What do you think?
Rate this book
The Way We Were Hunters
The trouble with the Fallen is they look human.
The Fallen are the children born affected by the Drakon, otherworldly beasts that arrived on a meteor and devastated Rosya in a decades-long war. Now, as the nation heals and moves forward, a second conflict looms. This time the enemy is not the Drakon, but the Fallen, and the trouble is they look human.
Lena, once a marksman, was demoted after shooting her training instructor and now serves as a laundress at Bunker 47. Though the position isn’t the career she’d hoped for, she finds peace in its routine... until she tries to help a friend and finds herself owing a favor to Captain Arkhimov.
The captain is tall, imposing, a celebrated war hero, and a stickler for rules—everything Lena is not. But when she ends up on a mission with him, she’s excited nonetheless.
The mission had been simple: go check on Bunker 17, which has gone dark. But when the task turns lethal and the bodies begin to pile up, Lena learns the captain is not who he claims.
‘The Way We Were Hunters’ is a dark fantasy with a side of romance. It is the first book of the Fallen Duology and comes with a content advisory for strong language, graphic violence, and intimate situations. Reader discretion is advised.
The Fallen are the children born affected by the Drakon, otherworldly beasts that arrived on a meteor and devastated Rosya in a decades-long war. Now, as the nation heals and moves forward, a second conflict looms. This time the enemy is not the Drakon, but the Fallen, and the trouble is they look human.
Lena, once a marksman, was demoted after shooting her training instructor and now serves as a laundress at Bunker 47. Though the position isn’t the career she’d hoped for, she finds peace in its routine... until she tries to help a friend and finds herself owing a favor to Captain Arkhimov.
The captain is tall, imposing, a celebrated war hero, and a stickler for rules—everything Lena is not. But when she ends up on a mission with him, she’s excited nonetheless.
The mission had been simple: go check on Bunker 17, which has gone dark. But when the task turns lethal and the bodies begin to pile up, Lena learns the captain is not who he claims.
‘The Way We Were Hunters’ is a dark fantasy with a side of romance. It is the first book of the Fallen Duology and comes with a content advisory for strong language, graphic violence, and intimate situations. Reader discretion is advised.
329 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 29, 2024
68 people are currently reading
335 people want to read
About the author
Brien Feathers
25 books216 followersBrien Feathers is a fantasy author living in the land of permanent frost, horses, and Mongols. She likes reading, writing (of course), riding, drinking dark beer, and checking things off a to-do list.
Although she claims to love everyone equally, she really loves her youngest son the most. He has autism superpowers that allow him to speak all types of rare languages including drumbeats, elevator dings, and police sirens.
Miss Feathers loves grey days, orange cats, and all creatures human or otherwise. And she hopes you will love her world (fantasy) and people (characters) as well.
Connect with the author.
Sign up for the Feathers Newsletter at https://www.brienfeathers.com.
Although she claims to love everyone equally, she really loves her youngest son the most. He has autism superpowers that allow him to speak all types of rare languages including drumbeats, elevator dings, and police sirens.
Miss Feathers loves grey days, orange cats, and all creatures human or otherwise. And she hopes you will love her world (fantasy) and people (characters) as well.
Connect with the author.
Sign up for the Feathers Newsletter at https://www.brienfeathers.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
September 11, 2024
The book was amazing! I was hooked from the very first chapter. I couldn’t put the book down! I loved the whole story
June 26, 2024
The Way We Were Hunters is a book set in the middle of a war between humans and fallen, creatures that look like human but possess superhuman abilities and a cruelty beyond measure. Amid the chaos and adversity of life in a bunker, we follow our main characters: Lena, once a marksman, now a laundress trying to climb her way back to a respectful position, and Mikhail, an acclaimed, no-nonsense captain admired by everyone. Due to a number of reasons, both end up tangled in a sort of secret romance, which is put in jeopardy as they confront the fallen. As she discovers that the enemy is closer than she'd assumed, Lena will have to choose between following what's right and what her heart truly desires.
When I found this book, I never expected it to be what it ended up being. It was an action-packed novel, and much to my surprise, it had actually chilling, gruesome details that fully gave the ambience of a land scarred by conflict and violence. The plot was very interesting and not like any other war-themed fantasy book I've read before, so the overall reading experience was super entertaining. The pace made it all the easier for me to read non-stop every time I picked it up as well.
My favourite character was Mikhail. Out of the cast, he was the best fleshed out. His story had twists and turns and a good portion of mystery. And he was undoubtedly hot, just like I like my fictional men. I would've loved to know more about his past and how he became captain— maybe a novella about him would be nice?
Now, there were some issues with this book that prevented me from giving it 5 stars. One, and probably the most important, was Lena. At the beginning, she was a boring main character. Had the plot been any less interesting, she wouldn't have been able to carry the story forward on her own. We didn't know anything about her besides her little "accident" with the training instructor, which is supposed to give us the idea that she doesn't care for rules, but we are told this, not shown. She never really does anything that proves her apparently rebellious personality. She has a tragic past, but it isn't relevant at all. Her character does not show any interesting traits (apart from every single man in this book calling her pretty or beautiful or praising her only for her looks) until she starts her affair with Misha: It's because of her feelings for him that she gets to have a "mission", but I would have liked it for her to earn her place there and show her real abilities. By the end of the book, she is rewarded for something she didn't really do— although she wanted to be recognised for her own efforts, it seemed like she never got to prove her worth fairly. I genuinely believed she could, though, but it seemed like the author just wouldn't let her be the hero of her own story. The only moment where I really liked her as a protagonist was towards the end, but then she wasn't really doing anything of importance— and this version of her felt more authentic to me than any other.
Then there was Ardarion. God, what an insufferable character. He was the depiction of bad boy in the way he talked (especially to Lena) and behaved, but nothing about him made him a memorable one. Yet, for some reason I still cannot understand, and despite being described as a macabre being, we are supposed to feel pity for him and root for his crush (which also came from nowhere???). Why in the world he had such fascination for Lena is beyond my comprehension.
But back to what actually matters: the ending was surprisingly satisfying, though I felt a little sad we couldn't get to see more of Lena and Misha together (contrary to my expectations, I did like them as a couple!). I would love to have a sequel to know exactly what happened to them, as the book doesn't give readers enough closure. Apparently, this is a duology, so I'll be patiently waiting for the next part, whenever it comes.
Thanks to BookSirens for sending me a copy of this book to review. All thoughts written are my own.
