Wilde's Army

Darkness Falls #2

by Krystal Wade

“Hello, Katriona.”

Those two words spark fear in Katriona Wilde and give way to an unlikely partnership with Perth, the man she’s been traded to marry for a favor. Saving her true love and protector Arland, her family, and their soldiers keeps her motivated, but the at-odds duo soon realizes trust is something that comes and goes with each breath of Encardia’s rotting, stagnant air. The moment when concern for her missing sister spirals out of control, all thoughts of trust are pushed aside and she finds herself trapped by the daemon tricks Perth warned her of.

However, rescuing those she loves is only half the problem.

Kate still must get to Willow Falls, unite her clashing people, and form an army prepared to fight in order to defeat Darkness. When so many she’s grown fond of die along the journey, her ability to play by the gods’ rules is tested.

How will she make allies when the world appears stacked against her? And will she still be Katriona Wilde, the girl with fire?

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Fiction, Paranormal Romance, Magic

348 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 4, 2012

About the author

I’m happily married to the love of my life (don’t gag) and raising three beautiful children in the gorgeous state of Virginia. We live just outside Washington, D.C., and every day I wake up to find myself stuck in traffic trying to get there.

The horrid commute gives me plenty of time to zone out and think about my characters in full, brilliant details (I’m a safe driver; don’t worry). Stories give me a way to forget about the sometimes smelly strangers sitting next to me on the fifty mile trek into town (I pick up hitchhikers every day. True story. Check out www.slug-lines.com if you don’t believe me).

I’ve been a part of organized hitchhiking for nearly fifteen years, but that’s just one small aspect of my oh-so-large life. When I’m not working, commuting, or chasing after my three children (four if you count the man), you can usually find me outside talking to my chickens like they’re the cutest things in the world (they are), or training my amazing dogs how to herd said chickens (which they love), or curled up on the sofa with a good book (why can’t that be 100% of the time?).

I hope you love my stories (or just like them a little; that would be okay, too). And I hope that one day you find your passion, because there’s nothing in life better than doing what you love while surrounded by people you love.

Reviews

[Farrah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review also appears on my blog at http://www.thegoldenruleof666.blogspo...

Absolutely brilliant! Everything I hoped it would be and more! Thrills, romance, surprises...what more could you ask for?

Katriona grew so much in this book. In Wilde's Fire, she was unsure of herself and her magic reflected that. In this one, her confidence shot up. Though she had moments of insecurity (who wouldn't when the entire world counted on you to survive), she was a strong leader who inspired people to fight. Obviously, in this book, Katriona is trying to build an army to help her fight Darkness. It's not as easy as it sounds. The people of Encardia are tired of fighting. Getting them motivated isn't exactly a walk in the park. How does she manage with that problem? I'll let you figure that out. And, let me tell you, it's positively awe-inspiring.

Arland...what can I say? He is perfection at its finest. He was determined to protect Katriona and whenever she got hurt, he saw it as his failure. It was both sweet-in that he was so determined to keep her safe-and sad-because he blamed himself every time Katriona got hurt. He was supportive of Katriona and basically the most perfect boyfriend ever to exist (and maybe more...;). I LOVED their relationship. It is the purest, most true love ever. I swear, whenever they were on the page together, I would undoubtedly be smiling at how adorable their relationship is.

Perth was an interesting character. He doesn't approve of his father and how his father rules, so he's decided to join with Katriona in the fight. This doesn't turn into a love triangle (how could it with the absolute devotion in Katriona and Arland's relationship). At first, he was a thorn in my side. But he kind of grew on me. By the end of the book, I was grudgingly admitting that I was actually fond of him. Don't worry, he'll grow on you to, whether you want him to or not.

The other characters were all dynamic. Katriona's mother showed a different side of her. Brit grows as she sticks with Katriona in the fight. Brad is still there, despite being taken over by Darkness. I'm hoping for the best for him in the next book. Really all of the characters were interesting.

The story was, of course, thrilling and romantic. There is a lot more action in this one, as the fight has truly started. Similarly, the romance is more intense as Katriona and Arland's relationship grows. I got to be more familiar with the whole mythology in this book. In the first one, things were a little fuzzy. In Wilde's Army, I was able to truly understand the whole issue about the magic and the gods. I also got to know the world of Encardia a lot better. And the ending to this book. It had me both smiling and having a panic attack. I can't wait to get my hands on the next book to see how the war turns out, how the love story grows, how all the the characters get along. Ms. Wade, please write fast! I'm dying to find out what happens next.

Wilde's army was perfection, a worthy sequel to Wilde's Fire. Loved every moment of it.
5/5

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy!

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

We are back in the beautiful world of Encardia, where the author transforms our imaginations to a world of wonder, magic and of turmoil. Katriona is the key to saving this world, by uniting all people they will conquer darkness together.

After falling through a portal into a world she has never known, and finally finding the literal man of her dreams and dealing with the loss of her best friend Kate is now faced with conquering darkness and bringing light back to Encardia. Her homeland, where her and her family are originally from, but to do this she must be ready to lie to keep everyone alive. She is promised to be married to Perth but as per her prophecy she is in love and will marry Arland. Through their travels from Watcher’s Hill to Willow falls they encounter many demons, but prevail.

Perth, Arland and Kate work together to hide their secrets from the rest of the people at Willow Falls especially Perth’s father who seeks to gain much with the marriage of Perth and Kate. He plans on denouncing her power and Perth becoming the leader of all people. In this book you see a lot of growth from Perth, his humanity and honesty comes through. He seems to really start to care about Kate, but I think that will only hurt him more in the end, I even feel myself rooting for him to be happy and find the freedom and love he secretly desires.

Throughout her ordeal in Willow Falls, Kate is to pretend she is in love with Perth and they are courting each other. All the while all she wants is Arland and to start getting on with her prophecy, to build her army. But she is constantly being watched and the time is approaching quickly for Perth and Kate to do their binding spell. But they do not belong together, her family has disappeared, she’s all alone and doesn’t know what is going on.

Until one night her mom comes knocking at her door and that is when her life starts to change, and the prophecy starts taking place. I don’t really want to go into too much detail at this point because this is where the fun begins. This is where everything that everyone has been working so hard for, all the lies and acting can finally stop and the truth will set everyone free. The whole thing made me proud.

This is a beautiful story and I can’t wait for it to continue. I can’t wait to see how Brad comes back and how all of this comes to an end, whether it is for good or bad. Overall this series just gets better and better and I am completely attached to the characters. Well done Krystal Wade, well done! You have me captivated.

