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The Legends of Thezmarr #2
Serments & Ruines
Après des mois de travail acharné, Tha est enfin devenue une guerrière légendaire du royaume de Thezmarr. Plus déterminée que jamais, elle sait néanmoins qu'il ne lui reste que peu de temps car un oracle lui a prédit une mort prochaine. Sous les ordres de l'exigeant mais envoûtant Wilder Hawthorne, la jeune femme redouble d'efforts pour s'entraîner. Elle est prête à tout pour y parvenir, même à dissimuler l'attirance indéniable qu'elle éprouve pour Wilder. Alors que les secrets se dévoilent et que le danger menaçant Thezmarr se rapproche, Thea et Wilder se lancent dans un combat mortel pour éviter que le monde ne sombre dans les ténèbres...
563 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 21, 2023
12538 people are currently reading
40292 people want to read
About the author
Helen Scheuerer
45 books6,115 followersHelen Scheuerer is the fantasy author of the bestselling series, The Oremere Chronicles, the Curse of the Cyren Queen quartet and The Legends of Thezmarr. Her work has been highly praised for its strong, flawed female characters and its action-packed plots.
Helen’s love of writing and books led her to pursue a creative writing degree and a Masters of Publishing. She has been a full-time author since 2018 and now lives amidst the mountains in New Zealand where she is constantly dreaming up new stories.
Helen’s love of writing and books led her to pursue a creative writing degree and a Masters of Publishing. She has been a full-time author since 2018 and now lives amidst the mountains in New Zealand where she is constantly dreaming up new stories.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 6,279 reviews
October 1, 2024
This book felt like a whole lot of filler - and by filler, I mean non stop fucking to fill the pages until the battle which doesn't happen until the last 15% or so of the book.
╰┈➤˗ˏˋ It's just such a drastic change from book 1 because there is literally no romance really explored with the two main characters in the first book. Sure, there's tension and angst, and pining. But nothing significant until the end.
Then this one jumps right into them banging and proceeds to continue with them banging non stop because nothing else is going on.
There is a twist at the end -
I have book 3 already downloaded so I'm going to keep going just to see what happens, hopefully it's better than this one.
Books like this are why I'm skeptical of 'Romantasy' - I actually love fantasy and don't need non stop smut. Chill.
![](https://media.tenor.com/ZFc20z8DItkAAAAM/facepalm-really.gif"/)
⚔️✨🤎
╰┈➤˗ˏˋ It's just such a drastic change from book 1 because there is literally no romance really explored with the two main characters in the first book. Sure, there's tension and angst, and pining. But nothing significant until the end.
Then this one jumps right into them banging and proceeds to continue with them banging non stop because nothing else is going on.
There is a twist at the end -
I have book 3 already downloaded so I'm going to keep going just to see what happens, hopefully it's better than this one.
Books like this are why I'm skeptical of 'Romantasy' - I actually love fantasy and don't need non stop smut. Chill.
⚔️✨🤎
September 25, 2023
While I enjoyed this sequel overall, I was disappointed. The first book was a 5 star read for me and I was very excited for the second book.
I think the biggest issue I had with this book was the never ending smut. Literally, never ending. It took away from the story and became so redundant I ended up skimming over most of it. I am all for a spicy scene that is built up to, that makes sense and that adds to the story line. These were not that. It didn’t matter what was going on, they were having sex. Wilder was a jackass keeping secrets from her, but she didn’t care because sex. They’re travelling to give aide to another territory and IN A RUSH, but they were still stopping to have sex. They’re about to GO INTO BATTLE (after having sex all night) and they… yeah you guessed it, HAD SEX. It was just a lot, without a lot of forward momentum to the story.
At the conclusion of this book we really don’t know much more than when we started. I guessed at the twist with Wilder, so now we will have to wait and see how that plays out.
I think the biggest issue I had with this book was the never ending smut. Literally, never ending. It took away from the story and became so redundant I ended up skimming over most of it. I am all for a spicy scene that is built up to, that makes sense and that adds to the story line. These were not that. It didn’t matter what was going on, they were having sex. Wilder was a jackass keeping secrets from her, but she didn’t care because sex. They’re travelling to give aide to another territory and IN A RUSH, but they were still stopping to have sex. They’re about to GO INTO BATTLE (after having sex all night) and they… yeah you guessed it, HAD SEX. It was just a lot, without a lot of forward momentum to the story.
At the conclusion of this book we really don’t know much more than when we started. I guessed at the twist with Wilder, so now we will have to wait and see how that plays out.
April 1, 2025
Ok I love when the ending of a book surprises me because I immediately wanted to dive into book 3 but I’m powering through Slaying the Shadow Prince first. A very very very bingeable book series!
September 25, 2023
I really thought I was going to love this. The first book was so good and I thought we were finally going to learn more in this one. And as I got more and more disappointed, I kept telling myself not to be so critical. But before I even reached the end, I knew this was gonna be a one star rating. I truly hated where this book went.
This book had a ton of tropes that I absolutely hate: (1) the MMC pushing the FMC away to "protect her"; (2) the MMC lying and keeping secrets; (3) the FMC letting the MMC get away with the lying and secrets even when she knows he's doing it; (4) miscommunication and arguments that could be so easily resolved if the MC's just had an honest conversation; (5) the MMC claiming he loves the FMC and would do anything for her, die for her, blah, blah, blah, but he can't even tell her the truth; (6) and the relationship between the MC's regressing after the progress they made in the first book. I'm sure I'm forgetting others too.
The biggest issue in this book though was the excessive sex at the expense of the plot. Now, I love a good sex scene and can get behind a story just for the smut. But that is not what I wanted out of this book or series. If all you care about is sex with no relationship development, plot development, or world building, then perhaps you'll like this book. But if you care about any of the other things I just mentioned, you're gonna be disappointed.
I was so freaking annoyed with Thea and Wilder from the very beginning. All they cared about was sex. And every other chapter one of them would say that the sexual relationship was over and it would never happen again, only for them to be screwing each other a few pages later. And then they were having sex no matter what was going on. He's treating her like shit? Doesn't matter; they have sex. He says they're strictly going to be mentor and apprentice? Doesn't matter; they have sex. She says they can't have sex anymore? Doesn't matter; they have sex. They agree to be strictly friends and never lie or keep secrets anymore? Doesn't matter; Wilder continues to lie and keep secrets, and they still have sex. They're on an important mission they need to be focused on? Doesn't matter; they have sex. They get attacked and are injured and vulnerable? Doesn't matter; they have sex. Thea scolds him for not washing his hands before stitching up her wound in one scene and then a couple chapters later he's covered in blood and guts and grime? Doesn't matter; she still lets him stick his disgustingly dirty and unsanitary fingers in her vagina. Their friends get attacked? Doesn't matter; they have sex. Cal's family is possibly dead? Doesn't matter; they have sex. Their friends are working to gather the horses and get ready to continue their trip even though they have their own injuries and issues? Doesn't matter; they have sex. Wilder continues to keep secrets and hide notes from her and she knows he's doing it? Doesn't matter; they have sex. They should be preparing and strategizing for a dangerous battle? Doesn't matter; they have sex. I really cannot emphasize enough how much of this book was just them having sex even when it was completely out of place, inappropriate, reckless, and/or selfish.
But whatever. Like I said, I can get behind gratuitous sex as long as the other aspects of the book aren't hindered, but this book was way off balance. All the questions I had when I finished the first book? I still have them. Did Wilder ever open up and start being honest? No. Did we learn enough about the Daughter of Darkness? No. Did we learn more about Thea's royal lineage? No. Do we understand what's happening with the veil? No. Do we know anything more about the "enemies"? No. Do we know anything more about Talemir? No. (Do I think I know what the twist with him is? Yes, but it's the same thing I guessed during the first book. This book didn't reveal anything significant.) Was the ending really a surprise? No. Could everything that happened in this book been reduced to a quarter of its length if all the sex scenes and other repetitive bullshit between Thea and Wilder (not to mention the hyper-fixation on Seb) been removed? Yes.
