Author
Rebecca Yarros

Ratings
4.6 stars on Amazon
4.21 stars on Goodreads
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The Empyrean Series:
#1 Fourth Wing Summary (recap)
#2 Iron Flame Summary (recap)
#3 Onyx Storm Summary (this page)
#3.5 Threshing Day (synopsis)

Check out this beautiful cover on Threshing Day!

Special thanks to Matt Kirchler for providing this Onyx Storm summary! Matt can be found online at Thulr. Check it out!

***** Everything below is a SPOILER *****

What happened in Onyx Storm?

Your full Onyx Storm summary:

Onyx Storm begins shortly after Iron Flame’s ending, after the battle defending Basgiath against the venin invasion. Violet’s mother has died, sacrificing her life to power the wardstone that protects Basgiath. During the battle, Xaden has channeled magic from the earth, making him a venin initiate in the process. Jack Barlowe, still a prisoner at Basgiath, reveals that there is no cure for being venin, and that venin don’t want to be cured anyway. This strains Violet and Xaden’s relationship throughout the book: Xaden is afraid of losing control and hurting her or others with his new powers, and continually withdraws from her. Only a few of his closest friends know about his condition and keep it a secret. Violet’s other friends have survived the battle, although Sawyer lost a leg and worries about his ability to ride a dragon going forward.

Early in the book, Mira finds out that the Aretian wards will hold for at most six more months. During the previous battle, Andarna helped power the wardstone at Basgiath, which means she cannot power the wardstone in Tyrrendor any more. Violet and Andarna form a plan to find Andarna’s lost dragon kind to save Aretia; they also hope that they may help cure Xaden of his venin condition.

In the aftermath of the battle, riders are hunting down any remaining venin in Navarre, but at the same time, venin are infiltrating Basgiath and try to break out Jack. While leadership, especially Commandant Panchek, doesn’t fully appreciate this danger, the assembly of Navarrian nobles (the Senarium) sends out a search squad to find the lost dragon kind. They put Captain Grady in command of it, and Violet also gets assigned as a member. While the Senarium accepts some of Andarna’s demands, they reject her request for the wardstone to be altered to allow gryphon fliers to wield.

Navarre and Poromiel are starting peace negotiations to defeat the venin together. However, Navarrian animosity towards their old enemies nearly results in a riot. Together with the gryphon fliers’ severe disadvantage of being unable to wield within the Navarrian wards, this keeps the peace talks from progressing. Violet and her friends are able to deal with both: they can stop an angry mob of dragon riders, and later modify the wardstone to enable gryphon fliers to wield within their reach. Dain’s father, who has become the new general at Basgiath, considers this treason, but Violet and her friends can evade severe punishment since they executed the changes just before the official pardon for the deserting riders from Iron Flame took effect.

Violet and her squad get sent to fight at Samara, a border outpost, but the fighting has already ceased when they arrive. When a small village in the region is under venin attack, the official outpost soldiers cannot intervene due to understaffing, so Violet and her squad try to save the civilians on their own. Tairn and Violet arrive first and are able to kill some wyvern together with Garrick, who surprisingly arrives from Basgiath, sent by Xaden, implying that Garrick may have a second signet allowing him to travel long distances. Violet and Tairn are injured in the fighting. A silver-haired high-ranking venin called Theophanie also appears, revealing that the attack on the village was a trap for Violet. Theophanie tries to bring Violet under her control, but then disappears.

At Basgiath, they learn more about venin powers and ranks from Jack. In addition to Xaden and Violet’s existing relationship problems, Xaden has started a position as signet-fighting teacher, forcing them to pause their relationship to abide by the Code of Conduct. The appearance of Prince Halden, the King’s son and Violet’s ex-boyfriend, brings further tension between them. In the meantime, Dain manages to bypass his father’s security mechanism and recovers Violet’s father’s research. He also finds a letter addressed to Violet, instructing her to find a merchant on the isle Deverelli.

On the first mission of the quest squad, they retrieve a gem from an abandoned border village, which is the price for an audience with the Deverelli king. They have to fight wyvern, and Aura, one of the squad members, accidentally kills Grady and is then killed by a wyvern. Violet also finds a letter from Theophanie, who is trying to further influence her. After that mission, Violet is allowed to lead the squad and re-assembles it with people she trusts more. However, she also has to take Prince Halden as an official representative of Navarre. Together, they head for Deverelli.

On Deverelli, everyone loses their ability to wield, and only Violet can still communicate with her dragons. Violet finds her father’s texts, but Prince Halden gets detained during his audience with the Deverelli King Courtlyn. Violet and Xaden try to retrieve him and have an audience with the king, together with Viscount Tecarus. They learn that Halden’s guard tried to steal from the king and was killed in the process. Halden gets angry, escalating the situation until King Courtlyn orders them all killed. In the ensuing fight, Xaden lapses back into channeling his venin powers, using a piece of alloy in Violet’s conduit; with Andarna’s help they are able to pressure Courtlyn into an agreement and, going forward, are allowed to use Deverelli as a base for their ongoing search.

Back at Basgiath, they decode Violet’s father’s research, and make further plans to not return to Basgiath after each island visit, going against direct orders. Xaden withdraws further, worried about his venin condition.

For their next venture, the quest squad adds more gryphon fliers and replaces Prince Halden with the first-year rider Aaric, who is secretly the king’s other son. They travel to Unnbriel, the isle of the goddess Dunne. Xaden, Dain, and Violet have to fight Unnbriel’s best fighters to gain an audience with the queen. They learn that there have been no dragons in Unnbriel for hundreds of years, and that Unnbriel will only ally itself with Navarre against the venin if it receives dragon eggs, a demand that Violet refuses.

From Unnbriel, the squad sets out for Hedotis, where they seek an audience with the triumvirate leadership. To their surprise they meet Xaden’s mother Talia, who left his family when he was a child. Talia now lives on Hedotis, married to a member of the triumvirate, and has two younger sons, making Xaden feel abandoned. During dinner, Talia’s husband tries to poison them, but only Garrick eats the poisoned food. They find an antidote to save Garrick and manage to leave Hedotis safely.

The squad continues their journey to the next island, Zehyllna, whose inhabitants worship the god of luck, Zihnal. Before they are allowed an audience with the queen, they have to play a game of cards, during which each of them receives a gift. Most of the gifts are harmless or cryptic, but Trager, one of the gryphon fliers on the team, is killed after drawing an arrow card. Although the squad is devastated by the loss, the following audience with the Zehyllnan queen is a success, and Zehyllna agrees to send a large army to Navarre.

After burning Trager’s body and exploring the nearby smaller isles, Violet and Ridoc encounter the lost dragon kind, the irids. They learn that the irids are peaceful, but judgemental of humanity. They left Andarna’s egg in Navarre as a test for humanity, to see if they can change their ways, but consider it a failure, since Andarna has become a warrior. They don’t offer help powering the wardstones against the venin, and claim that there is no cure for venin. Violet later tells Ridoc about Xaden turning venin, and, back at Basgiath, also tells her other close friends.

In Basgiath, Violet learns that the venin have made progress in the war and stolen the powerful alloy-hilted daggers. They have also killed the Poromish queen, making Viscount Tecarus the new king. Surprisingly, a new shadow wielder has manifested among the first-year riders, which appears to indicate Xaden’s continuing transition to becoming the venin counterpart to the non-venin shadow wielder of their generation.

Violet’s squad visits Aretia for a rune intensive. Violet and Xaden’s relationship regains some intimacy and he is able to control himself better than before. At night, Violet’s nightmares intensify, and she and Xaden find out that Violet’s second signet from Andarna is dream-walking. She can visit others’ dreams, and her nightmares were Xaden’s dreams, manipulated by his venin Sage. The same night, Aretia faces a new venin attack. Aaric warns Violet to defend the temple of Dunne, later revealing that he is a precog, able to see the future. At the temple of Dunne, a priestess of Dunne confronts the venin Theophanie. Violet learns that before turning venin, Theophanie used to be a priestess herself. Aretia is only saved by the arrival of Leothan, one of the irids from the isles. Leothan helps power up Aretia’s wardstone; after the battle, he convinces Andarna to break her bond with Violet to come with him and learn about the irids’ way of life.

In the aftermath, Violet is depressed due to her broken bond with Andarna. From her siblings, she learns that their parents tried to dedicate her to Dunne, but Mira believes that the priestess rejected her because of her uncertain future. At the same time, the relationship between Tyrrendor and the rest of Navarre deteriorates after Xaden allows refugees from Poromiel into Tyrrendor. Soon after, the venin use Xaden’s dreams and Garrick as a messenger to inform them that Mira is being held hostage at Draithus.

How did Onyx Storm end? Onyx Storm summary spoiler ending:

With only a small force, they try to rescue Mira by exchanging her for Jack Barlowe, but Theophanie slits Mira’s throat. Brennan can only save her with Sloane and Dain’s help. Tairn brings Mira’s dragon to safety while Violet and Theophanie fight. Violet manages to kill Theophanie with a dagger from Dunne’s temple that Aaric had sent her earlier. During the same battle, Quinn is killed by a venin while trying to save civilians.

