risk.
Marked by the Moon was a decent, moderately dark, fantasy romance. However, it isn't really anything new. This felt like the love child of 4 popular recent romantasy books: From Blood and Ash, Lady of Darkness, What Lies Beyond the Veil, and A Kingdom of Stars and Shadows. This isn't necessarily a bad thing because I enjoyed all of those books, but my point is that this is not really anything new or unique.
Plot: (heavy spoilers)
Our FMC, Senara, is secretly moon-marked which means she has a magic marking on her back. Unfortunately for her, the king hates magic and executes all moon-marked/magic users, so she has kept her mark hidden her whole life. Her parents abandoned her because she was born with the mark, so she was raised on the streets as an orphan, alongside her best friend Wyn, who is also marked. They survive by stealing food/expensive items and hustling people out of money. Senara has unnatural strength so she is able to beat a lot of men in wrestling/arm wrestling competitions by hustling them because she's also petite and beautiful, so they all think they can easily beat her.
As adults, Senara goes into the military and becomes a famous warrior who works her way up the King's Guard, and Wyn gets a job as a librarian at the palace in the royal library. On the night before Senara officially starts with the King's Guard, she goes out to a tavern with Wyn, and Senara has a one-night stand with a sexy stranger who wears an eye-patch whom she feels an instant electric connection to. They both have the best sex of their lives, but luckily, the man never sees her back because Senara is careful, so he does not know she is moon-marked.
Come morning, during King's Guard orientation, we discover that the mysterious one-night stand is really a man named Thorn, aka the "Blade of the King" aka the captain of the King's Guard aka Senara's new boss. He tells her they have to keep their past a secret and stay away from each other or they could be executed (unclear why, other than he's her superior, I guess).
Senara is quickly hated by every other guard (for literally no reason) and she is bullied, attacked, assaulted, and has 0 friends. This goes on for a little while, but then she and Thorn eventually reconnect and have sex a few more times because they're done denying their attraction.
My thoughts
It's a pretty short fantasy book, so it's a relatively easy read. The characters are decent. The story is good and engaging enough. The ending is very good (not surprising but still really good cliffhanger). I have a strong feeling that book 2 will be a lot better because this felt like a lot of set-up.
I do hope that in book 2, the author explains the magic system and world-building a little bit better. Why does the king hate magic? We need further explanation on being moon-marked (how/why does it happen to some, what does it mean/do, why does it get bigger with each moon, what does it look like, etc.). What kind of magic can they do? All we've really seen so far is healing/glamour magic and potions. Also, is there a war going on between humans or are there fae involved in the war too? This kingdom doesn't believe in fae (but they hate magic users), but Senara kept talking about how she came from the front-line of battles, and I was like who are they fighting if they don't believe in fae? Other humans? Also, not sure if I missed it at the beginning of the book, but a map would be super helpful. I had no idea what this world looked like or what magic could do or what other species/realms there are, etc. It's never really explained.
FYI for people with triggers - there is a sex scene towards of the end of the book between the 2 main characters that's a bit iffy on consent. Basically, the FMC and her best friend are being led by Thorn and a few other guards to be pushed into the veil, which would (allegedly) cause their death, after the kingdom finds out that they are moon-marked. In an effort to save Wyn, Senara begs Thorn and says that she will do *anything* for him to release her best friend. Thorn then tells Senara that he will think about releasing Wyn if Senara "sucks his dick"/"bends over the table" so that he can fuck her. Senara does this, Thorn fucks her, and another guard (Ronan, who is basically similar to Kieran in the 1st From Blood and Ash book) watches the whole time. So, obviously the power dynamics and the situation makes consent a bit questionable and can set off triggers for some people. Personally, I wasn't particularly enthusiastic about the scene, but I've read way worse in lots of dark romances, so I personally wasn't especially triggered, but this may vary based on reader. Anyways, just typing all this out so you can be mindful of this trigger warning before diving into this!
_____________
Here are the 2 big things about the writing style that I didn't like:
1. The writing has so much repetition. The main characters' POVs (particularly Senara) would think the same thing over and over again. It felt like the author would write a sentence, and then re-word it to say the same sentence 4 more times all within a few pages. We kept getting repeat information. For example, the first ~9% of the book is basically Senara thinking in a nonstop loop about how great the tavern worker, Grimsby is (i.e. Grimsby is cranky, but he loves us in his own way. Grimsby is grumpy, but he is a softie who feeds us special meals. He watches out for us by feeding us and he acts like he doesn't care about us because he's grumpy but he always saves us food and a room. Grimsby stays up late so I hope I don't wake him. These barrels are heavy so I hope Grimsby doesn't wake up. He probably won't wake up). Do you see what I mean? It's exhausting to keep reading the same exact thoughts. The kicker is that Grimsby makes no further appearances in the book for the next 90% of the book.
Other times where I specifically noticed how repetitive the language was all within a few pages:
- end of chapter 7: "Usually I asked guys to leave after, if I ever had them come back to my rooms that is, but the idea of waking Thorn and feeling him leave made me go cold"
versus
the beginning of chapter 8 "Typically, I would ask my one-night stands to leave as soon as we were done, but the sex I'd had with Thorn last night was unlike anything I'd ever experienced."
....YOU ARE SAYING THE SAME THING
- Chapter 12 when Senara thinks 3 separate times in 3 consecutive paragraphs about how she has her own room and she's disappointed that she's alone because it would be nice to make friends, but she's also relieved to be alone so she can let her guard down and it's a respite from the chaos/she can let herself relax/doesn't have to hide her mark, etc. .....WE GET IT
- Tower the librarian is flirting with her, and Wyn has a crush on him, and he gives Senara bad vibes (ok we get it...he's going to be a villain)
- some variation of "why is everyone so mean to me? what did i do?" which to be fair, this is a legit question. everyone is so mean to the FMC but she literally did not do anything...she's just absolutely hated by the other soldiers from day 1, and it's never explained
- Both MCs constantly having ENDLESS inner monologue about how hot the other main character is and how it's unnatural how obsessed they are with each other after 1 day, etc, etc.