This book had a ton of tropes that I absolutely hate: (1) the MMC pushing the FMC away to "protect her"; (2) the MMC lying and keeping secrets; (3) the FMC letting the MMC get away with the lying and secrets even when she knows he's doing it; (4) miscommunication and arguments that could be so easily resolved if the MC's just had an honest conversation; (5) the MMC claiming he loves the FMC and would do anything for her, die for her, blah, blah, blah, but he can't even tell her the truth; (6) and the relationship between the MC's regressing after the progress they made in the first book. I'm sure I'm forgetting others too.
The biggest issue in this book though was the excessive sex at the expense of the plot. Now, I love a good sex scene and can get behind a story just for the smut. But that is not what I wanted out of this book or series. If all you care about is sex with no relationship development, plot development, or world building, then perhaps you'll like this book. But if you care about any of the other things I just mentioned, you're gonna be disappointed.
I was so freaking annoyed with Thea and Wilder from the very beginning. All they cared about was sex. And every other chapter one of them would say that the sexual relationship was over and it would never happen again, only for them to be screwing each other a few pages later. And then they were having sex no matter what was going on. He's treating her like shit? Doesn't matter; they have sex. He says they're strictly going to be mentor and apprentice? Doesn't matter; they have sex. She says they can't have sex anymore? Doesn't matter; they have sex. They agree to be strictly friends and never lie or keep secrets anymore? Doesn't matter; Wilder continues to lie and keep secrets, and they still have sex. They're on an important mission they need to be focused on? Doesn't matter; they have sex. They get attacked and are injured and vulnerable? Doesn't matter; they have sex. Thea scolds him for not washing his hands before stitching up her wound in one scene and then a couple chapters later he's covered in blood and guts and grime? Doesn't matter; she still lets him stick his disgustingly dirty and unsanitary fingers in her vagina. Their friends get attacked? Doesn't matter; they have sex. Cal's family is possibly dead? Doesn't matter; they have sex. Their friends are working to gather the horses and get ready to continue their trip even though they have their own injuries and issues? Doesn't matter; they have sex. Wilder continues to keep secrets and hide notes from her and she knows he's doing it? Doesn't matter; they have sex. They should be preparing and strategizing for a dangerous battle? Doesn't matter; they have sex. I really cannot emphasize enough how much of this book was just them having sex even when it was completely out of place, inappropriate, reckless, and/or selfish.
But whatever. Like I said, I can get behind gratuitous sex as long as the other aspects of the book aren't hindered, but this book was way off balance. All the questions I had when I finished the first book? I still have them. Did Wilder ever open up and start being honest? No. Did we learn enough about the Daughter of Darkness? No. Did we learn more about Thea's royal lineage? No. Do we understand what's happening with the veil? No. Do we know anything more about the "enemies"? No. Do we know anything more about Talemir? No. (Do I think I know what the twist with him is? Yes, but it's the same thing I guessed during the first book. This book didn't reveal anything significant.) Was the ending really a surprise? No. Could everything that happened in this book been reduced to a quarter of its length if all the sex scenes and other repetitive bullshit between Thea and Wilder (not to mention the hyper-fixation on Seb) been removed? Yes.
August 2, 2025
4.5⭐️
October 26, 2024
“You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. There’s no coming back from you, no end to this wanting.”
- 2.5 ★
this was not what i wanted from this sequel at all. Thea and Wilder acted like brainless horn dogs with sex being their solution to EVERY. SINGLE. THING. there was no plot or progression and the characters talk in circles. i still love the side characters but the mc’s were getting on my last nerve. all the goals and motivation Thea had in the first book gets overshadowed by Wilder and her infatuation with him, they both are so over dramatic and jump to conclusions with no thoughts. the ending did kinda grab my attention though cause i wasn’t expecting it but everything else was bland.. pretty sure my brain checked out for sections of it too. i’ll continue with the rest of the series but i hope those books are at the level of the first book and not whatever this was.
- 2.5 ★
this was not what i wanted from this sequel at all. Thea and Wilder acted like brainless horn dogs with sex being their solution to EVERY. SINGLE. THING. there was no plot or progression and the characters talk in circles. i still love the side characters but the mc’s were getting on my last nerve. all the goals and motivation Thea had in the first book gets overshadowed by Wilder and her infatuation with him, they both are so over dramatic and jump to conclusions with no thoughts. the ending did kinda grab my attention though cause i wasn’t expecting it but everything else was bland.. pretty sure my brain checked out for sections of it too. i’ll continue with the rest of the series but i hope those books are at the level of the first book and not whatever this was.
July 18, 2024
2.5 ⭐️ very generously rounded up….
“Althea Zoltaire had destroyed him. And it was the greatest privilege of his life.”
Soo ummm…book 2 syndrome is very real 😭
The side characters were still amazing. The found family trope was strong. The storyline regarding the magic and development of Thea was good…. But MY GOD. This was drawn out and repetitive.
And it was just way too smutified. Book one was a slow burn building up to one intense scene just before a battle. This book? Oh this book went a little something like:
Dialogue, smut smut smut , dialogue, smut smut , ACTION, smut , ACTION, smut, dialogue, smut smut, dialogue, smut Then ✨ shocking TWIST✨ …
There was no depth to Thea and Wilder’s relationship until toward the end of the book which was disappointing. And I would have just loved more depth to the Daughter of darkness story line and Anya.
PSA to all Fantasy romance writers - not everything has to be an epic multi book series. We don’t need a big drawn out secret and twist to make it a good story I’m begging you . Sometimes a nice duology with a novella/extended epilogue will do the trick!
There’s just no way this story needs four books, and the reveal at the end was disappointing. Very upset with how it was executed. I don’t want to spoil it..but how can they just accept that version of the truth after everything this character has done the last two books¿? It’s so unrealistic that no one held on to any sort of loyalty, and it just ended like that? And I usually LOVE a heartbroken ending, but this was random in my opinion….
I fear this will become like other book series where the plot is dragged on for the sake of it. The 2.5 stars I’ve given are off the strength of Book 1 as well as the found family scenes (Kipp, Cal, Torj, Wren, Malik. I love you my babies and would just read a whole book about you guys arguing whilst Malik braids his leathers 🥹)
Don’t get me wrong tho, the above rant won’t stop me from reading book 3. I’ve told you guys already, I am the problem xo
——————————————————-
Okay Wilder, let’s try be more open and forthcoming with our emotions in book 2 okay? Don’t disappoint.
“Althea Zoltaire had destroyed him. And it was the greatest privilege of his life.”
Soo ummm…book 2 syndrome is very real 😭
The side characters were still amazing. The found family trope was strong. The storyline regarding the magic and development of Thea was good…. But MY GOD. This was drawn out and repetitive.
And it was just way too smutified. Book one was a slow burn building up to one intense scene just before a battle. This book? Oh this book went a little something like:
Dialogue, smut smut smut , dialogue, smut smut , ACTION, smut , ACTION, smut, dialogue, smut smut, dialogue, smut Then ✨ shocking TWIST✨ …
There was no depth to Thea and Wilder’s relationship until toward the end of the book which was disappointing. And I would have just loved more depth to the Daughter of darkness story line and Anya.
PSA to all Fantasy romance writers - not everything has to be an epic multi book series. We don’t need a big drawn out secret and twist to make it a good story I’m begging you . Sometimes a nice duology with a novella/extended epilogue will do the trick!
There’s just no way this story needs four books, and the reveal at the end was disappointing. Very upset with how it was executed. I don’t want to spoil it..but how can they just accept that version of the truth after everything this character has done the last two books¿? It’s so unrealistic that no one held on to any sort of loyalty, and it just ended like that? And I usually LOVE a heartbroken ending, but this was random in my opinion….
I fear this will become like other book series where the plot is dragged on for the sake of it. The 2.5 stars I’ve given are off the strength of Book 1 as well as the found family scenes (Kipp, Cal, Torj, Wren, Malik. I love you my babies and would just read a whole book about you guys arguing whilst Malik braids his leathers 🥹)
Don’t get me wrong tho, the above rant won’t stop me from reading book 3. I’ve told you guys already, I am the problem xo
——————————————————-
Okay Wilder, let’s try be more open and forthcoming with our emotions in book 2 okay? Don’t disappoint.
