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Unholy Terrors
Everline Blackthorn has devoted her life to the wardens—a sect of holy warriors who guard against monsters known as the vespertine.
When a series of strange omens occur, Everline disobeys orders to investigate, and uncovers a startling truth in the form of Ravel a rogue vespertine who reveals the monsters have secrets of their own.
Ravel promises the help she needs— for a price. Vespertine magic requires blood, and if Everline wants Ravel to guide across the dangerous moorland, she will have to allow him to feed from her.
It’s a sin for a warden to feed a vespertine— let alone love one— and as Everline and Ravel travel further across the moorland, she realizes the question isn’t whether she will survive the journey, but if she will return unchanged. Or if she wants to.
Critically acclaimed author of monstrous romances Lyndall Clipstone weaves a bloodstained tale of a girl torn between her vows and her heart, where falling in love may be the deepest sin of all…
When a series of strange omens occur, Everline disobeys orders to investigate, and uncovers a startling truth in the form of Ravel a rogue vespertine who reveals the monsters have secrets of their own.
Ravel promises the help she needs— for a price. Vespertine magic requires blood, and if Everline wants Ravel to guide across the dangerous moorland, she will have to allow him to feed from her.
It’s a sin for a warden to feed a vespertine— let alone love one— and as Everline and Ravel travel further across the moorland, she realizes the question isn’t whether she will survive the journey, but if she will return unchanged. Or if she wants to.
Critically acclaimed author of monstrous romances Lyndall Clipstone weaves a bloodstained tale of a girl torn between her vows and her heart, where falling in love may be the deepest sin of all…
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 17, 2023
60 people are currently reading
7647 people want to read
About the author
Lyndall Clipstone
6 books912 followersLyndall Clipstone writes dark tales of flower-threaded horror. She currently lives in Adelaide, Australia, in a hundred-year-old cottage with her partner, two children, and a shy black cat.
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dnf
October 15, 2023DNF 24%
I simply cannot read another 3 star YA fantasy this month.
Sadly Unholy Terrors really missed the mark for me. I have read books with similar premises before and really enjoyed them. However, the overly descriptive writing and flat characters made it incredibly difficult for me to enjoy this one.
Unholy Terrors is an attempt at a dark, lyrical story. But it felt like the author focused so much on the writing that she forgot to give the book any substance. Repetitive descriptions, similes, and metaphors are not enough to sustain a story. The book lacks proper world-building or character development. None of the concepts are fleshed out. I have a better idea of the weather and the flora in the fields than I do of the world or the magic system. There are basically five characters in this book, and none of them have any personality. The main character Everlaine is the most developed character, as one would expect, and she was so offputting that I wanted to stop reading. She makes countless irrational, impulsive decisions and never faces any consequences for her actions. Her drive to learn more about her mother, whom she never knew, is a flimsy motivation for the story considering how many rules she broke and how many people she betrayed.
I just didn't have the patience to finish this. Not for me.
I simply cannot read another 3 star YA fantasy this month.
Sadly Unholy Terrors really missed the mark for me. I have read books with similar premises before and really enjoyed them. However, the overly descriptive writing and flat characters made it incredibly difficult for me to enjoy this one.
Unholy Terrors is an attempt at a dark, lyrical story. But it felt like the author focused so much on the writing that she forgot to give the book any substance. Repetitive descriptions, similes, and metaphors are not enough to sustain a story. The book lacks proper world-building or character development. None of the concepts are fleshed out. I have a better idea of the weather and the flora in the fields than I do of the world or the magic system. There are basically five characters in this book, and none of them have any personality. The main character Everlaine is the most developed character, as one would expect, and she was so offputting that I wanted to stop reading. She makes countless irrational, impulsive decisions and never faces any consequences for her actions. Her drive to learn more about her mother, whom she never knew, is a flimsy motivation for the story considering how many rules she broke and how many people she betrayed.
I just didn't have the patience to finish this. Not for me.
December 7, 2023
After some internalizing, I've come to realize that I really have almost nothing good to say about this book... so I've lowered the rating to 1 star. Anyway, to be straightforward: this book was weird as fuck. I felt genuinely disturbed and uncomfortable while reading this one, and I'm not sure if that was entirely intentional. I'll try to break it all down.
WORLD BUILDING AND LORE
Well, the world building was absolutely non-existent, which was definitely a shame. The concept behind the Vespertine and the religious background behind everything would have been so interesting to read about if everything was just fleshed out properly.
PLOT AND PACING
For a book that's almost 400 pages long, maybe less than a hundred pages were used for the actual story. Majority of the book focused on, well, something else. I will say, though, that there were a few surprising twists toward the end, amidst all the very predictable ones. (Yes, I'm willing to give this book some credit.)
CHARACTERS AND RELATIONSHIPS
Girl, please. None of the characters had any personality. The author only really attempted to give the main character a sob story background and left the rest of the characters up in the air. I honestly don't even remember any of the characters' names. A don’t even get me started on the romance — I don’t even know if I can call it that.
WRITING STYLE
There were SO MANY repetitive scenes and repetitive descriptions. This thing could make you feel like you're stuck in a time loop, wondering why the hell this scene you're reading sounds insanely familiar... and that's because you've read basically the same thing ten pages ago.
OVERALL
As a people-pleaser, it's difficult for me to say that I wouldn't recommend this, but as a terrible liar, I also can't say that I would. Do with that what you will.
—
Pre-reading: I'm getting Grave Mercy vibes from this and I'm here for it!
WORLD BUILDING AND LORE
Well, the world building was absolutely non-existent, which was definitely a shame. The concept behind the Vespertine and the religious background behind everything would have been so interesting to read about if everything was just fleshed out properly.
PLOT AND PACING
For a book that's almost 400 pages long, maybe less than a hundred pages were used for the actual story. Majority of the book focused on, well, something else. I will say, though, that there were a few surprising twists toward the end, amidst all the very predictable ones. (Yes, I'm willing to give this book some credit.)
CHARACTERS AND RELATIONSHIPS
Girl, please. None of the characters had any personality. The author only really attempted to give the main character a sob story background and left the rest of the characters up in the air. I honestly don't even remember any of the characters' names. A don’t even get me started on the romance — I don’t even know if I can call it that.
WRITING STYLE
There were SO MANY repetitive scenes and repetitive descriptions. This thing could make you feel like you're stuck in a time loop, wondering why the hell this scene you're reading sounds insanely familiar... and that's because you've read basically the same thing ten pages ago.