[Eve · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so excited when I got my approval to read the ARC of this book I made a slightly embarrassing squeal in the break room of my job. First thing I did when I got home the other day was download the book to my beloved kindle. I pretty much read it last night until my eyes hurt and begged for a rest from reading and today. Yep I finished it! Yay!

Now for those of you who don’t know this amazing book is the sequel to Wilde’s Fire so there will be spoilers in this one pertaining to book 1. So be warned. First, look at that cover. So pretty, I still prefer the blue of the first one but this one really captures the essence of what they are.

In Wilde’s Army, Kate finds her love, her family and everyone else she has grown to love gone. All but one, Perth the man she’s been traded to marry for a favor. She must listen to the god’s guiding her and form a tentative partnership with this man everyone has warned her about. Finding and rescuing the ones she love is only half the battle they still must make it to Willow Falls and face a different kind of danger. Danger of their own kind because they take seriously the promise that was made, Kate to marry Perth, and her love for another could cost many their lives. Oh and if that isn’t enough of a problem she has to unite the people who have hated one another for far too long and form an army willing to fight for her. Yep she has a lot to face, and when everything appears stacked against her she must find out if she is still the same girl, the Light, the girl with fire.

Well now there is a lot of stuff happening in this book and it just flies right by. No dragging. Full of action or conflict or just good stuff. There is the return of our romance, sigh. Arland is so dreamy. We also get to learn more about Perth which I really enjoyed. I got glimpses of him in the first book that made me think there was more to him than what the other characters said and I am pleased with that. It was very interesting how he is portrayed. Not really bad but struggling to be good in his own way.

The world of Encardia is ever growing. We learn more about the world as a whole. The daemons and Darkness that lurk around every corner. The whole world is explained a little more. I got to understand more about the history of the world and how things were ran. A look behind the curtain so to speak. In book 1 we hear about some characters and Leaders and such but you don’t really get how they work but in this you are in the thick of it and the politics of even a dying world. This plays well with Kate and her growth. She has to face horrors at pretty much every turn but she has to grow as an individual. She grew in the first book by accepting who she is and what she can do as well as love. That continues in this book, she is more confident. She understands herself better, her power, and what she must do. She struggles throughout wondering what she should do and if what she wants to do is what is right and that to me makes it great. Yes she is growing more powerful in her understanding but she also has her moments, she can’t save everyone all the time. She is powerful but she is not completely all powerful. She can be hurt.

The struggles each character goes through… is tough. Knowing your prophecy doesn’t mean you know much of anything really. Those who know things are not always willing or able to share them. Then again some don’t know their purpose and that can be even more frustrating. Her mother has kept things from her all her life and still doesn’t tell her everything. Everyone always seems to know more about her life than she does at times and that frustrates her to no end and I can relate to that. Trust is hard to give. It’s even harder to rebuild. What do you do when someone you trust tells you one thing but your gut says another?

This book is full of magic. If you liked the first book even half as much as I did then you will love this book. Again my only complaint is that I have to wait for more. Yes, I am greedy like that. Though I must admit this is the shortest time I’ve ever waited for a sequel, I just hope I that does not mean I have to wait even longer for the 3rd book. So there you have it folks, 5 starts according to me. Wilde’s Army comes out July 4th.


http://functioninginsanity.blogspot.c...

[Jessa Russo · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I could give WILDE'S ARMY six stars, I would. It was BETTER than WILDE'S FIRE, which I gave five stars to already, so a SIX star rating is the only thing that makes sense!!!

I cried so many times in this book because I felt SO MUCH EMOTION. Happiness, love, fear, sorrow ... to name a few.

I finished the book with tears streaming down my face, not knowing what to do with myself next. I honestly had that confused, shocked, stuck-in-an-imaginary-land feeling you occasionally see 'somecards.com' referencing.

There are a select few books I would read again. This series is one of them.

*NOTE: I want to add that this review may seem biased because Krystal Wade is my editor. I am telling you that it is not, and you have no reason to believe me. However, because she IS my editor, had I NOT liked the book, I would have remained silent and never bothered to leave a review. That's my honesty in all its glory.

[Caedy Eries]

OMG!

SQUEE!

Pardon me while I run around like a crazed fan girl!

I absolutely LOVED the first book and I cannot wait until this book comes out! Seriously!

Who is super excited about this book coming out?

That'd be me!

[Michele (Reading Lark/CanadianTwiMom) · Rating 3 out of 5]

My review can also be found on Reading Lark: http://readinglark.blogspot.ca/2012/0...

Hmmm... I have to admit that I've got mixed feelings for Wilde's Army. There were some portions of this installment that I absolutely loved, but overall, I didn't find I enjoyed this one as much as I did the first book, Wilde's Fire. While some parts of the story were well done and well written, I found other parts were bogged down a bit and were inconsistent, and brought down my overall enjoyment of the book.

However, I'll start off with what I DID like/love about Wilde's Army.

I LOVED getting to know Perth a lot better. He was a much more complex character than what little we learned of him in Wilde's Fire. He was not as one-sided as everyone at Watcher's Hall believed him to be. Perhaps his being sent to Watcher's Hall to be Arland's thorn in his side was not entirely a bad thing for him. His being away from the influence of his power-hungry father and his snobbish and garish people was probably a huge blessing in disguise. He was honest with his feelings, even when they were not reciprocated, but put himself out there regardless. Kate's instincts where he was concerned were mostly bang-on.

I also continued to love the 'alone time' between Kate and Arland - especially that last time! While these scenes were not as abundant as in the first book, most of the time, they were quite lovely and swoon-worthy when they were alone together.

Kate's devotion to the animals and the children under her protection was something that made me appreciate her character more. Kate especially loved horses and her concern for Mirain's and the other animals' well-being was admirable. Also, her connection to the children was sweet and consistent with her character. Kate truly cared for people -- even when it was difficult for her to do so.

However, Kate's resolution was often tested throughout this book, and at times she faltered. I could understand some of her crumbling resolve as she had been put in situations that seemed all but hopeless. But what bothered me most was her questioning Arland's intentions when their relationship was put to the test by either circumstance or through the gods' plans. At a certain part of the story, Kate and Arland had to keep their distance from each and she had to pretend to be in love with someone else. For how in-sync her and Arland seemed to be most of the time, those were instances when I wanted to shake the sense back into her. Perhaps, their relationship needed these tests to strengthen their commitment to each other, but to me, I did not see the full value in it.

