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“A kingdom divided, magic at its heart, and a battle for power that could destroy them all.”

A captivating YA fantasy with a unique twist, Casters and Crowns pulls you into a world where magic, curses, and love collide. Aria, a princess cursed to stay awake while everyone around her sleeps, embarks on a perilous journey to break the spell—only to find that the key may lie in her connection with a mysterious caster named Baron.
The slow-burn romance, emotional depth, and political intrigue kept me hooked, and Aria’s growth as a character was so rewarding.

What I loved:
👑 The worldbuilding is immersive, with a kingdom torn apart by political strife and magic at its core.
👑 The FMC, a strong-willed and complex character, faces incredible challenges that keep you rooting for her.
👑 A slow-burn romance that builds beautifully amidst the chaos of war and political manipulation.
👑 The action is fast-paced, with twists and turns that kept me on my toes until the last page.

What to expect:
⚔️ Royal intrigue
⚔️ Powerful magic
⚔️ A complex and layered heroine
⚔️ Forbidden romance

This was a great Young Adult Fantasy. The Romance between Aria and Baron was very slow burn, but also so sweet. I loved the unique magic with the Casters and Shifters. Baron’s 13 year old shifter twin brothers were so funny and endearing. I really liked the ending. It felt like it took a little while to pick up but once it did I thought it came together great. Everything wrapped up without a cliffhanger but made me want to know what comes next in their world. I will definitely pick up the companion novel that follows.

((The audio was very well done with great dual narration))

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for the Advanced Listeners Copy.

Casters and Crowns is a sweet romantasy, weaving together the charm of a classic fairy tale with the depth of a richly built fantasy world. The story has character growth, heartfelt relationships, and a very unique and accessible magic system. It's the story of healing and finding one's identity to strive for a better future.

Aria, the crown princess, is a really relatable kind of protagonist. Her perfectionism and genuine concern for her people are well-written, as is her path of self-discovery-realistic and uplifting. Her relationship with her sister adds an extra layer of emotion to her character-that sibling bond that is painful and beautiful. On the other hand, there is Baron, the steadfast and noble hero whose struggles as a Caster in a prejudiced kingdom hit very close to home. Above all, his love for his brothers and the determination to protect them add a compelling layer of sacrifice and hope to his character.

The romance between Aria and Baron develops organically, growing from the core foundation of friendship to something more meaningful. That's their dynamic: balancing each other's weaknesses with their strengths and really molding them into a couple that one can root for. The shared journey will challenge their beliefs and make them fight to build a kingdom they dream of.

The world-building is excellent, with a magic system that is fresh and layered but without feeling overcomplicated. The history's revealed bit by bit, which allows for surprises and also for other stories set within the same universe to take place. The theme of found family, along with the healing of existing bonds, gives this story emotional depth.

The audiobook version deserves special mention for dual narrators that bring characters alive and enhance the immersive experience.

This is a standalone, but the breadth of the story and the depth of its supporting cast beg for more. Casters and Crowns will particularly entertain those readers of fantasy romance who delight in more cerebral world-building, accessible characters, and slow burn romances. With some fantasy violence and only kissing, this is a wholesome read appropriate for older teens and adults alike. This is a magical story that will stay with your heart long after the final page has been turned.

Casters and Crowns is such a charming cozy fantasy that really draws you in from the start. I loved how the story unfolds through the perspectives of Princess Aria and Baron Reeves. Both are trying to live up to their fathers’ expectations, which adds some real depth to their journeys. It’s refreshing to see their struggles with self-doubt and growth, emphasizing how important it is to embrace our mistakes.

The world-building and magic system are straightforward, making it a great pick for anyone new to fantasy. Lowham’s writing is beautiful, filled with vivid imagery that makes everything come alive. Plus, the pacing is just right—it keeps you hooked without feeling rushed.

Aria and Baron’s relationship is another highlight. Their friendship develops into a sweet romance that feels genuine. Aria is navigating her role as a ruler while dealing with her own insecurities, and Baron, with his magical abilities, wants to create a world where casters are accepted and treated equally.

