Not as good as the first book, but I still had a great time reading this!
Lots of things happen in this, while I still had the feeling nothing3.5 stars
Not as good as the first book, but I still had a great time reading this!
Lots of things happen in this, while I still had the feeling nothing really happened. It was mostly action and not a lot of depth this time. I guess I hoped we got a little more Tan and Devan alone time....more
Tan and Devan reminded me a bit of Sam and Ryan from The Lightning-Struck Heart with the whole sorcerer and knight thin4.25 stars
This was so much fun!
Tan and Devan reminded me a bit of Sam and Ryan from The Lightning-Struck Heart with the whole sorcerer and knight thing. Also with the lack of filter Tan had going on. ...more
Bellamy was utterly adorable and I was afraid Rakos would Re-read Januari 2023
So so good. ❤️
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4.25 stars
I’m loving this series!
Bellamy was utterly adorable and I was afraid Rakos would be this big badass dragonrider who would treat Bellamy like crap, but no such thing happened.
I know some people have mentioned the lack of relationship angst in this series, but I absolutely love it. There was plenty of potential for angst, (view spoiler)[since both Bellamy and Rakos hid their true identities from each other for most of the book. But I was so glad this series doesn’t go that route. (hide spoiler)]
Low-angst, but still plenty of intrigue. And dragons, let’s not forget the dragons....more
So far I’ve loved all the books in this series, but I was never quite sure about Moth. I didn’t think I would liThis had all the hurt/comfort! Yaaaay!
So far I’ve loved all the books in this series, but I was never quite sure about Moth. I didn’t think I would like this book like I did the others, but this turned out to be one of my favorites.
Moth was just the cutest. I never quite expected him to be so sweet and so vulnerable. And I liked how upbeat Charlie tried to be and never let Moth push him away.
Moth might have come across as an asshole, but he was anything but. He was so hurt and so alone. I wanted to put him in my pocket and keep him safe.
I often find myself skipping sex scenes these days because they don’t always add anything to the story. But here they fit in perfectly. There was so much healing in them that it never occurred to me to skip them. Moth deserved all the loving.
Can’t wait for Seraph’s story. He intrigues me. ...more
After reading Wyn I figured I was a bit done with this world for a while. I mean, it can be pretty depressing at times. But I felt the pull to read abAfter reading Wyn I figured I was a bit done with this world for a while. I mean, it can be pretty depressing at times. But I felt the pull to read about Rig, so I started this anyway.
And what do you know, I loved this. Rig and Gloam were adorable together and it all turned out better than I expected.
I wasn’t too sure when I read The Rycke how Ghost and Aury could be happy in the raider camp together, because I felt there were so many backstabbing people there. But with Rig and Gloam joining them it felt different. It felt like the camp actually accepted them and not just tolerated them.
While I still liked this, it wasn’t as good as Soul Eater.
And that was mostly because of Edin. I really liked him. He was good and kind. But3.75 stars
While I still liked this, it wasn’t as good as Soul Eater.
And that was mostly because of Edin. I really liked him. He was good and kind. But I had a pretty hard time to see him as someone attractive and sexual. I just didn’t really feel all that connected to him.
Hunter and Charlie have been in the military for 12 years. They were gone on an assignment for quite a while. When they finally search out the Nebraska base when someone doesn’t come to pick them up, they find it completely destroyed.
They decide to report back to their own base and start making the trek.
It isn’t long after they leave the Nebraska base that they get attacked by monsters that seem to come from nowhere. They manage to capture Charlie and leave Hunter for dead, after he falls into a sink hole.
Hunter is sure he is going to die there. But then he suddenly finds himself rescued by a big purple monster. Edin tells Hunter he was just wandering around when he heard him yelling.
When Hunters explains he needs to go and find his best friend Charlie, Edin tells him he will help Hunter find him.
Since Edin can track the monsters that took Charlie by smell, Hunter reluctantly accepts his help…
This book solidified that Lily Mayne really is the author for me. Hunter came across as a surly ass at first, but that didn’t result in a push and pull situation as I’ve seen in many other books.
When Hunters admits he wants Edin, there is no sudden angst about them being together. They basically fall in love slowly and once again are not afraid to show their emotions to each other.
I LOVE that there is no real relationship angst in these books. These guys just fall in love (slowly) and are all in once they start.
But still, I think I will always see Edin as this loving older brother, not as a sex monster… ...more
While I still liked this 3rd installment, I thought the relationship went a little too smoothly at first. And I wasn’t a fan of the relations3.5 stars
While I still liked this 3rd installment, I thought the relationship went a little too smoothly at first. And I wasn’t a fan of the relationship angst (even though it wasn’t drawn out).
I like these books, I really do, but I can’t help but feel a bit depressed at the world they’re living in. Especially after reading the first 3 books back to back.
