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Shadowborn #1
A Tale of Whispers and Rogues
Owen Greene must die.
Being Shadowborn, the Essence of a fallen god runs through Owen’s veins. It gives him power, but it comes with a bullseye painted on his back, one the Legion is determined to hit once they learn he exists. Wielding such power comes at the cost of his life, and with the Legion close to finding him, Owen must leave his home to escape their hands.
Charged with protecting Owen, Colt O’Malley knows the dangers that might accompany them. He's been tasked with protecting Owen on their dangerous journey with the promise that he can go home at the end of it. But what Colt didn’t count on was just how often that dimpled smile and tender-hearted Shadowborn would weaken him.
Fleeing the country to escape the Legion might have been their main goal, but neither Owen nor Colt had planned on falling for each other along the way. And with the Legion on their heels, falling in love couldn’t have happened at a worse time.A Tale of Whispers and Rogues is an M/M fantasy romance featuring a man gifted with the cursed power of a fallen god, the handsome rogue sworn to protect him, ruthless henchman, a mysterious shadow, a slow burn romance, and a budding romance with a HFN ending.
Being Shadowborn, the Essence of a fallen god runs through Owen’s veins. It gives him power, but it comes with a bullseye painted on his back, one the Legion is determined to hit once they learn he exists. Wielding such power comes at the cost of his life, and with the Legion close to finding him, Owen must leave his home to escape their hands.
Charged with protecting Owen, Colt O’Malley knows the dangers that might accompany them. He's been tasked with protecting Owen on their dangerous journey with the promise that he can go home at the end of it. But what Colt didn’t count on was just how often that dimpled smile and tender-hearted Shadowborn would weaken him.
Fleeing the country to escape the Legion might have been their main goal, but neither Owen nor Colt had planned on falling for each other along the way. And with the Legion on their heels, falling in love couldn’t have happened at a worse time.A Tale of Whispers and Rogues is an M/M fantasy romance featuring a man gifted with the cursed power of a fallen god, the handsome rogue sworn to protect him, ruthless henchman, a mysterious shadow, a slow burn romance, and a budding romance with a HFN ending.
429 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 19, 2024
497 people are currently reading
1555 people want to read
About the author
Jordan Lee
7 books63 followersJordan's first love is high/epic fantasy. Throw in a love story and it's the perfect mix. Writing primarily MM Romantasy, Jordan loves tackling the emotions and hardships within characters, and delving into those deep parts of the mind that make us all who we are.
Hailing from Atlanta, GA, Jordan spends time with family, playing penny rummy, writing, reading, playing videogames, and walking on trails through nature.
Hailing from Atlanta, GA, Jordan spends time with family, playing penny rummy, writing, reading, playing videogames, and walking on trails through nature.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
August 28, 2024
Want you every second, don't need other guys / You do somethin' sus, kiss my cute ass bye (Good Graces – Sabrina Carpenter).
I can’t lie, I’m really not feeling fly like a G6 right now. Look, I know I should have learned how to stop reading books I’m not enjoying by now, but I have a stubborn streak that only appears whenever I’m doing something of zero consequence. Like when I'm reading a book that’s actually kind of mid and deciding to see it through regardless. I do feel a little bad because I honestly don’t think this is a bad book and I can honestly see a lot of people loving everything about this. And I hope they do! Really! My use of exclamation marks isn't supposed to be seen as me being sarcastic! Seriously though, it’s not poorly written, the characters have accessible enough motivations, the lore is intriguing, hinting at more the interesting story developments to come, and there’s even an ancient prophecy and a chosen one, which are common enough tropes to where they’re hard to mess up! And on top (heh heh… top) of all that, it’s a gay “road trip” love story!? Hell yeah, sign me up! So, what's my problem? Well, despite all that, I should have read the fine print because I was just so~oo bored! I couldn’t get into any of it, and trust me, I tried! I even started trying out different tactics as if any of this mattered. When I found myself getting lost on all the never-ending onslaught of fantasy terms, I’d start up a note sheet to remember a little better! It’s a sound plan, sure, but after a while… “Shadowborn,” “Essence,” the damn Dovahkiin and whatever else... like, who even cares. And then I figured I’d give the whole “taking frequent breaks”- thing a try, you know, peace of mind and all that, but then my problem became me literally forgetting I was reading this book and I wouldn’t pick it back up for days. Prolonging the already really long time it’s been taking me to finish this story! Then I started to get fed up, and with an unearned confidence never once seen in me before, I forced myself to shotgun the last half of the book… and I’ve got to say, I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy. Okay well, I’d wish it on my worst enemy, but nobody else! It was a lot of unnecessary stress, but at least I can now say that this book turned me into a real problem solver, ain't no mountain high enough, indeed.
So why did I continue reading this? Um, this is where that stubbornness thing comes in. I remember in Assassin’s Creed 3, they had the bright idea to add these extra minigames in addition to the main gameplay, and they put in real life board games for some reason. And maybe most people liked this addition (spoiler alert: they didn't), but as someone who’s only experience with board games is Sorry and Monopoly, I can say with full confidence that I’ve never heard of a game called Fanorona! But because there was an Xbox “achievement” for playing and beating the damn thing, and because I’m a glutton for punishment, I decided to dedicate a non-insignificant amount of time and energy to overcoming this challenge. And after much pain, I eventually I did it, I won! But was it worth it? Absolutely not. So yeah, like I said, I should really learn how to just take the L! Oh well, me continuing on and finishing A Tale of Whispers and Rogues just proves that I will never learn from this. Never change and never grow, that’s what I always say. Sadly, I'm thinking that this book will go down in history as one of those ones that I’ll only remember as helping me get some really nice nights of sleep in the August of 2024. Maybe my experiences here really was just a fever dream, because I can already feel it fading from my memory like the picture from Back to the Future. I guess I should probably at least try to put into words as to why this was such a tough one for me. The book deserves that much, I think. Well, for one it tries to do the whole “enemies-to-lovers” thing (yawn) but there are a few problems with how it’s presented here. First of all, there’s this other guy along the ride with Owen and Colt for a very large chunk of the story!? Which really doesn't sound like a big deal when I lay it out plain like that, but it really was the most pressing issue for me while trying to read through this slog of a book. Like, yeah man, I loved when Snow White and the Huntsman had some old guy with them at every step of the way. Everyone knows that all the best rival romances have someone else there so that the main couple never actually gets alone time to develop their relationship! That was sarcasm, I believe with my whole chest that it was an odd choice and it takes way too long for this dude to get (spoilers I guess. But let's be real, most mentor characters in fiction die at some point, they’re an occupational hazard, really) Obi-Wan-Kenobi-ed. Not to sound callous, but good riddance is all I have to say.
And then even when the main couple does finally get their time alone, they still don’t have any chemistry! There’s absolutely no heat to their interactions, no warmth. You might say that they were poppin' bottles in the ice, like a blizzard. I mean, Owen is the typical, morally pure, pushover who never fights back and constantly interrupts his own anger at Colt with constant reassurances to us, the reader, about how hot he is. Blah. Well I certainly didn’t think he was hot! This novel just proves how important descriptive language is because even though both of the main characters are literally on the cover, pretty as can be, I still didn’t have a strong image of them in my mind. Like, am I supposed to keep flipping the book over whenever I’m told they're hot, or should I just take Owen’s word for it? And as for Colt, this has nothing to do with how hot he apparently is, but for some reason I kept picturing him bald. But not just like, a bald guy, but I’m talking “War Boys” Fury Road bald. Dune 2 bald. I don’t know why, maybe that’s how much of a blank slate he was to me. He hasn't finished rendering! Anyway, as for his personality… I honestly couldn’t find it in me to give a shit about him or his unwashed dick. He doesn’t have a good reason to dislike or mess with Owen at first, so I guess he’s just an asshole? And even then, all of his insults don’t ever evolve past grade-school level “I-know-you-are-but-what-am-I”-type shit. But I thought, hey, this book has a girthy five hundred pages to its name, surely, we’ll have plenty of time for some real good character growth! Haha! It can’t all be just the same juvenile antics for the whole runtime, right? …ha... ha? Yeah well, I’m sure you can guess the answer to that question. I truly believe that an annoying character is always worse than a morally bad one, because apparently Colt has this super sad, tragic backstory hinted throughout, I didn't care because he acts like childish jerk the entire book. And he gets to be Owen’s bodyguard? What a SICK JOKE! Imagine Colt as Whitney Houston’s The Bodyguard, but instead of a suave protector, we get Yoda before we’re supposed to know he’s Yoda. Instead of a clever ruse to test Luke's character, he's literally just an weird freak and never changes. A Tale of Whispers and Rogues? More like A Tale of Sleepy-Time and Snoozin’! Heh got ‘em! I’m sorry, but if you’re the love-interest and only ever acts like a childhood bully then I won't give a fuck about you, I give a fuck about you, I won't give a fuck about you. Yeah. At the end of the day, this was worse than annoying, it was boring. Ah, there we go. See, I knew I’d be able get to the crux of the issue eventually. I’m so proud of myself! Alright, that’s the end. I’m sure a lot of people will like this, and I’m happy about that, I really am, but for me, this never really moved beyond feeling like placeholder fantasy.
