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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
Sadly, Forever is the last instalment in this amazing series. I would have taken many more books!!
This time we are following the lovely Layla, who was abandoned by her mother as a newborn and raised by the Judgment angel Augustus. Not knowing what her powers would be, he chose to raise her like a human, shielding her from the paranormal world until her powers would manifest. Unfortunately, Augustus is fading from this world, and he needs to find a new protector for his protegee. Enters Sin, damaged soul and fledging Judgment. He used to be Layla's best friend until Augustus split them apart, for reasons only known by him. Sin has been through hell in his short life though, and his return in Layla's life is quite strained.
I loved witnessing their reunion and their struggles to build a new relationship in this tumultuous time. Layla was funny and stubborn; Sin was sweet and determined. Challenged were aplenty and brought them closer together. Their trust into each other, despite their shortcomings, was a beautiful thing!
We also got to revisit all the couples from the previous books, so we thankfully get a bit of closer at the end of it all. A very emotional one at that!
Set in the years 1800s, with a touch of steampunk, this paranormal romance series is truly not to be missed!
This time we are following the lovely Layla, who was abandoned by her mother as a newborn and raised by the Judgment angel Augustus. Not knowing what her powers would be, he chose to raise her like a human, shielding her from the paranormal world until her powers would manifest. Unfortunately, Augustus is fading from this world, and he needs to find a new protector for his protegee. Enters Sin, damaged soul and fledging Judgment. He used to be Layla's best friend until Augustus split them apart, for reasons only known by him. Sin has been through hell in his short life though, and his return in Layla's life is quite strained.
I loved witnessing their reunion and their struggles to build a new relationship in this tumultuous time. Layla was funny and stubborn; Sin was sweet and determined. Challenged were aplenty and brought them closer together. Their trust into each other, despite their shortcomings, was a beautiful thing!
We also got to revisit all the couples from the previous books, so we thankfully get a bit of closer at the end of it all. A very emotional one at that!
Set in the years 1800s, with a touch of steampunk, this paranormal romance series is truly not to be missed!
****The giveaway I promised you all Reading Between the Wines book club
Good Luck!****
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
While everyone calls St. John Evernight "Sin" he once had a childhood friend see him as a "Saint" instead. After years of being apart, Layla and Sin are about to have a reunion. With destinies that were decided long before they were born, these two are going to prove that fate is only what we make it.
"Right." Layla stood. "Precisely. Demons and werewolves and soul-sucking fiends." Her hands were clasped, knuckles white. "Simply another normal day in London."
A normal day for the seventh addition to Kristen Callihan's Darkest London series, which has elements of historical, paranormal, romance, and steampunk. Layla is the daughter of a former villainess in the series, Lena, and has no knowledge of the very real things that go bump in the night. Layla is starting to come into powers and as a very rare breed called "Damnation" her powers are coveted. Layla was a strong character with her forceful personality and will to fight, I really liked her. However, the author had her going in completely blind to all the creatures and storylines from the previous books and never really helps her out; if I was Layla, I would have demanded at least a cliff notes version. Having Layla clueless and unknown to the Darkest London world kept her on the outside of the overall story for me, even when she was the center focus for most of the story threads.
Archer studied Sin, who was tense and sullen once more. "I know well there are things of which a man cannot speak. Mistakes that take him down dark roads he cannot escape."
Sin, our hero, we have seen before and has a solid footing in the world. As a former secret spy for the fae queen Mab, his sisters (Miranda - Firelight, Daisy - Moonglow, Poppy - Winterblaze) have frozen him out of their lives. When last we saw him, he had finally broken free of Mab and now he is working with Augustus, Final Judgment and the father of the S.O.S. (Society for the Suppression of Supernaturals). Readers have seen Sin forged in the fire and his broody, moody, and not feeling good enough for Layla has real roots, which makes his character heartbreaking and darkly sexy.
A blast of heated air brushed over them as his jaw bunched. "So help me…" He took a breath. "You keep pushing me Layla, and eventually I will push back."
