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Order of the Blade #3
Darkness Surrendered
Six hundred years ago, Elijah Ross was tortured into insanity and thrust into a mental hell that no living creature has ever survived…except him. Now, that same evil is back, and Elijah is all that stands between it and the destruction of all of humanity, but each step he takes drags him further back into the nightmare that once consumed him. Elijah's only chance is Ana Matthews, whose sensual kisses and passionate fire thrust hope and light into his blackened heart and fragmented mind, but her deadly past could be the final trigger for his descent into irretrievable madness and the destruction of his soul…and humanity.
450 pages, ebook
First published May 9, 2012
203 people are currently reading
1297 people want to read
About the author
Stephanie Rowe
112 books1,536 followersHailed as a "paranormal star!" by J.R. Ward, Stephanie Rowe is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than forty-five novels. She is the 2018 RITA® winner for Best Paranormal Romance, as well as a five-time nominee for this prestigious award. For more on Stephanie and her books, visit her at www.stephaneierowe.com, or on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/StephanieRow....
A life-long reader, she began crafting stories at age ten, but didn't realize it was her dream until she was an adult.
Once the light dawned, she immediately left behind "work" as the world defines it and went to "work" as she defines it, which means getting up every morning with a smile in her heart so she can spend the day doing that which makes her spirit sing.
Stephanie believes in learning to listen to your heart in order to figure out what your dreams are, and then opening yourself to the inspiration that will direct you there. She believes we all deserve the right to enjoy life, and for the ride to be as easy as we want it to be, and that we all should accept nothing less than making our dreams come true.
Stephanie lives in New England, and spends every day doing her best to fill it with people, observations and activities that uplift her soul, which include writing, tennis, dancing, friends, and her amazing family.
A life-long reader, she began crafting stories at age ten, but didn't realize it was her dream until she was an adult.
Once the light dawned, she immediately left behind "work" as the world defines it and went to "work" as she defines it, which means getting up every morning with a smile in her heart so she can spend the day doing that which makes her spirit sing.
Stephanie believes in learning to listen to your heart in order to figure out what your dreams are, and then opening yourself to the inspiration that will direct you there. She believes we all deserve the right to enjoy life, and for the ride to be as easy as we want it to be, and that we all should accept nothing less than making our dreams come true.
Stephanie lives in New England, and spends every day doing her best to fill it with people, observations and activities that uplift her soul, which include writing, tennis, dancing, friends, and her amazing family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews
October 19, 2015
I had such high hopes for this book. Sometimes the anticipation is better than the payoff, and unfortunately for me, that was what happened here. The very fact that Elijah is alive was enough for me to get excited. This is a man who sacrificed his very life for his mate, a woman who has built him up in her mind as this amazing savior. He is her protector, a beloved friend to other members of the Order, and a deliciously tortured hero. Add to that, this is the book with the big climax to the series arc, and there was so much potential. Only, I really struggled to get through this one.
Elijah has been held captive and tortured for the past couple of months. Everyone believed he was dead. So when his mate, Ana, and his friends from the Order find him clinging to life, everyone is thrilled. Unfortunately, Elijah is stark-raving crazy. Only Ana’s touch can allow him to distinguish reality from the crazed imaginings of his mind. It seems like that could make for a deeper connection between our hero and heroine, except that his need for her is only rivaled by the revulsion he feels for her.
You see, Elijah’s torture came at the hand of an Illusionist and that’s what Ana is. Not to mention, she is inadvertently responsible for much of what he endured. She spends most of the book blaming herself, lamenting about how much he must hate her, about how much is her fault… and he never really disagrees. Yeah, they have a bond between them. She keeps him from going nuts and he wants to have sex with her, of course. But for most of the book, it feels like he blames her or is at least repulsed by her for things that were out of her control entirely. Not cool.
So, issue one, the hero finding the heroine repellant. Issue two: the constant miserable internal dialogue from both characters. I love a tortured hero, but these two never stopped their self-hatred and pity party from beginning to end. For Ana, it was how terrible she was for the things she had done. For Elijah, it was all the ways he had failed. Just wah, wah, wah. Issue three: the love triangle.