”I never mocked you. I jest only. Don’t you know that by now?”
Translation: “Every time I’m rude to you I’m joking, and if you take offence then you’re the one who needs to lighten up. I’m totally not an asshole, I promise!”
I can’t lie, I’m really not feeling fly like a G6 right now. Look, I know I should have learned how to stop reading books I’m not enjoying by now, but I have a stubborn streak that only appears whenever I’m doing something of zero consequence. Like when I'm reading a book that’s actually kind of mid and deciding to see it through regardless. I do feel a little bad because I honestly don’t think this is a bad book and I can honestly see a lot of people loving everything about this. And I hope they do! Really! My use of exclamation marks isn't supposed to be seen as me being sarcastic! Seriously though, it’s not poorly written, the characters have accessible enough motivations, the lore is intriguing, hinting at more the interesting story developments to come, and there’s even an ancient prophecy and a chosen one, which are common enough tropes to where they’re hard to mess up! And on top (heh heh… top) of all that, it’s a gay “road trip” love story!? Hell yeah, sign me up! So, what's my problem? Well, despite all that, I should have read the fine print because I was just so~oo bored! I couldn’t get into any of it, and trust me, I tried! I even started trying out different tactics as if any of this mattered. When I found myself getting lost on all the never-ending onslaught of fantasy terms, I’d start up a note sheet to remember a little better! It’s a sound plan, sure, but after a while… “Shadowborn,” “Essence,” the damn Dovahkiin and whatever else... like, who even cares. And then I figured I’d give the whole “taking frequent breaks”- thing a try, you know, peace of mind and all that, but then my problem became me literally forgetting I was reading this book and I wouldn’t pick it back up for days. Prolonging the already really long time it’s been taking me to finish this story! Then I started to get fed up, and with an unearned confidence never once seen in me before, I forced myself to shotgun the last half of the book… and I’ve got to say, I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy. Okay well, I’d wish it on my worst enemy, but nobody else! It was a lot of unnecessary stress, but at least I can now say that this book turned me into a real problem solver, ain't no mountain high enough, indeed.
So why did I continue reading this? Um, this is where that stubbornness thing comes in. I remember in Assassin’s Creed 3, they had the bright idea to add these extra minigames in addition to the main gameplay, and they put in real life board games for some reason. And maybe most people liked this addition (spoiler alert: they didn't), but as someone who’s only experience with board games is Sorry and Monopoly, I can say with full confidence that I’ve never heard of a game called Fanorona! But because there was an Xbox “achievement” for playing and beating the damn thing, and because I’m a glutton for punishment, I decided to dedicate a non-insignificant amount of time and energy to overcoming this challenge. And after much pain, I eventually I did it, I won! But was it worth it? Absolutely not. So yeah, like I said, I should really learn how to just take the L! Oh well, me continuing on and finishing A Tale of Whispers and Rogues just proves that I will never learn from this. Never change and never grow, that’s what I always say. Sadly, I'm thinking that this book will go down in history as one of those ones that I’ll only remember as helping me get some really nice nights of sleep in the August of 2024. Maybe my experiences here really was just a fever dream, because I can already feel it fading from my memory like the picture from Back to the Future. I guess I should probably at least try to put into words as to why this was such a tough one for me. The book deserves that much, I think. Well, for one it tries to do the whole “enemies-to-lovers” thing (yawn) but there are a few problems with how it’s presented here. First of all, there’s this other guy along the ride with Owen and Colt for a very large chunk of the story!? Which really doesn't sound like a big deal when I lay it out plain like that, but it really was the most pressing issue for me while trying to read through this slog of a book. Like, yeah man, I loved when Snow White and the Huntsman had some old guy with them at every step of the way. Everyone knows that all the best rival romances have someone else there so that the main couple never actually gets alone time to develop their relationship! That was sarcasm, I believe with my whole chest that it was an odd choice and it takes way too long for this dude to get (spoilers I guess. But let's be real, most mentor characters in fiction die at some point, they’re an occupational hazard, really) Obi-Wan-Kenobi-ed. Not to sound callous, but good riddance is all I have to say.
And then even when the main couple does finally get their time alone, they still don’t have any chemistry! There’s absolutely no heat to their interactions, no warmth. You might say that they were poppin' bottles in the ice, like a blizzard. I mean, Owen is the typical, morally pure, pushover who never fights back and constantly interrupts his own anger at Colt with constant reassurances to us, the reader, about how hot he is. Blah. Well I certainly didn’t think he was hot! This novel just proves how important descriptive language is because even though both of the main characters are literally on the cover, pretty as can be, I still didn’t have a strong image of them in my mind. Like, am I supposed to keep flipping the book over whenever I’m told they're hot, or should I just take Owen’s word for it? And as for Colt, this has nothing to do with how hot he apparently is, but for some reason I kept picturing him bald. But not just like, a bald guy, but I’m talking “War Boys” Fury Road bald. Dune 2 bald. I don’t know why, maybe that’s how much of a blank slate he was to me. He hasn't finished rendering! Anyway, as for his personality… I honestly couldn’t find it in me to give a shit about him or his unwashed dick. He doesn’t have a good reason to dislike or mess with Owen at first, so I guess he’s just an asshole? And even then, all of his insults don’t ever evolve past grade-school level “I-know-you-are-but-what-am-I”-type shit. But I thought, hey, this book has a girthy five hundred pages to its name, surely, we’ll have plenty of time for some real good character growth! Haha! It can’t all be just the same juvenile antics for the whole runtime, right? …ha... ha? Yeah well, I’m sure you can guess the answer to that question. I truly believe that an annoying character is always worse than a morally bad one, because apparently Colt has this super sad, tragic backstory hinted throughout, I didn't care because he acts like childish jerk the entire book. And he gets to be Owen’s bodyguard? What a SICK JOKE! Imagine Colt as Whitney Houston’s The Bodyguard, but instead of a suave protector, we get Yoda before we’re supposed to know he’s Yoda. Instead of a clever ruse to test Luke's character, he's literally just an weird freak and never changes. A Tale of Whispers and Rogues? More like A Tale of Sleepy-Time and Snoozin’! Heh got ‘em! I’m sorry, but if you’re the love-interest and only ever acts like a childhood bully then I won't give a fuck about you, I give a fuck about you, I won't give a fuck about you. Yeah. At the end of the day, this was worse than annoying, it was boring. Ah, there we go. See, I knew I’d be able get to the crux of the issue eventually. I’m so proud of myself! Alright, that’s the end. I’m sure a lot of people will like this, and I’m happy about that, I really am, but for me, this never really moved beyond feeling like placeholder fantasy.
”I never mocked you. I jest only. Don’t you know that by now?”
Translation: “Every time I’m rude to you I’m joking, and if you take offence then you’re the one who needs to lighten up. I’m totally not an asshole, I promise!”
April 30, 2024
There’s no one on Earth that could convince me this didn’t start out as FrodoXAragorn Lord of the Rings fanfic.
Owen is obsessed with a quiet life reading, and eating good food, and he is gifted a glowing short sword and he wears suspenders and a vest with a cloak…….Colt is a crude, roguish hunter who has been alone way too long to act civilized but who really has a heart of gold.
I mean, it’s pretty obvious right?
Oddly enough, I’d be fine with it if the writing was a little more refined. This feels like a second draft and the characters all feel like tropey stand ins just to further the very shallow and slow plot.
I will say that the few moments here and there where our two main characters got a moment to actually interact (I stopped at 40 percent) there seemed like there might be romance potential and that was literally the ONLY thing keeping me hanging on….but the Third Wheel Gandalf character kept interrupting them so they’ve barely had any real page time.
I almost feel this would have been better served if the author didn’t try to have a real plot at all and just contrived some reason for these two characters to be stuck together…perhaps if they fell into some alternate universe Mines of Moria maybe?
Owen is obsessed with a quiet life reading, and eating good food, and he is gifted a glowing short sword and he wears suspenders and a vest with a cloak…….Colt is a crude, roguish hunter who has been alone way too long to act civilized but who really has a heart of gold.
I mean, it’s pretty obvious right?
Oddly enough, I’d be fine with it if the writing was a little more refined. This feels like a second draft and the characters all feel like tropey stand ins just to further the very shallow and slow plot.
I will say that the few moments here and there where our two main characters got a moment to actually interact (I stopped at 40 percent) there seemed like there might be romance potential and that was literally the ONLY thing keeping me hanging on….but the Third Wheel Gandalf character kept interrupting them so they’ve barely had any real page time.
