
Violet Made of Thorns
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed

Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $24.75
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Emily Woo Zeller
-
By:
-
Gina Chen
About this listen
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A darkly enchanting fantasy about a lying witch, a cursed prince, and a sinister prophecy that ignites their doomed destinies—perfect for fans of The Cruel Prince.
“Everything you want from an enemies-to-lovers fantasy starring morally gray characters.”—BuzzFeed
Violet is a prophet and a liar, influencing the royal court with her cleverly phrased—and not always true—divinations. Honesty is for suckers, like the oh-so-not charming Prince Cyrus, who plans to strip Violet of her official role once he’s crowned at the end of the summer—unless Violet does something about it.
But when the king asks her to falsely prophesy Cyrus's love story for an upcoming ball, Violet awakens a dreaded curse, one that will end in either damnation or salvation for the kingdom—all depending on the prince’s choice of future bride. Violet faces her own choice: Seize an opportunity to gain control of her own destiny, no matter the cost, or give in to the ill-fated attraction that’s growing between her and Cyrus.
Violet’s wits may protect her in the cutthroat court, but they can't change her fate. And as the boundary between hatred and love grows ever thinner with the prince, Violet must untangle a wicked web of deceit in order to save herself and the kingdom—or doom them all.
©2022 Gina Chen (P)2022 Listening LibraryListeners also enjoyed...
-
This Vicious Grace
- A Novel (The Last Finestra, Book 1)
- By: Emily Thiede
- Narrated by: Carlotta Brentan, Michael Gallagher
- Length: 13 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Three weddings. Three funerals. Alessa’s gift from the gods is supposed to magnify a partner’s magic, not kill every suitor she touches. Now, with only weeks left until a hungry swarm of demons devours everything on her island home, Alessa is running out of time to find a partner and stop the invasion. When a powerful priest convinces the faithful that killing Alessa is the island’s only hope, her own soldiers try to assassinate her. Desperate to survive, Alessa hires Dante, a cynical outcast marked as a killer, to become her personal bodyguard.
-
-
One of my Favorite YA Books of the Year
- By ReadandWander on 07-20-22
By: Emily Thiede
-
The Liar’s Crown
- Dominion (Owen), Book 1
- By: Abigail Owen
- Narrated by: Luis Moreno, Samara Naeymi
- Length: 14 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Everything about my life is a lie. As a hidden twin princess, born second, I have only one purpose―to sacrifice my life for my sister if death comes for her. I’ve been living under the guise of a poor, obscure girl of no standing, slipping into the palace and into the role of the true princess when danger is present. Now the queen is dead and the ageless King Eidolon has sent my sister a gift―an eerily familiar gift―and a proposal to wed. I don’t trust him, so I do what I was born to do and secretly take her place on the eve of the coronation.
-
-
DNF. So bad.
- By Mama Lewis on 02-05-23
By: Abigail Owen
-
The Drowned Woods
- By: Emily Lloyd-Jones
- Narrated by: Moira Quirk
- Length: 10 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Once upon a time, the kingdoms of Wales were rife with magic and conflict, and eighteen-year-old Mererid “Mer” is well-acquainted with both. She is the last living water diviner and has spent years running from the prince who bound her into his service. Under the prince’s orders, she located the wells of his enemies, and he poisoned them without her knowledge, causing hundreds of deaths. After discovering what he had done, Mer went to great lengths to disappear from his reach. Then Mer’s old handler returns with a proposition: use her powers to bring down the very prince that abused them both.
-
-
Hang in there..
- By Trice on 09-25-23
-
The Cruel Prince
- The Folk of the Air, Book 1
- By: Holly Black
- Narrated by: Caitlin Kelly
- Length: 12 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jude was seven years old when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King. To win a place at the Court, she must defy him - and face the consequences.
-
-
Mixed feelings . . .
- By S. E. on 03-09-18
By: Holly Black
-
These Hollow Vows
- By: Lexi Ryan
- Narrated by: Casey Holloway
- Length: 13 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Brie hates the Fae and refuses to have anything to do with them, even if that means starving on the street. But when her sister is sold to the sadistic king of the Unseelie court to pay a debt, she'll do whatever it takes to get her back—including making a deal with the king himself to steal three magical relics from the Seelie court.
-
-
A whole lot of nothing
- By Neriah Moore on 04-24-22
By: Lexi Ryan
-
House of Beating Wings
- The Kingdom of Crows, Book 1
- By: Olivia Wildenstein
- Narrated by: Olivia King
- Length: 15 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Until an oracle predicted my regal future, I'd never imagined myself rising above the curve of my round ears. After all, I was the magicless halfling loved by beasts but loathed by every pure-blooded faerie at court. Well...by all but one.