It’s not exactly a love triangle so much as a mating triangle, and really, who wants that? The very idea of this sheva thing is a soul-mate bond. How can you have two soul mates at the same time? I hated it. I hated the way it made the heroine torn. For crying out loud! The villain probably held more interest for me than either main character by the end of the book, but I still didn’t want the weird three-way that was going on.
While this didn’t bother me enough to be one of my Big Issues, I also didn’t like what I felt was revisionist history between Ana and her sister Grace. In book one, theirs was made out to be a close relationship, but here, Ana acts like she’s had no one. And Grace is barely in the picture. Plus, with two other warriors breaking the curse before him, you’d think Elijah could maybe have a little faith that things could work out. And, I didn’t like the resolution of the climax.
Frankly, it was a disappointment all around. I need to take a break from this series, but I’ll probably give it another chance at some point. (Meanwhile, I should point out that several other readers loved this book. It has a 4.23 average on Goodreads. Maybe it would be better for you.)
Rating: C-
Elijah has been held captive and tortured for the past couple of months. Everyone believed he was dead. So when his mate, Ana, and his friends from the Order find him clinging to life, everyone is thrilled. Unfortunately, Elijah is stark-raving crazy. Only Ana’s touch can allow him to distinguish reality from the crazed imaginings of his mind. It seems like that could make for a deeper connection between our hero and heroine, except that his need for her is only rivaled by the revulsion he feels for her.
You see, Elijah’s torture came at the hand of an Illusionist and that’s what Ana is. Not to mention, she is inadvertently responsible for much of what he endured. She spends most of the book blaming herself, lamenting about how much he must hate her, about how much is her fault… and he never really disagrees. Yeah, they have a bond between them. She keeps him from going nuts and he wants to have sex with her, of course. But for most of the book, it feels like he blames her or is at least repulsed by her for things that were out of her control entirely. Not cool.
So, issue one, the hero finding the heroine repellant. Issue two: the constant miserable internal dialogue from both characters. I love a tortured hero, but these two never stopped their self-hatred and pity party from beginning to end. For Ana, it was how terrible she was for the things she had done. For Elijah, it was all the ways he had failed. Just wah, wah, wah. Issue three: the love triangle.
It’s not exactly a love triangle so much as a mating triangle, and really, who wants that? The very idea of this sheva thing is a soul-mate bond. How can you have two soul mates at the same time? I hated it. I hated the way it made the heroine torn. For crying out loud! The villain probably held more interest for me than either main character by the end of the book, but I still didn’t want the weird three-way that was going on.
While this didn’t bother me enough to be one of my Big Issues, I also didn’t like what I felt was revisionist history between Ana and her sister Grace. In book one, theirs was made out to be a close relationship, but here, Ana acts like she’s had no one. And Grace is barely in the picture. Plus, with two other warriors breaking the curse before him, you’d think Elijah could maybe have a little faith that things could work out. And, I didn’t like the resolution of the climax.
Frankly, it was a disappointment all around. I need to take a break from this series, but I’ll probably give it another chance at some point. (Meanwhile, I should point out that several other readers loved this book. It has a 4.23 average on Goodreads. Maybe it would be better for you.)
Rating: C-
July 13, 2013
From the moment Darkness Surrendered opens, we hit the ground running. I'm not talking a slow, gentle jog here either; seriously, this is running at full pelt, sweat dripping, heart bursting running we're talking about here!
Book three of the Order of the Blades series is most definitely filled with adrenaline pumping action. I was constantly immersed in the glorious action, the characters, their relationships, so much so that I had to force myself to stop reading to slow my pulse and take a breath throughout the book.
In many ways, book three is quite different to the first two books. It is just as superbly original and excellent, yet the passion, struggle and the depth of emotion that Ana and Eiljah face is so brutal, yet is also pretty awe inspiring.
I was swept away by Rowe's ability to create such depth of character detail and emotion. She bared the souls of her characters, allowing us the privilege to not only see and feel the characters, but to understand them; I felt that this was much more raw, more fierce and many ways more real compared to the characters that we've previously known and loved (who we still see and continue to enjoy in Darkness Surrendered).
