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 Zel

Zel

by Amanda Meuwissen

🌶️🌶️🌶️moderate·The GriMM Tales
4.1 on Goodreads (617)

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 Rapunzel retelling that goes beyond romance to explore gender identity through a fairy tale lens — Zel discovering who they are is the beating heart of the story, making the enemies-to-lovers arc feel genuinely earned.

Synopsis

An assassin in disguise is not meant to fall for their target... but Rapunzel’s life has never gone as planned. Twenty winters ago, before the Great Famine, Zel’s parents were caught stealing the fabled sorcerer’s rapunzel, the magical lettuce that grows around the base of his tall tower in the wood. He released them under the condition that when their yet unborn babe reaches adulthood, she will stay with him for one month before becoming his bride. Then Zel was born a boy. Only Zel’s parents know the truth, but while he was raised to pretend to be a girl, he will be no monster’s bride. He will use his month in the tower to unravel the mystery of the sorcerer’s immortality, so he might slay his would-be bridegroom and claim the tower and its treasures for the Thieves Guild. What Zel does not know is that the sorcerer, Ulrich, has his own deceptions planned, and their journey of secrets, seduction, and identity might lead to revelations neither expect. Each book set in the GriMM fairytale world can be read as a standalone and contains its own Happily Ever After story. Though you will definitely want to read each one, as the tales are connected to each other in multiple magical ways, this story features possessive mutual pining from enemies to lovers, secret motives, crossdressing that becomes gender identity discovery, and a guaranteed happy for now ending.

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.

4.12 ★ (617)

Page CountHow long the commitment is.

267 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?

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).

Third Person

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

Medium 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.

No audiobook yet

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
enemies to loversfairytale retellingforced proximityforbidden lovehidden identitysecret allianceimmortal/mortal romance
RomanceMagicActionAngstWorld
Theme Constellation

Mood & Vibe

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

magicalmysteriousromanticangstyatmospheric

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

immersivewarmdreamy

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.'

page turner

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.

assassin/spymorally gray MMCmysterious strangerimmortal/ancientredeemed villain

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 loversmutual piningmorally gray LIonly one who understands them

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.

emotional / lovingslow / sensualtension / anticipation focus

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

possessive/protectivelonging glancestouch starvationeye contact intensity

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. (3)▼
spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
violencemurdergraphic violence
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 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.

forest / wildernessmanor house / estate

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

witches/wizards/warlocks

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

nonbinary MC/LIqueergay

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.

comfort rereadthe angst delivered

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 eveningrainy weekendbedtime

The GriMM Tales

Zel

Zel

Hansel and Gerhardt

Hansel and Gerhardt

Little Red Riding Hood

Little Red Riding Hood

The Elves and the Shoemaker

The Elves and the Shoemaker

Cinder

Cinder

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.267
PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.2025
GoodreadsThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.4.12 ★ (617)
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 GriMM Tales
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 Zel

Similar Books

Cover of Tower of Dawn

Tower of Dawn

Throne of Glass, #6

Sarah J. Maas

🌶️🌶️🌶️·multi-POV
forced proximitycaretaking romanceenemies to lovers
Cover of Rebel Witch

Rebel Witch

The Crimson Moth, #2

Kristen Ciccarelli

🌶️🌶️🌶️·dual POV
enemies to loversforced proximityhidden identity
Cover of Scarlet and the White WolfKU

Scarlet and the White Wolf

Scarlet and the White Wolf, #1

Kirby Crow

🌶️🌶️·third person
forbidden loveforced proximityroad trip romance
Cover of A Rake of His OwnKU

A Rake of His Own

Stariel, #5

A.J. Lancaster

🌶️🌶️🌶️·first person
enemies to loverssecond chanceforced proximity
Cover of Prince's Gambit (Captive Prince, #2)

Prince's Gambit (Captive Prince, #2)

Captive Prince, #2

C.S. Pacat

🌶️🌶️🌶️·third person·✓
captive romanceforced proximityhidden identity
Cover of Siren & ScionKU

Siren & Scion

Mages of the Wheel, #3

J.D. Evans

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️·dual POV
forced proximitymagic bondrevenge romance
Cover of Hollow Court (The Lochlann Deception #1)KU

Hollow Court (The Lochlann Deception #1)

The Lochlann Deception, #1

Robin D. Mahle, Elle Madison

🌶️🌶️·dual POV·✓
fake engagementforced proximityhidden identity
Cover of Remain Nameless

Remain Nameless

HeyJude19

🌶️🌶️🌶️·third person
second chancevillain gets the girlhealing romance