Realms of Wrath and Ruin: A Science Fantasy Romance Series

Gate Chronicles #2

by Alli Earnest

The end of time is coming.
All that's left of Hallie Walker after the Eudora Jayde mission are nightmares and an ancestry tangled with dark secrets. When her parents send an urgent telegram to return home, she knows it's time to face the past she's determined to forget. In doing so, she unwittingly stumbles into a scheme as old as the planet itself. If only she can convince a certain cocky pilot to fly her home...
Reeling from the death of his brother, Kase Shackley focuses on anything but reality itself. But when his past sins spill into the light of day, Kase does what he does best-run. If only he knew how to tell a certain bubbly scholar goodbye...
The world of Yalvara sits on a precipice, peering into the murky depths below. The kingdom of Cerulene has been too quiet since attacking the nation of Jayde, and a dangerous extremist group lurks in the shadows. When the ancient Yalvs arrive in Jayde's capital with stories of a dragon and its rider destroying their holy city, Hallie and Kase know the horizon of war has finally come. The question is, who will be standing when the smoke clears?
Realms of Wrath & Ruin is the second heart-wrenching, character-driven steampunk novel in the Gate Chronicles series featuring a slow burn romance, perfect for fans of the magic system in Attack on Titan, the world of Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross, and the romance of Fox's 1997 film Anastasia.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Science Fiction, Steampunk, Romantasy, Magic, Fiction

440 pages, Paperback

Published June 22, 2023

About the author

ALLI EARNEST drinks way too much coffee and is obsessed with burning redwood-scented candles, but growing up with two sisters, she’s always been a tad overdramatic. It doesn’t help that she enjoys books with dragons, wizards, and laser swords.

Graduating with a bachelor's degree in Middle Grades Education, Alli taught English Language Arts for five years and tried to convince thirteen-year-olds that Poe wasn’t nearly as crazy as he sounded.

At present, Alli writes science-fiction and fantasy from an office filled with books and other collectibles. She’s active on Instagram and YouTube, fangirling over her favorite books and documenting her author life. She lives in the southern US with her husband, son, and dogs.

Reviews

[S.F. Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

IM GONNA CRY! This book was so good! I literally was so shocked by the ending, that I had to put it down and breathe for a hot second. WHERE IS MY BOOK THREE??? I need it ASAP! This one was so so good. Some series book twos don't hold much plot or further the series but Realms of Wrath and Ruin did such an excellent job at keeping me interested and entertained! One thing I have to say is that it was on page 345 that the slow-burn finally paid off!! I was so happy I was kicking my feet haha. The ending made me cry, I'm so happy for Kase and Hallie and I want them together all the time. They're so sweet, I can't wait to see how they grow as a couple in book three. I loved this book, it was seriously so good from the Tangled, Shakespeare, and Star Wars references to the deeper portions of the book concerning guilt, trauma, and PTSD. The ending left me speechless for a few moments, I couldn't read the ending fast enough. Such a fantastic book, there were so many aspects of world-building and character growth and new questions waiting to be asked and answered! I'm so excited for the next novel in this series, it's quickly become my favorite, and I will be eagerly waiting for the next installment.

[Reese Songbird · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, I have to say that this book was amazing. I still like book one better, but this book was great, and I still love this one too. Both books are in my favorites list for sure.
It’s a great continuation of the series, and I will say I loved the romance.
There are too many amazing and sweet moments to count, and there were many wonderful new characters.
This book definitely pulled at my heart, and ripped it out, but also put it back together. The emotions of all the characters, and their arcs were all relatable. And I still adore Kase and Hallie, who are definitely in my top favorite characters.
It was perfectly clean, and even had a couple mentions of the Bible.
This book does deal with grief. It did not bother me, but I wanted to make sure that I mentioned that in case someone does.

[★*☆♪Ev★*☆♪ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, just wow!

Lovely, this is my favorite book ever!!!
It is amazing!

What else can I say? YOU HAVE TO READ THIS!

The banter, *sigh*, it's the best!

I personally am going to try and use 'Oh my stars' in my daily vocabulary! Also 'dulkop' I love it! It's much better than idiot.

Signing off......

P.S. I hope, hope, hope you read it!

13+

[Tales and Treats with Tay · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one definitely had book #2 syndrome: more of a connector book between 1 and 3. The first half of the book was slow, nothing really happened except for the mundane to set up for the big events later on. The last quarter of the book was the best.