OVERALL
As a people-pleaser, it's difficult for me to say that I wouldn't recommend this, but as a terrible liar, I also can't say that I would. Do with that what you will.
—
Pre-reading: I'm getting Grave Mercy vibes from this and I'm here for it!
March 20, 2024
This was a very pleasant surprise! If you like the vibe and aesthetic of the Locked Tomb series (i.e. Gideon the Ninth), but want something that's more of a blood-drenched goth fantasy with an enemies to lovers romantic subplot and lots of melodrama, you should definitely check out Unholy Terrors. Honestly, the description didn't totally hook me and I was sent a copy by the publisher, but I decided to give it a try and flew through it. There's lots of religious lore, blood and death magic, forbidden romance, and monstrousness. I won't say too much more, but I really enjoyed this. I got close to the end and was worried we were get a cliffhanger ending, but we didn't! It totally reads as a standalone fantasy novel and is very satisfying. In terms of queer rep, there is a sapphic romance between side characters and the heroine is probably bisexual.
October 1, 2023
I thought this was going to be the magic warrior goth girl book of my dreams.
But it's like M. Night Shyamalan directed it.
So... Yeah.
This is one of those ~all vibes, minimal plot~ books, which is definitely not my thing at all. So, if it's your thing, then it might work out for you. Three of my bookish friends thought it was very meh and I totally agree with them.
Anyway, this book theoretically had the perfect mix of creepy vibes, blood and bone magic, warrior maidens, etc. It was such a perfect recipe of everything I want and love in a dark fantasy with a female heroine, but holy shit, the author fumbled the ball like no other.
So, two stars because the vibes were vibing. But only for a hot minute.
I swear to god the author has a weird fetish with blood. Blood magic is pretty much the only type of magic in this world, but goddamn. There's so much finger pricking, rubbing blood on bone shards, rubbing blood on each other's lips, drinking blood???, literally blood on everything. Like to the point where I'm totally kink shaming.
(Idk much about blood libel and Judaism so I can't comment on that aspect.)
Anyway...
I absolutely hated the writing style. The prose was purple af. I'm not exaggerating when I say that every other sentence is an analogy or simile. There were so many overwrought sentences that it was such a chore to get through.
It felt like the author was so in love with her writing that literally everything else suffered because of it. The characterization was bare minimum. The world building was even worse. The plot was so thin.
This entire thing could work as a novella or short story, but definitely not a full length novel. This needed like 25-30k more words to flesh out every single concept because all we got was plain toast with butter while I'm sitting here expecting a whole ass sandwich.
The world building SUCKED. Everline and co. apparently live in a world with heather and gorse, moors, rain and fog, ruins filled with chapels, and barely there enemies called vespertines who sorta look like wolves or something (idk on this one because it wasn't described thoroughly).
Oh, yeah. Did I mention heather and gorse? And rain and fog?? So much rain!!! There's literally no sun?? I was so lost. Is this a land of perpetual darkness? There were so many chapels too holy shit. Why was nothing fully explained???
It's like playing an RPG that's not open world and you keep hitting the invisible wall where you see the rest of the world, but you can't go through. As someone who loves open world RPGs (and descriptive world building), I hated this so much.
And the characterization? What characterization?
Apparently the warden's chapel is filled with wardens (are they all young women?? Also there's a DUDE in charge of them??? Like a middle-aged dude?? And everyone's cool with it?? How is this not weird???), but the only warden characters we're introduced to are the FMC (Everline Blackthorn [lolll]), Briar, Lux, and Fenn (dad in charge). So it made me think that this was a small rundown out of the way chapel, but nooooo, there are other wardens who live there too???
***SPOILER ALERT***
***END SPOILER ALERT***
Oh, and everyone's wearing chipped nail polish, have lip piercings, uses a shit ton of ribbons (why no rope or leather strips? where are they getting these ribbons??), has long enough hair to braid (does no one have short hair??), and they're all wearing dresses to walk around in the mud and rain and fight these evil wolf creatures? Huh??????
Also, does no one eat??? No one hunts?? Or farm?? Or forage???
Imo, this was so rough that it shouldn't be published in its current form. It needs soooo much more of everything. It felt like I accidentally read book 2 in a series where I missed all the world building and character introductions in book 1.
Oh well, on to the next magic warrior goth girl/monster boy romantasy.
Thank you to Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) and NetGalley for this arc.
But it's like M. Night Shyamalan directed it.
So... Yeah.
This is one of those ~all vibes, minimal plot~ books, which is definitely not my thing at all. So, if it's your thing, then it might work out for you. Three of my bookish friends thought it was very meh and I totally agree with them.
Anyway, this book theoretically had the perfect mix of creepy vibes, blood and bone magic, warrior maidens, etc. It was such a perfect recipe of everything I want and love in a dark fantasy with a female heroine, but holy shit, the author fumbled the ball like no other.
So, two stars because the vibes were vibing. But only for a hot minute.
I swear to god the author has a weird fetish with blood. Blood magic is pretty much the only type of magic in this world, but goddamn. There's so much finger pricking, rubbing blood on bone shards, rubbing blood on each other's lips, drinking blood???, literally blood on everything. Like to the point where I'm totally kink shaming.
(Idk much about blood libel and Judaism so I can't comment on that aspect.)
Anyway...
I absolutely hated the writing style. The prose was purple af. I'm not exaggerating when I say that every other sentence is an analogy or simile. There were so many overwrought sentences that it was such a chore to get through.
It felt like the author was so in love with her writing that literally everything else suffered because of it. The characterization was bare minimum. The world building was even worse. The plot was so thin.
This entire thing could work as a novella or short story, but definitely not a full length novel. This needed like 25-30k more words to flesh out every single concept because all we got was plain toast with butter while I'm sitting here expecting a whole ass sandwich.
The world building SUCKED. Everline and co. apparently live in a world with heather and gorse, moors, rain and fog, ruins filled with chapels, and barely there enemies called vespertines who sorta look like wolves or something (idk on this one because it wasn't described thoroughly).
Oh, yeah. Did I mention heather and gorse? And rain and fog?? So much rain!!! There's literally no sun?? I was so lost. Is this a land of perpetual darkness? There were so many chapels too holy shit. Why was nothing fully explained???
It's like playing an RPG that's not open world and you keep hitting the invisible wall where you see the rest of the world, but you can't go through. As someone who loves open world RPGs (and descriptive world building), I hated this so much.
And the characterization? What characterization?
