Well, I totally requested this from NetGalley because it was set with/around tarot, and I love that, without really reading too much more…and perhaps I should have given it more research. Or at least read some other reviews... Because this one just was not for me.

Mostly, honestly, it was the writing that did it in. It was just...bad. I mean the concept wasn't anything groundbreaking, but it could have been entertaining, reasonably solid, enjoyable, if it had been written better. I don't hate portal fantasies, messy/lost heroine vibes, instalove/lust, all the romantasy tropes...but this fell short on delivering all of them. The tone (Hannah’s narration/dialogue) felt too flippant and cutesy; or trying too hard? And Kane’s sexual innuendo feels anachronistic or out of place in the world that was being "built." And I can’t with the “good little girl shit” - also trying wayyyy too hard. The world-building itself was honestly MEH, like it couldn’t decide whether to be the real world set over a fantasy world, or vice versa, and the half-assed both ended up really disconcerting. Plus, it was just flat. The whole “tarot characters are real” thing that is the basis for this novel is basically one dude being named Four, kingdoms named Pentacles and Cups, and a single card that can do magic…like, what? The characters - their development and motivations and relationships - were also incredibly flat, no believable movement or growth. And oooof in general everything was so repetitive. Kane and Hannah's push-and-pull interactions, Hannah's internal dialogue, the ebb and flow of the "I want to save this world vs I want to get back to my own world," it was so gratingly the same, over and over and over. Another issue: the feminism is too obvious and therefore, does itself a disservice. Finally, the ending. What the heck was that?? It’s unrealistic even for a “romantasy.” This whole novel was surreal and not in a good way. When I finished, I literally said, out loud: "Well, that was a book. And I read it." That's about all I can say.

This one just wasn’t for me. I was really intrigued by the premise and wanted to love it, but I had a hard time connecting with the characters and the pacing felt uneven. There were moments that caught my attention, but overall it didn’t hold me the way I’d hoped. I can see how some readers might enjoy the worldbuilding or the themes, but it just didn’t quite click for me personally.

I tried to enjoy this book, and it felt like Outlander at time, and I LOVE Outlander so I was hopeful.

It was just a clash of feminism and misogyny, there were moments I chuckled, and there were a couple I cringed at. It took a lot of energy to finish this book, and that’s okay. A lot of missed shots on a plethora of tropes.

Also, I hate Chad SO much.

😡 Brooding MMC
💍 Fake Marriage
🛏️ One Bed
⛓️‍💥 Tying Up
🃏 Tarot Card Inspired
🐇 Alice In Wonderland Inspired

Thank you NetGalley for providing me a copy of this eARC in exchange for my honest thoughts and review.

This book had so much potential to be a great 5 star read but came up just a tad too short. Before I knitpick lemme breakdown the pros….

I thought that taking concepts from Alice in Wonderland and mixing in elements of Tarot cards with medieval times was an interesting premise. The introduction into the world was whimsical and engaging for me, instantly pulling me into the story and getting wrapped up into the tale.
I loved the cliched and predictable nature of our FMC, Hannah, and MMC, Kane. Their banter and tension was delicious 🤤 Getting the fake marriage trope between these two, along with forced proximity/one bed was just the icing on top!

Now to get into the cons….
I felt as thought this story lacked in intricate storytelling worthy of being classified as a Romantasy. While I loved the whole premise of the story being Hannah’s journey back to her world after falling through the door leading to Kane’s realm, I felt that if we took that out then there would be no other story to tell. The main antagonist was nonexistent till the final 50ish pages and even then there was not much that would’ve classified them as the antagonist. I would’ve also enjoyed reading more about what made this world fantastical and more about the Tarot elements in how the world functions.

I will give the book credit where it’s due and chalk up the lacking points as maybe with it being the first in a series that we will get more world building and character development in the next book. Until then, I anxiously await to hear more about the world of Towerfall in the future.

While the premise seemed really intriguing, especially the tarot-based magic, I had a tough time with this book. I'm not sure if it was the writing or the characters, but I had trouble connecting with this story. The writing and characters actions seemed to skew a bit younger, even though I think this was set as an NA level book. It just fell a little flat for me. It was fast-paced though, and I think would be great for folks who might want a quick read or a lighter romantasy without a lot of heavy worldbuilding or drawn-out epic storytelling.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Bloom Books for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

This unfortunately wasn’t a book for me. I loved the first half of the House of Night series, but that ended up being something I didn’t care to finish. Still I was hopeful about this story and it sounded interesting. The MC was just too annoying for me and I did not care for the love interest at all.

