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slooten's review
4.0
Loved it! Great conclusion to the quartet and just a nice quick read with the right amount of plot, romance, friendship and spice.
mamabears_fabulous_book_finds's review against another edition
5.0
Although I loved all of the books, this is by far my favorite of the four. Its the climax of the story, the evil sorcerer is killed, and Micah and Liliana's story was just so amazing. A very hot, passionate story
sparklingreader's review
4.0
Title: Lord of the Abyss
Author: Nalini Singh
Genre: adult romance fantasy
Grade: A-
This is the fourth and final book in the Royal House of Shadows series from Harlequin, each one written by a different author. Lord of the Abyss is not nearly as hot as Gena Showalter’s Lord of the Vampires, but it is no less satisfying. The two main characters, Micah and Liliana, are dark, but innocent. They both have tortured pasts, but in spite of that, they are honorable people who care deeply about others, especially each other. They are determined to do what is right no matter what it costs them personally. They are the perfect hero/heroine couple.
The secondary characters of Jissa, Bard and mouse are equally enthralling. Though, because of the short nature of the story, Nalini couldn’t go into much detail about them, there was enough that I was sad there wasn’t more. Nalini’s world building with the Black Castle, the village and villagers, the Abyss and the lore surrounding the entire story was very well done. There was enough detail that you knew exactly what was happening and why, but not so much that it overpowered the story.
In the previous books, we know that the kingdom of Elden was attacked by the Blood Sorcerer. The king and queen were killed, but before they died, they wove a powerful spell that sent their children—three boys and one girl—to other realms for their safety, but they also tucked in a spell that would make all four want to return to take revenge on the Sorcerer. Each book follows a different sibling.
In reading each of the stories, I expected an epic battle in this last book, but when the battle actually takes place, it really wasn’t much at all. Four books of build up and a couple of paragraphs to end it. I realize, the battle wasn’t the point of the stories—the relationship between hero and heroine was, but all the same, it was disappointing. In addition, there was almost no interaction among the siblings. Come on. They haven’t seen each other in twenty years, they are once again back at the place where they lived in order to seek revenge on the evil mage who killed their parents and destroyed the land, and…pffft. Nothing. Or very little.
So, I liked the story overall, and I really liked the characters, but the ending seemed rushed and left me disappointed. Still, for a fun, hot twist on fairytales, pick up the series and enjoy. You will get a happily ever after, just don’t expect a lot of meat with that HEA.
Author: Nalini Singh
Genre: adult romance fantasy
Grade: A-
This is the fourth and final book in the Royal House of Shadows series from Harlequin, each one written by a different author. Lord of the Abyss is not nearly as hot as Gena Showalter’s Lord of the Vampires, but it is no less satisfying. The two main characters, Micah and Liliana, are dark, but innocent. They both have tortured pasts, but in spite of that, they are honorable people who care deeply about others, especially each other. They are determined to do what is right no matter what it costs them personally. They are the perfect hero/heroine couple.
The secondary characters of Jissa, Bard and mouse are equally enthralling. Though, because of the short nature of the story, Nalini couldn’t go into much detail about them, there was enough that I was sad there wasn’t more. Nalini’s world building with the Black Castle, the village and villagers, the Abyss and the lore surrounding the entire story was very well done. There was enough detail that you knew exactly what was happening and why, but not so much that it overpowered the story.
In the previous books, we know that the kingdom of Elden was attacked by the Blood Sorcerer. The king and queen were killed, but before they died, they wove a powerful spell that sent their children—three boys and one girl—to other realms for their safety, but they also tucked in a spell that would make all four want to return to take revenge on the Sorcerer. Each book follows a different sibling.
In reading each of the stories, I expected an epic battle in this last book, but when the battle actually takes place, it really wasn’t much at all. Four books of build up and a couple of paragraphs to end it. I realize, the battle wasn’t the point of the stories—the relationship between hero and heroine was, but all the same, it was disappointing. In addition, there was almost no interaction among the siblings. Come on. They haven’t seen each other in twenty years, they are once again back at the place where they lived in order to seek revenge on the evil mage who killed their parents and destroyed the land, and…pffft. Nothing. Or very little.
So, I liked the story overall, and I really liked the characters, but the ending seemed rushed and left me disappointed. Still, for a fun, hot twist on fairytales, pick up the series and enjoy. You will get a happily ever after, just don’t expect a lot of meat with that HEA.
fishgirl182's review against another edition
5.0
Lord of the Abyss is the fourth book and conclusion to the Royal House of Shadows series. This is the story of Micah, the youngest Elden prince, who has no memory of his life before becoming the Lord of the Abyss. Liliana, the daughter of the Blood Sorcerer, endeavors to find him and bring back his memory before time runs out and Elden is lost forever.
