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Stars May Burn #2
Stars May Fall
Everything must fall...
General Kasten has suffered injustice after injustice in silence. Now he has snapped. If his enemies can’t cure his beloved wife, Sophie, he will burn the kingdom to the ground.
And not even he knows where the destruction would end.
But Kasten isn’t the only threat to Fenland. Sinister plots start to unravel as Kasten finds himself once again the target of lies and deceit. The only solution is an unlikely alliance to bring down the king.
If he will accept it.
The cost of treason may be too high and Kasten has already paid so much. There is only one thing he still cares about: Sophie and keeping her safe.
But the problem is, she wants to save everyone.
The stunning conclusion to the romantasy, Stars May Burn.
General Kasten has suffered injustice after injustice in silence. Now he has snapped. If his enemies can’t cure his beloved wife, Sophie, he will burn the kingdom to the ground.
And not even he knows where the destruction would end.
But Kasten isn’t the only threat to Fenland. Sinister plots start to unravel as Kasten finds himself once again the target of lies and deceit. The only solution is an unlikely alliance to bring down the king.
If he will accept it.
The cost of treason may be too high and Kasten has already paid so much. There is only one thing he still cares about: Sophie and keeping her safe.
But the problem is, she wants to save everyone.
The stunning conclusion to the romantasy, Stars May Burn.
424 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 28, 2024
214 people are currently reading
348 people want to read
About the author
Alice Ivinya
32 books311 followersAlice is a USA Today Bestselling author who writes low spice fantasy and fairytales.
She lives in Bristol, UK, and has loved fantasy all her life. Her favourite authors are Holly Black and Brandon Sanderson.
When she's not off gallivanting in other worlds, you can find her looking after her two young sons, hanging out with her church family, or walking the best dog in the world with her husband.
She lives in Bristol, UK, and has loved fantasy all her life. Her favourite authors are Holly Black and Brandon Sanderson.
When she's not off gallivanting in other worlds, you can find her looking after her two young sons, hanging out with her church family, or walking the best dog in the world with her husband.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
October 21, 2025
Another easy five stars! I thought I loved Kasten and Sophie after book one but book two made me even more attached to these characters. I will miss them SO much.
Duologies are so impressive to me. I couldn't have asked for a better execution of book 2. While book 1 felt more like romantasy, book 2 feels more like a fantasy romance 😂 if that makes sense. The difference was subtle but made all the difference and made perfect sense for a duology. Introducing a second sub-romance and really opening up the political fantasy conflict was the move. I loved how the author navigated those four POVs. Kasten and Sophie were such a consistent grumpy x sunshine from the first book but adding Annabelle, a black cat FMC ,and Venerick, a total cinnamon roll, was such a great contribution. Each POV was so well-defined and I loved what Annabelle and Venerick added to the story while still feeling like Kasten and Sophie's story. Both Kasten and Sophie's anxieties were so raw and real. And Callum held his own as always. 🥰
The plot twist was great and added a stunning vulnerability that had me ugly crying. I definitely picked up on some philosophical and religious undertones. I love this author's writing! The ending was tied up so nicely without being predictable and the closure was lovely.
In this book:
- multi-POV
- political conspiracy
- touch her and 💀
- grumpy x sunshine
- high stakes
- found family
- dark secrets
Content Guide:
romance: clean/closed door between a married couple (brief in one chapter)
language: clean
violence: frequent & semi-graphic
fantasy: low, political, & fictional science, specifically concerning chemistry, physics, & medicine
Content Warning:
infertility
Duologies are so impressive to me. I couldn't have asked for a better execution of book 2. While book 1 felt more like romantasy, book 2 feels more like a fantasy romance 😂 if that makes sense. The difference was subtle but made all the difference and made perfect sense for a duology. Introducing a second sub-romance and really opening up the political fantasy conflict was the move. I loved how the author navigated those four POVs. Kasten and Sophie were such a consistent grumpy x sunshine from the first book but adding Annabelle, a black cat FMC ,and Venerick, a total cinnamon roll, was such a great contribution. Each POV was so well-defined and I loved what Annabelle and Venerick added to the story while still feeling like Kasten and Sophie's story. Both Kasten and Sophie's anxieties were so raw and real. And Callum held his own as always. 🥰
The plot twist was great and added a stunning vulnerability that had me ugly crying. I definitely picked up on some philosophical and religious undertones. I love this author's writing! The ending was tied up so nicely without being predictable and the closure was lovely.