This got super annoying. Around halfway through the book, there are 2 consecutive chapters from each POV where the MCs just think about how obsessed they are with the other. Literally barely anything else happens...it's just like "the days passed and I couldn't stop thinking about _____" I was like WE GET IT...MOVE ON. I assume they're fated mates or something fae-related (bonded, etc.) because they're annoyingly obsessed with each other and there keeps being an electric shock every time they touch each other, but I'm kinda like...get to the point.
2. The only other part of the writing style that annoyed me was how much inner monologue or description would happen in the middle of dialogue. Characters would be having a conversation, but after one quote, there would then be like 5 paragraphs of inner monologue before the next character responded to the initial dialogue. It made it hard to follow the conversations and I kept having the scroll back in the book to see the last thing that was said aloud.
_________
Anyways, I liked it. It started off a 2-star book because the beginning is very slow and repetitive. It's a little overly descriptive at times. The pacing is weird. The first 25% was the 1st night they met. I think the first 50% is honestly all 24 hours, and then the book is suddenly like "weeks went by," "days went by," etc. every chapter. However, the last 30% was entertaining and hooked it's claws into me, even though I knew what was coming.
I'd recommend if you like fantasy romance books, but don't expect anything new or the next great American novel. It's a fun enough, easy read. I think book 2 has the potential to be a lot better and more fun on the other side of the Veil. I think Thorn has a lot of groveling to do--hopefully Senara isn't a pushover who forgives & fucks him in the first like 20% of the book. I'm excited to get more on the world-building and magic system, as well as learn more about the war/fae character who kept sneaking into the palace. I also really like Thorn and Ronan's friendship--they made me lol...I hope it was a legit friendship. I'm guessing Thorn is the fae prince or something and Ronan is his general, and they were spying in the human realm together, but who knows...
April 27, 2023
Review 4.5 stars!
I was not expecting how much I loved this! 😍❤️ This is a spicy NA fantasy romance with forbidden romance 🔥🥵 I absolutely devoured this book!
We follow the story of a strong and fierce female lead, Senara, who basically is the best at kicking butt 👊 after years of fighting at the front, she finally gets promoted to a position in the Kings Guard. However she hides a secret that if discovered could very well result in her death… The night before her new position begins, Senara ends up sleeping with a dark and handsome stranger. To their surprise, he ends up being her newest commander, the Blade of the King.
Now forced to hide their burning desire for one another, Senara has no choice but to avoid him at all costs… but what if he doesn’t want to let it go? The story is filled to the brim with longing and passion between these two, I was burning alongside them! To make things more intense, the other guards absolutely loathe Senara, and will stop at nothing to get her kicked out, or worse.
A gem of a book and an amazing start to this fae fantasy series. Expect steamy romance, hidden magic, a mysterious veil, who did this to you and “touch her and I’ll kill you” vibes, alongside an adorable sisterly bond ! ❤️
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy for review
I was not expecting how much I loved this! 😍❤️ This is a spicy NA fantasy romance with forbidden romance 🔥🥵 I absolutely devoured this book!
We follow the story of a strong and fierce female lead, Senara, who basically is the best at kicking butt 👊 after years of fighting at the front, she finally gets promoted to a position in the Kings Guard. However she hides a secret that if discovered could very well result in her death… The night before her new position begins, Senara ends up sleeping with a dark and handsome stranger. To their surprise, he ends up being her newest commander, the Blade of the King.
Now forced to hide their burning desire for one another, Senara has no choice but to avoid him at all costs… but what if he doesn’t want to let it go? The story is filled to the brim with longing and passion between these two, I was burning alongside them! To make things more intense, the other guards absolutely loathe Senara, and will stop at nothing to get her kicked out, or worse.
A gem of a book and an amazing start to this fae fantasy series. Expect steamy romance, hidden magic, a mysterious veil, who did this to you and “touch her and I’ll kill you” vibes, alongside an adorable sisterly bond ! ❤️
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy for review
April 27, 2023
This is… really bad? Idk where these reviews are coming from. I almost wonder if I somehow got an unedited first draft because this is so poorly written.
- very basic writing that feels like reading a grocery list
- the exact same points reiterated over and over again; we are constantly being reminded that she’s a soldier, she’s been on a ship, she’s not like other girls, she’s soooo tough, she used to be poor, etc. Literally just shoving the same pieces of “background” at us constantly
- the same dialogue/info about Wren being not so little anymore gets repeated almost word for word within a few paragraphs
- mr man’s eyepatch keeps being referred to in negative ways (it’s a good thing he has it or he’d be too perfect, he’s still very hot despite it, etc) which is frankly just rude
- an arm wrestling match that’s “so intense” that onlookers actually step back!! personally I’ve never felt threatened by an arm wrestling match but ok
- weird, unnatural dialogue
- painfully awkward flirting. Eggs? Really? And that WORKED??
- the most unsexy sex scene I have ever read in my life
All this in the first 20% because I can’t do this anymore. DNF
- very basic writing that feels like reading a grocery list
- the exact same points reiterated over and over again; we are constantly being reminded that she’s a soldier, she’s been on a ship, she’s not like other girls, she’s soooo tough, she used to be poor, etc. Literally just shoving the same pieces of “background” at us constantly
- the same dialogue/info about Wren being not so little anymore gets repeated almost word for word within a few paragraphs
- mr man’s eyepatch keeps being referred to in negative ways (it’s a good thing he has it or he’d be too perfect, he’s still very hot despite it, etc) which is frankly just rude
- an arm wrestling match that’s “so intense” that onlookers actually step back!! personally I’ve never felt threatened by an arm wrestling match but ok
- weird, unnatural dialogue
- painfully awkward flirting. Eggs? Really? And that WORKED??
- the most unsexy sex scene I have ever read in my life
All this in the first 20% because I can’t do this anymore. DNF
July 21, 2023
*** TW ***
Rape by MMC
*** Spoilers related to TW ***
I had an argument with one of my friends about consent ... because we know that the MFC "wants" the MMC when she's his prisoner, is it consensual sex? The answer is clearly no. Firstly, just because her body shows signs of excitement, that doesn't make it consensual. Second, he is her executioner and has bargained with her for sex in exchange for her sister's life ... he also bargained for her to pleasure his friend as well as the rest of his soldiers (who openly hate her). If she says yes, that's not consent. He's still raping her. She's chained, he holds her life and her sister's life in his hands, he's bargained their safety for sex ... it's rape. He's a rapist. He's willing to shove her down on the table and do what he wants while she's chained and facing death. He's a bad person and a bad love interest. The nail in the coffin is that he's previously demonstrated that he understands consent (on some level) in their previous encounters because he told her that he needs to hear her say yes because he's her commanding officer.
