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A Study in Shadows #4
Blood of Ancients
Eiric won the battle, but Lyssandra plans on winning the war. With her bond broken, her magic builds, threatening to consume her—a price she is willing to pay if it means she can bring Eiric down with her.
Only, not everything is as it seems. She had thought the Ivangard witches villains, not victims. When acolytes start dying in mysterious ways, Lyss is torn between helping them, or taking advantage of their weaknesses. Only one thing is for the truth will come to light, shining itself not only on the killers, but on another dark secret hidden in Lyssandra’s blood. A secret that could bring ruin to the one she loves the most.
Blood of Ancients is the epic conclusion of A Study in Shadows.
Only, not everything is as it seems. She had thought the Ivangard witches villains, not victims. When acolytes start dying in mysterious ways, Lyss is torn between helping them, or taking advantage of their weaknesses. Only one thing is for the truth will come to light, shining itself not only on the killers, but on another dark secret hidden in Lyssandra’s blood. A secret that could bring ruin to the one she loves the most.
Blood of Ancients is the epic conclusion of A Study in Shadows.
436 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 31, 2023
460 people are currently reading
1037 people want to read
About the author
Sara C. Roethle
126 books922 followersSara C. Roethle is a Fantasy author and part-time unicorn. She enjoys writing character driven stories in various fantasy realms with elements of Celtic and Norse myth, humor, and metaphysical ponderings.
Her series include:
Tree of Ages
The Thief's Apprentice
The Moonstone Chronicles
Xoe Meyers
Bitter Ashes
Her series include:
Tree of Ages
The Thief's Apprentice
The Moonstone Chronicles
Xoe Meyers
Bitter Ashes
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews
January 1, 2024
As much as I love all of these wonderful characters, I am so relieved that Xavier survived and has a chance at a better life. I’ve loved him since he was first introduced. I have enjoyed this story and characters so much that I’m sad to see it end. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 12, 2024
4 ⭐️
I am so sad that this series is over 😭
I think that the A Study in Shadows series is so underrated. If you enjoy the Witcher, magical monsters and creatures, witches, ancient vampires, forbidden romance, found family, reluctant allies and more…. Then I HIGHLY encourage you to pick up this series.
Asher is my everything. He is what I dream about when I picture the perfect man. He makes me swoon with all the right words and I cannot get enough of him. Lyssandra is such a badass FMC. I absolutely love her and have really enjoyed watching how her character has grown and developed over this series.
While this book started off alittle slow for me, I love where it ended up. Such a crazy turn of events that I didn’t see coming in the end and I really hope the author considers writing a spin off of this series.
I am so sad that this series is over 😭
I think that the A Study in Shadows series is so underrated. If you enjoy the Witcher, magical monsters and creatures, witches, ancient vampires, forbidden romance, found family, reluctant allies and more…. Then I HIGHLY encourage you to pick up this series.
Asher is my everything. He is what I dream about when I picture the perfect man. He makes me swoon with all the right words and I cannot get enough of him. Lyssandra is such a badass FMC. I absolutely love her and have really enjoyed watching how her character has grown and developed over this series.
While this book started off alittle slow for me, I love where it ended up. Such a crazy turn of events that I didn’t see coming in the end and I really hope the author considers writing a spin off of this series.
January 8, 2024
I actually finished this the night before last. From start to finish with this series, I have loved it. What a great ending to a wonderful series.
April 1, 2024
3.5 stars
I have read a bunch of fantasy romances lately. There were some that were amazing that I would shout from the rooftops about, others, were entertaining but just didn't have the spark that would allow them to gain popularity. I think that the ones that were successful had just the right formula to gain the interest of readers to at least peek at them. This one was so close but fell short of having the right formula for a popular book.
As mentioned, I would not say that this measured up to The Witcher. Where there was layered storytelling in the show, there was really only one linear storyline here. Here, the story had its intrigue but not as much depth. There were many things overall, that this story just needed more of.
Since I binged this series and wanted to be brief in my reviews for the previous books, this will be both an overall review of the series combined with some thoughts on The Blood of Ancients. Some general thoughts on the series; is that the plot, the characters and the world lacked some small aspects. The characters had some admirable traits but also some predictably irksome ones. The world building had some described settings but vague details on the kingdom itself. And the plot only had a few twists that didn't completely 'wow' me.
Characters
Lyssandra: She was a badass heroine that had some well rounded development. She came to realize that as a hunter, not all magical creatures or beasts were completely 'evil.' By getting rid of this view she was also able to let down her walls to have better relationships with her friends and Asher. Though while I like badass heroines, I found her idea of violence first ask questions later mentality to be impulsive. She did grow out of this ideology but she still had a stubborn streak where she didn't listen to reason. Something that grew as a dislike for me.
In this book, I saw her flaws even more. She was stubborn in her determination that she didn't think things through that in other contexts it would've gotten her killed. It was especially present here and at some bad times because she was is literally in the clutches of her enemy. So when she tried to fight against the villain, Eiric, she believes that she could fight him on her own. This way of thinking made me feel that her stubborn determination sometimes bordered on arrogance. Where she thinks she doesn't need help even though there are costs to her friends or herself either way.
