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Cover of Anathema by Keri Lake
BookCompleted2024

Anathema

by Keri Lake

Book 1 in The Eating Woods

Keri Lake builds a gothic world so immersive you can smell the rotting forest - and the slow burn between shunned Maevyth and the cursed assassin Zevander is 58 chapters of agonizing tension before the payoff, with phenomenal worldbuilding that earns every dark turn.

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goodreads 4.2/5 111,903 ratings

storykind_community 4.25/5 10 ratings

Quick fit

Is this story right for you?

A decision-first view of the reading experience.

Think twice if…

  • Content warnings: Sexual assault, Sexual assault (referenced), Child abuse (referenced), Abuse, Graphic violence, Torture, Body horror, Gore, Blood, Animal death, Death, Grief, Trauma, Religious trauma, Self-harm, Suicidal ideation, Kidnapping, Captivity, Misogyny, Substance abuse, Incest, Human trafficking, Physical abuse, Manipulation
Length690 pages
Series statusOngoing series
Spice3/5 · Intense / passionate
PacingMedium

Story profile

What the story promises

The strongest reviewed signals about romance, fantasy, and the reading experience.

Romance promise

  • Enemies to lovers
  • Male/female pairing (M/F)
  • Slow burn
  • Medium
  • Intense / passionate
  • The angst delivered
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  • Dark/tortured soul
  • Slow / sensual
  • Obsessed
  • Morally gray
  • Forbidden love
  • Animalistic / primal
  • Book hangover
  • Assassin/spy
  • Push and pull
  • Emotional / vulnerable intimacy
  • Tension finally satisfied
  • Cursed
  • Only soft for them
  • Slow burn with late spice
  • Feral brain activated
  • Immortal/ancient
  • Mutual pining
  • Possessive / claiming style
  • Adrenaline rush
  • Protector
  • Hurt/comfort
  • Tension
  • Feral devotion
  • Longing glances
  • Captor/captive
  • Possessive/protective
  • Predator x prey
  • Eye contact intensity
  • Growling / possessive sounds
  • Touch starvation
  • Anticipation
  • Scent kink
  • Bonding/claiming/marking
  • Rough/aggressive intimacy
  • Possessive
  • Dominance
  • Magic-infused intimacy
  • Choking/breath play
  • Primal play (hunting/chasing)

Fantasy promise

  • Dark romance
  • Forest / wilderness
  • Grimdark / dark fantasy
  • Dragons
  • Captive romance
  • Castle / fortress
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  • Gothic
  • Witches/wizards/warlocks
  • Underground / underworld
  • Demons
  • Forced proximity
  • Monsters
  • Cursed love interest
  • Shadow beings / shadow fae
  • Beauty and the beast
  • Only one bed
  • Found family
  • Fated mates
  • Forced alliance
  • Sacrifice/martyrdom

Reading experience

  • Dual POV
  • Dark
  • Atmospheric
  • Heavy
  • High
  • Outcast/loner
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  • Witch/mage
  • Lush
  • Survivor
  • Eerie
  • Reluctant chosen one
  • Intense
  • Brooding
  • Blood mage / forbidden magic user
  • Immersive
  • Runaway / on the run
  • Suspenseful
  • Literary
  • Mysterious
  • Dangerous
  • Haunting
  • Beauty and the Beast retelling
  • Flesh-eating forests
  • Cursed realm
  • Morally complex
  • Revenge arc
  • Gothic horror romance

Similar stories

Similar in ways that matter

Matched by the most important shared story signals, with the tradeoffs made explicit.

Cover of Eldritch by Keri Lake

766 pages Completed

Eldritch

Keri Lake

Similar because

Assassin/spy · Cursed · Immortal/ancient

Different because

Spice is higher (5/5 vs 3/5).

Book details
Length
690 pages
Language
English
Format
Book