I wasn’t a fan of people in the raider camp, even though Gage felt at home there. Their leader, Anchor, was a hard woman to like.
And the romance was sweet and nice, as it would seem all the romances in this series are. But I still had a bit of an issue with the (view spoiler)[’I’m going to leave you for your own good’ thing. (hide spoiler)] Luckily it wasn’t drawn out unnecessarily.
So overall I liked this, but I’m not sure I will ever want to re-read this particular one....more
When I first came across this book, I figured it would be a dark book. And while yes, this world is bleak in itself, the romance wasn’t dark at all.
I When I first came across this book, I figured it would be a dark book. And while yes, this world is bleak in itself, the romance wasn’t dark at all.
I was so happy to see how romantic the romance actually was.
Monsters have taken over the world. Or well, not really. Monsters have come to earth 20 years ago, and humans decided they were a threat and destroyed the world when they tried to eradicate the monsters.
So now humans live in crowded cities by the coast, where poverty is the new normal. And monsters roam the earth, some good and decent, humanoid, and some more animalistic and ready to kill anything in sight.
Danny has joined the military when he was old enough, to escape the desolate living conditions in the city. But he also knows he isn’t really cut out for the military.
When he and his fellow soldiers get the assignment to apprehend Wyn, the Soul Eater, he is pretty scared. Wyn, the Soul Eater has been killing random people for many years. And nothing that has been done to him has ever been able to kill him.
But when Danny encounters the monster outside, he’s not sure what to think. Wyn is not killing him for one thing. But when Wyn approaches Danny, Danny suddenly loses consciousness.
When Danny wakes up he is back at the base and he’s told that they captured the Soul Eater and that Wyn has asked for Danny’s presence.
Danny isn’t sure why, but Wyn seems fascinated by him. Danny is still scared of him though. Even though he goes to see him daily, and Wyn always wants to know things about Danny, and not the military.
When Danny wakes up one day, he finds himself at a motel instead of the underground military base. Turns out Wyn escaped, let all the other monsters out, and took Danny with him.
Now Wyn is giving Danny the choice to stay with him, or to make it out on his own. Since Danny has no idea how to survive in the Wastes, and Wyn fascinates him as well, he decides to stay with Wyn…
I liked this more than I thought I would. I’m a big fan of communication, in RL and in my books. And that’s why I click with some authors, but dismiss lots of other popular books.
And I’m so glad to find out that Lily Mayne is my kind of author! Her characters are not afraid to show emotion and to simply talk about their feelings. Even though this is a tough dystopian world where humans basically destroyed life as we know it, Danny was still pretty innocent and just overall good.
Even Wyn was pretty sweet when it came to Danny. Sure, he was a killing monster, but he didn’t kill for fun (there was actually a reason for it), and he was always very protective of Danny.
I was happy that Danny and Wyn didn’t dance around each other insecurely once Danny blurted out he was attracted to Wyn. There was a pretty decent progression of the relationship after that.
This book didn’t need any relationship angst. There was enough other stuff to make it exciting from start to finish.
But despite the very decent side plot, the romance was definitely front and center. These guys spend most of their time wandering around, just the two of them. And I loooooved that. These guys were both interesting enough for me to never get bored.
The only reason I’m not giving this 5 stars is because I always get a little depressed when reading about a dystopian world where humans brought about the end of the world. The whole having to scavenge for food and finding a decent place to sleep, gives me the chills.
But now that I now Lily Mayne is a good match for me, I’m just going to read everything she’s going to write. ...more
I love that moment in a book where it tips the scale from being a good book to itRe-read August 2023
I love all of them!
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I love that moment in a book where it tips the scale from being a good book to it being a great book.
I did find a character I was hesitant about. I didn’t really like Amelia’s POV and I also didn’t like her lover, Malcolm. Not that she got a lot of page time, but still I wasn't that invested in that storyline.
But just when I thought this would be a solid 4 star book, the scene near the end happened. Everything finally started to come together and I couldn’t read fast enough.
In this we have the enemy getting closer, Oliver getting these visions, talk of dragons, and some new characters (Náli, I looooooooove Náli!!).
I loved how Oliver and Erik got closer in this. I even loved their first real fight. It felt real and I loved how it was handled.
I was very hesitant to start this. I was sure I would be the odd one out, the one wRe-read August 2023
Still so good...
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I was very hesitant to start this. I was sure I would be the odd one out, the one who didn’t love this.
Well, I was wrong. And I’m so glad I was!
I admit that I expected this book to be ‘flashy’ from the start. To have a magical world and be immediately dropped into some sort of adventure. And I was so glad to find out I was wrong!
