You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.57 AVERAGE
3.57 AVERAGE
Hmmm I don’t know how to feel about this one. I almost dnf’d a few times in the beginning - not because it was bad or anything, but the tone and vibe was just tough to get through. I also didn’t love where the story started, I liked the overall idea of the plot but where we were dropped into it initially was just a little too depressing and confusing for my tastes. You’ve got to build up to that kind of angst for it to be rewarding usually you know? I think I would’ve enjoyed this book a lot more if everything was chronological and started from the beginning. But it hit its stride around the midway point and I finally felt like I could root for the characters and be invested. Overall it was a good first fantasy book and had interesting concepts that could’ve been executed better imo. Still enjoyable and I’d be interested to read more fantasy from this author.
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Ella Fields, you might be one of my new favorite authors right now, because I went into this book with very low expectations, and I loved every bit of it. I thought I was reading of those villainess manwhas, but it blew me away. I love the arc Audra went through, and how at the end, she tries to fix what her father did to her whole country at the end. I also like that she’s working with her husband, who lives in the Sun Kingdom, to fix it.
But it didn’t end up like this…
Because at the beginning of the book, Audra finds out her husband, who had lost his memory thanks to a spell her sorceress cast, was about to get married. Not wanting that to happen, she crashed the wedding and imprisoned her husband and his supposed-to-be-wife in prison away from each other, so she can see him and try to get his memories back. At the same time, she also has a side piece on the side by the name of Zadicus Allblood, a local lord that she both loathe and hate with a passion, but she’s banging him while trying to get her husband to remember. While all of this is going on, Audra finds out that her best guard hasn’t reported to her about the Sun Kingdom in a while, so she goes to find him.
Zadicus, going along with her, gets caught (well Audra did) and they retreat, but because she was worried about her guard/ex-side piece, she goes after him, only to get caught and tortured to the point that she has scars around her mouth. She is rescued by Zadicus, but then Raiden, her husband, appears and shocks her, and everyone-he had his memories back along, and the woman he was about to marry was Zadicus’s wife Nova. Buuut…it was all planned out-Raiden wanted to go back to Audra and Nova just wanted her old life back.
But during this whole thing, the shocking news and all, is that Audra and Zadicus are linked, thanks to him being blood-deprived and needing blood like he’s a bloody vampire. Raiden and Audra do try the marriage thing, but then when he finds out that Zadicus and Audra are linked, he goes back home. But he does do something to get her attention…
He kidnaps Truin to get her attention, to make her go back to the Sun Kingdom, and she does. Audra stays there for a couple of days, trying to get Raiden to let go of Truin, only to get invited to an orgy, where she finds out that Turin got hurt badly. So she demands for the ninth billionth time to let Turin go, and he does, shocked that ever happened to her, even though she was in his dungeons. They leave, and Audra was so pissed off that she didn’t even want to see him again…until he came to him and they lived together and all that, even had a ball.
While at the Sun Kingdom, she does meet Eline, whom Raiden calls “Little Lion” (no, not like Sylvanas calls Anduin) and Eline and Raiden do fuck (like bruh why), and during the party, Audra left because everything was falling apart around her, and she was trying to be nice the whole entire time, so she and Turin left, only to get kidnapped by her cousin’s somewhat fiancee. The fiancee tried to force Turin to kill Audra, only for her to survive, and now Audra and Raiden are civil and are trying to undo what her father did to the land, the both of them are at their respective kingdoms, and Audra is happy with Zadicus, her side piece…
Or is it??
Loved this book, was very dark and gruesome at times, but at the same time, I enjoyed the action, the banter, and the drama. Some things shocked me (like what Audra did to “Casilla”) and some moments were proud moment hours and needed to get done (but not to that extreme). All in all, it was a really good book, really enjoyed it.