-
-
this main character is intensely immature 🙄
- By Anonymous User on 06-01-23
-
This Vicious Grace
- A Novel (The Last Finestra, Book 1)
- By: Emily Thiede
- Narrated by: Carlotta Brentan, Michael Gallagher
- Length: 13 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Three weddings. Three funerals. Alessa’s gift from the gods is supposed to magnify a partner’s magic, not kill every suitor she touches. Now, with only weeks left until a hungry swarm of demons devours everything on her island home, Alessa is running out of time to find a partner and stop the invasion. When a powerful priest convinces the faithful that killing Alessa is the island’s only hope, her own soldiers try to assassinate her. Desperate to survive, Alessa hires Dante, a cynical outcast marked as a killer, to become her personal bodyguard.
-
-
One of my Favorite YA Books of the Year
- By ReadandWander on 07-20-22
By: Emily Thiede
-
The Liar’s Crown
- Dominion (Owen), Book 1
- By: Abigail Owen
- Narrated by: Luis Moreno, Samara Naeymi
- Length: 14 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Everything about my life is a lie. As a hidden twin princess, born second, I have only one purpose―to sacrifice my life for my sister if death comes for her. I’ve been living under the guise of a poor, obscure girl of no standing, slipping into the palace and into the role of the true princess when danger is present. Now the queen is dead and the ageless King Eidolon has sent my sister a gift―an eerily familiar gift―and a proposal to wed. I don’t trust him, so I do what I was born to do and secretly take her place on the eve of the coronation.
-
-
DNF. So bad.
- By Mama Lewis on 02-05-23
By: Abigail Owen
-
The Drowned Woods
- By: Emily Lloyd-Jones
- Narrated by: Moira Quirk
- Length: 10 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Once upon a time, the kingdoms of Wales were rife with magic and conflict, and eighteen-year-old Mererid “Mer” is well-acquainted with both. She is the last living water diviner and has spent years running from the prince who bound her into his service. Under the prince’s orders, she located the wells of his enemies, and he poisoned them without her knowledge, causing hundreds of deaths. After discovering what he had done, Mer went to great lengths to disappear from his reach. Then Mer’s old handler returns with a proposition: use her powers to bring down the very prince that abused them both.
-
-
Hang in there..
- By Trice on 09-25-23
-
The Cruel Prince
- The Folk of the Air, Book 1
- By: Holly Black
- Narrated by: Caitlin Kelly
- Length: 12 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jude was seven years old when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King. To win a place at the Court, she must defy him - and face the consequences.
-
-
Mixed feelings . . .
- By S. E. on 03-09-18
By: Holly Black
-
These Hollow Vows
- By: Lexi Ryan
- Narrated by: Casey Holloway
- Length: 13 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Brie hates the Fae and refuses to have anything to do with them, even if that means starving on the street. But when her sister is sold to the sadistic king of the Unseelie court to pay a debt, she'll do whatever it takes to get her back—including making a deal with the king himself to steal three magical relics from the Seelie court.
-
-
A whole lot of nothing
- By Neriah Moore on 04-24-22
By: Lexi Ryan
-
House of Beating Wings
- The Kingdom of Crows, Book 1
- By: Olivia Wildenstein
- Narrated by: Olivia King
- Length: 15 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Until an oracle predicted my regal future, I'd never imagined myself rising above the curve of my round ears. After all, I was the magicless halfling loved by beasts but loathed by every pure-blooded faerie at court. Well...by all but one.
-
-
this main character is intensely immature 🙄
- By Anonymous User on 06-01-23
-
Curse of Shadows and Thorns
- The Broken Kingdoms, Book 1
- By: LJ Andrews
- Narrated by: Stina Nielsen
- Length: 10 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
As niece of the king, Elise Lysander cares about two things: sneaking into gambling dens, and avoiding an advantageous marriage at all costs. When her uncle holds the life of her deathly ill father over her head, reluctantly, Elise puts her fate into the hands of Legion Grey, the handsome and mysterious dowry negotiator. He may be arrogant and infuriating, but soon Legion incites a blistering, forbidden passion she can’t ignore.
-
-
Great concept, poor execution on the writing side
- By Kel on 11-24-22
By: LJ Andrews
-
Bring Me Their Hearts
- Bring Me Their Hearts Series, Book 1
- By: Sara Wolf
- Narrated by: Em Eldridge
- Length: 12 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Zera is a Heartless - the immortal, unaging soldier of a witch. Bound to the witch Nightsinger, Zera longs for freedom from the woods in which they hide. With her heart in a jar under Nightsinger's control, she serves the witch unquestioningly. Until Nightsinger asks Zera for a prince's heart in exchange for her own, with one addendum: If she's discovered infiltrating the court, Nightsinger will destroy Zera's heart rather than see her tortured by the witch-hating nobles.