Darkness Surrendered plays out a little differently than books one and two; the protagonists have to face a much greater challenge than those of previous books. And geez, Rowe throws so much at them! At times, I jumped up and down swearing, at others I was moved and had tears in my eyes, but you know what, Rowe and her characters did not disappoint. Rather, she challenged the beliefs and values of her characters and took them down paths that I couldn't believe she was taking them. And I am so very glad that she did!
This book is full of risks - in so many ways! And I absolutley loved the rollercoaster that Rowe, Ana and Elijah took me on.
Book three of the Order of the Blades series is most definitely filled with adrenaline pumping action. I was constantly immersed in the glorious action, the characters, their relationships, so much so that I had to force myself to stop reading to slow my pulse and take a breath throughout the book.
In many ways, book three is quite different to the first two books. It is just as superbly original and excellent, yet the passion, struggle and the depth of emotion that Ana and Eiljah face is so brutal, yet is also pretty awe inspiring.
I was swept away by Rowe's ability to create such depth of character detail and emotion. She bared the souls of her characters, allowing us the privilege to not only see and feel the characters, but to understand them; I felt that this was much more raw, more fierce and many ways more real compared to the characters that we've previously known and loved (who we still see and continue to enjoy in Darkness Surrendered).
Darkness Surrendered plays out a little differently than books one and two; the protagonists have to face a much greater challenge than those of previous books. And geez, Rowe throws so much at them! At times, I jumped up and down swearing, at others I was moved and had tears in my eyes, but you know what, Rowe and her characters did not disappoint. Rather, she challenged the beliefs and values of her characters and took them down paths that I couldn't believe she was taking them. And I am so very glad that she did!
This book is full of risks - in so many ways! And I absolutley loved the rollercoaster that Rowe, Ana and Elijah took me on.
May 13, 2012
The one thing I never thought would happen happened in this book. I actually felt sympathy for Ezekiel. I struggled with that for most of the book.
This book was the final showdown between Ezekiel and the good warriors of the Order of the Blade.
**Some mild spoilers ahead**
Elijah Ross was tortured for 100 years by dark illusionist. He managed to escape 500 years ago but those illusions were always with him tormenting him as one of the things he did while under an illusion was kill his mother and sister. He is brought again under an illusion and in trying to save Ana he is killed.
Growing up Ana Matthews only did good illusions. Even though her and Grace’s life was basically spent on the run after their parents were killing Ana immersed herself in her just living in her illusions. Until she was kidnapped and tortured and forced to create evil illusions that got many good Calydon warriors killed. One of those warriors was Elijah. And his death was one she couldn’t get over.
During the ritual at the end of the 2nd book we find out that Elijah had been brought back to life but had been living in an illusion that had driven him insane. Ana knew he was alive because she could feel him calling her through the bond they shared for when he died for her. The Calydon warriors and Ana do find him but he is in horrible shape and has gone rogue. The only thing that calms him and brings him under control is Ana’s touch. So for most of the book Ana has to always be touching Elijah in one form or another to keep him from falling back under the illusions.
As the book goes along we find out more about why Ezekiel brought Elijah back to life and why he has always wanted Grace. It’s an interesting concept. Vaughn awakes from his coma when Drew calls to him for help. We learn a lot of interesting things about the blood bonded father of Drew. Hopefully more will be revealed on this in future books.
As for the final showdown it was defiantly bloody and heartbreaking. But I did like how Ezekiel was right before he died. So now we have 3 Calydon warriors with Sheva’s that have managed to beat the curse that seemed destined for all them. What will be in the future now that they have finally managed to kill Ezekiel???
This book was the final showdown between Ezekiel and the good warriors of the Order of the Blade.
**Some mild spoilers ahead**
Elijah Ross was tortured for 100 years by dark illusionist. He managed to escape 500 years ago but those illusions were always with him tormenting him as one of the things he did while under an illusion was kill his mother and sister. He is brought again under an illusion and in trying to save Ana he is killed.
Growing up Ana Matthews only did good illusions. Even though her and Grace’s life was basically spent on the run after their parents were killing Ana immersed herself in her just living in her illusions. Until she was kidnapped and tortured and forced to create evil illusions that got many good Calydon warriors killed. One of those warriors was Elijah. And his death was one she couldn’t get over.
