3.75 stars 💖

this was such a surprise of a read and a hidden gem! well written, well plotted, and executed and i enjoyed it quite a lot especially because i have strayed away from young adult books for some years now but this brought back some faith in it <3

cant wait to read more from this author!

Great book! Storyline is engaging and well written. I am not usually a fantasy reader but I loved this book. The characters were relatable. I would recommend it to a YA audience and adults who enjoy a well written clean book.

I loved this book! I loved watching Princess Aria and Baron tackle their challenges and learn and grow in the process. All while getting to know one another and supporting each other. There are so many times I wanted to throttle some of the side characters and villains. It was engaging and well written!

Unfortunately this was just not for me. It just didn't grasp my attention the way I wanted it to. I will try this one again as a published book. I was gifted a copy of the finished edition and I will be reading it in the near future.

I really loved this one. As the crown princess Aria has a great weight on her shoulders. I love watching how she tackles challenges and grows in the the process. Baron has a weight of his own as he takes the lead in his family. I love how they turn to each other for help and find great support and strength in the relationship that develops. The world that Lowham has created is unique and engaging. I love the twist and turns and the insights from supporting characters. I hope some of those characters get stories of their own in the near future. I really couldn't put this story down as I was reading. Looking forward to more!

This book. Unbelievably could not put this down! The words gripped me. The audio fantastic! The hype legit. Go read it!

Summing it up: Princess Aria is determined to have her voice heard and heads into danger to negotiate with a dangerous Caster. Instead she returns with a curse. She asks the handsome Baron for help and they go on a quest for answers.

Thoughts: So much to love. So many marinating thoughts.

* the magic was totally interesting
* Leon and Corvin had my heart
* twists to keep me on the edge
* strong princess who learns from her mistakes “mark”
* thought provoking
* romantic swoony moments
* all the letters and carriers
* incredibly satisfying ending and yet I need more

Rhyme: Conquering hard things with steadfastness stretches Aria in unseen ways. Can she find the cure for the curse and wake to a love on the same day?

I loved loved loved this book.
First off, the writing is excellent. The world building is excellent. And you can't just help but root for Aria and Baron. I would love to see a tie in for Eliza, Jenny, Corvin and Leon. The only complaint I would have is the kissing was a little much at the end for me. Maybe a little less physical and more focus on what the magic was doing.

Thank you to Shadow Mountain for the wonderful story.

I found this novel delightful and original. I found that, while Aria and Baron were not trusting of anyone, they both needed help, but didn't know whom to trust. It was a larger than life chess game with lives at stake. I really enjoyed the story and the outcome. I had a hard time putting the book down. I would definitely recommend, especially if you want something new.

Thank you for NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

Exciting magical romantic fantasy.
Feels like a fairy tale and has some similarities to Sleeping Beauty.

The title comes from a conflict between the Casters-those born with various magical abilities, and the Crowns-the royals. Princess Aria thinks she knows more than her dad (like many teenagers) but makes a huge mistake with serious consequences for herself, her family and ultimately her kingdom.

I liked it more than I thought I would and couldn’t put it down. I loved that Aria stands up for what’s right and wants to use the talents of everyone to make their community better. Themes of prejudice, mercy, and acceptance of others who are different and therefore seem scary. Thanks to Shadow Mountain Publishing for an ARC to use for my review.

This was my first book by this author but I have been seeing this pop up over and over again in my bookstagram feed. I really enjoyed this one, the world building/magic system was interesting and the characters were complex and well developed. The romance was done well and I loved the twins and I just couldn’t put this one down. I would definitely recommend it.

This book was a delightful surprise! Loved it! The characters were will flushed out and believable = well as much as a magical book can be! I loved the way the magic was handled and crafted throughout the book! Well done and the swooning was perfection! I really enjoyed this book! I will read another by the author again sooner than later!

Thanks to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain for the opportunity to read this book, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

What a feast for my imagination! I switched off between ARC and audiobook and anytime I couldn't be reading/listening, I was thinking about this book - in all the best ways! The world, curse, magic, politics, characters became such a real world in my head and I loved every bit of the adventure. I will be recommending this book to everyone - regardless of their book tastes because I think this book could suit just about anyone's fancy. The character arcs, love story, obstacles, twins (they were soooo fun!), and more were all so refreshing. I have read a lot of books this year, but few have caught and held my attention like this one. Hoping the author keeps writing masterpieces like this!

Not only did I have the book, but I grabbed the audio and listened to this one and wow–I was captivated and intrigued from the very start.

Aria is the crown princess and takes it upon herself to distance her country from the brink of war they’re facing–only to find herself cursed and things turn seemingly worse. I have a great appreciation for an author that can deliver something fresh and fun, with surprising twists and turns.