While I ADORED Flanna in the first installment, I wasn't too sure about her in this book. She seemed to act outside of the character we knew and loved in Wilde's Fire. I understood the reasons for some of this departure from character but I was left feeling confused by where her loyalties were and I didn't like that because I really enjoyed Flanna's personality, loyalty and her friendship with Kate in the previous book. Thankfully, her true nature seemed to come out in certain parts of the story, though.

I will point out that often these inconsistencies were explained as each character was fulfilling their own prophecies but I found that to be an all-too-convenient excuse.

I also felt a lack of fluidity as the story unfolded and I found the middle was a little too long and repetitive -- I found myself getting impatient for something to happen. Having said that, I think perhaps if this trilogy had been truncated and combined into one book instead of being drawn out into three, it would have been more enjoyable to read for me through better pacing. But I will say that when things started to happen, I got drawn back in and enjoyed those portions of the story.

A few other minor things bothered me but I don't want to nit-pick any further and give the wrong impression that this book was pointless and discourage anyone following this series to give up on it. It DID serve a purpose, as the point, I believe, was to strengthen Kate and Arland's union as well as unite a people to fight a dark god. But like I said, it could have been more succinct in how this portion of the story was told. And having said all this, I will still read the last installment as I do care enough about the characters to continue along their journey and hopefully see them accomplish what they need to do. I'm rounding up my 2.5 stars to 3 because I am, overall, enjoying this story.

As I mentioned in my review for Wilde's Fire, the age range of the major characters of this story was 19-25+, and there was some mature content, but I believe it was tastefully handled.

I'd like to thank Curiosity Quills Press and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this book.

[Tabitha (Bows & Bullets Reviews) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review is also available on my blog, Bows & Bullets Reviews

Katriona Wilde's life was turned upside down in the last novel. Now, she's trying to live with that, rescue her love, and build an army to fight a war. She feels ill prepared, but pushes forward. She is forced into a shakey alliance with Perth, the man she is supposed to marry due to a betrothal beyond her control. That isn't ever going to happen. She will be with Arland, as soon as she rescues him and Perth can either deal with it or not. But Perth isn't really the problem. The feud between the people of this magical land is. She has to unite them. She has to have an army to fight a war. How will she ever make that happen?

Instead of doing my usual spiel about each important character, I'm going to.....


Well I don't know what I'm going to do, but not that. I feel like I can't really go in depth about any particular character because I don't really care about any of them. Or maybe that's not true. Maybe I'm just irritated about them. Kate has that special little snowflake thing going on, which is fine...except I'm incredibly tired of that. There's one person who can save us all or we all die painfully. Oh? She fell in the tub and pushed her head and is now dead?
Well, fuck. I never truly loved them, but now there are so many that you can stand in a book store and point in any direction and I assure you there will be a book in that area about a special little snowflake.

The only character I really liked a little was Perth, which I don't think was the intended reaction. He is the only one that shows growth. He is genuinely trying to help and improve even though it goes against everything and it could get him killed. He is also witty and funny and I felt so bad for him because we know he's not getting the girl.

One of my issues, besides the special little snowflake thing, was the way it was written. This is the second book in a trilogy. I have read the first one, but it was a llllllllooooonnnnnnnggggggg time ago. This isn't really written in a way that makes it easy to understand if you haven't either just finished the first one or don't have enough braincells to accurate remember the majority of the first one, regardless of when you read it. This is a problem for me. Upon finishing the first one, I found I didn't like it overly much. That was back when I first started reviewing and I requested the second one mainly to give it a chance to improve and then the third one because, hey, might as well finish the series, right?

But then life happened and I got approved for more books and these kinda feel by the wayside because I wasn't really overly enthused about them. My very convoluted point is that these can definitely not be read as stand-alones. You need the first one and since my recollection of Wilde's Fire is fuzzy at best, I was more than a little lost many times.

I had to listen to this thing entirely on audio. Had I needed to actual read to get through it, I have a feeling it would have taken me a lot longer to get through. I feel like not only is it plagued with SLS syndrome, but it's also got that middle book thing going on. Things happen, but not a lot....besides lots of character death. Which usually bugs me, but since I couldn't remember who half the people where or Kate's connection to them, I was mostly okay with them. There is some fighting and stuff, but nothing that felt like it mattered.

It gets three stars because there is nothing specifically wrong with it, I just didn't care much for it on a whole. What I'm trying to say is that if you didn't love the first book, this one isn't going to be an improvement. It's more of the same. If you loved the first one, I see no reason you won't love this. I already have the audio for book three, so hopefully I'll get to that sooner rather than later. I don't hold high hopes that I'll love it, but anything is possible!

****Thank you to Curiosity Quills Press for providing me with an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review****

[Katy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book Info: Genre: Fantasy
Reading Level: Older Young Adult
Recommended for: Fans of fantasy, especially with romance, those who want to finish the series.

Disclosure: I received an e-book ARC/e-galley from Curiosity Quills via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis: “Hello, Katriona.” Those two words spark fear in Katriona Wilde and give way to an unlikely partnership with Perth, the man she’s been traded to marry for a favor. Saving her true love and protector Arland, her family, and their soldiers keeps her motivated, but the at-odds duo soon realizes trust is something that comes and goes with each breath of Encardia’s rotting, stagnant air. The moment when concern for her missing sister spirals out of control, all thoughts of trust are pushed aside and she finds herself trapped by the daemon tricks Perth warned her of. 

However, rescuing those she loves is only half the problem. 

Kate still must get to Willow Falls, unite her clashing people, and form an army prepared to fight in order to defeat Darkness. When so many she’s grown fond of die along the journey, her ability to play by the gods’ rules is tested. 

How will she make allies when the world appears stacked against her? And will she still be Katriona Wilde, the girl with fire?

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed the first book in this series, Wilde’s Fire, which was basically a really long set-up for this book, giving us the world- and character-building needed to come into the story and want to stay and find out what happens. However, this book did not excite me and bring me into it like the last one did – I think it was because there was just so much going on, constantly. Fight, barely manage to recuperate, fight some more, magic, deus ex machina, more magic and fighting, blah blah blah. I had a hard time keeping myself focused on reading it, and ended up spending long stretches of time doing other things to get away from it. Kate kept fussing about things over and over again to the point where it became absolutely ridiculous and I just wanted to shake her. The last 15 percent of the book or so took place in a hold, so there was again some character-building and interactions, but it wasn’t quite enough, for me, to make up for the overall book.