Asher: I thought he was hot and had his flaws and there wasn't much else. We see some backstory from him and what his life was like before he was a vampire. This time around there was also some flashbacks to his feelings of meeting and saving Lyssandra. Even though I saw how he was fleshed out more, I didn't feel like I really got to know him. It was like all the things he was were centred on Lyssandra and I couldn't see him independent of that.
Tholdri: I wanted to see Tholdri with his fierceness and his charm reveling more in his bisexuality (as it was stated in the first book). While he did have a POV in this book where he engaged in a romance here, it seemed to come late and I wondered if he used his charm to have liaisons with anyone previously. I felt he could've been more to him throughout the series.
As for Markus, I wanted to see more of who he was and why he seemed so broody all the time. He seemed to have a friendly side but it was hidden behind his reserved nature. I found he was a little bit annoying because of his bond to Lyssandra. Though it wasn't his fault.
All this being said, I could see way more potential for characters overall. It was really only through this book and the third book that we see the perspectives of other characters. There were some brief glimpses of their thoughts and feelings but not enough for them to really be unveiled. This was part of the problem I had with the depth of the story.
Plot
The plot seemed to always follow the same pattern of having at least two mysteries where the first led into the second as the overarching plot. It was the same for this last story but this time around, I found it to not fit well with the plot.
The mystery plot in this book seemed a little ludicrous. Lyssandra is trapped and held prisoner by Eiric, the evil villain. There are some murders of some of his followers she wants to have solved in his stronghold. I wanted to roll my eyes because it was the villain's lair and his followers were doing their villain-y thing. However, I also understood why this was done because Lyssandra wants to figure out Eiric's bigger plan of what they were going to do with her. It still seemed all too 'set up' for Lyssandra to be involved.
The whole set up from the beginning felt all too easy for the villain to get the upper hand. It didn't seem to help that Lyssandra kept on walking right into the villain's traps with her stubborn determination. She played right into the villain's hands which seemed a little too convenient. Especially when all was said and done, there seemed to be more conveniences for Lyssandra to have her own problems solved.
For Lyssandra, fixing the problems with her magic taking over and being with Asher with his immortality all seemed to have fixes that were pretty much handed to her. I half expected there to be twists to these things but there weren't. Even so, some of her problems were well deserved in some respects.
Worldbuilding
I don't have much to say that hasn't already been said, but the world was still vague and I didn't know if this was a whole kingdom with smaller cities or something. It's not clear how their lines of authority work either. There was mention of dukes and archdukes but no clear explanation of the structure of authority. I think it would've been more helpful with clearer power structure and what the kingdom is like. Although there are little bits of insight throughout the books, there wasn't enough for me to really picture it.
final thoughts
The ending to this series was satisfying. I feel like that's all I can really say. It wasn't totally amazing or beautiful; to me it was just satisfying.
Overall, I thought this series was entertaining. Was I hyped about it? No. But did I enjoy it? Yes. Despite my critique of this series, I found it had its own likeable aspects in its own way.
I have read a bunch of fantasy romances lately. There were some that were amazing that I would shout from the rooftops about, others, were entertaining but just didn't have the spark that would allow them to gain popularity. I think that the ones that were successful had just the right formula to gain the interest of readers to at least peek at them. This one was so close but fell short of having the right formula for a popular book.
As mentioned, I would not say that this measured up to The Witcher. Where there was layered storytelling in the show, there was really only one linear storyline here. Here, the story had its intrigue but not as much depth. There were many things overall, that this story just needed more of.
Since I binged this series and wanted to be brief in my reviews for the previous books, this will be both an overall review of the series combined with some thoughts on The Blood of Ancients. Some general thoughts on the series; is that the plot, the characters and the world lacked some small aspects. The characters had some admirable traits but also some predictably irksome ones. The world building had some described settings but vague details on the kingdom itself. And the plot only had a few twists that didn't completely 'wow' me.
Characters
Lyssandra: She was a badass heroine that had some well rounded development. She came to realize that as a hunter, not all magical creatures or beasts were completely 'evil.' By getting rid of this view she was also able to let down her walls to have better relationships with her friends and Asher. Though while I like badass heroines, I found her idea of violence first ask questions later mentality to be impulsive. She did grow out of this ideology but she still had a stubborn streak where she didn't listen to reason. Something that grew as a dislike for me.
In this book, I saw her flaws even more. She was stubborn in her determination that she didn't think things through that in other contexts it would've gotten her killed. It was especially present here and at some bad times because she was is literally in the clutches of her enemy. So when she tried to fight against the villain, Eiric, she believes that she could fight him on her own. This way of thinking made me feel that her stubborn determination sometimes bordered on arrogance. Where she thinks she doesn't need help even though there are costs to her friends or herself either way.
Asher: I thought he was hot and had his flaws and there wasn't much else. We see some backstory from him and what his life was like before he was a vampire. This time around there was also some flashbacks to his feelings of meeting and saving Lyssandra. Even though I saw how he was fleshed out more, I didn't feel like I really got to know him. It was like all the things he was were centred on Lyssandra and I couldn't see him independent of that.
