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alyssas_bookshelf's Reviews (91)
This review is for Astral Rise of the Wolves by Alexandra Lang. (@author_lang on IG & @authorlang on Tome) She's still accepting arc readers with the hopes of having those sent out by the end of June and the release of this debut novel in August 2025!
Only marking it as a 3 star because obviously there are things that need to be fixed, added, or moved around. Once the changes are made it's absolutely going to be a 5 star read!
Tropes that l'm allowed to post about include:
- Fated Mates
- Found Family
- Reluctant Hero
- Hidden World
I can't talk too much on the specifics, but just know I had a fantastic time and am 100% signed up for the arc read so I can officially give it the 5 stars I know it deserves. As well, l've told her I would love to be apart of the whole process again when she finishes up the 2nd book. Not only is the story good, but the author is extremely sweet and accepting of all feedback. I had the best experience possible for my 1st time beta reading. 🫶🏻
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
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
THIS RIGHT HERE.. THIS RIGHT HERE BRO.. This was an excruciating slow burn with forbidden lovers and great banter, but the kicker for me was the fact that the FMC is the morally grey one. Based off how the book ends I cannot wait to see how she makes people pay for the things they've done.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cursing, Sexual content, Torture, Grief
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-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
My boyfriend picked out this book for me all on his own, I had never heard of it before, and I am so proud of him! It was a great read and I thoroughly enjoyed the mix of humor, action, and spice.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Death, Gun violence, Murder
adventurous
dark
funny
lighthearted
fast-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
Dark Romance and Romantic Comedy had a baby and Lights Out was born. 💙 Never have I ever died from laughter and been turned on at the same time.
I am obsessed! This was by far my favorite book so far this year and I can’t wait for Caught Up to be released!
I am obsessed! This was by far my favorite book so far this year and I can’t wait for Caught Up to be released!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Stalking, Murder
Moderate: Blood, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child abuse, Vomit, Cannibalism
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I rarely rate a novella 4 or 5 stars because they’re so short that there’s usually not much to get too excited about. But this right here.. this shit right here bro.. EASY 5 stars. I might edit my review later and add more details, but I’m currently too blown away to put my thoughts into words. I need a full new series from the kids POV’s, asap. A++
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Gore, Mental illness, Trafficking, Car accident, Pregnancy, Abandonment
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I absolutely loved all of the books leading up to this (including Punk 57) but Nightfall fell short for me.. I went into this being really excited for Will’s book, and don’t get me wrong, I still love him and it was still a good book, but it was so long.. The 1st half took me forever to get through and felt like it just dragged on, the 2nd half was much more fast paced, full of action and plot twists. In fact.. so many plot twists, that it almost felt rushed and I somehow found myself reading a mystery instead of dark romance?
I wasn’t a huge fan of Emory, and I even had to take a couple days to really ponder over that.. I mean, I loved the Horsemen even though they were morally questionable to say the least, so was I holding her to a double-standard simply because she was a woman? Nope. I just really didn’t like her. Every other FMC in the series? Love them to pieces 🫶🏻 but something about Emory I just couldn’t get with.
Overall, truly not a terrible book and I still love this series and will go on to read the last novella, but if I were to reread, I’d probably just stop after Kill Switch.
I wasn’t a huge fan of Emory, and I even had to take a couple days to really ponder over that.. I mean, I loved the Horsemen even though they were morally questionable to say the least, so was I holding her to a double-standard simply because she was a woman? Nope. I just really didn’t like her. Every other FMC in the series? Love them to pieces 🫶🏻 but something about Emory I just couldn’t get with.
Overall, truly not a terrible book and I still love this series and will go on to read the last novella, but if I were to reread, I’d probably just stop after Kill Switch.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence
Moderate: Alcoholism, Confinement, Cursing, Gun violence, Blood, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Addiction, Bullying, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Dementia, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
As most novellas are, this was just too short, and that’s really my only complaint (although not really complaining, because it just means I get to read Nightfall even sooner). This was short, sweet, and informative for where the plot is heading next. Unfortunately, I read Punk 57 in between Hideaway and Kill Switch so I accidentally spoiled the big secret in Conclave.. BUT ALAS, that is a product of my own doing and I only have myself to blame. 🥲
Overall, I loved the banter between characters and it was nice to have a few good laughs before, I’m assuming, things get pretty serious.
Overall, I loved the banter between characters and it was nice to have a few good laughs before, I’m assuming, things get pretty serious.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Infertility, Pregnancy
Minor: Alcoholism, Cursing, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Well I’ll be damned.. y’all weren’t lying when you said that Damon becomes one of your favorite Horsemen..
