Thank you NetGalley & publisher for this eARC.

First of all, I appreciate that this book has listed TW on the first page (a long list). And second, I love the idea of this book as it reminds me a bit of Once Upon a Time series, where they were cursed in a town and fairy-tale related.

I just - did not expect that this book will caused me trauma as well. It was too painful as there were multiple assaults. I thought it will be whimsical with magic here and there but nope. I think one of the main reason was lack of world-building, I even have a hard time connecting with the other characters.

So yeah, I can sense that the ending was meant to set up a sequel but I think I will pass it.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

When Loren visits her grandmother in the small town of Lointaine so she can finish her thesis, she steps back into a life ruled by fairy tale Magic and discovers she comes from a long line of Sleeping Beauty princesses. It turns out there Magic ruling fairy tale bloodlines in Lointaine is determined to give her a tale, a prince, and a happy ending whether she likes it or not.

Spell Borne is a fun story about fighting destiny and long-ingrained social norms that have become cages to those trapped within the Magic running their lives. Told in the first person from Loren's point of view, we follow her struggles as a young woman everyone tries to control from the moment she sets foot in her grandmother's town. From her clothes and manners, to her profession, to her goals, Loren is told she's not Princessy enough. She's accused of murder, attacked, wounded, and corralled into terrible situations all by the power running the town's inhabitants.

Ultimately Loren has to figure out which parts of the Fairy Tale Princess role she wants to keep and which parts she can chuck. In effort to avoid sleeping for a hundred years (like her grandmother) or a hundred months (like her mother), Loren and her friend Connor decide to try to shape the Magic into a Beauty and the Beast tale, preferably the Disney version.

The premise of Spell Borne immediately caught my attention: it's really a fairy tale critique within a fairy tale, pointing out all the different versions of stories throughout the ages and commenting on social structures affecting the main characters. Unfortunately, it took me a long time to care about the characters: Loren is rather whiny at the start, and those she interacts with are a bit wooden at first. But, the weaving of fairy tale commentary and actual fairy tale gets smoother as the book goes on, the characters become much more human and complex, and the story has a few fun twists. I will say from a romance perspective it was pretty easy to see what would happen, but there were enough challenges and turns to make the journey a fun read.

There is a massive trigger warning for this book for sexual assault. In the non-Disney Sleeping Beauty tales, SB is raped while she's asleep, and in some versions gives birth while still unconscious. I appreciated the depth of fairy tale lore in Spell Borne that shows fairy tales aren't actually all that charming, but I thought Loren's emotional and physical aftermath from her own attack to be a little too surface-level. It was probably appropriate for a fairy tale woman's character, because no one really comments on the emotional and psychological trauma of being raped in fairy tales, but it felt like Loren's fast emotional recovery and mild trauma was too easily explained away as Magic. For all the author's obvious and wonderfully blunt feminist critique of the misogyny of fairy tales, that part fell flat for me.

Ultimately Spell Borne felt like a first novel, but it got better and better as I kept reading. I enjoyed the author's expertise in the lore. She also clearly knows her way around creating art, sailing, and other skills I did not expect to learn about in a fairy tale. I liked Spell Borne, and I'll definitely read book two in the series.

From the start I was intrigued by the premise of this book - a dark fairytale set in the modern world - which I think it delivered on. I also enjoyed the world building and thought the character development was good.

However, I found the pacing a bit slow and the prose a bit chunky/awkward at times. And the ending felt a bit rushed. As well, I started reading expecting a new adult book, but it read a bit more YA (although there are more mature themes).

Overall, I enjoyed the book but think it needed a bit more refinement (in my unprofessional opinion).

A very interesting fantasy novel.

I also dream of waking up in a world with magic suddenly and that is the premise of this story! Perfect premise.

The writing was not my favorite style and the characters were a little plain. The story plot and premise is what made this book better.

DNF at 7%

After the line about using the word “fuck” and saying it means a “lack of creative variance in a person’s vocabulary”, I was a bit put off.