When I found this book, I never expected it to be what it ended up being. It was an action-packed novel, and much to my surprise, it had actually chilling, gruesome details that fully gave the ambience of a land scarred by conflict and violence. The plot was very interesting and not like any other war-themed fantasy book I've read before, so the overall reading experience was super entertaining. The pace made it all the easier for me to read non-stop every time I picked it up as well.
My favourite character was Mikhail. Out of the cast, he was the best fleshed out. His story had twists and turns and a good portion of mystery. And he was undoubtedly hot, just like I like my fictional men. I would've loved to know more about his past and how he became captain— maybe a novella about him would be nice?
Now, there were some issues with this book that prevented me from giving it 5 stars. One, and probably the most important, was Lena. At the beginning, she was a boring main character. Had the plot been any less interesting, she wouldn't have been able to carry the story forward on her own. We didn't know anything about her besides her little "accident" with the training instructor, which is supposed to give us the idea that she doesn't care for rules, but we are told this, not shown. She never really does anything that proves her apparently rebellious personality. She has a tragic past, but it isn't relevant at all. Her character does not show any interesting traits (apart from every single man in this book calling her pretty or beautiful or praising her only for her looks) until she starts her affair with Misha: It's because of her feelings for him that she gets to have a "mission", but I would have liked it for her to earn her place there and show her real abilities. By the end of the book, she is rewarded for something she didn't really do— although she wanted to be recognised for her own efforts, it seemed like she never got to prove her worth fairly. I genuinely believed she could, though, but it seemed like the author just wouldn't let her be the hero of her own story. The only moment where I really liked her as a protagonist was towards the end, but then she wasn't really doing anything of importance— and this version of her felt more authentic to me than any other.
Then there was Ardarion. God, what an insufferable character. He was the depiction of bad boy in the way he talked (especially to Lena) and behaved, but nothing about him made him a memorable one. Yet, for some reason I still cannot understand, and despite being described as a macabre being, we are supposed to feel pity for him and root for his crush (which also came from nowhere???). Why in the world he had such fascination for Lena is beyond my comprehension.
But back to what actually matters: the ending was surprisingly satisfying, though I felt a little sad we couldn't get to see more of Lena and Misha together (contrary to my expectations, I did like them as a couple!). I would love to have a sequel to know exactly what happened to them, as the book doesn't give readers enough closure. Apparently, this is a duology, so I'll be patiently waiting for the next part, whenever it comes.
Thanks to BookSirens for sending me a copy of this book to review. All thoughts written are my own.
June 10, 2024
For the sake of clarity, I received an advanced reader copy from the author via BookSirens. Even so, my review is my own and left voluntarily.
The Way We Were Hunters is done from the perspective of two different characters. Inspector Ardarion Markov, and Lena Zaitseva.
Ardarion chasing Lena throughout her military career because she is romantically tied with Mikhail Arkhimov. He is connected to the Fallen, a militant group who has superpowers and works with dragons who crashed on Earth some 20-30 years prior. This gives a cat and mouse chase, political intrigue feel to a story placed in a World War 2 type dystopian setting with dragons. It really made me think of the movie "Reign of Fire." The vibe was the perfect mix, in my opinion.
Lena is the main narrator, as the reader I never really knew more than she did. She has a spunky, care free type of attitude that often gets her in trouble. She doesn't mind taking the blame for others if she sees some benefit for herself. This puts her in a few situations she otherwise wouldn't be involved in. I liked Lena, and often found myself chuckling at her antics.
The writing style is fast paced. As often is with Brien Feather's stories. Quickly moving through events with a lot happening. A few surprises at the end, that hooked me into the series. It didn't take me long to read, as immersed into the story as I was. I really wanted to know what Lena was going to get herself mixed up with next. I am looking forward to the next in the series and where it goes with the dragons.
The Way We Were Hunters is done from the perspective of two different characters. Inspector Ardarion Markov, and Lena Zaitseva.
Ardarion chasing Lena throughout her military career because she is romantically tied with Mikhail Arkhimov. He is connected to the Fallen, a militant group who has superpowers and works with dragons who crashed on Earth some 20-30 years prior. This gives a cat and mouse chase, political intrigue feel to a story placed in a World War 2 type dystopian setting with dragons. It really made me think of the movie "Reign of Fire." The vibe was the perfect mix, in my opinion.
Lena is the main narrator, as the reader I never really knew more than she did. She has a spunky, care free type of attitude that often gets her in trouble. She doesn't mind taking the blame for others if she sees some benefit for herself. This puts her in a few situations she otherwise wouldn't be involved in. I liked Lena, and often found myself chuckling at her antics.
The writing style is fast paced. As often is with Brien Feather's stories. Quickly moving through events with a lot happening. A few surprises at the end, that hooked me into the series. It didn't take me long to read, as immersed into the story as I was. I really wanted to know what Lena was going to get herself mixed up with next. I am looking forward to the next in the series and where it goes with the dragons.
June 26, 2024
The Way We Were Hunters was great, I devoured it in less than half a day. Granted, it's rather short as it comes up to less than 300 pages, but a lot happens. It takes place in a post WW2 era setting, but instead of human vs human, it was human vs drakon. Drakons are aggressive winged beasts that almost wiped out the continent.
Humanity somehow prevailed, but with great costs and there were still threats looming around. The Fallen, monsters with human faces, were born with powers and had a greater chance to lean towards evil and torture.
TWWWH jumps back and forth in Ardarion and Lena's timeline, which gives you glimpses between the drakon wars. I loved how it was written and it was very fast-paced. Lena was a laundress who gets caught up with a superior officer and we get to see how their lives progress. It's not a particularly happy story, as there are many gory details and horrors of war, punishment, and revenge cycles. The ending jumps forward many decades and leaves you wanting to know exactly what happened in between. I'm looking forward to the second/last book of the duology.
I received an advance review copy for free from BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Humanity somehow prevailed, but with great costs and there were still threats looming around. The Fallen, monsters with human faces, were born with powers and had a greater chance to lean towards evil and torture.
TWWWH jumps back and forth in Ardarion and Lena's timeline, which gives you glimpses between the drakon wars. I loved how it was written and it was very fast-paced. Lena was a laundress who gets caught up with a superior officer and we get to see how their lives progress. It's not a particularly happy story, as there are many gory details and horrors of war, punishment, and revenge cycles. The ending jumps forward many decades and leaves you wanting to know exactly what happened in between. I'm looking forward to the second/last book of the duology.
I received an advance review copy for free from BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 11, 2024
I absolutely devoured this.