However, the ending sort of made up for the rest of it. I was fixing to give this two stars and a scathing lack of recommendation, but those who enjoyed the first book will probably want to go ahead and read this one. I’m hoping that, like many trilogies, the final book will be more satisfying, although I’m certainly not going to rush out and get it because I no longer have as much interest in it.

So, basically, I didn’t feel this book developed on the promise that the first one gave, but the ending made up for a lot of the problems, so if you enjoy fantasy, if you’re a fan of romance and/or fantasy, you might end up liking this better than I did. That’s all for my review, but if you want an idea of my thoughts on a couple things that are definitely spoilers, you can read the last paragraph.

SPOILER ALERT: This will give some ideas that I had that apparently no one in the book noticed. It will be under a spoiler break on sites that allow that formatting, but most do not, thus this long preface to make sure you know – if you continue on, you will get spoilers. The whole issue with Perth could have been a non-issue if anyone had stopped to think: does it specify that Perth must marry the eldest Wilde daughter? Couldn’t he marry Brit and achieve the same results, of a consolidation of power? Brit is also a Leader, after all, even if she is a year younger than Katriona. Katriona and Arland could then be together with no problems, and Brit is a better match for Perth anyway. If it was specified that it must be the eldest Wilde, well, they could just lie about it – everyone makes such a huge fuss over how Kate and Brit look so much alike, so it shouldn’t be hard to do. Another problem I had was during the walk from Watcher’s Hall – they had horses. After most people were killed, why didn’t they take turns on the horses, or at least let the children ride them? It would have sped things up a little and not exhausted them quite so much.

[Marielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This and other reviews on Book Thoughts by Marielle!


This copy was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Curiosity Quills Press.


I liked Wilde’s Army by Krystal Wade just as much as the first of its series, Wilde’s Fire.

Kate Wilde has just been visited by two gods- one Light, the other Dark. Upon waking from these “visions,” she discovers that everyone from her new home has been taken away by daemons; all except for Perth, the Ground Dweller that Kate was sworn to marry in return for a favor. No one seems to trust Perth, but the Light god told Kate to trust those around her, so she really has no choice. Once finding her friends, she and Arland must lead their people to Willow Falls where they are thrust into court life under a complicated ruse: Kate must pretend to be in love with Perth and act as if she has every plan to marry him, while her sister, Brit, appears to be in love with Arland. Keeping up their fragile ruse proves difficult, but nothing will be more difficult than what lies ahead.

First things first: the characters. I thought that Kate was pretty strong and her magic was really cool. I mean, she has tiny sprites to do her bidding; they even dress her so she doesn’t have to do it herself! How awesome would that be? PRETTY DARN AWESOME, I TELL YOU. However, she thought about love a little too much. As a matter of fact, the word “love” was mentioned way too many times in this book, but eventually it didn’t bother me so much. I think I became immune to it. Kate also had some serious trust issues and got angry for small reasons (well, I saw them as small, but that may be because I don’t really get mad ever).

As in the last book, I still thought of Arland as a pleasant, likable guy. He was really understanding and never got mad at Kate, no matter what she did. He was also strong and he really loved Kate, but as I said before, he talked about it a little too much. I feel like he was a little too open for being a guy, but I still liked him.

Now for Perth. Oh, Perth. I absolutely LOVED Perth. I have no idea why. I just really liked him. He was really underestimated, but he pulled through in the end and ended up being a really great guy, even though everyone claimed that he was so evil and not to be trusted. I felt so bad for him because all he wanted was someone to love him, but people were constantly talking about how much they didn’t want Perth, but he was actually awesome.

PLOT! I thought that the plot was entertaining. I liked the part where Kate had to pretend to be in love with Perth the best, but at the same time I didn’t like that part because I felt really bad for Perth… Anyway, there was a lot of action and magic-wielding and such. There were also a few surprises thrown in there, but there were other things that I did see coming. Overall, this book was good.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

GoodReads Synopsis: “Hello, Katriona.”

Those two words spark fear in Katriona Wilde and give way to an unlikely partnership with Perth, the man she’s been traded to marry for a favor. Saving her true love and protector Arland, her family, and their soldiers keeps her motivated, but the at-odds duo soon realizes trust is something that comes and goes with each breath of Encardia’s rotting, stagnant air. The moment when concern for her missing sister spirals out of control, all thoughts of trust are pushed aside and she finds herself trapped by the daemon tricks Perth warned her of.

However, rescuing those she loves is only half the problem.

Kate still must get to Willow Falls, unite her clashing people, and form an army prepared to fight in order to defeat Darkness. When so many she’s grown fond of die along the journey, her ability to play by the gods’ rules is tested.

How will she make allies when the world appears stacked against her? And will she still be Katriona Wilde, the girl with fire?

My Thoughts: I’m still loving this series!! Kat is growing and maturing. We’ve learned more about everyone’s prophecies as well as some well hidden secrets.

When this installment opens Kat is coming out of her “dream” discussion with the Gods. Perth is the only one still around and they have to rely on each other. Talk about a reluctant alliance. We get to know Perth much better…we also learn of his prophecy.

Kat’s Mom is still one I am having trouble with. By keeping so much from her girls I think she has made their lives much harder than necessary…but on the flipside, she has a great line in the book about there being no manual for raising your kids in another world to keep them safe…or something along those lines. Kat’s Mom is in an untenable position, all the way around, and we learn it will probably cost her her life.

There is a huge build-up leading into the third and final book of this trilogy and I can’t wait to see how it ends. We get possible glimpses of the outcome from Kat’s prophetic dreams. Now I just have to wait for the last book to see how it all comes together!

[Lucie Paris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I finished the first volume, "Wilde's Fire" by saying: "Once the last page swallowed, you want to discover more … In short in the first volume, everything is made to interest the reader: intrigue, some betrayal, a wonderful love story and a lot of desperate battles... "
So I was particularly pleased to get my hands on the further adventures of Arland and Kate.

Again, Krystal Wade responded by offering me a rhythmic novel, emotionally turbulent and strong. As the characters and the background were already known, I could immediately dive into the full speed action. 
Sure, new actors are appearing for the good of the plot with lots of secrets in themselves. It's always difficult to know who the heroes can trust as evil has infiltrated and corrupted the ranks, but I was still interested to know what will happen to the old ones the reader has learned to care about.

