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Gilded by Marissa Meyer, book cover

Book 1 of 2 in Gilded

Gilded

by Marissa Meyer

Spice 1 out of 5, Sweet1/5 · Sweet: Kisses only

Long ago cursed by the god of lies, a poor miller’s daughter has developed a talent for spinning stories that are fantastical and spellbinding and entirely untrue.

Or so everyone believes.

When one of Serilda’s outlandish tales draws the attention of the sinister Erlking and his undead hunters, she finds herself swept away into a grim world where ghouls and phantoms prowl the earth and hollow-eyed ravens track her every move. The king orders Serilda to complete the impossible task of spinning straw into gold, or be killed for telling falsehoods. In her desperation, Serilda unwittingly summons a mysterious boy to her aid. He agrees to help her… for a price. Love isn’t meant to be part of the bargain.

Soon Serilda realizes that there is more than one secret hidden in the castle walls, including an ancient curse that must be broken if she hopes to end the tyranny of the king and his wild hunt forever.

Spice
1/5
Burn
Slow
Pages
~512
Ending
Cliffy

Cliffhanger, but Book 2 is already out.

KU Is it on Kindle Unlimited? Check on Amazon

How spicy is Gilded?

Gilded is a 1 out of 5 on our spice scale: sweet (kisses only). Kissing, longing looks, maybe a fade-to-black. Nothing on the page.

  • Steam: Glimpses and kisses
  • Burn: Slow burn
  • Pairing: One man, one woman
  • POV: Third person, multiple POVs
  • Ending: Cliffhanger

Content warnings

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Show 3 content warnings
  • Murder
  • Animal harm or death
  • Kidnapping

Our editorial notes, which may be incomplete. If something is a hard limit for you, check the author's own content notes too.

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    Gilded: quick answers

    How spicy is Gilded?

    Gilded is a 1 out of 5 on our spice scale: sweet (kisses only). Kissing, longing looks, maybe a fade-to-black. Nothing on the page.

    Is Gilded a standalone?

    No. Gilded is book 1 of 2 in Gilded. It is the place to start. The series is complete.

    What tropes are in Gilded?

    Gilded features retelling, captor / captive, fae. It is a slow burn M/F romance that ends with a cliffhanger.

    Does Gilded have content warnings?

    Our notes for Gilded include: murder, animal harm or death, kidnapping. This list may not be complete; check the author's own content notes if anything is a hard limit for you.

    What should I read after Gilded?

    If you loved Gilded, try Hunted by Meagan Spooner, Ash by Malinda Lo, Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher. They share its retelling and captor / captive energy at a similar spice level.