The author captured the desolate world of a dystopian fantasy novel where everything is scarce and dragons rule the world. Plus the humans born to be bonded with a dragon and are the most feared of what is left of the human world and many of them relish in it. It was fast-paced and it took no prisoners. It was absolutely one of the best books that I have read this year, and now I really want to read the rest.
I received this ARC from BookSirens and my review is entirely voluntary.
The author captured the desolate world of a dystopian fantasy novel where everything is scarce and dragons rule the world. Plus the humans born to be bonded with a dragon and are the most feared of what is left of the human world and many of them relish in it. It was fast-paced and it took no prisoners. It was absolutely one of the best books that I have read this year, and now I really want to read the rest.
I received this ARC from BookSirens and my review is entirely voluntary.
May 25, 2024
If you cannot get enough of dragon shifters, be aware this is a very dark, dystopian dragon vs. human war novel. It’s Schindler’s List with dragons. And it should be a movie.
The main character is a laundress, a woman who started training as a marksman but was demoted after shooting her trainer/lover. Through some pretty funny scenes where she accidentally pursues the commander, Lena manages to integrate herself into a scouting mission to find out why an encampment failed to check in.
I think she realizes just how lucky she is as a driver, backup, but not the one who discovers the landmine. I certainly am feeling every bit the horror of the front lines.
Lena sounds like a stalker. In her favor, she tries to control her feelings for Misha. I love how they are described physically. Misha has a hawk nose and ... quiet personality. Lena is barely 5 feet tall and is a brunette and apparently has a personality of tempered steel.
The romance is sweet.
⁃ “She shouldn’t be clinging onto him so much. If it was misleading him, it wasn’t fair to him. “
⁃ Smelling his panties
⁃ Wearing his jacket
⁃ Bringing him sugar
There are wartime shortages, and Lena barely acknowledges them. She figures she can cope with things. When people are torn into shrapnel around her she doesn’t react. When she finds her compatriots flayed alive or melting into a slurry, she barely reacts. The horrors have become normalized.
I find myself more engrossed with the little details of living in a society with a line for bread and eggs but only finding milk. Humans may be fighting against dragons and their kin, but they are failing utterly.
The Dragons:
Since their are Fallen, half-human children of the dragons, I can only imagine how that would work, but Fallen are the real enemies in this story. While the dragons are acts of nature, spewing poison or flames and causing havoc, their Fallen children love torture and destruction. The humans are better only in that they kill Fallen outright because they cannot control the Fallen.
Lena has a little of the racism against Fallen, but she still sees them as human, otherwise I am not sure I would like her. With her dispassionate reactions, it is surprising that she was taken off the front lines.
After Misha and Lena’s group finally discovers the remains of the scouting mission and another base, the ending is...painful and sweet. I needed a break after that.
2nd half:
Ardarion:
He interviewed Lena at the beginning of part 1, and I was not sure what his role was. Now, after the war, he is comfortable in his role and still has his Fallen powers. He blackmails Lena into a mission to retrieve her love from the place all prisoners go to die.
“people, women especially, are afraid of me.”
“Good for you.” She walked out and slammed the door in his face.”
I admit, their interactions are just as funny as fake man-and-wife as Lena’s wooing of Misha. The whole retrieval seems like he is saving Misha from death, but ... there are no heroic happily ever afters.
Lena only ever wanted to have a home and family. If it weren’t for the ending, I would have cried. Nothing in the story ever matched my fantasy. However, the ending was realistic.
This reminds me of Joe Abercrombie’s work, or Alesha Escobar’s “The Tower’s Alchemist.” It’s dark, realistically depraved, and a real change when you need something outside of your usual reading. Oh, and the writing is excellent.
This story is written in an unusual way, if you are used to romantic fantasy. It also is split into two parts, and I almost stopped completely after the first part. But the second part is important if you want to understand the man in the prologue, or just find some epilogues about the characters. Plus, the dialogue is snappy and funny.
The main character is a laundress, a woman who started training as a marksman but was demoted after shooting her trainer/lover. Through some pretty funny scenes where she accidentally pursues the commander, Lena manages to integrate herself into a scouting mission to find out why an encampment failed to check in.
I think she realizes just how lucky she is as a driver, backup, but not the one who discovers the landmine. I certainly am feeling every bit the horror of the front lines.
Lena sounds like a stalker. In her favor, she tries to control her feelings for Misha. I love how they are described physically. Misha has a hawk nose and ... quiet personality. Lena is barely 5 feet tall and is a brunette and apparently has a personality of tempered steel.
The romance is sweet.
⁃ “She shouldn’t be clinging onto him so much. If it was misleading him, it wasn’t fair to him. “
⁃ Smelling his panties
⁃ Wearing his jacket
⁃ Bringing him sugar
There are wartime shortages, and Lena barely acknowledges them. She figures she can cope with things. When people are torn into shrapnel around her she doesn’t react. When she finds her compatriots flayed alive or melting into a slurry, she barely reacts. The horrors have become normalized.
I find myself more engrossed with the little details of living in a society with a line for bread and eggs but only finding milk. Humans may be fighting against dragons and their kin, but they are failing utterly.
The Dragons:
Since their are Fallen, half-human children of the dragons, I can only imagine how that would work, but Fallen are the real enemies in this story. While the dragons are acts of nature, spewing poison or flames and causing havoc, their Fallen children love torture and destruction. The humans are better only in that they kill Fallen outright because they cannot control the Fallen.
Lena has a little of the racism against Fallen, but she still sees them as human, otherwise I am not sure I would like her. With her dispassionate reactions, it is surprising that she was taken off the front lines.
After Misha and Lena’s group finally discovers the remains of the scouting mission and another base, the ending is...painful and sweet. I needed a break after that.
2nd half:
Ardarion:
He interviewed Lena at the beginning of part 1, and I was not sure what his role was. Now, after the war, he is comfortable in his role and still has his Fallen powers. He blackmails Lena into a mission to retrieve her love from the place all prisoners go to die.
“people, women especially, are afraid of me.”
“Good for you.” She walked out and slammed the door in his face.”
I admit, their interactions are just as funny as fake man-and-wife as Lena’s wooing of Misha. The whole retrieval seems like he is saving Misha from death, but ... there are no heroic happily ever afters.
Lena only ever wanted to have a home and family. If it weren’t for the ending, I would have cried. Nothing in the story ever matched my fantasy. However, the ending was realistic.