Kate has become Katriona and with this change of name, she becomes more self-confident and more determined that ever to fight the darkness and to face her new challenges. 
Complex family relationships and full of unspoken secrets are also revealed in part. 
Again, during my reading, as the main characters, I remain in doubt about the trustworthy of everybody...Too much hidden agenda! 

As for the tragedies, they continue to punctuate Kate's destiny and makeof this serie a very nice epic story of dark fantasy. More magic, more dangerous battles and many deaths to mourn but also twists that grab you and make you turn the pages faster. 
A touching and unexpectedly ending that again, make you want to get your hands on the next volume very soon ...

Lucie
http://newbooksonmyselves.blogspot.fr...

[Susie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cannot wait for this to come out!! July 4th can't come quickly enough!

Review Update 6/13/2012: I got an advance copy and just finished the book. Wow.

Book Two of the Darkness Falls Trilogy picks up where Book One, Wilde's Fire, ended: Kate is alone, everyone is missing...except for Perth, the Ground Dweller whom no one trusts. In order to rescue everyone, she must learn to trust Perth, find where they are hidden, and then get everyone to the relative safety of Willow Falls. Relative because while there are no daemons to fight in Willow Falls, there are dangerous politics and Ground Dweller customs that she must adjust to and learn about.

Some people thought Wilde's Fire had some slow parts to it, but not so in Wilde's Army. It is action packed and nerve-wracking to the last.

This book elicited a lot of emotions for me. Fear and nervousness for Kate, Perth and the people who were captured (heck, I even was nervous about the horses!). Anger and affronted feminism toward some of the men in this book. Happiness, sadness, relief, and anxiety. You run the full gamut of emotions in this book.

I am very much looking forward to book 3 to see how this all ends!

For a more in depth review, head on over to my blog: http://susreviews.blogspot.com/2012/0...

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gave it 3.5 stars

WILDE'S FIRE ended on a huge cliffhanger and WILDE'S ARMY starts up with no time having passed. Immediately she runs into Perth, the man no body likes and the one she is expected to marry. They have to work together to free the others and get them to safety so that Kate can form her army.

WILDE'S ARMY pretty much blows every prediction or feelings you had about the series as a whole out of the water. Enemies are actually allies and some allies are actually enemies. Expectations are shoved aside and deeply ingrained ways of living are challenged. The pace is nice, the action was non stop and the character growth was great. I loved following the group around Encardia and watching the loyalty that Katriona earned. Kate and Arlands relationship had fantastic growth and by the end you will be swooning watching them together. Kate is falling into her prophesied role well and I love watching her grow with her family and friends by her side.

The ending builds up book 3 nicely without the huge cliffhanger that was the ending of book 1 and I cant wait to see how Kate's dreams coincide with the battles that are to come.

[Jaime · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book two in the Darkness Falls series is just as disappointing as the first. There are no bad guys among the Draiochtans. If someone betray’s their people, it’s because they are really a Daemon shape shifter. If someone is selfish and leads their people astray it’s because they are under a spell. Its okay to have bad guys among those who should be good. It’s war, people are afraid, and greedy, they can redeem themselves later if at all.

The way Kate uses her magic is comical. She just tells the sprites what to do. Like a rich housewife instructing the maid. It would be better if things just appeared or where done, than us reading her instructions. Character’s die, but there is no connection to them. So even though they are supposed to major losses, there is no investment so as a reader I don’t really care. The story really could have been wrapped up in this book. A third installment of this story is so unnecessary.

[Andrea Heltsley · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG!!!!!! I am not sure where to begin......

I absolutely loved the first book in this series, Wilde's Fire. When I got a hold of a copy of Wilde's Army, I was super stoked.

The story started off where Wilde's Fire ended. This is where Perth enters the story in a more of a main character capacity. You want to hate Perth, but it is just too hard. Maybe it is because I picture him as hot in my head..lol..

Kate is such a strong character that I admire her strength and passion. Just when you thought she was down for the count, she gathers her inner strength and steel determination to conquer the problem.

I have a hard time saying anything negative about this book because there just wasn't anything. The story was engaging and fast paced. It was everything I look for when settling down for a good read.

[Nikki Tetreault · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still in love with this series, still crying and laughing! Krystal has sucked me in with Darkness Falls, more so than a lot of very good novels I have read recently. I truly love this storyline, and the main character. I have casted th characters in my head already, now they just need to make a movie out of this. Definitely a must read, although you absolutely need to read them from the beginning and in order. Do not skip ahead, do not pass go, enjoy the journey as the protagonist/narrator does. Put this on the top of your 2014 reading list

[Dawna Raver · Rating 4 out of 5]

In typical Krystal Wade style this book rocks! If you like the first book, Wilde's Fire, then you're going to love this one too. The story picks up right were the book one left off. Kate finds herself betrayed, alone and desperate to find her missing loved ones. The story is fast paced from the beginning and doesn't slow, even at the end. Wade is an excellent storyteller who paints scenes beautifully. The ending is sweet and will leave you drooling for more.

[Radiant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the story!So adventurous!
Though it was sad to see perth with Kate..i loved how the story turned out as it progressed...now that the army is formed i want to see what will happen in next book..
Fantasy lovers sure check this out!
Sri.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I WAS THE BEST BETA READER FOR THIS BOOK!!! ! YEAH!!! Great follow-up to Wilde's Fire!!!

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great installment! Of course, the ending left me wanting more. So many questions... cannot wait to read the next one.

[Laurice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book-iography

Title: Wilde's Fire
Author: Krystal Wade
Published: July 4, 2012
Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press
Format: Ebook from NetGalley
Pages: 140Type: Series, Darkness Falls #2
Bookshelves: YA Books, Paranormal
Read: August 7-8, 2012
Links: Goodreads
 Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Rating: 
-------------------
What can I say?

What can I say? What can I say?
I am DEFINITELY LOVING this series!

Remember my review about Wilde's Fire having substance? Yeah? Well, there's more! This book doesn't just have substance, but values as well! I should say, this book is very decent! I seriously recommended it to all ages! Trust me, it won't give you an eerie feeling when reading that part (you'll know what I mean when you get there :P).<

Wilde's Army picks up where Wilde's Fire ended. Everyone is gone, even Arland. They've all been taken away by the daemons, but Kate is left in Watcher's Hall, unharmed and protected. Someone hid her from the daemons, but who? Then Perth, the Ground Dweller whom Kate is forced to marry, sees her. She isn't alone after all. Kate doesn't love Perth, in fact, she doesn't trust him at all. Everybody in Encardia doesn't trust the Ground Dwellers because they are evil. They use their magic against nature. But Perth offers to help Kate save everybody else. How come Perth wasn't taken by the daemons? Can Kate trust him? Or does Perth have any hidden motives for his actions? 

