Think twice if…
- Content warnings: Death of a parent, Parental death, Violence, Blood, Substance abuse, Addiction, Physical abuse, Death, Grief
The Dagger and the Flame
by Catherine Doyle
Book 1 in The City of Fantome
goodreads 3.84/5 21,979 ratings
storykind_community 5/5 1 rating
Quick fit
Is this story right for you?
A decision-first view of the reading experience.
Length509 pages
Series statusOngoing series
Spice3/5 · Passionate / intense
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
- Passionate / intense
- The swoon
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- Assassin/spy
- Rivals to lovers
- Emotional / vulnerable intimacy
- Tension finally satisfied
- Morally gray
- Forbidden love
- Tension / anticipation
- Addictive read
- Reluctant hero
- Star-crossed
- First time / discovery
- The angst delivered
- Anti-hero
- Slow burn with late spice
- Book hangover incoming
- Hidden royalty
- Mutual pining
- Tension
- Love/hate tension
- Anticipation
- Found family
- Longing glances
- Eye contact intensity
- Wall pinning
Fantasy promise
- Ya romantasy
- Big city / metropolis
- High fantasy
- Humans only
- Low fantasy / secret magic
- Star-crossed lovers
Reading experience
- Dual POV
- Dark
- Atmospheric
- Moderate
- Spy/thief
- MC 20-30
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- Lush
- Vengeful / revenge-driven
- Intense
- Cinematic
- Reluctant chosen one
- Yearning
- Outcast/loner
- Dramatic
- Mythic
- Revenge arc
- Thieves guild
- Court of shadows
- Mediterranean fantasy
- Page turner
- Cliffhanger warning
- Slow start explosive finish
Similar stories
Similar in ways that matter
Matched by the most important shared story signals, with the tradeoffs made explicit.
557 pages Completed
The Ragpicker King
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Similar because
Star-crossed · Thieves guild · Anti-hero
Different because
Spice is lower (2/5 vs 3/5).
326 pages Completed
Heart's Gambit
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Similar because
Star-crossed · Rivals to lovers · Reluctant hero
Different because
Spice is lower (1/5 vs 3/5). A shorter read (326 vs 509 pages).
464 pages Standalone
Her Soul for a Crown
Alysha Rameera
Similar because
Found family · Mythic · Revenge arc
Different because
It is standalone rather than completed. Spice is lower (2/5 vs 3/5).
Book details
- Length
- 509 pages
- Language
- English
- Format
- Book