I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I feel like the hook overpromised and underdelivered on this book. I was very interested but it didn't do it for me.

A charming mix of historical fiction and modern romance with a sprinkle of tarot and magic. ✨ Hannah is a down on her luck, confidence lacking woman living in Chicago. She visits a tarot card shop where an empress card sweeps her away to a realm mirroring her own. She is put upon a task from the Empress, leading her to an adventure in the castle of the Queen of the kingdom of pentacles. Kane is our dreamy MMC who Hannah experiences some enemies to lovers, one bed and fake marriage tropes on her adventure 🌶️
A very unique storyline with the tarot, magick and realm hopping. the depiction of the palace was enchanting and well written. At times, some of the language used by Hannah (which I’m assuming is gen z- ish? talk) seemed out of place and did not match up with the character and age I was envisioning 🤔. At times, I found it slow with some of the dialogue, but the end really picked up and pulled me back into the story. There was a few surprises I was not expecting at all, which was nice. 😊 Overall, an enjoyable read and would read another book in this world for sure!

Thank you to the author Kristen Cast and Sourcebooks Bloom books for the ARC


3.75 stars!!

📚The Empress by Kristin Cast📚

Overall rating: ⭐️
Spice rating: 🌶️🌶️

Oh boy. I was so incredibly excited to read this book, the concept sounded so fascinating. Unfortunately, it was not. This was bad. I really don’t say that lightly and I haven’t said that about many books in my lifetime. I always try to find the positive. I genuinely couldn’t with this book. To say this book is not for me is putting it mildly.
The FMC, Hannah, is not likable. Like at all. There are no redeeming qualities about Hannah. She’s immature, whiny, and not at all well rounded. I have loved many FMCs who don’t have their life together in the beginning, but figure it out along the way. Hannah’s (already one dimensional) character doesn’t evolve at all. The MMC, Kane, also fell extremely flat. He had no real personality and no real purpose except for protector of the land. Remember Ken in the Barbie movie where his job is just Beach? Kane is Ken. He’s “protector.” Whatever that means. I read this book in its entirety and I still don’t know. Hannah and Kane have zero chemistry (how would they, that would require any sort of character development) and the only real thing that brings them together is one bed.

The pacing of the story is completely off, no one is likable, the dialogue is cringey as hell. The relentless attempts at humor and relatable, modern day jokes were having me physically cringe. There are too many examples of this, but one that especially got me early on in the book is when Hannah calls Kane “Sulky Sulkerton” and Kane (who is not at all familiar with modern day slang) doesn’t bat an eye. Hannah is supposed to be in her mid 20s. She acts and speaks like a teenager.

I think there will be people who will read and actually enjoy this book. I’m not one of them.


Thank you to NetGalley and Bloom Books for the gifted copy of this book.

In The Empress: A Towerfall Novel by Kristin Cast, we follow Hannah, a twenty-something from present-day Chicago, as she’s thrown into an alternate realm brimming with magic. It’s a tarot-inspired historical fantasy told from a single point of view, with all the tropes that romantasy fans love: a fake marriage, a secret identity, an awkward “only one bed” situation, and of course, a morally gray love interest. This book kicks off a brand-new series.

Honestly, it took me a bit to get into the story. The opening scene was a little jarring—I wasn’t sure what to expect right away, but things got more intriguing as the plot moved forward. Once Hannah landed in Towerfall and Kane entered the picture, things picked up, and I really started to enjoy it. I especially liked the friendships Hannah formed in this magical world.

That said, the pacing felt a bit uneven. The lead-up to the major action was slow, and Hannah often made rash, impulsive choices that left me frustrated. While the climax was exciting, it felt a bit rushed, and I would’ve liked more time to process the resolution. Still, the ending tied things up well, delivering that classic “good versus evil” payoff.

The characters were a bit hit or miss for me. Some felt one-dimensional, but I did appreciate Hannah’s personal growth. For readers who enjoy tarot themes or are on the lookout for a fantasy romance with a bit of emotional depth, this book might hit the mark.

While I loved the concept—alternate realms, tarot vibes, magic—it didn’t quite live up to its potential for me. Hannah’s decisions often felt inconsistent, and Kane’s instant fascination with her didn’t always make sense. That said, the world of Towerfall was fascinating, and I just wish the story had leaned into it more with a stronger female lead.

Thank you to Kristin Cast, SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books, and NetGalley for providing an eARC in return for my honest review. Publication Date: January 7, 2025.

3 ⭐️ 3🌶️
Overall I enjoyed the book as I read it as long as I didn’t think too hard about it.

