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 Grove of Trees

Grove of Trees

by C.A. Orfei

🌶️🌶️mild·Grove of Trees #1
4.5 on Goodreads (33)

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 wildly original holiday-realm fantasy with a sharp, relatable heroine hiding terrifying power — dark humor meets dangerous romance in a world you've never seen before.

Synopsis

Throat slit. Heart broken. They'll meet the wraith within her. The first time Carwynn almost died, she was thirteen. A skeletal-faced demon slit her throat. A pudgy Cherub saved her. And nothing has been normal since. Carwynn has spent years running from what she is, and the darkness clawing awake inside her. When secrets finally catch up to her, she flees to Luckland, a land born of ancient holiday magic and ruled by dangerously charming criminals. Determined to finally find a place where she belongs. But Carwynn isn't human. She isn't safe. And the more she buries her power, the stronger it grows. The Skell King, a monster who believes Carwynn is his prophesied heir, will tear the realm apart to claim her and bend her power to his will. As loyalties fracture and temptation grows, Carwynn is drawn into a web of forbidden magic, dangerous attraction, and betrayals that could destroy her. Magic always demands a price. To survive, Carwynn must decide who she can trust—and what she's willing to become. A weapon... Or something far more dangerous. Because the Skell King is coming. And he always reclaims what belongs to him.

book details below may contain spoilers. some hidden

At a Glance

This one's a vibe. Orfei built an entire magic system around holidays — think shadowy St. Patrick's Day realm run by hot criminals — and somehow made it work. Carwynn's intrusive-thought narration is genuinely funny in a way that balances the darker plot beats (demons, prophecy, throat-slitting backstory). The slow burn with the 'shadow daddy' love interest will have you feral. Read it curled up somewhere cozy, but brace for that cliffhanger ending.

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.

4.50 ★ (33)

Page CountHow long the commitment is.

510 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).

Multi-POV

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.

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
slow burnforbidden lovefound familyhidden identitysecret heir/royalty
RomanceMagicActionAngstWorld
Theme Constellation

Mood & Vibe

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

darkmysteriousadventurousmagicalwhimsical

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

wittydarkengaginghumorous

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.'

forbidden desireenchanted forest

Characters

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

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

snarky/sarcasticsurvivorreluctant chosen one

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

dark/tortured soulmysterious strangerbrooding 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.

slow burnforbidden lovebetrayal to trustpush and pull

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.

Tension-driven slow burn with building heat between multiple love interests; mild spice with charged moments rather than explicit scenes.

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

possessive/protectivetensionanticipationeye contact intensitylonging glances

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

power exchangepossessivemonster romance elementsalphahole dynamics
Browse more books by spice level →
This stuff might hit different. No shame in needing to know what's coming. (5)▼
spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
assault (backstory)violencedeathimprisonmentcorruption
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.

Luckland — a holiday-magic realm ruled by charming criminals

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

demonsshiftersangels

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

lgbtq+ rep

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.

addictive readferal brain activated

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 weekend

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.510
PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.2026
GoodreadsThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.4.50 ★ (33)
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.

Grove of Trees #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 Grove of Trees

Similar Books

Cover of White Hot Kiss

White Hot Kiss

The Dark Elements, #1

Jennifer L. Armentrout

🌶️🌶️·first person·✓
love triangleforbidden loveenemies to lovers
Cover of Trial of the Sun Queen

Trial of the Sun Queen

Artefacts of Ouranos, #1

Nisha J. Tuli

🌶️🌶️·multi-POV
competition romanceenemies to loversforced proximity
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 Dead Until Dark

Dead Until Dark

Sookie Stackhouse, #1

Charlaine Harris

🌶️🌶️·first person·✓
forbidden lovehidden identitylove triangle
Cover of Poison StudyKU

Poison Study

Poison Study, #1

Maria V. Snyder

🌶️🌶️·first person
captive romanceforced proximityenemies to lovers
Cover of This Woven Kingdom (This Woven Kingdom, #1)

This Woven Kingdom (This Woven Kingdom, #1)

This Woven Kingdom, #1

Tahereh Mafi

🌶️🌶️·dual POV
forbidden lovehidden identitysecret heir/royalty
Cover of Feathers So ViciousKU

Feathers So Vicious

Court of Ravens, #1

Liv Zander

🌶️🌶️·multi-POV
dark romancecaptive romanceenemies to lovers
Cover of The Stolen Heir

The Stolen Heir

The Stolen Heir Duology, #1

Holly Black

🌶️🌶️·first person
enemies to loversarranged marriageforced proximity