While Violet is fighting Theophanie, Xaden is confronted by Berwyn, a high-ranking venin leader, whom he thought had died during the battle at the end of Iron Flame. Commandant Panchek is revealed as a traitor, and his dragon dies at Berwyn’s hands, showing that the alloy-hilted daggers can also kill dragons. Berwyn also reveals a new venin initiate very close to Xaden, but the name stays secret. Since Berwyn is Xaden’s Sage, Xaden cannot kill him, but he is able to knock him unconscious and send shadows over the battlefield to protect Violet. However, this breaks him and he crosses from venin initiate to full venin. He is only able to preserve his love for Violet. 

The book ends with Violet awakening in Riorson House, having lost twelve hours of memory, wiped by Imogen at Violet’s own request. Tairn is recovering from the battle and Andarna is back, but Violet’s bond to Xaden has fully vanished. At the same time, all evidence points to Xaden having murdered multiple riders and dragons, and having stolen six dragon eggs from the hatching grounds. However, Violet finds a ring and documents proving that she and Xaden are now married. Check out these Fourth Wing gifts before you go!

There you go! That’s what happened in Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros. We hope you enjoyed this Onyx Storm summary with spoilers.

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Books To Read After The Empyrean series

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The post Onyx Storm Summary with spoilers | What happened in Onyx Storm? (The Empyrean #3 Recap) appeared first on Book Series Recaps.

Special thanks to Erica for providing this Accomplice to the Villain summary! Check her out on Instagram at @itsneverthelastchapter or on her book blog or her personal blog.

Author
Hannah Nicole Maehrer

Ratings
4.1 stars on Amazon
4.4 stars on Goodreads
Add Accomplice to the Villain at Goodreads.

Assistant to the Villain Series:
#1 Assistant to the Villain (recap)
#2 Apprentice to the Villain (recap)
#3 Accomplice to the Villain (this page)
#4 Adversary to the Villain (synopsis)

***** Everything below is a SPOILER *****

What happened in Accomplice to the Villain?

Your Accomplice to the Villain summary:

Trystan tries to stay away from Evie after hearing the destiny monster’s tragic revelation – Evie Sage was meant to be his downfall and he her undoing. Every time they’re together, his magic is out of control.

King Benedict visits Trystan. The king’s men take the female guvre away during battle. The group continues searching for the fourth item in the prophecy to save Rennedawn’s dwindling magic.

Evie catches a man she thought had come to fix the manor, trying to dismantle her favorite stained-glass kitchen window. He turns out to be Calvin, Otto Warson’s son. He was Evie’s previous employer, and she had beheaded him. While fixing one of the other windows, the worker reveals to the Villain that words are inscribed on the tile and are visible only when the sun hits it head-on. The Villain captures Calvin, but he refuses to reveal anything.

Strange things keep happening around the manor. The chef is found injured and tied up. Someone slipped Lyssa a note to release her father, and someone had let Calvin in.

Trystan and Evie take apart the window carefully and place it in the sunlight to read the prophecy. While waiting for sunrise, they kiss. This sets Trystan’s magic off, creating havoc. He orders Evie to stay away. Rennedawn’s story reveals itself. They have the Starlight magic, the guvre’s youngling, the unmasked villain, and all they needed was the heart of a true prince saving his fated love. That meant Alexander Kingsley was the fourth piece.

Alexander, the prince of the southern kingdom (now a frog) and their best friend, has episodes zoning in and out, forgetting who he really is. Trystan is concerned and takes him to Tattiana to be fixed. But she’s unable to. He is afraid they’re running out of time and need to turn Kingsley back into a human quickly to fulfill the prophecy.

Trystan had looked for the Enchantress who cursed him for ten years but couldn’t find her. He decides to visit Lionel, a Curse Consultant. Lionel reveals that Trystan is cursed too. Trystan tells Evie that King Benedict put a curse on him years ago. They run away when they spot the king coming.

Back at the Manor, Becky invites her brother, Roland, to take a look at the thorn fence to inspect how Calvin entered. He finds a gap and says it’s been tampered with for a long time. The staff find a memory plant – the same one used to suppress Nura and Becky’s magic by Becky’s mother. Feeling betrayed, she orders Roland to be taken to the cells. Becky confesses that she’s in love with Blade. A petal falls from the flower, releasing strong starlight magic. Blade is hurt and falls unconscious after confessing his feelings for Becky.

Keeley plans to rescue the captured guvre from King Benedict’s castle while the others head to retrieve a magic wand to help them enter the southern kingdom. Gideon follows Keeley to the palace to save the guvre. He likes Keeley but senses that she’s hiding something. He confronts her with letters he found. She tells him they’re not from the king but from her father, who abandoned her as a child. The female guvre breaks free from her cage. Gideon and Keeley let it fly away. Gideon questions Keeley about the Villain’s orders. She tells him she got them through Marv, the doorman and second-in-command. Gideon realizes he’s the one who’s been sending notes to Lyssa to release their father and let intruders in. He and Keeley kiss.

The group visits Lord Fowler, the Villain’s old friend. He agrees to trade the magic wand if the group attends his party. The Villain and Evie kiss again, but Evie tells Trystan to find her when he can claim her without hesitation. Tattiana, Clare, and Alexander find a library with Lord Fowler’s rarest collections. Among them, they spot the wand. They escape the library and end up in a room where Trystan and Evie are sleeping. Lord Fowler catches them leaving and says the wand broke a long time ago. Half he kept, half he turned into a pair of slippers and gifted them to Trystan’s mother – Amara. Both parts are needed for the magic to work. 

Trystan reaches out to Tattianna’s father, Jellyfish Jones, to take them to his home, Benevolent Village, by sea. On board, Trystan calls Evie his accomplice. She’s pleased with the promotion.

Becky gets in touch with Trystan and informs him about Blade’s condition. She wishes he hadn’t sent Keeley and the Malovelent Guard to the palace. Trystan tells her it wasn’t his order. Lyssa and Becky face the male guvre when he tries to escape. They get on its back and are transported somewhere with a huge nest and eggs that haven’t hatched. Blade rescues them with Fluffy and takes them back to the manor.

How did Accomplice to the Villain end? Accomplice to the Villain summary

When the group docks, they are greeted by Arthur, Trystan’s father. He takes them home. Amara agrees to hand over the magical slippers and her housemaid Winnifred to enter the southern kingdom where the enchantress, who is also Winnifred’s mother, is held captive by Alexander’s parents. Alexander’s parents don’t believe the story and turn the enchantress into stone. Amara walks in, helping capture Trystan and Evie for King Benedict. Arthur dies protecting Evie and reveals that Trystan is not his blood. Blade comes to their rescue with Fluffy. By now, Alexander is a regular frog.

When Gideon and Keeley reach the manor, they see office workers’ heads strung up and the Valiant Guards inside. Keeley fights while Gideon looks for his mother. His father, Griffin, has her tied up and uses the plant to consume what’s left of her starlight magic. He takes the plant and flees.

The group returns to the manor where King Benedict uses the plant to transfer Trystan’s magic to Evie. Trystan is Amara and Benedict’s illegitimate son. When the magical specialist found what Evie was at birth, her parents, the King’s friends, begged to free her of it. So, the King had the magic siphoned and gave it to Trystan, the son he always wanted. That made Trystan the heart of the true prince and Evie the villain. King Benedict escapes. Trystan promises Evie they’ll save the kingdom. Alexander returns to his human form.

There you go! Thanks for reading this recap of what happened in Accomplice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer. We hope you enjoyed this Accomplice to the Villain summary with spoilers.

Special thanks to Erica for providing this Accomplice to the Villain summary! Check her out on Instagram at @itsneverthelastchapter or on her book blog or her personal blog.

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Special thanks to Erica for providing this Apprentice to the Villain summary! Check her out on Instagram at @itsneverthelastchapter or on her book blog or her personal blog.

Author
Hannah Nicole Maehrer

Ratings
4.4 stars on Amazon
4.1 stars on Goodreads
Add Apprentice to the Villain at Goodreads.

Assistant to the Villain Series:
#1 Assistant to the Villain (recap)
#2 Apprentice to the Villain (this page)
#3 Accomplice to the Villain (recap)
#4 Adversary to the Villain (synopsis)

***** Everything below is a SPOILER *****

What happened in Apprentice to the Villain?

Your Apprentice to the Villain summary:

The Villain is captured by King Benedict. The king orders a Showing to portray the Villain as the reason for the Mystic Illness that plagued the kingdom. While trying to escape, the Villain sees his assistant Evie Sage’s dead body. He is broken and doesn’t fight back anymore. One of the knights tells him to have hope, but the Villain doesn’t understand. He is brought before the people, accompanied by his father, Arthur. Evie’s body is displayed to the people in a coffin, and the king blames the Villain for it.

Evie wakes up and rescues him with the help of his Malevolent Guard, his sister Clare, Becky (the HR head), and Blade (the dragon trainer). They rescue the Villain and bring him back to Massacre Manor. Evie tells him that he could fulfill the Rennedawn story before the king and seize hold of the kingdom. Her mother’s letters, which her brother Gideon gave her, stated that they needed the guvres, the Villain (a good man turned evil), and her starlight magic. A rhyme in the letters hinted at retrieving dust that made wishes come true, which could be found in the caves below the kissing oaks. 

When they reach the place, the creature talks about a missing piece in its sky due to human greed and how the book about saving Rennedawn was written to protect it from its predicted future of fading magic. It hands Evie a vial of stardust from the sky to guide her, calling her the daughter of wishing stars, and invites her to return to see the stars at night.