Tholdri: I wanted to see Tholdri with his fierceness and his charm reveling more in his bisexuality (as it was stated in the first book). While he did have a POV in this book where he engaged in a romance here, it seemed to come late and I wondered if he used his charm to have liaisons with anyone previously. I felt he could've been more to him throughout the series.
As for Markus, I wanted to see more of who he was and why he seemed so broody all the time. He seemed to have a friendly side but it was hidden behind his reserved nature. I found he was a little bit annoying because of his bond to Lyssandra. Though it wasn't his fault.
All this being said, I could see way more potential for characters overall. It was really only through this book and the third book that we see the perspectives of other characters. There were some brief glimpses of their thoughts and feelings but not enough for them to really be unveiled. This was part of the problem I had with the depth of the story.
Plot
The plot seemed to always follow the same pattern of having at least two mysteries where the first led into the second as the overarching plot. It was the same for this last story but this time around, I found it to not fit well with the plot.
The mystery plot in this book seemed a little ludicrous. Lyssandra is trapped and held prisoner by Eiric, the evil villain. There are some murders of some of his followers she wants to have solved in his stronghold. I wanted to roll my eyes because it was the villain's lair and his followers were doing their villain-y thing. However, I also understood why this was done because Lyssandra wants to figure out Eiric's bigger plan of what they were going to do with her. It still seemed all too 'set up' for Lyssandra to be involved.
The whole set up from the beginning felt all too easy for the villain to get the upper hand. It didn't seem to help that Lyssandra kept on walking right into the villain's traps with her stubborn determination. She played right into the villain's hands which seemed a little too convenient. Especially when all was said and done, there seemed to be more conveniences for Lyssandra to have her own problems solved.
For Lyssandra, fixing the problems with her magic taking over and being with Asher with his immortality all seemed to have fixes that were pretty much handed to her. I half expected there to be twists to these things but there weren't. Even so, some of her problems were well deserved in some respects.
Worldbuilding
I don't have much to say that hasn't already been said, but the world was still vague and I didn't know if this was a whole kingdom with smaller cities or something. It's not clear how their lines of authority work either. There was mention of dukes and archdukes but no clear explanation of the structure of authority. I think it would've been more helpful with clearer power structure and what the kingdom is like. Although there are little bits of insight throughout the books, there wasn't enough for me to really picture it.
final thoughts
The ending to this series was satisfying. I feel like that's all I can really say. It wasn't totally amazing or beautiful; to me it was just satisfying.
Overall, I thought this series was entertaining. Was I hyped about it? No. But did I enjoy it? Yes. Despite my critique of this series, I found it had its own likeable aspects in its own way.
May 19, 2024
This was a great ending to an amazing story :’)
I’m glad we were able to get alternate pov’s because only having Lys’s pov was driving me up a wall. I had hoped Lys and Markas could have formed a better relationship — granted the whole bonding situation didn’t help but it still it was annoying that it never changed from what it was even before the bonding.
Anyways, with all the betrayals of the previous books — it wasn’t a big shock when revelations happened because all you had to do was look at the patterns of the previous books but regardless it was a solid ending full of hope for a better future.
I’m glad we were able to get alternate pov’s because only having Lys’s pov was driving me up a wall. I had hoped Lys and Markas could have formed a better relationship — granted the whole bonding situation didn’t help but it still it was annoying that it never changed from what it was even before the bonding.
Anyways, with all the betrayals of the previous books — it wasn’t a big shock when revelations happened because all you had to do was look at the patterns of the previous books but regardless it was a solid ending full of hope for a better future.
March 18, 2025
THIS is how you do a finale...perfect!!!
I am very much going to miss these characters, they've become like family over the course of this series. Now, I cannot understand how this series isn't being obsessed over, gushed over and screamed about from the blog universe, it's everything you could hope for. Every single book gets better and better and the plot was just amazing. This is truly something extraordinary and so well done!!! I loved it so very much. Overall I would give this entire series 5 stars!!!!!
I am very much going to miss these characters, they've become like family over the course of this series. Now, I cannot understand how this series isn't being obsessed over, gushed over and screamed about from the blog universe, it's everything you could hope for. Every single book gets better and better and the plot was just amazing. This is truly something extraordinary and so well done!!! I loved it so very much. Overall I would give this entire series 5 stars!!!!!
September 6, 2024
Really good conclusion to the series. Every single book in this series was extremely well written. Enjoyed all the characters and the different dynamics of the different relationships that we got. Well thought out and well executed. I will definitely read more by this author.
February 6, 2025
This was… okay. This series lost its steam & went a lot of really weird directions & was a bit of a mess in my opinion. Probably rounding up from a 2.5 ⭐️⭐️💫. It wasn’t terrible but I just didn’t enjoy reading it 90% of the time. Pros & cons below 👇🏼
PROS
- Geist & Tholdri’s dynamic was fun & I like where their relationship developed.
- Still love Asher despite it all.
- Lyss choosing herself was nice.
- Tholdri & Steifan were really good found family & I really enjoyed both of them, especially when we got Tholdri POVs.
MIDS
- Lyss made me feel like a flip flopper. Sometimes I really enjoyed her & other times she drove me nuts.