The MMC was a big strong muscle magick daddy….. and that was kind of all he was? Yes he cared about his kingdom which is really the only thing you learn about him is that he has always cared for the kingdom and his friend. Past that he really only ever made sexually charged remarks. He was pretty flat with the only purpose of being a hot man that the FMC falls for and manages to magickally fix everything with magick that wasn’t really explained.

FMC did have growth through the book and wasn’t suddenly a bad ass without showing that growth.

I enjoyed it as I read it but wouldn’t recommend it to my friends.

5 ⭐️
🌶️🌶️

Got me another book boyfriend named Kane with a dirty mouth I guess 👀

I was sucked into this story so fast it's not even funny. Hannah is your stereotypical older Gen Z who's life feels like it's falling apart just to suddenly be transported to another realm and be rescued by a dark haired hotty? Say no more.

I will say, 'Little Fawn' is now officially up there in a favorite pet name in a romance book thanks to this fine specimen but the double whammy 'Good Girl' with it??? I was foaming out the mouth

The Empress by Kristin Cast 4⭐️

💎 Broody MMC
💎 Fake Marriage
💎 Tarot Inspired
💎 He Ties Her Up
💎 Self-Discovery

Hannah experiences the culture shock of her life when she’s pulled to a different realm through a magickal tarot card. In this strange world she meets Kane, a tall, brooding warrior, who tells her she’s been chosen by the powerful Tower to help heal the realm. Hannah and Kane must sneak into the castle to find the source of the rot plaguing the Kingdom of Pentacles.

When I saw a tarot inspired romantasy I was immediately sold and this book did not disappoint! It was the perfect blend of fantasy and romance. The spicy scenes were HOT but they weren’t the main point of the story. I was shocked by the ending as I was expecting a cliffhanger. I’m excited to see what’s to come in the next few books and to continue to explore this unique world.

I really enjoyed watching Hannah take control of her life and decide that she wasn’t just going to keep going through the motions. Watching her friendships and relationships build really warmed my heart and made me so happy for her!


The Empress comes out 1/7 and is the first in a 4 book series!!


Thank you to Kristin Cast and NetGalley for an advanced copy. This is my honest review!

This was so unique and so much fun!

We start out in the regular world (our world) and then end up in a magical fantasy world inspired by cards (tarot cards to be exact). Isn't that so cool?! I've never read a book like this before and I really enjoyed it. I will definitely be reading the next book in this series.

Unique world, unique magic, fun banter between the main characters, political drama and reveals.

There's really not much more I can say then "read this book!"

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.

This was so good! This might be niche but while reading it I was thinking of my favorite Sims 4 Pack, Life and Death because of the tarot aspect and it made me love this book even more. I loved the characters, I thought they had great chemistry and interesting motives. They were fun to read about and I will be reading more from Kristin Cast in the future.

Thanks, Netgalley, for this absolute dumpster fire of an ARC.

I'm all for a "my life is super trash but I'm trying to get it sorted" character. But Hannah is not that. She's unlikable, hard to resonate with. Whiny. Until, ya know, she realizes the MMC has abs. Kane falls super flat. We get no indication of why he does anything except that he's the "protector of the realm" and it's his duty. Which is trash. The two have no notable interactions that lead to an interest in one another but oh my god there's one bed?! Wink wink eyebrow wiggle what the fuck.
This book is also marketed as tarot involved but??? The Empress does literally all the work and that's still barely anything.
I'm over it. Did I enjoy this author when I was younger? Yes. Did I enjoy her writing as an adult? Obviously not.

I was really excited and intrigued by this book based on the blurb and premise. Unfortunately, it didn't pan out at all like I was hoping.

I didn't find the FMC to be likeable or even very relatable. She was constantly letting things happen to her while sitting back and complaining about it. It seemed to read like it was trying to be a rom-com based on the amount of banter between the FMC and MMC, but I found it fell super flat.

Moreover, I found the relationship to be very one-dimensional and basic as well. The FMC is internally (and even at times verbally) insistent that she doesn't want a relationship yet she's constantly contradicting herself. Also, I'm personally very tired of overly pushy MMC's who pursue the FMC even (or sometimes especially!!!) after she's said no or that she isn't interested.

Overall I felt very disappointed by this book and genuinely like I wasted a day of reading.