Outside the caves, they are ambushed by the Valiant Guard. One of them is Gideon. Gideon was also the knight who had tried to calm the Villain down in the palace after he saw Evie’s dead body. They accept him into their group. During the fight with the Valiant Guard, Evie can suddenly see the Villain’s magic. He is shocked and realizes his magic is weakening.

A guard alerts Becky that a door in the manor has suddenly become visible. Over the next few days, more parts start becoming visible, making them tense.

The Villain and Evie use the stardust on her mother’s letters. The dust transforms the letters into a glass map with the Heart Village marked by a 5-pointed star. The Villain, Evie, Clare, and Tatianna make their way there.

In Heart Village, the Villain and Evie are captured by her cousin, Helena. Helena holds Evie and the Villain captive. While struggling to escape, they share a moment of panic, wondering if they’re going to die. Evie asks the Villain to kiss her, but, believing she’s under duress because of the flowers she smelled earlier while entering the village, he refuses without explanation. Evie is mortified. Clare, Kingsley, and Tattiana rescue them just in time. Helena tells her cousin that she never intended to hand them over to the king. It’s because of him that her theatre is losing its magic too. Helena also confirms that Evie’s mother, Nura, had visited the village briefly. She wasn’t quite herself, probably grief-stricken from killing Gideon, whom she didn’t know was alive. Helena hands a small pouch that Nura left for Evie. When Evie opens it back at the manor, she finds the edge of a gold frame that’s in her old house.

The Villain sets out for Evie’s village to find the frame. He forbids Evie from going along, fearing for her safety. But ends up finding her questioning a frame seller about Nura. When she doesn’t get answers, she suggests they head to her house to look for the frame. The Villain and she kiss. They are interrupted by his brother, Malcolm. He’s been staying in the house since the villagers burned his bar down after they learned about this relationship with the Villain. He recognizes the frame and shows them the portrait. There are two women in it in an open field, and it’s signed JJ. 

Evie interrogates her father in the holding cell about the women in the frame. He reveals that one woman is Nura and the other is her best friend, Renna Fortis. Evie’s father also tells her to question Gideon, who is responsible for what happened to Nura. Gideon confesses that when he was 12, he thought he had caught the plague. But it was actually his powers that were coming through. He has the power to suppress other powers. His father told him to keep it a secret. He always wanted to be a Valiant Guard at the palace. So when the king met him, he felt thrilled. His father told him that Nura’s powers, after giving birth to Lyssa, were too strong and dangerous for her well-being. So while she slept, he had to suppress them. He didn’t realize that his father was colluding with the King. One night, Gideon fell asleep, and Nura woke up with her powers at their fullest glory.

The Fortis Fortress is inaccessible to anyone without a key. Becky reveals she can access it because Renna Fortis is her mother. The Villain is thrown into a pit by Becky’s brothers to survive a test by the Hands of Destiny.

During this test, the Villain is put through excruciating pain and torture with fake-real scenarios, but Evie rescues him. Hands of Destiny tells him that Evie was meant to meet him. She was meant to be his downfall, and he was her undoing. During the rescue, he realizes he might be in love with Evie.

After the test, the Villain recovers from exhaustion. Evie confesses she’s in love with him. He doesn’t say anything back.

While they are sparring, she kisses him. The Valiant Guard arrives, and a fight ensues. The Villain is unable to control his magic, but Evie is. He’s worried that without his magic, he won’t be able to fight King Benedict or protect Evie. So he tells Evie to keep her distance. When heading back inside after the fight, they hear a loud scream. Evie recognizes it as her mother’s. The memory plant in Becky’s home was the one letting out the screams. When questioned, it’s revealed that Nura Sage had come for help. But Renna Fortis was aiding King Benedict in exchange for a cure for her ailing mother. They’ve been working to develop a hybrid plant between the memory plant and another rare flower to siphon magic to relieve overbearing power. She used the flower on Nura to siphon her magic away, but it consumed Nura, and only stardust was left. She hands Evie a crystal slab that Nura left for Evie and a vial of stardust she found when Nura died. Renna had been lying to them about Nura recovering and coming to meet them because she was already dead. Renna had also alerted the Valiant Guard of the Villain so he could be captured, leaving Evie and Becky to stay with her

How did Apprentice to the Villain end? Apprentice to the Villain summary

Back at the manor, the invisible barrier has broken, and the Valiant Guard storms the place.

When Trystan and the group reach the manor, they join the fight against the Valiant Guards. But the guards succeed in capturing the female guvre and injuring the male guvre. After the fight, they learn that Lyssa has been visiting her father in the holding cell, and he’s escaped.

Lyssa tells Evie that someone slipped her a note saying that her father wants to speak with her. Evie wonders who it could be.

Trystan informs Evie that Kingsley was once a human, and he’s been searching for an enchantress to turn him back from his frog form. His name was Alexander, the prince of the southern kingdom who died ten years ago. The Villain’s mother had turned him into a frog by mistake.

During a tea party, Lyssa drops the vial of stardust on the crystal, and it transforms into the color of the midnight sky, glowing brightly. Evie rushes with the Villain back to the kissing oaks. She hands the slab to the creature, who accepts it as the missing piece of its sky. It grants Evie a wish, turning the brightest wishing star in the sky she’d been seeing and wishing on all along back into Nura Sage.

They take Nura to Massacre Manor. She reveals that there are four, not three, objects to fulfill the prophecy. Gideon offers to go back to the palace to retrieve the magical storybook and figure out the missing object. Evie refuses. Gideon confides in her that he never got to her in time to give her the antidote to the death fruit Becky had given her, to help her play dead.

A week later, Keeley hands Gideon a page he had torn from the storybook. He realizes that Evie could be the unmasked villain with a blackened good heart – the fourth missing object to fulfill the prophecy of Rennedawn.

There you go! Thanks for reading this recap of what happened in Apprentice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer. We hope you enjoyed this Apprentice to the Villain summary with spoilers.

Special thanks to Erica for providing this Apprentice to the Villain summary! Check her out on Instagram at @itsneverthelastchapter or on her book blog or her personal blog.

Ready to read or reread Assistant to the Villain, Apprentice to the Villain, Accomplice to the Villain, or Adversary to the Villain? Click to buy and help us pay for hosting! (paid links)

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Special thanks to Erica for providing this Glorious Rivals summary! Check her out on Instagram at @itsneverthelastchapter or on her book blog or her personal blog.

Author
Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Ratings
4.1 stars on Amazon
4.07 stars on Goodreads
Add Glorious Rivals at Goodreads.

The Grandest Game series
#1 The Grandest Game (recap)
#2 Glorious Rivals summary (this page)
#3 The Gilded Blade (synopsis)

***** Everything below is a SPOILER *****

What happened in Glorious Rivals?

Your Glorious Rivals summary:

The players proceeding to phase 2 are Lyra, Grayson, Brady, Rohan, and Savannah.

Lyra carries the trauma of her biological father kidnapping her from preschool before committing suicide. She’s determined to find out how “a Hawthorne did this”, his last words, relate to her father’s death and to win the prize money to save Mile’s End, her home. Whoever wins the game gets 26 million dollars.

Grayson Hawthorne is attracted to Lyra, and it’s clear to everyone. The other players know he’ll protect her and let her win if he has to. His brothers, Nash and Jameson, warn him to stay away from her because she might be a threat. Grayson tells Nash that someone sponsored Lyra’s ticket to the game and she might not be the only one sent here. 

There’s a threat on the island who is leaving cryptic notes for her about her father. Nash tells Grayson to ensure Lyra is not like Eve, their uncle – Toby Hawthorne’s biological daughter.

Everyone has collected clues from the first game that will be useful in Phase 2. They include a sword (each team has one), Lyra has Odette’s opera glasses, and Savannah has a chain she wears on her waist and her twin sister’s marker.

Phase 2 is about the fastest. Each clue leads to the next, and teams have to make a digital entry on a tablet. It begins with a dart and engraved glasses as clues. Grayson and Lyra crack the puzzle leading to the helipad. Savannah and Rohan beat them. Lyra and Grayson solve it next and find a calla lily flower while leaving with the next clue. Lyra wonders if the game makers are toying with her or if there’s someone else on the island. Grayson suspects Brady Daniels, as he was close behind. But he reveals that he’s here for Calla Thorp. 

The next clue leads them to a clock in the house. In the clock, they find a music box with notes of a waltz and a tango, and a marble flower that looks like a calla lily. It was the same song from Phase 1 – Clair de lune.

In Phase 1, Odette drew a calla lily after Lyra remembered an omega symbol and heard her say, “A Hawthorne did this.” Grayson assures her that neither his family nor Avery knows about what the calla lily means to her. Lyra removes the velvet cover from the box, revealing an infinity or an eight. They climb onto the boathouse to figure out the clue. She spots something in the forest, so Grayson goes to check it. In the meantime, Eve makes an appearance. She tells Lyra to break Grayson’s heart; in return, she will give her money and information from confidential files and a billionaire’s List of enemies that Tobias Hawthorne made. Lyra considers the offer.

Jameson tells Rohan that Lyra is a threat and to do something about it. Rohan agrees if Jameson helps him in return. 

He and Savannah search Brady’s room. Rohan finds another photograph of Calla Thorp with a bow – the same picture but newer than the one he had stolen from Brady at the beginning of the game. Savannah holds the worn-out photograph against the fire, and a message appears: Do exactly as I say. The next one said, The game must go on. Ensure that it does.