In this book:
- multi-POV
- political conspiracy
- touch her and 💀
- grumpy x sunshine
- high stakes
- found family
- dark secrets
Content Guide:
romance: clean/closed door between a married couple (brief in one chapter)
language: clean
violence: frequent & semi-graphic
fantasy: low, political, & fictional science, specifically concerning chemistry, physics, & medicine
Content Warning:
infertility
September 22, 2024
Alice has really wowed me this year. I've loved Alice's writings from the first book I read, so I've always had very high praise for her, but she's taken it to the next level with this incredible duology.
So many unexpected twists and turns. So many cliffhangers and near aborts and moments when all hope is lost, only to somehow find a way to bring us back from the brink of death and destruction and my mind has been blown repeatedly. So so good.
This book picks up where the last one left off with Sophie near death and madness and Kasten willing to do absolutely anything to save her, even if the world goes down in the process. We also get to know Princess Annabelle a lot better. I loved meeting her at the end of the previous book, so I loved the creative decision to make her a regular POV character in this one. She was a remarkable young woman; she was also torn between everything she believed about her family and what Kasten had shown her was the truth. I think that was resolved very well, but it's a huge challenge for anyone--real people as well as book characters. I also desperately want a story for Callum. Please, Alice!
Woe to those who call good evil and evil good. In this book, there was so much that looked evil but was justified as necessary and good; there were also many truths decried as evil. As a study in morality, it leaves readers with much to consider. But in the end, lives were lost, and souls were saved. And we are left hoping that the world can be a better place with better leaders willing to do what is right and best for their people rather than only looking out for themselves and their families.
I edited this book, and my only regret is that I couldn't edit faster for all the readers who were eagerly needing to know what happened next. I hope they will all find it was well worth the wait.
So many unexpected twists and turns. So many cliffhangers and near aborts and moments when all hope is lost, only to somehow find a way to bring us back from the brink of death and destruction and my mind has been blown repeatedly. So so good.
This book picks up where the last one left off with Sophie near death and madness and Kasten willing to do absolutely anything to save her, even if the world goes down in the process. We also get to know Princess Annabelle a lot better. I loved meeting her at the end of the previous book, so I loved the creative decision to make her a regular POV character in this one. She was a remarkable young woman; she was also torn between everything she believed about her family and what Kasten had shown her was the truth. I think that was resolved very well, but it's a huge challenge for anyone--real people as well as book characters. I also desperately want a story for Callum. Please, Alice!
Woe to those who call good evil and evil good. In this book, there was so much that looked evil but was justified as necessary and good; there were also many truths decried as evil. As a study in morality, it leaves readers with much to consider. But in the end, lives were lost, and souls were saved. And we are left hoping that the world can be a better place with better leaders willing to do what is right and best for their people rather than only looking out for themselves and their families.
I edited this book, and my only regret is that I couldn't edit faster for all the readers who were eagerly needing to know what happened next. I hope they will all find it was well worth the wait.
November 15, 2024
The cliffhanger from book one has been haunting me since June, and it was even worse when I couldn't get to the sequel the day it released. I think I expected the results of the cliffhanger to have more of an effect on the main plot because I was surprised at how quickly things seemed to resolve before the stakes somehow rose even higher than they were. The new POVs were great and I think Venerick is now one of my favorite characters. I'm sad to see this end and I hope Alice revisits at some point to add more.