This reminds me of Joe Abercrombie’s work, or Alesha Escobar’s “The Tower’s Alchemist.” It’s dark, realistically depraved, and a real change when you need something outside of your usual reading. Oh, and the writing is excellent.
This story is written in an unusual way, if you are used to romantic fantasy. It also is split into two parts, and I almost stopped completely after the first part. But the second part is important if you want to understand the man in the prologue, or just find some epilogues about the characters. Plus, the dialogue is snappy and funny.
June 7, 2024
I have sat down to write this review five different times, but can never quite get how to express what I thought about “The Way We Were Hunters” by Brien Feathers. The easiest way for me to do it (which breaks from the norm of how I usually write my reviews) is to list what I liked about the book, and what I didn’t like. First off I have to disclose that I got this book as an ARC in exchange for my unbiased opinion, and this is just that, my lowly honest opinion. Now that that is out in the open let me start with the things I liked. I really liked how the author did a great job of showing, not telling. I love when authors are able to paint a vivid picture to where I can see it like a full on movie in my head and don’t have to fill in the blanks with my own details. I really liked the premise/concept of this book. It reminded me of a “Reign of Fire” set during Cold War era Russia. Brien Feathers put in some major research, because his description of a Cold War era Russian-like country/world is very good, and gives the reader a lot of details and context to understand what type of setting this all takes place in. The FMC is a strong, self-assured woman who works for what she wants and is a bad ass with a rifle. The MMC is definitely the “falls first and falls harder” type of character. He’s stoic and romantic in the sweetest way.
Now for the part I hate the most, the things I did not like about this book. While I got a good sense of what these characters are like/about, that’s really all I got, a sense. I felt like I came into the middle of a trilogy, rather than the start of a duology, like maybe I missed something somewhere. It all came off kind of superficial to me, which can be a good thing as it leaves a lot of exploration and growth for these characters in the second book. The premise/concept sounded amazing and that’s why I signed up to read the book, unfortunately I feel like that amazing concept got lost in the fluff. Ideas were touched on, but not really delved into. This is the first time I have ever read a character’s internal thoughts excerpt and felt so much cringe. At one point one character thinks that the other character smells like “pheromones and ovaries”, and I had to reread that snippet a dozen times before putting the book down for a minute. What do ovaries smell like exactly…? To me that was so awkward to read and imagine, that it completely took me out of the story.
“The Way We Were Hunters” was a quick read. I started it on a Sunday morning and finished it that evening. I’ll be interested to see if the second book fills in holes and adds more layers to flesh out the amazing concept this book started with.
Now for the part I hate the most, the things I did not like about this book. While I got a good sense of what these characters are like/about, that’s really all I got, a sense. I felt like I came into the middle of a trilogy, rather than the start of a duology, like maybe I missed something somewhere. It all came off kind of superficial to me, which can be a good thing as it leaves a lot of exploration and growth for these characters in the second book. The premise/concept sounded amazing and that’s why I signed up to read the book, unfortunately I feel like that amazing concept got lost in the fluff. Ideas were touched on, but not really delved into. This is the first time I have ever read a character’s internal thoughts excerpt and felt so much cringe. At one point one character thinks that the other character smells like “pheromones and ovaries”, and I had to reread that snippet a dozen times before putting the book down for a minute. What do ovaries smell like exactly…? To me that was so awkward to read and imagine, that it completely took me out of the story.
“The Way We Were Hunters” was a quick read. I started it on a Sunday morning and finished it that evening. I’ll be interested to see if the second book fills in holes and adds more layers to flesh out the amazing concept this book started with.
July 20, 2024
The Way We Were Hunters'
Series: The Fallen Duology- Book 1
220 pages
Published May 29, 2024
Stars: 4 Stars
Spice: 2
Synopsis: The Fallen are the children born affected by the Drakon, otherworldly beasts that arrived on a meteor and devastated Rosya in a decades-long war. Eventually, the Drakon were defeated, and the Fallen were gathered up and placed in collars to be easily identified against the humans. Years of healing and minimal conflict have left the humans unequipped when the Children of Eve, a small extremist group of Fallen never captured, begin executing a plan to attack the ill-prepared people. Demoted soldier Lena, once a famed sharpshooter, has fallen in rank and now spends her time doing the laundry and other mundane jobs. She is stationed at an outlying military camp that is the first to recognize an uprising of the Fallen and gets caught up in all the chaos that unfolds. This story spans several decades; regardless of your journey, it is ultimately a love story.
Format: Ebook (Kindle)
Review: What a unique read. I was enthralled with this story and especially enjoyed how it leaned into World War II elements. This read is giving strong historical fiction vibes. There were so many favorites for me. I loved the historical feel paired with the fantastical elements. The tension towards the end of part one was angsty and tense, and I especially loved how it sometimes felt reminiscent of a gory horror read. I loved Lena and Misha and was invested in their story. Without giving too much away, the ending was so satisfying, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved this book. Can't wait to read book two.
Pros:I love Lena's fiery temper, and when it's directed at Ardarion, I am thrilled. Misha and Lena were a whole vibe…to feel so protected and unconditionally cared for…ugh.
Cons: While I thoroughly enjoyed the story, there were some glaring issues with the storytelling, specifically pacing. At times, it felt spot on, and others were a bit clipped and felt rushed through. This story deserves more page time to give it the depth it deserves. Again, the story was great. It just needed more development…
Favorites Moments: TW: Profanity, Sex, Violence, Death
Recommend (Yes/No/Maybe): Yes, Absolutely. I will definitely read book two.
Thank you, BookSirens, for allowing me to review the title.
Series: The Fallen Duology- Book 1
220 pages
Published May 29, 2024
Stars: 4 Stars
Spice: 2
Synopsis: The Fallen are the children born affected by the Drakon, otherworldly beasts that arrived on a meteor and devastated Rosya in a decades-long war. Eventually, the Drakon were defeated, and the Fallen were gathered up and placed in collars to be easily identified against the humans. Years of healing and minimal conflict have left the humans unequipped when the Children of Eve, a small extremist group of Fallen never captured, begin executing a plan to attack the ill-prepared people. Demoted soldier Lena, once a famed sharpshooter, has fallen in rank and now spends her time doing the laundry and other mundane jobs. She is stationed at an outlying military camp that is the first to recognize an uprising of the Fallen and gets caught up in all the chaos that unfolds. This story spans several decades; regardless of your journey, it is ultimately a love story.