Gigi was deemed to have run away with a boat after Phase 1. In reality, she was held captive by a man named Slate, working for Eve. After he kidnaps her, a man named Jackson comes to her rescue and agrees to take her back to the island by boat. He lets her stay in his shack until the next day. When she wakes up, he is nowhere to be found. She finds his boat. On the boat, she meets Slate again – who reveals his full name to be Mattias Slater. A third person knocks them out. When they wake, she comes face to face with Eve. They’re all bound. A person in red appears and reveals that she’s using Gigi as bait. Their captor reveals herself to be Zella, Rohan’s competition to own The Devil’s Mercy. Zella says she needs the Grandest Game to go on, and Eve’s interference threatened that, so she had to kidnap her too. Zella was Brady’s sponsor.

At midnight, the players are taken to a yacht in the middle of the ocean. Lyra tells Grayson about Eve. Grayson gathers up his family and relays the same information. He asks about Alice. Jameson stresses letting it go. When Grayson doesn’t, Jameson tells the truth about how he was kidnapped in Prague after following a map their grandfather left. His memories are blurred, but he remembers having tea with Alice, who called him “dear boy” and made it clear that she had to stay dead. After the incident, he told Avery, but they never looked for answers or her again. They think Alice could be the one who sponsored Brady based on his reaction to the calla lily they had found on the helipad. But Avery sent Brady a ticket, unless Alice got to him way before she had. They can’t understand why their grandmother would care about the grandest game now. Avery is against calling off the game. Nash takes off to check on his wife, Libby, and his kids.

On the deck, Savannah and Rohan find dozens of champagne bottles, a hot tub, and a pool. Rohan picks a bottle with a blank label. After dunking it in the hot tub, the label reveals an infinity symbol. The symbol is the same as the one on the dress Avery wore when they arrived and on their room keys. He spots luminescent letters on the champagne flute Savannah had brought from the island. The letters spelled night. They agree to trick Brady into slowing down while Rohan figures out the clue. Brady tells Savannah that his sponsor knows where her father’s body is buried and has proof of what really happened to him. All she had to do was eliminate Rohan from the game. Rohan overhears the conversation and anticipates Savannah’s betrayal. But it never comes.

Grayson informs Alisa Ortega about Eve and asks about Gigi. She tells him she hired Knox Landery, a player from Phase 1, to look for her. Rohan and Lyra figure out that infinity is not a symbol but a mask. On the mask, they find words inscribed  – time signatures. 

A helicopter arrives to take the players back to the island. This time, it’ll only be clue after clue to the end. The man flying the helicopter is Toby Hawthorne, now Tony Blake. Toby loved Avery like a daughter because he loved her mother, Hannah. Eve was Toby’s real daughter, but she was envious of Avery. They were so focused on Alice that they missed that Eve had sponsored Savannah to ruin Avery when she wins, revealing her as a killer on a livestream. Toby directs Grayson to tell Savannah that it was he who killed her father, Sheffield Grayson, even though he didn’t; neither had Avery. Toby had permitted Avery to host the game on the island to give people this lifetime experience. He had protected Hannah and Avery from Tobias Hawthorne. Kaylie, Hannah’s sister, had died in the fire he had caused.

Rohan and Savannah make it to the mansion and to the door with a dial. The three tunes are numbers: 34, 34, 98. They enter a marble door, and a 5-minute timer begins. Brady had solved the puzzle first. They each take a pouch and a charm. In the pouch, they find a compass with an inscription inside.

Grayson tries to keep Lyra focused on the game, instead of Alice, for her safety. Grayson and Lyra find another hint on the wall that the others missed. The clue is an idiom. 

Rohan and Savannah crack it, they kiss. The clue points towards the burned forest. They catch up with Lyra and Grayson. Grayson tries to reason with Savannah that Eve is lying to her, but she ignores him.

Grayson tells Lyra and then Savannah about how their father, Sheffield Grayson, had planted a bomb on a jet that put Avery in a coma after losing someone in the Hawthorne Island fire years ago. He held Toby (Tony) responsible and believed Avery was his daughter. When the bomb didn’t kill her, he held her hostage and threatened to shoot her in front of Toby (Tony) in revenge for their cousin Colin’s death. But Savannah is angry that the Hawthornes let her mother believe that Sheffield was living a tax-evading life in the Maldives.

Meanwhile, Rohan and Lyra find the next clue near a tree. They unearth a plaque with another riddle. Lyra and Grayson miss a gap under the plaque where the dart they received initially would fit. Rohan runs back to his room to retrieve the dart. He finds Brady in his room with his dart. Rohan pickpockets another photograph of Calla Thorp from his pocket. The message reads – one of three. It’s time. He returns to Savannah, who uses her dart, then asks her to follow him to the ruins. There, he breaks their alliance.

Another woman in red appears after Zella, demanding information. Eve tells her what Lyra said about calla lilies, omega and Alice Hawthorne.

Gigi recognizes the lady as Calla Thorp. Calla tells her she is born by design; Calla is no more, and she refers to herself as The Watcher. 

Zella returns to find out what The Watcher told them. She and Calla were sisters. Zella lets them go, with a clue for Gigi to go to a bar in town where someone working with the Hawthornes would help her.

Lyra and Grayson crack the clue – it was the first letters of each sentence that formed a code – ONLY AT NIGHT. Lyra and Grayson share a bed. In her sleep, she remembers her father’s suicide and a fresh memory – a woman in all black who makes her drink something. When she tells Grayson this, he connects it to Jameson’s encounter with Alice. Maybe the liquid she made them drink also made them forget. Grayson’s watch blinks, but he refuses to show it to Lyra. She realizes he’s been trying to manipulate her. On his watch, he receives a message from his brothers – O.M. Located, which meant Alisa found Odette. Lyra realizes that she is not a threat; Alice is. Lyra is a liability because she knows Alice is alive. That also made Odette a liability because she had told Grayson and Lyra about Alice in Phase 1. Lyra proceeds by herself to figure out the clue.

Rohan returns to the tree and the plaque. He pushes Brady enough, threatening to reveal he’s been corresponding with his sponsor, thereby breaking the rules. They fight, and Rohan leaves him unconscious. He takes away his and Brady’s dart. He spots a spiral tattoo on the inside of his arm. The tattoo spelt – Rohan must lose. It was not a temporary tattoo. It seemed like he had a sponsor even before he was picked by Avery. That meant the sponsor knew Rohan would be playing. The person who stood to gain from his loss was Zella, the Duchess, fighting to inherit the Devil’s Mercy.

He inserts the dart; this time, the plaque rotates. He retrieves his charm and signs the ledger. A spotlight lights up the sky with the words LIE. It doesn’t disappear when he returns the ledger. The clue leads the players to the docks, as that’s the shape of the word LIE read backwards. The next clue is on the underside of the dock. Savannah gives Rohan the photographs with messages left for Brady – her leverage. She also offers to give him the money he needs to own Devil’s Mercy. Savannah kisses Rohan this time, then leaves. 

Lyra agrees to play with Grayson, but he has to be honest with her. They see thousands of calla lilies floating towards the shore. A warning.

The second-to-last puzzle leads the players to the library. There, a hidden door opens, and a toll is required to pass to the next level. The charms the players collected throughout the game unlock another door. Savannah is the first to solve it and reach the final puzzle. Rohan follows, then Lyra and Grayson.

How did Glorious Rivals end?

LFor the final puzzle, they have to submit four dice, but only one player from each pair can do so, automatically making one person the winner. Rohan surrenders to Savannah. She wins. But when the screen appears to congratulate the winner, there are only empty chairs. No Hawthornes. Grayson immediately knows something is wrong. 

An announcement requests that they all gather on the helipad for extraction. The security informs them that Avery is AWOL. The players, except Brady, are taken to the yacht. Security heads back to look for him. 

Jameson is furious with Lyra and blames her. They find a note left by Avery that says not to look for her and that the press cannot find out about this. 

With Knox’s help, Gigi gets in touch with Alisa. She relates all events about her kidnapping and the woman in the red coat to Jameson, Grayson and Lyra. Jameson offers to pay Rohan anything to find Avery. He believes Zella knows something, based on what Gigi told him.

Jameson leaves for Prague. Alisa tasks Knox with finding Brady, who vanished from the island.

Gigi reunites with Savannah and apologizes for keeping the truth about their father a secret. Savannah feels bad about Avery being kidnapped. Rohan approaches them with a job for Gigi.

Grayson and Lyra meet with Odette at a hotel to gather information. She tells them about the Watcher, Hand, and Judge – Lily, Omega, Monoceros. Exclusively three women who answer to no one but themselves, but many answer to them. Odette reveals she had received a calla lily long ago – a warning. And if they’ve received hundreds, that means something very big is about to happen. 

Avery wakes up in a white room with no doors or windows but a very complicated maze on the wall.

There you go! That’s what happened in Glorious Rivals. We hope you enjoyed this Glorious Rivals summary with spoilers.

Special thanks to Erica for providing this Glorious Rivals summary! Check her out on Instagram at @itsneverthelastchapter or on her book blog or her personal blog.

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Special thanks to Chinesebun for providing this A Fate Forged in Fire summary!

Author
Hazel McBride

Ratings
4.2 stars on Amazon
3.7 stars on Goodreads
Add A Fate Forged in Fire at Goodreads.