Apparently the warden's chapel is filled with wardens (are they all young women?? Also there's a DUDE in charge of them??? Like a middle-aged dude?? And everyone's cool with it?? How is this not weird???), but the only warden characters we're introduced to are the FMC (Everline Blackthorn [lolll]), Briar, Lux, and Fenn (dad in charge). So it made me think that this was a small rundown out of the way chapel, but nooooo, there are other wardens who live there too???
***SPOILER ALERT***
***END SPOILER ALERT***
Oh, and everyone's wearing chipped nail polish, have lip piercings, uses a shit ton of ribbons (why no rope or leather strips? where are they getting these ribbons??), has long enough hair to braid (does no one have short hair??), and they're all wearing dresses to walk around in the mud and rain and fight these evil wolf creatures? Huh??????
Also, does no one eat??? No one hunts?? Or farm?? Or forage???
Imo, this was so rough that it shouldn't be published in its current form. It needs soooo much more of everything. It felt like I accidentally read book 2 in a series where I missed all the world building and character introductions in book 1.
Oh well, on to the next magic warrior goth girl/monster boy romantasy.
Thank you to Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) and NetGalley for this arc.
Want to read
November 10, 2022SHE'S COMING!!
August 17, 2023
Once again Lyndall has completely enchanted and enamored me. Her writing feels like walking throughout a dream like world, where anything is possible.
In Unholy Terrors Lyndall has created a world that is both eerie and beautiful. A world that is filled with dark magic, ancient gods, blood lust and forbidden love. Moorlands that drift into bloodied skies, girls with black-painted lips and walls made of bones and magic where the threads are slowly unraveling and unholy monsters known as vespertine begin to drift within. The wall is a wild and unruly place teeming with magic and surrounded by stones and weeds.
Everline has dedicated herself to being a warden, a warrior that fights against these vespertines and sets wards to reinforce the power of their walls. An interesting complexity arises though when she is forced to make an alliance to save those she cares about the most. Warden and monster then travel together on a dangerous quest.
Lyndall’s world building is always a highlight for me and Unholy Terrors was no exception. Lyndall captures the tiniest details from the dusky skies to the linen dresses with leather pouches trimmed with bone and laced with honey worn by Lux, Everline and Briar.
Everline’s story, her trauma and grief drew me in like a moth to a flame. I share some similarities with her which served in deepening the connection I felt. I loved Everline in all her complexities.
Unholy Terrors is a monster romance and as we all know Lyndall is the queen of monster romances!
Readers will be drawn in by Lyndall’s lyrical prose, luscious world building and characters that seem to easily find a way into your heart.
Thank you so much to Penguin and Netgalley for gifting me an arc of Unholy Terrors!
In Unholy Terrors Lyndall has created a world that is both eerie and beautiful. A world that is filled with dark magic, ancient gods, blood lust and forbidden love. Moorlands that drift into bloodied skies, girls with black-painted lips and walls made of bones and magic where the threads are slowly unraveling and unholy monsters known as vespertine begin to drift within. The wall is a wild and unruly place teeming with magic and surrounded by stones and weeds.
Everline has dedicated herself to being a warden, a warrior that fights against these vespertines and sets wards to reinforce the power of their walls. An interesting complexity arises though when she is forced to make an alliance to save those she cares about the most. Warden and monster then travel together on a dangerous quest.
Lyndall’s world building is always a highlight for me and Unholy Terrors was no exception. Lyndall captures the tiniest details from the dusky skies to the linen dresses with leather pouches trimmed with bone and laced with honey worn by Lux, Everline and Briar.
Everline’s story, her trauma and grief drew me in like a moth to a flame. I share some similarities with her which served in deepening the connection I felt. I loved Everline in all her complexities.
Unholy Terrors is a monster romance and as we all know Lyndall is the queen of monster romances!
Readers will be drawn in by Lyndall’s lyrical prose, luscious world building and characters that seem to easily find a way into your heart.
Thank you so much to Penguin and Netgalley for gifting me an arc of Unholy Terrors!
December 23, 2022
Lyndall truly does not miss
Everyone who loves monster boys say "thank you"
Everyone who loves monster boys say "thank you"
October 5, 2023
Thank you to PRH and NetGalley for an e-arc of this book.
Not only is the cover amazing, the story is just as amazing.
I am absolutely blown away by this book. This is everything in a YA dark fantasy I could want and then some. It's vampires...but not. It's delicious, dark and exciting. This book is beyond addictive. I didn't want to stop reading it. It definitely verges on being more towards the upper YA/NA side, but it isn't terribly explicit.
It also has tropes I love
⭐ enemies to lovers
⭐ "vampires"
⭐ sisterly relationships
⭐ very gothic/dark fantasy
Everline, I really liked her, I mean, I knew in a way what was going to happen, but I still very much enjoyed reading her story. I was spellbound by her. I would definitely love to see more of her, because I feel like she did have a very powerful type of self discovery journey, and that this book was very prominent on healing, learning to love oneself etc, and I thought it was well done.
Another thing I liked was Everyline's and Ravel's relationship. There was a lot of fraught tension between them, and it was a slow burn (for a standalone at least) which is one of my favorite things to read. Loved every minute of it.
I also like how family came into play in this book, again, I thought it was woven well within the plot, and didn't feel awkward. The pacing too, really worked for me. I didn't get bored, and I didn't feel like it was going too fast.
There was lovely prose and imagery in this book, I was addicted to it, I felt like I could feel and taste this world...
I cannot say anymore without spoiling the book, but it was so very good. I already want to reread it.
This book is definitely going to be one of my top books of 2023.
Not only is the cover amazing, the story is just as amazing.
I am absolutely blown away by this book. This is everything in a YA dark fantasy I could want and then some. It's vampires...but not. It's delicious, dark and exciting. This book is beyond addictive. I didn't want to stop reading it. It definitely verges on being more towards the upper YA/NA side, but it isn't terribly explicit.
It also has tropes I love
⭐ enemies to lovers
⭐ "vampires"
⭐ sisterly relationships
⭐ very gothic/dark fantasy
Everline, I really liked her, I mean, I knew in a way what was going to happen, but I still very much enjoyed reading her story. I was spellbound by her. I would definitely love to see more of her, because I feel like she did have a very powerful type of self discovery journey, and that this book was very prominent on healing, learning to love oneself etc, and I thought it was well done.
