For those who crave epic fantasy series…
Welcome to a world full of danger, dragons, and demons.
Welcome to a world of adventure, romance, and magic.
Welcome to the world of Silent Kingdom and Cursed Empire.
Not Sure Which Order to Read My YA Fantasy Series In?
Both my Silent Kingdom and Cursed Empire series are complete, standalone series, meaning they can be read apart or in any order. The preferred reading order (in case you despise any and all potential spoilers like me) would be to start with my Silent Kingdom series. The events of these books take place first, and will briefly introduce you to some of main characters in the Cursed Empire series.
Silent Kingdom Series
Silent Kingdom (Silent Kingdom #1)
Chosen by truth. Marked for death. Halia must choose to save her kingdom, or let it fall.
Misroth’s king has died, and the entire kingdom is in mourning–or so it seems. After her father is crowned regent in his brother’s stead, Princess Halia discovers a terrible truth that could end her life. But when she flees to live in hiding, she discovers that the Royal Guard are not all she has to fear. Dark creatures stalk her, reports of oppression and war reach her ears, and her burden to protect her kingdom–at any cost–will not be silenced.
Forsaken Kingdom (Silent Kingdom #2)
An empty throne. A ruined kingdom. Is she their deliverance or their downfall?
Halia’s fight for her kingdom is only beginning. With Misroth’s rightful king in danger, Halia is forced to trust her enemy and embark on a dangerous journey into Toryn to find her cousin. But Toryn is in ruins, its people plagued by terrors and fighting for survival. As death stalks them all, Halia must face the darkness in her past and her deepest fears, until at last she is faced with one terrible question: How much is she willing to lose?
Broken Kingdom (Silent Kingdom #3)
Threatened by demons. Haunted by the Queen of Death. To save her kingdom, Halia will lose everything.
The barrier that protected Misroth for two hundred years is broken. While Halia is held captive by the monstrous nestrae, the demons march toward her homeland, threatening to destroy all she has fought to protect. Meanwhile, Gillen, the rightful king of Misroth, is battling for his life…and mind. The Life-Giver seems silent, but Nesrelle, Queen of Death, is not, and her message is clear: death isn’t finished with Halia–or the ones she loves.
Misroth’s only hope lies with its worst enemy: the Alrenian Empire, a bloodthirsty land that is both wicked and alluring, full of deadly games and fierce dragons. But time draws short. Misroth is crumbling into chaos and terror. The throne is empty. And the Queen of Death is waiting.
In this epic final installment of the Silent Kingdom series, readers will delve deeper into a world of tragedy and triumph, dragons and demons, and love and loss.
Cursed Empire Series
Empire of Dragons (Cursed Empire #1
Save the empire…or let it burn.
Revenge failed her…
Three years ago, Lo’laeni Nolanhou did the unthinkable, slaying the empress of the cruel Alrenian Empire and freeing her people, the Forwyn slaves. But the price of revenge wasn’t freedom, only guilt. Vowing to never kill again, Lo dedicated her life to the god Elhani, serving as a nun within the Circle of Serenity to fight against the injustices still wrought against her people in the torn capital of Alrenor.
Then Caesiem, a handsome and mysterious Teramese boy aligned with an underground Forwyn vigilante group, flips her world upside down. The unrest growing within Alrenor is worse than Lo realized. Corruption is everywhere…and the Forwyn vigilantes want an empress slayer.
Revenge fuels her…
For years, Empress Jaliana, Daughter of Karye, has been a captive in her own palace. A prisoner to her mother’s killers. A powerless pawn, alone and unable to take back her throne, her dragons, or her kingdom.
Until one night a never-before-seen gift manifests itself within Jalie. It’s terrifying. Brutal. Everything she has ever needed. But the Forwyn won’t give in easily. They task Kovi, a young soldier, to watch over her, and he challenges everything she’s ever believed about her enemies…
One empire. An age-old hatred. Two girls who will risk anything—even their souls—for their people.
Empire of Traitors (Cursed Empire #2
The empire has fallen. A new one will rise.
Guilty…
Lo abandoned everything—her friends, her way of life, and perhaps even her soul—to save her people. But a shocking betrayal left her reeling…and the Alrenian Empire in enemy hands. Against all odds, she’s determined to continue fighting for her people’s freedom. Playing the role of spy and deceiver, Lo plots among her enemies by day and dodges her would-be killers by night. Unfortunately that means staying close to the thief who stole her heart—and her empire.
Haunted…
Caesiem has spent his life fighting to survive. Life has always forced him to make the hard decisions—kill or be killed, take or be left to die. Even after being adopted into the imperial family, his every decision has hinged on keeping the struggling Teramese people alive. But as he and his army establish a new empire and prepare for a looming war, he begins to question everything he ever thought he knew about his allegiances—and his own identity.
Dedicated…
Kovi promised nothing would get in the way of his decision to serve and protect his people. He has always been the perfect soldier—no matter the price, or the pain. So when the Teramese make an offer that could spare Forwyn lives, he knows his loyalty is to his people…not his heart.