But it didn’t end up like this…
Because at the beginning of the book, Audra finds out her husband, who had lost his memory thanks to a spell her sorceress cast, was about to get married. Not wanting that to happen, she crashed the wedding and imprisoned her husband and his supposed-to-be-wife in prison away from each other, so she can see him and try to get his memories back. At the same time, she also has a side piece on the side by the name of Zadicus Allblood, a local lord that she both loathe and hate with a passion, but she’s banging him while trying to get her husband to remember. While all of this is going on, Audra finds out that her best guard hasn’t reported to her about the Sun Kingdom in a while, so she goes to find him.
Zadicus, going along with her, gets caught (well Audra did) and they retreat, but because she was worried about her guard/ex-side piece, she goes after him, only to get caught and tortured to the point that she has scars around her mouth. She is rescued by Zadicus, but then Raiden, her husband, appears and shocks her, and everyone-he had his memories back along, and the woman he was about to marry was Zadicus’s wife Nova. Buuut…it was all planned out-Raiden wanted to go back to Audra and Nova just wanted her old life back.
But during this whole thing, the shocking news and all, is that Audra and Zadicus are linked, thanks to him being blood-deprived and needing blood like he’s a bloody vampire. Raiden and Audra do try the marriage thing, but then when he finds out that Zadicus and Audra are linked, he goes back home. But he does do something to get her attention…
He kidnaps Truin to get her attention, to make her go back to the Sun Kingdom, and she does. Audra stays there for a couple of days, trying to get Raiden to let go of Truin, only to get invited to an orgy, where she finds out that Turin got hurt badly. So she demands for the ninth billionth time to let Turin go, and he does, shocked that ever happened to her, even though she was in his dungeons. They leave, and Audra was so pissed off that she didn’t even want to see him again…until he came to him and they lived together and all that, even had a ball.
While at the Sun Kingdom, she does meet Eline, whom Raiden calls “Little Lion” (no, not like Sylvanas calls Anduin) and Eline and Raiden do fuck (like bruh why), and during the party, Audra left because everything was falling apart around her, and she was trying to be nice the whole entire time, so she and Turin left, only to get kidnapped by her cousin’s somewhat fiancee. The fiancee tried to force Turin to kill Audra, only for her to survive, and now Audra and Raiden are civil and are trying to undo what her father did to the land, the both of them are at their respective kingdoms, and Audra is happy with Zadicus, her side piece…
Or is it??
Loved this book, was very dark and gruesome at times, but at the same time, I enjoyed the action, the banter, and the drama. Some things shocked me (like what Audra did to “Casilla”) and some moments were proud moment hours and needed to get done (but not to that extreme). All in all, it was a really good book, really enjoyed it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Blood
4.5 stars
I’m not a fan of fantasy/paranormal books but when a favourite author writes something like that, I’ll definitely take a chance on it.
It’s a great story, so many unexpected moments and twists and turns that keeps you reading and wanting more and more till the last chapter.
A new world that mixes humans and mystical creatures but the feelings are all the same, one's heart wanting what it can not have.
Going back and forth between years ago when they had a relationship and now when everything it’s changed, the chapters unveiled so many mysteries and questions but never misses the chance for a happy ever after that we’ll get it at the end of the heartbreaking story.
I’m not a fan of fantasy/paranormal books but when a favourite author writes something like that, I’ll definitely take a chance on it.
It’s a great story, so many unexpected moments and twists and turns that keeps you reading and wanting more and more till the last chapter.
A new world that mixes humans and mystical creatures but the feelings are all the same, one's heart wanting what it can not have.
Going back and forth between years ago when they had a relationship and now when everything it’s changed, the chapters unveiled so many mysteries and questions but never misses the chance for a happy ever after that we’ll get it at the end of the heartbreaking story.
Only giving 2 stars because up to the 60% mark it was a good book! But unfortunately it went absolutely downhill and everything stoped making sense and I just wanted to delete the book from my kindle at each passing page by how annoyed I was.
Some choices the characters made were questionable at best and just plain dumb at worst. Towards the end of the book there was this stupid climax that added nothing at all with characters that appeared what? 3 times in the book? Who even are you, ma'am? Also, very out of character idiocy and just plain out frustrating dialogue. Also the last 5% makes no sense and it reads like it was cut because what the hell is happening and why is everything fine again magically?