Another thing I liked was Everyline's and Ravel's relationship. There was a lot of fraught tension between them, and it was a slow burn (for a standalone at least) which is one of my favorite things to read. Loved every minute of it.
I also like how family came into play in this book, again, I thought it was woven well within the plot, and didn't feel awkward. The pacing too, really worked for me. I didn't get bored, and I didn't feel like it was going too fast.
There was lovely prose and imagery in this book, I was addicted to it, I felt like I could feel and taste this world...
I cannot say anymore without spoiling the book, but it was so very good. I already want to reread it.
This book is definitely going to be one of my top books of 2023.
April 15, 2023
If I have to read the words soft and tender again, it'll be too fucking soon.
March 22, 2025
4.5 stars.
Ok, the enemies-to-lovers insanity in this is off the charts 🔥👌🏻💀
I am dead, y’all.
I received (my iPhone tried to autocorrect received to revived because I am actually dead) an ARC through work.
Ok, the enemies-to-lovers insanity in this is off the charts 🔥👌🏻💀
I am dead, y’all.
I received (my iPhone tried to autocorrect received to revived because I am actually dead) an ARC through work.
April 15, 2024
There was potential to be great. The thing about potential is that, in the end, it doesn't really matter
December 12, 2022
Blood and honey, magic and bones, monsters and warriors, an unholy alliance, and a forbidden love. The perfect amount of gothic romance filled with betrayal, angst, and what it means to embrace your inner monster.
A girl who has dedicated her life to being a warden- a necromantic warrior who guards against unholy monsters known as the vespertine finds herself making unholy alliances to save those she cares for as well as uncovering her own family secret... and finding a forbidden love. Everline Blackthorn has only ever wanted to prove to her father that she is worthy, that she is a good enough warden to be looked at with love and treated like she belonged. However, after her mother left and the fact that Everline has no magic, something that all wardens have, she has been deemed tainted and treated as an outcast. Strange omens begin to occur.... as Everline encounters a vespertine that appears almost like a girl... and soon a blood moon appears, just like the one that appeared all those years ago when her mother left and the monsters breached the wall. Evelrine knows there is something deeper going on and the only way to find answers about her mother and her own life is to go beyond the wall and into the heart of the Thousandfold, the vespertine enclave protected by powerful magic where a dark saint is bound. Yet when she begins her journey her best friend is kidnapped and the only way to save her is to make the unholiest of alliances... with a vespertine boy who would sooner cut her throat than help her because the very monster she killed earlier was his sister... but they both need each other if they want to survive. Ravel may be a monster but he is the only person who can guide Everline through the dangerous lands.. and in exchange she will allow him to feed from her... yet this is the greatest sin, she is breaking all her vows just by letting him live... but the more they begin to spend time together the more the lines between enemies begins to blur and the more they realize they have in common. A warden and a monster, a dangerous quest filled with blood, magic, betrayal, and love... this was one of the best enemies to lovers, dark gothic romance I’ve read this year. There I said it. I DEVOURED THIS. I stayed up until 4 am finishing this because I couldn’t stop. I am obsessed. Monster boy meets warrior girl, both outcasts, bound by their duty to their family, raised to kill and be enemies, yet their loneliness, the fact that they can’t meet their parents expectations but have found comfort in the most unlikely person, they are everything. This book stole my heart with it’s gorgeous atmosphere, the amazing romance, and I can’t wait for it to come out. So yes, PLEASE ADD IT TO YOUR TBR IMMEDIATELY.
*Thank you Lyndall Clipstone for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*
A girl who has dedicated her life to being a warden- a necromantic warrior who guards against unholy monsters known as the vespertine finds herself making unholy alliances to save those she cares for as well as uncovering her own family secret... and finding a forbidden love. Everline Blackthorn has only ever wanted to prove to her father that she is worthy, that she is a good enough warden to be looked at with love and treated like she belonged. However, after her mother left and the fact that Everline has no magic, something that all wardens have, she has been deemed tainted and treated as an outcast. Strange omens begin to occur.... as Everline encounters a vespertine that appears almost like a girl... and soon a blood moon appears, just like the one that appeared all those years ago when her mother left and the monsters breached the wall. Evelrine knows there is something deeper going on and the only way to find answers about her mother and her own life is to go beyond the wall and into the heart of the Thousandfold, the vespertine enclave protected by powerful magic where a dark saint is bound. Yet when she begins her journey her best friend is kidnapped and the only way to save her is to make the unholiest of alliances... with a vespertine boy who would sooner cut her throat than help her because the very monster she killed earlier was his sister... but they both need each other if they want to survive. Ravel may be a monster but he is the only person who can guide Everline through the dangerous lands.. and in exchange she will allow him to feed from her... yet this is the greatest sin, she is breaking all her vows just by letting him live... but the more they begin to spend time together the more the lines between enemies begins to blur and the more they realize they have in common. A warden and a monster, a dangerous quest filled with blood, magic, betrayal, and love... this was one of the best enemies to lovers, dark gothic romance I’ve read this year. There I said it. I DEVOURED THIS. I stayed up until 4 am finishing this because I couldn’t stop. I am obsessed. Monster boy meets warrior girl, both outcasts, bound by their duty to their family, raised to kill and be enemies, yet their loneliness, the fact that they can’t meet their parents expectations but have found comfort in the most unlikely person, they are everything. This book stole my heart with it’s gorgeous atmosphere, the amazing romance, and I can’t wait for it to come out. So yes, PLEASE ADD IT TO YOUR TBR IMMEDIATELY.
*Thank you Lyndall Clipstone for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*
August 27, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group
Unfortunately, nothin about this book spoke to me.
Firstly, there is absolutely no world building. And when I say none, I mean it. If you ask me anything about the world I won’t be able to say. There are absolutely no rules to the “magic” or explanation to the different species.
But It doesn’t end there. There’re five characters. And all of the are completely hollow.
There is just something about writing a story, especially a standalone that requires little details that make the world. Example, one thing that was driving me absolutely crazy is when the characters were out in the woods for days but not once was it mentioned that they had food or ate anything. Especially when a main guy just drank all your blood and you’re not even tired.
I couldn’t care about any of the relationship because I couldn’t care about any of the characters. It’s that easy.
Overall, this book need 100 more pages and lots more editing
Unfortunately, nothin about this book spoke to me.
Firstly, there is absolutely no world building. And when I say none, I mean it. If you ask me anything about the world I won’t be able to say. There are absolutely no rules to the “magic” or explanation to the different species.