The tension rises when everybody gets to Willow Falls. Their stay there can make or break the future of Encardia. While Arland and Kate are destined to be Bound (a.k.a. married), Perth's father, Dufaigh, will do everything in his power to stop it. Dufaigh thirsts for power that only Kate can give. And Kate's marriage to Perth is what he needs to prevent Arland from being the High Leader and to secure the position to Perth. So once they reach Willow Falls, Dufaigh will rush everybody for Kate and Perth's marriage. Aaaah! And the problem doesn't even end there. Once Dufaigh learns that Kate is in love with Arland and not with this son, he won't let a second pass without Arland's cold body in his hand. *creepy*

Ookay. They still have another burden to carry. Kate has to unite everybody: the Light Lovers, Sea Dwellers, and Ground Dwellers. Given the fact that the Light Lovers and the Sea Dwellers are in war for centuries, uniting them is close to impossible. Will Kate be able to unite Dufaigh (the man who wants to use her for power), High Leade Maher (Arland's father who keeps something from them), and Murchadha (the Leader of Sea Dweller who lies to Arland).

Krystal Wade amazes me once again in Wilde's Army! :) Brace yourself for a creepier, more exciting, and more heart pounding paranormal romance! :) I can't believe Wilde's Meadow won't be out 'til Novembeeer! O.O I can't wait! @.@
Enjoy reading! :) God bless you! :)
----------

MAJOR LESSONS LEARNED

1. Save yourself for marriage! ;)

True! When you save yourself for marriage, the bond is truly pure and intact. Just like Kate and _______, their bond isn't like any other. It's so strong, so pure, and so powerful! I believe the same thing applies in real life. Love that transcends bodily desires is so pure that the bond between the couple would be unbreakable. :)

"Marriage should be honored by all, E)">and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral." 
-Hebrew 13:4

"Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”
-Mark 10:9

2. Don't just conform with the general trend. Stand up for the truth!

A lot of the Draiochtans, Light Lovers and Groud Dwellers alike, have simply conformed with the majority. Centuries have passed, yet they allowed Foghlad and Dufaigh to take over them. They allowed fear to take control. They did nothing, though they knew they were treading the wrong path. But Kate is different. With all the courage she has, she stands up and fights for the truth!


"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things."-Philippians 4:8

Check this review on lauricewithlove-Wilde's Fire

[Angela Given · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kissing, touching, longing...

There is a lot of unrealistic romantic antics going on. It’s never ending! The storyline just seems to get lost between each look of longing, every kiss, each moment they touch. Even the characters’ conversations drag on and on. The action is good.

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!!! Arland and Kate...what can I say. I adore them. Great story and lovable characters.

[Lynsey is Reading · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second instalment in the Darkness Falls series and will probably contain spoilers for those that haven't yet read book one, Wilde's Fire.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series- it almost got a 5- and therefore I came to this book with a relaxed, bring-it-on kind of attitude. So it really came as a shock when I found myself struggling to pay attention during the middle section of the book.

The beginning was great and it picked up straight after the cliffhanger ending of Wilde's Fire. And it was clear right from the onset that Perth's character would be playing a bigger role this time, which was great because his character, and indeed his entire race, is very intriguing. Perth's the kind of character that you want to believe is like a good egg in an otherwise bad batch, and yet something always prevents you from completely trusting him. Still, it was great that he got to play a much bigger part in it since he is a big obstacle in the prophecies of both Arland and Kate.

My problems came shortly after this good start, however. The characters had to make a journey which took probably around 80-100 pages. And during that time, it seemed as though the plot was stuck on a loop. The same things kept repeating themselves; have a long, drawn-out conversation with someone- usually a cryptic one about prophecies, or one about Brad- then encounter some demons or shapechangers and fight for your life for a bit. Rinse and repeat x 3. I'm afraid I put the book aside for several days due to this section; it just wasn't holding me.

The length of the dialogue scenes was probably the biggest factor in slowing things down. Of course, it doesn't help that the stiff and formal dialogue was one of the few negatives I found in book one, and this one seemed to only exacerbate that negative for me. In fact, in order for Kate to fit in at the place they were heading to, they were trying to get her to speak more formally, and kept criticising her every time she used a contraction like don't instead of do not. There just never seemed to be any dialogue that felt like a natural conversation. It was always a pledge or a declaration or a speech or a prophecy. I think that's why it always feels so... stiff.

The main "problem" in this book- meaning the issue that characters are facing, not my own personal problem with it- felt extremely contrived. These people are a hair's breath from extinction and I'm just not sure I believe they would be behaving like schoolchildren over who gets to marry whom when there's only a handful of them left. So the whole "pretending Kate and Arland aren't in love so as not to upset the ground Dwellers" bit, was really annoying.

Dughaul/Brad (sp?) was barely in the story, so aside from the rinse and repeat cycle of battling demons and shapechangers, there was no Big Bad for them to face. The main nemesis for Kate and Arland seemed to be the arrogance and ignorance of the Encardians who were only interested in fighting amongst themselves.

I probably will read the next one to see how it all turns out, because I do love Arland's character, and I do think the world Wade has created is wonderfully unique and interesting. I just hope it reverts back to the great story-telling of book one.

2.5 Stars ★★★
Review Copy: Received from the publisher for an honest review

[Sandy]

I never should have requested Wilde's Army for review. Wilde's Fire was better than I was expecting; however, between the writing and the ending of Wilde's Fire, I just wasn't excited at all about starting Wilde's Army. When I saw Wilde's Army available on NetGalley for review I requested it without thinking much because I had not yet broken my obsessive need to "complete" things--in this case this series. But since requesting Wilde's Army, I've made much progress in being able to let go of this obsession. Time is too short.

I did indeed start Wilde's Army. And I did press on to try to complete it. I made it to 20% which translates into roughly 70 pages. I know that's not very far into the book, but you have to considering that I've already read 390+ pages in this series and by this author. I feel completely comfortable with the effort I've put in to Wilde's Army.

