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 Traitor of the Drowned Empire

Traitor of the Drowned Empire

by Frankie Diane Mallis

🌶️🌶️🌶️moderate·Drowned Empire #5
4.4 on Goodreads (418)

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?

You'll experience cathartic emotional devastation that leaves you obsessed and begging for the next installment, despite the heartbreak.

Synopsis

After the devastating events of the arena, Lyriana Batavia is trying to live in a world where her soulmate, Rhyan Hart, has become a soulless akadim. The Empire has named Lyr a forsworn traitor, and every soldier in Lumeria has been ordered to hunt her down. With her friends and family scattered across the Empire, Lyr is more alone than she’s ever been, with the exception of one shocking ally; Auriel, Rhyan’s former incarnation, who has mysteriously appeared. And he is determined to help Lyr, whether she likes it or not. The new Emperor Avery Kormac is hungrier than ever to impose his power over Lumeria, especially after the escape of his precious chayatim, including the powerful Julianna Batavia. His cruel and unrelenting agenda vows to locate every single vorakh through mandatory testing for all citizens. Lord Tristan Grey is named the leader of this new initiative, and finds himself hunting his own kind while keeping his newfound powers hidden. Meanwhile, Morgana and Aemon, the reincarnation of Moriel, are amassing the force of their akadim army to hunt a secret weapon. And the key to their plans of destruction may very well be Rhyan in his demonic form. Lyr must decode the mystery of why Auriel has returned in order for them both to survive. But the closer they get, the more danger they face as a secret that’s been locked away for centuries is revealed. A secret that will alter the fate of the Empire forever.

book details below may contain spoilers. some hidden

At a Glance

A curator's note goes here with flavor that could spoil the plot.

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.

4.36 ★ (418)

Page CountHow long the commitment is.

694 pages

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

2026

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).

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.

Unknown Narrator

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 romancehidden identitymagic bondrevenge romancesecret relationshipsoulmate/destined bondblood feud romancefated mateslove triangle
RomanceMagicActionAngstWorld
Theme Constellation

Mood & Vibe

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

broodingemotionaldarksuspensefulsecretiveromanticangstyintenseheartbreakingatmospheric

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

emotionalintenseatmosphericbroodingimmersive

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

fast

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

devastating

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.

high

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

revenge arcmorally complex

Characters

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

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

warrior/fightermorally gray fmcsurvivor

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

dark/tortured soulmorally gray mmcbrooding 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.

forbidden lovefated matesbetrayal to trustslow burn

Spice Details 🌶️

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
Spice Level 3

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

intense / passionateemotional / lovingdark / taboo style

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

praise kinkpossessive/protectivebody worshipmarking hickeysjealous/possessive during intimacy

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/markingpossessiverough/aggressive intimacypower exchangechoking/breath play
Browse more books by spice level →
This stuff might hit different. No shame in needing to know what's coming. (10)▼
spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
deathemotional abusemurdertorturetraumaviolencebetrayalcaptivitygriefwar
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 fantasymythological

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 / palacewar front / rebellionprison / captivity

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

faedragonsdemonswitches/wizards/warlocksgods/deities

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 hangovercathartic release

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

winter

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

at nightsummer evening

Drowned Empire

Daughter of the Drowned Empire

#1 Daughter of the Drowned Empire

Bastard of the Drowned Empire

#2.5 Bastard of the Drowned Empire

Lady of the Drowned Empire

#3 Lady of the Drowned Empire

Warrior of the Drowned Empire

#4 Warrior of the Drowned Empire

Traitor of the Drowned Empire

#5 Traitor of the Drowned Empire

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.🌶️🌶️🌶️moderate
PagesHow long the commitment is.694
PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.2026
GoodreadsThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.4.36 ★ (418)
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.

Drowned Empire #5
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 Traitor of the Drowned Empire

Similar Books

Cover of Tempest of Wrath and Vengeance

Tempest of Wrath and Vengeance

Legacy, #3

Melissa K. Roehrich

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️·multi-POV
fated matesdark romancerevenge romance
Cover of House of Striking Oaths

House of Striking Oaths

The Kingdom of Crows, #3

Olivia Wildenstein

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️·first person
beauty and the beastenemies to loversrevenge romance
Cover of Lady of Embers (Lady of Darkness, #4)

Lady of Embers (Lady of Darkness, #4)

Lady of Darkness, #4

Melissa K. Roehrich

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️·multi-POV
dark romancefated matesforbidden love
Cover of Fate & Furies

Fate & Furies

The Legends of Thezmarr, #3

Helen Scheuerer

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️·dual POV·✓
forced proximitysurvival romanceadventure romance
Cover of Heat of the Everflame (Kindred's Curse, #3)KU

Heat of the Everflame (Kindred's Curse, #3)

Kindred's Curse, #3

Penn Cole

🌶️🌶️🌶️·first person
forced proximityhidden identityfated mates
Cover of A Bond so Fierce and FragileKU

A Bond so Fierce and Fragile

Compelling Fates Saga, #3

Sophia St. Germain

🌶️🌶️🌶️·multi-POV
captive romanceforced proximityfated mates
Cover of Lady of Starfire (Lady of Darkness, #5)

Lady of Starfire (Lady of Darkness, #5)

Lady of Darkness, #5

Melissa K. Roehrich

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️·multi-POV
captive romancedark romancefated mates
Cover of The Wrath of the FallenKU

The Wrath of the Fallen

Gods & Monsters, #4

Amber V. Nicole

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️·dual POV
dark romancefated matesrevenge romance