But It doesn’t end there. There’re five characters. And all of the are completely hollow.
There is just something about writing a story, especially a standalone that requires little details that make the world. Example, one thing that was driving me absolutely crazy is when the characters were out in the woods for days but not once was it mentioned that they had food or ate anything. Especially when a main guy just drank all your blood and you’re not even tired.
I couldn’t care about any of the relationship because I couldn’t care about any of the characters. It’s that easy.
Overall, this book need 100 more pages and lots more editing
October 4, 2023
If you thought Lakesedge was good, then buckle up buttercup, because this is Clipstone's best yet!
Everline's story digs beautifully into the relationships of a father, sister, best friend, and monster boy lover, and how they all shape her motivations and who she is as a person.
It also examines the theme of needing to know where you came from and where you belong in a world that doesn't quite know what to do with you.
This book was riveting, dark, gothic and bloody in the best way possible!
Everline's story digs beautifully into the relationships of a father, sister, best friend, and monster boy lover, and how they all shape her motivations and who she is as a person.
It also examines the theme of needing to know where you came from and where you belong in a world that doesn't quite know what to do with you.
This book was riveting, dark, gothic and bloody in the best way possible!
October 11, 2023
Unholy Terrors by Lyndall Clipstone
4/5 Stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
•••Spoiler free review below•••
Everline has sworn her life to protecting against the monstrous vespertine and she does so without the usual magic that the wardens of her station possess. After one too many strange occurrences, Everline decides to investigate the vespertines and what is happening in the moorland. The only problem? If she wants passage through the land, she must team up with one of the vespertine and offer him something in return. The only thing worse than allowing a vespertine to feed from you is falling in love with one.
This was a captivating fantasy with a focus on the romance as opposed to the plot. While that aspect might not appease everyone, I enjoyed it! We have some goth warrior girls wielding bone and blood magic in a vast wasteland and a monstrous boy leading them to their friend. What's not to obsess over?
Read this book if you like:
- creepy, gothic vibes
- vivid descriptions
- enemies to lovers
- powerful, blood drinking monsters
Unholy Terrors will be released October 17th and if it's not already on your tbr, it should be!
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.
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Special thanks to Macmillan Audio for sharing a free copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions.
Review on Instagram
4/5 Stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
•••Spoiler free review below•••
Everline has sworn her life to protecting against the monstrous vespertine and she does so without the usual magic that the wardens of her station possess. After one too many strange occurrences, Everline decides to investigate the vespertines and what is happening in the moorland. The only problem? If she wants passage through the land, she must team up with one of the vespertine and offer him something in return. The only thing worse than allowing a vespertine to feed from you is falling in love with one.
This was a captivating fantasy with a focus on the romance as opposed to the plot. While that aspect might not appease everyone, I enjoyed it! We have some goth warrior girls wielding bone and blood magic in a vast wasteland and a monstrous boy leading them to their friend. What's not to obsess over?
Read this book if you like:
- creepy, gothic vibes
- vivid descriptions
- enemies to lovers
- powerful, blood drinking monsters
Unholy Terrors will be released October 17th and if it's not already on your tbr, it should be!
.
.
.
Special thanks to Macmillan Audio for sharing a free copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions.
Review on Instagram
May 9, 2023
Thank you Netgalley, Lyndall Clipstone and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for an eARC of Unholy Terrors in exchange for an honest review.
I really wanted to love Unholy Terrors, but unfortunately it was not for me. The concept, the aesthetic and vibes were right up my creepy, monster, gothic alley. Unfortunately, I found the pacing to be too slow to hold my attention. While Lyndall obviously has a way with words and her descriptions are powerful, at times I found the depictions repetitive and unnecessary. Because of the overly descriptive writing style, the plot did not move at the pace I needed to stay engaged.
I really wanted to love Unholy Terrors, but unfortunately it was not for me. The concept, the aesthetic and vibes were right up my creepy, monster, gothic alley. Unfortunately, I found the pacing to be too slow to hold my attention. While Lyndall obviously has a way with words and her descriptions are powerful, at times I found the depictions repetitive and unnecessary. Because of the overly descriptive writing style, the plot did not move at the pace I needed to stay engaged.
April 10, 2025
4.5 🌟! Unholy Terrors by Lyndall Clipstone was one heck of a ride! I enjoyed it from start to finish. There were different parts that shocked me and cascaded wave upon twisty wave on my emotions. There were opposing sides like a war, and each side felt as though their stance was right. The 2 main characters had a very complex relationship for multiple reasons. I kept going back and forth on how I felt about their relationship. Loyalty and betrayal bathed this story. Which made it very interesting. I felt satisfied with how things ended. Another romance fantasy story that has heightened my love for this genre.
October 1, 2023
I was drawn to the premise of monsters and the enemies-to-lovers aspect. The writing style was the best part: lovely and easy to read. Unfortunately, it didn't redeem the rest of the story for me.
This book was slow to start and became repetitive. I didn't feel attached to any of the side characters, and the romance between Everline and Ravel just was not believable considering the circumstances. Ultimately, the journey to the end of this book was slower than I would have liked.
Thank you to Fierce Reads for the review copy.
This book was slow to start and became repetitive. I didn't feel attached to any of the side characters, and the romance between Everline and Ravel just was not believable considering the circumstances. Ultimately, the journey to the end of this book was slower than I would have liked.
Thank you to Fierce Reads for the review copy.
September 22, 2025
Clipstone comes up with monster romance in such a deliciously dark way, with plenty of romanticism and poetics involved while one of her strongest traits as a writer is the ability to richly describe settings. I don't entirely agree with all the narrative decisions in the story, such as the limited interaction between the characters and the built-in world. However, 'Unholy Terrors' made me want to revisit Clipstone's writing and follow her publication journey.
November 20, 2023
This was basically just a walking simulator.
January 9, 2024
I have a lot of mixed feelings on this. RTC
June 27, 2023
*I received an e-arc via Netgalley for review. Thank you to the Author, Publisher and Netgalley. All thoughts are my own*
I absolutely adored the Lakesedge duology by Lyndall Clipstone, so I knew I NEEDED to read this book. She continues to impress and has become an auto buy author for me. I loved Unholy Terrors! Lyndall has such beautiful writing, that just pulls you into the story. The world and the characters are so vivid, they leap off the pages. If you enjoy gothic fantasy, dark romance, and monster boys then I think this one is for you!