May 4, 2025
✩ 1.75 stars ✩
What to Expect:
➼ Enemies-to-Lovers
➼ Found Family
➼ Strong/Powered FMC
➼ Forced Proximity
➼ Forbidden Romance
➼ Mentor/Mentee
➼ Training Scenes
➼ Dual Narration
➼ Third Person Dual POV
The bookish community has some explaining to do, because tell me why this one was even worse? 😒
Fair warning, this is gonna be a rant…
The entire book the MC’s continually state that they can’t be together and then proceed to hook up in literally every other scene. Like, news flash, you ARE together. Shut up about it already. I will fight anyone who describes this as slow burn, because no.
Okay, but seriously, there were WAY too many intimate scenes. I was so bored. This was like the Romantasy equivalent of Icebreaker. I kept wondering why the author was writing so many smutty scenes in the 2nd book in a 4 book series but the ending maybe answered that question for me… 🤔 I think I might read the next book ONLY because the ending makes me think there might be a lot less smut in book three. Someone please correct me if this is a wrong assumption because I can’t read another book like this. The ending did kind of make me happy because I don’t love the purely good vs. purely evil narratives much anymore. Feels a bit too narrow minded these days. I’d love for this series to explore more of an actual plot rather than just their sex life with a side of training.
And OH MY GOD, the author included the word Warsword literally 300 times. This is not an exaggeration, I checked. It honestly felt like a thousand though. 🫠 We get it… he’s a Warsword, she’s trying to be a Warsword he’s HER Warsword, just please make it stop!
I genuinely don’t understand how the ratings for this are so high. Happy to see many of my trusted friends among the haters. 💁🏼♀️😘😆
✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼
Pre-read: I was sad I didn’t love the first book more after hearing so many glowing reviews. I’m really hoping this one works better for me! I so want to love this series as much as you guys do!
≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫
Connect with me on Instagram
What to Expect:
➼ Enemies-to-Lovers
➼ Found Family
➼ Strong/Powered FMC
➼ Forced Proximity
➼ Forbidden Romance
➼ Mentor/Mentee
➼ Training Scenes
➼ Dual Narration
➼ Third Person Dual POV
The bookish community has some explaining to do, because tell me why this one was even worse? 😒
Fair warning, this is gonna be a rant…
The entire book the MC’s continually state that they can’t be together and then proceed to hook up in literally every other scene. Like, news flash, you ARE together. Shut up about it already. I will fight anyone who describes this as slow burn, because no.
Okay, but seriously, there were WAY too many intimate scenes. I was so bored. This was like the Romantasy equivalent of Icebreaker. I kept wondering why the author was writing so many smutty scenes in the 2nd book in a 4 book series but the ending maybe answered that question for me… 🤔 I think I might read the next book ONLY because the ending makes me think there might be a lot less smut in book three. Someone please correct me if this is a wrong assumption because I can’t read another book like this. The ending did kind of make me happy because I don’t love the purely good vs. purely evil narratives much anymore. Feels a bit too narrow minded these days. I’d love for this series to explore more of an actual plot rather than just their sex life with a side of training.
And OH MY GOD, the author included the word Warsword literally 300 times. This is not an exaggeration, I checked. It honestly felt like a thousand though. 🫠 We get it… he’s a Warsword, she’s trying to be a Warsword he’s HER Warsword, just please make it stop!
I genuinely don’t understand how the ratings for this are so high. Happy to see many of my trusted friends among the haters. 💁🏼♀️😘😆
✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼
Pre-read: I was sad I didn’t love the first book more after hearing so many glowing reviews. I’m really hoping this one works better for me! I so want to love this series as much as you guys do!
≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫
Connect with me on Instagram
September 9, 2023
This book is a gut-punch emotional rollercoaster and I truly meant it when I say I loved every moment of the damned ride. There are very few books where I have gotten to that final page and felt utterly emotionally exhausted from the events that played out. Helen Scheurerer has managed to do this to me not once, not even twice, but a total of four times. This book makes the top five favorite books of 2023 for me. She upped the tension, upped the spice, and upped the emotional trauma.
Not only is building this plot that I have a feeling is going to explode in horrifying ways in book three, but her characters are phenomenal. You get so much more of Thea and Wilder -- of who they are as individuals and who they are as a couple. Every moment of it is powerful and their scenes together sizzle. Helen also did an amazing job of bringing in characters like Kipp, Cal, and Torj that broke it. They had me laughing at exactly the right time when I needed it. I also loved the increased presence of Torj and Wren (also, I demand a Torj book, please, and thank you). Helen has always managed to write wonderful found family tropes into her books and this one does not disappoint.
I had to sit on writing this review for so long because I needed all that time to process the cliffhanger that occurred. I saw it happening in slow motion and there was nothing I could do to stop it, despite screaming, "no, no no!" It was a landslide no one could stop even if they wanted to.
I need book three. I need it now.
Not only is building this plot that I have a feeling is going to explode in horrifying ways in book three, but her characters are phenomenal. You get so much more of Thea and Wilder -- of who they are as individuals and who they are as a couple. Every moment of it is powerful and their scenes together sizzle. Helen also did an amazing job of bringing in characters like Kipp, Cal, and Torj that broke it. They had me laughing at exactly the right time when I needed it. I also loved the increased presence of Torj and Wren (also, I demand a Torj book, please, and thank you). Helen has always managed to write wonderful found family tropes into her books and this one does not disappoint.
I had to sit on writing this review for so long because I needed all that time to process the cliffhanger that occurred. I saw it happening in slow motion and there was nothing I could do to stop it, despite screaming, "no, no no!" It was a landslide no one could stop even if they wanted to.
I need book three. I need it now.
October 25, 2023
I enjoyed this less than book one. I think it’s important to note that the word Warsword was used 300 times in this book I checked.
December 10, 2025
He had fallen for her long ago, but what he'd failed to realize was that when it came to love, it wasn't a sing fall, but many, over and over.
4.25 stars
I will not be able to review this without spoilers; there was just so many specific feelings on this one.
I enjoyed this one more than the first. The action was really great and the stakes were much higher this time around. So aside from some issues this could have been really close to 5 stars. Thea progressed so much from the first book and had some really badass scenes. And Wilder fell so hard so fast for her, which is always enjoyable to read.
But the LIES. A lot of good tension can come from characters that are obviously keeping secrets, especially when even the reader doesn't quite know what's going on either. But what I cannot stand, is when both characters agree to be honest with each other, and then continue to lie their asses off. I think that Wilder keeping the hunt for the two heiresses from Thea was dumb. It wasn't saying much about what he thought of her if he couldn't tell her EXTREMELY important information that would 100% affect her life. Different choices could have been made if he'd been honest with her about that.
And the ending...I think we all so it coming, Thea included because she noticed everything that semi gave him away. But again, what does it say about their relationship that when she discovers him with the enemy, she IMMEDIATELY writes him off as a traitor and that he is to be hunted down? You say you love the man, but you don't hesitate to label him as the enemy without any kind of explanation?
I know these types of endings happen fairly often in fantasy books, but I'm starting to get tired of the complete 180 these characters do (mostly women, unfortunately). They have every right to be pissed, upset, devastated even. But where is there logic? Intellect? Thea isn't stupid, so why isn't she second guessing ANY of this?
But I will say this will make for an exciting start to the third book with Thea hunting him down. Hoping for some 🔥 fight scenes between the two.
4.25 stars
I will not be able to review this without spoilers; there was just so many specific feelings on this one.
I enjoyed this one more than the first. The action was really great and the stakes were much higher this time around. So aside from some issues this could have been really close to 5 stars. Thea progressed so much from the first book and had some really badass scenes. And Wilder fell so hard so fast for her, which is always enjoyable to read.
But the LIES. A lot of good tension can come from characters that are obviously keeping secrets, especially when even the reader doesn't quite know what's going on either. But what I cannot stand, is when both characters agree to be honest with each other, and then continue to lie their asses off. I think that Wilder keeping the hunt for the two heiresses from Thea was dumb. It wasn't saying much about what he thought of her if he couldn't tell her EXTREMELY important information that would 100% affect her life. Different choices could have been made if he'd been honest with her about that.
And the ending...I think we all so it coming, Thea included because she noticed everything that semi gave him away. But again, what does it say about their relationship that when she discovers him with the enemy, she IMMEDIATELY writes him off as a traitor and that he is to be hunted down? You say you love the man, but you don't hesitate to label him as the enemy without any kind of explanation?
