Shackles and Secrets

Sresca has lived her entire life serving Dana, the goddess of death. Living in the remote Temple in the mountains of Tsvetokrasa since she and her sister fled the mayhem of the revolution, she has never dreamed of anything more than becoming a priestess.

But the winged fire-serpent that lives in her mind whispers to her of a destiny far more grand than that of simple servitude. And the other voices in her head speak of things she shouldn't know.

When a would-be duke comes to the temple seeking a priestess to serve in his household, Sresca finds herself agreeing, leaving behind her sister, her lover, and the only life she ever knew.

But the duke wants more from her--and the fledgling democratic government--than anyone could possibly know, and his loyalty to Sresca comes with shadowy strings. Can Sresca find her way in the murky depths of court politics and learn the truth of who she is? Or will a new monarch rise in Tsvetokrasa and those who now claim magic be forced into servitude?

SHACKLES AND SECRETS will be released in early 2025. Sign up today to be part of the ARC Team!

Shadow Magic

Disaster Sapphics

Criss-crossing plotlines

Animal Companions

Haven't read the previous books? That's fine! The SCIONS AND SHADOWS series is a series of stand alone stories. It helps to have read the previous books, but it's not necessary! If you want to catch up and are willing to leave honest reviews of the previous books, you can request free review copies.

Request Review Copies of Previous Books

What is an ARC Reader?

ARCs are "Advanced Review Copies" of books given to readers before release to get early reviews and hype.

ARC copies of books are not yet the final version of the book, but they are close to the final version as possible before release. These books have gone through developmental editing, line editing, copy editing, and proofreading. There might be some changes made between when these books go out to readers and when they are published, but the changes will be minor.

The purpose it to generate buzz, hype, and anticipation around the release. ARC readers read the book before it's published and put their reviews on Goodreads, StoryGraph, Amazon, Kobo, Apple, Barnes and Nobles, Smashwords, their own blogs, etc. They sometimes also post about the book on social media and spread the word via their own networks.

Content Notes

The book has not yet been finished, so this is not a full or complete content note list. This is a content note, not a trigger warning list. Due to the nature of trauma and the individuality of it, I cannot provide a full and complete trigger warning list that would cater to every potential reader.

Revolution and civil unrest

Conscription

Consensual Intimate Scenes

Compassionate portrayals of severe mental illness, including dissociation and hallucinations and also characters who are not understanding or sympathetic

Compassionate portrayals of executive dysfunction and also characters who are not understanding or sympathetic

LGBTQ Characters

Toxic and manipulative relationships

Consumption of drugs and alcohol

Class and income inequality

FAQ

Don't worry, we got you. Here are some answers for your questions.

Is this book spicy?

Yes, there will be some intimate scenes. It will be slightly more than fade-to-black. If you've read STARS AND SOIL, it won't be as much as that. If you use the pepper scale, it will be 3 out of 5 peppers. Open door, euphemistic language for acts and body parts. Sometimes called "mild-to-medium spice."

What other ownvoices representation is there?

This book is ownvoices for chronic illness and mental illness representation. The main character has both POTS and a severe trauma disorder with dissociation.

What queer rep is present?

This book primarily features sapphic representation. The main character is bisexual. Although there are many characters that are non-binary, many that are aromantic and/or asexual, and multiple other queer identities are present.

Please, please, please do not request this ARC if you are not comfortable reading books with sapphic representation, that is, f/f. I am looking for ARC readers that are enthusiastic FANS of f/f!

How soon will I get my e-ARC?

The timeline is not set in stone yet. The e-ARC is expected to go out in early 2025, about a month before expected release.

How long will I have to read the book?

However long you need. While I would ideally like reviews to be on retailers and bookish platforms within 2 weeks of release, I understand things happen. Things come up. Situations change. If it takes you 3 years to get around to reading and reviewing, it takes three years.

Do I have to finish the book?

No. If you pick it up, read the final content warning list and decide it's not for you, that's fine. Not every book is for every person. You do you. I appreciate that you were at least willing to give it a shot.

What if I hate the book?

You're allowed to hate the book. It is generally considered good ARC etiquette to at least wait a week or two to leave a bad review; enough time for some of the positive reviews to come in and for the author to have some feel-goods about their accomplishment. There's nothing stopping you from leaving your 1-star on day 1, though. Just social norms and politeness. If you do hate this book and leave a 1-star, I can't do anything about it. But I probably won't accept you for my ARC team for my next book. I want my ARC team full of readers I know like my books. It's a special privilege for my fans, not my haters.

Is this book edited? What if I find a typo?

By the time the book gets to you, it should have gone through at least five rounds of edits, both self-edits and edits via an independent editor. Your job is not to edit or provide line by line critique. If you DO find a typo or error, please feel free to email me! My email address will be provided to you when I send you your e-arc.

More in the series...

Stars and Soil (1.)

Shades and Silver (0.5)

Smoke and Steel (2.0)

Queernormative

Diverse World

Complex Characters

Intricate Magic System

Unique Fantasy Species

Can be read as stand-alones!

Get to Know Ahnlisen

The World of Scions and Shadows

IN AHNLISEN, OLD GODS PLOT REVENGE on those that displaced them, hidden cities hold ancient secrets, kings and priests vie for control of powerful relics, forgotten realms rise from ashes, spies and assassins of murky loyalties operate from the shadows, rebels and revolutionaries covertly arm themselves for discord, and oracles and scryers predict the rebirth of fallen immortals.

The world of SCIONS AND SHADOWS is one of magic and intrigue, spanning centuries of political conspiracies, divine machinations and conflicts of ethics, morality, and conscience. Swords and spells clash chaotically, forcing people to decide between what they want, and what is right.

SCIONS AND SHADOWS is a series of novels and novellas that share the same universe. There is an overarching plot, but each book can be read as a stand-alone and in any order. They are listed below in chronological order.