I'm sure this is headed toward HEA in a future book (this one ends on a cliffhanger), and we'll see that he "loves" her or whatever and wouldn't have given her to his men, but that doesn't redeem him. He's still a person willing to rape a prisoner who is bargaining for her sister's life. She genuinely believes he's going to kill her and her sister. Just because *he* knows he isn't going to doesn't make it not rape. That's not how consent works. Consent requires a person to be able to refuse. "Let me do this and I'll think about not killing your sister" is not in any way, shape or form something that a good person says. It doesn't matter that she offers herself in exchange for her sister's life. She's clearly uncomfortable when he asks if she'll also give herself to his men and the fact that she agrees: "let my sister go first, and I'll do it" IS NOT CONSENT. "Yes" is not always consent.
Rape by MMC
*** Spoilers related to TW ***
I had an argument with one of my friends about consent ... because we know that the MFC "wants" the MMC when she's his prisoner, is it consensual sex? The answer is clearly no. Firstly, just because her body shows signs of excitement, that doesn't make it consensual. Second, he is her executioner and has bargained with her for sex in exchange for her sister's life ... he also bargained for her to pleasure his friend as well as the rest of his soldiers (who openly hate her). If she says yes, that's not consent. He's still raping her. She's chained, he holds her life and her sister's life in his hands, he's bargained their safety for sex ... it's rape. He's a rapist. He's willing to shove her down on the table and do what he wants while she's chained and facing death. He's a bad person and a bad love interest. The nail in the coffin is that he's previously demonstrated that he understands consent (on some level) in their previous encounters because he told her that he needs to hear her say yes because he's her commanding officer.
I'm sure this is headed toward HEA in a future book (this one ends on a cliffhanger), and we'll see that he "loves" her or whatever and wouldn't have given her to his men, but that doesn't redeem him. He's still a person willing to rape a prisoner who is bargaining for her sister's life. She genuinely believes he's going to kill her and her sister. Just because *he* knows he isn't going to doesn't make it not rape. That's not how consent works. Consent requires a person to be able to refuse. "Let me do this and I'll think about not killing your sister" is not in any way, shape or form something that a good person says. It doesn't matter that she offers herself in exchange for her sister's life. She's clearly uncomfortable when he asks if she'll also give herself to his men and the fact that she agrees: "let my sister go first, and I'll do it" IS NOT CONSENT. "Yes" is not always consent.
April 6, 2023
Fantasy is one of the few genres where I can tolerate a slow burn 😂
Although this did have some steam, it really focused more on the tension between the MCs afterwards once we got *thrust* into the plot. Speaking of the plot, I did feel there were a few plot holes, but I’m hoping, because this is a series, they will be answered and/or filled in the next book(s). I’m a little confused on why she seemed to be the devils incarnate according to everyone else? Was I missing something?
I was getting major Inej (Six of Crows) and Celaena (Throne of Glass) vibes in Senara which I was here for 👏🏻. I LOVE badass, strong FMCs. I also happen to be feral for FMCs who are also in male-dominated fields and are such QUEENS 👸.
I do think the writing and world building were truly great! I think fantasy is such a difficult genre to do well but I’m glad I decided to read this. You got the fantasy vibes along with some of the best tropes: forbidden romance (oops he’s my boss 🤭), morally gray characters, who hurt you? 😡 and more 🤩.
That cliffy sucked. I mean the cliffy itself was fine but dang 😭. Kinda wished I just waited until the next book was released 😂.
Although this did have some steam, it really focused more on the tension between the MCs afterwards once we got *thrust* into the plot. Speaking of the plot, I did feel there were a few plot holes, but I’m hoping, because this is a series, they will be answered and/or filled in the next book(s). I’m a little confused on why she seemed to be the devils incarnate according to everyone else? Was I missing something?
I was getting major Inej (Six of Crows) and Celaena (Throne of Glass) vibes in Senara which I was here for 👏🏻. I LOVE badass, strong FMCs. I also happen to be feral for FMCs who are also in male-dominated fields and are such QUEENS 👸.
I do think the writing and world building were truly great! I think fantasy is such a difficult genre to do well but I’m glad I decided to read this. You got the fantasy vibes along with some of the best tropes: forbidden romance (oops he’s my boss 🤭), morally gray characters, who hurt you? 😡 and more 🤩.
That cliffy sucked. I mean the cliffy itself was fine but dang 😭. Kinda wished I just waited until the next book was released 😂.
July 25, 2025
New name idea for the book: Death by Minutiae
I'm a third of the way through the book and I don't care a whit about any of the characters. In fact, they are 100% obnoxious, almost through no fault of their own.
There are a multitude of issues with the writing - first and foremost is that nearly the entire thing (so far) is told rather than shown. And on the rare occasions we're shown something, it's immediately followed by telling us as well. e.g. "We all nodded our heads in unison, agreeing to Thorn's instructions." Yeah, we fucking get it, that's what a nod signifies - agreement, confirmation. But sure, double the words needed to get across the same gd thing while treating the reader like an idiot. That's the ticket.
Most of what I've read so far is just filler - not world or character building, but superfluous (and frequently redundant) ramblings that the reader can absolutely skip over without missing out on anything. Seriously.
In fact, I'm almost impressed by how much we've been force-fed Senara's thoughts and yet she's still the literary equivalent of a stick figure.
And therein lies the problem. There's so much goddamn minutiae masquerading as plot that we end up spending nearly 7 chapters in a tavern just to complete the Senara & Thorn interlude mentioned in the book's description. 7 FREAKING CHAPTERS. The whole thing is in dire need of an editor to Marie Kondo it.
Sometimes, if I'm having trouble slogging through too much tedious fluff, I'll look for dialog to maintain interest. But oh... omfg.
This was some of the most horrendous dialog that I've ever encountered. Sure, the words themselves were cringey, but it was the actual rhythm of the dialog that made me want to throw my Kindle. It went something like this...
Step 1: Character asks a question.