More detailed review to come maybe??? Is 2am and I'm UPSET by the huge plot holes I cannot even think straight rn
Some choices the characters made were questionable at best and just plain dumb at worst. Towards the end of the book there was this stupid climax that added nothing at all with characters that appeared what? 3 times in the book? Who even are you, ma'am? Also, very out of character idiocy and just plain out frustrating dialogue. Also the last 5% makes no sense and it reads like it was cut because what the hell is happening and why is everything fine again magically?
More detailed review to come maybe??? Is 2am and I'm UPSET by the huge plot holes I cannot even think straight rn
This book was so different from any of her other books, and I loved it! I really don’t read fantasy novels, but I will read hers! This is a fantasy novel about a Queen and her King, but there are other characters throughout this book that become important. Their magic is magical. (I know I know. You have no idea how hard it is to write this review and not give too much away.)
I loved Audra. She is very young to be Queen. Most of her kingdom think she is a bad Queen because of her father’s tyrannical rule. She doesn’t show her true self to many people. She grows a lot during this book. I think a lot of that growth was because of Zadicus. I loved Zadicus. He loves her. He sees her.
I loved King Raiden too. The more of the story we get the more all of it clicks into focus. He loves Audra too, but things didn’t work out as well as he thought they would.
This story was so good. I can’t wait to see what comes next. Even if you think you don’t like to read fantasy, please give this book a chance. I can’t say I will seek out more fantasy, but I will read more of hers!
I loved Audra. She is very young to be Queen. Most of her kingdom think she is a bad Queen because of her father’s tyrannical rule. She doesn’t show her true self to many people. She grows a lot during this book. I think a lot of that growth was because of Zadicus. I loved Zadicus. He loves her. He sees her.
I loved King Raiden too. The more of the story we get the more all of it clicks into focus. He loves Audra too, but things didn’t work out as well as he thought they would.
This story was so good. I can’t wait to see what comes next. Even if you think you don’t like to read fantasy, please give this book a chance. I can’t say I will seek out more fantasy, but I will read more of hers!
While I liked the book, it definitely went a direction I was not expecting it to go in.
It definitely wasn’t your clean cut “this is the love interest, the book will be predictable as she will end up with him” - it was a lot more complicated. At first I didn’t really enjoy this but towards the end I actually began to become more and more interested in which way the story will head.
There were a few surprises that hit me in the face; I had no idea they were coming! They made the book much more intriguing and fun to continue reading.
Cruel women protagonists are my weak spot so I naturally gravitated towards Audra and took great pleasure in reading her perspectives.
Stars ~ 3
It definitely wasn’t your clean cut “this is the love interest, the book will be predictable as she will end up with him” - it was a lot more complicated. At first I didn’t really enjoy this but towards the end I actually began to become more and more interested in which way the story will head.
There were a few surprises that hit me in the face; I had no idea they were coming! They made the book much more intriguing and fun to continue reading.
Cruel women protagonists are my weak spot so I naturally gravitated towards Audra and took great pleasure in reading her perspectives.
Stars ~ 3
Re-read. Listened to the audiobook. Even better than the first time!
Great heroine but too forgiving for her own good
I have a love/hate relationship with this book. Firs of all I very much liked heroine Audra even so she wasn't really heroine and mostly villain of sorts. She was mostly perfect and read about her was very interesting. But my most big issue with her is that despite she was badass and villainy she was very quickly to forget and forgive just almost anyone who betrayed her the most. Like her father, her husband and of course her lover.
Her lover Zad was almost angel and I liked that sometimes he wasn't lost puppy for her when she played with him and hurt him. Mostly his behavior was deserved. But I was very disappointed with him when his lost presumably dead wife returned and he without explaining kicked out our heroine from his mansion. It was so much out of character for him and his situation. I just couldn't understand his motivation or his thoughts. It was unclear decision and left after a lot unanswered questions. But as I said above he was great hero and mostly loyal to heroine. Although he was very mysterious and we don't know much about him except that he loves Audra.