Again, this is a slooooooowburn. To put it in perspective, the first kiss doesn't happen til the last 1/4 of this book. But I do like the romance now, and I like Hallie's character. Kase, I still feel like blames himself unnecessarily a bit too much and his curly hair is brought up A lot, but he is much more likable in this book.

A bit more information was given, but I still feel way too confused overall about what the lore is and what's going on. It's like the author dumps a bit of information in without explaining anything.

I think there's a lot of potential for the overall story to be good, I guess I'll just have to be patient to get it.


Content: drinking to cope, death of a sibling, PTSD

Christian Faith rating: 0/3 secular clean fiction
Note: there were a few references to Christianity, described as a religion that is still around from when humans were on Earth 1000 years ago. I don't know if the author plans to bring this out a little more in the future or not

[Mikaela Jordon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I want to start by saying I do love this series and I am so excited to see where it goes. My biggest critique of this book is that for me the pacing was off and it was really slow in some parts. But the last 30% of the book was so good and made me so excited for the next book. Overall I really enjoy this series (just some pacing issues)

[Cecily Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahhh *chefs kiss*

[Febe44 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t like this one as much as i did the first one. I thought that it took quite long for them to go on an adventure again and what they did in the capital wasn’t as interesting. Also what a fk slowburn. I do want to know what happens in the third book tho.

[thelilcloseddoorbookgal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew beforehand it would end on a brutal cliffhanger; nevertheless, I'm still hurt. At least the trilogy is complete, so I don't have to wait for the third book! I really liked the first book, but I loved this second one. I thought the pacing was better, which was personally my only issue with the first book. A couple of characters were acting a bit questionable, but I felt for them when I learned more about their tragic history and how they were struggling to cope. I appreciate how these characters are flawed and the growth is not linear, because it makes them more relatable and realistic. Kase had great character growth! I genuinely liked reading from all four POVs and their experiences, and there wasn't a dull one for me. Overall, it had an intriguing setting, an interesting high-stakes plot, a slow-burning romance that I absolutely rooted for, and lots of character depth. This is the kind of series I could read again and again. I plan to start the third book soon.

Spice level: kisses only
Profanity: None (in-world language)
Content/trigger warnings: War violence (not too graphic), parental abuse, struggle with alcoholism as a coping method, abduction, trauma related to parental abuse and the death of a sibling

[Story Eater · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 bajillion stars from this reader.

I am the type of reader who can literally see a movie playing in my head when I read books. Good books for me are never a matter of whether or not they play out in my head; good books for me play vividly and evoke emotion. Earnest’s sequel does that. It takes a bit to get the reel moving, but when the lights go down and the strip gets moving, it plays out like the best cinema I’ve seen.

Realms starts out slowly, which I feel is intentional so Earnest can just rub my face in all the havoc she wreaked on me from the last book. The characters (I also) do a lot of reflecting and mourning while setting up the premise for the next stage in the fight against the Cerls.

My profuse thanks to Earnest for this wonderful eARC, for which I willingly (and heartily) give my own, honest opinion.

See the full review on my blog!

Blog / Instagram / Literal / BookBub

[-.‘ Chloe Rose ’.- · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS SAGA IS… ✨🤌 PERFECT! I am SO SAD that I am finished and I am PATIENTLY waiting for book 3. This book was so amazing I can’t even put it in words. IN SUMMARY, 10000000000000/10 FANTASTIC WOULD ABSOLUTELY RECOMMEND!!!!!!

[Kaylee · Rating 5 out of 5]

(No Language)

•Spice level
(🌶️ # 1 )no smut just kissing.

•🧝‍♀️Genre: sci-fi steampunk, semi fantasy romance.

•Trope: haters to lovers slow burn, one bed, (technically friends to lovers in this book since it’s the second book.. but DW THERE IS PLENTY OF HEALTHY BANTER)

•Extra details:
Touch her and you die
Jealousy
Would die for her
Multiple POVs
BANTER BANTER

•Movies its overall vibe reminds me of:
Lost cities of Atlantas, treasure planet, Anastasia.

SPOILER WARNING🚨🚨🚨
My favorite scene
“He didn’t think, didn’t tell himself that he was only making it harder for him to leave, only dropped his pack and sprinted back towards her. She met him halfway. He scooped her into his arms and captured her lips with his.” (there’s more to it but I won’t put the entire page for your sakes. :))

✨My overall thoughts👇
I loved this book so much!!! The romance was SO PERFEct my most favorite romantic couple BY FAR NOW!! The amount of times I had to put the book down because I was smiling like an idiot and squealing.
Also the world building and plot was so perfect and so well done! THE mystery THE betrayal the drama 🌝!! And also It was clean which we love. 😖👌 AND such an emotional rollercoaster!! The first book was good but this one just blew it out of the park!!