Step 2: Five paragraphs of mental jabbering - thoughts about the question, repercussions of answering the question, a tangential side quest and shiny object, feelings about the person asking the question, another unrelated thought, wait, was there a question?
Step 3: Character finally answers the question... except that the reader has forgotten the question altogether by now and has to search back to figure out what in the rocking horse shit is going on.
Welcome to the ADHD simulator. On your left is a squirrel, on your right is a... wait... who are you? What was I saying again?
Never in all my life have I encountered such a thing - as if the author decided to publish wholly unedited stream of thought. jfc
And none of this even touches on the almost embarrassing romance aspect or things that simply don't make any sense, such as:
- Despite Wyn working in the royal library, she didn't recognize Thorn by look or by name until Senara is there. You know, the very important and distinctive man with the eye patch? The captain of the freaking King's guard and someone who clearly eats in the same food hall as her daily?
So anywho... yeah, I'm going to go and delete this off of my devise now. Exercise the demons and all that jazz.
I'm a third of the way through the book and I don't care a whit about any of the characters. In fact, they are 100% obnoxious, almost through no fault of their own.
There are a multitude of issues with the writing - first and foremost is that nearly the entire thing (so far) is told rather than shown. And on the rare occasions we're shown something, it's immediately followed by telling us as well. e.g. "We all nodded our heads in unison, agreeing to Thorn's instructions." Yeah, we fucking get it, that's what a nod signifies - agreement, confirmation. But sure, double the words needed to get across the same gd thing while treating the reader like an idiot. That's the ticket.
Most of what I've read so far is just filler - not world or character building, but superfluous (and frequently redundant) ramblings that the reader can absolutely skip over without missing out on anything. Seriously.
In fact, I'm almost impressed by how much we've been force-fed Senara's thoughts and yet she's still the literary equivalent of a stick figure.
And therein lies the problem. There's so much goddamn minutiae masquerading as plot that we end up spending nearly 7 chapters in a tavern just to complete the Senara & Thorn interlude mentioned in the book's description. 7 FREAKING CHAPTERS. The whole thing is in dire need of an editor to Marie Kondo it.
Sometimes, if I'm having trouble slogging through too much tedious fluff, I'll look for dialog to maintain interest. But oh... omfg.
This was some of the most horrendous dialog that I've ever encountered. Sure, the words themselves were cringey, but it was the actual rhythm of the dialog that made me want to throw my Kindle. It went something like this...
Step 1: Character asks a question.
Step 2: Five paragraphs of mental jabbering - thoughts about the question, repercussions of answering the question, a tangential side quest and shiny object, feelings about the person asking the question, another unrelated thought, wait, was there a question?
Step 3: Character finally answers the question... except that the reader has forgotten the question altogether by now and has to search back to figure out what in the rocking horse shit is going on.
Welcome to the ADHD simulator. On your left is a squirrel, on your right is a... wait... who are you? What was I saying again?
Never in all my life have I encountered such a thing - as if the author decided to publish wholly unedited stream of thought. jfc
And none of this even touches on the almost embarrassing romance aspect or things that simply don't make any sense, such as:
- Despite Wyn working in the royal library, she didn't recognize Thorn by look or by name until Senara is there. You know, the very important and distinctive man with the eye patch? The captain of the freaking King's guard and someone who clearly eats in the same food hall as her daily?
So anywho... yeah, I'm going to go and delete this off of my devise now. Exercise the demons and all that jazz.
April 30, 2023
I’m surprised this is so highly rated. It felt like one long introduction to a series and characters we hardly know, after 304 pages I would expect to know more about who Serana is and what her motivations are. There is so much potential for this story to be good, instead so much is underdeveloped. I would’ve love to learn more about the politics and war, what using magic really means, and what does it mean to be moon marked. Instead all we know is Serana was an orphan who became “sisters” with Wyn as they struggled on the streets as children to survive, hiding their connections to magic, what her connection to magic is not even Serana knows. And Serana has absolutely no questions or intrigue about why she is moon marked. She basically falls in love the Thorn after a mind blowing one night stand, who turns out to be the commander of the royal guard, which she was just accepted into. And there is absolutely no development between the two characters beyond that. We briefly see that Thorn is just as obsessed with no reasoning behind it. Despite there being force proximity, they never really talk or develop a bond. And I just found that incredibly disappointing. Combine that with that utter simplistic plot, the useless POVs from Thorn, and lack of world building on important plot devices, and I was just all around disappointed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
April 2, 2023The absolute stupidest thing I have ever read. Terrible writing, plot was low key offensive and it’s a big no for me.
April 17, 2023
That ending though 👀
This book was SO good. I was hooked from the very first chapter and so intrigued by the world and characters. It def gives Throne of Glass Celaena vibes and I’d actually consider Throne of Glass and Crown of Midnight comp titles…which as you know, is high praise coming from me 😆 this has SUCH a good forbidden romance and a lovers to enemies to hate to love situations…idk what exactly you’d call that trope but I was HERE for it 👀 absolutely on pins and needles waiting for book two (and the epic groveling that is 1000% necessary…) and can’t recommend this enough!
Thanks to the author for gifting me a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This book was SO good. I was hooked from the very first chapter and so intrigued by the world and characters. It def gives Throne of Glass Celaena vibes and I’d actually consider Throne of Glass and Crown of Midnight comp titles…which as you know, is high praise coming from me 😆 this has SUCH a good forbidden romance and a lovers to enemies to hate to love situations…idk what exactly you’d call that trope but I was HERE for it 👀 absolutely on pins and needles waiting for book two (and the epic groveling that is 1000% necessary…) and can’t recommend this enough!
Thanks to the author for gifting me a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
April 4, 2023
This was fantastic. I loved it SO much!!
Marked by the Moon is fast paced, filled with action and drama, and an emotional rollercoaster in the most riveting way possible.
This story takes place in a kingdom where magic has been forbidden by the King and any magic wielder (or anyone Moon Marked, born with the mark of the moon on their skin) is sentenced to death. FMC Senara is Moon Marked, and she’s snatched from the front lines of the war and placed on the King’s Guard. On her last night of freedom, she has a one night stand and -whoops!- he ends up being her boss. She has to protect her identity while dealing with the struggles of being on the King’s Guard and it’s an absolute rollercoaster.