- I called the surprise ending in book 1. I don’t feel strongly either way about it.
CONS
- So we got literally 2 new super villains 85% into the final book of a series? An interesting choice.
- The explosion of magic & powers in this felt so rushed. We had 4 books & it seemed like it came outta nowhere.
- Asher honestly just kind of felt like a tool to threaten Lyss with vs. his own person. Which is a bummer because I liked him a lot to start.
- The constant betrayals & like, reveals for lack of better term, lost their potency by this book. I didn’t really expect anyone to be good or bad & not in a way that had me on the edge of my seat but just like “alright who is it this time?”
I think this series just lost the fun/excitement of the first two books. Once we got out of the monster hunting I do feel like we lost the plot. Kind of a bummer way to end the series tbh.
PROS
- Geist & Tholdri’s dynamic was fun & I like where their relationship developed.
- Still love Asher despite it all.
- Lyss choosing herself was nice.
- Tholdri & Steifan were really good found family & I really enjoyed both of them, especially when we got Tholdri POVs.
MIDS
- Lyss made me feel like a flip flopper. Sometimes I really enjoyed her & other times she drove me nuts.
- I called the surprise ending in book 1. I don’t feel strongly either way about it.
CONS
- So we got literally 2 new super villains 85% into the final book of a series? An interesting choice.
- The explosion of magic & powers in this felt so rushed. We had 4 books & it seemed like it came outta nowhere.
- Asher honestly just kind of felt like a tool to threaten Lyss with vs. his own person. Which is a bummer because I liked him a lot to start.
- The constant betrayals & like, reveals for lack of better term, lost their potency by this book. I didn’t really expect anyone to be good or bad & not in a way that had me on the edge of my seat but just like “alright who is it this time?”
I think this series just lost the fun/excitement of the first two books. Once we got out of the monster hunting I do feel like we lost the plot. Kind of a bummer way to end the series tbh.
February 1, 2024
I completely devoured this book. I finished book 3, and immediately started on book 4 and damn, what a ride!
There are so many things I loved about this book - I’m glad there were more fantasy elements to this (murder mystery is fun sometimes but it overshadowed the fantasy element in some of the other books in the series. There were enough twists and turns for it to be engaging. I wish there was slightly more clarity when it came to the ending - as it is it’s left things rather ambiguous but I can tell it was intentional. Such is life sometimes I suppose.
What I loved about the romance was just how mature and normal it was……. There were no shady gray lines and unhealthy obsessive behaviours between the two lovers which was a breath of fresh air. Fantasy, especially concerning vampires do romance in a really worrisome way sometimes and this was just so refreshing! Consent, respect and the good things - the characters weren’t perfect but their romance was actually one for the fandom to get behind!
Loved the supporting characters and their own journeys. If I had to guess of one having their own story, I would say it’s Steiphen (or maybe even Xavier?). Hah, time will tell I suppose ;)
There are so many things I loved about this book - I’m glad there were more fantasy elements to this (murder mystery is fun sometimes but it overshadowed the fantasy element in some of the other books in the series. There were enough twists and turns for it to be engaging. I wish there was slightly more clarity when it came to the ending - as it is it’s left things rather ambiguous but I can tell it was intentional. Such is life sometimes I suppose.
What I loved about the romance was just how mature and normal it was……. There were no shady gray lines and unhealthy obsessive behaviours between the two lovers which was a breath of fresh air. Fantasy, especially concerning vampires do romance in a really worrisome way sometimes and this was just so refreshing! Consent, respect and the good things - the characters weren’t perfect but their romance was actually one for the fandom to get behind!
Loved the supporting characters and their own journeys. If I had to guess of one having their own story, I would say it’s Steiphen (or maybe even Xavier?). Hah, time will tell I suppose ;)
February 5, 2024
SPOILERS
This book would have been 3 stars had the main character not magically ended up pregnant at the end. There was absolutely no reason why this happened. It wasn't something important to the MC, it didn't do anything for the plot.
This book would have been 3 stars had the main character not magically ended up pregnant at the end. There was absolutely no reason why this happened. It wasn't something important to the MC, it didn't do anything for the plot.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 21, 2024
So I'm going to give the final book an average for the whole in honor of my affection and enjoyment of the previous books because this last one was unfortunately my least favorite (not because of a bad ending though!) I'll explain in a moment.
But first with the good!
This series was a refreshingly pleasant surprise from other books I have been reading. It changed things up for me and I was in the right mood for that so it worked out. I've been reading a lot of dark romantasy especially the types that focus almost wholly on the romance so I think it's important to mention that although it remains an important, driving element in the story I would not say the romance is the focus of the book.
And surprisingly I found I didn't hate that. The vibes were different but in a good way for me.
Imagine if a young, fiery Jessica Fletcher was dropped into a medieval fantasy setting where she had to save the world while solving murder mysteries involving fantastical creatures (while learning the lore of the world/creatures like a female Geralt of Rivia) all the while romancing a vampire she claims to hate and sprinkle a little spice in here and there and.... Voila! I think I've captured the feel of this series. XD
This might not strike everyone's fancy but left me so nostalgic for things I've loved both from my childhood and young adult life so I might be a little biased in my ratings here.