I know these types of endings happen fairly often in fantasy books, but I'm starting to get tired of the complete 180 these characters do (mostly women, unfortunately). They have every right to be pissed, upset, devastated even. But where is there logic? Intellect? Thea isn't stupid, so why isn't she second guessing ANY of this?
But I will say this will make for an exciting start to the third book with Thea hunting him down. Hoping for some 🔥 fight scenes between the two.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 24, 2025
5⭐️ No please I am SPEECHLESS. holy cliff hanger.
Did we see it coming??? Yeah but when it happened I still DIED.
I was not expecting to love this book even more than the first but the plot has gotten so insane and I’m so invested. The last 20% my heart was POUNDING holy hell.
Torj just became my boo out of nowhere
Wren’s alchemy? Slay
Thea is my literal queen and I’m gutted for her 💔
The whole ‘we are gonna suck at communicating and fuck instead’ is always annoying but not enough for me to take stars away 🤭 spice was spicingggggg and at least he finally got vulnerable and let her in (A LITTLE LOL yikes)
Did I cry when Kipp and Cal showed up for her in the end?? Shut up 😭
THIS WAS REALLY GOOD UGHHHH NO TIME TO RANT IM READING BOOK 3
Did we see it coming??? Yeah but when it happened I still DIED.
I was not expecting to love this book even more than the first but the plot has gotten so insane and I’m so invested. The last 20% my heart was POUNDING holy hell.
Torj just became my boo out of nowhere
Wren’s alchemy? Slay
Thea is my literal queen and I’m gutted for her 💔
The whole ‘we are gonna suck at communicating and fuck instead’ is always annoying but not enough for me to take stars away 🤭 spice was spicingggggg and at least he finally got vulnerable and let her in (A LITTLE LOL yikes)
Did I cry when Kipp and Cal showed up for her in the end?? Shut up 😭
THIS WAS REALLY GOOD UGHHHH NO TIME TO RANT IM READING BOOK 3
September 23, 2023
Helen is an absolute master of her craft. I have always enjoyed her writing but this book in particular hit all the right notes for me.
As always her pacing & world building is really easy to consume, but the characters really delved into my heart in this one.
Helen takes her time, she shows us the nitty gritty without it ever loosing momentum forward in the plot. So when you do get to those final climatic moments you believe in the characters wholeheartedly & what they can do.
The spice in this book…. Wow! It was phenomenal. But for me it all worked so well because we felt the intimacy between the characters. It was hard won between them, which made it all so worth it by the end.
The final 20% was outstanding… the battle scenes were visceral & had me on the edge of my seat!
I did not see that big twist coming & my heart is breaking.
Waiting for the next book in the series is gonna hurt (but hurt so good)
If you haven’t picked up a Helen Scheurerer book yet make this series the one you do - you won’t regret it!
As always her pacing & world building is really easy to consume, but the characters really delved into my heart in this one.
Helen takes her time, she shows us the nitty gritty without it ever loosing momentum forward in the plot. So when you do get to those final climatic moments you believe in the characters wholeheartedly & what they can do.
The spice in this book…. Wow! It was phenomenal. But for me it all worked so well because we felt the intimacy between the characters. It was hard won between them, which made it all so worth it by the end.
The final 20% was outstanding… the battle scenes were visceral & had me on the edge of my seat!
I did not see that big twist coming & my heart is breaking.
Waiting for the next book in the series is gonna hurt (but hurt so good)
If you haven’t picked up a Helen Scheurerer book yet make this series the one you do - you won’t regret it!
February 18, 2025
4.5 stars! boy oh boy do they ever BANG in this book. I genuinely adored the plot (there wasn’t a single dull moment), the character arcs (i would die for them all) and the ending (holy f$&@ing sh*t ????).
however, I do think the spice got a lil repetitive and a few too many questions were posed with not enough of them answered in this book, leaving me more confused than I’d like to be 3
still amped the f**k up for book 3 … I suspect it’s gonna go crazyyyy😈
however, I do think the spice got a lil repetitive and a few too many questions were posed with not enough of them answered in this book, leaving me more confused than I’d like to be 3
still amped the f**k up for book 3 … I suspect it’s gonna go crazyyyy😈
July 2, 2024
ALORS LÀ……..JAMAIS UN CLIFFHANGER M’A EU AUSSI BIEN QUE CELUI LÀ ! SCREAMING CRYING THROWING UP MAIS POUR DE VRAI JAI FAIT LES 3 EN MÊME TEMPS BON APPÉTIT !!!!
July 3, 2025
in rage she found her magic. in rage she summoned the storms and wrought them upon the enemy. there had been no strategy, no caution, only action.
only lightning in her veins and thunder in her heart.
as thrilling as blood & steel was, vows & ruins delivered increased tensions; a more intense and emotionally fuelled romance between mentor and apprentice; and characters that evolve beautifully as they navigate a crumbling veil and treacherous monsters with war looming on the darkening horizon. meanwhile, helen scheuerer continued to expand the enchanting world-building, maintaining a consumable narrative with momentum; one that contained a balance of riveting action and compelling adventure riddled with foreshadowing and growing romance between our leading characters, thea zoltaire and wilder hawthorne. this book delves into exploring the unique magic systems through the royals and expands on the internal conflicts the characters face, as they battle with what they know and what is true.
vows & ruins is the continuation to althea zoltaire’s epic and incredible journey as she strives towards becoming a warsword of thezmarr. as war approaches the remaining kingdoms, thea’s resolve is unmatched. having emerged from thezmarr’s initiation trials victorious, thea’s learning is far from over as she transitions from shieldbearer to guardian of the midrealms. in a world where women are banned from wielding weapons due to the prophecy of the midrealms, thea demonstrates she’s as dangerous and formidable as her male counterparts, with a strength to create her own fate. vows & ruins focuses on thea’s growth—her overcoming her self-doubt and embracing her newfound powers, meanwhile discovering her family’s tragic history and defeating enclosing enemies as she comes to learn secrets that change her entire world.
the more she knew about wilder hawthorne, the harder she fell. and she would never know enough about him, would never have enough moments with him.
♡ althea zoltaire
thea emerges in vows & ruins transformed—she’s gone from shieldbearer to guardian of the midrealms, alongside her closest friends and fellow guardians, kip and cal, and with support from her lover and mentor, wilder hawthorne. she’s a character that is fierce, unwavering in strength and determined without hesitation, especially within a world where women can’t be warriors. having overcome her initial trials to become a shieldbearer, now thea must navigate her well-earned guardian title and her blooming moments of self-doubt as she learns to control her growing powers and prepare herself for the inevitable great rite. her moments of self-doubt are welcomed, as this allows thea to continue her journey with genuine growth and tenaciousness, without coming into an extensive amount of strength that is without learning or training—the process is gradual, but realistic. her newfound powers are not without challenges however, but she embraces these with willingness (and stubbornness).
“you care for me,” she continued. “despite the mess we’re in… i see it in the little things, more than anything else. leaving tea for me in the cabin, sewing up my torn clothes…”
♡ wilder hawthorne
i didn’t believe it feasible to love wilder hawthorne more than before, but it was. wilder remained a stubborn, but fierce man and you could truly sense how much the man adores thea. i’ve always considered wilder to be someone who demonstrates his love, rather than rely on mere words to convey his feelings—it was no different in vows & ruins. in this book, wilder is torn between his desires and his duties, creating a lot of internal conflicts that he must learn to overcome and these moments raise certain questions regarding thezmarr and the remaining kingdoms. however, despite the turmoil he battles, each action had purpose—it was without fail to ensure thea was prepared for whatever battle or challenge awaited her. the way wilder was in awe of thea will forever remain as one of my favourite aspects of his characterisation; there’s nothing sweeter than a love interest who supports the love of his life.
