MoodReads - Romance Book Discovery
The Stacks
DiscoverMy ShelvesReading Stats
Sign upLog in
MoodReads - Romantasy Book Discovery

because goodreads doesn't
have a spice filter

Discover

  • Discover Page
  • Reading Stacks
  • Tropes
  • Moods
  • Creatures
  • Spicy Books

Get MoodReads

  • so what is it.
  • iOS App
  • Browser Extension
  • MoodReads Premium
  • Gift a Subscription
  • For Creators
  • Share MoodReads

Go Deeper

  • FAQ
  • Roadmap
  • Request a Feature
  • vs Goodreads
  • vs StoryGraph
  • Who Built This?

The Serious Stuff

  • Values
  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Support

get emails when something big happens. no spam, just news.

© 2026 MoodReads. Built by a romantasy reader for romantasy readers.

rattle the stars, bitches.

Cover of Mortal Skin

Mortal Skin

by Lily Mayne

🌶️🌶️mild·Folk #1
4.3 on Goodreads (9,888)

Rate this book

sign in to add to shelves, track reading status, and see your stats

Available on Kindle Unlimited
find similar →
ReportSpoiler settings

Ending

reveal ending

Why Read This?The one-sentence sell. What do you get for showing up to this book, even when it's hard?

You'll experience intense angst and emotional betrayal that leaves you desperate for the next book.

Synopsis

I first saw the Folk when I was a little boy. When they started appearing in my garden, with their unnatural, cruel beauty and honeyed words and veiled taunts. I grew up with big green eyes watching me from the forest. Whispers from the trees. Shimmering skin darting between the bushes. Black creatures always lurking in the shadows. While they were here, I thought nothing of them. It wasn’t until they were gone that I realise it wasn’t… normal. But it isn’t until I’m twenty-one, when my life is in ruins, that they come back to take me away. They say I’m not fully mortal. They say I should be among them. The Unseelie Ruler wants me on her land for reasons no one will explain to me, but it’s her aloof, painfully beautiful son who captures my attention and refuses to let go. The cold, black-eyed assassin prince who strikes fear into the hearts of all Folk. Who I’ve been warned about, repeatedly. Who watches me always. I don’t trust the Folk, so I ignore their fearful advice to stay away from him. I ignore all of them except him, despite everything telling me that he can’t be trusted—that he’s just as bad as the rest of them, that he’s playing games with me, the clueless mortal held here against his will. But I want him. Mortal Skin is the first in a mm fae romance trilogy about a dark fae assassin prince and a mortal who is thrown into the cruel world of the Folk. Warning: This m/m love story contains explicit sexual content and is not suitable for young readers. It also contains depictions of violence and deals with the death of a close family member. This trilogy will follow the same couple who get their HEA eventually, but book one ends on a cliffhanger.

book details below may contain spoilers. some hidden

At a Glance

First in Lily Mayne's Folk trilogy following Ash, a young man kidnapped into the fae realm, and Lonan, the Unseelie prince-assassin tasked with guarding him. Their slow burn ignites beautifully against a backdrop of cruel fae politics. Ends on a cliffhanger—same couple gets HEA across the trilogy. If you loved the Monstrous series, this hits that same emotional intensity with a fae court twist.

trope onetrope twotrope threetrope four

Book Details

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

Goodreads RatingThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.

4.34 ★ (9.9k)

Page CountHow long the commitment is.

359 pages

PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.

2022

Primary GenreWhat type of book this is. Romance? Fantasy? A 400-page therapy session disguised as a thriller?

Fantasy Romance

PairingWho's falling in love? The gender makeup of your main romance. Helps you find your specific flavor of love story.

M/M

POVWhose head are you in? First person = deep in the feels. Third = watching from above. Dual = emotional whiplash (affectionate).

First Person

Romance PacingHow long until they kiss? Slow burn = 300 pages of tension. Insta-love = page 12 and it's already chaos.

Slow Burn

CliffhangerEnding type: HEA = forever happy (you'll cry happy). HFN = happy for now (open to interpretation). Bittersweet = complicated feelings. Know what you're signing up for.

reveal ending

AudiobookCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.

AvailableCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.

Yes

FormatHow fancy is the audio? Standard = one narrator. Full cast = theater kids went off. GraphicAudio = a MoViE iN yOuR mInD.

Single Narrator (unspecified)

NarratorThe voice in your ears.

Joel Leslie

Narrator Count

Single

TropesPlot devices and story situations that drive the romance. These are the circumstances that throw characters together or create conflict, not how they personally relate.

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
captive romancedark romancehidden identitysecret heir/royaltyfated matesforbidden loveimmortal/mortal romance
RomanceMagicActionAngstWorld
Theme Constellation

Mood & Vibe

MoodWhat you felt reading this. Swoony? Gutted? Deliciously unhinged? The emotional fingerprint.

angstymysteriousintensedarkbroodingromanticatmosphericdangerous

Writing StyleHow the author writes - prose style, dialogue approach, and narrative voice. This is about craft and delivery, not emotional effect.

darkatmosphericimmersiveemotionallush

Story PacingDoes the story sprint or saunter? Fast = you'll miss sleep. Slow = you'll savor every word. Medium = balanced chaos.

medium

Emotional WeightHow much are you gonna cry? Light = fun feels. Moderate = real stakes. Heavy = bring tissues. Devastating = call your therapist.

heavy

Energy RequiredCan you read this on a Tuesday after work, or do you need a full Saturday and three cups of coffee? Low/Medium/High.