Having said that, this last book just felt so unnecessarily long. I don't know. Maybe I was just ready to move on at that point. To me, the entire book could have been condensed into the last few chapters of the previous book. I just wasn't feeling it. Still glad I came and read and conquered this series! It was an unexpectedly fun ride.
But first with the good!
This series was a refreshingly pleasant surprise from other books I have been reading. It changed things up for me and I was in the right mood for that so it worked out. I've been reading a lot of dark romantasy especially the types that focus almost wholly on the romance so I think it's important to mention that although it remains an important, driving element in the story I would not say the romance is the focus of the book.
And surprisingly I found I didn't hate that. The vibes were different but in a good way for me.
Imagine if a young, fiery Jessica Fletcher was dropped into a medieval fantasy setting where she had to save the world while solving murder mysteries involving fantastical creatures (while learning the lore of the world/creatures like a female Geralt of Rivia) all the while romancing a vampire she claims to hate and sprinkle a little spice in here and there and.... Voila! I think I've captured the feel of this series. XD
This might not strike everyone's fancy but left me so nostalgic for things I've loved both from my childhood and young adult life so I might be a little biased in my ratings here.
Having said that, this last book just felt so unnecessarily long. I don't know. Maybe I was just ready to move on at that point. To me, the entire book could have been condensed into the last few chapters of the previous book. I just wasn't feeling it. Still glad I came and read and conquered this series! It was an unexpectedly fun ride.
July 12, 2025
Enjoyable read.
Definitely worthy of 4 stars. Good world building. Good character development. Lots going on. Turns galore!
Female lead I have to admit was ok. Yes, strong, a fighter, moral and loyal. But Her development was slow. Her blind loyalty to the order was at times annoying. It got in the way of many sexy time opportunities! lol. And in solving whatever problem was going on. It was a lot of fighting the “bond” for like the first 2 books and on the 3rd book there was something but she was still in somewhat denial. Her and Asher didn’t really become a thaaang until the end of book 3 and all book 4. Very slow burn. But the burn that was kinda of an eye roll with FL constantly fighting Asher.
Asher. Oh Asher. The very patient ancient. I like the way he was written. I do wonder how he was able to resist Eric? I don’t remember if that was explained. Geist, too. I did get a little mad with the FL would act on a plan leaving Asher behind.
I really liked the side characters. Over all it’s an enjoyable read. Lots of quests. With each quest came an unraveling of the mystery. At times it was obvious something was off with a character or with the FLs intuition.
I look forward to reading more books from this author. I haven’t looked to see if there’s a sequel to this series. I hope there is 😆 I would love to see what happens to all the characters! Especially, Asher and Lyss. Does the friend end up with Geist? What happened to the grimoire? The order?. I need to know 😆
Definitely worthy of 4 stars. Good world building. Good character development. Lots going on. Turns galore!
Female lead I have to admit was ok. Yes, strong, a fighter, moral and loyal. But Her development was slow. Her blind loyalty to the order was at times annoying. It got in the way of many sexy time opportunities! lol. And in solving whatever problem was going on. It was a lot of fighting the “bond” for like the first 2 books and on the 3rd book there was something but she was still in somewhat denial. Her and Asher didn’t really become a thaaang until the end of book 3 and all book 4. Very slow burn. But the burn that was kinda of an eye roll with FL constantly fighting Asher.
Asher. Oh Asher. The very patient ancient. I like the way he was written. I do wonder how he was able to resist Eric? I don’t remember if that was explained. Geist, too. I did get a little mad with the FL would act on a plan leaving Asher behind.
I really liked the side characters. Over all it’s an enjoyable read. Lots of quests. With each quest came an unraveling of the mystery. At times it was obvious something was off with a character or with the FLs intuition.
I look forward to reading more books from this author. I haven’t looked to see if there’s a sequel to this series. I hope there is 😆 I would love to see what happens to all the characters! Especially, Asher and Lyss. Does the friend end up with Geist? What happened to the grimoire? The order?. I need to know 😆
December 27, 2023
This book brings us to the epic conclusion of the series A study in Shadows, and it is heart stopping at times, and a very exciting read. Lyssandra was being hunted by the first vampire who had been awakened after many years. He needed her for a ritual to empower him, but she was adamant she would fight him with all her might. She was caught by the woman who had freed him, and kept in a room in a temple of the priestesses who were very powerful magic wielders. She was separated from her friends and her bond to Asher had been severed. Lyss ends up doing what she feared the most as she discovered that her sword was possessed by a demon placed there by her own mother. She is in for quite a few surprises but then so are the people who come up against her. She is in the middle of a plan whereby hunters, witches and vampires were all to congregate for the ritual. This book is a very dark fantasy book, thrilling and scary at times, with awesome battles and an amazing ending. I really loved this final book to what has been a very captivating series. Well done Ms. Roethle.
June 5, 2024
This was a good concluding book to a good series. There were many things I did enjoy about these books.
I always enjoy books which are real in the expectations of their main characters. The characters in this book didn't turn into amazing heroes overnight. Or really at all. There were real difficulties that they overcame with hard work, and bravery. With a little bit of luck and magic involved.