-
-
Narrator was hard to listen to
- By Kara Grimmett on 05-25-20
By: Sara Wolf
-
The Unmarked Witch
- By: Miranda Lyn
- Narrated by: Jacci Prior
- Length: 13 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A land where witches wear their spells like tattoos is no place for a woman without a single magical mark—except for Raven, whose unblemished skin contradicts the truth of her power. Surviving under the scowls of her fellow witches has carved indelible scars into her mind over the years—just as the day she watched the Dark King's men murder her grandmother in cold blood. But the Dark King's reign of terror is far-reaching, and Raven's grandmother won't be the last witch to die under his rule.
-
-
Not Like Other Girls
- By OnlyPaid ReviewsStay on 10-04-22
By: Miranda Lyn
-
The Whispering Dark
- By: Kelly Andrew
- Narrated by: Nora Hunter
- Length: 14 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Delaney Meyers-Petrov is tired of being seen as fragile just because she's Deaf. So when she's accepted into a prestigious program at Godbole University that trains students to slip between parallel worlds, she's excited for the chance to prove herself. But her semester gets off to a rocky start as she faces professors who won't accommodate her disability, and a pretentious upperclassman fascinated by Delaney's unusual talents.
-
-
hauntingly beautiful dark academia
- By Kay Leyda on 01-23-23
By: Kelly Andrew
-
Defy the Night
- By: Brigid Kemmerer
- Narrated by: Christopher Ragland, Lexie McDougall
- Length: 12 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The kingdom of Kandala is on the brink of disaster. Rifts between sectors have only worsened since a sickness began ravaging the land, and within the Royal Palace, the king holds a tenuous peace with a ruthless hand. King Harristan was thrust into power after his parents’ shocking assassination, leaving the younger Prince Corrick to take on the brutal role of the King’s Justice. The brothers have learned to react mercilessly to any sign of rebellion - it’s the only way to maintain order when the sickness can strike anywhere.
-
-
A decent story for its "genre"
- By Rob R. on 09-17-21
By: Brigid Kemmerer
-
King of Battle and Blood
- Adrian X Isolde Series, Book 1
- By: Scarlett St. Clair
- Narrated by: Lilly Drake, Curt Bonnem
- Length: 12 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Isolde de Lara considers her wedding day to be her death day. To end a years-long war, she is to marry vampire king Adrian Aleksandr Vasiliev, and kill him. But her assassination attempt is thwarted, and Adrian threatens that if Isolde tries to kill him again, he will raise her as the undead. Faced with the possibility of becoming the thing she hates most, Isolde seeks other ways to defy him and survive the brutal vampire court.
-
-
I tried.
- By Jennifer Stapleton on 05-27-22
-
Heart of Silk and Shadows
- Fae Isles, Book 0.5
- By: Lisette Marshall
- Narrated by: Tim Campbell, Kylie Stewart
- Length: 7 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Agenor, Lord Protector of the Fae Isles and right hand of the Mother herself, doesn’t expect anything to still surprise him after twelve centuries of life. Finding a taunting note from an anonymous thief in his wardrobe is enough to rouse his curiosity, though. Enough to do the unthinkable—write back. Then he finds out he’s been exchanging letters with a humble human. Worse, a human challenging him to his face.
-
-
Reading order
- By Jessica Pierce on 05-11-24
By: Lisette Marshall
-
The Luminaries
- By: Susan Dennard
- Narrated by: Caitlin Davies
- Length: 9 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Hemlock Falls isn't like other towns. You won't find it on a map, your phone won't work here, and the forest outside town might just kill you. Winnie Wednesday wants nothing more than to join the Luminaries, the ancient order that protects Winnie's town—and the rest of humanity—from the monsters and nightmares that rise in the forest of Hemlock Falls every night. Ever since her father was exposed as a witch and a traitor, Winnie and her family have been shunned. But on her sixteenth birthday, she can take the deadly Luminary hunter trials and prove herself true and loyal.
-
-
A beautifully Written YA Novel.
