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 Lady Macbeth

Lady Macbeth

by Ava Reid

🌶️fade to black
3.5 on Goodreads (27,415)

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?

A powerful reclamation of agency for one of literature's most infamous women, offering a haunting look at trauma and identity.

Synopsis

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER From #1 New York Times bestselling author Ava Reid comes a “masterful reimagining” ( Publishers Weekly ) of Lady Macbeth, Shakespeare’s most famous villainess, giving her a voice, a past, and a power that transforms the story men have written for her. “ Lady Macbeth doesn’t retell Shakespeare so much as slice cleanly through it, revealing what was hidden beneath. I couldn't look away.”—Alix E. Harrow, New York Times bestselling author of Starling House A CRIMEREADS BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR The Lady knows the how her eyes induce madness in men. The Lady knows she will be wed to the Scottish brute, who does not leave his warrior ways behind when he comes to the marriage bed. The Lady knows his hostile, suspicious court will be a game of strategy, requiring all of her wiles and hidden witchcraft to survive. But the Lady does not know her husband has occult secrets of his own. She does not know that prophecy girds him like armor. She does not know that her magic is greater and more dangerous, and that it will threaten the order of the world. She does not know this yet. But she will.

book details below may contain spoilers. some hidden

At a Glance

Ava Reid does what she does best—takes a familiar story and peels back its skin to show you the rot underneath. This reimagining gives Lady Macbeth a voice stolen by centuries of male storytelling, set against a suffocating gothic castle in medieval Scotland. Devastatingly atmospheric but unrelentingly bleak; the romance is a rare sliver of warmth in an otherwise brutal narrative.

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.

3.47 ★ (27.4k)

Page CountHow long the commitment is.

295 pages

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

2024

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

Gothic Romance

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).

Third 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.

Imani Jade

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
arranged marriageforced to marryhidden identitysecret relationshipforbidden lovedark romance
RomanceMagicActionAngstWorld
Theme Constellation

Mood & Vibe

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

gothicdarkatmosphericintensemysteriousbroodingmelancholiceeriesomber

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

lyricalatmosphericdarkbroodinglushgothicimmersive

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

slow

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.

high

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

page turner

Characters

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

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

witch/magesurvivormorally gray FMCfemme fataleambitious schemer

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

morally gray MMCdark/tortured soulwarrior/fighter

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.

slow burnforbidden lovepower imbalancemorally gray x morally grayreluctant allies to lovers

Spice Details 🌶️

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
Spice Level 1

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

Gothic dread seeps into the marriage bed. Intimacy here is a negotiation of power, survival, and the question of whether tenderness can exist inside a cage.

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.

None
Browse more books by spice level →
This stuff might hit different. No shame in needing to know what's coming. (16)▼
spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
sexual assaultdomestic violenceself-harmemotional abuseviolencemurdertorturedeathchild deathbloodcaptivitygriefsuicidal ideationgaslightingmisogynywar
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.

historicalgothic

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.

manor house / estateroyal court / palaceforest / wilderness

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

witches/wizards/warlocksghostsspirits

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

female empowermenttrauma survivor

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.

cathartic releaseperspective shiftexpanded empathybeautiful griefcore memory unlocked

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 nightcozy eveningrainy weekendin nature

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.🌶️fade to black
PagesHow long the commitment is.295
PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.2024
GoodreadsThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.3.47 ★ (27.4k)
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
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 Lady Macbeth

Similar Books

Cover of The Hacienda

The Hacienda

Isabel Cañas

💕🚪·dual POV
forced proximityhidden past revealedrescue romance
Cover of Lucy Undying

Lucy Undying

Kiersten White

🌶️·epistolary / mixed media
hidden past revealedreincarnation romanceright person wrong time
Cover of Mexican Gothic

Mexican Gothic

Silvia Moreno-Garcia

💕🚪·third person
forbidden lovehidden identityrescue romance
Cover of Heart's Blood

Heart's Blood

Juliet Marillier

🌶️·third person
beauty and the beastfairytale retellingforced proximity
Cover of Where the Dark Stands Still

Where the Dark Stands Still

A.B. Poranek

🌶️·first person
beauty and the beastcursed love interestforced proximity
Cover of The Year of the Witching

The Year of the Witching

Bethel, #1

Alexis Henderson

🌶️🌶️·third person
forbidden loveslow burnsecret relationship
Cover of The Witchwood Knot (Victorian Faerie Tales, #1)

The Witchwood Knot (Victorian Faerie Tales, #1)

Victorian Faerie Tales, #1

Olivia Atwater

🌶️🌶️·third person
hidden identitysecret relationshipforbidden love
Cover of Summer Sons

Summer Sons

Lee Mandelo

🌶️·first person
found familyslow burnhidden past revealed