I almost feel this would have been better served if the author didn’t try to have a real plot at all and just contrived some reason for these two characters to be stuck together…perhaps if they fell into some alternate universe Mines of Moria maybe?
August 8, 2024
The story, the world building, the characters... it was all beautiful. The chemistry Owen and Colt, or as I like to call them "COWEN", had was sweet and intense. The slow burn was written in a way that just has you begging for more but at the same time being okay that is not being rushed.
Jordan Lee dove deep into the world building and the sad but deeply beatiful back stories for the two main characters. I, enjoyed how magic and being a Shadowborn are described in this book, how its the Essence of a fallen God.
Can't wait to pick up the second book A Saga of Wielders and Hunters.
Favorite quote: "That's when Colt noticed the slight trace of amber in Owen's eyes when the sun hit him just right, and how he gently tucked a strand of his dark hair behind his ear. And then Colt noticed how his heart skipped a beat, and he glanced away, breathless."
Jordan Lee dove deep into the world building and the sad but deeply beatiful back stories for the two main characters. I, enjoyed how magic and being a Shadowborn are described in this book, how its the Essence of a fallen God.
Can't wait to pick up the second book A Saga of Wielders and Hunters.
Favorite quote: "That's when Colt noticed the slight trace of amber in Owen's eyes when the sun hit him just right, and how he gently tucked a strand of his dark hair behind his ear. And then Colt noticed how his heart skipped a beat, and he glanced away, breathless."
March 20, 2024
This is a well structured and well written romantasy that I grew to love more and more as I read. I loved the world, the incredible background story (I loved Amias' narration).
And of course, the characters. Owen is surrounded by a group of great co-characters that give a sense of found family, and as the romance between Colt and Owen is slow burn I really loved seeing them slowly getting to know each other, growing fond of one another, trying to figure each other out, start caring about each other. And there was some hilarious moment too! I definitely want to know what come next and I can't wait to see more of Owen and Colt :)
And of course, the characters. Owen is surrounded by a group of great co-characters that give a sense of found family, and as the romance between Colt and Owen is slow burn I really loved seeing them slowly getting to know each other, growing fond of one another, trying to figure each other out, start caring about each other. And there was some hilarious moment too! I definitely want to know what come next and I can't wait to see more of Owen and Colt :)
April 3, 2025
I like the setup based upon a legend of 2 warring sibling deities who granted some of their essence to humans. The war ends in the annihilation of the sister and the lock-up of the brother into the underworld. The remaining humans started to hunt down the blessed descendants, steal the essence of the sister for their own purpose and kill those with the essence of the brother, as always in the name of the greater good but also obviously because that essence couldn't be claimed by their tools. Imagine the Spanish inquisition with magic abilities ruling over all the countries of a continent.
To a certain degree I also liked the characters or lets say they grew on me and they had a lot of time to do so because essentially this story is about a long getaway i.e. they are on the run because Owen is Shadowborn and his uncle killed an important figure to keep Owen's secret. Unfortunately most of the time it felt more like an unpleasant trip than a dangerous flight. On one side this allowed to get comfortable with the characters but on the other side it lacked the dark-ish tension one would expect from such a situation and while such country-wide run-and-hides usually allows the author a more detailed world building that's not the case here. Nice scenery but I only got an idea about the government system after I read the glossary at the end of the book.
So it's a nice story with a steady flow and a glacial slow burn (or let's say they're getting romantically accustomed resulting in some kissing at the end) but something is missing, something important to really get sucked into this story.
To a certain degree I also liked the characters or lets say they grew on me and they had a lot of time to do so because essentially this story is about a long getaway i.e. they are on the run because Owen is Shadowborn and his uncle killed an important figure to keep Owen's secret. Unfortunately most of the time it felt more like an unpleasant trip than a dangerous flight. On one side this allowed to get comfortable with the characters but on the other side it lacked the dark-ish tension one would expect from such a situation and while such country-wide run-and-hides usually allows the author a more detailed world building that's not the case here. Nice scenery but I only got an idea about the government system after I read the glossary at the end of the book.
So it's a nice story with a steady flow and a glacial slow burn (or let's say they're getting romantically accustomed resulting in some kissing at the end) but something is missing, something important to really get sucked into this story.
May 25, 2024
OMG YES! YES! YES! SO GOOD!
I loved every single page of this! There’s something about fantasy that follows the formula of this person/people have to go on a journey to some place to do something that just really works for me.
On top of that, I thought this was fantastically written, the characters were so likeable and full of depth and the world building was detailed and interesting.
I’m very excited I don’t have to wait long for the second book. I believe A Saga of Wielders and Hunters is out on the 17th June. Not only that… THERE’S A THIRD BOOK - YESSSS! I can’t wait to carry on the Journey with Owen and Colt and the gang!
Jordan Lee has another series starting with the Beast of Ashwood Manor, that I’m also very excited to try (I want to read her shopping list at this point). Beauty and the Beast retelling? Sarah.J. Maas is quaking!
This has to be one of my favourite reads of 2024 so far - go read!
I loved every single page of this! There’s something about fantasy that follows the formula of this person/people have to go on a journey to some place to do something that just really works for me.
On top of that, I thought this was fantastically written, the characters were so likeable and full of depth and the world building was detailed and interesting.
I’m very excited I don’t have to wait long for the second book. I believe A Saga of Wielders and Hunters is out on the 17th June. Not only that… THERE’S A THIRD BOOK - YESSSS! I can’t wait to carry on the Journey with Owen and Colt and the gang!
Jordan Lee has another series starting with the Beast of Ashwood Manor, that I’m also very excited to try (I want to read her shopping list at this point). Beauty and the Beast retelling? Sarah.J. Maas is quaking!
This has to be one of my favourite reads of 2024 so far - go read!
March 11, 2024
It is a truly marvellous story, one of the best I've read in years on so many strands. A story of a young man being hunted for his feared magic by fanatics who know no better and are driven by old prophecies and a misguided belief that this magic must be eradicated at no cost. A brutal approach of testing and killing innocent young people to stop their magic evolve and, in doing so, steeling it. It's harsh and brutal at times, keeps you wanting to scream out, stop...
On another strand, you have the growing attraction and love, which is so so so slow burning it is maddening. Colt is a wonderful man who is so afraid of opening up himself that all you want to do is shake him. Owen is an innocent young man with wonderful magic he is not totally aware of its importance and potential. You know the live is coming, and it is refreshing to have a love story not centred around the bed.
The supporting characters are endearing, and the vilians you but can't wonder how bad they are. Keeps you gasping for book 2.
The most and only annoying thing about this book is you know it's going to end. It's one of those reads that, at times, I could not put it down, and then other times, i wanted to last forever and drew out finishing a chapter. We'll done Jordan and keep them coming.
On another strand, you have the growing attraction and love, which is so so so slow burning it is maddening. Colt is a wonderful man who is so afraid of opening up himself that all you want to do is shake him. Owen is an innocent young man with wonderful magic he is not totally aware of its importance and potential. You know the live is coming, and it is refreshing to have a love story not centred around the bed.
The supporting characters are endearing, and the vilians you but can't wonder how bad they are. Keeps you gasping for book 2.
The most and only annoying thing about this book is you know it's going to end. It's one of those reads that, at times, I could not put it down, and then other times, i wanted to last forever and drew out finishing a chapter. We'll done Jordan and keep them coming.
March 4, 2024
I was lucky enough to read an ARC copy of this book, and thoroughly enjoyed it!
Great world and story building and a slow build that didn’t feel too drawn out or like I was just waiting impatiently for something to happen! (Like I usually am with a slow burn haha) Though as a spicy reader, I was definitely missing the spice!
But despite that, the story had me totally hooked and I finished it in one day haha. Owen was such a sweet naive character, eventually learning more and getting closer with Colt, who was the definite grumpy to Owen’s sunshine. Colt was such a grump but I definitely loved him.
I’m looking forward to the rest of this story already and the first one isn’t actually out yet.. let my impatience begin!
Check it out from March 19th!
🏹MM Romance
🏹Fantasy
🏹Slow Burn
🏹Grumpy/Sunshine
🏹TBC
Great world and story building and a slow build that didn’t feel too drawn out or like I was just waiting impatiently for something to happen! (Like I usually am with a slow burn haha) Though as a spicy reader, I was definitely missing the spice!
But despite that, the story had me totally hooked and I finished it in one day haha. Owen was such a sweet naive character, eventually learning more and getting closer with Colt, who was the definite grumpy to Owen’s sunshine. Colt was such a grump but I definitely loved him.
I’m looking forward to the rest of this story already and the first one isn’t actually out yet.. let my impatience begin!
Check it out from March 19th!
