In Love and Death

Spellster and the Hound #2

by Aldrea Alien

In one day, Dylan’s whole life was destroyed. In one night, he may have found the beginnings of a new one.

Still grappling with the loss of his home, Dylan has no choice but to head for Wintervale. His one solace is in travelling the same direction taken by the enemy. But the truth behind the attack on the spellster tower suggests things aren’t as clear-cut and the enemy may well be closer than they thought.

Crossing the kingdom also means remaining in the presence of Tracker, the King’s Hound who Dylan’s repressed desire refuses to let out of his head. The man’s gentle protectiveness, coupled with his flirting, certainly doesn’t help. It taunts him with ideas of the night they shared in the tower becoming something more, a thought that is no less ridiculous than remaining unleashed.

After all, it’s a hound’s job to escort or kill spellsters. They do not disobey orders. They do not falter. And they do not fall. Especially not in love.


*Originally the second part of In Pain and Blood, this version has been heavily rewritten.*

Genres: Queer

598 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 3, 2025

About the author

Mother. Animal lover. Vampire. Fangirl.

Aldrea Alien is a multi-award-winning, USA Today Bestselling, bisexual and genderfluid author from New Zealand. She writes fantasy romance of varying heat levels and sexualities.

She grew up on a small farm out the back blocks of a place known as Wainuiomata alongside a menagerie of animals, who are all convinced they're just as human as the next person (especially the cats). She spent a great deal of her childhood riding horses, whilst the rest of her time was consumed with reading every fantasy book she could get her hands on and concocting ideas about a little planet known as Thardrandia. This would prove to be the start of The Rogue King Saga as, come her twelfth year, she discovered there was a book inside her.
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Aldrea now lives in Upper Hutt, on yet another small farm with a less hectic, but still egotistical, group of animals (cats will be cats). She still hasn't yet found an off switch to give her an ounce of peace from the characters plaguing her mind, a list that grows bigger every year with all of them clamouring for her to tell their story first. It's a lot of people for one head.



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Reviews

[Krystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was such a good addition to the series! I loved the way it answered a lot of questions and addressed plot points from the first book in a way that still kept things open. The things we learned from the 1.5 short story (highly recommend that if you haven't read it yet) were mentioned indirectly and I'm just happy everything stayed connected.

I feel like I got to see the characters grow and learn from their mistakes, while still maintaining their strong personalities. And then there were characters I wish I could throw something at (if you know you know) because wow. I grew attached to the group and have high hopes for where we'll see Dylan and Tracker next time. With that, it was nice getting to read more about the world as a whole. The book ends on a crazy note and I'm so ready for the next one!

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book very much! In this story, Dylan and Tracker explore their passion and cement their loving relationship. They both face old pain and grow in love. This is a long book - 848 pages - and is sweeping in its adventure. Through unimaginable heartache, attacks, fights, betrayal, and good times, too, these two men make their journey with several traveling companions. The story is well-written, well-paced, and always engaging. It also ends on a painful cliffhanger and the next book is due to be released in 2027. The entire Spellster world is highly recommended.

[Laura Wilke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. The basic plot is a traditional epic fantasy storyline. But it’s also a romance. A significant amount of time in this story, especially in this middle act, is spent on the development of the relationship and romance between the two main male characters. The main protagonist also has to come to terms with the bi nature of his sexuality. Gender in this series is fluid and not an issue of contention. However, the orientation of characters is an issue. It’s ok to be hetero or homosexual but not to be bi (aka indecisive). This is the central struggle. The fantasy plot takes a backseat at times to this emotional struggle. If you’re looking for a straightforward epic fantasy, this may not be the book for you. But if you like your stories with a healthy helping of character development along with delving into societal norms, this could be right up your alley. Normally, I prefer the former but the story woven by the author is very compelling. There’s romance, found family, great characters, humor, conflict, fights, and a villian. A word of warning. This book ends on a cliffhanger and it looks like the next installment may not be out until 2027. Argh!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Cynthia M Brow · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Love and Death is the second book in the Spellster and the Hound series. This series is best read in order. We are back with Dylan and Tracker for the next part of their story. I really enjoyed this book. Dylan is a very interesting person. He has been through so much already. Tracker is quite interesting also. I love the action in the story and the bits of romance that come through. I can't wait to see what happens in the next book. I would definitely recommend this book and series.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is an unfair world where I enjoy a story immensely... only for the story to be not complete and I have to wait till 2027 (!!!!) to continue reading. I know of a bunch of people for whom this story wouldn't be fast enough or the romance is progressing too slowly, but for me! For me... this is why I love reading so much. I get to *understand* the characters a lot better and I am really rooting for them. Ah, I wish it was already 2027...