Wrecked by The Empyrean series? Dive Into the Magic, Betrayal, and Romance of Curse of Shadows and Thorns to take the edge off!

In the Northern Kingdom of Timoran, a land ruled by tradition and power, whispers of an ancient magic—a force that commands the very earth—begin to resurface. This magic, once thought to be a myth, could shift the balance of power forever. But as the kingdom teeters on the edge of war, a royal coup changes everything, thrusting a rebellious princess into a dangerous game of survival.

⚜️⚜️This book has Fae, Magic, Kingdoms, Castles, Kings, Queens, Abandonment, Betrayal, Undying Loyalty, Love, Loss, Family Dynamics, War, Gore, Battle. ALL OF THE THINGS.⚜️⚜️

🚨🚨Content Warning🚨🚨

Okay, first off, I want to preface this with… I have lived a bit of a different life, and with that has come some life experiences many will never endure. When I share a content warning, it is not because I am against the book itself—I am sharing for those who may have also experienced trauma and could possibly experience PTSD from the things shared.

Moving forward with that in mind… this book has one scene of a sexual manner that highlights consent, or lack of it. For for those who have experienced this… it may not be something they’d like to read. It is brief but that could still be too much for some..

My Initial Reaction 💖✨

My initial reaction to this book was actually one of overwhelm. There is a lot of information at the beginning—I found myself going back and re-reading to ensure I was getting everything right. Obviously, this means the amount of character building and storyline setup was fabulous. If you are like me, you will want to take some notes as you go. Just to be safe.

The Plot

A king’s niece—still a princess, but a second daughter and one who will never reign—who, until recently, had been given the chance to live as she pleased. Recklessly sneaking out of the castle and into the men’s gambling halls, where women are forbidden from being. Spending time in places where other royals would never be caught dead mingling.

No, Elise is not like the other princesses. She loves her people, no matter their title, and believes they all deserve a chance at a free life—but she is the only Timoran who thinks this way.

In fact, her older sister—the soon-to-be Queen—believes her to be downright weak for that mentality. Seemingly without a friend, Eli finds refuge in her two serf maids, Mavie and Siv. When Eli’s father, the king’s brother-in-law, falls ill—the King is put in charge of her dowry and the ultimate decision on who she will marry.

And In Comes Our Hunky Love Interest…🥰🥰🥰🩷

The heat between Legion Grey and Elise is nothing short of simmering in almost every scene. Her constant ability to blow his mind made her an instant intrigue for him—one he had to know more about. Traditional behavior be damned.

While required to follow her King’s demands, Elise begins to unravel larger truths about the stability of the kingdom and those who run it.

The story gains momentum fast, and before you know it, you find yourself sucked into a whirlwind of betrayal and hot, forbidden love that makes it so hard to put the book down and get anything done. Seriously. I still haven't done the laundry.

L.J. Andrews’ Talent as a Writer ⚜️

L.J.’s ability to weave such depth into the story so flawlessly truly needs to be noted.

I was absolutely BLOWN AWAY in the last few chapters of this book. Where other books usually lead up to a conclusion, this one had me on the edge of my seat until the very last damn page—and that is truly a 5-star talent.

STEAMY LEVEL🥵🥵🥵🥵

The steamy rating would be a sexy ol’ 7… feels like that could raise to an 8 or 9 as the story moves along though and I am so okay with that.

Photo is from the kindle version of the book. Before you even start reading... 🫠🥵🥵

The Series

This is a FULLY finished series with 9 books in total, available on Kindle Unlimited!

YES, That means NO WAITING to know what happens and I know more than a few of us need that at the moment.

📖 The Broken Kingdoms Series:

1. Curse of Shadows and Thorns

2. Court of Ice and Ash

3. Crown of Blood and Ruin

4. Trial of the Sun Queen

5. Rule of the Aurora King

6. Fate of the Sun King

7. Dance with the Fae Prince

8. House of Pounding Hearts

9. Throne of Broken Wings

This series weaves political intrigue, ancient magic, forbidden romance, and high-stakes adventure into a captivating fantasy world that will keep you hooked from start to finish.

With its rich world-building, unforgettable characters, and a slow-burning romance that keeps you on edge, Curse of Shadows and Thorns is an absolute must-read. If you’re craving a series that will keep you turning pages late into the night, buckle up—because once you start, you won’t be able to stop!

If you have thoughts about this review or just want to gush about this book with me, follow me on Threads and share what you loved! Let’s talk all things Curse of Shadows and Thorns—I’d love to hear your take! 💕📖✨ My Threads is @BlondeBookDiaries.