The same struggles I had with Wilde's Fire were there and more in Wilde's Army. Kate's 20 years old, but she behaves and speaks much younger. Where Kate's sister, Brit, seemed more mature than Kate in Wilde's Fire, I didn't really feel like that was the case thus far in Wilde's Army. I still don't like the alternate dimensions aspect of this series, but this was less of an issue in the 20% of Wilde's Army that I've read since there's really no travelling back and forth in this portion of the series. My other general complaint of Wilde's Fire was just that the book was mainly average. However, I've read some truly stellar books this year, and I don't feel like this series or the writing measures up to the level of these other books.

A new struggle for me in Wilde's Army--or at least I didn't point this out before--is the dialogue. The characters repeatedly call each other by name. While I've definitely noticed that a lot of books do this more than people use each others' names in real life, Wilde's Army goes beyond this to the point of being really awkward, making the dialogue feel forced. Specifically in Wilde's Army there's a section where one character says, (paraphrasing) "We can't stay here long. It's dangerous." But then the group proceeds to have a discussion right there that lasts like 10 pages, and another character interrupts and says, "We can discuss this later. We really need to leave this place." The dialogue and decisions made by the characters feels forced and awkward.

I intended to continue trying to push through this book, even if I had to do it 5 pages at the time, but I've come to a place in my reading life where I just don't want to do this. I want to read for fun--always. Someone else may be in love this series. I'm sure it's the perfect fit for someone out there--perhaps a younger readers--but that someone just isn't me.

I don't rate my DNFs, but what do you think? Have you read Wilde's Army? Is this one I should consider picking back up later? Does the ending make up for the rest of the flaws? Let me know!

This review is part of my "All Things Halloween" October review event.

For more reviews, check out Somewhere Only We Know.

[Michelle's Paranormal Vault of Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Publication Date July 4, 2012-08-12
Publisher Curiosity Quills Press

I received this complimentary digital review copy from Netgalley for my honest review.

This review is also at my book blog Concise Book Reviews by Michelle

I was pleasantly surprised with Wilde’s Army, as you know, some books in a series, that are the 2nd books, do not always hold up to the first. Well, this one did, there was so much excitement. It seemed that there was some trouble of one sort or another around every corner. I was always wondering what would be next. It makes you wonder who you can trust after all this madness goes down. Poor Kate is really only left trusting the one who seems the most un-trustworthy. Plus she is terrified of what may have happened to Arland and all of her friends and family as well. What I loved is the action starts right from the start and never really stops. This book is full of fear, lying, pretending, and running from daemons. It sure will keep you reading right till the end.

I was glad to see Kate grow so much in this book. In Wilde’s Fire, she was unsure of herself, and her magic reflected that. She has more confidence in this book, but does have her insecure moments, but you can’t blame her for that. She has a lot riding on her young shoulders, that’s are for sure She was a strong leader who inspired people to fight. Obviously in this book she is trying to build an army to help her fight Darkness. It’s not that easy either. The people of Encardia are tired of fighting, and who can blame them. Getting them motivated isn’t exactly a walk in the park. I will let you find out for yourself how she handles that problem. But I will say, its awe-inspiring for sure.

I do not want to give away any spoilery, so will leave you at that, go read it! But read Wilde’s Fire first, this is the 2nd book.
I was very pleased with this 2nd book, and highly recommend it. I really am now looking forward to Encardia.

Summary from book and Curiosity Quills Press website

“Hello, Katriona.”
Those two words spark fear in Katriona Wilde and give way to an unlikely partnership with Perth, the man she’s been traded to marry for a favor. Saving her true love and protector Arland, her family, and their soldiers keeps her motivated, but the at-odds duo soon realizes trust is something that comes and goes with each breath of Encardia’s rotting, stagnant air. The moment when concern for her missing sister spirals out of control, all thoughts of trust are pushed aside and she finds herself trapped by the daemon tricks Perth warned her of.
However, rescuing those she loves is only half the problem.
Kate still must get to Willow Falls, unite her clashing people, and form an army prepared to fight in order to defeat Darkness. When so many she’s grown fond of die along the journey, her ability to play by the gods’ rules is tested.

How will she make allies when the world appears stacked against her? And will she still be Katriona

[Lea · Rating 5 out of 5]

May contain spoilers if you have not already read Wilde's Fire, and if you have not yet read Wilde's Fire you should go do that now.

Wilde's Army drops you right back where Wilde's Fire left off, literally. I mean, you could combine the novels at this point and it would pretty much be seamless. Which makes this girl a very happy camper. I hate missing out on anything in my favorite books.

You guys know I'm big into characters, they literally make or break a novel for me. I want realistic characters that actually grow throughout the course of a book, that make me want to be friends with them or fall in love with them or just hate them. I want to feel something for them! Krystal Wade does an amazing job with this. You really see the growth of her characters especially Perth and Brit. The evolution for all of the characters is gradual, which I appreciate since no one changes over night. And you can really see them struggling with their growth, struggling to grow into better people.

Kate, our heroine, is still one of my favorite characters to date. I can relate to her so much! She's impulsive, hot-tempered, wants to rush into things, but still she has a huge capacity for love and will defend her loved ones until the end. I love that she isn't perfect. I love that she struggles with being the "Light", with being the heroine to these people. I love that she makes mistakes. That sometimes she messes things up by rushing in, that things don't always work out perfectly for her. That she does lose.

You may recall, if you read my review of Wilde's Fire, that I have a great deal of love for the romance between Kate and Arland. I called it delectable to be precise. So yes, I do love it a great deal. Its really well done. Yet one of my favorite aspects of this novel is that you don't see a great deal of that romance in Wilde's Army, they have their romantic scenes but they are few and far between compared to what you saw in Wilde's Fire...which means that Arland can't always bail Kate out. Which means, yes, you guessed it, Kate is one her own. I love that we get to see her this way as things play out in Wilde's Army. You really get a feel for her as a standalone heroine who doesn't need a man, who can do things on her own.

My one complaint from this novel would be that I didn't give enough time with Flanna, who was one of my favorite characters from the previous novel. I love her wit, her sarcasm, the way that she doesn't grumble overly much when she has to do what a girls gotta do, and how well she pulls everyone together. I hope in Wilde's Meadow, the third and I believe final book in the series, we get to see a lot more of her.

Overall I think Wilde's Army was a great continuation of Wilde's Fire and I'm looking forward to reading what Krystal Wade has in store for us with Wilde's Meadow. :]

Rating: 5/5

I received an E-ARC of Wilde's Army from Netgalley and Curiosity Quills Press in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Alysses · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review might not be spoilerish for Wilde’s Army but might be for Wilde’s Fire.