During the ritual at the end of the 2nd book we find out that Elijah had been brought back to life but had been living in an illusion that had driven him insane. Ana knew he was alive because she could feel him calling her through the bond they shared for when he died for her. The Calydon warriors and Ana do find him but he is in horrible shape and has gone rogue. The only thing that calms him and brings him under control is Ana’s touch. So for most of the book Ana has to always be touching Elijah in one form or another to keep him from falling back under the illusions.
As the book goes along we find out more about why Ezekiel brought Elijah back to life and why he has always wanted Grace. It’s an interesting concept. Vaughn awakes from his coma when Drew calls to him for help. We learn a lot of interesting things about the blood bonded father of Drew. Hopefully more will be revealed on this in future books.
As for the final showdown it was defiantly bloody and heartbreaking. But I did like how Ezekiel was right before he died. So now we have 3 Calydon warriors with Sheva’s that have managed to beat the curse that seemed destined for all them. What will be in the future now that they have finally managed to kill Ezekiel???
March 21, 2013
Ok I'm done and I'm out. I skimmed some parts because the explanations were getting confusing. Elijah tortured, Ana squeaking. This whole time I was thinking, "dude ask your sister! She's already gone through this, I'm sure she can help you sort this out." But you barely see Grace here even though Ana is her sister. I liked Drew in the second book and you don't get much here with him; it was terrible about that thing but I won't spoil it. And what the hell is Vaughn?! It took me a while to realize the battle at the end wasn't an illusion re:Grace and Lily. It was kind of frustrating to read this one. I wasnt nvested in it anymore and i wasnt feeling it for Elijah even though i thought he'd be the one id be rooting for out of the three heroes. It seemed repetitive and I could see the cycle in this series. I think the first book was the best of the three.
Lily just bugged me in the second book. I think it's my bias against her name, which is odd bc my SIL is named Lily and she's terrific.
Ana seemed like she was 17 even though I'm sure she was supposed to be in her early 20s.
Grace came off the best, IMO.
Lily just bugged me in the second book. I think it's my bias against her name, which is odd bc my SIL is named Lily and she's terrific.
Ana seemed like she was 17 even though I'm sure she was supposed to be in her early 20s.
Grace came off the best, IMO.
May 2, 2015
loving this series
May 4, 2012
Book three in the Order of the Blade series starts off at break necking speed. The forbearer of the Calydon race, Ezekiel, is walking death. He's a bitter warrior full of evil that has been locked in a isolated prison for 2 thousand years and he has just escaped which in turn has cause the underground tunnels to collapse around Elijah. The other Order members are frantically searching for him as well as Ana Mathews, Elijah's mate. Ana and the Order Members are starting to lose hope that Elijah is still alive until Ana feels a flicker of energy and immediately knows who it's coming from. She starts to dig through the rubble with her bare hands, desperate to get Elijah free until the other Order members come to help with shovels. What she sees once Elijah has been freed shocks her to her core. The condition of his body is so severe Ana doesn't know how he's still alive. Not only is everyone worried about Elijah going Rogue since he has found his Sheva but Elijah doesn't know yet that Ana carries his mark.
Stephanie Rowe has created a world so full of raw emotion it's hard not to connect with these characters. The fierce determination in Elijah and his feeling toward Ana are so intense that what Ana is makes no different to him. I really like the idea of how the mating is done in stages and how the warriors mark appears on his mate.
*SPOILER ALERT* What I didn't expect to ever happen was the possibility of a Sheva to carry TWO marks! That was a great twist to the story and the way it played out was brilliant!
I found this book hard to put down, it has a great flow to it and the action will keep you on the edge of your seat!
After Dark gives this a 5 Demon Rating! http://allthefunstartsafterdark.blogs...
Stephanie Rowe has created a world so full of raw emotion it's hard not to connect with these characters. The fierce determination in Elijah and his feeling toward Ana are so intense that what Ana is makes no different to him. I really like the idea of how the mating is done in stages and how the warriors mark appears on his mate.