🏹MM Romance
🏹Fantasy
🏹Slow Burn
🏹Grumpy/Sunshine
🏹TBC
dnf
August 11, 2024DNF at 40%
It’s not too bad, but it’s just too slow for my liking. Dnf, at least for now.
It’s not too bad, but it’s just too slow for my liking. Dnf, at least for now.
July 24, 2024
I really enjoyed this. It was SLOW in terms of pacing and being a slow burn romance. So slow burn that it barely ignited by the end of the story. But I enjoyed that because it left more to just focus on the characters and their journey. It’s a lot of traveling with some action thrown in. It did feel repetitive at times, but I was just having a good slow time that I didn’t care.
January 14, 2025
3.5/5 ⭐️
An intriguing story with great characters and an interesting magic system. The author did a great job of describing the story. There were some great moments where emotions could really be evoked, such as coziness at a cute home or fear in a dark forest. I could easily picture them in my mind. However, those moments just fell flat and unfortunately the author didn’t do a good job of making me FEEL those moments. Also, the romance was lacking.
An intriguing story with great characters and an interesting magic system. The author did a great job of describing the story. There were some great moments where emotions could really be evoked, such as coziness at a cute home or fear in a dark forest. I could easily picture them in my mind. However, those moments just fell flat and unfortunately the author didn’t do a good job of making me FEEL those moments. Also, the romance was lacking.
August 19, 2024
This was super cool.
I am into this whole thing. The world building and the lore are fantastic; the characters are too good and have yet to lose my interest; the twists and turns have given me pause and delighted me when I only halfway figured something out because there’s a neat little spin on the familiar fantasy tropes/plot devices. All of it is exactly my cup of cocoa.
Are there things that are a little wonky? Ehh, not really. I’m invested in figuring out the dad mystery, I can’t wait to see the HEA, and that Gate, though! I’m diving immediately in to the next book and am happy to immerse myself again.
4.5/5. Did I mention them falling in love has been just the friggin’ CUTEST?! Because them falling in love has been the friggin’ cutest. Innocent little sweetie pies and their precious little smooches.🥺🥲
I am into this whole thing. The world building and the lore are fantastic; the characters are too good and have yet to lose my interest; the twists and turns have given me pause and delighted me when I only halfway figured something out because there’s a neat little spin on the familiar fantasy tropes/plot devices. All of it is exactly my cup of cocoa.
Are there things that are a little wonky? Ehh, not really. I’m invested in figuring out the dad mystery, I can’t wait to see the HEA, and that Gate, though! I’m diving immediately in to the next book and am happy to immerse myself again.
4.5/5. Did I mention them falling in love has been just the friggin’ CUTEST?! Because them falling in love has been the friggin’ cutest. Innocent little sweetie pies and their precious little smooches.🥺🥲
October 11, 2025
7.5/10
Kind of slow at the beginning but got better towards the end. Maybe because I wasn't in the mood when I started reading or because it's the 1st book in the trilogy, it was a bit hard for me to keep going. But then again, since English is not my 1st language, that might be a reason too haha
Anyways, the plot is plotting, the characters are likeable ngl (Colt <3) and the journey is interesting.
I definetly will read the next book!
Kind of slow at the beginning but got better towards the end. Maybe because I wasn't in the mood when I started reading or because it's the 1st book in the trilogy, it was a bit hard for me to keep going. But then again, since English is not my 1st language, that might be a reason too haha
Anyways, the plot is plotting, the characters are likeable ngl (Colt <3) and the journey is interesting.
I definetly will read the next book!
March 14, 2024
Look as usual I have a lot of work right now. And I thought I was doing fine monitoring my reading procrastination time with this book but then I just.... couldn't stop reading. Doesn't help that Gray has gotten me addicted to genshin impact in the last month and honestly this book has a very similar setting, all these different places and lands (when they stopped at the winery I was like um don't you mean the DAWN winery??? 😅😅) It was just one giant "sleep is for the weak I'll rest when I finish it".
Brash rough around the edges Colt teams up with sweet but also somehow majorly terrifying Owen and you can totally tell they like each other from the first interaction even though they both process these new feelings by annoying each other. Something I found really adorable was Colt, who never really had a nice home or cozy living, pairing up with Owen who prioritizes that. I want to see Owen give Colt a cute little cottage to come home to.
But let me tell you it is a slooooooooow burn, my lord does it make you work for it 😂 which normally I am totally ok with, I mean I'm not here for the spice I'm here for the cuddles, but when you're shipping a pair as hard as I was with these two I was just really dying for even one kiss. I'll soldier on and pray we get some more affection in the next book. And to be honest, it did make it very genuine once it happened.
Also we get the bag guy's POV which is a nice addition even if it did make me want to rip my hair out (THE ENDING ☠️). Anyway I totally loved this book, looking forward to what this series holds.
Brash rough around the edges Colt teams up with sweet but also somehow majorly terrifying Owen and you can totally tell they like each other from the first interaction even though they both process these new feelings by annoying each other. Something I found really adorable was Colt, who never really had a nice home or cozy living, pairing up with Owen who prioritizes that. I want to see Owen give Colt a cute little cottage to come home to.
But let me tell you it is a slooooooooow burn, my lord does it make you work for it 😂 which normally I am totally ok with, I mean I'm not here for the spice I'm here for the cuddles, but when you're shipping a pair as hard as I was with these two I was just really dying for even one kiss. I'll soldier on and pray we get some more affection in the next book. And to be honest, it did make it very genuine once it happened.
Also we get the bag guy's POV which is a nice addition even if it did make me want to rip my hair out (THE ENDING ☠️). Anyway I totally loved this book, looking forward to what this series holds.
January 5, 2025
2.5. undeniably tolkien-inspired, which i say as both a positive and a negative. i don't really read a lot of romantasy because from what i've seen from booktubers, it seems like a genre i'd hate - but i have been feeling like attempting to explore the genre recently to formulate a personal opinion on it instead of having one dictated to me. i actually had planned to read one of the popular ones first but this popped up on my kindle home page so i impulsively read it - and i kind of regret it, but also i kind of don't?
mainly, i kind of don't because it seems like most romantasy falls into the category of "mostly romance and only incidentally fantasy." a lot of the reviews i've watched seem to hone in on the lack of plot and worldbuilding, which is something that's kept me from exploring the genre, because i don't see much of the point in fantasy if you aren't actually establishing lore. luckily, a tale of whispers and rogues doesn't shy away from worldbuilding; the author clearly has a vision. unfortunately, there's so much infodumping in little bursts every few chapters that there's a point where it becomes a little confusing, and some aspects seem contradictory as they attempt to explain things; too often, it veers into over-explanation, and makes everything muddy.
i was enjoying it in the beginning, though. none of the characters were particularly strong but it felt like the author did care about them, which i found endearing. it was a little frustrating, though, to continue to progress in the story and to have very little romantic development. there was the initial, surface-level, "i think he's attractive" comments, but never much more than that? i love a good road story but too much of the page time was dedicated to them walking, finding a place, meeting someone, near miss, rinse and repeat - not much time was actually spent with the leads getting to KNOW one another in a way that justified the "falling in love" comments near the end of the book. as interesting as i found it in the beginning to be more world-oriented than romance-oriented, and i like that for the most part colt and owen exist outside of their romance with one another, there just wasn't much chemistry.
maybe now that the world's been established, the following books can be more character-focused, but i'm not certain if i'm going to read them. this just wasn't engaging enough for me and probably not a good read for my first dive into romantasy - and not just for the issues above. i have some more thoughts, but they aren't nearly as cohesive, so i'm just gonna bullet-point them.
- there's a real lack of diversity; i don't recall any characters being described as nonwhite
- there's really only two women with lines and personality, and one is immediately forced into the role of "the mom friend." she's only 30, but she says she sees owen as a child despite the fact his love interest is almost the same age as her ??? and he literally says he sees her as a mother. it's weird
- there's the implication that gay people might not be accepted in this world? owen has an inner monologue about not knowing how to explain that he's into men. coupled with rampant misogyny, i'm just wondering why fantasy authors feel the need to have bigotry in their fake worlds, when you can easily build one without it
- there's some biphobic stereotyping regarding colt that i don't care for; he reminiscences on having slept around a lot but "owen is different" and i hate that trope
- i don't usually care about anachronisms but some of the language was very awkward. mentioning gala apples did in fact made me laugh, though. new zealand is canon to this fantasy world i guess
mainly, i kind of don't because it seems like most romantasy falls into the category of "mostly romance and only incidentally fantasy." a lot of the reviews i've watched seem to hone in on the lack of plot and worldbuilding, which is something that's kept me from exploring the genre, because i don't see much of the point in fantasy if you aren't actually establishing lore. luckily, a tale of whispers and rogues doesn't shy away from worldbuilding; the author clearly has a vision. unfortunately, there's so much infodumping in little bursts every few chapters that there's a point where it becomes a little confusing, and some aspects seem contradictory as they attempt to explain things; too often, it veers into over-explanation, and makes everything muddy.
i was enjoying it in the beginning, though. none of the characters were particularly strong but it felt like the author did care about them, which i found endearing. it was a little frustrating, though, to continue to progress in the story and to have very little romantic development. there was the initial, surface-level, "i think he's attractive" comments, but never much more than that? i love a good road story but too much of the page time was dedicated to them walking, finding a place, meeting someone, near miss, rinse and repeat - not much time was actually spent with the leads getting to KNOW one another in a way that justified the "falling in love" comments near the end of the book. as interesting as i found it in the beginning to be more world-oriented than romance-oriented, and i like that for the most part colt and owen exist outside of their romance with one another, there just wasn't much chemistry.
maybe now that the world's been established, the following books can be more character-focused, but i'm not certain if i'm going to read them. this just wasn't engaging enough for me and probably not a good read for my first dive into romantasy - and not just for the issues above. i have some more thoughts, but they aren't nearly as cohesive, so i'm just gonna bullet-point them.