I was hooked from the first chapter! This book absolutely had me in a chokehold. The tension and the pining were spectacular- the forbidden love was so painful in the best way. I never knew what was coming next, I swear my blood pressure was raised I was so filled with anticipation. I can’t wait to see where Senara’s journey takes her next. I have so many questions!!!
Beware of the cliff! It really got me!
Marked by the Moon is fast paced, filled with action and drama, and an emotional rollercoaster in the most riveting way possible.
This story takes place in a kingdom where magic has been forbidden by the King and any magic wielder (or anyone Moon Marked, born with the mark of the moon on their skin) is sentenced to death. FMC Senara is Moon Marked, and she’s snatched from the front lines of the war and placed on the King’s Guard. On her last night of freedom, she has a one night stand and -whoops!- he ends up being her boss. She has to protect her identity while dealing with the struggles of being on the King’s Guard and it’s an absolute rollercoaster.
I was hooked from the first chapter! This book absolutely had me in a chokehold. The tension and the pining were spectacular- the forbidden love was so painful in the best way. I never knew what was coming next, I swear my blood pressure was raised I was so filled with anticipation. I can’t wait to see where Senara’s journey takes her next. I have so many questions!!!
Beware of the cliff! It really got me!
April 13, 2023
I need to stop getting recommendations from booktok…
July 13, 2023
DNF at 32%
I tried to like it. It looked like it had all the things - strong FMC, sexy MMC, exciting plot - but it let me down.
Barely concealed "I'm NoT lIkE oThEr GiRlS" trope where our FMC is special for no reason - (but there is a reason!) I'm betting she's good at everything because of the moon mark. Someone tell me if I'm right.
What really got me was the writing style (no attention to detail, repetition of simple comments/plot points and negative comments about bodies or disabilities - i.e. the eye patch) and lack of consistency. Our MMC has an eye patch and significant scarring on the skin around the eye in question - which is either gross or fortunate, because "otherwise he'd be too handsome." Just no. We learn about the eye patch as soon as we meet him. But barely a chapter or two later, we're hearing about his eyes - plural - many times. I can forgive one slip up, but there were about 4 in the same chapter. Too much.
Then we've got our badass FMC arriving from the front to become a king's guard. They've called in the best warriors from the front lines to do this. Sounds great, sounds okay, right? Not really. Biggest plot hole here for me was apparently, the king himself doesn't think women should be guards - so much so that our MMC makes a mental note to keep our FMC away from the king. Great plan. And she's also just... selected somehow? By whom? What were the requirements? She could be anybody, and they just welcomed her into the castle? Dumb.
Our FMC is also "marked by the moon" - which is apparently some sign of magic, but she claims she has none. Seems like a really dumb idea to take this position closest to the person making the rules. They also didn't bother to vet any of the candidates, apparently, so they were all surprised when she turned up and was a) a girl, and b) an orphan. Shocker.
THEN she has a best friend who has magic and just keeps doing it all the time - allegedly. Which I get - I do - but there was no real remorse or fear written into these conversations, which felt weak to me.
Also - the MMC POV? It felt hollow, like it was just put there so the reader could be certain that he is stupidly obsessed with the FMC, for no reason. Why?? I want to know WHY. This ridiculous acceptance we seem to have for spicy novels where the man is obsessed beyond reason FOR NO REASON needs to stop. I want to know what drives him to that, because otherwise he's just unwell and women should stay away. Besides - if your story is well written, we don't need a POV just to reinforce that he's got it bad.
I just couldn't go any farther. I hope it got better!
I tried to like it. It looked like it had all the things - strong FMC, sexy MMC, exciting plot - but it let me down.
Barely concealed "I'm NoT lIkE oThEr GiRlS" trope where our FMC is special for no reason - (but there is a reason!) I'm betting she's good at everything because of the moon mark. Someone tell me if I'm right.
What really got me was the writing style (no attention to detail, repetition of simple comments/plot points and negative comments about bodies or disabilities - i.e. the eye patch) and lack of consistency. Our MMC has an eye patch and significant scarring on the skin around the eye in question - which is either gross or fortunate, because "otherwise he'd be too handsome." Just no. We learn about the eye patch as soon as we meet him. But barely a chapter or two later, we're hearing about his eyes - plural - many times. I can forgive one slip up, but there were about 4 in the same chapter. Too much.
Then we've got our badass FMC arriving from the front to become a king's guard. They've called in the best warriors from the front lines to do this. Sounds great, sounds okay, right? Not really. Biggest plot hole here for me was apparently, the king himself doesn't think women should be guards - so much so that our MMC makes a mental note to keep our FMC away from the king. Great plan. And she's also just... selected somehow? By whom? What were the requirements? She could be anybody, and they just welcomed her into the castle? Dumb.
Our FMC is also "marked by the moon" - which is apparently some sign of magic, but she claims she has none. Seems like a really dumb idea to take this position closest to the person making the rules. They also didn't bother to vet any of the candidates, apparently, so they were all surprised when she turned up and was a) a girl, and b) an orphan. Shocker.
THEN she has a best friend who has magic and just keeps doing it all the time - allegedly. Which I get - I do - but there was no real remorse or fear written into these conversations, which felt weak to me.
Also - the MMC POV? It felt hollow, like it was just put there so the reader could be certain that he is stupidly obsessed with the FMC, for no reason. Why?? I want to know WHY. This ridiculous acceptance we seem to have for spicy novels where the man is obsessed beyond reason FOR NO REASON needs to stop. I want to know what drives him to that, because otherwise he's just unwell and women should stay away. Besides - if your story is well written, we don't need a POV just to reinforce that he's got it bad.
I just couldn't go any farther. I hope it got better!
March 17, 2023
THAT ENDING 😳😳
The book is fast paced, spicy and so easy to get absorbed into!
Personally I’m not a fan of the instant attraction BUT I enjoyed that this as it was instant attraction AND also forbidden so the tension was good! 🙌
So many questions left unanswered so I’m very much looking forward to the next book 🙌😍😍
The book is fast paced, spicy and so easy to get absorbed into!