She took a step closer, her satin skirts swirling around his legs, the tips of her breasts nearly touching his chest. "So push."
Our main couple is Sin and Layla and on the back of Sin's pain and longing, you'll strive for this couple to come together. There are a few reminisces of when they were children to help show their bond but even though it seems their attachment had already been created off page, I really enjoyed how they interacted together. They had a true partnership, never once did I feel one was dominate or submissive to the other, they each had their low and high moments. Layla had to poke and prod Sin at times to help him overcome his emotions of not feeling good enough for her but this only created more spark and burn for their relationship.
There is a secondary couple consisting of Augustus and Lena that provides another romance but essentially is a broader means to help the author wrap up the series. While Augustus and Lena made appearances throughout the series, they were always to the sidelines. Here we find out that they were the puppeteers all along. With a great look from mainly Augustus, we see how as Final Judgment he can somewhat see into the future and how he manipulated and set-up all the chess pieces, our characters, to get to the moments in this story. It's a nice way for newcomers to get glimpses into previous storylines and the different supernaturals but mainly a fabulous way for series readers to revisit and gain better understanding to storylines and characters. Lena and Augustus' long, suffering, and enduring relationship was also a nice other side of the coin to Sin and Layla's fresh and young one.
And as they took to the night, Sin had to grin. A strange new world indeed.
This being the final book of the series, I did feel there were at times that the wholeness of it eclipsed Sin and Layla's relationship (as a reader of the series, I didn't mind), even though I also missed all the varied supernatural character appearances and visits to their haunts. This focused on wrapping up by not singularly concentrating on characters but the overreaching of Augustus. There are enough tidbits given about the Darkest London world, which newcomers could enjoy this book with focusing on Sin and Layla's relationship, but I would still highly suggest you start from the beginning to get the fullest enjoyment. Plus, the whole series is fantastic (Evernight was my favorite). Whether it was Damnation and Judgment having their epic battle, Sin learning to love himself enough in order to allow himself to love Layla, Augustus and Lena finding their way, or a past hero and heroine taking a new path in life, I was captivated by this story and world. This is the last of the series, and was a great wrap-up, but I can't stop myself from hoping that the ending leaves way for this "strange new world" to come to life in a future (perhaps contemporary?) series by this author.
Good Luck!****
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
While everyone calls St. John Evernight "Sin" he once had a childhood friend see him as a "Saint" instead. After years of being apart, Layla and Sin are about to have a reunion. With destinies that were decided long before they were born, these two are going to prove that fate is only what we make it.
"Right." Layla stood. "Precisely. Demons and werewolves and soul-sucking fiends." Her hands were clasped, knuckles white. "Simply another normal day in London."
A normal day for the seventh addition to Kristen Callihan's Darkest London series, which has elements of historical, paranormal, romance, and steampunk. Layla is the daughter of a former villainess in the series, Lena, and has no knowledge of the very real things that go bump in the night. Layla is starting to come into powers and as a very rare breed called "Damnation" her powers are coveted. Layla was a strong character with her forceful personality and will to fight, I really liked her. However, the author had her going in completely blind to all the creatures and storylines from the previous books and never really helps her out; if I was Layla, I would have demanded at least a cliff notes version. Having Layla clueless and unknown to the Darkest London world kept her on the outside of the overall story for me, even when she was the center focus for most of the story threads.
Archer studied Sin, who was tense and sullen once more. "I know well there are things of which a man cannot speak. Mistakes that take him down dark roads he cannot escape."
Sin, our hero, we have seen before and has a solid footing in the world. As a former secret spy for the fae queen Mab, his sisters (Miranda - Firelight, Daisy - Moonglow, Poppy - Winterblaze) have frozen him out of their lives. When last we saw him, he had finally broken free of Mab and now he is working with Augustus, Final Judgment and the father of the S.O.S. (Society for the Suppression of Supernaturals). Readers have seen Sin forged in the fire and his broody, moody, and not feeling good enough for Layla has real roots, which makes his character heartbreaking and darkly sexy.