Overall, this standalone novel is a delightful read with lovable characters and relatable themes.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for the ARC of this audiobook for my honest review

A really unique plot that’s really well done. I LOVED the characters, I would die for them. Mainly the brothers. The atmosphere is incredible and everything was written so well that I felt like I was just seeing everything happening. I really enjoyed everything about the storyline and I didn’t want to pause the audio book for a second. Definitely recommend and I’ll be grabbing a physical version.

I'll be publishing my review on Goodreads and StoryGraph 2nd November and on Tik tok most likely will add to a monthly wrap up post with review the beginning of December.

Caster and Crowns is an enchanting new edition to the YA genre. It is a refreshingly unique story that held me captive from the very beginning. The balance of magic, romance, family dynamics, court intrigue, and a morally gray villain, provides a plot that is engaging and captivating.

The friendship and later romance between Aria and Baron was beautifully written and paced. These characters were so easy to love and to root for. I loved the levity provided by Baron's brothers (Corvin and Leon). Their antics breathed joy into some of the heavier moments.

Learning about the magic system, right along with Aria, throughout the story, rather than in an info dump, was ingenious. It reinforced the idea in the book that we should never stop seeking new knowledge and further understanding. I love the message that mistakes can be an opportunity for learning and growth if we let them.

I had the opportunity to listen to the audiobook version and it was tremendously entertaining. The narration was engaging and emotive. The narrators truly brought the characters and story to life. I did not want it to end!

This is a stand alone novel, but I would love to see more books in this world! I100% recommend this story.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for the ALC, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I had the pleasure of receiving an ALC of this book through NetGalley, and I am beyond impressed!

In this captivating YA fantasy, Princess Aria is destined to rule a kingdom where magic is feared. But when she falls victim to a caster’s curse, it’s Baron Reeves who might just be her unlikely savior. The plot is beautifully crafted, keeping me engaged throughout without any slow moments. Every scene felt purposeful and well-paced.

The narrators for this audiobook were absolutely fantastic. This was the first YA novel I’ve experienced with dual narration, and it added so much to the storytelling. It made the characters and their emotions come alive in a way that was truly immersive.

Speaking of characters, they were a delight! Nearly all of them were lovable and relatable, adding depth to an already exciting plot. The magic system was unique yet easy to understand, striking a great balance between intrigue and accessibility. And the romance—so sweet and clean—was a perfect complement to the story, enhancing the overall experience without overshadowing the main plot.

This is a title I’ve already recommended to my middle school students, and I’m confident they’ll love it as much as I did!

Thank you again for this ALC. I’m excited to see where this world will go next!

I really really loved this book. It is a very loose retelling of sleeping beauty. There is a sleeping curse and the plot is about how the princess is going to break it, but it's so much more! There were politics, and grief, and prejudice against magic wielders.

It reminded me of a reverse Heartless Hunter in the fact that there are witches in a regency setting, but our male lead has magic and the female lead is the next in line for the throne. What this book has that Heartless Hunter didn't is a more complex magic system which was more of a focus, which I enjoyed.

It's young adult so it's not scary and the spice content is just kisses. The romance is so sweet. I loved that the couple wrote letters as they were getting to know each other.

The side characters added a lot to the plot, especially all of the siblings. Both of the narrators did a wonderful job in the audiobook.

Pick this up if you like:
Dual POV
Royalty
Pen pals
Magical folks vs. Non-magical
Breaking a curse
Standalone romantasy
No spice

Much thanks to Elizabeth Lowham, Dreamscape Select, and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to a free eaudio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked this book! Aria was a great lead, endearing, likeable, full of good intent but makes mistakes. I found her habit of marking her faults as well as her conflict against a headstrong, hypocritical parent very relatable. She had the strength to keep trying rather than give up and wallow. Baron was kind, gentle, and mature, and his brothers were hilarious. Loved, loved, loved the characters.

The prejudice against magic casters was blind and discriminatory, I agreed with Aria on that, but I also thought she was perhaps naive regarding the dangers of magic casters. Take Baron for example: He's a great guy with no malicious intent. But if he wasn't a great guy and did have malicious intent, he and his magic would be a serious threat. I think Aria didn't consider enough that she can't know every caster is nonthreatening. While I don't think branding is the way to go about it---although with their limited technology it probably was the simplest---I do think casters needed to be registered somehow. Still free, but...known, I guess. My point is, Aria seemed to consider it a black-and-white issue, when in my opinion it's shades of gray. A fascinating philosophy to think about.