- By Mrs Mandy Reads on 01-31-24
By: Susan Dennard
-
The Assassin's Blade
- The Throne of Glass Novellas
- By: Sarah J. Maas
- Narrated by: Elizabeth Evans
- Length: 12 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Celaena Sardothien is Adarlan’s most feared assassin. As part of the Assassin’s Guild, she’s sworn to her master, Arobynn Hamel, yet Celaena listens to no one and trusts only her fellow killer for hire, Sam. In these action-packed prequel novellas to the Throne of Glass series, Celaena embarks on five daring missions. They take her from remote islands to hostile deserts, where she fights to liberate slaves and avenge tyranny. But by acting on her own terms, will Celaena truly free herself from her master, or will she suffer an unimaginable punishment for such treachery?
-
-
One of my Favorite Series
- By Jessica Reyer on 05-05-21
By: Sarah J. Maas
-
The Poison Season
- By: Mara Rutherford
- Narrated by: Amanda Dolan
- Length: 10 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Leelo has spent her entire life on Endla, coexisting with the bloodthirsty Forest and respecting the poisonous lake that protects her island from outsiders who seek to destroy it. But as much as Leelo cares for her community, she struggles to accept that her younger brother will be exiled by his next birthday, unless he gains the magic of enchanted song so vital to Endla. When Leelo sees a young outsider on the verge of drowning in the lake, she knows exactly what she’s supposed to do.
-
-
Towards the end of the story it had me on the EDGE of my seat!
- By Whitney Pope on 03-29-24
By: Mara Rutherford
-
A Shadow in the Ember
- Flesh and Fire, Book 1
- By: Jennifer L. Armentrout
- Narrated by: Stina Nielsen
- Length: 25 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Born shrouded in the veil of the Primals, a Maiden as the Fates promised, Seraphena Mierel’s future has never been hers. Chosen before birth to uphold the desperate deal her ancestor struck to save his people, Sera must leave behind her life and offer herself to the Primal of Death as his Consort. However, Sera’s real destiny is the most closely guarded secret in all of Lasania - she’s not the well protected Maiden but an assassin with one mission - one target. Make the Primal of Death fall in love, become his weakness, and then...end him.
-
-
A credit lost.
- By Jodeei on 10-25-21
-
A Court of Thorns and Roses (10th Anniversary Recording)
- A Court of Thorns and Roses, Book 1
- By: Sarah J. Maas
- Narrated by: Elizabeth Evans
- Length: 14 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a terrifying creature arrives to demand retribution. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she knows about only from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not truly a beast, but one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled her world. At least, he’s not a beast all the time.
By: Sarah J. Maas
Critic reviews
“Gina Chen delivers a biting fantastical twist on fairy tales.”—POPSUGAR
“A rare YA fantasy with a difficult, prickly and nigh-on unlikeable heroine, Violet Made of Thorns feels like a breath of fresh air from its first pages.”—Paste Magazine
"Beautifully vicious. Perfect for the fairytale reader who has always wanted the heroine to grow sharp teeth and bite Prince Charming."—Chloe Gong, #1 New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights
People who viewed this also viewed...
-
The City of Stardust
- By: Georgia Summers
- Narrated by: Kitty Parker
- Length: 13 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For centuries, generations of Everlys have seen their brightest and best disappear, taken as punishment for a crime no one remembers, for a purpose no one understands. Their tormentor, a woman named Penelope, never ages, never grows sick–and never forgives a debt. Violet Everly was just a child when her mother Marianne vanished on a stormy night, determined to break the curse. And when Penelope cannot find her, she issues an ultimatum: Violet has ten years to find Marianne, or she will take her place.
-
-
Who ever set the chapter times should lose their job
- By kat H on 04-28-24
By: Georgia Summers
-
A Curse So Dark and Lonely
- By: Brigid Kemmerer
- Narrated by: Kate Handford, Davis Brooks, Matt Reeves
- Length: 14 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It once seemed so easy to Prince Rhen, the heir to Emberfall. Cursed by a powerful enchantress to repeat the autumn of his 18th year over and over, he knew he could be saved if a girl fell for him. But that was before he learned that at the end of each autumn, he would turn into a vicious beast hell-bent on destruction. That was before he destroyed his castle, his family, and every last shred of hope.
-
-
I felt nothing
- By Marisa J Machado on 02-24-20
By: Brigid Kemmerer
-
The Girl with No Reflection
- By: Keshe Chow
- Narrated by: Cindy Kay
- Length: 12 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Princess Ying Yue believed in love...once upon a time. Yet when she’s chosen to wed the crown prince, Ying’s dreams of a fairy tale marriage quickly fall apart. Her husband-to-be is cold and indifferent, confining Ying to her room for reasons he won’t explain. Worse still are the rumors that swirl around the imperial palace: whispers of seven other royal brides who, after their own weddings, mysteriously disappeared. Left alone with only her own reflection for company, Ying begins to see things. Strange things.
