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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
The story of the Dreamwalker and her wolf continues... three years after the events of the first book and Miya and Kai are tethered together, whether they want to be or not. Miya is new to her abilities and is seeking a way to break the tether that has trapped her and Kai together while Kai has to suffer the consequences of never being able to go anywhere or feel things the way he use to without having Miya be present... but beyond that more nefarious things are at play... and a dark bloody history is about to unravel... the cycle repeats itself and its up to Miya and Kai to see if they are able to break it and remain true to their love... or be another victim of the cycle again. This was a fun ending to the duology and I loved the folktale esque style of the story filled with lots of macarbe and romance. Definitely give it a read!
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I don't know if my rating is too low, but I struggled with this. Half of the book was unnecessary flashbacks that didn't really add much to the characters or story. Again, the ending was also very confusing. But I liked the character development.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
What would you do for a love and bond that transcends generations, distance and earthly planes? What happens when you learn that sometimes love and hate are two sides of the same coin?
It's been three years since Miya's world ended in Black Hollow. Now she and Kai follow nightmares to hunt the demons responsible for them and the tragedies that follow. Mason is trying to get back to work in the "real world" and forget all about Dreamwalkers and small town lore and just how real those stories can be.
Miya is struggling with how she fits into this new world and just how powerful she is. Or could be if she learned to trust herself as much as she trusted those around her. Her path to self discovery isn't a pretty one but it is certainly a sight to behold.
Kai is more than happy to traverse all over and back with his best friend and lover...but this time he's bound to her in more ways than one. Kai is not your regular textbook bad boy. He is so much more and he is certainly not for everyone and quite frankly...he doesn't give a fuck. He is raw emotion and pain in its harshest and most honest form. In the process he must learn he is more than just blood and fists.
Mason is still not minding his own business and finds out what happens when you go looking for answers to questions you should have never asked. Mason frustrated me in THG and continued to frustrate me here (It's okay. Some characters are meant to be.) He learns that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. And that sometimes the best way to rectify a past mistake is by walking away and leaving it alone.
The Echoed Realm is definitely more intense than The Hollow Gods. Gone is the slow, melodic pace. Here we have everything coming to a head in a wilder ride.
AJ has managed to do in this duology what some authors can't do across a massive series. She showed us brilliant, story telling, raw emotions, side characters who matter and add to the story and not just take up space and a perfectly timed backstory that melded past and present beautifully.
Come prepared to feel all of the feelings.
It's been three years since Miya's world ended in Black Hollow. Now she and Kai follow nightmares to hunt the demons responsible for them and the tragedies that follow. Mason is trying to get back to work in the "real world" and forget all about Dreamwalkers and small town lore and just how real those stories can be.
Miya is struggling with how she fits into this new world and just how powerful she is. Or could be if she learned to trust herself as much as she trusted those around her. Her path to self discovery isn't a pretty one but it is certainly a sight to behold.
Kai is more than happy to traverse all over and back with his best friend and lover...but this time he's bound to her in more ways than one. Kai is not your regular textbook bad boy. He is so much more and he is certainly not for everyone and quite frankly...he doesn't give a fuck. He is raw emotion and pain in its harshest and most honest form. In the process he must learn he is more than just blood and fists.
Mason is still not minding his own business and finds out what happens when you go looking for answers to questions you should have never asked. Mason frustrated me in THG and continued to frustrate me here (It's okay. Some characters are meant to be.) He learns that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. And that sometimes the best way to rectify a past mistake is by walking away and leaving it alone.
The Echoed Realm is definitely more intense than The Hollow Gods. Gone is the slow, melodic pace. Here we have everything coming to a head in a wilder ride.
AJ has managed to do in this duology what some authors can't do across a massive series. She showed us brilliant, story telling, raw emotions, side characters who matter and add to the story and not just take up space and a perfectly timed backstory that melded past and present beautifully.
Come prepared to feel all of the feelings.
Thank You Parliament Press for providing me with ARC in exchange for an honest review
Horror: 4.5/5
Fantasy: 4.5/5
Contemporary: 4/5
Overall: 4.5/5
Blurb: From the Author of Scintillating Debut Novel 'The Hollow Gods' comes the equally brilliant sequel which concludes the story threads of Miya, Kai and Mason. Its Bloody, Its Messy, its Fantastical and its all written so damn well. So Sharpen your claws and bloody your teeth. There’s fear to be sown. Or as Ama famously said
Ease of Language: Beautifully written with a rich vocabulary from both Canadian and Serbian folklore. You will feel yourself drifting to the scenes and into the Black Hollow. A chill down your spine and the whispers among the tree are some of the few sensations you will experience in this amazingly worded novel.