There is a lot going on in Wilde’s Army. Kate finds herself alone at the end of Wilde’s Fire. The turn of events experienced in the last few pages leads her to face reality real quick. In Wilde’s Army you meet a new and refined Kate. This chick is strong, determined, confident and very much worthy of the immense responsibility of having to save a dying world and its people.

The writing once again was impressive as was this world created by Kyrstal Wade. In fact I think everything was much better as a whole in Wilde’s Army than in Wilde’s Fire. The storyline came together nicely and I think the author set out to manipulate my feelings at times and did exactly that with much success. I was held in suspense at all times trying and dying to find out what came next.

I felt that the middle in Army was very much like Fire in that it was kind of slow. Although the details found in the middle of the book were necessary, it could’ve been summarized/edited a bit better to keep the momentum going while maintaining the integrity of the story and still gaining the knowledge revealed in those pages. Brit, Kate’s sister, had some minor inconsistencies which I thought should have been nixed. I can’t mention specifics because it’s a spoiler but let’s just say she has a “nah nah nah nah nah, I get to touch Arland and you don’t” kind of moment moments after revealing how hurt she felt in a similar situation.

There is an underlying theme in this series and a lesson to be learned. I’m not sure if this is the author’s real intent but this is what really stood out for me. These were the things that made me say hmm…

1. This is a battle between good and evil; Darkness and Light.
2. Power and wealth is evil.
3. The people of Encardia need to start believing in gods again by praying to them and using old magic.
4. Darkness has become stronger because of the loss of prayers, belief in the gods and old magic.
5. Kate is a female messiah.

So yeah… hmm. I don’t have a problem with it just… Things that make you say hmm.

On another note, I think it is important to mention that in this series love is huge. It’s all about love. The fate of this world is determined by the strength of Kate and Arland’s love. Consider yourself warned that love is in your face at all times. I don’t mind it. In fact I think this is the first book I've read where the love and happiness is up front and center AND you can’t get around it. It’s all or nothing. There’s a lot more to this book but the romance is something you can’t ignore.

With that said… I can’t wait for book 3, Wilde’s (insert here)!

I'm wishing the author much success because this is a very nice series indeed.

ARC provided by Curiosity Quills Press via NetGalley

[Gretchen Hohmeyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review originally appeared on My Life is a Notebook HERE . Follow the link to see the review complete with spoilers!

I don’t know how many of you saw my review of Darkness Falls #1, Wilde’s Fire, but it was … a little less than complimentary. Giving the book the benefit of the doubt, however, I realized that a lot of the reason I headdesked into next Tuesday while reading it was my own jaded opinion–and Wade certainly had potential to write some great action scenes. Crossing my fingers, I went ahead and requested the next one from NetGalley.

And instantly screeched to a halt.

Wilde’s Army begins a little bit after the events of Wilde’s Fire, which is nothing new. However, it starts after EVERYONE BUT KATE AND PERTH have been ABDUCTED BY THE BAD GUYS.

Picture me squawking ‘What? What? WHAT?’ and flapping my arms around like a demented chicken, and you have my reaction to this.

Besides it being an utterly unsubtle plot convention to get Perth and Kate to like each other, it’s also done without any forewarning or real explanation. I was not happy, at all. I almost stopped reading right there.

But I didn’t, because I am a glutton for punishment.

And that ended up being a good thing.

See, remember how I wanted more action in Wilde’s Fire? Well, I GOT THAT in Wilde’s Army. I got it by the BUCKET FULLS. Kate and Perth’s rescue attempt begins the first of MANY battle and magic-weilding scenes. I thought Wade could rock those, and I was right. The book barely stopped moving right up until the end, which made me very happy.

Kate and Arland are still over the top as ever, especially come the time when *spoiler cut*. Having just finished reading Rapture by Lauren Kate, I’d rather had my fill of overdone romance, but at least it wasn’t as much of a focus this time. I was also probably too gleeful about how Kate and Perth had to *spoiler cut* for a while and Arland was *spoiler cut*, which was a nice switch.

The ending was also nicely done, though I was confused by how easily everything worked out. It made vague sense, so I let it slide for the most part. Most confusing was how, for the whole book, Kate was demanding an Army and then gets everyone to fight for her, but is then like “Whoops, sorry, only need a few of you!” The book is titled Wilde’s Army, for goodness sake. But maybe that’s just me being nitpicky…

All in all, I found Wilde’s Army to be a marked improvement on Wilde’s Fire. The romance wasn’t as focused on, there was a ton more action and the characterization was mildly better. I’m glad I stuck with Wilde’s Fire and then requested this one. Wade didn’t disappoint!

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

**This book was received from Net Galley but it did not influence the review in any way**

The adventure continues! Right from the first page, the reader is tossed back into the dark world of Encardia and Kate’s quest to bring light to her new home. And, of course, we follow the growing relationship between Kate and Arland…a relationship that is tested here as never before. The war has begun and Kate is in the center of it all!

This book begins immediately after the first one ends with Kate finding herself alone with Perth, someone she does not trust. Her family and friends are missing and this unlikely ally is the only person she can turn to. And from that first page, the story takes off and the adventure begins.

The characters in this book are vibrant. Kate grows a lot during this part of the story. She takes on the challenge of saving this world and it’s people head on. Her magic is growing as is her confidence. She is definitely a hero. Arland continues to protect and love Kate with a laser focus, which causes him to blame himself whenever something happens to her. He stands beside her, fights demons with her, and agrees to plans that break his heart…all in the name of ending this war and being with the woman he loves. We met Perth in the first book and, quite honestly, I disliked him. Now, however, he has me confused. This character plays a much bigger role this time around and what we thought we knew about him and his intentions gets tested several times in this book. It’s part of what makes it so enjoyable…when you don’t know if you can trust a major player in the game, the game is that much more exciting! Now, I still have issues with Kate’s mother. She’s still too secretive and it frustrates me. But, ultimately, she adds the tension that drives the reader crazy…in a good way.

The story is filled with twists and turns, the demons are scarier, the terrain is rougher and evil is everywhere. But, somehow, the hope is strong in this story. It may be because of its fast pace or the engaging characters or simply the reader’s desire to have them persevere…but even in the darkest of times, we never doubt that Kate and Arland will keep fighting to save family, friends and citizens of Encardia alike. This is the beauty of this story. It captures you and doesn’t let you go. The final chapter in this story is poised to be explosive and I can’t wait to read it.