Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

Tadek and the Princess (Mahisti Dynasty #1.5) by Alexandra Rowland

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This novella is the sequel to A Taste of Gold and Iron, and takes place immediately following the events of the first book. It is told from Tadek’s perspective and switches between his present role as friend, confidant, and personal armsman to Kadou, and his backstory of growing up in the slums of Arrast. The immediate threat of the attempted coup has passed, and Tadek accompanies Kadou and Evemer to a royal estate far from the capitol. Away from prying eyes, Kadou and Evemer can […]

https://cannonballread.com/2026/05/tadek-and-the-princess-mahisti-dynasty-1-5-carmelpie/

Boys only want love if it’s torture.

A Taste of Gold and Iron by Alexandra Rowland

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Reciprocity was a thing you had to learn. Someone had to tell you, first, that you deserved to be treated well, before you knew it for yourself. ― Alexandra Rowland, A Taste of Gold and Iron CBR17 Bingo: Family Family because the sultan loves her brother, Kadou, but she must remain emotionally distant from him and his drama so she can deal with raising her infant daughter, who is the heir to the throne. I don’t remember when I read this book. Maybe it was […]

and we’re back to Arasht

Tadek and the Princess by Alexandra Rowland

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This story serves as a backstory filler for Tadek, one of the khayalar from Rowland’s first book, A Taste of Gold and Iron. It’s very sweet—ritualistic, formal, and heart-wrenching in the way that only fantasy novels, highly focused on found families and deep emotional connections, can be. As noted in the blurb, Tadek met the late Crown Princess Mihrişah many years ago and immediately fell into khayalar-love with her, and he hasn’t really examined what that could mean for his present life. It falls to our […]

“Happy wedding”, Evemer said. “I got you this door.” (Bingo)

A Taste of Gold and Iron by Alexandra Rowland

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CBR16 Bingo: Golden Gold in the title and gold as a pivotal part of the plot. Also pretty much all of the central characters are solid gold. Kadou is the younger brother of the sultan of Arasht, and is delighted that she’s just given birth to a healthy baby, putting him further down the line of succession. Unfortunately, the baby’s father, a powerful ambassador at court, believes Kadou to be jealous and a threat to both his baby niece and his sister. Nothing could be […]

“I’m getting paid in chaos.”

A Taste of Gold and Iron by Alexandra Rowland

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CBR14Bingo: Scandal – The initial events that lead Kadou and Evemer together are a result of trying to fix a scandal caused by Kadou’s last guard This is a near-perfect enemies-to-lovers bodyguard romance set in an Ottoman-inspired setting. There are misconceptions! Political intrigue! Random swordfights! It’s just lovely and I absolutely devoured this book. After his sister the empress safely delivered her daughter, Kadou should be relieved. Instead, high tempers and a misunderstanding lead to a deadly end, and Kadou feels like it’s all his […]



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