A blast of heated air brushed over them as his jaw bunched. "So help me…" He took a breath. "You keep pushing me Layla, and eventually I will push back."
She took a step closer, her satin skirts swirling around his legs, the tips of her breasts nearly touching his chest. "So push."
Our main couple is Sin and Layla and on the back of Sin's pain and longing, you'll strive for this couple to come together. There are a few reminisces of when they were children to help show their bond but even though it seems their attachment had already been created off page, I really enjoyed how they interacted together. They had a true partnership, never once did I feel one was dominate or submissive to the other, they each had their low and high moments. Layla had to poke and prod Sin at times to help him overcome his emotions of not feeling good enough for her but this only created more spark and burn for their relationship.
There is a secondary couple consisting of Augustus and Lena that provides another romance but essentially is a broader means to help the author wrap up the series. While Augustus and Lena made appearances throughout the series, they were always to the sidelines. Here we find out that they were the puppeteers all along. With a great look from mainly Augustus, we see how as Final Judgment he can somewhat see into the future and how he manipulated and set-up all the chess pieces, our characters, to get to the moments in this story. It's a nice way for newcomers to get glimpses into previous storylines and the different supernaturals but mainly a fabulous way for series readers to revisit and gain better understanding to storylines and characters. Lena and Augustus' long, suffering, and enduring relationship was also a nice other side of the coin to Sin and Layla's fresh and young one.
And as they took to the night, Sin had to grin. A strange new world indeed.
This being the final book of the series, I did feel there were at times that the wholeness of it eclipsed Sin and Layla's relationship (as a reader of the series, I didn't mind), even though I also missed all the varied supernatural character appearances and visits to their haunts. This focused on wrapping up by not singularly concentrating on characters but the overreaching of Augustus. There are enough tidbits given about the Darkest London world, which newcomers could enjoy this book with focusing on Sin and Layla's relationship, but I would still highly suggest you start from the beginning to get the fullest enjoyment. Plus, the whole series is fantastic (Evernight was my favorite). Whether it was Damnation and Judgment having their epic battle, Sin learning to love himself enough in order to allow himself to love Layla, Augustus and Lena finding their way, or a past hero and heroine taking a new path in life, I was captivated by this story and world. This is the last of the series, and was a great wrap-up, but I can't stop myself from hoping that the ending leaves way for this "strange new world" to come to life in a future (perhaps contemporary?) series by this author.
My rating is hovering between three and four stars. While I did like this book, I think I would have enjoyed it more if I had remembered more details (specifically about the demons and Lena and the betrayal). I also found the ending (now everyone knows) to be rather abrupt considering this is the final book in the series. Unless I'm wrong about that? Overall though, I liked the series. The world was interesting, as were the characters and the overall plot.
adventurous
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
4 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“I adore you, Layla.”
He could feel her smile. “Adore me some more, Saint. Preferably until I lose my senses.”
Forevermore delivers an emotional finale to the Darkest London series and it's incredible world.
To say that I am devastated to part ways with this world and these characters would be an understatement.
I am not ready to pack and move on and so believe me when I say that I am writing this review with a heavy, heavy heart and it took me days to think of the proper words to bid this series farewell.
Layla Starling. The world saw her as an innocent heiress and a talented singer. But she knew the truth. She was a monster.
The final chapter in this series follows Layla Sterling, a wealthy heiress who had come to England all the way from Boston and took it by the storm. Despite the flood of marriage proposals, she turned down every single one of them and has her eyes on one man only—St. John Evernight.
St. John Evernight who goes by Sin is the younger brother of the Ellis sisters whom are considered powerful elementals but his powers might be even more fearsome for he is the son of a powerful elemental and a demi-god of chaos.
Sin and Layla have a shared history as they met in Ireland when they were children. Layla disappeared from Sin's lift when she was left Ireland with her guardian Augustus to somewhere far.
Years later, Layla and Sin meet in London and the sparks fly. However, Layla has her one demons to battle and Sin is haunted by his betrayal and unspeakable trauma he had suffered under the vicious Fae Queen—Mab.