This was an insanely good read. Of the 4 books (Punk 57 included) I’ve read so far, this one was the darkest. There were parts of the book that I had to push myself to read through the tears because it was just so emotionally devastating, but it had to be done, in order to get to the point I’m at right now. Standing ovation to Penelope Douglas.
This was an insanely good read. Of the 4 books (Punk 57 included) I’ve read so far, this one was the darkest. There were parts of the book that I had to push myself to read through the tears because it was just so emotionally devastating, but it had to be done, in order to get to the point I’m at right now. Standing ovation to Penelope Douglas.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, Grief, Alcohol
Minor: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I stayed up till 3am binging this book last night and finished it as soon as I got back home after running errands today. The spice was spicyyy, but the plot was fully there. I decided to read it in between Hideaway and Kill Switch and I absolutely adored the pop ups from my favorite characters in the Devil’s Night series.
I related to Ryen so much, it physically hurt. The pain of wanting to fit in with the popular kids at school is something that I think almost everyone has experienced and I truly appreciated the way Penelope Douglas portrayed her as a character.
Since going back on my ✨meds✨, I haven’t been able to cry, but I’ll tell you what.. I was SO close to breaking down when that last plot twist hit us. The raw emotion from Misha and the devastating conversation had me yearning to be able to shed tears and if I wasn’t mentally stable thanks to a little (Dr. prescribed*) pill, I would have been bawling my eyes out.
Ready to resume my Devil’s Night reads— Penelope Douglas has quickly become one of my new favorite authors. 🖤
I related to Ryen so much, it physically hurt. The pain of wanting to fit in with the popular kids at school is something that I think almost everyone has experienced and I truly appreciated the way Penelope Douglas portrayed her as a character.
Since going back on my ✨meds✨, I haven’t been able to cry, but I’ll tell you what.. I was SO close to breaking down when that last plot twist hit us. The raw emotion from Misha and the devastating conversation had me yearning to be able to shed tears and if I wasn’t mentally stable thanks to a little (Dr. prescribed*) pill, I would have been bawling my eyes out.
Ready to resume my Devil’s Night reads— Penelope Douglas has quickly become one of my new favorite authors. 🖤
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Death, Alcohol, Sexual harassment
Minor: Body shaming, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Pregnancy, Abandonment
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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
I’ll forever be a Kai girlie.
This book had so much depth to it. The plot twists had me on the edge of my seat, and the darker topics made me really sit back and think on certain characters and how I feel about them.
I keep waiting to be annoyed by a main female character, as I usually am, but it’s just not happening. Rika, Alex, and Banks have my heart just as much as the boys do. ♡︎
Also.. closet scene in chapter 22. That is all.
𝐅𝐚𝐯 𝐪𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬:
• “People will think what they want to think, not because they believe they are right, but because it’s in their nature to maintain that they are.”
• “—I’m the only man whose attention you should be trying to get, and baby, you got it years ago while wearing another man’s clothes. So you can imagine how fucking beautiful you are to me right now wearing mine.”
• “Rika is my earliest memory, and I’ve loved her forever. The sun rises with her. It always has.”
• “—when you’re in the thick of abuse and still live with the torment in your head every day, it’s a little different. No one handles it. They just fake it better. How else do you cope with the terrible shit you’ve been through?”
• “Territorial is fine when it’s in the bedroom. It’s not fine when it keeps someone you’re supposed to love from living a life.”
• “When someone else misbehaves, it’s black-and-white, isn’t it? We judge, and we condemn, but when we do it, it’s a gray area all of a sudden.”
This book had so much depth to it. The plot twists had me on the edge of my seat, and the darker topics made me really sit back and think on certain characters and how I feel about them.
I keep waiting to be annoyed by a main female character, as I usually am, but it’s just not happening. Rika, Alex, and Banks have my heart just as much as the boys do. ♡︎
Also.. closet scene in chapter 22. That is all.
𝐅𝐚𝐯 𝐪𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬:
• “People will think what they want to think, not because they believe they are right, but because it’s in their nature to maintain that they are.”
• “—I’m the only man whose attention you should be trying to get, and baby, you got it years ago while wearing another man’s clothes. So you can imagine how fucking beautiful you are to me right now wearing mine.”
• “Rika is my earliest memory, and I’ve loved her forever. The sun rises with her. It always has.”
• “—when you’re in the thick of abuse and still live with the torment in your head every day, it’s a little different. No one handles it. They just fake it better. How else do you cope with the terrible shit you’ve been through?”
• “Territorial is fine when it’s in the bedroom. It’s not fine when it keeps someone you’re supposed to love from living a life.”
• “When someone else misbehaves, it’s black-and-white, isn’t it? We judge, and we condemn, but when we do it, it’s a gray area all of a sudden.”
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Stalking, Murder, Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Death of parent