Bonded to Beasts Series
#1 A Fate Forged in Fire (this page)
#2 A Queen Crowned in Flames (synopsis)

***** Everything below is a SPOILER *****

What happened in A Fate Forged in Fire?

Your A Fate Forged in Fire summary:

In the land of Erisocia, Aemyra is the daughter of Draeven, a branch prince of the royal family, Clan Daercathian. Draeven was not in line for the throne years ago. According to lore, the Goddesses are all women, and a matriarchy must rule Tir Teine, the kingdom of fire. However, in a hundred years, no daughter has been born, and so royal Daercathian men rule instead. When Aemyra was born, her father knew she would be killed by the ruling king. Aemyra has trademark green eyes and red hair as a royal and has to hide her hair. At birth, her mother died, and Aemyra was taken away and raised by adoptive parents alongside her brother Adarian and her adoptive family’s younger son Lachlann. Orlagh, their adoptive mother, has an apothecary and Padraig, their father, is a blacksmith. The twins help with both businesses while waiting for Draeven to make his move and establish Aemyra as his heir. 

Everyone in their makeshift family is a Duileach, a rare person blessed by the Goddesses with the ability to control an element. There are five kingdoms total in Erisocia, each with its own line of Duileach able to control elements. Tir Teine is the fire kingdom. Duileach can also Bond beasts in a symbiotic relationship, granting them more power. In each Kingdom, people can bond different beasts. Tir Teine has dragons, phoenixes, chimaera, firebirds, and other beasts associated with fire, but the kingdom of air has griffons and pegasi, and so on. Once Bonded, due to a treaty, Duileach cannot leave their respective kingdom. Two hundred years ago, there was a big civil war to claim the centermost kingdom, and many magical beasts died.  Around a hundred dragons died in the civil war. Only three are left, and they are all male. Aemyra knows the ruling king, who is Bonded, is old, ill, and rumored to be mad. She plans to wait for him to die and then Bond his dragon Kolreath and take her place as Queen. 

Prince Evander is the crown prince of Tir Teine, and his younger brother is Prince Fiorean. Prince Fiorean comes to the blacksmith shop to pick up a commissioned sword. It is very beautiful with a large garnet, but its ornamentation makes it unwieldy for combat. Aemyra is jealous that her brother was commissioned for a sword while she was forced to make armor, so she makes pointed comments about the sword. Prince Fiorean is also very handsome. He chooses not to engage. 

Aemyra and her brother go to a bar after work. Aemyra is attracted to her friend, the bartender Sorcha, and flirts with and kisses her. Some priests of the Chosen religion are also there and comment that Sorcha should focus on giving birth as a woman, not a relationship with another woman. Aemyra gets into a bar fight over Sorcha and defending the Goddesses. The True Religion is a religion that upholds patriarchy and denounces women and magic. One kingdom, Tir Uir, has already fallen to the Chosen priests. After leaving the bar, Aemryra and Adarian encounter a play where lore about Draeven, the treaty keeping Bonded in kingdoms, and more is revealed. There is an unBonded wild black dragon called the Terror who is presumed dead after being chased away by the King. 

The next morning, Aemyra goes to the Goddess grove and sees it was destroyed by the Chosen priests. An attacker captures her, but it’s just Draeven in disguise. He lectures her about keeping up with her swordwork and queenly studies. He has people in place for a coup. They go to the fire Goddess temple, and people swear to her as their queen. 

The king finally dies, and Aemyra upends the funeral at the temple by appearing and declaring herself queen with the support of the priestesses. The royal family is astounded and angry. They request a treaty during which the king will be mourned, and succession decided after. Aemyra goes to claim the king’s dragon but finds Fiorean and a drunk Evander in the woods. The dragon accepts neither her nor Evander and flies away. 

Aemyra returns, defeated, and Draeven chastises her. In the night, the Covenanters/Chosen attack the temple, driving her and Draeven out of the capital to Penryth, a city on an island her father holds as his inheritance. While fleeing, Aemyra fights Fiorean and Evander, who has Bonded Kolreath. Draeven plots to gain allies to support Aemyra’s claim, ordering her to stay out. Instead, she goes with her brother to a village that was attacked by Covenanters and finds the Terror. She Bonds the Terror, who turns out to be female, and names her Terrea.

Aemyra’s father returns from negotiations and reveals that her adoptive family was burned to death by Fiorean for harboring her. She sneaks out on Terrea to find and kill Fiorean, but is captured instead. She is forced to marry Fiorean, to solidify her power in the ruling branch’s line and to legitimize her as a princess, but not a queen. Fiorean is supposed to bed her during the wedding, but instead of raping her, he shakes the bed while others listen outside and cuts and bleeds his hand onto the sheets as evidence of virginity. Aemyra plays politics, plotting an escape while Evander, the new king, slowly goes mad. Her food and water is drugged with a potion that stops her from using her fire powers. There are four royal sons, including Evander, and all are now married. Between the three prior married brothers, there are around 10 small children, but two died after Aemyra arrived, and the family blames her for “poisoning” them even though she was nowhere near. By avoiding food, Aemyra doesn’t ingest any more potion and her powers briefly return, but she is weak from lack of food. Aemyra has a failed escape attempt and reveals she is Bonded by exhibiting great power. The priests assume it is a hatchling and try to make her call her dragon so they can command it. They reveal Orlagh is alive, and so is Sorcha, now a prisoner. Aemyra promises to call her dragon to save them, but the captain of the guard kills Orlagh anyway. Aemyra fights the captain and is wounded. Terrea appears and kills some people but flies away at Aemyra’s command. Fiorean stitches Aemyra’s wounds and reveals he does not really communicate with his dragon, but just try to control Aervor. His dragon killed Aemyra’s adoptive family because he could not control it. 

With this, Aemyra finds herself growing sympathetic to Fiorean. Fiorean’s birthday arrives, and there is a dance. At the dance, a lord tries to force her to dance. He injures her, but Fiorean appears and cuts off his hand for hurting her. He does not want her to be powerless, so he gives her a dagger. She turns on Fiorean and dares him to explain why she should spare him. Fiorean reveals he believes Kolreath, the king’s dragon, is driving Evander mad. He has bonded with too many over the years, and his mind is unraveling. Also, Fiorean knows women are mistreated in the kingdom ruled by the Chosen, and that is why all of his brothers have married women from that kingdom, to rescue them and bring them and their households to Tir Teine. And it was an accident that his dragon killed her family, who was fighting to escape. Aemyra kisses Fiorean. 

Aemyra and Fiorean grow closer together. He gives her food and water without the potion and lets her keep the dagger. Fiorean takes her outside the castle via a secret passageway, and Aemyra helps him connect more with his dragon, Aervor, growing to know him more rather than using him as a power source. Terrea appears, wanting to rescue Aemyra, and fights Aervor, forcing him to surrender to her. Aemyra begs Fiorean to join her, but he won’t turn against his family. He does believe she may be better for the kingdom, though. He tells Aemyra her father is marching toward the capital to claim it with an army. Fiorean also reveals that his father abused him and his mother as part of his madness. He has a scar on his face, which he hides with his hair. Fiorean also admits he is very attracted to Aemyra. They have sex. 

 Aemyra uses her healing skills learned from Orlagh to help cure the royal children. It turns out they are being poisoned, but by whom? Also, Draeven has spies in the castle, and Aemyra is able to reach the kitchen to get and receive messages. Her father wants her to bide her time in the castle and set it up to fall. 

Aemyra returns to her room one day to find the Chosen Priest there. Priests use another secret passageway to kidnap her and attempt forced sterilization to prevent more Duileach from being born. Fiorean intercedes and rescues her. She kills the captain of the guard, who was also a participant, with Fiorean’s blessing. 

How did A Fate Forged in Fire end? A Fate Forged in Fire summary

Fiorean comforts her after her traumatic experience. With this new monstrosity, he is on her side. He arranges to help her escape through the secret passage they used earlier to visit the dragons and calls Aemyra his queen. He also releases Sorcha himself. Aemyra returns to her father with their plans. Aemyra promises her father will not attack the army amassing afield to defend the capital from Draeven, and Fiorean promises he will not attack Draeven’s forces either. Draeven does not trust Fiorean, thinking Aemyra fell for a man and pretty face, and asks Aemyra to kill him. Sorcha saltily implies Aemyra was busy having fun with Fiorean and is not committed to the war. Aemyra tells her father regardless of Fiorean, they must take the capital, so they decide to trust her plan. Aemyra, Terrea, Draeven, and Geallach, Draeven’s dragon, will fly to the capital to take it with their army marching behind, and Fiorean will cause the guard to stand down and his dragon will join theirs. When Aemyra arrives, the capital is held by Covenanters, who fight her army. Kolreath and Evander fight Draeven and Geallach. Kolreath and Gealleach are badly injured, but Evander is killed. Aemyra and her father storm the capital with no dragons to oppose them. But when they enter the throne room, Fiorean is on the throne. He blames Aemyra for Draeven’s forces far away killing his when they were each supposed to stand down. Fiorean also reveals Draeven was probably behind the poisoning of the children after all. They caught one of Draeven’s spies doing it.  Aemyra turns on Draeven, who admits he could not resist Fiorean’s vulnerable forces. A new chemical, a rejection agent, is released, stopping Aemyra from accessing her powerful magic. Adarian is hurt badly in his leg. Aemyra, Adarian, and Draeven are forced to flee. Aervor does not pursue their army because he submitted to Terrea as his matriarch, but the Covenanter army is not far behind. Aemyra swears a blood oath to kill Fiorean for betraying her, and it ends on a cliffhanger. 

