Content levels
Trigger warnings
Hero archetypes
Heroine archetypes
Protagonist archetypes
Tropes
Themes
Synopsis
She’s trained her whole life to kill monsters like him and the dragon he rides. Now, he may be the only one who can save her… Humans are treated like cattle by the Godforged, the terrible creatures created by the gods to wage a never-ending war with each other. Fiona’s spent her life learning to wield magic stolen from the divine, to protect her people from the violence. Now she’s given the chance to become the thing she’s sworn to kill. The God of Darkness’s champion is dead, and he’s holding a series of trials to decide who will be his next, open to anyone, including humans. If Fiona wins, she’d control his army… and how it treats innocent humans. And none of them know of the powers she wields… These trials are filled with the strongest and most ruthless of the Godforged. But if they discover the secrets she hides, it will doom all her people. In this world of magic and violence, there’s one person who truly understands secrets. Azric Cyrus, Death’s champion and first dragon rider, is the most brutal of all the Godforged. And the most beautiful. With wings of bone, shadows, and seduction as his deadliest weapons, even the gods listen when he speaks. It's even more reason for Fiona to be wary when he takes an interest in her. Destiny is not a fixed thing, and as its strings are pulled from behind the shadows, these two broken souls must learn to trust each other. Their lives are the least that hang in the balance. Perfect for fans of Fourth Wing, Crowns of Nyaxia, and The Games Gods Play, Shadow Trials is the first in a long, epic romantasy series that will follow multiple couples. It does not end in an HEA, but the series will.
Shadow Trials: An Epic Slowburn Romantasy: content & age rating
Intended for adult readers (18+).
This adult romantasy features strong violence in magical trials and warfare, steamy romantic content, and themes of humans as oppressed people. The romance is slow-burn between enemies with significant power imbalance.
What to know going in
This book has strong violence, steamy sexual content, and moderate language. Content notes include captivity, death, and violence (see the full list above).
Who'll love this
Readers will be gripped by the dangerous trials, dragon riders, forbidden romance between mortal enemies, and a heroine fighting to save her people while hiding her powers.