Strength: Strong Storyline which reflects the hard-work being put behind the scenes. The connections are well-thought-out and not at all forced. The ending comes naturally and in due time. Likable characters all around, even the snooping Mason is vindicated.
Weakness: Considering this is a sequel, a prior reading of 'The Hollow Gods' is required to understand the lore. Some sections feels drawn out, especially with Mason's plot. But even that is realistically portrayed. Anyone would have behaved the same way, including me.
Why to Read: If you loved 'The Hollow Gods' and can't wait to know about the continued journey of Kai, Miya and Mason and love good writing. If you are a fan of Gothic and Supernatural and wants to read Canadian and Serbian folklore.
Why not to Read: If you haven't read 'The Hollow Gods'. Period. That's the only reason I can think not to enjoy this masterpiece. Well Good news is that 'The Hollow Gods' is still up for sale on various channels, including bundles. You can check Author's page for more info.
For more book reviews, Follow my Instagram account
Netgalley Badges
Horror: 4.5/5
Fantasy: 4.5/5
Contemporary: 4/5
Overall: 4.5/5
Blurb: From the Author of Scintillating Debut Novel 'The Hollow Gods' comes the equally brilliant sequel which concludes the story threads of Miya, Kai and Mason. Its Bloody, Its Messy, its Fantastical and its all written so damn well. So Sharpen your claws and bloody your teeth. There’s fear to be sown. Or as Ama famously said
Where we go, a murder is sure to follow
Ease of Language: Beautifully written with a rich vocabulary from both Canadian and Serbian folklore. You will feel yourself drifting to the scenes and into the Black Hollow. A chill down your spine and the whispers among the tree are some of the few sensations you will experience in this amazingly worded novel.
Orme's Rest was the silent scream of a living, breathing gravestone
Strength: Strong Storyline which reflects the hard-work being put behind the scenes. The connections are well-thought-out and not at all forced. The ending comes naturally and in due time. Likable characters all around, even the snooping Mason is vindicated.
Weakness: Considering this is a sequel, a prior reading of 'The Hollow Gods' is required to understand the lore. Some sections feels drawn out, especially with Mason's plot. But even that is realistically portrayed. Anyone would have behaved the same way, including me.
Why to Read: If you loved 'The Hollow Gods' and can't wait to know about the continued journey of Kai, Miya and Mason and love good writing. If you are a fan of Gothic and Supernatural and wants to read Canadian and Serbian folklore.
Why not to Read: If you haven't read 'The Hollow Gods'. Period. That's the only reason I can think not to enjoy this masterpiece. Well Good news is that 'The Hollow Gods' is still up for sale on various channels, including bundles. You can check Author's page for more info.
For more book reviews, Follow my Instagram account
Netgalley Badges
I liked this more than the first book. I enjoyed how each character had their own problem to solve. I really enjoyed Kai’s inter monologue and problem solving. It was nice that the characters wanted to rely on each other. On top of that the mystery was really good. I love that everything ties back to black hollow.
5⭐️ again idk how this series is not on more bookish radars! vrana’s writing is so beautifully descriptive and the eerie world she has created is so unique and unlike any book i’ve read. she has picked perfect locations for both books to create her spectral story (this one being backwater louisiana). i love miya & kai, both individually and as a couple. in fact, their banter often reminded me of my own marital interactions lol. for such a young couple, they feel so mature in their willingness to work through things together and protect one another. and kai is a wolf girlies dream boy. if he’s not fighting for me like that, i don’t want it! this would be the absolute perfect series for a spooky fall read. especially given that the third book in this series, wildblood, is releasing oct. 29!
J’étais assez sceptique au commencement de ma lecture car il s’agit du deuxième tome de la Duologie Hollow Gods, et le tome 1 finissait sur une conclusion et non un cliffhanger.
Alors comment reprendre une histoire qui finalement était terminée ? Eh bien avec un retournement de situation que je déteste : faire revenir les mêmes problèmes.
Au début du roman on est 3 ans plus tard, Kai et Miya ont une routine de « chausseurs de démons » c’est assez sympathique mais un peu cliché. On est vraiment dans du bit lit que j’apprécie peu. Puis finalement le méchant du tome 1 revient et là j’ai eu du mal. Pour moi c’est de la feignantise que d’annuler la conclusion du tome 1 pour faire une suite…
Et puis finalement, l’histoire prend un tournant différent avec toute cette histoire de réincarnation et d’âmes soeurs. Les flashbacks des âmes passées des personnages étaient mes moments favoris. Et la conclusion est évidente mais sympathique.