“you are the most beautiful woman i’ve ever seen. there’s no coming back from you, no end to this wanting…”
♡ thea zoltaire + wilder hawthorne
thea and wilder are one of my favourite couples within the romantic fantasy/romantasy world. i love when a couple supports and encourages each other in becoming better versions of themselves, without affecting who they are as individuals and attempting to change them into someone else. the tension between thea and wilder escalates and the romance continues to blossom—it’s full of fire and heat, but there’s also a certain amount of romantic separation between them as wilder combats his feelings. the moments where they would journey together however, allowed opportunities for thea and wilder to learn more about each other, but also bicker and banter and become better friends. the romance in this book is everything, especially with the way wilder YEARNED and would do little things to show his life for thea, such as having armour made specifically for her body type and travel to delmira with thea to find answers to her lightning wielding powers. “touch her and die” and forced proximity will always have me frothing and there is no doubt that helen scheuerer delivered!
“maybe you shouldn’t speak to any woman like that, you prat.”
“good gods, a princess just called me a prat,” he breathed.
“i’ll call you a lot worse if you don’t cut it out.”
“yes, your majesty.”
♡ the side characters
cal and kipp will forever remain as some of my favourite side characters in any fantasy book series. the close bonds they share with each other and with thea will, without fail, be one of the most heartfelt and heartwarming friendships! i adored both of them in blood & steel and those feelings amplified in vows & ruins—already loveable characters have managed to become more loveable. the banter and humorous exchanges, specifically between cal and kipp, are always a reprieve from the more darker elements of this series, and the amusing moments always managed to draw a genuine giggle from me.
“where walks death, so does althea zoltaire,” someone called.
the ending of this book left me reeling. i find when i’m immersed within an interesting world, i become so enamoured with what i’m reading that i don’t notice subtle hints towards what could happen. even though the ending wasn’t a total shock, it still ruined me to an extent. i went straight into reading fate & furies, desperate to have more of this fantastic world-building, but also needing answers to my questions and wanting to know where thea’s next journey went. before concluding this review, i recommend readers consider slaying the shadow prince, which is talemir starling’s standalone. it can be read either before the legends of thezemarr series, providing some fascinating history and context to wilder’s story; or, it can be read in between vows & ruins and fate & furies for pure emotional impact (my recommendation, personally)!!!
the legends of thezmarr
blood & steel — 4 stars
vows & ruins — 5 stars
fate & furies — 5 stars
shadow & storms — 4 stars
────────────────────
˖⁺‧₊♡ pre-read review ⋙
i’m on a mission to DEVOUR the legends of thezmarr, so we’re jumping straight into the next book. i love thea and wilder, and can’t wait for their journey to continue unfolding.
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April 10, 2024
I’ve just finished my re read and I was worried it wouldn’t hit the same time second go- I was so damn wrong- it was even better! OMFG I have no words to explain how much I love this this book! It is beyond a shadow of a doubt the absolute BEST book I have ever read! It is freaking perfection!
The Romantasy genre has a new Queen and her name is Helen Scheuerer!! I am reeling from this book! Seriously OMFG! I think it’s possibly the best damn book I have EVER read!
Blood and Steel has been my favourite book this year since I read it in January- but this- oh sweet Jesus! This is next level- it has eclipsed it entirely! The pace, the spice, the action, the sexual tension- it’s a fu**ing masterpiece. I’m pretty sure I didn’t breathe for the last hour. I am not ok! I cannot remember the last time a book had me feeling like this.
Thea- gods- she’s so damn badass- seriously she is MFC goals. To say I cannot wait for book 3 is an understatement!
Just read this series!!!
The Romantasy genre has a new Queen and her name is Helen Scheuerer!! I am reeling from this book! Seriously OMFG! I think it’s possibly the best damn book I have EVER read!
Blood and Steel has been my favourite book this year since I read it in January- but this- oh sweet Jesus! This is next level- it has eclipsed it entirely! The pace, the spice, the action, the sexual tension- it’s a fu**ing masterpiece. I’m pretty sure I didn’t breathe for the last hour. I am not ok! I cannot remember the last time a book had me feeling like this.
Thea- gods- she’s so damn badass- seriously she is MFC goals. To say I cannot wait for book 3 is an understatement!
Just read this series!!!
April 5, 2024
im sad that this didn't work for me as much as the first book.
there was just far too much smut and repeated moments. I got tired of just seeing Althea and wilder fight, f*ck, say they can't be together and do it all over again. It just felt like it was done over and over again and hindered the plot of the story.
Also most book twos really expand on the information from book one and the world building but we found out nothing knew in this one.
there was just far too much smut and repeated moments. I got tired of just seeing Althea and wilder fight, f*ck, say they can't be together and do it all over again. It just felt like it was done over and over again and hindered the plot of the story.
Also most book twos really expand on the information from book one and the world building but we found out nothing knew in this one.
November 17, 2023
I have no words. Im broken. In shambles. Sucker punch to the gut. In the absolute BEST way, oh. My. Goodness.
This series. This series. PHENOMENAL. Without a doubt one of the best romantic fantasy series I have read. Helen is a mastermind and knows exactly how to suck you into a world and get you so emotionally invested in characters that you feel every emotion under the sun.
I genuinely don’t even know how to form coherent thoughts about how this book made me feel but it has everything I needed and more:
- dual POV
- mentor/mentee
- forced proximity
- found family
- seamless world building
- spicy spice
- touch HIM and die
- bad ass FMC who needs NO man to protect her and fights all her own battles
- epic battles
- unique magic system
- enemies to friends to lovers to…. A jaw dropping twist that has me REELING
- he would literally get on his knees and beg for her
This is how you do the second book in a fantasy series. I absolutely adored getting to know Thea and Wilder more. Thea is such a bad ass and her character arc is phenomenal! I love watching her come into her own and relish in her own potential and strength and power!! Ugh and Wilder, god damn I love this man. Watching him truly allow himself to love Thea melted me heart and broke me at the same time. These two have my whole heart.
You truly fall in love with the side characters in this book and the found family is so well written. I want a little novella for every last one of them!
The ending GUTTED me. I have never read a plot twist like this before and this has to be one of the biggest cliff hangers I’ve ever been left on… im so scared. I NEED BOOK 3 NOW!!!
This series. This series. PHENOMENAL. Without a doubt one of the best romantic fantasy series I have read. Helen is a mastermind and knows exactly how to suck you into a world and get you so emotionally invested in characters that you feel every emotion under the sun.
I genuinely don’t even know how to form coherent thoughts about how this book made me feel but it has everything I needed and more:
- dual POV
- mentor/mentee
- forced proximity
- found family
- seamless world building
- spicy spice
- touch HIM and die
- bad ass FMC who needs NO man to protect her and fights all her own battles
- epic battles
- unique magic system
- enemies to friends to lovers to…. A jaw dropping twist that has me REELING
- he would literally get on his knees and beg for her
This is how you do the second book in a fantasy series. I absolutely adored getting to know Thea and Wilder more. Thea is such a bad ass and her character arc is phenomenal! I love watching her come into her own and relish in her own potential and strength and power!! Ugh and Wilder, god damn I love this man. Watching him truly allow himself to love Thea melted me heart and broke me at the same time. These two have my whole heart.
You truly fall in love with the side characters in this book and the found family is so well written. I want a little novella for every last one of them!
The ending GUTTED me. I have never read a plot twist like this before and this has to be one of the biggest cliff hangers I’ve ever been left on… im so scared. I NEED BOOK 3 NOW!!!
March 7, 2025
Excuse me, Helen, but what the fucking fuck was that ending?! What do you mean?! No because, seriously, what do you mean?!
I... shit... what the hell?! I'm literally SHOOKETH! I don't know what to do with myself. I'm waiting for Slaying the Shadow Prince to be delivered tomorrow and I know I'll be diving straight in, but what the hell Helen! Why would you do such a thing?
I'm hurt. Truly wounded. Shit! I'm not sure I've ever binged a series like this. I'm so bloody glad it's complete and I can do such a thing!
Also, Seb is a cock and I hate him, I hope he get's what's coming to him!
I... shit... what the hell?! I'm literally SHOOKETH! I don't know what to do with myself. I'm waiting for Slaying the Shadow Prince to be delivered tomorrow and I know I'll be diving straight in, but what the hell Helen! Why would you do such a thing?
I'm hurt. Truly wounded. Shit! I'm not sure I've ever binged a series like this. I'm so bloody glad it's complete and I can do such a thing!
Also, Seb is a cock and I hate him, I hope he get's what's coming to him!