Afraid…
In the fight to regain her throne, Jalie thought winning her freedom would be the hardest step. But now she faces threats from all sides—even from fellow Alrenians who label her as weak and unworthy. Desperation leads her once again to Nesrelle, Queen of Death, who offers a bargain…at an uncertain price.
All have fought for their people. But will their sacrifices be worth the cost?
Empire of Monsters (Cursed Empire #3
In an empire torn apart by war, the greatest enemies are within.
Revenge…
In the wake of a ruthless betrayal, Jalie is forced to depend on Nesrelle, Queen of Death. But her army is falling to Nesrelle’s monstrous control. With her empire in upheaval, Jalie clings to the one thing she has left: revenge.
Rebellion…
After a vicious battle, the Forwyn are left reeling from incalculable loss. To defend her people, Lo fights to outmaneuver Emperor Revaed in a deadly game of wills. But the hardest part is being opposed to the man she loves.
Justice…
Kovi clings to hope for a Forwyn-Alrenian alliance, but mysterious prophecies warn him that his relationship with Jalie may be ill-fated. And when his foes are monsters, is mercy even an option?
Deceit…
His entire life has been a lie. Heartbreaking revelations force Caesiem to choose between the only family he’s ever had, and the woman who has stolen his heart. But his divided loyalties may tear him apart.
As all else burns away, four leaders will face their greatest fears—and discover where their true allegiances lie.
Empire of Ruins (Cursed Empire #4)
In a war of empires and hearts, there are no winners. Only survivors.
Defeated…
With the capital in ruins, the Forwyn and their allies are forced to flee. Lo will risk anything to protect the ones she has left, but her people’s numbers and hope are dwindling.
Broken…
Promises have been broken and loyalties severed. Jalie determines to slay her new captors…even the one she loves. And Kovi finds he must make his final choice between his duty as a soldier and his duty to his heart.
Lost…
Meanwhile, Caesiem grapples with the fact that he was merely a weapon forged to do Teramyl’s bidding. He and Lo must navigate through both the ties that bind them and the obstacles that push them apart.
Desperate…
As the four fight for their people, their hearts, and their lives, they’ll face the Queen of Death’s conniving power and their own failures.
Save the empire…or die trying.
Or venture into the world of Brytwilde…
For those who crave fantasy romance standalones with fae, Gothic elements, and no spice.
She’ll do anything to save her family—even marry a fae and face the dead.
Years ago, Elle Blackford’s parents made a desperate deal with the fae kingdom of Ashwood. While her mother and sisters reconciled themselves to a future among dangerous immortals, Elle and her father studied forbidden magic, hoping to find a loophole.
Until Elle’s father dies, forcing Elle’s sister to marry Prince Fitz, heir of Ashwood.
But Elle has a plan to change their fate. For she knows that ghosts wander Ashwood Forest until the royal family sends them into the afterlife. Ghosts that can be returned to life. And she’s determined to save her father from his premature death.
All she needs is powerful magic—magic Prince Fitz possesses.
Taking her sister’s place, Elle marries Prince Fitz to steal his power. But in a world of bloodthirsty fae and vengeful ghosts, being a mortal comes with constant risks. As Elle navigates a kingdom of monsters and tragic secrets, she realizes she might not survive to save her family.
And the key to her salvation might be her arrogant, cold husband—the one she’d planned to rob and abandon. If only she can trust him.
Pride and Prejudice meets Gothic fae fantasy in this loose retelling, full of plenty of romantic tension (not spice).
Pre-order today and prepare to immerse yourself in Brytwilde, a series of standalone fantasy romance novels all set in the same fae world and loosely inspired by Jane Austen’s novels.
Sacrificed to the fae, her only hope is to run. But the cruel royals who seek her have never lost their prey.
Florentia (Ren) Cantwell has always been an outsider. The townspeople fear her and her unusual silver hair, spreading rumors that she’s not entirely human. She’s never believed those crafted lies—until a stranger causes her to manifest dangerous winter magic.
Determined to be rid of her, Ren’s brother casts her beyond their town’s borders, into the fae land of Silverfrost, leaving her as an offering to the cruel royal family. Ren knows that if the royals come to fetch her, she will face unspeakable horrors.
Accepting the help of Garrick Darkgrove, a handsome wolf shifter and fellow loner, she flees the royal hunters in a desperate attempt to reach safety.
But all goes wrong one heartbreaking night.
The sibling king and queen take Ren to their austere fortress, where she is entangled in a series of deadly trials meant to test her magic and her bloodline. She is a spectacle. A tool. A captive.
Forced to navigate a world of torture, manipulation, and demons, Ren knows she can trust no one. Not even Garrick, the man she now understands is forbidden to her. The one that, against her better judgment, she’s falling for.
She’s prepared to pay for her freedom—but when the cost is her heart, the price may be more than she can bear.
Loosely inspired by Mansfield Park, enter a Gothic reimagining of Jane Austen’s story as you’ve never seen it before. This standalone fantasy romance is part of the Fae of Brytwilde series, books that each include their own characters and stories and can be read in any order. It is full of romantic tension, not spice.
Rachel L. Schade 