The Empress had such an intriguing concept with the Tarot element which pulled me in. How unique! Hannah, the FMC, is... A lot. Stubborn, shy but outspoken at other times, and runs headfirst into situations she knows nothing about. She was a bit difficult to read at times. Kane on the other hand? Delightful. He was dark and broody but turned everything into an innuendo which I appreciate. He ramped up the tension and I love tension. The book was a fun read but I just hoped the Tarot element would be more prominent - it sort of turned into a historical romance with politics which didn't really lean on Tarot elements at all.
3.5⭐

I’m a little at a loss on how approach this review. It was a hit and a miss for me. First, it has so much potential. The story is intriguing and the main players are thoughtfully crafted—the pieces are all there. Why does it fall short ? While the foundation is there, the details get a little blurry. Concepts get confused, details aren’t defined well, characters act out of character often with almost zero explanation, and most importantly, our female lead, the true hero, missed most. She was almost what I would describe as insufferable to start the book (and I suspect is where many readers will DNF). I understand the story is about her growth and transition, but the pay off wasn’t enough for her immature and, frankly, irritating introduction. I see the heart of this book, but it almost feels like it needed more time to marinate.

This was 4 stars for me!

I absolutely loved the world building in The Empress and the premise of the plot circling around a single Tarot Card.

Hannah, our FMC, is so relatable in regard to her real world problems in the corporate world, as well as her vulgar vocabulary. Her character development was beautiful to unravel and her finding her HEA made my heart so happy.

The best part about this world is the magic system and the interconnecting realms and Doppelgängers. I would have loved to see more delving into the magic and read more of the magick in this world. I really enjoyed the characters as they were introduced, especially the side characters and their mirrors.

The MMC, Kane, was delectable and someone we'll be adding to our book boyfriends with his sly demeanor and sexual induoindos. I loved the way the FMC and MMC balanced each other but more importantly, allowed each other to grow into their utmost potential.

I highly recommend The Empress who are looking for a modern day fantasy twist.

I have always loved the arcana and how tarot cards can help us see things we may be ignoring or struggling to see. In this book, Kristin Cast takes that intuition and gives it to a young woman I think anyone can relate to. Hannah is impatient, impulsive, and best of all, witty. She faces a horrific challenge that drives her towards a different kind of answer, a tarot reading. I love that Cast wrote such a strong smart character without being afraid to let Hannah be sweet and kind. I also love Kane but that is a separate thing with far less honorable reasons! 🤫

I’ll start out by saying that I read this book in one sitting. It was a fun and easy read that didn’t leave me bored. Though, I did want to smack some sense into Hannah multiple times.

The only complaint I really have is that I wish we got more backstory for some of the characters, like Four and Ivy. They’re the two main ”villains” yet we don’t really know why they’re doing what they’re doing. The story didn’t feel as flushed out as it could have been. Otherwise, it was great

The Empress had the makings of a great fantasy romance and the beautiful cover drew me in immediately. Unfortunately, the author’s writing style was low key atrocious. The romance between Kane and Hannah was surprisingly decent and I only kept reading because of their intense chemistry. I won’t lie, their banter was kinda hot 🥵 Hannah is definitely an FMC hell bent on making sure the reader knows she’s not like other girls and the writing took me out of the story very often. Thankfully, The Empress is a quick read so I don’t feel as if I wasted any time on it. Overall, I’m not sure I’d necessarily recommend this but if you like hate reading, this is a pick for you.

Thank you Bloom, NetGalley, and the author for sending me an early copy!

1.5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks, and Bloom Books for this advanced copy. You can pick up The Empress on January 7, 2025.

I just want to know what possessed me to ask for this book when I've read this author's work before and actively disliked it. SHOCKER, this one was no different. But I did read the ENTIRE book so I could justify my negative feelings with incontrovertible proof that the book is terrible. I've put my full thoughts into my Goodreads review, but let's just say if you like self-insert Outlander fan fic or dreamed about being kidnapped by a hot vaguely historical man, this might be your book. Just know what you're getting into with the rest of it.

Okay. The premise for this? Fabulous, right up my alley, and it started off okay for me, but after hearing so much about this author and this being my first, it fell…flat. It reads very YA in an adult world, and I hope we see some character growth as the series progresses. Even though this was super slow and it did let me down, I will give it one more shot in the next book, because the premise is so wonderful, I hope it can be redeemed. (Guys I dislike rating under 4 stars, but here we are 🤦🏻‍♀️)

When I first saw the cover of this book and read the synopsis, I was so excited. It was one of my most anticipated releases for this month. Unfortunately, it disappointed me. I expected more of a historical fantasy with interesting magic, especially involving the tarot cards, but instead, it was underdeveloped and felt lacking. I could not connect with any of the characters and just found myself not caring about what happened. A lot of the story and dialogue also felt very immature and cringey for what is supposed to be an adult romantasy. I think there will be fans of romantasy who will enjoy this book, it just wasn’t for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Bloom Books for this ARC!