- there's a real lack of diversity; i don't recall any characters being described as nonwhite
- there's really only two women with lines and personality, and one is immediately forced into the role of "the mom friend." she's only 30, but she says she sees owen as a child despite the fact his love interest is almost the same age as her ??? and he literally says he sees her as a mother. it's weird
- there's the implication that gay people might not be accepted in this world? owen has an inner monologue about not knowing how to explain that he's into men. coupled with rampant misogyny, i'm just wondering why fantasy authors feel the need to have bigotry in their fake worlds, when you can easily build one without it
- there's some biphobic stereotyping regarding colt that i don't care for; he reminiscences on having slept around a lot but "owen is different" and i hate that trope
- i don't usually care about anachronisms but some of the language was very awkward. mentioning gala apples did in fact made me laugh, though. new zealand is canon to this fantasy world i guess
November 12, 2024
I think the best way to describe this book is slow. Slow world building, slow plot progression, slow burn romance. If none of that is appealing to you, then I would skip over this one haha. It was definitely a lot of "on the run" -- okay so like 95% of the book is just them walking and camping out and sometimes running across ne'er-do-wells.
Pros:
🍎 Great character development.
🍎Believable slow burn romance.
🍎 Interesting world-lore and magic system.
Cons:
🍎Little plot progression until the last 10%.
🍎 Really an almost 500 page camping excursion.
🍎 Bros have so many close calls that it takes the suspense out of it by like, 60%.
Pros:
🍎 Great character development.
🍎Believable slow burn romance.
🍎 Interesting world-lore and magic system.
Cons:
🍎Little plot progression until the last 10%.
🍎 Really an almost 500 page camping excursion.
🍎 Bros have so many close calls that it takes the suspense out of it by like, 60%.
Read
February 4, 2025First DNF of the year. Just awful ahaha
April 20, 2025
It was very 'meh'.
March 11, 2025
1.5 The premise is promising, but it’s a read you have to push through because the writing is just not great. There’s a VERY slow burn romance but it’s so slow it’s boring. Will not be continuing the series.
January 31, 2025
You have to be generous and forgiving as you read this. I don’t know anything about the author, but it feels like a first novel, a new writer grasping for a voice. There’s hackneyed dialogue, painfully familiar set pieces, bad grammar and word choice, and outright theft from more popular and well written novels. Yet there’s also well done action, riveting dramatic moments, and an interesting relationship between the two MC’s. It certainly deserves derision, but the author comes across as so earnest and loyal to the genre that I found myself reading to the end. I might even read the next book in the series.
I would think the author would be too embarrassed to bring such a blatantly derivative story to press. It steels especially from The Fellowship of the Ring. There’s the genteel home abandoned for a fraught journey on foot (Emberton rather than the Shire), the eerie forest (Birchwood rather than Mirkwood), a trip down a river (Birch River rather than Anduin), a shoulder wound followed by an illness, the pursuit by enemies wielding supernatural power (Core Weilders rather than Wraiths), a miserable escape through a marsh (here, a marsh near the coast rather than the Midgewater Marsh), a wild chase and disaster over a bridge (Brookland Heights bridge rather than the one in Khazad-dûm). Worse the heroes in both books lose their guides and lore masters at these bridges (Amias and Gandalf, respectively). In both books, near the end, the heroes find themselves underground in an ancient room that reveals secrets, and in both a misstep by a character alerts dangerous creatures to their presence and then a mad dash for freedom. There’s even a Luthien in the Southern part of the map. It makes me wonder whether the author used AI to write the story. I can all but see the author’s prompt: “Summarize The Fellowship of the Ring and then rewrite it as an M/M romantasy….”
The author gives us access to the character’s inner thoughts in italicized passages that are awkwardly phrased and cringingly cliché throughout. Worse than being cliché, a number of passages are just painfully corny (including a cold and frigid camping scene where Colt says to Owen. “Come here…. We’ll [lie together to] share warmth.” Such a smooth talker is our Colt).
The narrative voice, after awhile, is grating. Maybe Lee dictated the story rather than used AI because descriptions throughout are couched in terms and phrases we’d use in speech rather than writing. There’s an ongoing vagueness (“the rain let up around afternoon,” “many shops” lined the main road) that is more colloquial than literary. Along with unusual shifts in tenses (the narrative is written mostly in the past tense but will unexpectedly shift to, say, future tense in the middle of a paragraph), the cumulative affect conveys the impression that this writer does not have a strong grasp of language.
That the author lacks basic language skills is supported by sentences such as this one:
"The path from the docks winded upward toward a neat row of shops…"
Someone can certainly be winded, say, from running hard. But paths themselves don’t get winded. In this case, it should be “the path wound upward….”
Unfortunately, there are plenty more examples of poor grammar or confused notions of what a word means.
Although I’m not an author, I am a visual artist. I know something of the creative process and also what it’s like to rush final decisions right before the exhibit. But I’d be mortified to put something in front of the public with the glaring flaws and stolen ideas this book exhibits.
That’s not to say there’s nothing here in this book. There’s something about it that kept me reading. Maybe I want to see what station this train wreck pulls into. Or maybe it’s the evident care the author devotes to the small details on the page, the signs that the author is invested and committed to the story but hasn’t found her own voice yet. Whatever it is, I’m likely to read the next book.
I would think the author would be too embarrassed to bring such a blatantly derivative story to press. It steels especially from The Fellowship of the Ring. There’s the genteel home abandoned for a fraught journey on foot (Emberton rather than the Shire), the eerie forest (Birchwood rather than Mirkwood), a trip down a river (Birch River rather than Anduin), a shoulder wound followed by an illness, the pursuit by enemies wielding supernatural power (Core Weilders rather than Wraiths), a miserable escape through a marsh (here, a marsh near the coast rather than the Midgewater Marsh), a wild chase and disaster over a bridge (Brookland Heights bridge rather than the one in Khazad-dûm). Worse the heroes in both books lose their guides and lore masters at these bridges (Amias and Gandalf, respectively). In both books, near the end, the heroes find themselves underground in an ancient room that reveals secrets, and in both a misstep by a character alerts dangerous creatures to their presence and then a mad dash for freedom. There’s even a Luthien in the Southern part of the map. It makes me wonder whether the author used AI to write the story. I can all but see the author’s prompt: “Summarize The Fellowship of the Ring and then rewrite it as an M/M romantasy….”
The author gives us access to the character’s inner thoughts in italicized passages that are awkwardly phrased and cringingly cliché throughout. Worse than being cliché, a number of passages are just painfully corny (including a cold and frigid camping scene where Colt says to Owen. “Come here…. We’ll [lie together to] share warmth.” Such a smooth talker is our Colt).
The narrative voice, after awhile, is grating. Maybe Lee dictated the story rather than used AI because descriptions throughout are couched in terms and phrases we’d use in speech rather than writing. There’s an ongoing vagueness (“the rain let up around afternoon,” “many shops” lined the main road) that is more colloquial than literary. Along with unusual shifts in tenses (the narrative is written mostly in the past tense but will unexpectedly shift to, say, future tense in the middle of a paragraph), the cumulative affect conveys the impression that this writer does not have a strong grasp of language.
That the author lacks basic language skills is supported by sentences such as this one:
"The path from the docks winded upward toward a neat row of shops…"
Someone can certainly be winded, say, from running hard. But paths themselves don’t get winded. In this case, it should be “the path wound upward….”
Unfortunately, there are plenty more examples of poor grammar or confused notions of what a word means.
Although I’m not an author, I am a visual artist. I know something of the creative process and also what it’s like to rush final decisions right before the exhibit. But I’d be mortified to put something in front of the public with the glaring flaws and stolen ideas this book exhibits.