October 9, 2023
Color me confused, but I’m not really sure how this series has such high ratings. Don’t get me wrong, the world building is pretty great. But these MCs are annoying asf.
In book 1, I found Thea to be selfish, immature, reckless, and at times just plain stupid. When I tell you how sick I was of reading about how the only thing she gives a shit about (to the detriment of ALL her relationships) is becoming a Warsword…I was this close to smashing my head through a wall. She was so single minded that it left her one dimensional, and it overshadowed everything else in the story.
In this book, it’s like all my most hated tropes came together. There’s so much miscommunication because our MCs just REFUSE to have ONE meaningful conversation. Wilder “loves” Thea “irrevocably” but pushes her away all in the name of keeping her safe, keeps a shit ton of secrets from her, and his willpower is essentially nonexistent. Istg, every single chapter revolves around something that pisses off Thea, Thea & Wilder getting into an argument, they have sex anyway, then the chapter ends with them pushing each other away or saying how they can never have sex again because it will interfere with Thea’s goal. Every. Fucking. Chapter. And it doesn’t matter what is going on in the plot…they “forget themselves” and fuck against every rock/tree/balcony they can find. I found myself skipping the smut scenes (I KNOW) because I knew they would all end with the same promise of them never doing it again. I’ll admit now…I jumped from ~30% to 75% just to see if it was going to get better, and it felt like I could’ve just carried on to the end. That’s when I started skimming.
Honestly, for me it all just boils down to how damn angry Thea is. This girl is MAD and has such a massive chip on her shoulder. She’s so pissed at Wilder (but fucks him anyway), Seb (what a joke), Wren (can you actually blame Wren, tho??), Audra…it was exhausting. Like girlie, aren’t you tired of being so angry?? I bet she had premature frown lines.
Also, this caricature of a villain, Seb? I can’t. He just pops up every so often, calls her a stray, gets humiliated, then stomps off to throw a tantrum. Rinse and repeat for 2 books.
In book 1, I found Thea to be selfish, immature, reckless, and at times just plain stupid. When I tell you how sick I was of reading about how the only thing she gives a shit about (to the detriment of ALL her relationships) is becoming a Warsword…I was this close to smashing my head through a wall. She was so single minded that it left her one dimensional, and it overshadowed everything else in the story.
In this book, it’s like all my most hated tropes came together. There’s so much miscommunication because our MCs just REFUSE to have ONE meaningful conversation. Wilder “loves” Thea “irrevocably” but pushes her away all in the name of keeping her safe, keeps a shit ton of secrets from her, and his willpower is essentially nonexistent. Istg, every single chapter revolves around something that pisses off Thea, Thea & Wilder getting into an argument, they have sex anyway, then the chapter ends with them pushing each other away or saying how they can never have sex again because it will interfere with Thea’s goal. Every. Fucking. Chapter. And it doesn’t matter what is going on in the plot…they “forget themselves” and fuck against every rock/tree/balcony they can find. I found myself skipping the smut scenes (I KNOW) because I knew they would all end with the same promise of them never doing it again. I’ll admit now…I jumped from ~30% to 75% just to see if it was going to get better, and it felt like I could’ve just carried on to the end. That’s when I started skimming.
Honestly, for me it all just boils down to how damn angry Thea is. This girl is MAD and has such a massive chip on her shoulder. She’s so pissed at Wilder (but fucks him anyway), Seb (what a joke), Wren (can you actually blame Wren, tho??), Audra…it was exhausting. Like girlie, aren’t you tired of being so angry?? I bet she had premature frown lines.
Also, this caricature of a villain, Seb? I can’t. He just pops up every so often, calls her a stray, gets humiliated, then stomps off to throw a tantrum. Rinse and repeat for 2 books.
October 16, 2023
Rating: ⭐️⭐️
Plot: 1 ★
World-building: 1 ★
Angst: 2 ★★
Dark: 2 ★★
Suspense: 2 ★★
Spice: ❌
Who needs a plot when you can insert tons of smut into your book for no apparent reason whatsoever!
This was a hugely disappointing read for me. After the high of finishing Blood & Steel, I was not expecting Vows & Ruins to be a subpar filler book.
The plot completely stalled for 80% of the book. That 80% could be easily made up of utterly reductive sex scenes at the worst possible times and a whole lot of riding all over the realm with no development in between.
Was there a reason why there was very little in the way of plot developments in this book?
I was waiting for the history behind Thea & Wren's lineage, like who were their parents? We only ever get their names and that they were homicidal maniacs. That is literally it. There was nothing on the fall of Delmira.
I could see the Anya thing from a mile away, but even the DoD wasn't given any real development, other than she was the evil they were fighting against.
I would have loved to see some more memories of Thea's childhood before Thezmarr, to see her come to terms with it and confide in anyone about it, but she did none of that.
There is little to no background information on the royals, which I thought we would get in this book. I can't help but wonder if the royals know exactly who Thea and Wren are; they must resemble their parents, surely? I also cannot believe that Princess Jasira did not inform her father of Thea being able to feel their magic.
Nobody took Wilder to task - Thea nor Tjor. They both knew a lot of shady shit was being kept from them and they did nothing about it. There were so many opportunities throughout this book for them to question him.
Thea was so poorly written here and it was disappointing for me. Thea was such a strong presence in B&S, but here, she is cocky and immature and completely out of her depth. She accepted Wilder constantly lying to her and deliberately keeping things from her and she did not once put pressure on him as to why. She did nothing but fuck his brains out...
Also, her sudden surge of prowess in fighting the wraiths and reapers did not gel - Thea had a balanced progress in her fighting ability in B&S, but in V&R she excels beyond measure and it just felt very rushed and unrealistic to me.
I ended up kind of hating Wilder and not because of the ending. He had Thea all over the place... one minute he was stringing her along and the next he was rejecting her. He took his sweet damn time training her too. I mean, the guy goes missing for almost a month after he find out she's a princess... his character and personality are at odds with one another a lot in the book. He is a completely unreliable person. It was this god awful yo-yo affect that I didn't care to read about.
I would have much preferred if Wilder or Thea had stuck to their initial vow of Mentor/Mentee at the end of book one and given us that delicious angst/suspense throughout V&R and give us a steamy pay-off toward the end, but the author wanted to go for the ultimate hurt/shock factor to make Wilder's betrayal that more real.
Look, dude was gone for 6 years before he came back to Thezmarr in B&S, one has to wonder what he got up to in those years. Clearly, it was with Anya, Dartos and Talemir... Thea did not know him, not really. I mean, he left Malik all on his own at Thezmarr and the poor fuck was being abused by all and sundry. If that doesn't tell me what kind of man Wilder is...
His POVs were also devoid of any real substance. The reader knows that he's hiding shit, sure, but you are never once clued in to what it could be. Wilder's POVs were essentially useless to the reader beyond his undying love for Thea.
There wasn't much Kip and Cal to even things out for me either. They were simply wallpaper in Vows & Ruins until the author employed them at the very end to help Thea.
At the end of the day, this book was chock full of filler. There was very little substance and a shit ton of smut.
It is frustrating to read a book in a world you are already invested in and to get absolutely nothing out of it.
Let's hope Fate & Furies will be a marked improvement on this underwhelming sequel.
Plot: 1 ★
World-building: 1 ★
Angst: 2 ★★
Dark: 2 ★★
Suspense: 2 ★★
Spice: ❌
Who needs a plot when you can insert tons of smut into your book for no apparent reason whatsoever!
This was a hugely disappointing read for me. After the high of finishing Blood & Steel, I was not expecting Vows & Ruins to be a subpar filler book.
The plot completely stalled for 80% of the book. That 80% could be easily made up of utterly reductive sex scenes at the worst possible times and a whole lot of riding all over the realm with no development in between.
Was there a reason why there was very little in the way of plot developments in this book?
I was waiting for the history behind Thea & Wren's lineage, like who were their parents? We only ever get their names and that they were homicidal maniacs. That is literally it. There was nothing on the fall of Delmira.
I could see the Anya thing from a mile away, but even the DoD wasn't given any real development, other than she was the evil they were fighting against.
I would have loved to see some more memories of Thea's childhood before Thezmarr, to see her come to terms with it and confide in anyone about it, but she did none of that.