Format: Ebook (Kindle)
Review: What a unique read. I was enthralled with this story and especially enjoyed how it leaned into World War II elements. This read is giving strong historical fiction vibes. There were so many favorites for me. I loved the historical feel paired with the fantastical elements. The tension towards the end of part one was angsty and tense, and I especially loved how it sometimes felt reminiscent of a gory horror read. I loved Lena and Misha and was invested in their story. Without giving too much away, the ending was so satisfying, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved this book. Can't wait to read book two.
Pros:I love Lena's fiery temper, and when it's directed at Ardarion, I am thrilled. Misha and Lena were a whole vibe…to feel so protected and unconditionally cared for…ugh.
Cons: While I thoroughly enjoyed the story, there were some glaring issues with the storytelling, specifically pacing. At times, it felt spot on, and others were a bit clipped and felt rushed through. This story deserves more page time to give it the depth it deserves. Again, the story was great. It just needed more development…
Favorites Moments: TW: Profanity, Sex, Violence, Death
Recommend (Yes/No/Maybe): Yes, Absolutely. I will definitely read book two.
Thank you, BookSirens, for allowing me to review the title.
June 5, 2024
4.5 Stars rounded up to 5 Stars
The Way We Were Hunters is a fresh, original, and interesting take on a historical fictional war/dark fantasy novel. It has a captivating plot and great character development. I loved the idea of the Fallen "villains" and their portrayal to the general public as all being evil, chaotic, inhuman beings, when in reality some do possess humanity. The concept of wars between dragons, Fallen, the different factions within the Fallen, and humans was unique and compelling. The descriptions of war in a time thought to be mostly peaceful, the gore and terror, really allows the reader to see inside the characters' heads and feel their emotions and connected with them.
I loved that the main character isn't all powerful, but is just a normal human trying her best when thrust into unexpected situations. Lena is a laundress in the army, and when the events in this book take a turn her reactions and actions are believable and relatable. This isn't to say she isn't a strong character, she is and her strength is shown right from the beginning. But she is human and her choices actions reflect that. It's refreshing to read in a genre that is currently largely dominated with too powerful, too perfect, unrealistic main characters.
I also enjoyed how the story was told across various points in the timeline. It moves around between past and present, and does require the reader to pay attention as there is no header/marker to signify a time change, but I found that kept me engaged and was well executed.
This story sucked me in and I didn't want to put it down. I only take off half a star because I felt the ending was a bit abrupt and had points that were a little confusing. It was clear it was being set up for a sequel, but a couple of remarks and some of Ardarion's thoughts seemed thrown in to leave a cliff hanger for book two (which I still will be eagerly awaiting).
*Disclaimer: I was generously provided with an advance copy from the author via BookSirens. However, all viewpoints expressed above are my own!
The Way We Were Hunters is a fresh, original, and interesting take on a historical fictional war/dark fantasy novel. It has a captivating plot and great character development. I loved the idea of the Fallen "villains" and their portrayal to the general public as all being evil, chaotic, inhuman beings, when in reality some do possess humanity. The concept of wars between dragons, Fallen, the different factions within the Fallen, and humans was unique and compelling. The descriptions of war in a time thought to be mostly peaceful, the gore and terror, really allows the reader to see inside the characters' heads and feel their emotions and connected with them.
I loved that the main character isn't all powerful, but is just a normal human trying her best when thrust into unexpected situations. Lena is a laundress in the army, and when the events in this book take a turn her reactions and actions are believable and relatable. This isn't to say she isn't a strong character, she is and her strength is shown right from the beginning. But she is human and her choices actions reflect that. It's refreshing to read in a genre that is currently largely dominated with too powerful, too perfect, unrealistic main characters.
I also enjoyed how the story was told across various points in the timeline. It moves around between past and present, and does require the reader to pay attention as there is no header/marker to signify a time change, but I found that kept me engaged and was well executed.
This story sucked me in and I didn't want to put it down. I only take off half a star because I felt the ending was a bit abrupt and had points that were a little confusing. It was clear it was being set up for a sequel, but a couple of remarks and some of Ardarion's thoughts seemed thrown in to leave a cliff hanger for book two (which I still will be eagerly awaiting).
*Disclaimer: I was generously provided with an advance copy from the author via BookSirens. However, all viewpoints expressed above are my own!
May 29, 2024
The Way We Were Hunters by @brienfeathers
ARC Review for @booksirens
4/5 Stars
1/5 Spice
This short historical fiction (with a touch of sci-fi vibes) novel follows the story of Lena and her role in the war against the drakon and the fallen. But what can a laundress possibly do against these ruthless monsters?
This book is full of twists and turns about who Lena can trust and who she can’t. Who is good and who isn’t? Can a leopard really change his spots. We also see Lena struggle with should someone be condemned for the way they were born for things they had no control over.
I enjoyed trying to piece the puzzle pieces together, and I’m excited to see where the story leads next. I still have so many questions I need the answers too, and I hope to get all of them in the next/last book. I like that Lena was relatable not only in her actions, but her thoughts. She’s a heroine who is 100% human taking on otherworldly monsters when she doesn’t even know the full truth about them. I will admit though that the transitions between past/modern day/future were a little difficult to catch because there were no headings or other indication that that we were changing times. But overall the story is easy to follow and flows. We didn’t get a ton of romance in this book, so I hope it ramps up in book 2!
Please head the trigger warnings, especially if you’re sensitive to graphic descriptions of gore. I can handle most wartime scenes I’ve read, but there are a few in here where there are descriptions of blood, brain matter, etc. getting into eyes/mouths from sudden attacks/explosions. It definitely put me off my appetite for a while.
#dragons #telepathy #telekenisis #war #militaryromance #fantasy #scifi #duology
ARC Review for @booksirens
4/5 Stars
1/5 Spice
This short historical fiction (with a touch of sci-fi vibes) novel follows the story of Lena and her role in the war against the drakon and the fallen. But what can a laundress possibly do against these ruthless monsters?
This book is full of twists and turns about who Lena can trust and who she can’t. Who is good and who isn’t? Can a leopard really change his spots. We also see Lena struggle with should someone be condemned for the way they were born for things they had no control over.
I enjoyed trying to piece the puzzle pieces together, and I’m excited to see where the story leads next. I still have so many questions I need the answers too, and I hope to get all of them in the next/last book. I like that Lena was relatable not only in her actions, but her thoughts. She’s a heroine who is 100% human taking on otherworldly monsters when she doesn’t even know the full truth about them. I will admit though that the transitions between past/modern day/future were a little difficult to catch because there were no headings or other indication that that we were changing times. But overall the story is easy to follow and flows. We didn’t get a ton of romance in this book, so I hope it ramps up in book 2!