•🚨🚨I have nothing negative to say about this book so here’s some minor content warnings.👇
•mentions of abuse
•alcohol addiction
•panic attacks

(No smut 👌No cursing👌)

[Amelia Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

2024-This doesn't happen often, but I actually liked this book more than the first. The first was great. This one was even better.
It's been awhile since I've read a series and I forgot how much more invested you get in the characters when you have read more about them.
The main characters continue to change and grow, but the side characters are also relevant and interesting. I love when side characters are written as good characters. A lot of people are so focused on their main that they make cardboard back-up characters. Blech.
I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Camille Mosemann · Rating 5 out of 5]

The chemistry that this book has! I was not prepared for the emotional rollercoaster that this book took me on! Kase and Hallie were already my favorite characters from Cities, but this book was on an entirely new level. I spent the whole time between love of their chemistry and heartbroken at the situations and backstories. I am so excited to read the conclusion to this epic series!

[Phoebe]

Rating- TBC
(Kindle Unlimited)
Coming back to do a review. This definitely had second book syndrome but never the less I really enjoyed it and can not wait for the last book to release September 28th.

[Talitha epp · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
I really loved this book. I can't wait til book 3 is out! 😍

[Abigail Hayven · Rating 4 out of 5]

RTC

[Lindsay Westcott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Still reeling from the events and losses in Myrrai, Kase deals with family infighting and understanding his next role. Hallie busies herself with helping the Yalvs integrate into society within the city of Kyvena, but she can’t bear to attend University, so takes a job as a server. When Hallie’s family sends her a note that she needs to come home, Hallie asks Kase to fly her there. Kase agrees, as he’s running from a massive secret that could mean his death.

The adventure results in flashes of lovely, touching moments and action reminiscent of the best parts of the first book. Any time Hallie and Kase are working as a team, overcoming their traumas, and expanding their budding romance that neither will admit exists, the story shines. And to be fair, about two thirds of the book is lovely and enjoyable.

Other reviewers found the first half slow, but I found it just right. I loved Hallie and Kase’s inner conflicts as they process what happened in Myrrai and their new worldviews. I also adored most parts of Jove and Clara’s chapters, but …

Where it falls flat is too much explanation and diving into politics, particularly in Jove’s chapters. I love political intrigue, but the politics were over-explaining just to land on a simple conflict. Ok, it’s realistic - politics are messy - but the overly complicated politics were like red herrings, which just landed me confused and bored for some of the story’s second half. It made me wonder why much of the story was necessary.

Hallie made me roll my eyes several times. At the beginning, her character shifted too far into damsel, even fainting from hearing about deaths. Luckily, she redeems herself as the brave scholar I’d come to know later in the book.

We meet a few new characters from Hallie’s past, and unfortunately, these characters were rather flat, including a “mountain man” dialect that disrupted reading. They’re likely to be part of the third book, so hopefully they’ll be better rounded. I would have preferred learning about these new characters rather than understanding the political turmoil.

This story is not as well-written as the last one.. It was over described with dramatic stage direction, making it read far more amateur than the first book.

If you really loved the first book, especially if you loved Kase and Hallie and want to see where they go, it’s worth reading this one. Just be prepared to slog through the politics.

Also, I rounded up to 3 stars, but really find it about 2.5 stars. I liked it, but there were issues.

[Haley Annabelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

good, but not as good as the first one. There were more inconsistencies and editing mistakes in this one. However, I just love these characters! And the slow burn finally paid off :D Can't wait for book 3!

[Lauryn Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Character development compared to the first book? 10/10
The fact that Hallie doesn’t pass out nearly as many times as the first book?
10/10
References to my favorite thing ever (Star Wars- I got VERY excited)?
10/10
I was literally picturing how certain scenes will happen in the third book before I had even finished this one.
I am not eloquent with words but I know that I loved this book so that’s the review lol

—Second Read
This book was just as great on the second read if not better than the first time I read it. The third installment cannot come fast enough.

[Lucero Kingstone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just like the first one, I enjoyed this book a lot.
I'm still a little confused on the whole Essences thing. The glossary at the end helped tho.

But yeah, loved following Kase and Hallie again. I also loved having more chapters from Johve's pov, I actually like his character a lot and it's great to give us more insights of what was happening in Kyvena while our MCs were on their mission.

Can't wait for book 3. What does a girl have to do to get an ARC around here???