The romance in this book was much more healthy than in many of the books I have read recently. The main character didn't all the sudden fall heads over heals for the "evil" guy they had hated for years.
The supporting characters were both good and bad. Irritating and uplifting. Pretty much like real people.
I felt like the ending was tied up a little too neatly and pretty for as dark as this book was. It is ok to leave some things unresolved!
(Personal Notes: This series is not for teens. There are sexual situations which are descriptive, violence of all sorts, same sex attraction situations, a bit of what I would call occult, a little bit of minor language)
I always enjoy books which are real in the expectations of their main characters. The characters in this book didn't turn into amazing heroes overnight. Or really at all. There were real difficulties that they overcame with hard work, and bravery. With a little bit of luck and magic involved.
The romance in this book was much more healthy than in many of the books I have read recently. The main character didn't all the sudden fall heads over heals for the "evil" guy they had hated for years.
The supporting characters were both good and bad. Irritating and uplifting. Pretty much like real people.
I felt like the ending was tied up a little too neatly and pretty for as dark as this book was. It is ok to leave some things unresolved!
(Personal Notes: This series is not for teens. There are sexual situations which are descriptive, violence of all sorts, same sex attraction situations, a bit of what I would call occult, a little bit of minor language)
December 26, 2024
Series Conclusion
Finally made it through the series....
Book 4 comes in at the best of the series, but the ending left much to be desired. Never foist new possibilities on your readers only to end the series with no way for them to unfold without another book or spinoff series. Ugh!
Overall, this series has the potential for greatness that never fully materializes. Book 1 needs a major overhaul. As someone who averages 200 books a year, I can honestly say I would have DNF'd Book 1 and never completed the series had I not had a friend goading me through from the beginning.
The story just took far too long to develop. So much time was spent early on with names and countless details and twists while keeping specific information hidden, that reading became heavy rather than compelling. There were conflicting statements over the course of the story that added to the level of frustration.
A story that could be a 10 faded away under a mountain of too much to make it just ok or slightly above average.
Finally made it through the series....
Book 4 comes in at the best of the series, but the ending left much to be desired. Never foist new possibilities on your readers only to end the series with no way for them to unfold without another book or spinoff series. Ugh!
Overall, this series has the potential for greatness that never fully materializes. Book 1 needs a major overhaul. As someone who averages 200 books a year, I can honestly say I would have DNF'd Book 1 and never completed the series had I not had a friend goading me through from the beginning.
The story just took far too long to develop. So much time was spent early on with names and countless details and twists while keeping specific information hidden, that reading became heavy rather than compelling. There were conflicting statements over the course of the story that added to the level of frustration.
A story that could be a 10 faded away under a mountain of too much to make it just ok or slightly above average.
November 18, 2025
It's all over!
Asher & Lyssandra's story has been winding & brutal at times & the final book magnifies every element of that. The final showdown is with enemies new, old & unexpected. That is to say, it's wholly satisfying & the several twists in people's fates are fully deserved &, in some cases, joyous.
I have loved going on this journey with these characters. It's not a world I'd want to live in, far too unnerving for me! The courage &, I've got to say it, the "humanity" of all involved on Lyssandra's side, whether vampire or something else entirely, is rousing & heartwarming. Asher is a fitting, seductive companion for the somewhat conflicted & unpredictable Lyss. I would have loved to go beyond the events of the end to see how a few of the futures pan out but I'll just have to get my imagination working on that. I'd like to thank Sara C. Roethle for introducing us to an outstanding fantasy & I can't wait to read more of her work in the future.
Asher & Lyssandra's story has been winding & brutal at times & the final book magnifies every element of that. The final showdown is with enemies new, old & unexpected. That is to say, it's wholly satisfying & the several twists in people's fates are fully deserved &, in some cases, joyous.
I have loved going on this journey with these characters. It's not a world I'd want to live in, far too unnerving for me! The courage &, I've got to say it, the "humanity" of all involved on Lyssandra's side, whether vampire or something else entirely, is rousing & heartwarming. Asher is a fitting, seductive companion for the somewhat conflicted & unpredictable Lyss. I would have loved to go beyond the events of the end to see how a few of the futures pan out but I'll just have to get my imagination working on that. I'd like to thank Sara C. Roethle for introducing us to an outstanding fantasy & I can't wait to read more of her work in the future.
March 18, 2024
3/5 - While I think this book did a great job ending the series and fully closing out all plot lines, what brings the score down for me are the interactions between Lyss and Asher. This does have the separation trope (which I certainly don't mind) but, considering these two already barely interact in the series, it was a little hard for me to really get emotionally invested in their story. Lyss also felt way too guarded even to the reader which made the pregnancy ending super frustrating. The idea of Lyss wanting children seems so completely against her character, and for her to accept it and be happy about it, means there was a gap between the author's writing and the author's intentions. The author did such an incredible job with the monsters, villians, and worldly-plot, but I felt like the romance and Lyss/Asher relationship really needed a lot more depth.
May 12, 2024
1st reading: An excellent ending to what has turned out to be a very compelling series.