-
-
clunky
- By Item arrived shattered in box. on 09-24-24
By: Keshe Chow
-
Sorcery of Thorns
- By: Margaret Rogerson
- Narrated by: Emily Ellet
- Length: 14 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
All sorcerers are evil. Elisabeth has known that as long as she has known anything. Raised as a foundling in one of Austermeer’s Great Libraries, Elisabeth has grown up among the tools of sorcery - magical grimoires that whisper on shelves and rattle beneath iron chains. If provoked, they transform into grotesque monsters of ink and leather. She hopes to become a warden, charged with protecting the kingdom from their power. Then an act of sabotage releases the library’s most dangerous grimoire.
-
-
Enchanting, confident and thoroughly entertaining!
- By Kay Esselle on 06-06-19
-
Hammajang Luck
- A Novel
- By: Makana Yamamoto
- Narrated by: Jolene Kim
- Length: 11 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Edie is done with crime. Eight years behind bars changes a person—costs them too much time with too many of the people who need them most. And it’s all Angel’s fault. She sold Edie out in what should have been the greatest moment of their lives. Instead, Edie was shipped off to the icy prison planet spinning far below the soaring skybridges and neon catacombs of Kepler space station—of home—to spend the best part of a decade alone. But then a chance for early parole appears out of nowhere and Edie steps into the pallid sunlight to find none other than Angel waiting—and she has an offer.
-
-
cool idea
- By Megan M. on 04-09-25
By: Makana Yamamoto
-
Star Daughter
- By: Shveta Thakrar
- Narrated by: Soneela Nankani
- Length: 13 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The daughter of a star and a mortal, Sheetal is used to keeping secrets. Pretending to be “normal”. But when an accidental flare of her starfire puts her human father in the hospital, Sheetal needs a full star’s help to heal him. A star like her mother, who returned to the sky long ago. Sheetal’s quest to save her father will take her to a celestial court of shining wonders and dark shadows, where she must take the stage as her family’s champion in a competition to decide the next ruling house of the heavens - and win, or risk never returning to Earth at all.
-
-
Everything that makes YA awful and so much more.
- By mat on 08-14-20
By: Shveta Thakrar
-
The City of Stardust
- By: Georgia Summers
- Narrated by: Kitty Parker
- Length: 13 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For centuries, generations of Everlys have seen their brightest and best disappear, taken as punishment for a crime no one remembers, for a purpose no one understands. Their tormentor, a woman named Penelope, never ages, never grows sick–and never forgives a debt. Violet Everly was just a child when her mother Marianne vanished on a stormy night, determined to break the curse. And when Penelope cannot find her, she issues an ultimatum: Violet has ten years to find Marianne, or she will take her place.
-
-
Who ever set the chapter times should lose their job
- By kat H on 04-28-24
By: Georgia Summers
-
A Curse So Dark and Lonely
- By: Brigid Kemmerer
- Narrated by: Kate Handford, Davis Brooks, Matt Reeves
- Length: 14 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It once seemed so easy to Prince Rhen, the heir to Emberfall. Cursed by a powerful enchantress to repeat the autumn of his 18th year over and over, he knew he could be saved if a girl fell for him. But that was before he learned that at the end of each autumn, he would turn into a vicious beast hell-bent on destruction. That was before he destroyed his castle, his family, and every last shred of hope.
-
-
I felt nothing
- By Marisa J Machado on 02-24-20
By: Brigid Kemmerer
-
The Girl with No Reflection
- By: Keshe Chow
- Narrated by: Cindy Kay
- Length: 12 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Princess Ying Yue believed in love...once upon a time. Yet when she’s chosen to wed the crown prince, Ying’s dreams of a fairy tale marriage quickly fall apart. Her husband-to-be is cold and indifferent, confining Ying to her room for reasons he won’t explain. Worse still are the rumors that swirl around the imperial palace: whispers of seven other royal brides who, after their own weddings, mysteriously disappeared. Left alone with only her own reflection for company, Ying begins to see things. Strange things.
-
-
clunky
- By Item arrived shattered in box. on 09-24-24
By: Keshe Chow
-
Sorcery of Thorns
- By: Margaret Rogerson
- Narrated by: Emily Ellet
- Length: 14 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
All sorcerers are evil. Elisabeth has known that as long as she has known anything. Raised as a foundling in one of Austermeer’s Great Libraries, Elisabeth has grown up among the tools of sorcery - magical grimoires that whisper on shelves and rattle beneath iron chains. If provoked, they transform into grotesque monsters of ink and leather. She hopes to become a warden, charged with protecting the kingdom from their power. Then an act of sabotage releases the library’s most dangerous grimoire.