Everline Blackthorn has devoted her whole life to the wardens. They are holy warriors who guard against monsters known as the vespertine. Everline isn’t quite like the other wardens and has always felt like she doesn’t quite fit in. She has her best friend and a strained relationship with her father and half-sister.
Some unusual things occur outside of their wards, and Everline disobeys her father’s orders to investigate. Beyond the wards she discovers Ravel Severin, a vespertine, that reveals that the monsters carry secrets of their own.
Ravel promises the help that Everline needs to answer some questions of her own about her past and the Thousandfold. The price Everline must pay is in blood, as vespertine magic requires it. If she wishes Ravel to take her across the dangerous moorlands, she will need to let Ravel feed from her. It’s a sin for a warden to feed a vespertine, let alone let one live. They are enemies, but there are lines that become crossed. As Everline and Ravel travel together, she begins to wonder not about whether or not she’ll survive, but if she will return to the wardens unchanged, and if that is what she truly wants.
This gorgeous story will be out in the world on October 17, 2023! It will be the perfect fall read, so please add it to your TBR! I can’t wait to get a physical copy of this beauty!
I absolutely adored the Lakesedge duology by Lyndall Clipstone, so I knew I NEEDED to read this book. She continues to impress and has become an auto buy author for me. I loved Unholy Terrors! Lyndall has such beautiful writing, that just pulls you into the story. The world and the characters are so vivid, they leap off the pages. If you enjoy gothic fantasy, dark romance, and monster boys then I think this one is for you!
Everline Blackthorn has devoted her whole life to the wardens. They are holy warriors who guard against monsters known as the vespertine. Everline isn’t quite like the other wardens and has always felt like she doesn’t quite fit in. She has her best friend and a strained relationship with her father and half-sister.
Some unusual things occur outside of their wards, and Everline disobeys her father’s orders to investigate. Beyond the wards she discovers Ravel Severin, a vespertine, that reveals that the monsters carry secrets of their own.
Ravel promises the help that Everline needs to answer some questions of her own about her past and the Thousandfold. The price Everline must pay is in blood, as vespertine magic requires it. If she wishes Ravel to take her across the dangerous moorlands, she will need to let Ravel feed from her. It’s a sin for a warden to feed a vespertine, let alone let one live. They are enemies, but there are lines that become crossed. As Everline and Ravel travel together, she begins to wonder not about whether or not she’ll survive, but if she will return to the wardens unchanged, and if that is what she truly wants.
This gorgeous story will be out in the world on October 17, 2023! It will be the perfect fall read, so please add it to your TBR! I can’t wait to get a physical copy of this beauty!
December 10, 2023
Nedorečeno, a oteglo se. Prva polovina knjige nije ništa više od onoga što saznajemo iz premise. Vajb mi je bio fenomenalan i priča ima toliki potencijal za dark fantasy romance, ali to nije moglo da nadomesti manjak karakterizacije likova i nedostatak smislene radnje.
August 11, 2023
So I definitely think I have mixed feelings about this book! Although there were things that I did not love about it, there were also things that I did love!
This story follows our heroine, Everline Blackthorne, as she embarks on a journey to uncover the truth about herself, her mother, and the terrifying beasts known as the vespertine. The vespertine have long since been regarded as brutal creatures, brought into existence by an evil god. Everline belongs to a group of folks known as wardens, and they live in an enclave surrounded by a wall of bones, fortified by magic, and are sworn to protect their territory by slaying these vespertine should they ever approach the wall. The only problem is, Everline doesn’t possess the magic that all of other wardens do. Add to that, the fact that she is the illegitimate daughter of the Warden Commander, and her deceased mother was a deserter who abandoned her duties as a warden during a vespertine attack. All of this adds up to Everline never really feeling like she belongs among the other wardens.
One night, Everline and her friend Lux come across a vespertine who looks startlingly human, and while they proceed to kill her as they are sworn, something doesn’t feel right. As the dead vespertine’s body burns, Everline watches from beyond the wall as another humanlike vespertine comes to mourn the burnt ashes. Deciding that she must somehow be connected to all of this, and that there are secrets about these vespertine that no one is aware of, she ventures beyond the wall with Lux in pursuit of this human-like vespertine, hoping to get some answers. But when Lux is captured, Everline is forced to team up with said human-like vespertine, Ravel, to rescue her. As Ravel and Everline grow closer and start to unravel the mysteries of each other, everything they both thought they knew starts to come undone.
The tension in this enemies to lovers story, was TENSION-ING!!! Truly, this was full of yearning, forbidden love, and the tense scenes of buildup between Ravel and Everline seriously had me blushing. I loved this part of the story, and honestly I think that’s what kept me reading!
I did find myself not so drawn to the prose, as it did feel quite repetitive at times. I really enjoy impactful, metaphorical, flourishing sentences, but I think that it was slightly overdone here, for my taste! I found myself really wanting more story, less drawn out descriptors. I did also finish this book wishing for just a bit more in terms of the plot! It was almost like there was so much build-up and mystery behind the story itself, but then all of the resolutions were so rushed and just fell a bit flat for me. I definitely will look forward to reading more from this author, because I think there was ALOT of potential and immaculate imagination here, but the execution just left me wanting a little bit more.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc of this novel!
This story follows our heroine, Everline Blackthorne, as she embarks on a journey to uncover the truth about herself, her mother, and the terrifying beasts known as the vespertine. The vespertine have long since been regarded as brutal creatures, brought into existence by an evil god. Everline belongs to a group of folks known as wardens, and they live in an enclave surrounded by a wall of bones, fortified by magic, and are sworn to protect their territory by slaying these vespertine should they ever approach the wall. The only problem is, Everline doesn’t possess the magic that all of other wardens do. Add to that, the fact that she is the illegitimate daughter of the Warden Commander, and her deceased mother was a deserter who abandoned her duties as a warden during a vespertine attack. All of this adds up to Everline never really feeling like she belongs among the other wardens.
One night, Everline and her friend Lux come across a vespertine who looks startlingly human, and while they proceed to kill her as they are sworn, something doesn’t feel right. As the dead vespertine’s body burns, Everline watches from beyond the wall as another humanlike vespertine comes to mourn the burnt ashes. Deciding that she must somehow be connected to all of this, and that there are secrets about these vespertine that no one is aware of, she ventures beyond the wall with Lux in pursuit of this human-like vespertine, hoping to get some answers. But when Lux is captured, Everline is forced to team up with said human-like vespertine, Ravel, to rescue her. As Ravel and Everline grow closer and start to unravel the mysteries of each other, everything they both thought they knew starts to come undone.