There you go! That’s a recap of what happened in A Fate Forged in Fire by Hazel McBride. We hope you enjoyed this A Fate Forged in Fire summary with spoilers.

Ready to read or reread A Fate Forged in Fire or A Queen Crowned in Flames? Click to buy and help us pay for hosting! (paid links)

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If you have additional suggestions for no-spice teen romance books on Kindle Unlimited, please leave a comment. I’m always on the lookout!

About this list:

The books on this list do not contain spicy scenes and, at the time of this writing, are available on Kindle Unlimited. If that sounds like something you’re looking for, then this list is for you.

(**Yes, these are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. We don’t make much money on these, but we do make enough to pay for the hosting on this growing website. Thank you!**)

Our suggestions for no-spice teen romance books on Kindle Unlimited:

My Favorite Color is The Golden Hour by Eva Austin

A 2026 Teen Readers’ Choice Award Finalist!

A super-cute childhood best friends turned enemies teen romance book on Kindle Unlimited. Try all the My Favorite Color novels! (The only one not in KU is free on the author’s website.)

Read now on KU

Teaching the Teacher’s Pet by Sarah Sutton

A sweet high school romance between a mathlete and a jock. Try all of Sarah Sutton’s books!

Read now on KU

Rival Darling by Alexandra Moody

High school hockey romance for teens.

Read now on KU

If We Say Goodbye by Jasmine Little

Heavier than most I read. Romance through grief.

Read now on KU

The Fill-in Boyfriend by Kasie West

A fun fake-dating romance for teens.

Read now on KU

*Kasie West now writes steamy books for adults under the same name. This one is clean, but choose her titles with care.

Where We Went Wrong by Anastasia Layne

A no-spice romance for teens full of miscommunication.

Read now on KU

What are Friends For? by Sarah Sutton

A cute young adult friends-to-lovers romance.

Read now on KU

It had to be Mason by Emily Lowry

A no-spice summer YA romance on Kindle Unlimited.

Read now on KU

So not Happening by Jenny B. Jones

A diva who turns out to be so much more.

Read now on KU

The Songs We Sing by Kylie Key

A best friend’s brother young adult romance book on Kindle Unlimited.

Read now on KU

Please help us find more teen romance books on Kindle Unlimited!

We need your help. Please leave your additional suggestions in the comments!

If you’re searching for sweet teen romance books on Kindle Unlimited, there are more options than ever for readers who want emotional stories without heavy content. From small-town crushes and enemies-to-lovers banter to heartfelt coming-of-age moments, Kindle Unlimited makes it easy to discover new favorite authors and binge entire series. Many readers also look for young adult romance books on Kindle Unlimited that are appropriate for middle school and high school readers, making “clean” or “sweet” romance an especially popular category. Whether you love funny rom-coms, slow-burn relationships, or feel-good contemporary stories, there’s a clean YA romance waiting for you.

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• Clean books for teens and tweens (all genres)

The post Fun, no-spice teen romance books on Kindle Unlimited appeared first on Book Series Recaps.

Special thanks to Emily for providing this Shield of Sparrows summary!

Author
Devney Perry

Ratings
4.6 stars on Amazon
4.4 stars on Goodreads
Add Shield of Sparrows at Goodreads.

Shield of Sparrows Series
#1 Shield of Sparrows summary (this page)
#2 Rites of the Starling (synopsis)

***** Everything below is a SPOILER *****

What happened in Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry?

Your Shield of Sparrows summary:

Princess Odessa Cross of Quentis has spent her life fearing monsters and wondering when the next monster migration will occur. Though she is the oldest, her half-sister, Mea, is her father’s favorite. Mae has been preparing for her marriage to Zavier Wolfe, prince of Turah, for quite some time. Meanwhile, Odessa is betrothed to Banner, the captain of her father’s guard. They get along, but Odessa is not in love with him. The princesses have a younger brother named Arthalayus. 

When Prince Zavier arrives along with a man known as the Guardian, everyone is astonished when the Guardian says Prince Zavier will not marry Mae. They brought the bodies of seven marrowheels (sea monsters), fulfilling the Chain of Sevens, which allows them to choose the bride who will fulfill the Shield of Sparrows, a longstanding marriage contract between the different kingdoms. Prince Zavier will marry Odessa instead. Odessa’s father, King Roan, can do nothing because the Voster High Priest backs them. Prince Zavier and Princess Odessa will marry immediately.

That night, Odessa learns from her father that he orchestrated a crisis that would accelerate Mae’s marriage to Prince Zavier. Mae has been preparing to spy for him for a long time. She was to find a way into the city of Allesaria, learn about the Guardian’s powers, report back, and eventually assassinate the Guardian. Now, without knowing why, Odessa will have to do these things with very little training.

Odessa marries the prince with a signed magical treaty stating that neither of the newlyweds can kill the other without also dying. The treaty is signed in blood.

Odessa boards Zavier’s ship along with two of her lady’s maids, Brielle and Jossalyn, and they set sail for Turah. 

Odessa gets to know both Zavier and the Guardian—who, she later learns, is named Ransom—to some extent, though they are both infuriating. Her husband, Prince Zavier, never attempts to be near her. But, over time, Odessa begins to enjoy the newfound freedom of no longer being under her father’s thumb.

Monsters attack the ship, and after this, she insists on having a sword, so Ransom insists she take lessons. Odessa overhears Zavier tell Ransom that she will likely try to kill him, but that they should not harm her. “Something” is spreading. Odessa is aware that she’s a terrible spy.

When they make land, they travel on horseback toward Allesaria. Or so it seems. Eventually, Odessa realizes they are deliberately not taking her there because they don’t trust her. They encounter monsters on the way until they stop in a treehouse town called Treow. Zavier and Ransom come and go. Odessa spends time in the library learning more, and Ransom continues to train her when he can. Though he irritates her and she tries not to, she is slowly falling for him. She is intrigued by his ever-shifting eyes and inhuman speed.

When Ransom is not around, he assigns Tillia to train and “babysit” Odessa.

Time passes, and eventually the king arrives. Odessa is told to hide, and the king’s soldiers ransack the village and burn all the books in the library, including the ones she had in her room. 

Eventually, Odessa learns that Prince Zavier has a secret daughter called Evangeline. Odessa promises to keep his secret.

Odessa tries to sneak out and explore, but Ransom finds her. They are to travel back to Treow the next day, but a monster attack in the city prevents them from leaving. Ransom fights, and Odessa has an opportunity to kill him after the battle (fulfilling her father’s wishes), but she can’t. She doesn’t want to.

They relocate to Ellder, and Odessa settles into a new routine, spending a lot of time with Evangeline, who is quite sneaky and leads her to a hidden stash of books. Odessa also learns that maps are forbidden in this kingdom. 

From Ransom, Odessa learns that the monsters are infected with a disease called Lyssa that turns their blood green and makes them even more vicious. And Ransom has had it ever since he was bitten by a one-eyed bariwolf monster four years ago. It’s where he gets his super-human abilities, and the priest even siphons it from his blood occasionally. It will eventually kill him.

They agree that Odessa will help gather more information about the disease so that it hopefully won’t infect the monsters during the next migration. Ransom refuses to let her believe there is a cure.

Odessa joins Ransom to investigate a nearby city that was recently attacked. She finds a group of baby monsters, only one of which has survived after its mother was killed. Odessa keeps it and nurses it back to health after they confirm it does not have the disease. She calls it Faze.

They eventually run across the King on their travels, and he mysteriously tells Ransom that he has one month to return to the capital. 

When they return to Ellder, Odessa discovers Jossalyn having an affair with her husband, Prince Zavier. She sends Jossalyn home to her father and then finds out that Zavier is not actually her husband. Ransom is. And Ransom is the prince. Zavier is his body double and cousin. Also, although Evangeline considers Zavier her father, she is actually Ransom’s sister. Ransom’s mother, Luella, had an affair, and when the king found out, he killed her lover and nearly killed her. The king does not know about Evangeline, and Luella (the owner of the secret stash of books) is now in hiding. It takes a while, but Odessa finally forgives Ransom for all the lies. She was in love with him anyway.

Ransom confides that he believes Odessa’s father is trying to find a way to break the treaty so the kingdoms can fight over land.

They continue to hunt monsters and learn about them. One day after an attack, Odessa touches one of the priests. She can always feel his magic when he is near, but this time it causes her physical pain. He asks who her mother is. Later, Ramson wonders if there is something inside Odessa that draws the monsters to her. 

While Zavier and Ransom are out hunting monsters, Odessa encounters one of the king’s guards, who seems crazed and tries to kill her. Odessa slits his throat, revealing the green blood of someone infected with Lyssa. 

When healed, Odessa discovers that Ransom’s mother, Luella, created what is considered the start of Lyssa and gave it to Ransom as a child. It didn’t do anything right away, but years later, when the one-eyed beast bit him, it changed him. The combination of the two made him superhuman. She feels terrible and swears she will find a cure.

Unfortunately, when the king figured this out, he started running his own experiments. But he hasn’t been successful. He doesn’t know that the bariwolf bite was part of the process. The king is burning books because he knows people like Luella have gathered books and left notes in them, and he doesn’t want anyone else attempting to do what he is doing.