There is little to no background information on the royals, which I thought we would get in this book. I can't help but wonder if the royals know exactly who Thea and Wren are; they must resemble their parents, surely? I also cannot believe that Princess Jasira did not inform her father of Thea being able to feel their magic.
Nobody took Wilder to task - Thea nor Tjor. They both knew a lot of shady shit was being kept from them and they did nothing about it. There were so many opportunities throughout this book for them to question him.
Thea was so poorly written here and it was disappointing for me. Thea was such a strong presence in B&S, but here, she is cocky and immature and completely out of her depth. She accepted Wilder constantly lying to her and deliberately keeping things from her and she did not once put pressure on him as to why. She did nothing but fuck his brains out...
Also, her sudden surge of prowess in fighting the wraiths and reapers did not gel - Thea had a balanced progress in her fighting ability in B&S, but in V&R she excels beyond measure and it just felt very rushed and unrealistic to me.
I ended up kind of hating Wilder and not because of the ending. He had Thea all over the place... one minute he was stringing her along and the next he was rejecting her. He took his sweet damn time training her too. I mean, the guy goes missing for almost a month after he find out she's a princess... his character and personality are at odds with one another a lot in the book. He is a completely unreliable person. It was this god awful yo-yo affect that I didn't care to read about.
I would have much preferred if Wilder or Thea had stuck to their initial vow of Mentor/Mentee at the end of book one and given us that delicious angst/suspense throughout V&R and give us a steamy pay-off toward the end, but the author wanted to go for the ultimate hurt/shock factor to make Wilder's betrayal that more real.
Look, dude was gone for 6 years before he came back to Thezmarr in B&S, one has to wonder what he got up to in those years. Clearly, it was with Anya, Dartos and Talemir... Thea did not know him, not really. I mean, he left Malik all on his own at Thezmarr and the poor fuck was being abused by all and sundry. If that doesn't tell me what kind of man Wilder is...
His POVs were also devoid of any real substance. The reader knows that he's hiding shit, sure, but you are never once clued in to what it could be. Wilder's POVs were essentially useless to the reader beyond his undying love for Thea.
There wasn't much Kip and Cal to even things out for me either. They were simply wallpaper in Vows & Ruins until the author employed them at the very end to help Thea.
At the end of the day, this book was chock full of filler. There was very little substance and a shit ton of smut.
It is frustrating to read a book in a world you are already invested in and to get absolutely nothing out of it.
Let's hope Fate & Furies will be a marked improvement on this underwhelming sequel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 22, 2023
Vows of Ruin by Helen Scheuerer, the sequel to Blood & Steel, is absolutely PHENOMENAL. I loved BAS but this one blew my expectations away. The tension is even more intense with a little extra spice thrown in & epic Battles worthy of The Battle of Helms Deep from Lord of the Rings. This is darn near the best & most epic romantic fantasy I’ve ever read. Dare I say I love it just as much if not more than I love ACOTAR & Fourth Wing? Yes. This is the next big thing for Romantasy Lovers. I can’t wait for book 3, Fate & Furies, to release in May! Helen is an incredible writer & has the ability to make you feel as though you are sucked into her books & experiencing it with the Characters. I definitely recommend reading the first two books in The Legends of Thezmarr series. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
September 13, 2024
This book suffered from major second book syndrome and I’m HEARTBROKEN because it had so much potential. The whole back and forth “I want you but we can’t be together” was so excessive. Genuinely, just get a fucking grip. How do proper WARRIORS exercise zero self control??? Mind boggling.
This entire book was literally 60% smut when I was looking forward to actually seeing the plot advance. But not all hope is lost as towards the end, the plot did pick up and I must admit, it was really good.
The characters have slightly started to bother me but there is hope for that to be redeemed after that ending🤞
NOW THAT ENDING… I WASNT EXPECTING IT AT ALL AND IT HONESTLY SAVED THIS BOOK FOR ME. It sets up a lot of suspense and intrigue for the next books and I’m honestly excited to start them soon.
Overall, this book had its ups and downs for me but stayed entertaining throughout. It’s falling into a bit of a stereotype but it’s not always a bad thing!
This entire book was literally 60% smut when I was looking forward to actually seeing the plot advance. But not all hope is lost as towards the end, the plot did pick up and I must admit, it was really good.
The characters have slightly started to bother me but there is hope for that to be redeemed after that ending🤞
NOW THAT ENDING… I WASNT EXPECTING IT AT ALL AND IT HONESTLY SAVED THIS BOOK FOR ME. It sets up a lot of suspense and intrigue for the next books and I’m honestly excited to start them soon.
Overall, this book had its ups and downs for me but stayed entertaining throughout. It’s falling into a bit of a stereotype but it’s not always a bad thing!
March 9, 2024
Wilder should stay the main character in every book 💖🫶🏻
1. The biggest grumpy grump
2. Struts around naked whenever Thea ignores him
I wish we got more of Thea learning to master her powers. The fact that in fits of rage she just becomes the most precise magic wielder? Like okay?
1. The biggest grumpy grump
2. Struts around naked whenever Thea ignores him
I wish we got more of Thea learning to master her powers. The fact that in fits of rage she just becomes the most precise magic wielder? Like okay?
September 25, 2023
Vows & Ruins is everything I had hoped for and more as the sequel to Blood and Steel.
Vows & Ruins was one of my most anticipated sequels of the year and it did not disappoint! Everything I have read by Scheuerer has been an utter masterpiece and she has become one of my favorite authors. It’s incredible how she is able to write a story with amazing romance, but it doesn’t overshadow other aspects of the book like the found family, training, or fantasy world building.
Okay let’s start with the romance because it was one of my favorite aspects of Blood & Steel and I was dying for more going into Vows & Ruins. Thea and Wilder are in a new phase of their relationship where there’s so much tension and longing but they shouldn’t be together because he’s her mentor. It’s so hot but also so frustrating because I know they are perfect for each other. But ultimately they can’t resist one another and the spice is OFF THE CHARTS. Seriously, the spice is a SOLID 3.5/5. Hot damn. I knew there was going to be more spice in this book, but it really ramped up and I am here for it.
I loved seeing Wilder and Thea grow to trust each other and get to know one another more. It was truly building the foundation of their relationship and it made me so happy. The romance was the absolute highlight of this book for me.
Wilder freaking Hawthorne. I’m obsessed with this sexy, broody, badass warrior who is an absolute SIMP for Thea. He comforts her during her nightmares and is always in her corner and helping her. SWOON. But I appreciate how it didn’t change his entire personality. Thea and Wilder are one of my favorite bookish couples and they were just made for each other.
Kip and Cal provide great comedic relief, I adore their dynamic and I loved how they were always there for Thea, even when she didn’t want to talk. Found family is one of my favorite tropes and it’s so well done in this series.
Okay now to the plot which was AMAZING. A threat is looming and Thea must train in order to save herself and potentially the entire kingdom. She’s training to become a Warsword and also mastering her magic in secret. But it’s not as easy as she hoped.
While there’s still a lot of training, we finally get to see Thea venture out on missions and I loved seeing how she stepped up to the plate and became a leader. She also discovers so much more about the history of the kingdoms and the magic of the royalty. I truly appreciated how subtle the world building was, it was so easy to follow and wasn’t overwhelming at all.
I will say that the lines between good and evil are being blurred a bit, and I have SO MANY questions. Also, I HIGHLY recommend reading Slaying the Shadow Prince before Vows & Ruins because it will allow you to truly appreciate and understand aspects of this book that you otherwise might miss.
It did take a little bit for the plot to get going, but I didn’t mind because I was eating up the relationship and tension between Wilder and Thea.
Omfg the ending was SO good but also SO RUDE because now I’m literally lost until the next book comes out. It hurt my heart, but I have faith things will work out. Ma’am, how am I supposed to wait for the next book????
This series is an absolute must read for all fans of romantasy. Seriously, drop everything and start this series now because I promise you will be obsessed.
Things to expect:
-Mentor x Mentee
-Forced proximity
-For her, he’d beg
-Found family
-Only one bed
-Epic battles
-Broody MMC
-Dual POV
-Spice: 3.5/5
Vows & Ruins was one of my most anticipated sequels of the year and it did not disappoint! Everything I have read by Scheuerer has been an utter masterpiece and she has become one of my favorite authors. It’s incredible how she is able to write a story with amazing romance, but it doesn’t overshadow other aspects of the book like the found family, training, or fantasy world building.