The tension in this enemies to lovers story, was TENSION-ING!!! Truly, this was full of yearning, forbidden love, and the tense scenes of buildup between Ravel and Everline seriously had me blushing. I loved this part of the story, and honestly I think that’s what kept me reading!
I did find myself not so drawn to the prose, as it did feel quite repetitive at times. I really enjoy impactful, metaphorical, flourishing sentences, but I think that it was slightly overdone here, for my taste! I found myself really wanting more story, less drawn out descriptors. I did also finish this book wishing for just a bit more in terms of the plot! It was almost like there was so much build-up and mystery behind the story itself, but then all of the resolutions were so rushed and just fell a bit flat for me. I definitely will look forward to reading more from this author, because I think there was ALOT of potential and immaculate imagination here, but the execution just left me wanting a little bit more.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc of this novel!
November 1, 2023
⭐️4 Stars⭐️
Unholy Terrors by Lyndall Clipstone is an atmospheric and dark lyrical tale, the author is cleverly skilled at immersing you so completely in the fantasy.
Everline Blackthorne has vowed to be a warden, a holy warrior who guards the wall surrounding the hallowed land against wolflike monsters known as the vespertine. She has always felt like an outsider and is unable to wield magic like the other wardens.
Everline disobeys orders and is forced to team up with the monster in the form of Ravel Severin and they travel together on a quest to save a person she cares for and uncover the truth about her mother’s past. If Everline wants Ravel to guide her through the vicious moorlands she’ll have to allow him to feed from her (creepy!).
There’s religious undertones, magic, friendship, found family, blood lust and forbidden romance. Charming, gothic and drizzling with monster magnetism, perfect for the spooky season. I really enjoyed the journey!
Publication Day 10 October 2023
Publisher Penguin
A huge thanks to the lovely team Penguin Books Australia for a copy of the book to read.
Unholy Terrors by Lyndall Clipstone is an atmospheric and dark lyrical tale, the author is cleverly skilled at immersing you so completely in the fantasy.
Everline Blackthorne has vowed to be a warden, a holy warrior who guards the wall surrounding the hallowed land against wolflike monsters known as the vespertine. She has always felt like an outsider and is unable to wield magic like the other wardens.
Everline disobeys orders and is forced to team up with the monster in the form of Ravel Severin and they travel together on a quest to save a person she cares for and uncover the truth about her mother’s past. If Everline wants Ravel to guide her through the vicious moorlands she’ll have to allow him to feed from her (creepy!).
There’s religious undertones, magic, friendship, found family, blood lust and forbidden romance. Charming, gothic and drizzling with monster magnetism, perfect for the spooky season. I really enjoyed the journey!
Publication Day 10 October 2023
Publisher Penguin
A huge thanks to the lovely team Penguin Books Australia for a copy of the book to read.
April 4, 2025
Edit: I realized this book said "honey" too much when I flinched the rest of the week whenever I read it (mostly at the grocery store). According to my Libby search there are just under 60 uses of "honey/honeyed" in this book.
Examples include "the honeyed heat of his kisses," "I taste blood and bitter honey and the ashen traces of Thousandfold magic," "on his tongue silken and syrupy, like a heaped spoonful of honey," "desire turns my bones to melted honey," and "I'm in the center of a hive, slicked with honey, lost in the sugared dark."
The writing is way too flowery, the metaphors too ephemeral, for me to feel anything but annoyance while reading them. But if you liked The Last Tale of the Flower Bride, maybe this'll be your thing too?
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I wish I had realized earlier that I actually hated this so I could have stopped reading.
But while I was annoyed at repetitive word choices and overly flowery writing that didn't mean anything and the whole book going on wayyyyy too long.... it wasn't until I realized I'd been suckered into reading Reylo the whole time that it occurred to me just how little I had been enjoying this.
Reylo:
This is a book about a dark monster boy and a girl meant to fight him and how they build a romance after binding themselves together so that they couldn't betray each other. Like some sort of Force Dyad or something. And then 93% in (I know, I know, this is way too late to realize) it was suddenly the Throne Room scene from The Last Jedi and I was like.... oh no oh no.
Writing:
I just put the ebook on hold from the library so I can search for how often she says 'honey' and update here later. There's a lot of 'honeyed skin' and 'blood and bitter coffee' on his lips, not to mention a fair few 'susurrus' and 'ossuary' but the narrator pronounced it like 'oshuary' and it was driving me batty. Half the metaphors don't make a lick of sense and I was just suffering because I'm not into romance and dramatics. (The closest I personally get is enjoying the occasional romcom.)
Overall:
I don't get it even a little. Sorry.
Examples include "the honeyed heat of his kisses," "I taste blood and bitter honey and the ashen traces of Thousandfold magic," "on his tongue silken and syrupy, like a heaped spoonful of honey," "desire turns my bones to melted honey," and "I'm in the center of a hive, slicked with honey, lost in the sugared dark."
The writing is way too flowery, the metaphors too ephemeral, for me to feel anything but annoyance while reading them. But if you liked The Last Tale of the Flower Bride, maybe this'll be your thing too?
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I wish I had realized earlier that I actually hated this so I could have stopped reading.
But while I was annoyed at repetitive word choices and overly flowery writing that didn't mean anything and the whole book going on wayyyyy too long.... it wasn't until I realized I'd been suckered into reading Reylo the whole time that it occurred to me just how little I had been enjoying this.
Reylo:
This is a book about a dark monster boy and a girl meant to fight him and how they build a romance after binding themselves together so that they couldn't betray each other. Like some sort of Force Dyad or something. And then 93% in (I know, I know, this is way too late to realize) it was suddenly the Throne Room scene from The Last Jedi and I was like.... oh no oh no.
Writing:
I just put the ebook on hold from the library so I can search for how often she says 'honey' and update here later. There's a lot of 'honeyed skin' and 'blood and bitter coffee' on his lips, not to mention a fair few 'susurrus' and 'ossuary' but the narrator pronounced it like 'oshuary' and it was driving me batty. Half the metaphors don't make a lick of sense and I was just suffering because I'm not into romance and dramatics. (The closest I personally get is enjoying the occasional romcom.)
Overall:
I don't get it even a little. Sorry.
July 2, 2023
I'd say for about 45-50% of the story I was really entertained. Confused, but entertained. This is more like 2.5 stars...it was 3 but after reevaluating I'm changing it because I can't remember a damn thing.