How did Shield of Sparrows end? Shield of Sparrows summary

 Ransom decides to go to his father to talk some sense into him. But before he can leave, King Ramsey arrives in Ellder with a legion. He wants to take back his wife, Luella. They seize her. Odessa’s lady’s maid, Jocelyn, has betrayed them.

Odessa’s ex-fiance, Banner, is there. He’s come to reclaim his fiancée, but Odessa soon realizes it’s not her. Banner came to collect her other lady’s maid, Brielle. 

But before the confrontation can continue, they are interrupted by a crux scout. Its arrival signals that the migration will begin soon. It wreaks havoc on the city, killing many, including Luella.

Odessa retrieves Luella’s most valued books and flees with Evangeline. Banner seeks to kill Odessa, and they fight, but Odessa’s training has paid off. She kills him, but not before he maims Zavier with a throwing knife. 

Ransom helps Odessa, Evangeline, and Faze escape the crux. He sends them on, giving Odessa his arm cuff, which hides a map. They are to go to Treow, and if he doesn’t return, they’re to leave Turah. Brother Dime leads them on their way, as Ransom is snatched up into the crux’s talons.

We jump to Ransom’s point of view. He wakes, learning that Ramsey has left, and Zavier is alive but near death. Most surprising of all, however, is that the now dead crux has mysteriously transformed into a human woman. She has the same red hair as Odessa.

There you go! That’s a recap of what happened in Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry. We hope you enjoyed this Shield of Sparrows summary with spoilers.

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-Sara & Stacy
Website owners

**This newsletter is part of the section of our website called “Clean YA Books for Teens, Tweens, or anyone.” Sign-up to receive our updates if you haven’t already! (This list is different from our general Book Series Recaps newsletter.)

Looking for clean books for teen Christmas gifts in 2025? I’ve got you covered.

A note from Sara:

Hello! I’m Sara, one of the owners here at Book Series Recaps, and I curate the clean book lists on this website. I’m also a writer and a part-time high school teacher.

If you and your kids are looking for clean book recommendations, I’ve got you covered.

In this newsletter, you’ll find:

• Eight hidden-gem books like Better Than the Movies (for teen and tween romance readers and school libraries)
• A few new titles I recently found
• Popular lists – New and Old

And you’ll find even more clean teen reads for young teens and older teens here: Clean YA Books for Teens, Tweens, or anyone.

Happy reading! -Sara

Eight hidden-gem books like Better Than the Movies (for teen and tween romance readers and school libraries)

Check out these romance titles I found: Books like Lynn Painter

Four new clean books for your spring break reading list:

Here are a few clean titles I recently found! Check out Hannah Stone’s sweet romance, The Space Between Our Hearts, The Secret Investigator of Astor Street by Stephanie Morrill, Clint Hall’s dystopian novel, Echo Nova, and If We Say Goodbye by Jasmine Little.

The Space Between Our Hearts by Hannah Stone

A sweet YA romance. No language, no spice.

From Goodreads: “Eighteen years. Dozens of houses. Not one place to call home.”

Take me to the synopsis.

The Secret Investigator of Astor Street by Stephanie Morrill

From Goodreads: “After high school graduation, Piper Sail isn’t quite sure what her future holds—until a possible murder case lands in her lap.”

Take me to the synopsis.

Echo Nova by Clint Hall

A male protagonist!
From Goodreads: “Dash Keane is about to become the biggest star in history.”

Take me to the synopsis.

If We Say Goodbye by Jasmine Little

A little heavier than the books I usually read. See synopsis.
From Goodreads: “It’s been three months since my brother’s car accident, and I’ve chosen to ignore the world around me.”

Take me to the synopsis.

Non-book gift ideas for the readers in your life

Eva Austin put together a cute list of gift ideas for all the avid readers in your life. Who knows, maybe you’ll find something to add to YOUR birthday wish list! Take me to the list…

Popular Book Lists:

Clean fantasy romance books 
Clean YA rom-com for teens
Best clean romance books for 12 to 16-year-old girls
No-spice Christmas romance for adults
Clean books for boys (or girls!)

Can’t find what you’re looking for? Check out our master list: Clean YA Books for Teens, Tweens, or anyone

More info for new subscribers:

Does it surprise you that thousands of parents, educators, and readers have signed up to receive clean reading suggestions from me, both on Book Series Recaps and other websites I manage? If you’re looking for clean reads for yourself or your kids, you’re not alone.

I haven’t been happy with some of the books big publishing companies are printing for teens, so I started searching in smaller publishing houses and from indie authors. I’ve found some great reads this way. Because of this, some of these may not be at your local library, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get them there. In fact, if you want your library to offer more clean books, you should request more clean books so they’ll know what their community wants. You can request books at your library on their website, in person, or over the phone.

Also, I’d love your feedback and suggestions. You can reply to your email or comment below with your recommendations. Keep in mind that I’m looking for more recent releases of clean books for teens.

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Until next time,
~ Sara and Stacy

The post Clean and wholesome teen books for spring break appeared first on Book Series Recaps.

But what if you want something with fewer mature themes and less language? Finding your next read can be tricky. Many romance novels lean toward older readers or include content that younger teen readers (and parents) would rather avoid.

The good news? There are plenty of hidden-gem YA rom-com authors writing delightful stories that capture the same charm. The books below deliver fun, humor, sweet romance, zero spicy scenes, and much less language, making them perfect for teens who want a lighthearted love story.

If you’re searching for books like Lynn Painter (but with less language…her novel Fake Skating has 200+ F-bombs!), then these authors deserve a spot on your reading list.

*Our site contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases….hey, we had to upgrade our hosting due to our amazing number of readers…we’re just trying to pay for it! ;)*

1. Eva Austin

If you enjoy the playful tone and relatable characters found in books like Lynn Painter, Eva Austin writes romantic comedies that hit the same sweet spot, but with zero language or innuendo.

Her stories focus on first love, awkward moments, and hilarious misunderstandings, all wrapped in a teen romance that feels authentic and heartfelt. Readers who enjoy charming settings, witty dialogue, and lovable protagonists will find Eva Austin’s books especially appealing.

Austin’s writing is perfect for readers looking for:

• funny YA romantic comedies
• enemies-to-lovers vacation romance
• lighthearted high school love stories

If you’re trying to find books like Lynn Painter but less widely known, Eva Austin’s no-spice stories are a wonderful hidden gem.

Check out her entire My Favorite Color series.
Get the first book in the series FREE on the author’s website…

2. Sarah Sutton

For readers who enjoy the sweet charm of books like Lynn Painter, Sarah Sutton writes romantic comedies that feel both cozy and uplifting.

Sarah Sutton’s books focus on:

• first crushes
• emotional growth
• high school romance vibes

Her stories have the same feel-good energy and humor that make Lynn Painter’s books so addictive.

They’re ideal for readers who want cute teen romance novels that are fun, funny, and wholesome.

3. Becky Dean

Another fantastic option for readers searching for books like Lynn Painter is Becky Dean.

Becky Dean writes romantic stories that blend humor, heart, and memorable settings. Her characters often find themselves in unexpected, faraway adventures that lead to friendship, self-discovery, and sweet romance.

Dean’s books are perfect for readers who enjoy:

• playful romantic tension
• quirky characters
• feel-good storytelling

Like Lynn Painter’s novels, Becky Dean’s stories balance comedy and emotion in a way that keeps readers smiling from beginning to end.

4. Katrina Emmel

If you’re looking for lesser-known authors similar to Lynn Painter, Katrina Emmel is another fantastic choice.

Emmel’s stories capture the excitement of first love and emotional growth, blending humor and heart in a way that feels authentic to teen life.

Her books often explore themes like:

• self-discovery
• friendships that turn into romance
• learning to take risks

Readers searching for clean YA romance books without spicy scenes will appreciate the gentle, heartfelt tone of Katrina Emmel’s writing.

5. Alexandra Moody

If you’re hunting for hidden-gem YA rom-coms, Alexandra Moody is an author worth discovering.

Moody specializes in fun, contemporary romance stories that capture the excitement and awkwardness of teenage relationships. Her books often feature classic rom-com tropes like:

• fake dating
• enemies-to-lovers
• unexpected crushes

Fans searching for books like Lynn Painter that are fun and funny but still wholesome will love Alexandra Moody’s style.

Her books are especially popular with readers who enjoy fast-paced romantic comedies and charming high school drama.

**This one has more language than I prefer, but it has no spicy scenes.

6. Kristy Boyce

Another author who writes books similar to Better than the Movies is Kristy Boyce.

Kristy Boyce’s YA romantic comedies are known for their adorable humor and clever storytelling. Her books often feature socially awkward protagonists navigating friendships, school life, and unexpected romance.

Readers who enjoy:

• nerdy or introverted main characters
• witty dialogue
• sweet slow-burn romance

will find Kristy Boyce’s books especially delightful.

Best of all, her stories maintain a lighthearted, clean tone, making them great for younger YA readers.

7. Kasie West

When people search for books like Lynn Painter, Kasie West is often one of the first authors recommended.

Kasie West is known for writing sweet, funny YA romances filled with charming characters and swoony but wholesome relationships. Her books frequently feature:

• relatable teenage dilemmas
• slow-burn crushes
• feel-good endings

Readers who love the humor and heart found in Lynn Painter’s romantic comedies will feel right at home with Kasie West’s writing.