That’s not to say there’s nothing here in this book. There’s something about it that kept me reading. Maybe I want to see what station this train wreck pulls into. Or maybe it’s the evident care the author devotes to the small details on the page, the signs that the author is invested and committed to the story but hasn’t found her own voice yet. Whatever it is, I’m likely to read the next book.
June 4, 2024
This isn't really a review. This book was really boring, honestly. All the town names kind of bleed together in a really Sims Expansion-y kind of way. The action is lackluster, the magic system seems tedious and unimaginative.
But I *need* Colt and Owen to fuck like I need oxygen.
But I *need* Colt and Owen to fuck like I need oxygen.
July 8, 2024
a very good, well crafted, and involved read.
Rating: 4🌈
Once again, a glorious cover pulled me to a book and got me to the description and the decision to read the story. See the artist credits below. A Tale of Whispers and Rogues by Jordan Lee is the first in the Shadowborn fantasy series and I was really entertained by the world building and characters.
This is a very much a fast paced action adventure with a slow burn romance thread that builds as a small group of people journey or flee across the country. Why they are running, the political and religious state of the world and countries are revealed as the group flees.
That’s Uncle Amias who works for The Legion. The Legion is the world’s governing body. Next is Colt O’Malley, a former thief, fighter and gambler who’s indebted to Amias, and most importantly, there’s Amias’ nephew, Owen Greene. Owen, who has led a life of temporary homes and caregivers, is finally orphaned fully into his Uncle’s care, only to be left behind again. The truth behind his story becomes clear at the beginning of the journey when Amias and Colt come to collect him. Events force the disclosure that Owen is a Shadowborn.
Lee does a powerful job in showing the tragic events that lead up to Amias abandoning his job and running to gather up Owen. Also the pain of Owen leaving behind the only real home he’s ever had. All to flee for his life.
It’s about religion, magic, interpretation of that religious word and the actual horrors being enacted by fanatical factions in power to keep their beliefs intact. Including acts that have ended up destroying lives, many of which are children.
The storylines and characters are great. I was absolutely invested in this journey because of them and the growth that I saw. And the mysteries being laid out still in the landscape and the mythology.
However, Lee also decided to throw in multiple POVs, beyond that of the expected two main characters of Colt and Owen, and honestly, it weakens the narrative and the suspense that builds upon that singular experience between the one group because if you are experiencing it from just their perspective, then anything else is going to be a surprise to you as well.
I’m not a fan of this format, it rarely makes sense, and for me, it doesn’t here.
It also changes the way the book ends. Not from a HFN but to a cliffhanger.
A Tale of Whispers and Rogues: An MM Fantasy Romance (Shadowborn Book 1) by Jordan Lee is a very good, well crafted, and involved read. I think its sequel is going to be even better. I can’t wait to see where the author takes the story next. A definite recommendation.
Gorgeous covers on both.
Book cover art by Olga Panfilova Book cover design by Selkkiedesigns
Shadowborn series:
- [x] A Tale of Whispers and Rogue #1
- [ ] A Saga of Wielders and Hunters #2
Rating: 4🌈
Once again, a glorious cover pulled me to a book and got me to the description and the decision to read the story. See the artist credits below. A Tale of Whispers and Rogues by Jordan Lee is the first in the Shadowborn fantasy series and I was really entertained by the world building and characters.
This is a very much a fast paced action adventure with a slow burn romance thread that builds as a small group of people journey or flee across the country. Why they are running, the political and religious state of the world and countries are revealed as the group flees.
That’s Uncle Amias who works for The Legion. The Legion is the world’s governing body. Next is Colt O’Malley, a former thief, fighter and gambler who’s indebted to Amias, and most importantly, there’s Amias’ nephew, Owen Greene. Owen, who has led a life of temporary homes and caregivers, is finally orphaned fully into his Uncle’s care, only to be left behind again. The truth behind his story becomes clear at the beginning of the journey when Amias and Colt come to collect him. Events force the disclosure that Owen is a Shadowborn.
Lee does a powerful job in showing the tragic events that lead up to Amias abandoning his job and running to gather up Owen. Also the pain of Owen leaving behind the only real home he’s ever had. All to flee for his life.
It’s about religion, magic, interpretation of that religious word and the actual horrors being enacted by fanatical factions in power to keep their beliefs intact. Including acts that have ended up destroying lives, many of which are children.
The storylines and characters are great. I was absolutely invested in this journey because of them and the growth that I saw. And the mysteries being laid out still in the landscape and the mythology.
However, Lee also decided to throw in multiple POVs, beyond that of the expected two main characters of Colt and Owen, and honestly, it weakens the narrative and the suspense that builds upon that singular experience between the one group because if you are experiencing it from just their perspective, then anything else is going to be a surprise to you as well.
I’m not a fan of this format, it rarely makes sense, and for me, it doesn’t here.
It also changes the way the book ends. Not from a HFN but to a cliffhanger.
A Tale of Whispers and Rogues: An MM Fantasy Romance (Shadowborn Book 1) by Jordan Lee is a very good, well crafted, and involved read. I think its sequel is going to be even better. I can’t wait to see where the author takes the story next. A definite recommendation.
Gorgeous covers on both.
Book cover art by Olga Panfilova Book cover design by Selkkiedesigns
Shadowborn series:
- [x] A Tale of Whispers and Rogue #1
- [ ] A Saga of Wielders and Hunters #2
July 10, 2024
I was looking for something to mix up my usual reading, so I was browsing for books when I ran across A Tale of Whispers and Rogues by Jordan Lee. Fantasy typically isn’t something I intentionally seek out, but I was in a mood and instantly fell in love with this based on the cover. Owen Greene is Shadowborn, meaning he possesses the Essence of a fallen god. In this world, the Legion is tasked with cleansing Shadowborn of the power. If they cannot be cleansed, they must die. When his uncle, Amias, leaks that Owen has the Essence his life is immediately put into peril. Amias convinces the roguish Colt O’Malley to accompany them on the journey and while he anticipates danger, he cannot anticipate the attraction he feels for Owen, the Shadowborn he has been tasked with protecting.
I found the first chapter of this book to be a very strong opening. I realize that the scene was unpleasant, but the book does contain content warnings before the story begins for this specific reason. It also felt necessary to establish that the danger Owen faces is a very real threat. I was a little bit iffy on some of the fantasy elements that weren’t quite clicking for me, but still thought this was a really fun read. I think the author does an excellent job of building tension and making the adventure elements of the story exciting. When action isn’t happening, the story has a cozy quality, due in part to Owen’s cheerful nature.
Loved Owen’s sunshine and Colt’s grumpiness. Owen’s cheery personality helped to lighten the mood of the book, especially following such a bleak opening. The two had so much chemistry, and I loved every moment of their banter. I think that their bond really helped to keep me invested in the story. The action scenes were fun to read! I especially enjoyed getting to know some of the side characters, like Gilda. This definitely made for a nice excursion from my usual picks and I look forward to following the characters in the sequel the next time the next time I find myself craving something a little different.
I found the first chapter of this book to be a very strong opening. I realize that the scene was unpleasant, but the book does contain content warnings before the story begins for this specific reason. It also felt necessary to establish that the danger Owen faces is a very real threat. I was a little bit iffy on some of the fantasy elements that weren’t quite clicking for me, but still thought this was a really fun read. I think the author does an excellent job of building tension and making the adventure elements of the story exciting. When action isn’t happening, the story has a cozy quality, due in part to Owen’s cheerful nature.
Loved Owen’s sunshine and Colt’s grumpiness. Owen’s cheery personality helped to lighten the mood of the book, especially following such a bleak opening. The two had so much chemistry, and I loved every moment of their banter. I think that their bond really helped to keep me invested in the story. The action scenes were fun to read! I especially enjoyed getting to know some of the side characters, like Gilda. This definitely made for a nice excursion from my usual picks and I look forward to following the characters in the sequel the next time the next time I find myself craving something a little different.
March 3, 2025
a solid 4.5 stars, but not 5
I don’t get it. I really don’t. You can barely pick up a book about writing fiction the doesn’t tell you not to spell more than one character with the same letter. There most be 8 or ten important people and places that start with the letter ‘A’. The last think an author wants is to force the reader out of the story for the purpose of figuring out which character or in this case place name is being referred to. NEVER push your readers out of the story, ever! I have stopped reading and deleted books for this amateurish mistake. Didn’t anyone who knows About writing fiction tell the author about this? And then I read where she rewrote and updated the whole story and still didn’t fix it?!
Okay, enough said. Why didn’t I delete this story? I’m not sure, I guess there was something that held onto my interest. I got through despite my frustration. I’m really not sure though if I’ll read the next installment. There’s a lot of other stories to. Read on my Kindle without the frustration.
