Description:
In a broken realm where seven kingdoms wage endless war for dominion, magic is fading into myth. Arcanists are hunted, hoarded, and lusted for their power. Loyalty is a weapon, trust is a luxury, and immortality has become a myth.
Brief description: Morgan Taylor grew up in the small town of Monroe, Louisiana, where her love of fantasy first took root. A lifelong dreamer, she left Louisiana to earn her bachelor's in psychology at Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi, before marrying and moving to Atlanta. Four years later, she and her husband relocated to Pensacola, Florida, and eventually settled in Mandeville, Louisiana to live near family. Her travels-from Italy, Spain, France, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua to the wilds of Alaska-have only fueled the worlds she builds in her imagination. A devoted fan of fantasy-romance and all things bookish, Morgan can often be found in a local coffee shop crafting devious characters and epic plots between her five kids, homeschool lesson, and soccer practice.
Review Quotes:
ARC Reader Hannah Bass (GoodReads) April 25, 2026
Fantasy Girls, I fear this might be your next obsession. There is A LOT of fantasy/magic going on in Stone of Opal. You have elemental "gifts", magical beasts, immortals, fairies....ALL THE THINGS. Lots of info in the first part of the book, but stick with it because it gets wild! I audibly gasped multiple times while reading this. The world building and Morgan's way of storytelling really makes you feel like you're watching this on a big screen. I could picture each setting so vividly.
ARC Reader Naomi Leitch (GoodReads) April 16th, 2026
What truly sets this book apart is how deeply it makes you feel-every emotion is raw and earned, thanks to Taylor's powerful writing.
The romantic tension is layered and unpredictable, threading together multiple characters and backstories - leaving you constantly questioning where it will lead. There's plenty of heat, but it never overwhelms the larger story. The slight sarcasm and humor effortlessly portrayed had me laughing unexpectedly out loud on more than one occasion.