I really enjoyed all the characters and the roles they each played, and was fascinated to see the layers build and peel, revealing a delightful tale that left me in wonder. With magic, curses, and love, this romantasy is a winsome treat.

Elizabeth Lowham does a wonderful job of creating a story that I’m hoping will turn into at least a duology, if not more.

Content: mild violence; mild romance

Magical, historical, fantastical, and full of breathtaking world-building and twists and turns, "Casters and Crowns" is simply impossible to put down!

Firstly, this cover is so captivating!

Elizabeth Lowham's storytelling is incredible! From the first moment to the last, I was fully engrossed in this book, and felt myself swept away into a different land and time. I would so love for there to be more books set in this world, as it is truly gripping and like a fairy tale!

Princess Aria wants to help bring more peace to her father's kingdom, When she tries to come to an agreement with Widow Morton, whom is a Caster (those with magic), and things go wrong, Princess Aria is cursed, and soon finds herself working alongside Baron Reeves in order to stay alive and stop the curse. I don't want to say too much about the plot due to spoilers, but, I will say, this novel has so much in it; magic, spells, adventure, moments that will have you on the edge of your seat, fairy tale elements, romance, and so, so much more.

Aria and Baron truly bring out the best in one another, and both have such hearts of gold. They help one another grow, and their character development throughout is so powerful and poignant. I hope to see them again in future books!

I highly recommend this book, and I can't wait to read what Elizabeth Lowham writes next!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for the e-ARC of this book, and to Shadow Mountain Publishing for sending me a beautiful physical ARC as well! All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I LOVED this story! I wasn't so sure about it when I first started, because I haven't been on a magic kick for quite awhile now, but I am so glad I chose to read this book. The author does a wonderful job at world-building and bringing each of the characters to life. Definitely one that I had a hard time putting down.

"With you, I see the self I want to be."

This is the second book I’ve read from Lowham and it was just as amazing as BEAUTY REBORN. Lowham has created a unique magical world. With witch’s marks, spells, curses, banishment, shapeshifting, sleeping spells, secrets, and so much more.

I was impressed with the creative plot and enchanting characters. Aria and Baron and wonderfully done. Aria is brave, outspoken (mark!), and caring. As she tries to make things right with Countess Morton, things only get worse for her. I absolutely loved the turn of events and all that happens from this meeting.

Baron is a caster who has held the witch’s mark since he was six. He is patient while he deals with unfairness and prejudice. There are so many unpredictable twists and turns, and I loved every page. The development of Aria’s and Baron’s relationship is tender and I loved what takes place. Eliza is also wonderful and even those who the small roles are vital to this intriguing story.

Thank you to the publisher for the NetGalley approval. I also listened to some of the audio on Deseret Bookshelf. The narrators were perfect.

Oh my goodness, I was completely and totally enthralled with this book! This is the perfect example of a clean romantasy done right. I was hooked right from the get go, and didn’t want to stop once I had started.

The characters in this story were SO MUCH FUN, from the MMC and FMC down to even the smallest side characters. Everyone was important to the story, and I wanted to get more and more. The magic was so fascinating and easy to follow. Some fantasy magic gets too complicated for me, but this one was not that way at all. The Casters were really cool and I loved seeing them cast as both villains and heroes.

And don’t even get me started on our MMC and FMC. I was obsessed. They were perfect for each other. And I loved them both (which I’ll admit doesn’t happen very often that I love both haha). Baron is a dreamy dreamboat and I love him 😆😄 and the letters… *sigh. I have a sudden urge to start writing letters again. Lets bring this back haha

And I couldn’t finish without the twins. They are hilarious and I loved getting to see them throughout the story.


Thank you so much to the author and publisher and netgalley for an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

I'm going to start by saying that I did loved the book and the story but it was a bit much of a slow burn to me.. Which I understand but make me took some time to actually get into the story, I did liked Aria and Baron I think they were amazing characters and the magic system was great but I miss the wow in it

Thank you to Netgalley for giviing this ARC, and this doesn't influence my review. I had to DNF this book unfortunately. The tropes hooked me, but unfortunately I did not find myself interested in this book. This is by no means meant to deter anyone from reading.

Thank you to Netgalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for the ARC copy of Casters and Crowns.

I adored this book. The magic system in Casters and Crowns is unique but not overly complicated which I loved.

The plot kept me intrigued until the end. I loved the characters in this book and I hope that the author might decided to write more books based on Aria and Baron as well as some of the side characters like the twins.

The fairytale aspect to this book was great.

I highly recommend that this book is added to your TBR.