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 I Summon the Sea

I Summon the Sea

by Mona Archer

🌶️🌶️mild·The Thorn and the Shadow #1
3.8 on Goodreads (110)

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 the satisfying ache of revenge-fueled romance where every stolen glance in the deadly trials feels like a promise and a threat.

Synopsis

I loved a fair boy once, and he was taken from me. I’m back to avenge him, no matter the cost. Every year, the fae king organizes deathly trials with human tributes to please the gods. This year, I am taking part in them. My goal? To enter the palace in the aftermath and take the king out once and for all. My advantage? I’m no ordinary human. Not anymore. I am a sea maiden. These trials, held in the sea, should be a piece of cake for me. My mistake? I hadn’t counted on my magic failing me, or on Jai, the fae king’s arrogant dragon-summoner, volunteering in the trials to protect me. I hadn’t counted on resurfacing feelings and memories. On the people surrounding me not being who they seem. On the tables turning on me. I am a razor-sharp thorn, a blade honed to fight, and this is when it all comes together, when it all ends. Yet I am foiled by prophecies and signs, illusions and lies . Who is Jai? What is the truth ? And what price will I have to pay to find out? The legend of Theseus meets the Little Mermaid, with a dash of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, in this epic romance story set against a sky full of dragons. *Look inside the book for warnings - the series is now complete!*

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.

3.81 ★ (110)

Page CountHow long the commitment is.

352 pages

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

2025

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

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.

No audiobook yet

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

Single Narrator (unspecified)

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
forced proximityrevenge romanceassassin romancegames/trials romancefated mateshidden past revealeddivorce/separation romancerivals competing
RomanceMagicActionAngstWorld
Theme Constellation

Mood & Vibe

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

darkintenseromanticadventurousmysteriousangstyatmospheric

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

lushimmersiveatmosphericsharp

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.'

deadly trialspage turner

Characters

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

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

vengeful / revenge-drivenassassinmorally gray fmc

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

morally gray mmcdragon riderarrogant / cocky bastard

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.

mutual piningreluctant allies to loversfated matesslow burn

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.

emotional / lovingintense / passionatefantasy / supernatural intimacy

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

None

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/markingpossessive
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
deathkidnappingmurdertorturetraumaviolencebloodcaptivitygriefwar
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 / palacecompetition / gamesforest / wilderness

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

faedragonsgods/deitieselementals

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 deliveredtension finally satisfiedromantic fulfillment

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

autumn

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

in naturesummer eveningat nightcamping trip

The Thorn and the Shadow

I Summon the Sea

#1 I Summon the Sea

I Dream of Dragons: Epic Fated Mates Romantasy

#2 I Dream of Dragons: Epic Fated Mates Romantasy

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.352
PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.2025
GoodreadsThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.3.81 ★ (110)
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 Thorn and the Shadow #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 I Summon the Sea

Similar Books

Cover of Glow of the EverflameKU

Glow of the Everflame

Kindred's Curse, #2

Penn Cole

🌶️·first person
enemies to loversforbidden loveforced proximity
Cover of A Shadow in the Ember

A Shadow in the Ember

Flesh and Fire, #1

Jennifer L. Armentrout

🌶️🌶️·first person
arranged marriageforced proximityhidden identity
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 Children of Fallen Gods (The War of Lost Hearts, #2)KU

Children of Fallen Gods (The War of Lost Hearts, #2)

The War of Lost Hearts, #2

Carissa Broadbent

🌶️🌶️🌶️·multi-POV
forced proximitysurvival romanceblood feud romance
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 A Fire in the Flesh (Flesh and Fire, #3)

A Fire in the Flesh (Flesh and Fire, #3)

Flesh and Fire, #3

Jennifer L. Armentrout

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️·first person
captive romanceforced proximityfated mates
Cover of Nightbane

Nightbane

Lightlark, #2

Alex Aster

🌶️🌶️·first person
love trianglefated matescursed love interest
Cover of The Crown of Gilded Bones

The Crown of Gilded Bones

Blood and Ash, #3

Jennifer L. Armentrout

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️·first person·✓
hidden identitysecret heir/royaltyfated mates