This isn’t a flashy book, filled with magical creatures from the start. No, this is a bit of a slow burn book. Relationship wise, and also with all things magic. And I loooooved that.
Oliver has been sent to the neighboring kingdom to accompany his cousin Tessa. Oliver’s aunt wrote king Erik a letter, promising him the hand of her daughter to secure an alliance.
When Oliver and Tessa arrive in the cold north, Oliver expected to be surrounded by barbarians. And while King Erik might be more stoic than Oliver would have wanted, all the people are also very kind to him and Tessa.
Erik makes it clear though that he is not to marry Tessa. In fact, Tessa can marry his nephew, the heir to the throne, Leif. Erik appears to want nothing to do with them.
Oliver isn’t sure what to think of the king, except that he is very handsome, with long braided hair (as is the custom in the north).
Erik does not want the pretty 16 year old girl. Her bastard cousin Oliver though. Him Erik wants. But Erik is a king, and kings do not put feelings before duty.
But when Oliver falls ill, Erik can’t deny his feelings any longer…
I absolutely loved all the characters in this. I’m not always a fan of multiple POV’s, but here it really worked. For one, we only get the occasional POV of Tessa, Leif, Rune or Revna (Leif and Rune’s mother), but it is still a book mostly about Oliver and Erik.
But while I’m not always a fan of the women in a book, here they were a delight. As were all the characters actually.
What I loved most about this book was that these people were all so kind. Yes, they got angry, but mostly they were all patient people who communicated. I’ve read so many books where I just didn’t like the people in it because they acted like children or let their emotions rule how they acted. Just an example: Leif and Rune are brothers and even though it is clear they both liked Tessa, it never resulted in a fight between them. They kept being loyal to each other. I loved that.
So I can honestly say that this series has turned out to be a very pleasant surprise....more
This was lovely, I really enjoyed this. Perhaps a little more romance would have been nice, but it was still a great read.
Loth is a pickpocket, a veryThis was lovely, I really enjoyed this. Perhaps a little more romance would have been nice, but it was still a great read.
Loth is a pickpocket, a very charming pickpocket. Except when he gets thrown into the dungeons. Apparently guards are pretty immune to his charms.
He shares a cell with a grubby young man who he names Grub. Grub doesn’t want to be called Grub, but Loth loves to mess with him, so he keeps calling him that.
When their cell suddenly get invaded by an elf, an orc, a dwarf, a finger dragon, and an idiot, they mention being there to rescue the prince. Of course Loth grabs this opportunity and says he is the prince. It helps that he dyed his hair red with henna, just like the long lost prince. But then Grub yells that he is the prince, but of course no one believes him.
Since there are now two redheads, they simply take both of them. But it soon turns out that their rescuers are not that great at this whole rescuing thing. And when Grub turns out to actually be a very pretty young man named Quinn, Loth isn’t so sure that he can keep his distance. Although he suspects Quinn might be more than he seems…
This was a fun book. I loved how this crazy rescue party started out as just these weird group thrown together, and then turned into friends along the way (except Scott, Scott was still an idiot ). And Loth and Quinn were pretty cute together.
I loved the hurt/comfort in this when Loth learns that Quinn was held captive for 5 years and when he notices how skinny he is. But it never turns too serious, it was still light-hearted and fun. But I was also glad it didn’t skip over more emotional moments.
One thing I did notice was that no one ever asked or mentioned Loth’s name right til 90%. Everyone called him your Grace since they either thought he was the prince or they made sure everyone else thought it. And even Quinn never once asked his name. So color me surprised when Quinn casually mentions Loth’s name at 90% while I thought he didn’t even know it yet. Now I could have totally missed it of course, but I was really waiting for someone to ask Loth’s real name when they figured out he wasn’t the real prince.
I’ve been a fan of Lisa Henry for years and I always love how nicely her stories flow. I wasn’t familiar with Sarah Honey yet, but I can say that this book just worked for me....more
Still so good. I know people have been saying they don't want Rune and Brand to ever go from friends to something more, but I wouldnRe-read August 2021
Still so good. I know people have been saying they don't want Rune and Brand to ever go from friends to something more, but I wouldn't mind it either way. I like Addam, but I could also see Rune and Brand together. They would be explosive.
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4.5 stars
This was amazing!
It’s pretty rare for me to love a book where I had so much trouble getting into. It took met til at least 40% before I was totally engrossed. I had this same issue with the first book, even though I liked this second one even more.
I think it is because these books start off with the action immediately. There is no gradual introduction to the story, we’re right in the middle of the action from the first page. With both books I wasn’t sure where things were headed at first. I didn’t understand why the things they were doing were important to the overall storyline. But when it started to make sense I was hooked.