The narrative suffered from saggy middle; it started dragging after 60% and didn't pick up until around 80%. That time between the conflict being teed up and someone actually taking a swing. Otherwise it had a steady pace.

The narrator for Baron, Nick Mondelli, had a quality to his voice that was inaccessible to me at first. I'm not sure how to describe it...a flatness, maybe? But I got used to it and it ceased to be a problem.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. I can't decide if I'm glad it was self-contained without cliffhangers or anything, or if I'm put-out because I want more of this world and these characters.

4 Stars ✨

Clean Romantasy

“'I stand tall, because even if they don't know who I am, I do.”

Cursed by magic, bound by mistakes, Princess Aria finds her destiny hinges on the mysterious Baron Reeves. Will love be enough to break the curse, or will war bring her kingdom to ruin?

Audio Narration 🎧 5/5 ✨

In Casters and Crowns, we have a Kingdom that has strict laws against those with magic, in which they call - Casters. The King had one of the Casters put to death, and Widow Morton has never forgotten. Princess Aria thinks she can change her father’s mind and make peace with the widow, so she takes it upon herself to seek peace. Instead of getting peace, she leaves with a curse to last 100 days, one where she will be unable to sleep- and if she doesn’t break the curse, it will pass to her sister until every member in the kings line is dead. Unable to break the curse on her own, and with little knowledge of magic, she must seek help from another Caster- the Charming Baron Reeves. The only question is, can a magic user be trusted?

While things were a little shaky for me at the start due to some pacing, , I ended up really enjoying this cute romance. Some aspects of the story reminded me a little of a Sleeping Beauty retelling. The writing was simple and sweet and I really liked the characters- Barons brothers in particular. Even though the magic system itself wasn’t anything new- the author did have unique elements that were presented, which gave it a fresh feel. I liked how the main focus of the book seemed to be Aria finding herself and gaining confidence in who she is outside of her fathers shadow. Overall, this was a clean, wholesome, feel good romatasy and I would recommend it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this advanced audio copy of Casters and Crowns, in exchange for an honest review.

as pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. It wasn’t my usual genre but it really held my interest from start to end. I want sure how the author was going to end it in a satisfactory way but she did. It was well written and fun!
I thought the plot was unique and fantastical. I loved all the magic and the dashes of romance added in. This is a book an adult and a teen would enjoy reading.
I read the book and then got to listen to it on audio as well. The narrators were just amazing!
It was even better the second time “reading”it.
I can’t wait for more from this author- I’m hoping there will be more books for some of the side characters.

2.5/5

Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamspace Select for providing me with this audiobook ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

I love audiobooks with dual narration. It adds to the atmosphere and makes it easier to differentiate whose point of view I am listening from.

Now, the book itself....I am honestly confused about how this is YA/Teen. I had to keep checking that this wasn't a Middle-Grade novel. The characters are so childish. The writing goes from very formal dialogue to clunky cliches (nothing wrong with cliches, but this is jarring). There isn't enough complexity for this to be YA. I didn't expect Game of Thrones level of political intrigue, but I did expect better than this.

The premise is interesting but nothing special is being done with it,

Not even twenty stars are enough to illustrate how much I loved the story, the characters, the world building, and the overall book.
It was simply perfection.
The writing flows through the pages as beautifully and detailed as the magnificent things it illustrates in our minds. It's a delight.
The magic system is fantastic and fresh, the politics are wonderful and intricate in the royal family and the entire world building is stunning.
The characters are thought out in detail and enriched with life, problems, desires and fears. Which makes them palpable and above all someone we can identify with.
I loved each character, even the villains of the story, who proved to be as human as the rest. And the twins are so funny, but they gain composure when the subject becomes serious, demonstrating their good character. But the two main characters will forever stay in my heart. They have expectations on them, and they try their best to achieve them, even failing along the way. But they grow from it, always trying to change for the better.
And most of all, I loved the love we see grow between the two of them. Was so romantic. It's something that slowly opens the characters up to each other, but it grows in such a special way that it really only has the name of love. It was beautiful to witness that, knowing that they are perfect for each other. I loved it.

