Haunted Crowns: A Dark Fantasy Romance of Forbidden Love, Vampires, and Werewolves

April 20, 2026

Thank you to the author for trusting me with a review copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. All comments below are my own. This was a wonderful debut novel and heart pounding introduction to a new series. The heavy gothic and paranormal vibes gave me chills repeatedly. And be warned (in the best way), this book does not shy away from the dark, the painful, the traumatic. With as few spoilers as possible: I was in tears regularly through the last 200 pages. The characters and...

April 23, 2026

I received an Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of this book from the author. Receiving an ARC did not influence my review—these are my honest thoughts. Haunted Crowns is a slow-burn fantasy romance that truly rewards patience. It is written in third person POV and begins by carefully building its world, characters, and underlying tensions. The pacing is more gradual at the start, but it creates a strong foundation that makes the payoff feel earned. Once the story finds its rhythm, it becomes...

April 21, 2026

E.S. Kaeryel's words are like fire on the page - fierce, intense, all-consuming. I wish I could permanently scorch them into my brain where I might easily recall the poetic beauty of each line as needed. If this is a debut novel, I'm speechless. In the Haunted Crowns, amidst a setting rife with conflict between various factions of vampires and lycan (werewolf) rebels, we have Eris, a strong-willed princess shunned by society for her odd magic, who loves fiercely and dreams of peace. She's the...

April 20, 2026

From the very first line of the dedication — “For the unseen. For those who watched from the shadows, too afraid to be broken again. For those told they were too much…” — I had a feeling this book was meant for me. What I did not expect was for it to exceed my expectations so completely. Without a doubt, this is one of the best books I have read this year and an absolutely extraordinary debut. This story captivated me from the very beginning. I simply could not put it down. I devoured this...

April 21, 2026

I was chosen to be given an ARC for this book. This is a dark gothic romance filled with political intrigue, a love triangle, and compelling characters that pull you in deep. I appreciated how it steered away from the typical vampire and werewolf tropes. The story kept me constantly guessing what would happen next and who would ultimately come out on top. That said, I did struggle with the writing style, particularly in the beginning. The pacing felt quite rushed, with the narrative moving...