I honestly was kind of ruined for the story after that. I cannot stand the main character. Maybe I have a bad taste in my mouth after the insults about using the word “fuck” (which is a good word? Like?), maybe I am a little sensitive about insinuating people think you need to be institutionalized when your brain doesn’t work after a brain injury (I would consider myself almost fully recovered from my TBI back in 2018…5 years later), but I just have too many books I want to read to read one that degrades people for the language they choose to use, insinuates about brain injuries the way it does, and doesn’t know the conservation effects of Big Game Hunting like elephant hunting (part of my degree) so just shits on it.

This was not the book for me. This review will not be posted in its entirety anywhere else

“Spell Borne” is a fairy tale unlike one I’ve ever read. With significantly more depth to the story than I had anticipated, I was taken through a twist&turn plot that does a great job of combining the fantastical elements that a reader would expect from a fairy tale with the darker side of society, and the consequences our choices bring upon others. While the story does have a sense of whimsy and occasional humor, it’s definitely not a lighthearted fairy tale reminiscent of our childhoods, and explores heavier themes such as trauma (check TW).

This is a well written, darker take on a unique fantasy read. I really enjoyed it!

Spell Borne is an enjoyable read that offers a unique twist on the classic young adult fantasy genre. The main character, a young witch named Lirien, is a refreshing protagonist who is easy to root for. The story is well-paced, with enough action and drama to keep readers engaged without feeling overwhelming. The world-building is solid, and the magic system is intriguing and well thought out.

That being said, the writing style may not be for everyone. While Llyr has a talent for creating vivid imagery, the prose can be overly flowery at times.

Auden Llyr captures the complexities and nuances of this fairy tale world perfectly, asking us to consider what really makes a happy ending.

With a unique take on fairy tale retellings, Spell Borne integrates different versions of classic stories and never shies away from the darker elements of the original tales. Auden Llyr takes us to a world where every decision is impacted by Magic and no choice is without consequences.

The lovable characters and a dynamic plot capture the imagination even as the story tackles questions about how much power we choose to give forces beyond our control.

As Loren learns more about herself and the world she’s been thrown into, she’s forced to decide if falling in line with fate matters more than being true to herself and choosing her own narrative.

I’d recommend this book to anyone who loved the show Once Upon a Time, or who always wanted to read a story where the Princess takes back her own agency.

The major thing that kept this from being a five-star read for me (I gave it 4/5) was the amount of confusion throughout the story about which tale would be the focus. The arguments seemed to go around in circles and it became frustrating rather than being a point of tension for the plot. The ending was a bit sudden and the switch in perspective for the epilogue was a bit lack-luster. That being said I throughly enjoyed this book and I can’t wait to see how the story continues

Love an inclusive story that holds weight and keeps my attention. Auden did an excellent job portraying neurodivergence and found a lovely way to incorporate several fairytales into one. I truly hope to see more like this as I've been raving about it since I finished!

Such a cute story! I absolutely love the twist and retellings of the fairytales. Auden did a awesome job of incorporating feminists undertones and had me agreeing with a smile. That major plot twist at the end?! I was completely blindsided in such a good way! I tried very hard to figure out her story and was still just as shocked. Highly recommend reading Spell Borne.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I read the synopsis for Spell Borne by Auden Llyr. I'm glad that I took a chance to read this wonderful book. I will say that it initially started off very slow for me--extremely slower than what I prefer--but I'm glad that I stuck with it because this book was designed to be a slow burn that builds into a near inferno. I liked the characters and thought they were decently developed. It is very obvious that this book was inspired by fairytales, but it was well done.

This novel gives off "OUAT" show vibes with all of the fairytale characters. But imagine if the show had a sassy, first-person narrator that was still in college. As someone who enjoys fairytale retellings as an adult, this book was right up my alley. In "Spell Borne," the real and fairytale worlds collide making for some compelling and magical conflict. Loren, our protagonist, deals with so many life changes and trauma in this book it's a real wonder that she doesn't have a nervous breakdown. And yet, I love that this novel has the premise: if you're a normal girl who woke up tomorrow with the option to coexist in a fantasy world, would you risk that sort of adventure? This is the ideal novel for book lovers that have always wished to live in the stories they were reading about.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Trigger warning: detailed SA and aftermath

Let me start with the positives. The plot idea is wonderful. I could tell the author knew a lot about fairy tales and their tendency towards dark matters. I love the changing magic and living story aspect as well.
As far as negatives go, I had trouble getting through this book. Beyond the trigger I mentioned before making it difficult, I found it hard to connect with the main character and her constant inner monologues. Her inner thoughts broke up the dialogue too much and thus made the story extremely slow moving in the first half. The second half did improve on advancing the plot and feeling less slow but the first half was heavily focused on etiquette without the story moving forward at all. Overall I would say the book was ok.