And the narrators are superb. It was the first time I felt that the voices were the characters, and not someone else giving them a voice. It was totally exceptional. The voices are calm and rich, conveying the characters' emotions and demonstrating their character. It really was the perfect choice.

I didn't want to stop listening because I loved every moment, but at the same time I didn't want to finish the book, because I didn't want the whole experience to end.
I just want to go back to this world and this characters. I need them in my life.

Widow Morton's son has been executed by orders of the king for treason and now she one of the most dangerous Casters(Magic wielding people) has declared she will not slink into the shadows and follow the king. Aria is the princess and heir to the throne, she has been raise to rule and has been raised to take a tally of every wrong she has ever done. She can never stand up to her father's standards but she does everything to try. So when all hope stopping what Widow Morton has planned have failed Princess Aria decides to try to stop the problem from turning into a war. While trying to fix a problem for the entire kingdom and make her father proud Widow Morton casts a spell on Aria and the kingdom. With no one to help Aria knows it's on a short amount of time till all hope is lost.

Baron has lost his father and mother as well as his step-mother with only his twin brothers left Baron does everything to take care of the family he loves and the home/land his father took so much pride in But after Widow Morton makes her plans knows all Casters are not only branded (which is nothing new) but now outcasts. With Baron being a labeled Caster his title is stripped from him with no hope it will be returned. A chance encounter has Baron and Aria meeting and though they shouldn't they both find the other someone they want to get to know more of. As they learn more of each other Aria knows Baron may be the only person who can help her and though Baron worries Aria only speaks with him for his help he hopes for more.

I feel like i'm not giving this book justice. I loved this story, I didn't want to put it down and didn't want it to end. Aria is kind and smart. She loves her kingdom and her family but she also realizes everything may not be as it seems. Baron is a good person who will do whatever it takes for his family and though he has suffered a lot loves his kingdom and the land his father tended and the people they are over. The story is so well done the world building and the characters are amazing in this book. I really enjoyed the world and the history of the Casters as well as this kingdom. The romance is just a wonderful bonus in this book that made it tip over into a perfect read for me.

I can't recommend this book enough, I will be keeping and eye out for other books from this author and reading them in the future and reading some of this authors previous books as well. This book was so well done its one that was just right for me it worked from beginning to the end there wasn't anything I didn't enjoy it was the perfect book for a nice chilly fall...it was so good!

*Thank you NetGallery Dreamscape Select | Shadow Mountain Publishing for they ARC

DNF. I cannot follow what is happening in this book. I actually had to check that I hadn't somehow skipped a chapter because I could not follow the beginning. This seems like a book that is best read in physical book or ebook fashion instead of an audiobook.

Im so happy I took a chance on this audiobook. I loved this story! As usual the third person pov always makes the story feel more magical. It can be hard to read sometimes but as an audiobook it never fails.
This was a beautiful story with beautiful meanings for those who look deeper. I loved the FMCs growth journey and I think we can all relate to her problems.
I also loved the romance and of course the MMCs brothers!

Very worth the read!

Cute fantasy book, though it felt very tame (action and character-wise) compared to some of the recent releases in the genre, but that isn’t a bad thing. Great audiobook with dual narrators.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with an audiobook arc of this book. This was a great fantasy book with a blossoming romance through tribulations. The story has an almost Sleeping Beauty like quality to it, but in an opposite way, if that makes sense. There is some elemental magic and shape shifting throughout the story, adding to the magical quality of the story. The characters were interesting and likable. It has a good meaning behind it as mistakes can be made throughout history, but as long as we progress and learn from our mistakes, positive changes can come about. The audiobook was great, and I really enjoyed the dual narration. I will definitely be reading more from this author!

This was an interesting standalone with a unique magic system. I will be checking out other works by the author.

Very cute romantasy! It reads a bit like a classic fairy tale which I loved. The characters were well fleshed out and I couldn't help but fall in love with every one of them. The writing was great! It's a solid fantasy all around!

The audiobook was excellent! I love when we have dual narrators!