There are dangerous secrets resurfacing that will forever alter Layla and Sin's lives and they must face who they really are and who they are meant to be.
In there, people knew what he’d been: a slave, a plaything for a bored fiend. He’d been a whore. Betrayer of family.
There is a secondary plot taking place while the events of the main story unfolds but I will not share any details as to avoid spoilers.
Although I consider the plot of this book to be the weakest in comparison with its predecessors however it still delivered an emotional finale especially with the entire cast of characters making an appearance one last time.
The romance was sweet and there were some heartfelt moments as well as sizzling but the couple of the final book could not outshine the other couples. Not to say that I did not enjoy their romance but the sparks quickly died off for me.
“You are the sun around which my world revolves.”
I did feel a lot of sorrow for Sin because of the unspeakable terrors he was subjected to. He was violated in so many ways by Mab that had me fuming. I liked that Callihan had shown how Sin is adjusting to intimacy as physical touches do bring back flashes from that nightmare.
I did not form a deep connection to Layla as a character but I still appreciated her.
There was one particular event that had me wanting to throw the book across my room because I was that outraged. I was on the verge of breaking down.
I will hold this series in a very special place in my heart and I look forward to revisiting this fantastic world.
Trigger warnings: mentions of torture, sexual assault, trauma, death, violence.
“I adore you, Layla.”
He could feel her smile. “Adore me some more, Saint. Preferably until I lose my senses.”
Forevermore delivers an emotional finale to the Darkest London series and it's incredible world.
To say that I am devastated to part ways with this world and these characters would be an understatement.
I am not ready to pack and move on and so believe me when I say that I am writing this review with a heavy, heavy heart and it took me days to think of the proper words to bid this series farewell.
Layla Starling. The world saw her as an innocent heiress and a talented singer. But she knew the truth. She was a monster.
The final chapter in this series follows Layla Sterling, a wealthy heiress who had come to England all the way from Boston and took it by the storm. Despite the flood of marriage proposals, she turned down every single one of them and has her eyes on one man only—St. John Evernight.
St. John Evernight who goes by Sin is the younger brother of the Ellis sisters whom are considered powerful elementals but his powers might be even more fearsome for he is the son of a powerful elemental and a demi-god of chaos.
Sin and Layla have a shared history as they met in Ireland when they were children. Layla disappeared from Sin's lift when she was left Ireland with her guardian Augustus to somewhere far.
Years later, Layla and Sin meet in London and the sparks fly. However, Layla has her one demons to battle and Sin is haunted by his betrayal and unspeakable trauma he had suffered under the vicious Fae Queen—Mab.
There are dangerous secrets resurfacing that will forever alter Layla and Sin's lives and they must face who they really are and who they are meant to be.
In there, people knew what he’d been: a slave, a plaything for a bored fiend. He’d been a whore. Betrayer of family.
There is a secondary plot taking place while the events of the main story unfolds but I will not share any details as to avoid spoilers.
Although I consider the plot of this book to be the weakest in comparison with its predecessors however it still delivered an emotional finale especially with the entire cast of characters making an appearance one last time.
The romance was sweet and there were some heartfelt moments as well as sizzling but the couple of the final book could not outshine the other couples. Not to say that I did not enjoy their romance but the sparks quickly died off for me.
“You are the sun around which my world revolves.”
I did feel a lot of sorrow for Sin because of the unspeakable terrors he was subjected to. He was violated in so many ways by Mab that had me fuming. I liked that Callihan had shown how Sin is adjusting to intimacy as physical touches do bring back flashes from that nightmare.
I did not form a deep connection to Layla as a character but I still appreciated her.
There was one particular event that had me wanting to throw the book across my room because I was that outraged. I was on the verge of breaking down.
I will hold this series in a very special place in my heart and I look forward to revisiting this fantastic world.
Trigger warnings: mentions of torture, sexual assault, trauma, death, violence.