Okay let’s start with the romance because it was one of my favorite aspects of Blood & Steel and I was dying for more going into Vows & Ruins. Thea and Wilder are in a new phase of their relationship where there’s so much tension and longing but they shouldn’t be together because he’s her mentor. It’s so hot but also so frustrating because I know they are perfect for each other. But ultimately they can’t resist one another and the spice is OFF THE CHARTS. Seriously, the spice is a SOLID 3.5/5. Hot damn. I knew there was going to be more spice in this book, but it really ramped up and I am here for it.
I loved seeing Wilder and Thea grow to trust each other and get to know one another more. It was truly building the foundation of their relationship and it made me so happy. The romance was the absolute highlight of this book for me.
Wilder freaking Hawthorne. I’m obsessed with this sexy, broody, badass warrior who is an absolute SIMP for Thea. He comforts her during her nightmares and is always in her corner and helping her. SWOON. But I appreciate how it didn’t change his entire personality. Thea and Wilder are one of my favorite bookish couples and they were just made for each other.
Kip and Cal provide great comedic relief, I adore their dynamic and I loved how they were always there for Thea, even when she didn’t want to talk. Found family is one of my favorite tropes and it’s so well done in this series.
Okay now to the plot which was AMAZING. A threat is looming and Thea must train in order to save herself and potentially the entire kingdom. She’s training to become a Warsword and also mastering her magic in secret. But it’s not as easy as she hoped.
While there’s still a lot of training, we finally get to see Thea venture out on missions and I loved seeing how she stepped up to the plate and became a leader. She also discovers so much more about the history of the kingdoms and the magic of the royalty. I truly appreciated how subtle the world building was, it was so easy to follow and wasn’t overwhelming at all.
I will say that the lines between good and evil are being blurred a bit, and I have SO MANY questions. Also, I HIGHLY recommend reading Slaying the Shadow Prince before Vows & Ruins because it will allow you to truly appreciate and understand aspects of this book that you otherwise might miss.
It did take a little bit for the plot to get going, but I didn’t mind because I was eating up the relationship and tension between Wilder and Thea.
Omfg the ending was SO good but also SO RUDE because now I’m literally lost until the next book comes out. It hurt my heart, but I have faith things will work out. Ma’am, how am I supposed to wait for the next book????
This series is an absolute must read for all fans of romantasy. Seriously, drop everything and start this series now because I promise you will be obsessed.
Things to expect:
-Mentor x Mentee
-Forced proximity
-For her, he’d beg
-Found family
-Only one bed
-Epic battles
-Broody MMC
-Dual POV
-Spice: 3.5/5
June 22, 2024
DNF @ 56%
I enjoyed the first book enough to look forward to the second.
Blah.
All spice, no substance - and there are two more books to go? Nope.
I simply can't respect characters who continually go back on their word (unless it's the villain who is SUPPOSED to).
We can't be lovers if we are going to be apprentice and mentor.
Proceeds to bang.
We can't be lovers, training is suffering, nothing is being learned, there's been no progress, she'll never attain the ONLY thing she has ever wanted her entire life.
Proceeds to bang.
We'll just be friends, we can't be lovers, it'll never work.
Proceeds to bang.
There's no build up to the emotion. In fact, there really isn't much in the way of building up from lust to emotion and no real reason why. The romance has fallen flat.
There's no way I'm going to believe the "hand of death" doesn't have enough discipline and will-power to not be distracted by lust or the need to get it on? The entire realm is at risk -but banging takes precedence over doing YOUR JOB? I'm also not believing that she who fought for the right and pled to the king to be able to join and become the only thing she has ever wanted to be - a warrior. She, who would spy on people practicing and try to emulate them. She, who is on very limited time because she is fated to die in less than 3 years - is going to be like, nah - I'd rather bang.
I enjoyed the first book enough to look forward to the second.
Blah.
All spice, no substance - and there are two more books to go? Nope.
I simply can't respect characters who continually go back on their word (unless it's the villain who is SUPPOSED to).
We can't be lovers if we are going to be apprentice and mentor.
Proceeds to bang.
We can't be lovers, training is suffering, nothing is being learned, there's been no progress, she'll never attain the ONLY thing she has ever wanted her entire life.
Proceeds to bang.
We'll just be friends, we can't be lovers, it'll never work.
Proceeds to bang.
There's no build up to the emotion. In fact, there really isn't much in the way of building up from lust to emotion and no real reason why. The romance has fallen flat.
There's no way I'm going to believe the "hand of death" doesn't have enough discipline and will-power to not be distracted by lust or the need to get it on? The entire realm is at risk -but banging takes precedence over doing YOUR JOB? I'm also not believing that she who fought for the right and pled to the king to be able to join and become the only thing she has ever wanted to be - a warrior. She, who would spy on people practicing and try to emulate them. She, who is on very limited time because she is fated to die in less than 3 years - is going to be like, nah - I'd rather bang.
February 6, 2025
3.5 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
“You have no idea how much I want you. How I burn for you. You lit an inferno within me and it won’t stop. I can’t stop.”
Vows & Ruins is the second installment in the Legends of Thezmarr series, and while we get more answers and the world expands... parts of it dragged.
I adore the cast and I'm quite pleased with Thea's development as a character as she navigates through the truth of who she is.
I still think the romance was rushed since book 1 but can't say the romantic scenes weren't swoon-worthy but they do suffer a bit of repetitiveness.
The way this book ended is a big clue that things are about to get messy in the next book and I'm here for the angst and the drama of it all!!
Note: I'm following the emotional impact order so the next book I'll read before book 3 is Slaying the Shadow Prince.
“You have no idea how much I want you. How I burn for you. You lit an inferno within me and it won’t stop. I can’t stop.”
Vows & Ruins is the second installment in the Legends of Thezmarr series, and while we get more answers and the world expands... parts of it dragged.
I adore the cast and I'm quite pleased with Thea's development as a character as she navigates through the truth of who she is.
I still think the romance was rushed since book 1 but can't say the romantic scenes weren't swoon-worthy but they do suffer a bit of repetitiveness.
The way this book ended is a big clue that things are about to get messy in the next book and I'm here for the angst and the drama of it all!!
Note: I'm following the emotional impact order so the next book I'll read before book 3 is Slaying the Shadow Prince.
September 8, 2025
I do not know how I feel about this one. There was a lot. Unfortunately, what was a lot was not the plot. Nearly every chapter ended in some fairly crassly written smut. It felt like such a tonal shift not just in the narrative but the writing style. I feel conflicted. The last few chapters were killer in terms of the action, and a huge, huge reveal. It fell flat after the endless interludes of Thea and Wilder. (I get it. New relationship, lots of hormones, but dear gods, it was just too much.) I feel the plot faltered because of the focus on the physical scenes. We saw precious little of her two best friends and only a few scenes with Wren. It was the Thea/Wilder show. All Thea’s other relationships faltered because of the singular focus on Wilder. Even for someone that was supposed to be training, almost none of the focus was there, outside of a few scenes around them traveling. For such a strong opening book, this was a disappointment. I’ll keep going in the series, but with a hefty side eye.
January 10, 2024
helen I will be sending you my therapy bill.
following that ending I will need no one contact me for 3-5 business days.
edit: now that I have processed.
Vows and Ruins hit me like a TRUCK, I had been waiting for this sequel for a while and when it came out I devoured it.
The romance, the story, the SPICE- and oh my god the reveals?
Not even to mention that ending. When I tell you I wanted to THROW my book-
This series is a must read for me, now. I am eagerly awaiting the next instalment and will be shouting from the rooftops on Wilders behalf until then.
following that ending I will need no one contact me for 3-5 business days.
edit: now that I have processed.
Vows and Ruins hit me like a TRUCK, I had been waiting for this sequel for a while and when it came out I devoured it.
The romance, the story, the SPICE- and oh my god the reveals?
Not even to mention that ending. When I tell you I wanted to THROW my book-
This series is a must read for me, now. I am eagerly awaiting the next instalment and will be shouting from the rooftops on Wilders behalf until then.
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