Please head the trigger warnings, especially if you’re sensitive to graphic descriptions of gore. I can handle most wartime scenes I’ve read, but there are a few in here where there are descriptions of blood, brain matter, etc. getting into eyes/mouths from sudden attacks/explosions. It definitely put me off my appetite for a while.
#dragons #telepathy #telekenisis #war #militaryromance #fantasy #scifi #duology
June 8, 2024
I absolutely DEVOURED this book it was so good!!! It's set in a like WW2 era but gives us fantasy with dragons and people with powers. I can totally imagine this as a movie, honestly!!
Starting off the book, we follow Ardarion, who is a Fallen(person with powers). He is older and writing old stories and memories. From there, we go into the past where we follow Lena, who lives at one of the bunkers and serves as a laundress for everyone.
Lena tried to help a friend out, but that backfired and now had their captain Mikhail now on her back! One thing leads to another, and Lena ends up on a mission she shouldn't have even been a part of. Lena is so excited to go on this mission thinking it was just an easy one, go check on the next bunker and get back. But things are not as they seem, and life just got worse for her.
Now Lena and Misha(mikhail) did have a sweet relationship, and I absolutely loved these two! There was a little romance, but scenes weren't really spicy as it wasn't the main plot.
This whole timeline is after a 2 decade old war with the Drakon that came from the sky. And the children born after called the Fallen. Everything is in short supply, and for anyone in the military, at this point, death is very normalized.
There is so much action in this story. Lots of details, which I love as it gave me an entire movie in my head of what's going on. There are twists and turns throughout the book. Honestly, I can't wait to read the 2nd book in this duology!!
I did receive this as an ARC, and this is my honest opinion!! Thank you sooooo much Brien for this opportunity
Starting off the book, we follow Ardarion, who is a Fallen(person with powers). He is older and writing old stories and memories. From there, we go into the past where we follow Lena, who lives at one of the bunkers and serves as a laundress for everyone.
Lena tried to help a friend out, but that backfired and now had their captain Mikhail now on her back! One thing leads to another, and Lena ends up on a mission she shouldn't have even been a part of. Lena is so excited to go on this mission thinking it was just an easy one, go check on the next bunker and get back. But things are not as they seem, and life just got worse for her.
Now Lena and Misha(mikhail) did have a sweet relationship, and I absolutely loved these two! There was a little romance, but scenes weren't really spicy as it wasn't the main plot.
This whole timeline is after a 2 decade old war with the Drakon that came from the sky. And the children born after called the Fallen. Everything is in short supply, and for anyone in the military, at this point, death is very normalized.
There is so much action in this story. Lots of details, which I love as it gave me an entire movie in my head of what's going on. There are twists and turns throughout the book. Honestly, I can't wait to read the 2nd book in this duology!!
I did receive this as an ARC, and this is my honest opinion!! Thank you sooooo much Brien for this opportunity
June 12, 2024
This book needs to be picked up as a movie cause, WHAT!?!
A fantastical WW2 setting with humans with special powers called the Fallen and dragons!!!!!
As usual, Brien does an amazing job of setting the world. She uses amazing thought provoking descriptive language to allow you to become immersed in the scenes as you read. You are in the bread lines, you're on the front lines of the war between the humans and the dragons, you're in the wardrobe with Lena hiding from the commander. I could see each page in my mind as I read and for me, that the best, that is what I look for in a book!
I am not new to Brien's writing so I know that the question that I am left with will be cleared up in the coming book. She always manages to end the book with you scratching your head or completely aghast by the last chapter.
The trigger warnings were definitely needed for this book. If you’re sensitive to graphic descriptions of gore be on guard. There are descriptions of blood, brain matter, and other crunchies getting into eyes and mouths from sudden attacks or explosions.
This book has all of the parts... romance, comedic relief, power wielding humans, dragons....dragon shifters!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Thank you Booksirens and Brien Feathers
A fantastical WW2 setting with humans with special powers called the Fallen and dragons!!!!!
As usual, Brien does an amazing job of setting the world. She uses amazing thought provoking descriptive language to allow you to become immersed in the scenes as you read. You are in the bread lines, you're on the front lines of the war between the humans and the dragons, you're in the wardrobe with Lena hiding from the commander. I could see each page in my mind as I read and for me, that the best, that is what I look for in a book!
I am not new to Brien's writing so I know that the question that I am left with will be cleared up in the coming book. She always manages to end the book with you scratching your head or completely aghast by the last chapter.
The trigger warnings were definitely needed for this book. If you’re sensitive to graphic descriptions of gore be on guard. There are descriptions of blood, brain matter, and other crunchies getting into eyes and mouths from sudden attacks or explosions.
This book has all of the parts... romance, comedic relief, power wielding humans, dragons....dragon shifters!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Thank you Booksirens and Brien Feathers
June 29, 2024
This book is set in the early 1900s. Mainly between the 30s and 40s. I'm not normally one for historical fiction or romance but this book was addictive. There is a war happening, much like the world wars. The war taking place in this book starts with the war with the drakon. An alien species that crashed to earth. This meteor crash also altered some of the humans born during or after the event giving them unnatural abilities and being named the "fallen". They aren't heros though. They are more like ousted creatures much like Jewish people were during the war.
The way the author wrote this was brilliant in my opinion. Its starts in the present with Adi writing a memoir. His memoir pertains to the fallen but centers around Lena (who is an ordinary soldier). And it shows much of her time before her involvement in the war and a bit of her back story along with her introduction to Misha.
I fucking love Misha. And moreover, I love Lena and Misha. I was literally hooked from the second chapter. I used any free time I had to finish this book. So much was beginning to shape that I needed answers. My heart literally broke when I found out where she was present day. But since this is a duology I NEED to know how this ends and fill in much of what I'm missing.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The way the author wrote this was brilliant in my opinion. Its starts in the present with Adi writing a memoir. His memoir pertains to the fallen but centers around Lena (who is an ordinary soldier). And it shows much of her time before her involvement in the war and a bit of her back story along with her introduction to Misha.
I fucking love Misha. And moreover, I love Lena and Misha. I was literally hooked from the second chapter. I used any free time I had to finish this book. So much was beginning to shape that I needed answers. My heart literally broke when I found out where she was present day. But since this is a duology I NEED to know how this ends and fill in much of what I'm missing.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 30, 2024
Rating: 3.5 Stars
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
𝐌𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬
It wasn’t what I expected it to be in a good way, it was action packed and had some gory details which did add to the ambience of the book, particularly to realistically explain what happens in war.
