Cages of Alyssum: A Slowburn Sapphic Romantasy (The Moonbond Trials Book 1)

4.25⭐️.5🌶 This book is a journey, one that you're not sure how it's going to end, so you have to enjoy the ride. Coming in at nearly 600 pages and being a debut novel, I'm in awe. This tale unravels slowly, each step a layer of the onion is pulled back. There is epic world building and this is why the length is there. Each castle, each kingdom, species, the magic, each detail is written with such detail that you become immersed in the world. Alyssum is the princess. A mixture of two different societies. She's betrothed to another kingdom in an ordained peace treaty. She wants more than to be the pretty face piece. Her hopes and dreams are dashed when she meets the prince of Hollowmire Rowland. He's a walking psychopath, a sadist who doesn't hide his dark desires. Thus begins the journey. If the question is posed to you: would you accept your role and possibly succumb to your fiancée or would you strike out and go on the run knowing it could mean your death? There is a love interest, but this is first and foremost a fantasy tale. The slow burn doesn't even spark in this book, it's building for the sequel. I really enjoyed this book and don't want to give too much away. I'm looking forward to see what the author does with this intriguing world. Tropes and triggers: ancient magic, damsel in distress, royalty in disguise, slow burn, goddess and gods, kingdoms, attempted sa, touch her & ☠️, discovering magic/powers, destiny, fated mates, political intrigue, warring…

It’s rare to find a debut that balances psychological stakes with such a deep emotional core. It’s messy, romantic, and beautifully written. Loved the world building, the slow burn romance, and the sharp contrast between the two FMC’s. The pace was a little slower to allow for the world building and the slow burn which has an amazing emotional payoff.

Oh wow, this was a lot and in a good way! Cages of Alyssum is the first book in a trilogy. This first book has a lot of world building that most fantasy books have to have. As a reader, you are learning as you go. Usually when the author has to world build, it can be slow. I didn’t feel like this was the case with Cages of Alyssym. While there were a few parts that were a little slow, overall, the pacing was great. The author did a good job at allowing the reader to learn about the world she built in the story. It was wonderful when everything came together towards the end. Things started to make more sense and I was able to piece together things and correctly guessed a plot point (being vague to not spoil) and was so happy when I was right. It was very satisfying for some reason. Alyssum was a bit of a brat (and not in the good way) at times. I did find it hard sometimes to like her due to this. It was only a couple times and was brief, but I did find myself rolling my eyes at the entitlement and brattiness. But she is a princess after all. I was glad the author addressed the whole “taking her captive and not giving her autonomy” of it all. I loved Vayen but I haven’t read a lot of stories with a grey moral MC, so I was glad that the author addressed it. I went in knowing there was going to be a cliffhanger...but I was not expecting that. I need the next book ASAP!

Review of Advanced Reader Copy from Author This book completely pulled me in. I really loved the world building right from the start. It was detailed and immersive without ever feeling overwhelming, and I found myself settling into the story really easily. One of my favorite parts was watching Alyssum grow throughout the book. Her development felt natural, and seeing that growth alongside Vayan made everything more engaging. Their dynamic added a lot of depth to the story and kept me wanting to read just a little bit more each time. The pacing was great. This was definitely a “just one more chapter” kind of book, especially as the stakes continued to build. As I got closer to the end, I could tell something big was coming, and the ending absolutely delivered without feeling rushed or incomplete. Overall, this story does a really nice job balancing character growth, tension, and atmosphere. It left me excited to see where the series goes next, which is always a good feeling when you finish a book. An easy five stars for me, and one I’d recommend to anyone who enjoys immersive fantasy, strong character arcs, and stories that keep you thinking after you’re done.

Review of advanced reader copy If you are looking for something new and exciting in the romantasy world Cages of Alyssum is IT. With incredible, strong female main characters and a big F U to the patriarchy this book had me hooked from the beginning! This isn’t your copy and paste like a lot of fantasy romance books have become. The cliff hanger at the end sent me REELING. I cannot wait to continue reading Alyssum and Vayen’s story!