This series has some amazing characters. I’m absolutely in love with them. Rune was incredibly badass in this and we got some amazing scenes where he could show off his powers. And his friendship with Brand was just as amazing. It’s such a treat to read about such a deep bond without there being anything romantic about it.
Addam was still his awesome self, and I just love Rune and Addam together. Not that they had much time to get all romantic in this second installment.. I really hope the author is going to give us some amazing Rune and Addam time in the next book.
And Quinn and Max…. I have so much love for these two. I do hope the author ships these two as much as I do.
After the slow start I went from meh, to interested to loving this book. It had lots of humor, amazing banter, a glimpse of romance, and a lot of badassery.
I can’t wait to read the next book.
And can I just say that the narrator for these books is just perfect. I’m going to keep doing the audios for this series....more
Now that I already know all the characters I could enjoy this more, since I wasn't as lost as the first time I read it. I could reallyRe-read May 2021
Now that I already know all the characters I could enjoy this more, since I wasn't as lost as the first time I read it. I could really appreciate all the little things that will matter a great deal in the second book.
Oh, and I no longer think the author was making things up as he wrote it, I now think the dude is a genius. ;)
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I really enjoyed the audio of this book. The narrator did a great job with this!
It did take me a while to get into the story, and there were times when I was still not sure if this book has been thought out in great detail or if the author just made things up on the fly.
I actually loved the characters from the start and that’s why I stayed interested. The story itself felt a bit all over the place in the first half. But once Addam was introduced I felt the story was finally heading somewhere. And when the romance started I was hooked.
Rune was such a strong independent character, but had a lot of unresolved trauma as well. And I thought Addam was just perfect for him. At first I thought Addam was a bit naïve and even a bit dumb.. But I then saw that it was just how he was. He wasn’t dumb, he was just very trusting and wanted to see the good in people.
And the way he was with Rune… swoon…. So so sweet and caring.
This book is action packed from start to finish and at first I wasn’t sure what to think about that. I think there was a bit too much going on in the first half. To me it felt like they were just running around, getting attacked left and right. I didn’t feel that connection to the story yet.
It definitely got better in the second half once it became clear what was actually happening.
One thing I loved from the start was the bond between Rune and Brand. I loved how they would simply die for each other if necessary. But it still never felt romantic, and I was so glad for that. I see that Rune can now easily be courted by Addam (his words! Swoon again!), while still being super close to Brand.
This series is very addictive, but also a kind of frustrating.
Addictive because I just LOVE Brannon and Tallis. Frustrating because I hate all the peoThis series is very addictive, but also a kind of frustrating.
Addictive because I just LOVE Brannon and Tallis. Frustrating because I hate all the people conspiring to keep them apart. I don’t do well with a plot like that. Especially because it’s apparently all for the ‘greater good’.
Of course Tallis and Brannon still manage to find their way to each other because nothing can stop them. But I’m just feeling so much anxiety for the next book. So much that I’ve decided to take a small break.
I loved how at the end their memories (view spoiler)[ are restored, and they finally remember their previous life together. But it also made me a bit sad because boy, did that life end badly (hide spoiler)]. There is quite a lot of heartbreak in this series, and I have to admit that it was hard to read. It was interesting to find out what really happened all those years ago, but also so sad.
Each book in this series consumed me from the first page, and while that is a wonderful thing, it is also a bit exhausting.
I wonder how many books there are going to be in this series… ...more
I still loved this book, but I was also pretty anxious for most of it.
Brannon is a full Warder now and rI’m not sure my heart can handle this series.
I still loved this book, but I was also pretty anxious for most of it.
Brannon is a full Warder now and ready to take on his first assignment. Tallis will be assisting him, and together they are being sent to investigate who is destroying monasteries and killing all the monks.
Brannon is still struggling with everyone thinking he is the Emperor, since he’d rather be a Warder. But at least Tallis is with him. Even though Tallis himself believes Brannon is the Emperor too.
When they find out that Emory is behind the attacks, they are puzzled. Puzzled because it doesn’t feel like an Emory attack, even though they saw him do it. They just can’t figure out why.
Meanwhile their Warder friends Calessa and Sienna are trying to help them, and Brannon is still trying to get the high priest to back off on the destined Emperor stuff…
I really love these guys. This series is just so addictive. But this installment also made me a bit sad. We learn that no one is to be trusted (except maybe Calessa and Sienna) and that everyone seems to keep the real truth from Tallis and Brannon.
I just want them to know what they really are to each other (view spoiler)[(Brannon as the Emperor and Tallis as the imperial Dragon and his lover) (hide spoiler)].
That’s why this book felt a little heavier than the first book. But I’m guessing more bad events are to come. Especially with the ‘new’ bad guy (I did not see that coming by the way!).
I’m still totally invested in this world and I hope Tallis and Brannon will find their way to each other....more
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