It had good pacing and the story developed consistently and was a really creative take on war. I enjoyed the background details of the drakon and the fallen and the mix between past and present.
Misha was probably my favorite character, he was the perfect blend of mysterious but also sweet and I would’ve loved more on his back story.
In terms of parts I didn’t enjoy so much, I did have a little bit of trouble understanding what was happening sometimes and had to piece together what it meant.
I also would’ve loved to see more of Misha and Lena before the events at the end, it appreciate this the shorter first book in a duology and that the second book might delve into this more.
I also felt that Lena’s character could’ve done more or developed a bit more. I get the sense that her personality is a strong one, and that she could’ve had some more significant moments as a protagonist.
Overall I really enjoyed this read it was different to usual fantasy style books I have read and it was easy to immerse myself into the world and characters.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
𝐌𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬
It wasn’t what I expected it to be in a good way, it was action packed and had some gory details which did add to the ambience of the book, particularly to realistically explain what happens in war.
It had good pacing and the story developed consistently and was a really creative take on war. I enjoyed the background details of the drakon and the fallen and the mix between past and present.
Misha was probably my favorite character, he was the perfect blend of mysterious but also sweet and I would’ve loved more on his back story.
In terms of parts I didn’t enjoy so much, I did have a little bit of trouble understanding what was happening sometimes and had to piece together what it meant.
I also would’ve loved to see more of Misha and Lena before the events at the end, it appreciate this the shorter first book in a duology and that the second book might delve into this more.
I also felt that Lena’s character could’ve done more or developed a bit more. I get the sense that her personality is a strong one, and that she could’ve had some more significant moments as a protagonist.
Overall I really enjoyed this read it was different to usual fantasy style books I have read and it was easy to immerse myself into the world and characters.
December 10, 2024
Sadly, I think this book just wasn't for me. Thank you to the author for the ARC of this book!
I did really enjoy parts of it, but I found other parts to be dry and a little boring - but this could be because they went over my head.
I really enjoyed the relationships between the characters and how that storyline went on and how they all pieced together. I think the action scenes were done very well and were exciting and interesting.
I thought the premise was really good, but for me there was too much lull in between and I needed just a bit more from the book.
I loved the environment and the creatures involved. It gave me sort of sci-fi vibes in this dystopian world.
I wasn't sure I was going to like the last chunk of the book at all when we move into present/future time. But I did actually enjoy that and I think it made the story feel more full to include that.
I also like the semi-open-ended ending. Though, I understand there is another book in the series and this is only book 1.
All in all, this book just wasn't for me as much as I wish it was. It sounded like it would be really good.
I did really enjoy parts of it, but I found other parts to be dry and a little boring - but this could be because they went over my head.
I really enjoyed the relationships between the characters and how that storyline went on and how they all pieced together. I think the action scenes were done very well and were exciting and interesting.
I thought the premise was really good, but for me there was too much lull in between and I needed just a bit more from the book.
I loved the environment and the creatures involved. It gave me sort of sci-fi vibes in this dystopian world.
I wasn't sure I was going to like the last chunk of the book at all when we move into present/future time. But I did actually enjoy that and I think it made the story feel more full to include that.
I also like the semi-open-ended ending. Though, I understand there is another book in the series and this is only book 1.
All in all, this book just wasn't for me as much as I wish it was. It sounded like it would be really good.
June 12, 2024
I didn't know what I was getting into when I started reading this book as an ARC. It's about war, a completely different war than we are used to. In this war bears and other animals appear and some people, called the Fallen, are persecuted and seen as very dangerous. In all this darkness we see the human, we get to know Inspector Ardarion, a Fallen, but used by the government. We also get to know the powerful, courageous and no-nonsense Comrade Lena Zaitseva. Her love Mikhail Arkhimov, a Fallen. The world created in this book is dark, but so is war. Innocents and guilty, who knows. That a love story could emerge from all this darkness is only possible thanks to the writer. A beautiful story of human courage, resilience and faith and hope that things will get better. This story draws you in with all your soul. You see the despair, the cruelty of the war and yet you feel this warmth inside you because all that misery will end one day. I am speechless, highly recommended for fans of Dark Fantasy.
May 28, 2024
Heed the shadows that whisper on the fringes
Humans are the true monsters on this planet. Sad to say, we don’t need to be possessed by fiends from hell din order to act in evil ways towards each other. We don’t even need war or a post-apocalyptic world, but the author’s use of both provides a completely relevant background.
‘The Savior may not be real, but demons do walk among us.’
Some sage spying advice from the author:
‘If you’re going to lie, learn to be better at it.’
Fave line:
‘She had an odd face like a collection of borrowed things.’
May we all have the resilience of these characters when faced with adversity and depravity. Life does go on…
Waiting for the next in series with bated breath.
Humans are the true monsters on this planet. Sad to say, we don’t need to be possessed by fiends from hell din order to act in evil ways towards each other. We don’t even need war or a post-apocalyptic world, but the author’s use of both provides a completely relevant background.
‘The Savior may not be real, but demons do walk among us.’
Some sage spying advice from the author:
‘If you’re going to lie, learn to be better at it.’
Fave line:
‘She had an odd face like a collection of borrowed things.’
May we all have the resilience of these characters when faced with adversity and depravity. Life does go on…
Waiting for the next in series with bated breath.
June 18, 2024
I've read a few of of Brien Feathers books now and this one is very different from those! It took me a few chapters to get into it but I loved the war action with fantasy creatures and a mix of romance. But then, when it jumped ahead several years later, I almost didn't want to read on but continued through. Now I'm curious what the final book will be like.
I love Lena and her strong bad@$$ vibes. I see a little of Ayame in the "Royal Deviner Trilogy" and I loved Ayame. Misha is rough but does his best to be good, to be as human as possible. I feel for him! The story is beautiful and different from what I normally read, but be sure to read the trigger warnings cause there are war events and lots of gore.
This book kept me on my toes but I'm curious for the second book.
I love Lena and her strong bad@$$ vibes. I see a little of Ayame in the "Royal Deviner Trilogy" and I loved Ayame. Misha is rough but does his best to be good, to be as human as possible. I feel for him! The story is beautiful and different from what I normally read, but be sure to read the trigger warnings cause there are war events and lots of gore.
This book kept me on my toes but I'm curious for the second book.