At times it was a bit confusing, with villains' assumed motives or loyalties being revealed as having been misunderstood - multiple times - and the nature of Lyssandra's magical heritage was far more complex than I initially thought. (Of *course* it was! I really should have seen that coming.)
The one dissatisfying element was the anticlimactic end for one of the bad guys. Like - poof. All that build up and then, out like a light.
Oh, and the APPALLING LACK OF A MAP.
I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of this series, and I'll be seeking out other books by this author in hopes that they will be equally as good.
At times it was a bit confusing, with villains' assumed motives or loyalties being revealed as having been misunderstood - multiple times - and the nature of Lyssandra's magical heritage was far more complex than I initially thought. (Of *course* it was! I really should have seen that coming.)
The one dissatisfying element was the anticlimactic end for one of the bad guys. Like - poof. All that build up and then, out like a light.
Oh, and the APPALLING LACK OF A MAP.
I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of this series, and I'll be seeking out other books by this author in hopes that they will be equally as good.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 16, 2025
This book is getting 3 🌟 s...however the series is getting a 4 🌟 s.. I thoroughly enjoyed this series, now the last book took me interely too long to finish. It had a slow start and the ending, though exciting kind of went off the rails... at 85% we had two other villains show up ...that neither of the previous books had really alluded to.
I did like Lyssandra and Asher's conclusion though... I would have loved a lot more of Asher maybe know more of him.. if we would of had a dual POV from the start (Lyssandra and Asher) i would of gotten to really see true character development from Asher.. I just wish I would gotten more of him. Still loved this series and I'm looking forward to more vampire romantasies 🥰
I did like Lyssandra and Asher's conclusion though... I would have loved a lot more of Asher maybe know more of him.. if we would of had a dual POV from the start (Lyssandra and Asher) i would of gotten to really see true character development from Asher.. I just wish I would gotten more of him. Still loved this series and I'm looking forward to more vampire romantasies 🥰
September 2, 2025
I just finished reading all 4 books over the last couple of days. I loved this story and am sad that it is over but happy with how it ended. This series was very much about Lyssandra but I would have loved to know more about Asher and his life. The friendship between Tholdri and Steifan and Lyss was wonderful and I felt like I could feel the bond between them as strongly as the bond between Lyss and Asher.
The struggle between good and evil and right and wrong was strong in this series, I totally understood why Lyss was so angry with Asher even knowing he saved her life, just as Markus was angry with Lyss. There is a lot of deception in this series but also a lot of meaningful relationships. Those are to me what made the story.
The struggle between good and evil and right and wrong was strong in this series, I totally understood why Lyss was so angry with Asher even knowing he saved her life, just as Markus was angry with Lyss. There is a lot of deception in this series but also a lot of meaningful relationships. Those are to me what made the story.
February 21, 2024
What an adventure! While I wasn't keen on the whole Eiric/Ceredwin debacle along with the whole oh "Lavandriel is still secretly alive" situation, I really enjoyed hearing about Tholdri's POV and I was so glad when he and Geist hooked up! I honestly didn't really see that part coming but was so glad when it happened. I was sad that Cael died because he was just honestly doing what he could with the shitty choices he had. There was no perfect choice in how he could have helped Lyss.
And I knew it! I suspected since book three that she was actually pregnant and it was nice to see Lyss grow as a person.
And I knew it! I suspected since book three that she was actually pregnant and it was nice to see Lyss grow as a person.
January 28, 2025
I'd say the entire series was a 3.75. I really enjoyed the characters, I loved how they all fit together. I really loved Lyssandra's compassion for others. This series flew right by, there was never a dull moment. There were even some questions left unanswered at the end which makes me believe if Sara wanted to add to this series, she could. Where did that body go?! What does that magic do?! Slightly cheesy ending but I'm weird about endings, the less I know the more I like them. It fell into a typical trope I was meh about. Overall, I am sad this is over and if anyone is looking for a slow burn, vampire, save the world, non-annoying FMC, HEA, I would recommend it!
June 28, 2025
Blood of Ancients: A Study in Shadows, Book 4
By: Sara C. Roethle
🎧 Audiobook Narrated By: Kim Bretton
Length: 9 hrs and 48 mins
📖 Ebook Read Using Kindle Unlimited
A well crafted audiobook to finish this gripping series with.👏⭐️
After all of the upheaval in the last 3 books, we now have Lyss kidnapped and her servant bond with Asher broken!💔
The first vampire and those working with him want to use Lyss's blood magic to make him able to walk in the light!👀 She's determined to beat him.
More people from the past come out of the woodwork to thwart her. Some, who she thinks have betrayed her, are still secretly on her side!🙏🏼
Who will win against these Ancients?💥
Debbie, 1970, UK
By: Sara C. Roethle
🎧 Audiobook Narrated By: Kim Bretton
Length: 9 hrs and 48 mins
📖 Ebook Read Using Kindle Unlimited
A well crafted audiobook to finish this gripping series with.👏⭐️
After all of the upheaval in the last 3 books, we now have Lyss kidnapped and her servant bond with Asher broken!💔
The first vampire and those working with him want to use Lyss's blood magic to make him able to walk in the light!👀 She's determined to beat him.