*SPOILER ALERT* What I didn't expect to ever happen was the possibility of a Sheva to carry TWO marks! That was a great twist to the story and the way it played out was brilliant!
I found this book hard to put down, it has a great flow to it and the action will keep you on the edge of your seat!
After Dark gives this a 5 Demon Rating! http://allthefunstartsafterdark.blogs...
June 29, 2012
3.5*s
Once again with this series, this was close to a DNF for me. Ana started out as almost TSTL, but she got better as she went along. I still had trouble with the premise of sacrificing innocent people (mostly women) for the greater "good" (mostly protecting humanity from Calydon warriors). I still had trouble with shaky motivations to manipulate the plot. And it still bothers me that Rowe writes in a passive voice.
Yet I still read these books.
The stories suck me in despite all that.
Darkness Surrendered is the culmination of a 3-book story arc, and you'll want to read Darkness Surrendered and Darkness Seduced in order to understand what's going on. Surrendered was slow to start, but the ending was action-packed. It included a nice twist on the sheva (soul-mate) aspect of the stories.
I'm glad to see that Rowe is continuing the series with Kane's story, in spite of my complaints. I'm especially anxious for an HEA for poor Ian.
Once again with this series, this was close to a DNF for me. Ana started out as almost TSTL, but she got better as she went along. I still had trouble with the premise of sacrificing innocent people (mostly women) for the greater "good" (mostly protecting humanity from Calydon warriors). I still had trouble with shaky motivations to manipulate the plot. And it still bothers me that Rowe writes in a passive voice.
Yet I still read these books.
The stories suck me in despite all that.
Darkness Surrendered is the culmination of a 3-book story arc, and you'll want to read Darkness Surrendered and Darkness Seduced in order to understand what's going on. Surrendered was slow to start, but the ending was action-packed. It included a nice twist on the sheva (soul-mate) aspect of the stories.
I'm glad to see that Rowe is continuing the series with Kane's story, in spite of my complaints. I'm especially anxious for an HEA for poor Ian.
January 18, 2013
Once you get a couple books into a series it gets harder and harder to review them. What can you say beyond I liked it more or less than the previous ones? Book 3 of the Order of the Blade series falls right in the middle for me. I liked it more than the second and less than the first. Rowe still manages to hit all of the right emotional notes with her überprotective males, but still overplays the hand a bit by telling the reader repeatedly how desperate they are to actually protect their mates. Ana and Elijah are a good pairing, well actually they're a horrible pairing and they know it, but they work.
I have to admit I really felt sorry for ultra-baddie, Ezekiel, in this one. He was a psycho and all and I certainly didn't want him to triumph, but I did sympathise with him a little bit. It made for a nice emotional conflict. The whole double-branding thing (you'll know what I mean if you read it) didn't sit well with me. I felt like it undermined the sacredness of the soulmate bond, but I kind of got the point too. As the series progresses I keep waiting for some sort of divine architect to come into play. I guess I'll just have to keep at it to see if that happens.
I have to admit I really felt sorry for ultra-baddie, Ezekiel, in this one. He was a psycho and all and I certainly didn't want him to triumph, but I did sympathise with him a little bit. It made for a nice emotional conflict. The whole double-branding thing (you'll know what I mean if you read it) didn't sit well with me. I felt like it undermined the sacredness of the soulmate bond, but I kind of got the point too. As the series progresses I keep waiting for some sort of divine architect to come into play. I guess I'll just have to keep at it to see if that happens.
November 22, 2012
This one has been my favorite of the series so far.
Elijah, a man who is truly broken finally meets his sheva, Ana. There is an added danger to the sheva bond (as if it wasn't dangerous enough with it being declared that once the couple bonds the man will go insane and if not stopped will kill everyone he loves...come on guys, let's figure out the out-clause already here) because Ana is an Illusionist, a race of people who have captured and tortured Elijah not once, but twice. Elijah is seriously messed up and his sanity is headed south when he is rescued and he meets Ana. The bond allows her to soothe him and restores his sanity, but it also causes him to start reliving painful memories.
Ana is not exactly whole and healthy herself, after being captured and tortured in order to release her illusions on other captives.
I think there was something quite touching about two people being so broken but who, despite their pain, made each other better when together.