Personally I’m not a fan of the instant attraction BUT I enjoyed that this as it was instant attraction AND also forbidden so the tension was good! 🙌
So many questions left unanswered so I’m very much looking forward to the next book 🙌😍😍
August 21, 2023
I mostly have fun with this despite the poor writing but then there was a very questionable sex scene that realllyyyy turned me off from the male main character. I do not recommend.
March 15, 2023
4.25/5 ⭐️
2/5 🌶️
Tropes:
•Forbidden romance
•”Who did this to you?”
•Forced proximity
•One horse
Wow, this book was so detailed and well-written. Helen knows just how to pull you right in and keep you hanging on to her every word. 🫶🏼
This is about a “moon touched” woman who is moved from the front lines of the battle field to becoming a King’s Guard. Magic is frowned upon in this Kingdom so she has to keep her “moon touched” mark a secret and keep it hidden at all times or the consequences are deadly.
The night before she is to go to the Kingdom to step into her new role she meets a man at an “inn” and ends up hooking up with him. They have the night of their lives only to find the next day that he is the Sword of the King and ultimately her superior. Which makes them ever being together again forbidden.
The problem is that the two of them can’t deny the pull they feel towards one another.
I don’t want to spoil how this story ends but I will tell you that it does end on a cliffhanger and I am now DYING for the next book in this series! I absolutely loved that plot twist.
2/5 🌶️
Tropes:
•Forbidden romance
•”Who did this to you?”
•Forced proximity
•One horse
Wow, this book was so detailed and well-written. Helen knows just how to pull you right in and keep you hanging on to her every word. 🫶🏼
This is about a “moon touched” woman who is moved from the front lines of the battle field to becoming a King’s Guard. Magic is frowned upon in this Kingdom so she has to keep her “moon touched” mark a secret and keep it hidden at all times or the consequences are deadly.
The night before she is to go to the Kingdom to step into her new role she meets a man at an “inn” and ends up hooking up with him. They have the night of their lives only to find the next day that he is the Sword of the King and ultimately her superior. Which makes them ever being together again forbidden.
The problem is that the two of them can’t deny the pull they feel towards one another.
I don’t want to spoil how this story ends but I will tell you that it does end on a cliffhanger and I am now DYING for the next book in this series! I absolutely loved that plot twist.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 14, 2023
This is for lovers of fae romances, forbidden love, and enemies to lovers. I thought this book had an interesting plot line. I'm a sucker for anything to do with magic, especially if it is outlawed. The author did a great job at creating high stakes and swoon worthy romances. I think this series is going to be amazing.
March 9, 2025
4 Stars - fast past story with a huge cliffhanger. I really liked it just some internal monologues of the main female character were a bit long and repetitive.
❤️ Thorn x Senara Willow
❤️ Thorn x Senara Willow
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 12, 2023
This one fell a bit flat for me. The biggest interest factor of the book was the plot but unfortunately it was predictable and the main characters were not entirely likeable for me.
⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️
⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️
April 11, 2023
If you’re a lover of fae romance, MARKED BY THE MOON is a title I recommend looking into, especially if you like found family, strong female characters who thrive in a misogynist world and spicy forbidden lovers romance (3/5 spice). Like other titles in this genre (Throne of Glass is one that quickly comes to mind), the fae elements are few and spread out throughout this first installment, but so well woven into the world building, and the ending teases a lot more to come!
This book can easily be read in a few sittings. The pacing is well balanced, with a good mixture of action scenes, plot and character interactions. The characters are the driving force of the story—especially Senara. With her being both a guard and a Moon Touched, much of what we know of this world and its politics is linked to her experience, which adds to the feeling that there’s much for the reader to discover and makes the constant threat of someone discovering her secret all the more pressing. I really enjoyed her and admired her determination to prove herself among the guards despite the horrible way she’s treated for being a woman, and her ability to embrace her feelings—which isn’t something to take for granted in a warrior-type character. I also really loved her friendship/sisterhood with Wyn, their special bond something I could easily relate to given my tight relationship to my own sister.
And then we have the romance. I think having read as many fae stories as I have, some of the behaviors Senara and Thorn had from their very first interaction made me guess the direction the story was going, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying every moment of it! I mean we had instant attraction, boss/employee and forbidden romance all in one. What more could I ask for? These two characters had great chemistry from their very first scene, and I’m not one who can resist a handsome, strong, dominant, smexy grump of a man. I did also enjoy Senara’s scenes with Ronan though, so if this took a Reverse Harem twist in the future I would not be opposed!
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy. Opinions are my own.
This book can easily be read in a few sittings. The pacing is well balanced, with a good mixture of action scenes, plot and character interactions. The characters are the driving force of the story—especially Senara. With her being both a guard and a Moon Touched, much of what we know of this world and its politics is linked to her experience, which adds to the feeling that there’s much for the reader to discover and makes the constant threat of someone discovering her secret all the more pressing. I really enjoyed her and admired her determination to prove herself among the guards despite the horrible way she’s treated for being a woman, and her ability to embrace her feelings—which isn’t something to take for granted in a warrior-type character. I also really loved her friendship/sisterhood with Wyn, their special bond something I could easily relate to given my tight relationship to my own sister.
And then we have the romance. I think having read as many fae stories as I have, some of the behaviors Senara and Thorn had from their very first interaction made me guess the direction the story was going, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying every moment of it! I mean we had instant attraction, boss/employee and forbidden romance all in one. What more could I ask for? These two characters had great chemistry from their very first scene, and I’m not one who can resist a handsome, strong, dominant, smexy grump of a man. I did also enjoy Senara’s scenes with Ronan though, so if this took a Reverse Harem twist in the future I would not be opposed!
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy. Opinions are my own.
September 1, 2025
Eh, it's too early to tell if the story is good or not.
3⭐️⭐️⭐️
3🌶🌶🌶
Tropes
✅️Hidden Powers
✅️Forbidden Magic
✅️"Who Hurt you?"
✅️Forbidden Romance
✅️Commander x Soldier
✅️Found Family
✅️Humans/Fae
✅️Dual POV
✅️One Horse
Triggers
☑️Bullying
☑️Assault
☑️Death
☑️Imprisonment
I did enjoy Senara's one night stand turning out to be her commanding officer...but it's kind of the only highlight of the first book.