Let's start with what I liked. Everline's story and trauma was really interesting and I was invested in her figuring out about her past. She had this complex moral code to her with conflicting desires of wanting to do her duty as a warden and wanting to know about her mother and past. It added a complicated but important layer to her as a character and the stakes of the story. I think some of the set up, descriptions, and relationship elements were really well done and had such great potential. I also really liked most of the characters, the cast was diverse and multifaceted, especially Briar – Everline's her half-sister – who had a dramatic arc/shift during the book that I think could have been drawn out more but was still interesting.
Now here's where most of my problems lie.
- there was little to no world building -- what we did get revolved mostly around the magic and creatures (but most of the time i was confused what was happening)
- the "love' between Ravel and Everline could have been a good slow burn, enemies-to-lovers situation but instead felt oddly random and forced regardless of the predictable set up
- the actual mission and plot of the book should have been intriguing and engaging but there was so many unnecessary descriptions and moments that I was honestly bored during a significant portion of it.
Overall, the reason I gave this 3 stars (maybe 3,25 cuz I'm feeling generous) is because I was relatively entertained for most of the book. There were good moments and interesting characters and because of the potential, it did provide a decent time.
Let's start with what I liked. Everline's story and trauma was really interesting and I was invested in her figuring out about her past. She had this complex moral code to her with conflicting desires of wanting to do her duty as a warden and wanting to know about her mother and past. It added a complicated but important layer to her as a character and the stakes of the story. I think some of the set up, descriptions, and relationship elements were really well done and had such great potential. I also really liked most of the characters, the cast was diverse and multifaceted, especially Briar – Everline's her half-sister – who had a dramatic arc/shift during the book that I think could have been drawn out more but was still interesting.
Now here's where most of my problems lie.
- there was little to no world building -- what we did get revolved mostly around the magic and creatures (but most of the time i was confused what was happening)
- the "love' between Ravel and Everline could have been a good slow burn, enemies-to-lovers situation but instead felt oddly random and forced regardless of the predictable set up
- the actual mission and plot of the book should have been intriguing and engaging but there was so many unnecessary descriptions and moments that I was honestly bored during a significant portion of it.
Overall, the reason I gave this 3 stars (maybe 3,25 cuz I'm feeling generous) is because I was relatively entertained for most of the book. There were good moments and interesting characters and because of the potential, it did provide a decent time.
November 16, 2022
I will write a full review when more is released.
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Thank you Owlcrate, Lyndall Clipstone, Netgalley, and Macmillan Children's Publishing for allowing me to read and review this excerpt!
AAAAHHHHHHH!!!!
This was such a huge surprise!
When I saw the email come through from Owlcrate, inviting readers to experience Lyndall Clipstone's next book, I screamed! I am still in shock and I stopped whatever I was currently reading so I could read her Fall 2023 release.
If you love books by Ava Reid, Rachel Gillig, Allison Saft and/or Rebecca Ross, you will fall in love with Lyndall Clipstone's storytelling.
When Unholy Terrors was announced after the release of Forestfall, I knew I would adore it. After reading this excerpt, it only confirms what I already knew and I want MORE.
I'm already in love with the atmosphere, Everline, and Clipstone's writing. I cannot wait for the ARC to be available!
Thank you again!
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*
*
Thank you Owlcrate, Lyndall Clipstone, Netgalley, and Macmillan Children's Publishing for allowing me to read and review this excerpt!
AAAAHHHHHHH!!!!
This was such a huge surprise!
When I saw the email come through from Owlcrate, inviting readers to experience Lyndall Clipstone's next book, I screamed! I am still in shock and I stopped whatever I was currently reading so I could read her Fall 2023 release.
If you love books by Ava Reid, Rachel Gillig, Allison Saft and/or Rebecca Ross, you will fall in love with Lyndall Clipstone's storytelling.
When Unholy Terrors was announced after the release of Forestfall, I knew I would adore it. After reading this excerpt, it only confirms what I already knew and I want MORE.
I'm already in love with the atmosphere, Everline, and Clipstone's writing. I cannot wait for the ARC to be available!
Thank you again!
June 21, 2023
Thank you to Lyndall Clipstone, Macmillan, and NetGalley for this arc!
Unholy Terrors is one of the few books that live up to their covers. We've got bones, darkness, and scary stuff galore, and look at my heroine wearing her skeleton armor like OMG. The aesthetic was spot on.
In the author's third novel, we meet Everline (Evie), a magic-less warden wanting nothing more than to show her usefulness in protecting her people from the monstrous vespertine outside the walls. But she seems to live in the shadow of her mother's betrayal and death, and when she kills a vespertine with human-like qualities ( her father acts like it's no big deal when IT IS), she vows to travel outside and find out what's going on. Accompanied by her best friend and sister, she encounters a boy vespertine and she makes a deal with him: if he takes her to the Thousandfold, she'll allow him to feed from her. Sexy, I know. You can see where this is going. They are both bound by duty and as their feelings grow deeper, the more danger they find themselves in.
I love a good enemies-to-lovers book and this was not a let-down. Ravel is a monster boy after my own heart, claws, and all. I do hope we get to see more of them because I need more of them. Full stop.
I recommend this for readers looking for a dark romance and those who love monster boys falling in love with fierce girls.
Unholy Terrors is one of the few books that live up to their covers. We've got bones, darkness, and scary stuff galore, and look at my heroine wearing her skeleton armor like OMG. The aesthetic was spot on.
In the author's third novel, we meet Everline (Evie), a magic-less warden wanting nothing more than to show her usefulness in protecting her people from the monstrous vespertine outside the walls. But she seems to live in the shadow of her mother's betrayal and death, and when she kills a vespertine with human-like qualities ( her father acts like it's no big deal when IT IS), she vows to travel outside and find out what's going on. Accompanied by her best friend and sister, she encounters a boy vespertine and she makes a deal with him: if he takes her to the Thousandfold, she'll allow him to feed from her. Sexy, I know. You can see where this is going. They are both bound by duty and as their feelings grow deeper, the more danger they find themselves in.
I love a good enemies-to-lovers book and this was not a let-down. Ravel is a monster boy after my own heart, claws, and all. I do hope we get to see more of them because I need more of them. Full stop.
I recommend this for readers looking for a dark romance and those who love monster boys falling in love with fierce girls.
wish-list
November 14, 2022Rep: White bisexual MC, bisexual LI, m/f
Pub: Autumn '23
Pub: Autumn '23
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