Elijah, a man who is truly broken finally meets his sheva, Ana. There is an added danger to the sheva bond (as if it wasn't dangerous enough with it being declared that once the couple bonds the man will go insane and if not stopped will kill everyone he loves...come on guys, let's figure out the out-clause already here) because Ana is an Illusionist, a race of people who have captured and tortured Elijah not once, but twice. Elijah is seriously messed up and his sanity is headed south when he is rescued and he meets Ana. The bond allows her to soothe him and restores his sanity, but it also causes him to start reliving painful memories.
Ana is not exactly whole and healthy herself, after being captured and tortured in order to release her illusions on other captives.
I think there was something quite touching about two people being so broken but who, despite their pain, made each other better when together.
January 20, 2014
Rowe's ability to take three pages describing a 20 second scene is starting to annoy. Lots of cliche romance novel phrasing and the writing is so wordy I actually forgot several times what was happening in the scene because of her over the top descriptions and telepathy chatter between characters. It kind of breaks up the pace of action scenes and I found myself skimming action scenes, thinking, "oh good grief just stab him/rescue her/untie him/kill him already!"
I may have only one more of these in me if it doesn't improve...
I may have only one more of these in me if it doesn't improve...
May 2, 2012
Finally Elijah & Ana's story! more review later!
September 6, 2013
This is Elijah Ross' story! As you will read he did not die in the hell that Ana put him through in book #2. I was enthralled with this one. Probably one of the best books in the series so far!
October 18, 2017
"Darkness Surrendered" by Stephanie Rowe. Book 3 in the Order of the Blade series.
I just finished reading this book October 18, 2017. This is my review.
I really liked this book. This book concludes the overall story arc of defeating the evil Ezekiel which is the focus of the first three books in this series. The main characters in this book are Elijah and Ana. I don't recommend reading this book as a stand alone, you really should read the series from the beginning so you know the history of the Calydon and who Ezekiel is and why he's doing what he's doing in this book. You'll also be familiar with all the characters because there are many to keep track of.
Ana is determined to find Elijah. She thought she killed him during their battle with Nate but now knows that he's still alive. She is his sheva, the one woman who is his destined mate. When she finds him, he's hanging on to life by a thread...and he's completely insane. He'd been tortured both physically and mentally when he was held prisoner by Frank, an evil Illusionist. Her touch seems to calm him. Can she help bring Elijah back to sanity? Because Elijah may be the only person able to defeat the evil Ezekiel. But how can Elijah trust her enough to help him when she is his worst nightmare? She's an Illusionist and she's used her illusions against him already.
Elijah is fighting for his sanity. Tortured in his past and his present has made his mind a freaking mess. His only salvation is Ana, his destined mate. Completing the five bonding steps with her may be the only way to keep him sane but that also means that they will destroy what each other wants most in the world. That is the destiny of each Calydon warrior that finds his sheva. What he wants most is to find and kill Ezekiel and that's what Ana wants too. Elijah believes in destiny. Can he keep from bonding with Ana until Ezekiel is defeated? Or will his and Ana's connection defy destiny?
So that's just a little overview of the romance plot between Elijah and Ana. Elijah has secrets in his past that make his backstory very emotional. I really enjoyed discovering those secrets. It really explains Elijah's mental state and reveals the kind of character he is. Ana is a very strong character. She's trying to find out who she really is and you really feel herself struggle with her emotions and feelings. The chemistry between Elijah and Ana is very hot and sensual. They don't deny their attraction to each other which makes for some very intimate and sensual scenes. I really enjoyed the conclusion of the Ezekiel story line. There were some twists in the plot I didn't see coming. Excellent teasing as to what could possibly be the next story arc in the series. There are more Calydon warriors that need their happily-ever-afters told.
I really enjoyed this book and I will definitely be continuing to read this series.
I just finished reading this book October 18, 2017. This is my review.
I really liked this book. This book concludes the overall story arc of defeating the evil Ezekiel which is the focus of the first three books in this series. The main characters in this book are Elijah and Ana. I don't recommend reading this book as a stand alone, you really should read the series from the beginning so you know the history of the Calydon and who Ezekiel is and why he's doing what he's doing in this book. You'll also be familiar with all the characters because there are many to keep track of.