Her stories are especially popular among readers who want clean YA romance novels without explicit scenes.

8. Chrissy Q Martin

Finally, readers searching for books like Lynn Painter (but without all the mature themes) should definitely check out Chrissy Q Martin.

Chrissy Q Martin is known for intergenerational books, many of which explore family relationships and learning to be brave.

Her books often include:

• meddling grandmas
• lovable friend groups
• humorous misunderstandings

Chrissy Q Martin’s writing delivers the same laugh-out-loud moments and sweet romantic tension that fans of Lynn Painter adore.

Why Readers Love Books Like Lynn Painter

The popularity of books like Lynn Painter comes from their perfect blend of humor and heart. These stories capture the excitement of first love while keeping the tone light, funny, and uplifting.

Readers especially appreciate that these romantic comedies:

• focus on emotional connection
• feature relatable teen characters
• include clever banter and awkward crushes
• deliver feel-good endings

The authors above—Eva Austin, Kasie West, Becky Dean, Alexandra Moody, Kristy Boyce, Katrina Emmel, Sarah Sutton, and Chrissy Q Martin—all create stories that deliver that same magical rom-com experience, but without all the language, innuendo, and mature themes.

If you’ve been searching for fun, funny YA romance novels without spicy scenes, these writers are some of the best hidden gems to explore.

Books similar to Better than the Movies

Finding books like Lynn Painter doesn’t have to mean rereading the same titles over and over. The YA romance world is full of talented authors writing sweet, hilarious, and heartwarming rom-coms that deserve more attention.

Whether you’re looking for a laugh-out-loud romantic comedy or a wholesome story about first love, these authors offer plenty of wonderful options.

So if you’re ready for your next feel-good read, start exploring these hidden-gem YA romantic comedies—you might just discover a new favorite author.

Want to explore related posts:
Clean YA books for teens, tweens, or anyone
Clean fantasy romance books for teens
Clean summer romance books for teens
Books like Better than the Movies
Romance books for 13-year-olds

Have Suggestions for more books like Lynn Painter?

If you know of any other books similar to Better than the Movies or Lynn Painter’s other titles, add them to the comments!

The post 8 Hidden-Gem Books Like Lynn Painter (Fun and funny YA rom-coms – but without all the language and innuendo) appeared first on Book Series Recaps.

Special thanks to Erica for providing this Alchemy of Secrets summary! Check her out on Instagram at @itsneverthelastchapter or on her book blog or her personal blog.

Author
Stephanie Garber

Ratings
4.3 stars on Amazon
3.9 stars on Goodreads
Add Alchemy of Secrets at Goodreads.

Immortal Dark Series
#1 Alchemy of Secrets summary (this page)
#2 Untitled (Goodreads page)

***** Everything below is a SPOILER *****

What happened in Alchemy of Secrets?

Holland St. James was raised on her father’s treasure hunts, which she loved. During her undergrad, she took Folklore 517: Local Legends and Urban Myths. During this class taught by a woman called The Professor, she learned urban myths. This class was exclusive to those who could crack the clues. They were not allowed to divulge the myths they learned about to outsiders. Holland breaks this rule on her third date with Jake when she follows a clue to the Watch Man, who can tell you the exact time you’re going to die. The next day, a man named Manuel Vargas, claiming to be from the First Bank of Centennial City, which seemed very familiar to another urban legend, shows up at Holland’s door. He hands her a package with no return address that was on her doorstep and tells her there’s a security box that’s been locked for 15 years and now belongs to her because the lease has expired. If she doesn’t claim it, it will be destroyed. Holland chalks it up to a hoax.

Holland is working on a thesis that links Hollywood deaths to deals with the devil. Adam Bishop is the new professor, replacing the Professor as her mentor. He strongly urges Holland to choose another topic to pursue, believing the Professor is a fraud. Holland is upset and more determined than ever to prove to him that the devil exists. If she can prove it, she also believes she can prove that her mother never intended to murder her father. She takes it as a challenge and follows another urban legend to the Hollywood Roosevelt, where, if you buy a sidecar cocktail for the devil, he will give you his business card, which can be used once for an appointment. While waiting, Jake calls and tells her he’s going to die in an hour, according to the Watch Man. Holland starts having nosebleeds and conversations that seem to be in her head alone. She wonders if finding the Watch Man has revealed the other urban legends to be true. She calls the bank and makes an appointment. The confirmation call mentions her father left the box for her. Holland calls her sister, Januar, but gets her voicemail.

Holland finds Jake dead outside his apartment. When she searches his apartment, she finds an envelope containing information about her and his assignment to be her perfect boyfriend. The Watch Man calls to warn her that she has 29 hours before she dies. She can save herself if she finds the Alchemical Heart. Gabe rescues her before she gets arrested for Jake’s murder and tells her that January sent him because she owed him a favor. He also tells her that it’s impossible to find the magic object. It reappears only on specific dates, and secret societies are hell-bent on destroying it, thereby destroying the power it bestows.

They head to the Professor’s house for help. But she’s missing, and the house is ransacked. Adam Bishop steps out from the Professor’s office and tells Holland that January sent him. She finds her sister’s business card in the house. Gabe and Adam argue over whom she should trust. Adam shoots Gabe, injuring him. Gabe shoots Adam but warns Holland that he won’t be dead for long. They escape to her house, where Holland opens the anonymous package she had received earlier. It’s the Professor’s journal, with detailed notes on each myth, including a chained book in a church that could be the Alchemical Heart. She realizes that January has secrets Gabe won’t reveal and that she knew the professor, Adam, and him because they all had the same tattoo. She finds letters from the First Bank of Centennial City addressed to her and January. To escape intruders at her house, she puts on January’s shoes and grabs her backpack. 

Holland finds a key to the Regal in January’s shoe. She goes to the bank on Halloween and is surprised to see that the Professor is the manager with the ability to read minds. She offers Holland an ability in exchange for her father’s box. Holland refuses and gives away Gabe’s location after the Professor tells her that he murdered his wife for an ability. Holland finds her father’s last missing script, which contains many clues. Outside the bank, her friend Eileen picks her up. While driving, Holland spots The Regal.

Inside, she meets Adam Bishop again and has a strange feeling of knowing for a long time, but doesn’t know why. She and Adam go to meet the Watch Man. There she tells him that her father was Ben Tierney, the famous filmmaker who was shot by his wife and her mother, Isla Saint. He gives Holland a few more pages of her father’s last missing script and tells her that Adam is the devil. Adam says he used to be, before his brother, Mason, took all their father’s power for himself. Holland has visions and wonders whether she’s seeing the future. They follow the clues in the script to the Jericho Monroe Entertainment. They visit her father’s old bungalow, now owned by his ex, Vic VanVleet, where they find the next clue.Following the clue, they head to the props studio. There, they find a chained book which they cannot unlock. They hide when Gabe appears. He opens the book and finds a pencil. Disappointed, he leaves. Holland understands the clue and heads to one of the houses from her dad’s films. Buried under a tree, they find a jar of dirt with a small scroll. Gabe appears again. Holland tries to run. He tells her the Bank lied about his story and that she should not trust Adam. He takes the clue. 

How did Alchemy of Secrets end? Alchemy of Secrets summary

Holland tells Adam they must go back to the Hollywood Roosevelt. Adam confesses that’s where his brother is trapped, thanks to him. At the Roosevelt, Chance, her best friend, shows her a picture of Adam with celebrities who died under mysterious circumstances. Adam hadn’t aged a day. Chance warns Holland to stay away from him. Following the last clue, she goes to a bowling alley. She meets Mason, Adam’s brother, and learns that he’s a ghost. He tells her they’ve had this conversation before because Holland keeps dying after quarter past midnight, stuck in a time loop. Adam is the one who always kills her. The outcome didn’t change whether she betrayed Gabe or Adam to the Bank. Holland pursues looking for the Alchemical Heart. She finds a chain in her sister’s backpack that joins her necklace. She wonders if this is it. Adam appears, using his ability to charm her, and kisses her. While kissing her, he takes off the necklace and stabs her in the back, then leaves.

Holland struggles to find a room, and as she pulls out the journal Manuel Vargas had handed to her, she feels electricity – a sign of magic. The book transforms into the same man. She’s found the Alechmical heart! First, she demands that Adam take Mason’s place and never leave the hotel or hurt anyone again. Next, she asks for an ability that will reveal itself in two weeks. Lastly, she does what her father had – tells the Alechmical Heart to go to the future. This is when she understands why it disappears and reappears years later; it’s because people sent it to the future. Holland returns to her life. The story ends with Mason handing her his business card and January calling her.

There you go! That’s a recap of what happened in Alchemy of Secrets by Stephanie Garber. We hope you enjoyed this Alchemy of Secrets summary with spoilers. Check out this deluxe limited edition!

Ready to read or reread Alchemy of Secrets. Click to buy and help us pay for hosting! (paid links)

Special thanks to Erica for providing this Alchemy of Secrets summary! Check her out on Instagram at @itsneverthelastchapter or on her book blog or her personal blog.

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Oh, and share this with your friends who might like to read an Alchemy of Secrets summary. More summaries of Stephanie Garber’s books…

**Did you find anything incorrect or missing from the recap? If so, leave a polite comment to let us know! We’re only human, after all!

The post Alchemy of Secrets summary with spoilers | Full recap appeared first on Book Series Recaps.