I still enjoy this world, but I think Callihan needs plot help. This is the last book in the series, so every previous villain must be killed or redeemed, however clumsily. There are mentions of every single previous protagonist. And, of course, there is the introduction of yet another kind of supernatural. I wish Callihan had set up the world completely closer to the beginning, because every introduction feels like trying to solve a plot problem. I contrast this with Bec McMaster who seems to explore the setup from the beginning.
And why on earth is the cover character holding a whip? There is one mention of a whip of lightning, but it's not an actual physical whip, I think.
And why on earth is the cover character holding a whip? There is one mention of a whip of lightning, but it's not an actual physical whip, I think.
DOWN & DIRTY QUICKIE REVIEW!
One Sentence Summary:
She’s his “human”-turned-demon childhood BFF in need of protection & he’s a sexual assault survivor angel who’s her new bodyguard.
Name That Trope:
* Mutual Kidhood Crush
* Reunited Friends With Feeeeeeeeeeeeeeelings
* Heroine To The Rescue, CAUSE BITCHES SAVE THE DAY!
* Big Baddie In The Background
* ‘I’m Tarnished/Sad/Broken & She’s Too Good For Me So I Must Resist Her’ - the hero’s theme song, probably
* Secondary Love Story That Gonna Smash Yo Ass Good
* Slooooooow Burn
What part made you fangirl squeal:
1. When our OTP be laying in bed sans hanky panky & gal asks to see his wings, so dude COCOONS THEM IN A WING-SNUGGLE-HUG <3 <3 <3
2. When our heroine totes kicks evil ass andredacted for spoilers
3. YALL! Grumpy Hero grumps about Layla’s suitor, then apologizes for being an ass-butt! *cue swoonage here!*
4. Anytime our couple talk about their feels; SO MUCH WORDTASTIC LONGING!
5. When Layla went full beast-mode as our hero’s protector! DO NOT MESS WITH HER MAN, YO!
Favorite Character:
Oh that's just cruel, making a bitch choose like this. Fiiiiiiine. If I had to pick, I’d say- BOTH HAHA I CHEATED THIS IS MY REVIEW FIGHT ME! For real, though, Layla is as strong as Sin is broken and I loved them both for it.
How smexy was the smex?
GET YOUR BIG GIRL PANTIES BRACED, YALL! Now the sex don’t pop off until the 3rd arc, but this slow burn gave us several hot kisses. While the scenes are few, THEY ARE FIRE! We get...
* A brief hero-spanking-heroine fantasy; yes, please, thank you, more!
* Sin undressing Layla while making out with her neck (from behind!) as he tells her his teenage fantasies of their married bedtime playtime! Hellloooo Flamey McFlame face!
* A HERO-GUIDED MASTURBATION SCENE COMPLETE WITH DIRTY INSTRUCTIONAL DIALOGUE!
* Pain-free virgin sex, guys. Pain! Free! Virgin! Sex!!!!! (Can ya tell a bitch is happy here?!)
* A Little Red Riding Hood big bad wolf hero-pun mid Hump Town that went from LOLtastic to d’awwwww-dorable!
Whose Line Is It Anyway:
Got any bitching to do?
YES, GODDAMMIT, KRISTEN MADE ME CRY AND HOW DARE YOU, WOMAN!? Okay, I lied. About the bitching. A sad does happen [it ain’t really that sad, tbh] which made my eyes sweat, so this is me. Bitching about that.
Visually Depict Yo Book Feels:
Famous Last Words:
Dude. This book IS EVERYTHANG! Yes, it’s the last in a series, but fret not; you can read it out of order. Hell, I did, and look at me, I’m still alive! Parahistorical romances neeeeed to be more of a thing, and Kristen’s bomb ass, kick ass, glorious ass writing proves that. There’s so much emotastic OTP shiznit, so much cool world crap, and so much glorious wordage that goes down in this book that YE SHAN’T REGRET THIS READ!
-----------------------
For a more in depth, LOL-fest discussion on romance novels , HERE BE MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL:
https://www.youtube.com/fangirlmusings
One Sentence Summary:
She’s his “human”-turned-demon childhood BFF in need of protection & he’s a sexual assault survivor angel who’s her new bodyguard.