Thank you to Bloom Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest reivew

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-m/f fantasy romance
-portal
-political intrigue
-only one bed

I had a lot of fun with this one

I hate not finishing books, and I tried really hard to push through this one! I made it about 45% through before I had to stop. The beginning was rushed, but I looked past it to try to make a connection with either of the main characters. They were both not-relatable and didn’t have any depth. I was very excited to read a story based on tarot because I’ve never seen any fantasy author do that. As far as I got into the book, tarot elements had nothing to with anything besides being the names of the kingdoms. The writing was overall boring, and I was not at all immersed in the world.

I’m still grateful for the chance to read the eARC thanks to NetGalley and Bloom books!

I love Kristen Cast, and her mom‘s writing! However, this isn’t like their typical books. If you just finished the house a night series or the goddess of sea series; this is definitely a unique read alone as is. I really enjoyed it and hope there is more to come!

What a deliciously witty and hilariously fun time! I can’t believe I waited so long to read this absolute gem! I was giggling like a school girl, Kane had even this seasoned romance reader blushing with his banter. While I will admit Hannah annoyed me at the beginning but she had a brilliant turn around. I loved the creative mix of the modern world and the fantasy realm where tarot came to life. An absolutely fantastic read and I’m certainly going to keep an eye out for more Towerfall novels! Perfect for fans of Assistant to the Villain, How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying and Carl the Dungeon Crawler. Also if you prefer audios the duet narration was to die for.

When I saw that I got this ARC I was so excited! One of the first book series I fell in love with back in my early teen years was House of Night. This book is vastly different from that series, but still a great read. I enjoyed the world building, the fast paced plot, and the character development throughout the story. The epilogue was done so well I felt emotional seeing how it all came together. Well done!

This was a fun story. I do wish it was slightly more complex and had more tarot card involvement. But it was face paced and kept my attention. I loved the back and forth between the two main characters. I think their bickering was well done and I'm looking forward to book two with new characters

1.5 stars
This read was a bit all over the place and questionable. It’s interesting that Kristin’s writing has not evolved since her co-writing days with PC on the House of Night series. This felt very… early 2000’s to me.

This installment delves deeper into the world of vampyres, magic, and the complexities of power and relationships.
The book follows the protagonist, who is navigating her role as a leader while facing various challenges, including betrayal, love, and the responsibilities that come with her position. The themes of friendship, loyalty, and self-discovery are prominent throughout the book, as characters confront their pasts and make choices that will shape their futures.
It is easy to appreciate the rich world-building and character development that the Casts are known for. The writing style is engaging, with a mix of action, romance, and emotional depth that keeps readers invested in the characters' journeys.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I'm sorry to say that I DNF'ed this book at about 6%. I found the beginning of the story to be so jarring, but not in a good way. The characterization of the few characters that are introduced was grating to me, and I found the language used to describe them a little frustrating. The main character has a very woe-is-me attitude, and it's very clear that this character is going to have a glow-up a la every girl in a 90s rom-com. I really wanted to enjoy this book, but I just couldn't handle it.

I seriously didn't love or even like this book. No notes. Not continuing the series. The main character was so unlikeable and immature, and the plot was all over the place. And don't even get me started on the love interest. Zero personality.

While I loved how creative the magic system was in this world, the book lacked emotional depth, especially when it came to the romance between the two characters. While it was a fun read, I honestly am struggling to remember details of it now and I feel like that’s rather telling.

The concept and synopsis had me HOOKED! I was very excited to read more about how Cast would utilize tarot in this fantasy. I’m heartbroken to say that I wasn’t very impressed with what I read. Things felt rushed and the FMC got on my last nerves.

Kristin Cast enthralls the reader with the romantic fantasy The Empress. The Empress is a figure in the Arcana Tarot cards, but in The Empress sge is a real power. Hannah finds the Empress card in our world and it pulls her into Kane's world of magic. In the Kingdom of Pentacles magic is forbidden and Kane the protector of the realm is banished for his magic. Hannah and Kane meet up and they have to figure out their relationship and how to rescue the kingdom. What could go wrong? More than goes right. Read this enchanting story.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This felt rushed. It needed more editing for sure. The main character was INSUFFERABLE. Her internal monologue and her behavior; I spent the entire book ANNOYED with her and her thought process. YOU'RE TELLING ME YOU WERE TRANSPORTED TO ANOTHER MAGICAL WORLD AND YOU CHOSE TO COME BACK TO BORING REAL LIFE PAYING BILLS AND SHIT???? AFTER DOING NOTHING BUT WHINE AND COMPLAIN ABOUT HOW YOU HATED THAT REAL LIFE AND HOW ONLY BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO YOU?????? WHAT IN THE WORLD???? The worldbuilding could have been better; the plot could have been better. I was expecting so much more and this was just LACKLUSTER.