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jillsbooknook 's review for:
The Echoed Realm
by A.J. Vrana
5 -⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Update Feb 15 - I moved it to a full 5 star as the extras really sold me on this series!
Love is not a thing of need, Dreamwalker. It's a thing of choice.
The Echoed Realm is the second and final instalment in the NA Dark Paranormal Romance duology, the Chaos Cycle, following the story of Miya, Kai, and Mason as the events of Black Hollows follows them 3 years after their fight with the Dreamwalker.
Miya and Kai have taken up the calling to hunt spectres hiding amidst the shadows but Black Hollows is not finished with them. As Miya struggle to make sense of the nightmares that haunt her, Kai struggles against the shackles that bind him to Miya. Their love is tested as dark forces seek to tear that apart and secrets of the past hold vital clues to the legacy left by the Dreamwalker. Clues that will save them and consume them... Meanwhile, Mason is drawn back into machinations of beings he doesn't quite understand and it makes him question how much coincidence his time in Black Hollows was.
Miya and Kai had the kind of relationship and partnership in the book that I love. They are both distinct characters with their own journeys but they are bound together in ways that so much deeper than I thought. Miya struggles to understand her powers and the secrets left by the Dreamwalker. She shows determination and courage even while she is forced to question all she knew. I found her character easy to fall into and I felt for her successes and failures. Kai continues to embrace this rougher character and while I didn't always agree with his decisions, his struggle to find himself and uncover the truth was riveting. He's prone to violence but his love for Miya is strong and I found his actions spoke louder than his words.
Mason is a character that prompts a lot of interesting twists but, honestly, he wasn't a character I really connected to. He has a small role in this novel but the moments we need him help drive the story. He adds to the mystery in ways that just made the story feel larger than life.
Instead, the characters of Ama and Gavran were the ones that resonated with me as side characters with nuance that gave me so many feels as they fought alongside Miya and Kai. The villains of the novels also offered us complex characters rich with backgrounds that fuel their actions. I found them fascinating.
In terms of spice, the original version of this book would be a 1 spicy pepper out of 5 as there are a few explicit scenes but the detail is kept minimal. If you purchase the newer version of the book or the special edition from the author's website, I would say the story ramps up to 1.5 spicy peppers as one scene has more detail included. Miya and Kai are already in an established relationship so the spice appears in earlier parts of the book.
"Oh, sure!" Kai threw up his arms. "Just follow the creepy corpse child straight into a magical tree-portal."
In terms of story and world this book launches you right into the thick of things. Admittedly I was a little lost at the start but the plot starts smaller before growing and thus you can wade in. In between the mystery, lore, and secrets there are these sweet moments between the characters that highlight love, friendship, and loyalty amidst the conflicts arising. There are these delicious twists in the story that show the growth in these characters' journeys. There is darkness and horror but also these glimpse of light and hope that make the darkness bearable. This isn't a happy novel but the emotions, vibrance, and imagery hold fast the the reader. I was sad to see this end but, boy, did I enjoy it.
Overall, if you want a dark paranormal romance with dark lore, mystery, secrets, bonds deeper that one lifetime, and a richly imaginary world that crosses dreamscapes and reality, this is an excellent completed series. And, there is an optional anthology with some additional scenes if you're looking for more sweet moments between Miya and Kai that I absolutely adored!
Available on KU!
Update Feb 15 - I moved it to a full 5 star as the extras really sold me on this series!
Love is not a thing of need, Dreamwalker. It's a thing of choice.
The Echoed Realm is the second and final instalment in the NA Dark Paranormal Romance duology, the Chaos Cycle, following the story of Miya, Kai, and Mason as the events of Black Hollows follows them 3 years after their fight with the Dreamwalker.
Miya and Kai have taken up the calling to hunt spectres hiding amidst the shadows but Black Hollows is not finished with them. As Miya struggle to make sense of the nightmares that haunt her, Kai struggles against the shackles that bind him to Miya. Their love is tested as dark forces seek to tear that apart and secrets of the past hold vital clues to the legacy left by the Dreamwalker. Clues that will save them and consume them... Meanwhile, Mason is drawn back into machinations of beings he doesn't quite understand and it makes him question how much coincidence his time in Black Hollows was.
Miya and Kai had the kind of relationship and partnership in the book that I love. They are both distinct characters with their own journeys but they are bound together in ways that so much deeper than I thought. Miya struggles to understand her powers and the secrets left by the Dreamwalker. She shows determination and courage even while she is forced to question all she knew. I found her character easy to fall into and I felt for her successes and failures. Kai continues to embrace this rougher character and while I didn't always agree with his decisions, his struggle to find himself and uncover the truth was riveting. He's prone to violence but his love for Miya is strong and I found his actions spoke louder than his words.
Mason is a character that prompts a lot of interesting twists but, honestly, he wasn't a character I really connected to. He has a small role in this novel but the moments we need him help drive the story. He adds to the mystery in ways that just made the story feel larger than life.
Instead, the characters of Ama and Gavran were the ones that resonated with me as side characters with nuance that gave me so many feels as they fought alongside Miya and Kai. The villains of the novels also offered us complex characters rich with backgrounds that fuel their actions. I found them fascinating.
In terms of spice, the original version of this book would be a 1 spicy pepper out of 5 as there are a few explicit scenes but the detail is kept minimal. If you purchase the newer version of the book or the special edition from the author's website, I would say the story ramps up to 1.5 spicy peppers as one scene has more detail included. Miya and Kai are already in an established relationship so the spice appears in earlier parts of the book.
"Oh, sure!" Kai threw up his arms. "Just follow the creepy corpse child straight into a magical tree-portal."
In terms of story and world this book launches you right into the thick of things. Admittedly I was a little lost at the start but the plot starts smaller before growing and thus you can wade in. In between the mystery, lore, and secrets there are these sweet moments between the characters that highlight love, friendship, and loyalty amidst the conflicts arising. There are these delicious twists in the story that show the growth in these characters' journeys. There is darkness and horror but also these glimpse of light and hope that make the darkness bearable. This isn't a happy novel but the emotions, vibrance, and imagery hold fast the the reader. I was sad to see this end but, boy, did I enjoy it.
Overall, if you want a dark paranormal romance with dark lore, mystery, secrets, bonds deeper that one lifetime, and a richly imaginary world that crosses dreamscapes and reality, this is an excellent completed series. And, there is an optional anthology with some additional scenes if you're looking for more sweet moments between Miya and Kai that I absolutely adored!
Available on KU!