Name That Trope:
* Mutual Kidhood Crush
* Reunited Friends With Feeeeeeeeeeeeeeelings
* Heroine To The Rescue, CAUSE BITCHES SAVE THE DAY!
* Big Baddie In The Background
* ‘I’m Tarnished/Sad/Broken & She’s Too Good For Me So I Must Resist Her’ - the hero’s theme song, probably
* Secondary Love Story That Gonna Smash Yo Ass Good
* Slooooooow Burn
What part made you fangirl squeal:
1. When our OTP be laying in bed sans hanky panky & gal asks to see his wings, so dude COCOONS THEM IN A WING-SNUGGLE-HUG <3 <3 <3
2. When our heroine totes kicks evil ass and
3. YALL! Grumpy Hero grumps about Layla’s suitor, then apologizes for being an ass-butt! *cue swoonage here!*
4. Anytime our couple talk about their feels; SO MUCH WORDTASTIC LONGING!
5. When Layla went full beast-mode as our hero’s protector! DO NOT MESS WITH HER MAN, YO!
Favorite Character:
Oh that's just cruel, making a bitch choose like this. Fiiiiiiine. If I had to pick, I’d say- BOTH HAHA I CHEATED THIS IS MY REVIEW FIGHT ME! For real, though, Layla is as strong as Sin is broken and I loved them both for it.
How smexy was the smex?
GET YOUR BIG GIRL PANTIES BRACED, YALL! Now the sex don’t pop off until the 3rd arc, but this slow burn gave us several hot kisses. While the scenes are few, THEY ARE FIRE! We get...
* A brief hero-spanking-heroine fantasy; yes, please, thank you, more!
* Sin undressing Layla while making out with her neck (from behind!) as he tells her his teenage fantasies of their married bedtime playtime! Hellloooo Flamey McFlame face!
* A HERO-GUIDED MASTURBATION SCENE COMPLETE WITH DIRTY INSTRUCTIONAL DIALOGUE!
* Pain-free virgin sex, guys. Pain! Free! Virgin! Sex!!!!! (Can ya tell a bitch is happy here?!)
* A Little Red Riding Hood big bad wolf hero-pun mid Hump Town that went from LOLtastic to d’awwwww-dorable!
Whose Line Is It Anyway:
Hero: If any of them so much as puts a pinkie on you without your express permission, I shall snap it off and stuff it down his throat.
Heroine, laughing: Saint John, protector of virtue and destroyer of pinkies across the kingdom.
*****
“Truth and promises can be manipulated into something as solid as air.”
*****
Heroine: You're brooding again.
Hero: I'm not brooding. This is simply my face.
Heroine: Be warned. The nastier you are, the more I want to needle you.
Got any bitching to do?
YES, GODDAMMIT, KRISTEN MADE ME CRY AND HOW DARE YOU, WOMAN!? Okay, I lied. About the bitching. A sad does happen [it ain’t really that sad, tbh] which made my eyes sweat, so this is me. Bitching about that.
Visually Depict Yo Book Feels:
Famous Last Words:
Dude. This book IS EVERYTHANG! Yes, it’s the last in a series, but fret not; you can read it out of order. Hell, I did, and look at me, I’m still alive! Parahistorical romances neeeeed to be more of a thing, and Kristen’s bomb ass, kick ass, glorious ass writing proves that. There’s so much emotastic OTP shiznit, so much cool world crap, and so much glorious wordage that goes down in this book that YE SHAN’T REGRET THIS READ!
-----------------------
For a more in depth, LOL-fest discussion on romance novels , HERE BE MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL:
https://www.youtube.com/fangirlmusings
Adorable! Adorable story and adorable characters. Loved St. John and Layla. Everything ties together perfect well, so a perfect end to the series.
I finished this series about two days ago and still think of Jack's piss and shit dialogue.
Spoiler
Loved Augustus and Elena so much!!!I finished this series about two days ago and still think of Jack's piss and shit dialogue.