A review by a_phoenix_bookcorner
Rain of Shadows and Endings by Melissa K. Roehrich

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-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? It's complicated

5.0

A Favorite Quote: “You’re too busy trying to separate lies from reality.  You’re too busy trying not to break so completely that you can’t be fixed.  But that’s impossible.  You always break.  We help each other glue the pieces back together, but it’s never quite right.  The pieces of yourself never quite fit back together the way they once did.  Until eventually, you don’t remember what it was like to not feel cracked and scarred.  Until eventually, you are just a shell of what you once were, but you know there’s no way to go back, so you just move forward, even if death’s song sounds sweeter and sweeter every time.”

Self-written Blurb: “Who will be left standing, When Chaos comes to rein?”  Tessalyn has spent her entire life trying to not be noticed, trying to keep her temper and this other thing that coils inside her under control.  So when she bumps into a Legacy as she steals a piece of chocolate during the Source Ceremony… Tessa brushes it off.  Little did she know- that Legacy was the Arius Kingdom’s heir, Theon.  Little did she know… that was all it took to catch his eye and have him choose her to be his bonded source.  Being a fae, she had no right to refuse the bond.  It was what the gods had created the fae for.  For the Legacy’s to be able to draw power from the fae.  But as Theon attempts to control her, for his own dark and twisted secrets, the power and thing inside of Tessa fights back, refusing to allow her to give into the bond.  In a classic tale of give and take, push and pull, light and dark, will Theon and Tessa come to whether the storm, or will Chaos prevail?

What I enjoyed:  Perfection.  Chef’s Kiss.  6 stars.  The first in a 4-book series, this novel has everything you would want.  Angst, drama, carefully curated world-building, banter, tension, spice, twists, and turns.  Melissa Roehrich has a way with words.  I have found a new favorite author for sure!  I love the way that she pulls you in with her writing and the way that it touches your heart, mind, and soul.  I could feel Tessa’s desperation as her soul shattered a little more with each and every page.  The banter between Tessa and Theon was pure gold.  I could not get enough.  The storyline was epic and the world-building was nothing short of brilliance.  I haven’t screamed “WHAT!?” and thrown by book in a while.  

Any struggles?:  My literal only struggle with this book was WISHING to the gods that it was a why choose.  Because Luka and Axel… would make an excellent harem, along with Theon of course.  

Will I recommend and to who: If you enjoyed the resistance and push and pull that you got with Tory and Daris from Zodiac Academy- THIS book is for you!  If you like a dark fantasy romance- THIS book is for you.  If you like J Bree and The Bonds that Tie series- THIS book is for you.  If you like Jennifer Armentrout and the From Blood and Ash series- THIS book is for you.  I will forever recommend this book to anyone who is willing to listen.