Serana is pretty bad ass. Being an orphan living on the streets with her friend Wyn taught her some valuable skills. She is Moon Marked, but doesn't show magical powers like Wyn does.
There is a lot of bullying when Serana joins the King's Guard. Of course, being a female in her position already makes her a traget, but these guys REALLY have it out for her. Doesn't help that they totally know she's sleeping with Thorne. 😅
Clearly, there is more to Thorne than what has been revealed. I did enjoy the few points of view we had from him. Obviously, he is just as obsessed with Serana as she is with him...do I smell Fated Mates? Yep, I'd bet my left ovary that's where this is leading.
I'm definitely left with more questions than answers. Like, what actually happened on Serana's sea Voyage to the castle? Apparently, that's where some of the beef between her and the male guards started, but it was never explained. Also, what is the Chantry? Serana makes several remarks of crossing paths with them in the past, but again, it is not explained. The overall plot just feels so vague. I'll give the second book a shot just to see what direction we're heading in.
3⭐️⭐️⭐️
3🌶🌶🌶
Tropes
✅️Hidden Powers
✅️Forbidden Magic
✅️"Who Hurt you?"
✅️Forbidden Romance
✅️Commander x Soldier
✅️Found Family
✅️Humans/Fae
✅️Dual POV
✅️One Horse
Triggers
☑️Bullying
☑️Assault
☑️Death
☑️Imprisonment
I did enjoy Senara's one night stand turning out to be her commanding officer...but it's kind of the only highlight of the first book.
Serana is pretty bad ass. Being an orphan living on the streets with her friend Wyn taught her some valuable skills. She is Moon Marked, but doesn't show magical powers like Wyn does.
There is a lot of bullying when Serana joins the King's Guard. Of course, being a female in her position already makes her a traget, but these guys REALLY have it out for her. Doesn't help that they totally know she's sleeping with Thorne. 😅
Clearly, there is more to Thorne than what has been revealed. I did enjoy the few points of view we had from him. Obviously, he is just as obsessed with Serana as she is with him...do I smell Fated Mates? Yep, I'd bet my left ovary that's where this is leading.
I'm definitely left with more questions than answers. Like, what actually happened on Serana's sea Voyage to the castle? Apparently, that's where some of the beef between her and the male guards started, but it was never explained. Also, what is the Chantry? Serana makes several remarks of crossing paths with them in the past, but again, it is not explained. The overall plot just feels so vague. I'll give the second book a shot just to see what direction we're heading in.
March 23, 2023
This is a new fantasy romance series from Helen Scott. I had privilege to read it before it comes out on March 31st. In the first book in the Bound by the veil series we meet Sonara who is starting a new job as a kings guard and wants to have a proper night out before her first day. She meets a mysterious but hot guy named Thorn and they have fun 😏!
In this world the magic is banned by the king and he is ordering everyone who has magic, aka, is marked or carries a mark of the moon, to be put to dead. Our main character is one of the moon marked but she doesn’t have any magic and has to be very careful around others.
The day she starts her new job, she finds out that her new boss, is THORN! What a season 1 episode 1 Greys Anatomy is this!?
Anyways! Now Sonara has to be double careful as she navigates the new responsibilities, her own secrets and her absolute insane connection to Thorn. They can’t be seen together, but are they able to stay away?
Full of tension this book was really fun!
In this world the magic is banned by the king and he is ordering everyone who has magic, aka, is marked or carries a mark of the moon, to be put to dead. Our main character is one of the moon marked but she doesn’t have any magic and has to be very careful around others.
The day she starts her new job, she finds out that her new boss, is THORN! What a season 1 episode 1 Greys Anatomy is this!?
Anyways! Now Sonara has to be double careful as she navigates the new responsibilities, her own secrets and her absolute insane connection to Thorn. They can’t be seen together, but are they able to stay away?
Full of tension this book was really fun!
August 11, 2023
IT CAN'T END THIS WAY WHAT?! This book left me with so many questions I can't even think straight.
Why does everyone hate her? Is the main
mc Thorn a fae? Is our fmc A fae? Does she have magic? Does he have magic? Are they mates? I NEED ANSWERS
Why does everyone hate her? Is the main
mc Thorn a fae? Is our fmc A fae? Does she have magic? Does he have magic? Are they mates? I NEED ANSWERS
April 15, 2023
What an ending!
Fae are one of my favorite fantasy creatures to read about, so I had high hopes that I would love this book, and I’m happy to say I was not disappointed. Marked by the Moon had some of my favorite elements with its precious found family between Senara and Wyn and the HOT forbidden romance with Thorn, but it revealed so many more layers along the way. The more I read and discovered about the politics, the more I was reminded of two of my favorite books, The Bridge Kingdom and Throne of Glass. And Senara would fit right in with the protagonists of both of those books!
This was a book that was hard to put down. There was always something keeping me glued to the pages, be it looking forward to the next interaction between Senara and Thorn (most times, this was exactly the reason), wanting to find out more about the fae and the mysterious happenings in the castle, or rage at the injustice Senara had to face at the hands of the other guards. Her tenacity and strength were admirable qualities. It was impossible not to love her, or any of the main characters for that matter. I think my favorite was my precious bookworm Wyn, who reminded me of my sister with how often she got herself into trouble.
My favorite part about the story, however, was the romance. I loved Thorn and Senara from their very first meeting, and loved every interaction since. Despite their instant attraction, there is so much tension between these two, I could feel the sparks flying whenever they were on the same page. The spice between them was also very well written—and trust me, there’s several very good scenes to look forward to if you like that kind of content. I was rooting for them the whole book through, even when it felt impossible or when the author wanted to make me believe I shouldn’t. The numerous twists—especially toward the end of the book and that mind-blowing cliffhanger—leave so many doors open, and raise so many questions and possibilities. I can’t wait for the next book to see how Thorn and Senara’s story continues!
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy. Opinions are my own.
Fae are one of my favorite fantasy creatures to read about, so I had high hopes that I would love this book, and I’m happy to say I was not disappointed. Marked by the Moon had some of my favorite elements with its precious found family between Senara and Wyn and the HOT forbidden romance with Thorn, but it revealed so many more layers along the way. The more I read and discovered about the politics, the more I was reminded of two of my favorite books, The Bridge Kingdom and Throne of Glass. And Senara would fit right in with the protagonists of both of those books!
