Think twice if…
- Content warnings: Violence, Graphic violence, Torture, Murder, Death of loved one, Captivity, Racism/bigotry, Animal death, Parental death
Dark Rise
by C.S. Pacat
Book 1 in Dark Rise
C.S. Pacat masterfully subverts every YA trope you think you know - the slow-building tension between characters is electric, the twists in the final act are genuinely shocking, and the villain origin story is one of the best in recent YA fantasy.
goodreads 4.15/5 41,377 ratings
Quick fit
Is this story right for you?
A decision-first view of the reading experience.
Length464 pages
Series statusOngoing series
Spice1/5 · Tension coils through every loaded glance and bitter exchange - romance is a dark undercurrent of destiny and denial, never acted on but impossible to ignore.
PacingMedium
Story profile
What the story promises
The strongest reviewed signals about romance, fantasy, and the reading experience.
Romance promise
- Enemies to lovers
- M/M
- Slow burn
- Low
- Tension coils through every loaded glance and bitter exchange - romance is a dark undercurrent of destiny and denial, never acted on but impossible to ignore.
- Book hangover incoming
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- Villain
- Tension
- The angst delivered
- Morally gray
- Betrayal to trust
- Anticipation
- Obsessed
- Dark/tortured soul
- Love/hate tension
- Eye contact intensity
- Brooding prince
- Only one who understands them
- Touch starvation
Fantasy promise
- Young adult
- Big city / metropolis
- Historical
- Unicorns / pegasi
- Forbidden love
- Manor house / estate
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- Low fantasy / secret magic
- Prophecy-driven love
- Reincarnation romance
- Secret power
- Hidden identity
Reading experience
- Multi-POV
- Medium
- Dark
- Lyrical
- Heavy
- High
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- Bisexual MC
- Intense
- BIPOC MC
- Mysterious
- Dramatic
- Queer
- Brooding
- Immersive
- Epic
- Angsty
- Atmospheric
- Gothic
- Forbidden desire
- Page turner
- Villain origin story
- Reincarnation mythology
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Similar because
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Different because
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Similar because
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Different because
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Book details
- Length
- 464 pages
- Language
- English
- Format
- Book