Hello, friends! Today I’m shining a book spotlight on Towers and Tithes by Christina Bauer. This is actually the eighth book in the Fairy Tales of the Magicorum series but all the books in this series can be read as a standalone!

Be sure to click here or on the banner above to check out the rest of the bloggers on tour!

Special thanks to Monster House Books for providing an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Goodreads: Towers and Tithes (Fairytales of the Magicorum #8)
Publisher: Monster House Books
Publish Date: 09 November 2021
Genre: YA Paranormal Fantasy, Retellings

I’m a Tower Tithe with a Rapunzel problem. That’s not as weird as it sounds.

Ever wonder how Rapunzel survives without leaving her home? After all, someone must stock groceries, buy hair products and fix the plumbing. Witches don’t wield toilet brushes, so “Rapunzel care” becomes the job of Tower Tithes like me. Not that we choose this gig. We’re just unlucky elves who get magically chucked into servitude. Since our kind live for ages, being a Tower Tithe can drag on for thousands of years… and I’m eighteen. Yipes.

That said, it wouldn’t be too awful if I had a cool Rapunzel. No such luck.

I serve none other than Lady R, the social media sensation and sadist who lives in Manhattan’s famous Apex Towers. With the help of her manager—a witch named Jocasta—Lady R releases daily gossip videos while assigning me “torture chores.” Many tasks are designed to remind me how Lady R is the gorgeous variety of elf, while I’m beyond plain. I spend a lot of time scheming my escape.

My work pays off when an eccentric billionaire offers to magically set me free. The catch? I must move to Arizona and become his personal assistant. Needless to say, I rush for the door. Turns out, my new employer is none other than Lady R’s ex-boyfriend, Dex, a guy who was blinded in a strange accident and has since become a recluse.

In other words, I ran from my fairy tale life, but it found me again anyway.

At this point, I should head for the hills, yet I simply can’t leave Dex. For the first time, I truly feel comfortable around someone. In all honesty, it’s probably because I have self-esteem issues and Dex can’t see my bland face. Even so, it’s all good until Lady R discovers where I am. And that leads to my Rapunzel problem.

With Lady R back in the picture, can I still find my happily ever after? The truth will emerge soon enough.
Because my name is Grayson Eyre, and this is my story.

Ideal for readers who crave a mash-up between Rapunzel and Jane Eyre.

Buy a copy:

Grayson

My escape spell dropped me off on a random floor somewhere. Literally. Talk about awkward. For a moment, all I can focus on is the literal pain in my butt.

“Okay, that hurt,” I murmur.

“Grayson!” Oh, no. That’s the Prism Master.

The mirror dropped me off at the Refraction palace. As in, the one place I did not want to visit.

Rising, I slap on a smile. It’s never worked on the Prism Master before, but it’s not like there are a ton of options here. “I bet you’re wondering how I escaped. You see—”

A shiver runs up my back. It’s so intense, I forget what I was about to say.

What’s happening?

Suddenly, all my nerve endings go on alert. No doubt about it. Someone’s behind me. Inch by inch, I turn around. And there, I see a man.

Not just any man, mind you. He’s the one I’ve daydreamed about. Everything’s perfect, from his strong jawline and full lips to his very long and touchable hair. And the fact that he’s wearing an all-black outfit with a cape? That’s never a bad fashion choice. I may even be drooling a little.

My friend, Elle, keeps telling me that I’ve never met a real guy before. I’ve told to her stop being dramatic. But now? Elle is so right.

The Prism Master addresses the dream man. “If you’ll excuse us, Dex, I must speak with my ward.”

Dex. That’s his name.  

I should be worried about the Prism Master and my failed escape attempt. I’m not. Instead, Dex and I stay in a serious state of eye lock. Connections form. Something awakens inside me.

“Dex,” repeats the Prism Master. “I asked you to leave.”

My brows lift. The Prism Master has beaten into my head that I’m a tower tithe, end of story. I must be linked with this Dex. Could he be a Rapunzel? I’d never heard of a male Rapunzel before. But if Dex is one? I’m in.

Dex ignores the Prism Master. “Grayson… Is that your full name?”

“Grayson Eyre,” I reply.

Dex smiles. “Nice to find you.”

My insides get all twisty at those words. I have the strange impulse to grab this guy’s palm and race for the exit. I even raise my hand a little, ready to clasp his.

Suddenly, lights flare all around. A magical wind strikes up. Cords snake out from the mirror behind the Prism Master. A sense of weightlessness surrounds me. Fast as a whip, I’m dragged into the mirror.

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Have you read Towers and Tithes or The Fairy Tales of the Magicorum series?