[Danielle Carlson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Giving this book 3 stars because I definitely enjoyed it, but it lost me a little bit in the last 25% of the book.

Mild spoilers ahead. I try to stay vague.

-This book explores some heavy topics, including domestic violence and death. For the most part, I liked how this was handled.
-The editing was honestly not as good as it was in the first book. I did find a lot of typos and then it just didn’t feel like it had been given as much love as the first book.
-I wanted way more development of the villains in this book. They felt more like caricatures than characters.
-I liked how we get to dive deeper into the characters’ back stories, but also *not*. This is personal preference, but I didn’t appreciate how both of the main characters have virtually the same backstory. They both lost siblings and it’s both their personal fault somehow. I wish there was more contrast between the two of them, at the very least in the way they processed their loss.
-The fire starting with the cigarettes did not feel compelling. It felt a little unrealistic. A kerosene lamp in a barn or something would have been more realistic and would feel less like a D.A.R.E. testimonial about the dangers of smoking cigarettes.
-The inclusion of Biblical elements felt kind of out-of-place because the first book didn’t feel like a Biblical allegory and didn’t really have any overt Biblical elements but it kind of feels like this is where this series is going? I’m not sure. Also, the characters aren’t really spiritual but maybe that changes?
-Kase’s rescue strategy at the end was so dumb. He’s supposed to be a smart guy and his plan was so out-of-pocket made no sense. If I can come up with a better plan, it’s not impressive.
-I liked the romance, but there were moments when I felt like the relationship-development scenes were written first out of context of the plot and then the plot was sort of patched around the relationship. The plot ended up feeling secondary and not as compelling as a result.

Would I recommend this book? Yes if you’re looking for a fun, easy-to-read YA fantasy that’s 100% clean and a little corny. Will I be reading the rest of this series? Yes.

Trigger warning:

There are violent depictions in this book, including some serious domestic violence and abuse.

[Hannah Barclay · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ✨enjoyed this more than book 1 I think! There were still a couple things that I struggled with in this one (a little too much “stars” this or that for me and a plot that felt a little jumpy… I think that might just be a fantasy thing I’m not used to though). BUT other than that I LOVED the adventure and the fact there was way more world and character development and we got to see a lot more of Hallie and Kase together 🤩

[Vick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely liked this A LOT more than book one, it wasn’t as much sci-fi as the first which is a reason why I liked it more.
Still a very long slow burn between Kase and Hallie, I GUESS ITS FINE.
It definitely did give off similar vibes to Divine Rivals which I like. I wasn’t expecting the ending twist so I was pleasantly surprised.

[Kortnee - The Closed Door Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

AHHH!! THAT ENDING!!!!!!! I need the next book now! I finished this right before a counciling appointment and had to not be analyzing or processing that ending so I could process my life instead 🤣 September can not get here soon enough so I can have closure to this amazing story! More of a review will be coming!

[albaa_doobee · Rating 3 out of 5]

me ha gustado más que el primero, lo único que el romance MUY lento, demasiado
encima acaban de sacarlo así que hasta que saquen el tercero...
muy chuli, muy bien

[Amelie Warden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything went bad but it all got better at the end so it was fine. But the epilogue?? WHY DID EVERYTHING GO BAD IN THE EPILOGUE???

[sei · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has the power to bring you to its blasted star world. It was so compelling that I couldn't put it down. We did see Kase and Hallie on a journey together for the second time. The slow burn is slow burning COZ WHAT DO YOU MEAN THEY ONLY HAD THEIR FIRST KISS IN THE LAST HALF PART OF THE STORY??? I NEED MORE. I'm also glad there was character development for the mcs although the side characters fell flat for me this time, and there are still a lot of unanswered questions and confusing parts. The twist didn't shock me the way I expected it to as well, but the cliffhanger is killing me argh

[Sarah Martyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I devoured this story! Loved the character development and back stories. So good to see lots of Hallie and Kase together. I was excited to see what would happen next and the rescue attempts were unhinged :) The only thing is that the plot and world building in this series is confusing at times.

[sabriname · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahhh! I’m so in love with this series. The second book was SO GOOD. The slow burn was sooo satisfying, and while the plot was slower, I actually liked it for the second book and where the characters were at after the traumatizing events of book 1. It definitely felt like an opening act for the third book, while also being its own.
The characters make me giggle like I’m thirteen again??? They’re so cute??? Kase and Hallie are just the epitome of satisfying slow burn with adorable banter. I love them and I love this book and can’t wait to read more!

[denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

~2.75⭐️~