Why did I give it 4.5 stars? I liked the characters. There was a complexity even in innocent main character. The same can be said nearly every character in the story. Everyone had a dark side. Even the lead antagonist has his relatability. I kept wondering if he would turn to help rather than hinder the protagonist at some future stage. he could be accused of dragging his feet or even of incompetence in ‘trying’ to capture the protagonist.
A little spoiler: don’t expect anything more than a very slow burn short of the the last ten pages or so, and then a brief kiss is all you’re going to get.
The story is good. I don’t have any real complaints there. The world building wasn’t excessive but I had a good enough picture of the locations and what was going on.
I don’t know, I might’ve just talked myself into buying the next book…. Maybe I will, maybe I won’t, maybe I will.
I’ll recommend this story with the stated misgivings.
I don’t get it. I really don’t. You can barely pick up a book about writing fiction the doesn’t tell you not to spell more than one character with the same letter. There most be 8 or ten important people and places that start with the letter ‘A’. The last think an author wants is to force the reader out of the story for the purpose of figuring out which character or in this case place name is being referred to. NEVER push your readers out of the story, ever! I have stopped reading and deleted books for this amateurish mistake. Didn’t anyone who knows About writing fiction tell the author about this? And then I read where she rewrote and updated the whole story and still didn’t fix it?!
Okay, enough said. Why didn’t I delete this story? I’m not sure, I guess there was something that held onto my interest. I got through despite my frustration. I’m really not sure though if I’ll read the next installment. There’s a lot of other stories to. Read on my Kindle without the frustration.
Why did I give it 4.5 stars? I liked the characters. There was a complexity even in innocent main character. The same can be said nearly every character in the story. Everyone had a dark side. Even the lead antagonist has his relatability. I kept wondering if he would turn to help rather than hinder the protagonist at some future stage. he could be accused of dragging his feet or even of incompetence in ‘trying’ to capture the protagonist.
A little spoiler: don’t expect anything more than a very slow burn short of the the last ten pages or so, and then a brief kiss is all you’re going to get.
The story is good. I don’t have any real complaints there. The world building wasn’t excessive but I had a good enough picture of the locations and what was going on.
I don’t know, I might’ve just talked myself into buying the next book…. Maybe I will, maybe I won’t, maybe I will.
I’ll recommend this story with the stated misgivings.
August 18, 2025
I'm still trying to figure out if I stumbled on a hidden gem with this book, or just a really shiny rock. It didn't sweep me away, but I'm glad I found it. I think I need to try Book 2 before I can feel secure making a judgement, but I'm not sure whether the audio is helping or hurting my impression. The romance is just getting started at the end of Book 1, so maybe I'l be swept away in Book 2 and that will carry me through. Fingers crossed.
Before I say anything about the plot, I'll address the audio. Darcy Stark has a nice voice and a nice cadence. However, I think the acting falls flat in emotional moments, and I fear the main characters' voices exacerbate some of their less favorable qualities (Colt: mean; Owen: whiny, naive). It was hard to tell because Stark's voice is easy to listen to, but as I tried to separate the voices from the words, I realized that many of the things I disliked about the characters are more present in the voice acting than the text.
On to the text: It's okay. It's not bad! But it's not a home run. I had a hard time getting invested in the emotional moments (not just because of the audio). And I found myself constantly frustrated trying to figure out how high the stakes were supposed to be. The level of peril does not always match the circumstances. On one hand, the characters are fleeing an evil genocidal government in fear of their lives--yikes! On the other hand, they seem totally unconcerned with covering their tracks or keeping their secrets--why not take a day off from your perilous journey to day drink at a winery?
To sum it up, this book feels...undercooked. Like, it needed another draft, or more developmental editing, or something. It's not bad, but it could have been better. For that reason, I want to give Book 2 a shot. Maybe the series hits its stride. And if not, it was still a nice enough way to pass the time.
Before I say anything about the plot, I'll address the audio. Darcy Stark has a nice voice and a nice cadence. However, I think the acting falls flat in emotional moments, and I fear the main characters' voices exacerbate some of their less favorable qualities (Colt: mean; Owen: whiny, naive). It was hard to tell because Stark's voice is easy to listen to, but as I tried to separate the voices from the words, I realized that many of the things I disliked about the characters are more present in the voice acting than the text.
On to the text: It's okay. It's not bad! But it's not a home run. I had a hard time getting invested in the emotional moments (not just because of the audio). And I found myself constantly frustrated trying to figure out how high the stakes were supposed to be. The level of peril does not always match the circumstances. On one hand, the characters are fleeing an evil genocidal government in fear of their lives--yikes! On the other hand, they seem totally unconcerned with covering their tracks or keeping their secrets--why not take a day off from your perilous journey to day drink at a winery?
To sum it up, this book feels...undercooked. Like, it needed another draft, or more developmental editing, or something. It's not bad, but it could have been better. For that reason, I want to give Book 2 a shot. Maybe the series hits its stride. And if not, it was still a nice enough way to pass the time.
April 29, 2025
Wow, this was definitely not for me.
I think what impacted my level of enjoyment most was the dialogue - it read very sparse, extremely simplistic to the point of feeling forced or fake at times; it didn’t feel like any of the characters had a specific to them voice not only in the dialogue but also in their POV. Might have as well been one for little difference it realitically made in my opinion. Adding 'mate' consistently e.g. to one character felt like one of the only ways to try distinguishing between their speech. And with a few random words like 'cute' or 'chateaux' thrown in just because there was a vineyard yet no other 'French' related mentions in this fantasy world just put me out of the narrative.
Similarly, didn’t really feel the tension between main characters. It read surface-level, as just a few basic observations in narration let us know 'oh, this man is handsome', 'I like his hands and I wonder how they could feel', 'he is cute' to skip to 'I like him and I am falling'. For quite a solid wordcout it was surprising how little actual physical and romantic tension I felt.
I enjoyed the idea of this story so kudos for that as such. Just that the execution fell flat for my personal taste, as I enjoy rucher prose, more solid character building and a bit more expectation from the author that I engage my brain and think and have to make connections and a bit of mystery or intrigue rather than simplifying the language, the motives, the side characters, the world etc. for me as a reader. A pity as I did already purchase the 2nd book expecting to love it based on the premise and some of the reviews.
As always with reading, what worked for others did not work for me this time.
I think what impacted my level of enjoyment most was the dialogue - it read very sparse, extremely simplistic to the point of feeling forced or fake at times; it didn’t feel like any of the characters had a specific to them voice not only in the dialogue but also in their POV. Might have as well been one for little difference it realitically made in my opinion. Adding 'mate' consistently e.g. to one character felt like one of the only ways to try distinguishing between their speech. And with a few random words like 'cute' or 'chateaux' thrown in just because there was a vineyard yet no other 'French' related mentions in this fantasy world just put me out of the narrative.
Similarly, didn’t really feel the tension between main characters. It read surface-level, as just a few basic observations in narration let us know 'oh, this man is handsome', 'I like his hands and I wonder how they could feel', 'he is cute' to skip to 'I like him and I am falling'. For quite a solid wordcout it was surprising how little actual physical and romantic tension I felt.
I enjoyed the idea of this story so kudos for that as such. Just that the execution fell flat for my personal taste, as I enjoy rucher prose, more solid character building and a bit more expectation from the author that I engage my brain and think and have to make connections and a bit of mystery or intrigue rather than simplifying the language, the motives, the side characters, the world etc. for me as a reader. A pity as I did already purchase the 2nd book expecting to love it based on the premise and some of the reviews.
As always with reading, what worked for others did not work for me this time.
March 19, 2024
I received an ARC of this for an honest review!
A Romantasy between a man with the cursed power of a fallen god & the handsome rogue sworn to protect him. (sign me up immediately)
I am such a big fan of epic fantasies with giant worlds and this book does NOT disappoint in that realm at all. So many of the epic fantasies we know and love today require a lot of introduction into the world and it's lands, ways, lore, and Jordan Lee does a wonderful job of teaching us as a reader about these lands we're thrown into. So I really appreciate the level of effort in there in understanding, the gods who are praised and banished, which lands are safe or not, etc (especially for our loveable group of men on the run).
Owen and Colt are SOOO loveable. Right off the bat their banter is addictive to read, and the natural way that they interact with each other is *mwah* chefs kiss. I LOVE that the author didn't rush their romance seeing that they haven't known each other for too long. It feels so much more realistic, those first hints of care, the almost dying to protect one another that reveals their true feelings to themselves. Yeah, thats the good stuff.
I truthfully can't wait to see where the rest of this story takes us. Especially with that ending as we know how much a certain journal means to Owen, it'll be so interesting to see how it comes into play & how Owen's powers will evolve as well as his feelings!
p.s. I also adored the use of smells etc to pick up on someone's feelings or location on Owen's essence magic. So fun to attribute certain things to a character! (Like Lemon and honey for beloved Colt <3)
A Romantasy between a man with the cursed power of a fallen god & the handsome rogue sworn to protect him. (sign me up immediately)
I am such a big fan of epic fantasies with giant worlds and this book does NOT disappoint in that realm at all. So many of the epic fantasies we know and love today require a lot of introduction into the world and it's lands, ways, lore, and Jordan Lee does a wonderful job of teaching us as a reader about these lands we're thrown into. So I really appreciate the level of effort in there in understanding, the gods who are praised and banished, which lands are safe or not, etc (especially for our loveable group of men on the run).