-
-
Enchanting, confident and thoroughly entertaining!
- By Kay Esselle on 06-06-19
-
Hammajang Luck
- A Novel
- By: Makana Yamamoto
- Narrated by: Jolene Kim
- Length: 11 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Edie is done with crime. Eight years behind bars changes a person—costs them too much time with too many of the people who need them most. And it’s all Angel’s fault. She sold Edie out in what should have been the greatest moment of their lives. Instead, Edie was shipped off to the icy prison planet spinning far below the soaring skybridges and neon catacombs of Kepler space station—of home—to spend the best part of a decade alone. But then a chance for early parole appears out of nowhere and Edie steps into the pallid sunlight to find none other than Angel waiting—and she has an offer.
-
-
cool idea
- By Megan M. on 04-09-25
By: Makana Yamamoto
-
Star Daughter
- By: Shveta Thakrar
- Narrated by: Soneela Nankani
- Length: 13 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The daughter of a star and a mortal, Sheetal is used to keeping secrets. Pretending to be “normal”. But when an accidental flare of her starfire puts her human father in the hospital, Sheetal needs a full star’s help to heal him. A star like her mother, who returned to the sky long ago. Sheetal’s quest to save her father will take her to a celestial court of shining wonders and dark shadows, where she must take the stage as her family’s champion in a competition to decide the next ruling house of the heavens - and win, or risk never returning to Earth at all.
-
-
Everything that makes YA awful and so much more.
- By mat on 08-14-20
By: Shveta Thakrar
-
The Prince Without Sorrow
- Obsidian Throne, Book 1
- By: Maithree Wijesekara
- Narrated by: Aasiya Shah, Kishore Walker
- Length: 12 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Prince Ashoka is the youngest son of the tyrannical Emperor Adil Maurya. Considered an outcast by his father for his rejection of the emperor’s brutal onslaught against the witches of the empire, Ashoka longs for change. When the sudden and unexpected death of his father leaves the monarchy in disarray, Ashoka is sent to govern a tumultuous region annexed by Emperor Adil that is terrorized by nature spirits—a task many see as doomed to fail.
-
-
Amazing Characters, Heart Pacing Storyline
- By Jan on 04-13-25
-
Song of Silver, Flame Like Night
- Song of Silver, Flame Like Night, Book 1
- By: Amélie Wen Zhao
- Narrated by: Annie Q
- Length: 15 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Lan spends her nights as a songgirl in Haak’gong, a city transformed by the Elantian colonizers. Her days are consumed by the search for knowledge about the strange mark—an untranslatable Hin character—burned into her arm by her mother in her last act before she died. Zen is a practitioner—one of the fabled magicians of the Last Kingdom. He’s never seen anything like Lan’s mark, but he knows that if there are answers, they lie deep in the pine forests and misty mountains of the Last Kingdom, with an order of practitioning masters planning to overthrow the Elantian regime.
-
-
Skip This One, Seriously
- By K on 02-22-23
By: Amélie Wen Zhao
-
Together We Burn
- By: Isabel Ibañez
- Narrated by: Ana Osorio
- Length: 13 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Eighteen-year-old Zarela Zalvidar is a talented flamenco dancer and daughter of the most famous Dragonador in Hispalia. People come for miles to see him fight in their arena, which will one day be hers. But disaster strikes during one celebratory show, and in the carnage, Zarela’s life changes in an instant. With the Dragon Guild trying to wrest control of her inheritance from her, Zarela has no choice but to train to become a Dragonador.
-
-
storyline was interesting
- By awej on 04-21-25
By: Isabel Ibañez
-
The Witch Haven
- By: Sasha Peyton Smith
- Narrated by: Piper Goodeve
- Length: 13 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 1911 New York City, 17-year-old Frances Hallowell spends her days as a seamstress, mourning the mysterious death of her brother months prior. Everything changes when she’s attacked and a man ends up dead at her feet - her scissors in his neck, and she can’t explain how they got there.
-
-
If you are in love with the S sound, this narrator is for you!
- By TranscendedPony on 03-14-22
-
Foul Lady Fortune
- By: Chloe Gong
- Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller
- Length: 18 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It’s 1931 in Shanghai, and the stage is set for a new decade of intrigue. Four years ago, Rosalind Lang was brought back from the brink of death, but the strange experiment that saved her also stopped her from sleeping and aging—and allows her to heal from any wound. In short, Rosalind cannot die. Desperate for redemption for her traitorous past, she uses her abilities as an assassin for her country. But when the Japanese Imperial Army begins its invasion march, Rosalind’s mission pivots. A series of murders is causing unrest in Shanghai, and the Japanese are under suspicion.
