Think twice if…
- Content warnings: Sexual assault, Dubious consent, Violence, Graphic violence, Kidnapping, Death
Storm Born
by Richelle Mead
Book 1 in Dark Swan
Mead in her unapologetically adult mode. Sharp shaman heroine, fae politics, and a love triangle that does not pretend to be friendly.
Goodreads 3.9/5 33,134 ratings
Quick fit
Is this story right for you?
A decision-first view of the reading experience.
Length361 pages
Series statusCompleted series
Spice2/5 · Rough / primal
PacingFast
Story profile
What the story promises
The strongest reviewed signals about romance, fantasy, and the reading experience.
Romance promise
- Love/hate tension
- Male/female pairing (M/F)
- Instant attraction
- Medium
- Rough / primal
- Adrenaline rush
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- Fae prince
- Morally gray love interest (LI)
- Dominant vibes
- Vicarious thrill
- King / ruling monarch
- Power imbalance
- Passionate / intense
- Tension finally satisfied
- Shifter alpha
- Push and pull
- Kinky / adventurous
- Morally gray
- Frequent explicit scenes
- Pinning hands above head
- Rough but consensual
- Hair pulling soft
- Wall pinning
- Bondage/restraint
- Rough/aggressive intimacy
- Power exchange
- Dominance
- Magic-infused intimacy
Fantasy promise
- Urban fantasy
- Fae romance
- Big city / metropolis
- Fae
- Love triangle
- Royal court / palace
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- Fae realm / faerie courts
- Shifters
- Forbidden love
- Desert / frontier
- Multi-realm / dimension-hopping
- Demons
- Prophecy-driven love
- Spirits
- Interspecies romance
Reading experience
- First person
- Fast
- Dark
- Punchy
- Moderate
- High
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- Assassin
- MC 20-30
- Intense
- Edgy
- General badass
- Seductive
- Fast-paced
- Snarky/sarcastic
- Gritty
- Sharp
- Thrilling
- Suspenseful
- Hunter
- Dangerous
- Atmospheric
- Page turner
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Matched by the most important shared story signals, with the tradeoffs made explicit.
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Different because
Spice is higher (4/5 vs 2/5). A longer read (608 vs 361 pages).
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Different because
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Similar because
Instant attraction · King / ruling monarch · Hair pulling soft
Different because
Spice is higher (3/5 vs 2/5).
Book details
- Length
- 361 pages
- Language
- English
- Format
- Book