More people from the past come out of the woodwork to thwart her. Some, who she thinks have betrayed her, are still secretly on her side!🙏🏼
Who will win against these Ancients?💥
Debbie, 1970, UK
February 22, 2024
Fast Paced
I loved Lyss’s development in this book. You could really tell she had come into her own even though she still made some stupid decisions. The ending felt rushed and I feel as though another book would’ve made a difference in the pace. **SPOILER**Eiric was this big bad and in the end he was felled by a sword. That was anticlimactic BUT the plot twist was amazing! I would’ve loved to know more about the pregnancy and how her baby would’ve turned out! Solid ending to a great series. A solid 8/10
I loved Lyss’s development in this book. You could really tell she had come into her own even though she still made some stupid decisions. The ending felt rushed and I feel as though another book would’ve made a difference in the pace. **SPOILER**Eiric was this big bad and in the end he was felled by a sword. That was anticlimactic BUT the plot twist was amazing! I would’ve loved to know more about the pregnancy and how her baby would’ve turned out! Solid ending to a great series. A solid 8/10
December 20, 2024
Overall I really enjoyed the series as a whole
Like the title says. I really enjoyed this series. I love that in this one, we get to see the relationship between different sex friends, and it's not sexually strained. They just genuinely love each other.
*SPOILERS*
I do feel like the pregnancy at the end was a cop out. Especially since that was not even an idea that was crossed by either Lyss or Asher. So I don't know. It just didn't sit right with me. I feel like the ending would have been better without it.
Like the title says. I really enjoyed this series. I love that in this one, we get to see the relationship between different sex friends, and it's not sexually strained. They just genuinely love each other.
*SPOILERS*
I do feel like the pregnancy at the end was a cop out. Especially since that was not even an idea that was crossed by either Lyss or Asher. So I don't know. It just didn't sit right with me. I feel like the ending would have been better without it.
January 13, 2025
I truly LOVED this series. This finale was everything. Our MC's were able to wrap up all the loose ends, while also taking us on a journey with angst and tension. It was full of action and had plenty of twists and turns that I was absolutely not expecting. I devoured this series and highly recommend - it is romantasy but not in the over-done, obvious trope, type of way. I felt like the characters had such true depth, and the author was able to help you see all perspectives and faults in a real and gritty way. Don't sleep on this series.
April 25, 2025
Perfect ending to the series! Full of adventure, heartwarming moments, & jaw dropping twists. I enjoyed this novel & the entire series immensely. The characters, world building, & magic system; made this series memorable & continuously kept me on the edge of my seat. I was thrilled with the ending & am satisfied that the ends were tied up in a pretty bow. There are still some possible doors to open if the author ever wants to write a spin-off series. Honestly, I have 0 cons to this series - it was such a fun wild ride, highly recommend!
May 30, 2025
I love Lyssandra, her vampire, and her other Hunter friends. There is definitely a lot of action going on in this book. Lyssandra comes to find out that the vampire that kidnapped her is not the person that she really needs to fear. Trying to protect her friends she almost gets some of them killed. Not only does Lyssandra learn more about her magic, but she also learns a lot about demons. I thought that this was a good ending to this series. I listened to this book on Audible and it was the same narrator as previous books in the series.
November 8, 2025
A really great read. I would compare to the thrill of watching/reading Sherlock Holmes with romantasy elements of course.
Vampire, Asher, makes Lyssandra, Helius Order Hunter, a human servant.
Lyssandra, eventually discovers her blood witch heritage.
Many other lovable characters along her adventure: Tholdri, Steifan, Ryllae, Geist, and others.
Defeating Eiric, Cerridwen, and Lavendrial; discovering demon control and eventual immortality through this.
An epic adventure, truly.
Spice was well placed, if not a little left wanting for a tad more.
Overall good read.
Vampire, Asher, makes Lyssandra, Helius Order Hunter, a human servant.
Lyssandra, eventually discovers her blood witch heritage.
Many other lovable characters along her adventure: Tholdri, Steifan, Ryllae, Geist, and others.
Defeating Eiric, Cerridwen, and Lavendrial; discovering demon control and eventual immortality through this.
An epic adventure, truly.
Spice was well placed, if not a little left wanting for a tad more.
Overall good read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 12, 2025
Awesome!
This has been a fantastic series. The main character, Lyssandra, was such a strong woman... and not only in physical strength, but strength of character. Her sense of right & and wrong, of making the hard choices even when it meant she'd meet pain, was probably her best feature. She overcame so much prejudice all while learning to truly accept who she is.
Asher is the type of man we all hope to have in our lives, too. He's caring, yet protective & supportive.
There is just so much in this series, and I highly recommend it.
This has been a fantastic series. The main character, Lyssandra, was such a strong woman... and not only in physical strength, but strength of character. Her sense of right & and wrong, of making the hard choices even when it meant she'd meet pain, was probably her best feature. She overcame so much prejudice all while learning to truly accept who she is.
Asher is the type of man we all hope to have in our lives, too. He's caring, yet protective & supportive.
There is just so much in this series, and I highly recommend it.
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