Ana is determined to find Elijah. She thought she killed him during their battle with Nate but now knows that he's still alive. She is his sheva, the one woman who is his destined mate. When she finds him, he's hanging on to life by a thread...and he's completely insane. He'd been tortured both physically and mentally when he was held prisoner by Frank, an evil Illusionist. Her touch seems to calm him. Can she help bring Elijah back to sanity? Because Elijah may be the only person able to defeat the evil Ezekiel. But how can Elijah trust her enough to help him when she is his worst nightmare? She's an Illusionist and she's used her illusions against him already.
Elijah is fighting for his sanity. Tortured in his past and his present has made his mind a freaking mess. His only salvation is Ana, his destined mate. Completing the five bonding steps with her may be the only way to keep him sane but that also means that they will destroy what each other wants most in the world. That is the destiny of each Calydon warrior that finds his sheva. What he wants most is to find and kill Ezekiel and that's what Ana wants too. Elijah believes in destiny. Can he keep from bonding with Ana until Ezekiel is defeated? Or will his and Ana's connection defy destiny?
So that's just a little overview of the romance plot between Elijah and Ana. Elijah has secrets in his past that make his backstory very emotional. I really enjoyed discovering those secrets. It really explains Elijah's mental state and reveals the kind of character he is. Ana is a very strong character. She's trying to find out who she really is and you really feel herself struggle with her emotions and feelings. The chemistry between Elijah and Ana is very hot and sensual. They don't deny their attraction to each other which makes for some very intimate and sensual scenes. I really enjoyed the conclusion of the Ezekiel story line. There were some twists in the plot I didn't see coming. Excellent teasing as to what could possibly be the next story arc in the series. There are more Calydon warriors that need their happily-ever-afters told.
I really enjoyed this book and I will definitely be continuing to read this series.
October 21, 2018
Elijah is a tormented warrior who has lost his mind and is being used by Ezekiel to destroy his friends and teammates. At the end of book 2, he is buried alive and left by his teammates and friends, so when this one opens up it is right where the series left off. Ana is searching for her mate, who she knows has survived, and when they unearth him he is not the same man who sacrificed himself to try and save her in book 1. Their story is a tormented one. She represents all of his nightmares and he knows that he is one slip away from total and complete madness so he tries to keep his distance. She knows it is her fault he is as tortured as he is and it was her fault that he was killed, revived, captured, and tortured in order to be used as a weapon against the Order. All she wants is to give him his life back; she knows she doesn’t deserve anything else, so she tries to keep her distance. It doesn’t help either of them that her touch is the only thing that keeps his demons from coming back. While they struggle with the mixed emotions they bring out in each other, they are trying to find a way to kill their enemy. This one is action packed just like the previous two books. The action was good. The emotional tension was good and the plot was strong. I did feel like at a certain part it did seem to drag a bit but overall enjoyable and entertaining. The bad guy is epic in this one. The final battle was well written and great. I enjoyed it. However, I think book 2 is my favorite so far.
May 1, 2022
This deserves to be a movie!!
What a thrill-ride! From the desperation of trying to locate and rescue a fallen Order member, through the pain of realizing how truly broken he is, through the soul-deep agony of guilt, through the fury and fear of being at the mercy of an unstoppable foe, to the triumph of true love... This tale takes the reader through a gamut of emotions! Elijah and Ana endure so much, but this story is different in that it delves into several other characters' feelings and reactions, too. The author's genius in creating a villain who is a chess master of the truly long game and making him more than pure evil adds dimension to the character and complexity to Ana's and Elijah's interactions with him. This reader was both exhausted and satisfied at the end...but is it?
What a thrill-ride! From the desperation of trying to locate and rescue a fallen Order member, through the pain of realizing how truly broken he is, through the soul-deep agony of guilt, through the fury and fear of being at the mercy of an unstoppable foe, to the triumph of true love... This tale takes the reader through a gamut of emotions! Elijah and Ana endure so much, but this story is different in that it delves into several other characters' feelings and reactions, too. The author's genius in creating a villain who is a chess master of the truly long game and making him more than pure evil adds dimension to the character and complexity to Ana's and Elijah's interactions with him. This reader was both exhausted and satisfied at the end...but is it?