This was a book that was hard to put down. There was always something keeping me glued to the pages, be it looking forward to the next interaction between Senara and Thorn (most times, this was exactly the reason), wanting to find out more about the fae and the mysterious happenings in the castle, or rage at the injustice Senara had to face at the hands of the other guards. Her tenacity and strength were admirable qualities. It was impossible not to love her, or any of the main characters for that matter. I think my favorite was my precious bookworm Wyn, who reminded me of my sister with how often she got herself into trouble.
My favorite part about the story, however, was the romance. I loved Thorn and Senara from their very first meeting, and loved every interaction since. Despite their instant attraction, there is so much tension between these two, I could feel the sparks flying whenever they were on the same page. The spice between them was also very well written—and trust me, there’s several very good scenes to look forward to if you like that kind of content. I was rooting for them the whole book through, even when it felt impossible or when the author wanted to make me believe I shouldn’t. The numerous twists—especially toward the end of the book and that mind-blowing cliffhanger—leave so many doors open, and raise so many questions and possibilities. I can’t wait for the next book to see how Thorn and Senara’s story continues!
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy. Opinions are my own.
December 13, 2023
Wait so let me get this correct. You were born with forbidden magic that your king has outlawed, and will kill anyone found with a birthmark that you have on your back. Ok… not your fault.
You sleep with the kings guard that puts you in danger of him finding out your secret. Ok that’s fine. Easily hidden no worries.
So you… join the kings guard? With the king who outlawed magic to begin with? The king that will execute you if found out? You know, that super secret magical birthmark you have that nobody can find out about???? And not only that, but you are the ONLY female in this guard team so you literally stand out. What am I missing here? I love fantasy but you have to base it in some ground of reality to make it believable. You can’t have your FMC hide this secret for all her life only to join the kings guard for no other reason other than saving people. I’m just so confused by this and couldn’t get over it.
DNF - 26%
I’m all for forcing storylines to get to a plot but this seems really pushing it.
Other than that the narration was superb.
You sleep with the kings guard that puts you in danger of him finding out your secret. Ok that’s fine. Easily hidden no worries.
So you… join the kings guard? With the king who outlawed magic to begin with? The king that will execute you if found out? You know, that super secret magical birthmark you have that nobody can find out about???? And not only that, but you are the ONLY female in this guard team so you literally stand out. What am I missing here? I love fantasy but you have to base it in some ground of reality to make it believable. You can’t have your FMC hide this secret for all her life only to join the kings guard for no other reason other than saving people. I’m just so confused by this and couldn’t get over it.
DNF - 26%
I’m all for forcing storylines to get to a plot but this seems really pushing it.
Other than that the narration was superb.
August 24, 2023
overall flat
The story is a long set up for book 2. The whole book could have been condensed to a few chapters and then to the plot of book 2 would start. The characters actions are also confusing.They are supposed to be “mysterious” and it’s written to keep you guessing but how the author choose to excite it was a poor attempt making the characters unredeemable to the reader pretty much no matter what happens in book 2. There author wrote herself multiple ways to save her characters for the reader but choose every time make them act irrational, cold and overall not enjoyable to read, in a poor attempt to build up the suspense.
I was hoping there would be more substance to the plot as this genre of book is one of my favorites. I’m unsure if I will read book 2 at this point.
The story is a long set up for book 2. The whole book could have been condensed to a few chapters and then to the plot of book 2 would start. The characters actions are also confusing.They are supposed to be “mysterious” and it’s written to keep you guessing but how the author choose to excite it was a poor attempt making the characters unredeemable to the reader pretty much no matter what happens in book 2. There author wrote herself multiple ways to save her characters for the reader but choose every time make them act irrational, cold and overall not enjoyable to read, in a poor attempt to build up the suspense.
I was hoping there would be more substance to the plot as this genre of book is one of my favorites. I’m unsure if I will read book 2 at this point.
August 2, 2023
Nahhh what was that ? I read it because I didn’t have anything else to do but never again
This book was empty, so repetitive and trying to sell us a badass character (who is not). Best warrior my ass she gets beaten throughout the whole book. No fantasy just « romance » which i can’t even call romance actually. It was just 2 person jumping on each other without being able to control themselves. They formed no bond and their relationship made no sense ???
+ some weird sentences like saying Thorn’s disabled eye could have made him ugly but hopefully bro was handsome tf
Or calling white skin normal over black skin ¿
I don’t recommend 👍🏼
This book was empty, so repetitive and trying to sell us a badass character (who is not). Best warrior my ass she gets beaten throughout the whole book. No fantasy just « romance » which i can’t even call romance actually. It was just 2 person jumping on each other without being able to control themselves. They formed no bond and their relationship made no sense ???
+ some weird sentences like saying Thorn’s disabled eye could have made him ugly but hopefully bro was handsome tf
Or calling white skin normal over black skin ¿
I don’t recommend 👍🏼
September 28, 2023
I feel like I’m being generous by giving this book two stars. There’s so many problems with this book that I really had to push myself to finish with hopes that it would get better. I found the timeline to make no sense. Everything happened incredibly fast. Worldbuilding was next to none. Senara is moon marked but as a reader, I don’t even know what the hell that means. The redundancy was tough in this book. We get it. She was on the front lines. Yet, even so, she’s incredibly dumb and let’s miss girl lock her in the tower like she didn’t see that coming? Yeah right. Incredibly predictable. I felt like this should’ve been thought out a little more.
June 19, 2023
Too fast of a burn with no real character depth, if you have to tell me about a character’s qualities then it’s not a great book. Also having the characters hookup in the beginning then one being the boss is tale as old as time. Super unoriginal, and the magick part takes a backseat to the romance when it should be the opposite.
May 16, 2024
At 85%:
That was coercive rape. That was not ok.
Also still waiting for the enemies-to-lovers part because nope.
Thorn & Ronan are blatantly Fae. So's Serana, probably. £5 says that's the big reveal at the end.
So far a good solid two stars, this is not a great book.
That was coercive rape. That was not ok.
Also still waiting for the enemies-to-lovers part because nope.
Thorn & Ronan are blatantly Fae. So's Serana, probably. £5 says that's the big reveal at the end.
So far a good solid two stars, this is not a great book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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