Also I was annoyed that plot repeated itself. She was kidnapped twice and Zad saved her from death. I expected that she would be more strong, more villainy, more revengeful. But characters that fell from her rage mostly nobody.
Also I was annoyed how often she absolutely clueless and everyone around her lie to her time and time again. I really expected from such heroine more cruelty and evil. Sometimes she was just petulant child that throwing tantrums.
But she was funny and I liked that mostly she was unfazed regardless of what is happening around.
And lastly her husband aka king Raiden. I didn't like him from star, I didn't like him in the memories nor in the end. He was... petty. I think this explains perfect him.
"How I’d loved him, I wasn’t entirely sure. Though if I looked closely at what I felt for the lord of the east, then I had to wonder if what I’d once felt for Raiden was even love at all. True love was the coupling of souls, and Raiden couldn’t offer his even if he tried. I highly doubted he knew enough of his own in order to do so."
Raiden was just bad, not in villainy (I'm sorry I'm using this word do much) like a heroine, but in a way that he was pitiful, snide. He screamed whole book that he loved te heroine but didn't show this in any way. Just none. I really hated him and that heroine gave him any time of her day. He should be killed.
What can I say in summary. This book was definitely page turner and I was interested till the end. But overall I wasn't satisfied completely HFN was little bit sad. And I hated a lot of decisions that characters made. What I liked that friendship portrayed in the book, it was nice.
I have a love/hate relationship with this book. Firs of all I very much liked heroine Audra even so she wasn't really heroine and mostly villain of sorts. She was mostly perfect and read about her was very interesting. But my most big issue with her is that despite she was badass and villainy she was very quickly to forget and forgive just almost anyone who betrayed her the most. Like her father, her husband and of course her lover.
Her lover Zad was almost angel and I liked that sometimes he wasn't lost puppy for her when she played with him and hurt him. Mostly his behavior was deserved. But I was very disappointed with him when his lost presumably dead wife returned and he without explaining kicked out our heroine from his mansion. It was so much out of character for him and his situation. I just couldn't understand his motivation or his thoughts. It was unclear decision and left after a lot unanswered questions. But as I said above he was great hero and mostly loyal to heroine. Although he was very mysterious and we don't know much about him except that he loves Audra.
Also I was annoyed that plot repeated itself. She was kidnapped twice and Zad saved her from death. I expected that she would be more strong, more villainy, more revengeful. But characters that fell from her rage mostly nobody.
Also I was annoyed how often she absolutely clueless and everyone around her lie to her time and time again. I really expected from such heroine more cruelty and evil. Sometimes she was just petulant child that throwing tantrums.
But she was funny and I liked that mostly she was unfazed regardless of what is happening around.
And lastly her husband aka king Raiden. I didn't like him from star, I didn't like him in the memories nor in the end. He was... petty. I think this explains perfect him.
"How I’d loved him, I wasn’t entirely sure. Though if I looked closely at what I felt for the lord of the east, then I had to wonder if what I’d once felt for Raiden was even love at all. True love was the coupling of souls, and Raiden couldn’t offer his even if he tried. I highly doubted he knew enough of his own in order to do so."
Raiden was just bad, not in villainy (I'm sorry I'm using this word do much) like a heroine, but in a way that he was pitiful, snide. He screamed whole book that he loved te heroine but didn't show this in any way. Just none. I really hated him and that heroine gave him any time of her day. He should be killed.
What can I say in summary. This book was definitely page turner and I was interested till the end. But overall I wasn't satisfied completely HFN was little bit sad. And I hated a lot of decisions that characters made. What I liked that friendship portrayed in the book, it was nice.
Fantasy is not my typical read but...
I enjoyed this story, Audra is definitely a cold hearted Queen except when it comes to Zad.
I can't wait to find out what happens in the next book.
I enjoyed this story, Audra is definitely a cold hearted Queen except when it comes to Zad.
I can't wait to find out what happens in the next book.