Owen and Colt are SOOO loveable. Right off the bat their banter is addictive to read, and the natural way that they interact with each other is *mwah* chefs kiss. I LOVE that the author didn't rush their romance seeing that they haven't known each other for too long. It feels so much more realistic, those first hints of care, the almost dying to protect one another that reveals their true feelings to themselves. Yeah, thats the good stuff.
I truthfully can't wait to see where the rest of this story takes us. Especially with that ending as we know how much a certain journal means to Owen, it'll be so interesting to see how it comes into play & how Owen's powers will evolve as well as his feelings!
p.s. I also adored the use of smells etc to pick up on someone's feelings or location on Owen's essence magic. So fun to attribute certain things to a character! (Like Lemon and honey for beloved Colt <3)
March 20, 2024
Let me start off by saying, I'm more of a contemporary romance person. So, even I was surprised when this ARC opportunity came and I jumped on that opportunity to be one of the first to read it in all of its romantasy and slow burn form. It was that description that just pulled me in. And let me tell you, I was NOT disappointed and this book has me rethinking what I thought I knew and liked in my books!!
This is the slowest of slow burns, but I wasn't mad it. The slow build up of tension and pining and protectiveness had me all swoony! It's been awhile since I've read a slow burn and now I'm wondering why I don't read more! Some might find that this might be too slow, but I loved it. Because I also know there is more to come. This isn't the last book. So the pacing was actually perfect in my opinion, especially for what's to come.
But, that's not all. The world building here was incredible! It felt like I was reading some mixture of like a Lord of the Rings cross county adventure, a Robin Hood tale, and throw in some magic and here we are. The descriptions were fantastic and creative and the writing was so beautiful that I felt like I was there on this adventure with them. And while mostly told in dual POV with Colt and Owen, there are other POVs mixed in which I thought was fun and it was nice to get other perspectives as well.
I'm officially obsessed. So obsessed I bought the paperback to have it in my hands and randomly hug it whenever I want to. I cannot wait for book 2! Highly recommend this book! 5/5 stars for sure!
This is the slowest of slow burns, but I wasn't mad it. The slow build up of tension and pining and protectiveness had me all swoony! It's been awhile since I've read a slow burn and now I'm wondering why I don't read more! Some might find that this might be too slow, but I loved it. Because I also know there is more to come. This isn't the last book. So the pacing was actually perfect in my opinion, especially for what's to come.
But, that's not all. The world building here was incredible! It felt like I was reading some mixture of like a Lord of the Rings cross county adventure, a Robin Hood tale, and throw in some magic and here we are. The descriptions were fantastic and creative and the writing was so beautiful that I felt like I was there on this adventure with them. And while mostly told in dual POV with Colt and Owen, there are other POVs mixed in which I thought was fun and it was nice to get other perspectives as well.
I'm officially obsessed. So obsessed I bought the paperback to have it in my hands and randomly hug it whenever I want to. I cannot wait for book 2! Highly recommend this book! 5/5 stars for sure!
February 26, 2024
I received an ARC of this book for an honest opinion!
What I liked? Colt & Owen. I really enjoyed watching their relationship progress through the book and I thought the slow burn was done really well. Colt was a prickly guy, but I never thought it was too much or that he didn't like Owen at all--he's just bad at showing it. Owen was a very soft guy and I really liked that in a main character. While he does have to harden up a little bit throughout the story, he still maintained his Owen-ness, if that makes sense.
Their relationship again was really cute and I enjoyed it especially at the end.
The rest of the characters with them were okay too, but I think Colt and Owen really shined since they were the perspectives we saw the story primarily through.
My interest did wane and wander a lot during the story, however. There was a lot of traveling, escaping, explaining some lore, and repeat. Until the end, that was really all that happened with various degrees of danger. Which since I liked the characters a lot, didn't super bother me! I just wished to see more of the world other than forests and rivers. There is another book, so I'm hoping we'll see more variety there!
This story also gave me like old school fantasy feels at time, which I appreciated! Reminded me of being a kid trying to read bigger fantasies.
In any case, overall, I enjoyed it! I would love to come back to this world when there is a sequel!
What I liked? Colt & Owen. I really enjoyed watching their relationship progress through the book and I thought the slow burn was done really well. Colt was a prickly guy, but I never thought it was too much or that he didn't like Owen at all--he's just bad at showing it. Owen was a very soft guy and I really liked that in a main character. While he does have to harden up a little bit throughout the story, he still maintained his Owen-ness, if that makes sense.
Their relationship again was really cute and I enjoyed it especially at the end.
The rest of the characters with them were okay too, but I think Colt and Owen really shined since they were the perspectives we saw the story primarily through.
My interest did wane and wander a lot during the story, however. There was a lot of traveling, escaping, explaining some lore, and repeat. Until the end, that was really all that happened with various degrees of danger. Which since I liked the characters a lot, didn't super bother me! I just wished to see more of the world other than forests and rivers. There is another book, so I'm hoping we'll see more variety there!
This story also gave me like old school fantasy feels at time, which I appreciated! Reminded me of being a kid trying to read bigger fantasies.
In any case, overall, I enjoyed it! I would love to come back to this world when there is a sequel!
March 5, 2024
Owen and Colt live rent-free in my head 🥹
Owen Greene is on the run. The Legion, a powerful organization dedicated to "cleansing" those with essence (magic) inside them, is close to potentially finding him. Colt O'Malley was hired by Owen's uncle to protect Owen as they make their way out of the country. At first, they don't like each other, but their banter soon lends way to looks of longing and comforting touches. But with the Legion close behind them, they'll have to fight to survive.
Colt and Owen! Owen and Colt! These two made the entire book for me. I just loved them so much! And they were both very distinct characters. Colt was moody, broody, bitter, and sarcastic, while Owen was sweet and kind and only saw the good in others. Very much an opposites-attract romance. I loved the worldbuilding and side characters as well (though there were a few I loved to hate - iykyk). The only thing that didn't entirely work for me was the pacing of the plot. There was a lot of repetitiveness in terms of the mcs getting captured, escaping, getting captured again, and escaping again. Though I do see how this added to the suspense of the book, I guess I was personally hoping for more quieter moments between Colt and Owen. Other than that, I loved everything else about this book. The writing was fast-paced, and the story was well-written. Gilda and Brom became my fav side characters (more so Gilda!). I'm excited to see where this series goes! And of course, I want more Colt and Owen! ❤️❤️❤️
Important notes:
♡ Rating: 4/5 stars
♡ Thank you to the author Jordan Lee for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review! ❤️
♡ A Tale of Whispers and Rogues comes out March 19th!
What to expect:
♡ Slow Burn romance
♡ Opposites attract
♡ Hurt/Comfort
♡ "Touch him and d*e"
♡ Banter
♡ Only one bed, and it's very cold outside ;)
Owen Greene is on the run. The Legion, a powerful organization dedicated to "cleansing" those with essence (magic) inside them, is close to potentially finding him. Colt O'Malley was hired by Owen's uncle to protect Owen as they make their way out of the country. At first, they don't like each other, but their banter soon lends way to looks of longing and comforting touches. But with the Legion close behind them, they'll have to fight to survive.
Colt and Owen! Owen and Colt! These two made the entire book for me. I just loved them so much! And they were both very distinct characters. Colt was moody, broody, bitter, and sarcastic, while Owen was sweet and kind and only saw the good in others. Very much an opposites-attract romance. I loved the worldbuilding and side characters as well (though there were a few I loved to hate - iykyk). The only thing that didn't entirely work for me was the pacing of the plot. There was a lot of repetitiveness in terms of the mcs getting captured, escaping, getting captured again, and escaping again. Though I do see how this added to the suspense of the book, I guess I was personally hoping for more quieter moments between Colt and Owen. Other than that, I loved everything else about this book. The writing was fast-paced, and the story was well-written. Gilda and Brom became my fav side characters (more so Gilda!). I'm excited to see where this series goes! And of course, I want more Colt and Owen! ❤️❤️❤️
Important notes:
♡ Rating: 4/5 stars
♡ Thank you to the author Jordan Lee for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review! ❤️
♡ A Tale of Whispers and Rogues comes out March 19th!
What to expect:
♡ Slow Burn romance
♡ Opposites attract
♡ Hurt/Comfort
♡ "Touch him and d*e"
♡ Banter
♡ Only one bed, and it's very cold outside ;)
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