Tithe has mild spice (2/5)—there are some intimate scenes but they're not the focus.

Does Tithe have a happy ending?

Tithe has a Happy For Now (HFN) ending—things are good but the story isn't fully wrapped up.

What tropes are in Tithe?

Tithe features several romance tropes including forbidden love, hidden identity, secret relationship, captive romance, immortal/mortal romance.

What are the content warnings for Tithe?

Content warnings for Tithe include: violence, substance abuse, kidnapping, attempted sexual assault, drug use, child abuse (referenced), blood, gore.

Is Tithe a standalone or part of a series?

Tithe is book 1 in the Modern Faerie Tales series.

What is the setting of Tithe?

Tithe is set in big city / metropolis, forest / wilderness, underground / underworld—urban fantasy, low fantasy / secret magic.

Tithe is 272 pages, which takes roughly 9 hours to read at an average pace.

What is the mood of Tithe?

Tithe has a mysterious, intense, dark, atmospheric, brooding feel to it.

Is Tithe on Kindle Unlimited?

No, Tithe is not currently available on Kindle Unlimited.

What order should I read the Modern Faerie Tales series?

Tithe is book 1 in the Modern Faerie Tales series.

Tithe

by Holly Black

🌶️🌶️mild·Modern Faerie Tales #1

3.3 on MoodReads (3 ratings)3.7 on Goodreads (107,713)

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Why Read This?

Synopsis

Welcome to the realm of very scary faeries! Sixteen-year-old Kaye is a modern nomad. Fierce and independent, she travels from city to city with her mother's rock band until an ominous attack forces Kaye back to her childhood home. There, amid the industrial, blue-collar New Jersey backdrop, Kaye soon finds herself an unwilling pawn in an ancient power struggle between two rival faerie kingdoms - a struggle that could very well mean her death.

book details below may contain spoilers. some hidden

At a Glance

The OG modern fae YA that influenced everything from Holly Black's own Folk of the Air to the entire dark fae subgenre. Kaye is a changeling raised human in gritty New Jersey, pulled into Unseelie/Seelie court politics. The romance with knight Roiben is charged but restrained. First in a trilogy (Tithe, Valiant, Ironside) where book 2 follows different characters. Contains mature content for YA including language, substance use, and attempted assault.

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Book Details

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Goodreads Rating

3.69 ★ (107.7k)

Page Count

272 pages

Published

2002

Primary Genre

Young Adult

Pairing

POV

Third Person

Romance Pacing

Cliffhanger

reveal ending

Audiobook

Available

Yes

Format

Single Narrator (unspecified)

Narrator

Lauryn Allman

Narrator Count

Single

Tropes

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Theme Constellation

Mood & Vibe

Mood

mysteriousintensedarkatmosphericbroodingeeriegrittydangerous

Writing Style

rawatmosphericdarkconversationaledgy

Story Pacing

fast

Emotional Weight

heavy

Energy Required

medium

Vibes

gritty New Jersey meets dark faerie courtschangeling discovers true identityraw punk-rock edgeancient power strugglesmorally gray fae politics

Characters

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FMC Archetype

MMC Archetype

Relationship Dynamics

Spice Details 🌶️

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🌶️

Spice Level 2

Spice Style

Getting Steamy

Bringing the Heat

None

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World & Setting

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World Type

urban fantasylow fantasy / secret magic

Primary Setting

big city / metropolisforest / wildernessunderground / underworld

Fantasy Creatures

faechangelings

Reading Context

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Emotional Payoff

Best Time of Year

autumn

When & Where to Read

at night cozy evening rainy weekend

Modern Faerie Tales

#1 Tithe

#2 Valiant

#3 Ironside

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Quick Facts

🌶️🌶️mild

272

2002

3.69 ★ (107.7k)

reveal ending

Series

Modern Faerie Tales #1

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My Notes

Short Takes

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live reactions, hot takes, screaming into the void about Tithe

Tithe

At a Glance

Book Details

Goodreads RatingThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.

Page CountHow long the commitment is.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

NarratorThe voice in your ears.

Narrator Count

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.

Mood & Vibe

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

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

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

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

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.

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

Characters

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

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

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.

Spice Details 🌶️

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

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

Bringing the HeatFor those who know exactly what they came for. This is where you find your exact brand of chaos. The good stuff.

⚠️ Content Warnings

World & Setting

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.

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.

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

Reading Context

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.

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

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

Modern Faerie Tales

Tithe

At a Glance

Book Details

Goodreads RatingThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.

Page CountHow long the commitment is.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

NarratorThe voice in your ears.

Narrator Count

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.

Mood & Vibe

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

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

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

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

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.

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

Characters

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

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

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.

Spice Details 🌶️

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

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

Bringing the HeatFor those who know exactly what they came for. This is where you find your exact brand of chaos. The good stuff.

⚠️ Content Warnings

World & Setting

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.

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.

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