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 Dreams

Dreams

by Misha Quinn

🌶️🌶️mild·The Throne of Flames #1
5.0 on MoodReads (1 rating)4.2 on Goodreads (6)

Rate this book

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

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?

The forced marriage setup delivers real emotional payoff—Ella and Thunder have fire-and-ice chemistry that builds slowly through a dangerous fae world full of political intrigue and simmering desire.

Synopsis

The Heart of a Salamander is a series of fantasy romance novels about true love and the mysterious world of elementals. When your fantasies come true, new possibilities and dangers emerge. The heroes of the stories will have to pass incredible tests to find and keep their love in the fantasy world of nymphs, sylphs, pygmies, salamanders, and other spirits. The heroine of the DREAMS - the first story of The Salamander series, Ella finds herself in a world of extraordinary possibilities and incredible dangers. To see her love again, she must overcome many obstacles, discover her previously unknown abilities, and learn to live in this fantasy world. INFO: Elementals are nymphs, sylphs, pygmies and salamanders, and other spirits - according to the ideas of the famous alchemist and a man of the Renaissance, Theophrastus Von Hohenheim called Paracelsus. “You may know me - I am Ella, and I have a salamander’s heart. Or I think so. I love my Graham, my billionaire prince, and my love started as a sweet love story. However, life brings new challenges. I will tell you my story, and you shall do nothing but listen to it. I hope such adventures and strange events will never happen to you, so please sit down, and listen to me.” Says Ella, the heroine of DREAMS. This story is created in a Portal Fantasy form (when a person from the "real" world is being transported to another world, the world of elementals). Let us imagine what awaits Ella and her love there, in a world of fantasy, fairy tales, dark forces, and magic... For fans of A Court of Thorns and Roses, A Court of Silver Flames, A Court of Mist and Fury, A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas; From Blood and Ash by Jennifer Armentrout; Rhapsodic, Pestilence, The Queen of All that Dies by Laura Thalassa. Release in 2023.

book details below may contain spoilers. some hidden

At a Glance

If you love being dropped into a lush fae world where the heroine has zero patience for her terrifyingly powerful husband, this is your book. The forced marriage trope hits different when the slow burn is this electric—Ella refuses to be tamed and Thunder cannot look away. First in a series, so buckle in.

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.

4.17 ★ (6)

Page CountHow long the commitment is.

217 pages

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

2023

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

Romantasy

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

M/F

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

Dual POV

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

Slow Burn

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.

GraphicAudio (full Cast + SFX)

NarratorThe voice in your ears.

GraphicAudio Full Cast

Narrator Count

Full Cast

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
fae romancearranged marriageforced to marryforced proximityforbidden loveimmortal/mortal romanceenemies to lovers
RomanceMagicActionAngstWorld
Theme Constellation

Mood & Vibe

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

darkromanticmysteriousintensemagicalsteamy

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

immersiveromantic / sweetdramaticatmospheric

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.

moderate

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.'

dark fae courtsforced marriage tensionfire and ice chemistrymedieval faerie world

Characters

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

FMC ArchetypeWho is she? The female main character's core identity/role. Assassin? Healer? General Badass?

reluctant chosen onesurvivoroutcast/loner

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

possessive alphafae princedark/tortured soul

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 loveslow burnpossessive love interesthe falls first

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.

passionate / intenseslow seductiondominant vibespossessive / claimingfantasy / supernatural intimacy

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

eye contact intensitytouch starvationgrowling / possessive soundsmine declarationstension

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/markingmagic-infused intimacypossessivedominance
Browse more books by spice level →
This stuff might hit different. No shame in needing to know what's coming. (4)▼
spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
violencekidnappingcaptivitywar
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.

high fantasyfae realm / faerie courtsportal 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.

faeelementals

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.

tension finally satisfiedromantic fulfillmentferal 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.

cozy eveningvacationbedtimewinter night by the fire

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.217
PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.2023
GoodreadsThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.4.17 ★ (6)
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.

The Throne of Flames #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 Dreams

Similar Books

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 How Does It Feel?KU

How Does It Feel?

Infatuated Fae, #1

Jeneane O'Riley

🌶️🌶️·dual POV·✓
captive romanceforced proximitygames/trials romance
Cover of A Touch of DarknessKU

A Touch of Darkness

Hades x Persephone, #1

Scarlett St. Clair

🌶️🌶️·third person
forbidden lovefated matesenemies to lovers
Cover of A Court This Cruel & LovelyKU

A Court This Cruel & Lovely

Kingdom of Lies, #1

Stacia Stark

🌶️🌶️·dual POV·✓
forced proximityhidden identityfated mates
Cover of On Wings of BloodKU

On Wings of Blood

Bloodwing Academy, #1

Briar Boleyn

🌶️🌶️·dual POV
bully romancedark romanceforced proximity
Cover of The Wolf KingKU

The Wolf King

The Wolf King, #1

Lauren Palphreyman

🌶️🌶️·dual POV
enemies to loversforced proximitycaptive romance
Cover of Throne of the Fallen

Throne of the Fallen

Prince of Sin, #1

Kerri Maniscalco

🌶️🌶️·dual POV
fake datingforced proximityhidden identity
Cover of Rhapsodic (The Bargainer, #1)KU

Rhapsodic (The Bargainer, #1)

The Bargainer, #1

Laura Thalassa

🌶️🌶️·first person·✓
fated matessecond chanceforced proximity