October 29, 2020
Elijah and Ana
This book goes along with the past two in the series. A continuation with Elijah and Ana. Following along with their struggles to stay sane as they bond.
There’s so much going on in this book. A definite page turner!
The whole order is in this book, team work, trying to defeat the evils they come up against.
This book has ups and downs, takes time to get to reach the hea these characters deserve.
I can’t wait to see what happens next in this series.
This book goes along with the past two in the series. A continuation with Elijah and Ana. Following along with their struggles to stay sane as they bond.
There’s so much going on in this book. A definite page turner!
The whole order is in this book, team work, trying to defeat the evils they come up against.
This book has ups and downs, takes time to get to reach the hea these characters deserve.
I can’t wait to see what happens next in this series.
March 1, 2018
Still a Guilty Pleasure
I this this book might be my favorite so far. The storyline is much more detailed and intriguing. There is a truly terrible villain. It's exciting to get to know more of the members of the Order, as it makes their interaction that much more understandable. This series is only growing more and more interesting and I can wait to read them all.
I this this book might be my favorite so far. The storyline is much more detailed and intriguing. There is a truly terrible villain. It's exciting to get to know more of the members of the Order, as it makes their interaction that much more understandable. This series is only growing more and more interesting and I can wait to read them all.
April 28, 2018
Alright but the first two were better
Although I enjoyed this story as well, I did not find myself loving it as much as the first two in the series. This one didn’t have the same quality connections as the first two and I found Ana and Elijah to be a bit annoying. However, I will say that the ending battle was better
Although I enjoyed this story as well, I did not find myself loving it as much as the first two in the series. This one didn’t have the same quality connections as the first two and I found Ana and Elijah to be a bit annoying. However, I will say that the ending battle was better
May 14, 2017
Darkness
Wow loved this book. Made me want to scream, hide and smile. Love the continuing story of the order and the Destiny with their shirva . Illusions to break the mind. Love and bonds. Great read couldn't put it down
Wow loved this book. Made me want to scream, hide and smile. Love the continuing story of the order and the Destiny with their shirva . Illusions to break the mind. Love and bonds. Great read couldn't put it down
August 13, 2017
I couldn't finish this book. The constant whining and unworthiness and internal dialogue of both characters was tiring. I hate not finishing a book but at 67% I realized I was just torturing myself and skipped to the final two chapters to skim so I could be ready for the next book.
May 11, 2018
Just wow
Prepare yourself for the battle of the century. Steeped in heart-pounding, nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat, angsty action, the heart-wrenchingly beautiful ending will have you breathing a sigh of relief. So well crafted I could not guess what would happen next.
Prepare yourself for the battle of the century. Steeped in heart-pounding, nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat, angsty action, the heart-wrenchingly beautiful ending will have you breathing a sigh of relief. So well crafted I could not guess what would happen next.
June 25, 2017
Even though the 'I have to kill the sheva' storyline sucks, this was a good read with lots of action.
September 19, 2017
Good story
Good story but too repetitive. The same message was written so many times using different words. I jumped pages just to get past
Good story but too repetitive. The same message was written so many times using different words. I jumped pages just to get past
January 9, 2018
again I couldn’t put it down I’m already in to the next story I’m gonna get lost in
October 8, 2018
Loved it
Omg this story had me going crazy lol i loved it so much. So happy that their love beat all the odds against them. So far i love this series😍😍
Omg this story had me going crazy lol i loved it so much. So happy that their love beat all the odds against them. So far i love this series😍😍
September 30, 2019
ALWAYS amazing!
This series is hard to put down. The characters, and stories are riveting. I always love the writing of Stephanie's books. The characters come alive everytime!
This series is hard to put down. The characters, and stories are riveting. I always love the writing of Stephanie's books. The characters come alive everytime!
Read
March 26, 2020Great lime all of her books
November 15, 2021
Riveting 😳😳😘😘😘😘 one of my “I can’t put it downers!!!!”
January 21, 2022
Intense and so worth it
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