-
-
Did not match description
- By JK on 01-16-23
By: Chloe Gong
-
Of Jade and Dragons
- By: Amber Chen
- Narrated by: Jen Zhao
- Length: 12 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Eighteen-year-old Aihui Ying dreams of becoming a world-class engineer like her father, but after his sudden murder, her life falls apart. Left with only a journal of her father’s engineering secrets and a jade pendant snatched from the assassin, a heartbroken Ying follows the trail to the capital and the prestigious Engineers Guild, determined to discover why anyone would threaten a man who ultimately chose a quiet life over fame and fortune. Disguised as her brother, Ying manages to infiltrate the guild’s male-only apprenticeship trial with the help of an unlikely ally.
-
-
Fantastic world and rich characters!
- By L E Cunningham on 05-23-25
By: Amber Chen
-
House of Salt and Sorrows
- By: Erin A. Craig
- Narrated by: Emily Lawrence
- Length: 12 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Annaleigh lives a sheltered life at Highmoor with her sisters and their father and stepmother. Once there were 12, but loneliness fills the grand halls now that four of the girls' lives have been cut short. Disturbed by a series of ghostly visions, Annaleigh becomes increasingly suspicious that her sister's deaths were no accidents. The girls have been sneaking out every night to attend glittering balls, dancing until dawn in silk gowns and shimmering slippers, and Annaleigh isn't sure whether to try to stop them or to join their forbidden trysts.
-
-
a novelized folk tale
- By Sarah on 10-30-19
By: Erin A. Craig
-
The Courting of Bristol Keats
- A Novel
- By: Mary E. Pearson
- Narrated by: Brittany Pressley
- Length: 17 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After losing both their parents, Bristol Keats and her sisters struggle to stay afloat in their small, quiet town of Bowskeep. When Bristol begins to receive letters from an “aunt” she’s never heard of who promises she can help, she reluctantly agrees to meet—and discovers that everything she thought she knew about her family is a lie. Even her father might still be alive, not killed but kidnapped by terrifying creatures to a whole other realm—the one he is from.
-
-
Not what I expected
- By CC on 11-22-24
By: Mary E. Pearson
-
A Thousand Heartbeats
- By: Kiera Cass
- Narrated by: Karissa Vacker, Gary Tiedemann, Hillary Huber
- Length: 14 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Princess Annika has lived a life of comfort—but no amount of luxuries can change the fact that her life isn’t her own to control. The king, once her loving father, has gone cold, and Annika will soon be forced into a loveless marriage for political gain. Miles away, small comforts are few and far between for Lennox. He has devoted his life to the Dahrainian army, hoping to one day help them reclaim the throne that was stolen from them. For Lennox, the idea of love is merely a distraction—nothing will stand in the way of fighting for his people.
-
-
Disappointed but not surprised
- By Tracy on 05-03-23
By: Kiera Cass
-
Cross My Heart
- The Oxford Legacy, Book 1
- By: Roxy Sloane
- Narrated by: Alix Dale, Gary Furlong
- Length: 8 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Anthony St. Clair. The future Duke of Ashford. A reckless enigma… and my greatest temptation. I've come here, to Oxford University, on a mission—to uncover the truth about what happened to my sister—no matter the cost. Until I meet him... Saint is my passport to a sensual world of wealth and privilege, but something wicked is lurking behind these ivy covered walls. Secrets these people will kill to protect. Loyalty is everything to them… but will it be my ruin?
-
-
Female Narrator
- By Ambrosia Burke on 11-15-24
By: Roxy Sloane
-
Silver in the Bone
- Silver in the Bone, Book 1
- By: Alexandra Bracken
- Narrated by: Sophie Amoss
- Length: 17 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Born without a trace of magic, Tamsin Lark is no match for the sorceresses and Hollowers who populate the magical underground of Boston. But when the only parent she’s ever known disappears without so much as a goodbye, she has no choice but to join in their cutthroat pursuit of enchanted relics to keep herself—and her brother, Cabell—alive.
-
-
took a while to get into
- By Alex on 04-22-24
-
The Beasts We Bury
- By: D. L. Taylor
- Narrated by: Brenda Scott Wlazlo, Jake Chronister
- Length: 11 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Daughter and heir to the throne, Mancella Cliff yearns for a life without bloodshed. But as a child, she emerged from the Broken Citadel with the power to summon animals—only after killing them first. Her magic is a constant reminder of the horrors her father, the ruler of the realm, has forced upon her to strengthen their power. Silver is a charming thief struggling to survive in a world torn apart by Mancella’s father’s reign. When a mysterious benefactor recruits him for the heist of a lifetime, a chance to rob the castle, Silver relishes the opportunity for a real future—and revenge.