This book really just took me for a ride. I loved the build up, the character development, and the writing. I would definitely read more from this author!

Absolutely magical, such an intricate and different world that I was sent to. Also the cover is everything!!! Go read now!

Netgalley review:

DNF 25%
I started this with so many hopes for modern fairytale vibes but it didn’t land. I put it down and restarted it several times but never got past the same pages. It’s a cute idea, I just couldn’t get into it.

Spell Borne: Lointaine Fairy Tales by Auden Llyr perfectly balances suspense, humor, and fantasy, allowing for a dynamic narrative that is compelling from start to finish. Llyr's prose is beautifully evocative, and the vivid descriptions of the whimsical town of Lointaine create an immersive backdrop against which the story unfolds. The clever blending of academic dilemmas with magical hazards adds an intriguing layer of complexity to the plot. Despite the enchanting setting, the story doesn't shy away from exploring real-world themes such as perseverance, self-discovery, and confronting personal fears. Overall, "Spell Borne" is an enchanting and thought-provoking read, a delight for any reader seeking a fresh spin on traditional fairy tales.

✨Book Review!✨
“Spell Borne”
Written By: Auden Llyr
Netgalley ARC e-book
•••
When Loren moves in with her grandmother after a serious streak of bad luck, she soon realizes the world isn’t as it seems. Her family was cursed generations ago and she is starting to learn that the enchanting world of fairy tales and magic may not be made up bed time stories meant to teach children life lessons. Her life is now a fairy tale… but which fairy tale story is hers?
•••
I REALLY loved the idea of this book. It has so much potential to be a unique story with both a happy, fun plot mixed with dark and terrifying undertones as fairy tales have always been. With that being said…. It fell flat for me. The writing was not great. Everyone seemed whiny and repetitive. It needed more depth, more personality and more detail. With that, it could have easily been a 4-5 star book.
•••
Disney has never been my thing but I love the origins of fairy tales and all things magical. I hoped it would get better but after reading for almost ten days… I’m shocked I actually finished it. With that being said, it’s on kindle unlimited FOR FREE right now! If you love a semi dark fairy tale story, GO READ IT! You may really enjoy it.

1- Characters: 6
2- Atmosphere/Setting: 10
3- Writing Style: 5
4- Plot: 6
5- Intrigue: 5
6- Logic/Relationships: 7
7- Enjoyment: 6

Total Score: 45
45/7 = 6.43
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Once upon a time, in the enchanting land of Spell Borne, there existed a fairy tale like no other. Auden Llyr weaved a mesmerizing tale called "Spell Borne," which ingeniously deconstructed the very essence of fairy tales themselves. It delved into profound themes of fate, free will, and self-fulfilling prophecies, while simultaneously exploring the haunting presence of trauma within the narratives that shape our history. Moreover, it skillfully addressed the lack of representation within the common zeitgeist, challenging the norms that had persisted for far too long.

At the heart of this captivating story was Loren, a young woman recovering from a painful concussion. Her journey unfolded against the backdrop of a family burdened by untold secrets, secrets that had been carefully woven into the fabric of Spell Borne's collective consciousness. As Loren delved deeper into her own past, she began to realize that the tales she grew up with were not mere bedtime stories. They held a deeper significance, reflecting the struggles, hopes, and dreams of those who had come before her.

Fate and free will danced a delicate waltz throughout the pages of "Spell Borne." Loren discovered that the lines between destiny and choice were blurred, and that one's actions could inadvertently shape the course of their own life. The self-fulfilling prophecies that had plagued her family for generations became a haunting reminder of the power of belief and perception.

As Loren confronted her own trauma, the story shed light on the larger narrative of trauma within society. It questioned the very foundations of the stories we tell, urging readers to consider the hidden narratives that have been dismissed or overlooked. It called out the lack of representation within the common zeitgeist, challenging the status quo and paving the way for a more inclusive future.

This was the first book I've read from this author and it was just okay. It was hard for me to get into and the characters didn't keep my attention.