This is the book I had been waiting for - the whole reason I started the Royal Book of Shadows series. I admit that I had high expectations for this book and Nalini Singh did not disappoint. I loved, loved, loved the story of Micah and Liliana. Lord of the Abyss is a take on Beauty and the Beast but, in this case, it’s Liliana who is the Beast to Micah’s Beauty, at least on the surface. Born with a hooked nose, straw-like hair and a limping gait, Liliana is no beautiful maiden. Micah, on the other hand, looks like the prince he is. But though she is not beautiful on the outside, Liliana shines with beauty from within. It is her pure and good heart, her generous nature and intelligence that are able to capture Micah’s interest and tame the wildness in him.
Micah and Liliana are such rich and unique characters. Romance novels are often rife with cliches but this was delightfully not so with these characters. Neither has had an easy life. Liliana has been the target of the Blood Sorcerer’s cruel games and punishments since she was a child. But instead of becoming dark and twisted like him, she’s developed an inner strength that would rival that of any warrior. Lilian is willing to risk everything to right the evil that her father has committed. People make cruel jokes about her looks and whisper behind her back. It hurts but Liliana knows that outer beauty does not equal inner beauty. She is kind to all of the creatures and people of the castle, and isn’t afraid to stand up to Micah’s autocratic ways. And Micah, oh Micah. Big and handsome and covered in armor, a shield for both his body and his heart. He never had a chance to be a child, the spell his parents cast flinging him to the bowels of the Black Castle, in a sleep state until he was old enough to take over as Guardian of the Abyss. All he has ever known is the castle and his grim role of Guardian. Used to getting his way, Micah is demanding and sometimes a little spoiled. But he is also very generous and fair. Naive about the ways of the world outside of the castle Micah has an air of innocence about him. Neither Liliana nor Micah has ever had any real friends and both lead a lonely existence. An unlikely pair of kindred spirits, they are able to see something good and beautiful in the other that no one else does.
The halls and grounds of the Black Castle really come alive in this book. Singh has created a vivid world in which to set Liliana and Micah’s love story. All of the books have been different in their setting and Singh did a great job of creating the unique and believable world of the Black Castle. From the dark stairways and dungeons to Jissa and Bard - all of these elements came together to form a new and interesting world. For the final journey to Elden, Singh conjured up a whole host of dangerous creatures for Liliana and Micah to battle. Some are scarier in looks than personality but all of them are strange and different and add to the rich landscape.
The only slight, very slight, criticism that I have for the book is that the ending seemed a little rushed. Because all of the books had been leading up to this battle with the Blood Sorcerer, I was expecting an all out epic fight. What happens is still satisfying but isn’t as grand as I was expecting. I also thought that the siblings would play a larger part in the battle. It ends up being Micah’s fight though they all lend their powers to defeat the Blood Sorcerer. This is a very minor complaint, as the ending is still awesome and everything wraps up nicely. This is easily my favorite book of the series and I still sigh a small sigh when I think about Micah and Liliana.
Lord of the Abyss is a great book and fitting end to the tale of the royal heirs of Elden. It’s a unconventional fairy tale that is sweet and passionate and utterly captivating. It’s a story that makes me believe in happy endings and I know that I will be coming back to it again and again.
*An e-ARC of this book was provided free of charge by NetGalley.com. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.
This is the book I had been waiting for - the whole reason I started the Royal Book of Shadows series. I admit that I had high expectations for this book and Nalini Singh did not disappoint. I loved, loved, loved the story of Micah and Liliana. Lord of the Abyss is a take on Beauty and the Beast but, in this case, it’s Liliana who is the Beast to Micah’s Beauty, at least on the surface. Born with a hooked nose, straw-like hair and a limping gait, Liliana is no beautiful maiden. Micah, on the other hand, looks like the prince he is. But though she is not beautiful on the outside, Liliana shines with beauty from within. It is her pure and good heart, her generous nature and intelligence that are able to capture Micah’s interest and tame the wildness in him.
Micah and Liliana are such rich and unique characters. Romance novels are often rife with cliches but this was delightfully not so with these characters. Neither has had an easy life. Liliana has been the target of the Blood Sorcerer’s cruel games and punishments since she was a child. But instead of becoming dark and twisted like him, she’s developed an inner strength that would rival that of any warrior. Lilian is willing to risk everything to right the evil that her father has committed. People make cruel jokes about her looks and whisper behind her back. It hurts but Liliana knows that outer beauty does not equal inner beauty. She is kind to all of the creatures and people of the castle, and isn’t afraid to stand up to Micah’s autocratic ways. And Micah, oh Micah. Big and handsome and covered in armor, a shield for both his body and his heart. He never had a chance to be a child, the spell his parents cast flinging him to the bowels of the Black Castle, in a sleep state until he was old enough to take over as Guardian of the Abyss. All he has ever known is the castle and his grim role of Guardian. Used to getting his way, Micah is demanding and sometimes a little spoiled. But he is also very generous and fair. Naive about the ways of the world outside of the castle Micah has an air of innocence about him. Neither Liliana nor Micah has ever had any real friends and both lead a lonely existence. An unlikely pair of kindred spirits, they are able to see something good and beautiful in the other that no one else does.