J’ai beaucoup aimé voir l’évolution des personnages, et de leurs relations. Bon Mason est toujours le sidekick un peu inutile, mais on l’aime bien. J’ai juste trouvé qu’il y a avait peut être trop de démons et d’esprits maléfiques. Un côté un peu too much…
L’histoire est aussi tellement complexe qu’il est parfois difficile de suivre, de comprendre les règles du Dreamscape et des univers parallèles. Je dois avouer que j’ai eu du mal à suivre à certains moments, voire j’étais blasée car c’était trop compliqué pour pas grand chose.
Mais finalement, outre les défauts j’ai quand même apprécié ma lecture. Bien moins que le tome 1, certes.
Pour ma première lecture de 2023 je suis un peu déçue mais j’ai quand même dévoré le roman.
Alors comment reprendre une histoire qui finalement était terminée ? Eh bien avec un retournement de situation que je déteste : faire revenir les mêmes problèmes.
Au début du roman on est 3 ans plus tard, Kai et Miya ont une routine de « chausseurs de démons » c’est assez sympathique mais un peu cliché. On est vraiment dans du bit lit que j’apprécie peu. Puis finalement le méchant du tome 1 revient et là j’ai eu du mal. Pour moi c’est de la feignantise que d’annuler la conclusion du tome 1 pour faire une suite…
Et puis finalement, l’histoire prend un tournant différent avec toute cette histoire de réincarnation et d’âmes soeurs. Les flashbacks des âmes passées des personnages étaient mes moments favoris. Et la conclusion est évidente mais sympathique.
J’ai beaucoup aimé voir l’évolution des personnages, et de leurs relations. Bon Mason est toujours le sidekick un peu inutile, mais on l’aime bien. J’ai juste trouvé qu’il y a avait peut être trop de démons et d’esprits maléfiques. Un côté un peu too much…
L’histoire est aussi tellement complexe qu’il est parfois difficile de suivre, de comprendre les règles du Dreamscape et des univers parallèles. Je dois avouer que j’ai eu du mal à suivre à certains moments, voire j’étais blasée car c’était trop compliqué pour pas grand chose.
Mais finalement, outre les défauts j’ai quand même apprécié ma lecture. Bien moins que le tome 1, certes.
Pour ma première lecture de 2023 je suis un peu déçue mais j’ai quand même dévoré le roman.
Everything comes back to Black Hollow. I absolutely loved this book the first sucked me in and so did this one.
Sometimes you go into a book it's really hard to find lines that just stick with you but with AJ she has so many good lines it makes it hard to pick my favorite ones, but I love love love her work and can not wait to see what she publishes later
Sometimes you go into a book it's really hard to find lines that just stick with you but with AJ she has so many good lines it makes it hard to pick my favorite ones, but I love love love her work and can not wait to see what she publishes later
The second and final book in the series, this was an intriguing read that follows on from the first book 3 years later and we see Miya has completely taken on the role of Dreamwalker and is slaying demons in the dreamscape with Kai. I enjoyed coming back to this world to be reunited with all the characters I loved from the first with the addition of a couple new faces, especially Crowbar who immediately caught my attention.
It was also great to get some chapters in more characters POV's who we hadn't heard from before which helped reveal the history of the bond between the main characters and the origin story. There is even more questioning of reality and myth throughout the story and the folklore tale goes even deeper to allow readers to discover the true nature of the main characters.
Of course there is a big ending to finish the story and the series with a bang and all the loose ends are tied up nicely to make for an excellent pair of books.
Full of dark tales, intense fight scenes and a bit of humour and banter dotted throughout, this is a book that kept me intrigued throughout, never wanting to put the book down until I reached the end.
It was also great to get some chapters in more characters POV's who we hadn't heard from before which helped reveal the history of the bond between the main characters and the origin story. There is even more questioning of reality and myth throughout the story and the folklore tale goes even deeper to allow readers to discover the true nature of the main characters.
Of course there is a big ending to finish the story and the series with a bang and all the loose ends are tied up nicely to make for an excellent pair of books.
Full of dark tales, intense fight scenes and a bit of humour and banter dotted throughout, this is a book that kept me intrigued throughout, never wanting to put the book down until I reached the end.