-
-
Incredible story and narrator
- By Carli Recker on 02-07-25
By: D. L. Taylor
Things to look forward to: curses and prophecies, all the fairytales smashes together, morally gray mc, true hate/love relationship, so much action and political intrigue, an amazing cast of characters (including a BA lesbian princess!)
CW: arranged marriage, abusive parent, gore, body horror (not mc, on page), sexual content (consensual)
I cannot recommend this book enough!!!!! While this is the first in a series, I think the ending does a good job of wrapping things up so that it’s not a cliffhanger and could possibly (although i hope it doesn’t!) stand alone. Not exactly a HEA or even a HFN, but that’s super on brand for our mcs so I am here for it.
read this now!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Such a Great First Book
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Good idea, bad follow.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
started off good but went downhill...
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Fun cozy fantasy
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Awesome
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This tale was rife with well worn tropes such as:
- enemies to (oft times reluctant) lovers
- a prophecy/curse binding our vicious star-crossed lovers to one another
- poor girl plucked from the streets & raised up to a position of power
- spiky marshmallow prince... prickly on the outside, mushy on the inside
- courtly machinations
- Cinderella(esque) tale- although there were shout outs to various fairytales peppered throughout. Ie: " spin me gold"- Cyrus
- masquerade ball to find the prince a bride
- BETRAYAL!!
- wickity wicked witches doing nefarious, questionable deeds
-- There are probably more but I'm tired of wracking my brain, trying to remember them all with a sleep deprived noggin.
Anyway...
Although I appreciate the fact that to have an enemies--> lovers trope there must be hate and vileness at the start but Violet was truly hard to cheer for the entire time. I really wanted to get behind her and have her end up with the prince but why?? She was an ass at every turn and to be honest... he deserved SOOO much better. Not liking/respecting/caring for an MC is a literary injustice that's hard to ignore. It is lucky that Gina Chen made up for that faux pas by making her other MC, Cyrus plus her secondary and even tertiary characters much more likeable/relateable.
And then there was the chemistry (or lack thereof) between the two MCs. Again, I get that the enemies to lovers trope needs to have bouts of mean malicious interactions BUT it takes finesse to craft this trope in order to make it believable. At some point we should eventually get to the part where they are... you know... no longer enemies... now lovers... you know, like kind of civil/amorous or even plain old nice to one another. Because this never fully materialized, the few sexual collisions they had felt off/disingenuous... yet another literary flaw.
Comparing this to The Cruel Prince was an extremely bold declaration... one of which this book had no right to claim. Yes the writing was solid, the background building was decent and the character development was the highlight. BUT it's the venerated Mrs. Holly Black's Folk Of The Air series we're talking about... books whose characters were so on point, redolent, and endearing that they stick in your head (and heart) WAAAY past the time the book covers finally kiss once more.
Overall:
This book started out strong but the end was flat and felt rushed. I'm really not a fan of:
- forced chemistry between MCs
- unrelateable/unlikeable MC
- poor pacing
- an overhyped book that falls short of its boasting claims
Although my review points out a few major issues that normally niggle and irk me, the overall truth is that I did really enjoy my time in this unique world with these decently crafted characters (minus Violet, she could take a long walk off a short pier, never to be seen again... no search party necessary). What was this fable's ultimate flaw you might be wondering?? Well... it shot itself in the foot by likening itself to an immensely popular, highly acclaimed book written by an undeniably esteemed author who can (seemingly) do no wrong AND then failing to come through with the goods in the end. I was (not so) patiently awaiting this book's release AND when it came up shy of the claims, I was bummed and the rating reflects that. That being said, this still turned out to be an addictive listen where the orator performed admirably and I found myself needing to know what happened next which is the penultimate sign of the book's worth. The ending was a little lackluster and ho-hum but it did wrap up some of the major plot points while leaving some wiggle room for another book to jump off from.
In the end I will definitely be looking out for book #2 and I think that if you are a fan of trope heavy, Magically Realistic Fantasy and most importantly, a lover of Fairytales, then this is one that should be on your radar and put on top of your teetering TBR... just don't hold your breath expecting to see Cardan and Jude.
~ Enjoy
charming/vicious enemy->lovers fairytale
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
❤️
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Epic!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
it was ok at best
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.