medium

VibesOne perfect sentence that captures the essence. Like: 'Fae politics meets forbidden romance with zero chill.'

fae courts and politicsforbidden desire

Characters

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

MMC ArchetypeWho is he? The male main character's core identity/role. Your exact flavor of book boyfriend.

dark/tortured soulmorally gray MMCassassin/spyfae prince

Relationship DynamicsThe interpersonal dynamic between the main characters. How do they relate to each other? This is about character energy and connection style, not plot situations.

enemies to loversforbidden lovefated matesslow burncaptor/captiveonly soft for them

Spice Details 🌶️

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
Spice Level 2

Spice StyleNot just how much spice, but what kind. Emotional intimacy? Explicit but vanilla? Plot-driven heat? Know your flavor.

intense / passionatedark / taboo styleanimalistic / primal

Getting SteamyGentle kinks. Fun but nothing too crazy. The appetizer, so to speak.

possessive/protectivetensionanticipationrough but consensualmarking hickeyssize difference focuspinning hands above head

Bringing the HeatFor those who know exactly what they came for. This is where you find your exact brand of chaos. The good stuff.

bonding/claiming/markingrough/aggressive intimacypossessivemarkingclaimingdominancepower exchange
Browse more books by spice level →
This stuff might hit different. No shame in needing to know what's coming. (7)▼
spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
violencegraphic violencedeath of loved onekidnappinggriefcaptivitydubious consent
Browse books by content warning →

World & Setting

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

World TypeWhat kind of world are you stepping into? High fantasy = full secondary world. Urban fantasy = magic in modern cities. Portal = starts here, goes there.

fae realm / faerie courtshigh fantasy

Primary SettingWhere does the story physically take place? Court intrigue = palace. Dark academia = campus. Cozy witch vibes = small town. This is about location, not world rules.

royal court / palaceforest / wilderness

Fantasy CreaturesWhat supernatural beings populate this world? Fae courts, vampire covens, dragon riders, or just regular humans doing their best.

fae

RepresentationIdentity representation in the book. LGBTQ+, race/ethnicity, disability, neurodivergence, body type, age and more.

gayqueer

Reading Context

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

Emotional PayoffWhat you get for showing up. The catharsis, the growth, the 'I'm a different person now' moment. This is why the hard books are worth it.

the angst deliveredobsessedbook hangoverferal brain activated

Best Time of YearSeasonal mood rings for books. Summer romance reads different than winter gothic.

anytime

When & Where to ReadContext matters. Some books are Beach Trip energy, others are 3am Bedtime spiral-reads. Trust.

at nightcozy eveningcan't sleepvacation

this page is just the start

  • import your Goodreads or StoryGraph TBR. we tag every book with spice, tropes, CWs, mood, all of it
  • tell us a vibe (“enemies to lovers fae, high spice”) and BookMatch finds the book
  • 4,000+ romantasy books searchable by 45 fields
  • book clubs, reading challenges, and a community of readers who get it
free account

Quick Facts

Spice LevelThe heat scale. 0=wholesome, 1=kisses, 2=fade-to-black, 3=tasteful spice, 4=explicit, 5=you need a cold shower. Know thyself.🌶️🌶️mild
PagesHow long the commitment is.359
PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.2022
GoodreadsThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.4.34 ★ (9.9k)
EndingEnding type: HEA = forever happy (you'll cry happy). HFN = happy for now (open to interpretation). Bittersweet = complicated feelings. Know what you're signing up for.reveal ending

SeriesThe series this book belongs to and where it falls in the reading order.

Folk #1
Similar picks →

My Notes

Loading...

Short Takes

quick 280-character reactions for this book. drop a thought, rate the vibe, keep scrolling.

Sign in to share your take.

Loading...

Book Chat

live reactions, hot takes, screaming into the void about Mortal Skin

Similar Books

Cover of How Does It Feel?KU

How Does It Feel?

Infatuated Fae, #1

Jeneane O'Riley

🌶️🌶️·dual POV·✓
captive romanceforced proximitygames/trials romance
Cover of The Ever King

The Ever King

The Ever Seas, #1

L.J. Andrews

🌶️🌶️·dual POV
captive romanceenemies to loversrevenge romance
Cover of Rain of Shadows and EndingsKU

Rain of Shadows and Endings

Legacy, #1

Melissa K. Roehrich

🌶️🌶️·dual POV
fated matesforbidden loveforced proximity
Cover of Captive Prince (Captive Prince, #1)

Captive Prince (Captive Prince, #1)

Captive Prince, #1

C.S. Pacat

🌶️🌶️·third person
captive romancedark romanceforced proximity
Cover of These Hollow Vows

These Hollow Vows

These Hollow Vows, #1

Lexi Ryan

🌶️🌶️·first person·✓
love triangleforbidden loveenemies to lovers
Cover of A Kingdom of Stars and Shadows (Stars and Shadows, #1)KU

A Kingdom of Stars and Shadows (Stars and Shadows, #1)

Stars and Shadows, #1

Holly Renee

🌶️🌶️·first person·✓
arranged marriageforbidden lovesecret relationship
Cover of What Lies Beyond the VeilKU

What Lies Beyond the Veil

Of Flesh & Bone, #1

Harper L. Woods

🌶️🌶️·first person
fated matesforbidden loveon the run
Cover of Empire of Flame and ThornsKU

Empire of Flame and Thorns

Flame and Thorns, #1

Marion Blackwood

🌶️🌶️·first person
captive romanceforced proximitycompetition romance