The halls and grounds of the Black Castle really come alive in this book. Singh has created a vivid world in which to set Liliana and Micah’s love story. All of the books have been different in their setting and Singh did a great job of creating the unique and believable world of the Black Castle. From the dark stairways and dungeons to Jissa and Bard - all of these elements came together to form a new and interesting world. For the final journey to Elden, Singh conjured up a whole host of dangerous creatures for Liliana and Micah to battle. Some are scarier in looks than personality but all of them are strange and different and add to the rich landscape.
The only slight, very slight, criticism that I have for the book is that the ending seemed a little rushed. Because all of the books had been leading up to this battle with the Blood Sorcerer, I was expecting an all out epic fight. What happens is still satisfying but isn’t as grand as I was expecting. I also thought that the siblings would play a larger part in the battle. It ends up being Micah’s fight though they all lend their powers to defeat the Blood Sorcerer. This is a very minor complaint, as the ending is still awesome and everything wraps up nicely. This is easily my favorite book of the series and I still sigh a small sigh when I think about Micah and Liliana.
Lord of the Abyss is a great book and fitting end to the tale of the royal heirs of Elden. It’s a unconventional fairy tale that is sweet and passionate and utterly captivating. It’s a story that makes me believe in happy endings and I know that I will be coming back to it again and again.
*An e-ARC of this book was provided free of charge by NetGalley.com. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.
booksplantsandtea's review against another edition
4.0
When Liliana transports herself into the territory of the feared Lord of the Abyss, she has only one objective: to make him remember his identity and legacy to save the dying kingdom of Elden. Did she expect the dark lord to be quite so handsome, even though he seems to have a tendency of threatening to put her in the dungeon? Probably not, but honestly, who could blame her? Not me, I'm a Micah stan! (fancast in second slide)
This fairytale retelling paranormal romance was filled with everything that makes a reader sigh with pleasure. First off, the romance part is swoon worthy. It's the little things in this one: caring for one another in small gestures like untangling her hair and sharing precious hot cocoa, him buying her the most beautiful dresses, being the firsts to give each other pet names (major swoon), their playful fighting (honestly, who knew I'd be in love with their emotional manipulation flirting tactics?!
This fairytale retelling paranormal romance was filled with everything that makes a reader sigh with pleasure. First off, the romance part is swoon worthy. It's the little things in this one: caring for one another in small gestures like untangling her hair and sharing precious hot cocoa, him buying her the most beautiful dresses, being the firsts to give each other pet names (major swoon), their playful fighting (honestly, who knew I'd be in love with their emotional manipulation flirting tactics?!
c4nd1e's review against another edition
4.0
This book has some rough edges and the pacing & the ending weren't perfect. But most of the book was freaking adorable and I loved the characters and the world.
This is the fourth book in a multi-author series, but it still worked well as a standalone.
This is the fourth book in a multi-author series, but it still worked well as a standalone.
bibliocat08's review against another edition
4.0
This one was probably the best in the series. I also may be significantly biased since I adore the rest of her books. Singh just writes enjoyable characters that you care about. Looking back, Micah doesn't really have that much of a personality beyond the Grr, Arg, Alpha male thing but it works. One thing I did notice in all the books though was the confrontation between the heroes and the baddie is very short. Which is a major jump in writing style for both Singh and Showalter. Maybe the word count was getting too high :)
leabookjoy's review against another edition
4.0
For years, Liliana has suffered between the hands of her father, the terrible Blood Sorcerer until she decided to take things in hand and run away to the Abyss. Her mission is to find the last heir of Elden and convince him to return to Elden to save the kingdom. Except that Micah has forgotten all about his previous life and moreover, he is much more attractive than Liliana thought at first ...
A nice little book: the style of Nalini Singh is as great as ever, full of subtlety and humor, the story is nice and even if the characters are not extraordinary, I follow with great interest their history until the end =)
This is the fourth book of a series written by four different authors, but they can be read separately (in fact, I have only read the fourth and it didn't bother me at all)
In short, a nice romance =)
A nice little book: the style of Nalini Singh is as great as ever, full of subtlety and humor, the story is nice and even if the characters are not extraordinary, I follow with great interest their history until the end =)
This is the fourth book of a series written by four different authors, but they can be read separately (in fact, I have only read the fourth and it didn't bother me at all)
In short, a nice romance =)
zerp's review against another edition
4.0
This book has some rough edges and the pacing & the ending weren't perfect. But most of the book was freaking adorable and I loved the characters and the world.
This is the fourth book in a multi-author series, but it still worked well as a standalone.
This is the fourth book in a multi-author series, but it still worked well as a standalone.