July 25, 2024
A good fantasy with interesting and well described characters
I like fantasy but I’m not a big fan of dragons because I’ve seen them in too many other novels.
Despite this I liked the book because it focuses on the history and psychological evolution of two characters (Inspector Markov and Lena) who are very well characterized.
I also liked the description of the political situation (a world immersed in a climate similar to that of the cold war times between Russia and USA).
The book’s concept is interesting, but the problem is that it is not developed in depth enough. The author leaves too much unsaid or not explained enough. Good concept but not really delved into
Perhaps I should read the next chapters.
I like fantasy but I’m not a big fan of dragons because I’ve seen them in too many other novels.
Despite this I liked the book because it focuses on the history and psychological evolution of two characters (Inspector Markov and Lena) who are very well characterized.
I also liked the description of the political situation (a world immersed in a climate similar to that of the cold war times between Russia and USA).
The book’s concept is interesting, but the problem is that it is not developed in depth enough. The author leaves too much unsaid or not explained enough. Good concept but not really delved into
Perhaps I should read the next chapters.
June 23, 2025
A dark fantasy with the feel of historical fiction, this book carries a distinct WWII atmosphere and a touch of sweet romance. The story centers around the Fallen—humanlike children born altered/affected by the Drakon, mysterious beasts that arrived with a meteor. What begins as a straightforward mission slowly unravels into something far more complex, filled with twists, secrets, and characters who aren’t quite what they seem.
The pacing is slower, more deliberate, but it’s worth the investment. This isn’t a book to race through—it’s one to sink into. It explores the idea that not all monsters are monstrous, and sometimes, the real danger lies in the hearts of men. Thoughtful and atmospheric, it’s a story that's worth the time and effort.
The pacing is slower, more deliberate, but it’s worth the investment. This isn’t a book to race through—it’s one to sink into. It explores the idea that not all monsters are monstrous, and sometimes, the real danger lies in the hearts of men. Thoughtful and atmospheric, it’s a story that's worth the time and effort.
May 30, 2024
This book was a very interesting read with its different take on history. Instead of a Great War with European powers get the Drakon causing trouble and a country that really sounds like a mix of old Eastern Europe. While a bit dark, it still was a crazy read that grabbed me as kept me reading to learn what was going on a few years after The Great War. Lena was just an interesting characters that I liked and also shook my head at at times at the craziness she ends up in. Part romance, part desperation and part scifi, it was a good read.
Read
June 8, 2024I loved The Way We Were Hunters! The story is engrossing, with distinct, well-developed characters. Learning their stories as we learn about the Drakons and the overwhelming power of the Fallen feels completely natural, like talking to a friend. The author smoothly guides us between the past and present day in a way the left me intrigued without ever being jarring. I can't wait to read more in the second book of the duology. I highly recommend this book for fans of military fantasy and dragons.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 13, 2024
This book is not so easy to review. It’s a little like a historical novel, it’s deeply fantasy, you have a touch of Sci-Fi and a breath of romance. It explores themes of ordinary people doing extraordinary things, considers trust and perception and feels downright grim in some places.
Fast paced, with a shift in protagonist and time period, the plot can be a little challenging to follow. This is well worth your time to read even if it is not your usual fantasy romance.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Fast paced, with a shift in protagonist and time period, the plot can be a little challenging to follow. This is well worth your time to read even if it is not your usual fantasy romance.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 28, 2024
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I am not usually a fan of historical fiction, however the description was enough to intrigue me. This is one of the historical fictions novels I truly enjoyed. My only complaint is that the author has created such an interesting world, but there wasn't enough diving into the details to satisfy me. I'm hoping the sequel will have more of this. I recommend checking out this book.
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I am not usually a fan of historical fiction, however the description was enough to intrigue me. This is one of the historical fictions novels I truly enjoyed. My only complaint is that the author has created such an interesting world, but there wasn't enough diving into the details to satisfy me. I'm hoping the sequel will have more of this. I recommend checking out this book.
August 11, 2024
The Way We Were Hunters by Brien Feathers is an exceptional entry in the dark fantasy genre, marking the first book in the Fallen Duology. From start to finish, the novel captivates with its gripping narrative and immersive world-building. While it contains the familiar elements of dark fantasy—profanity, sex, violence, and death—Feathers presents them in a way that enhances the chilling atmosphere of a land ravaged by conflict. The story's unique take on war-themed fantasy and its intense, gruesome details makes for an enthralling and original read. The fast-paced plot ensures that once you start, you’ll find it hard to put the book down.
August 15, 2024
This book took me forever to finish. While it was not a bad story by any means, and there were a lot of good parts to it, it somehow didn’t compel me to pick it up and keep reading. It was a fine fantasy story with action and romance and all the boxes ticked. But something was forgettable or missing that made it really spellbinding. Which is what I want in a fantasy.
I never found myself reaching for it over other books I was reading Not sure I would go in for the second installment.
I received an advanced copy from BookSirens.
I never found myself reaching for it over other books I was reading Not sure I would go in for the second installment.
I received an advanced copy from BookSirens.
October 26, 2024
I had to sit with my thoughts on this book for a little bit. Ultimately I really enjoyed it. Were there things that could've made it better? Of course. I really think with the right editing this could easily be a five star read. The storyline was great. Grabbed my attention immediately and carried me through the book. There were some really nice gory spots that added to the whole vibe. I did struggle a little bit in the beginning to get past some hangups I had with the writing. But, I truly believe folks will enjoy this book, if they give it a try. I will be reading the next book in Nov.
June 13, 2024
I enjoyed the first volume of this duology and can't wait to read the second volume. I want to know what happened to Lena and Mishka after they have parted ways.
You get a biased view of the fallen and I wouldn't mind reading more about their relationship with the drakon.
Thank you BookSirens for the e-ARC.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
You get a biased view of the fallen and I wouldn't mind reading more about their relationship with the drakon.
Thank you BookSirens for the e-ARC.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 5, 2025
Felt like there were missing parts towards the end, hence why it's a duology. Got a little confusing since there was no mention of past and present while reading, or maybe I missed it somewhere. Little interested in the 2nd book. Yes, I want to know how the love story unfolded between her and her fallen but not enough since we know it does happen b/c she's got kids and her daughter is partial fallen.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 27, 2024
I would give 10 stars if the rating would let me. I have read this book twice and plan to read it again and again. Character development is on point, the storytelling is beyond measure, if I could scream it from the rooftops to make everyone to buy and read the book, I would. So many things, so many words, words fail, just buy and read, you won’t regret it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews