The Unmarked Witch by Miranda Lyn

C. E. Styles 5 mins0
The Unmarked Witch by Miranda Lyn
two-half-flames
The Unmarked Witch by Miranda Lyn
Series: Unmarked #1
Published by Indie on 20 September 2022
Genres: Fantasy Romance
Pages: 421
Format: eBook
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

ALL RAVEN WANTS IS PEACE. BUT IN A MAGICAL REALM PLAGUED BY DECEPTION, THE ONLY THING HER WORLD KNOWS IS TURMOIL.
A land where witches wear their spells like tattoos is no place for a woman without a single magical mark—except for Raven, whose unblemished skin contradicts the truth of her power. Surviving under the scowls of her fellow witches has carved indelible scars into her mind over the years—just as the day she watched the Dark King's men murder her grandmother in cold blood. But the Dark King's reign of terror is far-reaching, and Raven's grandmother won't be the last witch to die under his rule. After the death of a coven leader heralds the start of the infamous Witch Trials, Raven finds herself dodging death to triumph. The journey quickly descends into perils far greater than she'd ever imagined, including a war on her heart from a man she’d only ever known as a villain. Still, trust is always fragile in kingdoms ruled by magic, especially when love enters the fold. Yet, something else is awry in the land of spells and shadows and Raven must decide whether she trusts her gut or her heart.


I hope you aren’t in a rush, Ms. Moonstone, because I plan to devour you slowly.

The Unmarked Witch by Miranda Lyn

The Unmarked Witch by Miranda Lyn was a very pleasant surprise. I have seen this recommended a few times on social media and I’ve been burned before by over-recommended social media reads but The Unmarked Witch is worth all the hype and more.

It is the first book in what I hope will be a meaty series because I fell in love with this story and I’ll tell you why.

Pace

Miranda Lyn did an excellent job at feeding just enough information throughout the story so that everything made sense but I was kept on the edge of my seat, always waiting for the next revelation. Miranda is also sneaky with her world-buliding and weaves a picture of this new world seamlessly into the dialogue and plot points, rather than blocks of exposition that tend to weigh down the beginning of epic fantasies.

Characters

Raven, the FMC, is a loyal, empathetic, and fierce Moon coven witch. She was written with a strong sense of character and voice that is rather refreshing after having read dozens upon dozens of similarly styled fantasy FMCs.

Bastian, the MMC, is the mysterious, ruthless, and powerful Dark King; half witch, half shifter. There are a lot of details not yet revealed about Bas but it is evident that he longs to share himself with someone worthy of handling all that he is and all that he is responsible for.

And the chemistry between Raven and Bas.. snarky banter, secret desires, the angst, the protectiveness, the jealousy and, finally, the steamy spice. Perfection.
Raven (FMC) and Bastian (MMC) are everything I could wish for in a main character coupling but the real winners are the side characters.

Kirsi, Nikos, Nym, and Grey all play their important roles spectacularly and I love them all, especially Kirsi (well, maybe not Nikos).

Tropes


  • Enemies to Lovers

  • Trials/Contest

  • Hidden/Secret Ability

  • Subterfuge/Deception

  • Royalty/Court Intrigue

  • Witches

  • Shifters

  • Dark Secrets

Is The Unmarked Witch Spicy?

Yes, there are some explicit adult scenes in The Unmarked Witch though the main emphasis in the romantic plot is the steamy tension as the enemies become lovers. On a ‘fade-to-black’ to ‘smut’ scale, I would rate this as ‘spicy’; equal parts action-driven plot and steamy romance.

“You make me crazy,” he whispered, inching closer.
“You consume me.”

The Unmarked Witch by Miranda Lyn

My Thoughts

I’m so glad I read this book. It was one of my few 5-star reads in 2022 and has temporarily filled the ACOTAR-shaped hole in my soul. I love the original premise, the strong and unique characters, the steamy romance, and the conflicts looming on the horizon that are sure to solidify this series as a new favourite. Fair warning: The Unmarked Witch by Miranda Lyn does end on a cliffhanger and contains scenes of death and violence. Check the author’s website for more details and TWs.

tl;dr


  • Adult Fantasy Romance

  • Enemies to Lovers

  • Steamy romance with spicy scenes

  • Strong characters & world-building, moderate pacing

  • Cliffhanger

C. E. Styles

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