October 10, 2024
Alice has created a twisting, turning, sharp-bending, glittering road. The second book in this duology is as much of a page-turner as the first. It’s clear she’s mastered that skill of revealing enough of the iceberg to keep her readers satisfied but questioning “where next?”. I may have to reread from the first book because I’m sad to let these characters go on their way.
October 9, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed this series!
September 24, 2024
After the ending in book one, there was no way this book was going to be anything less than intense. From the first page, you are plunged deeper into the plot and the moment that shifter everything-not just fit Karson and Sophie but for the entire nation.
Secrets are spilled, alliances are formed and broken, and family that seemed lost forever is found again.
This story is heartbreaking and every broken thing that leads to the ending makes it truly a shining star of hope, resilience and love.
Secrets are spilled, alliances are formed and broken, and family that seemed lost forever is found again.
This story is heartbreaking and every broken thing that leads to the ending makes it truly a shining star of hope, resilience and love.
September 19, 2024
This was an amazing ending to an amazing story! The mystery of what is going on just keeps getting more tangled until the plot is revealed and then the craziness really begins. The ending was worth wading through all the trouble and turmoil and was very satisfying! Well done Alice Ivinya!
October 6, 2024
There's a reason Alice Ivinya is one of my favourite authors. Her books are just fabulous, and with every new book that comes out, I can't help but be in awe of her storytelling abilities.
Stars May Burn ended on a cliffhanger, and I'd been eagerly waiting for the sequel. Although I'd read the previous book a few months ago, I could immediately connect with the characters once I started reading Stars May Fall. The details were still fresh in my mind.
The main characters were wonderful, and their struggles to open up to each other completely, share their fears and battling the feeling of inadequacy were explored in depth. The addition of Annabelle and Venerick's point of views was refreshing. But the highlight of the book for me was Callum. I loved his eccentric nature, especially his ability to be funny at the most inopportune time. But he was the best friend anyone could ever ask for. He definitely needs his own book.
There were many interesting revelations that I did not see coming. With every new secret that came to light, I couldn't wait to get to the end of the book. I loved that every problem and conflict was neatly wrapped up with proper explanations given for each of them.
Overall, I had a great time reading it. The last few months have been difficult for me, and last week was the worst, but whatever time I spent reading this story was a blessing. It transported me to a different world and helped me forget everything for a while. I highly recommend this to all fantasy lovers who enjoy some sweet romance.
Stars May Burn ended on a cliffhanger, and I'd been eagerly waiting for the sequel. Although I'd read the previous book a few months ago, I could immediately connect with the characters once I started reading Stars May Fall. The details were still fresh in my mind.
The main characters were wonderful, and their struggles to open up to each other completely, share their fears and battling the feeling of inadequacy were explored in depth. The addition of Annabelle and Venerick's point of views was refreshing. But the highlight of the book for me was Callum. I loved his eccentric nature, especially his ability to be funny at the most inopportune time. But he was the best friend anyone could ever ask for. He definitely needs his own book.
There were many interesting revelations that I did not see coming. With every new secret that came to light, I couldn't wait to get to the end of the book. I loved that every problem and conflict was neatly wrapped up with proper explanations given for each of them.
Overall, I had a great time reading it. The last few months have been difficult for me, and last week was the worst, but whatever time I spent reading this story was a blessing. It transported me to a different world and helped me forget everything for a while. I highly recommend this to all fantasy lovers who enjoy some sweet romance.
October 6, 2024
I knew this book was going to be a doozy after the state book one left me in but I was not expecting this!
The story was captivating, edge of your seat angst, action packed battles, life is on the line scenarios that I would get so angry when adulting interrupted my escape into this world of epic fantasy. 😭
I’ve read every one of Alice’s books so I should have realized that none of her characters are truly safe but 😳 … 😱… 🤯 ! My heart was destroyed and I loved every heart wrenching page. The betrayals are epic, the twists great and the ending was wrapped up beautifully and has me hoping and eager for more.
Unlike book one which only had 2 povs this book had 4! Which also introduced a second couple into the story and brought a whole new level of depth to the duology.
A m/f epic fantasy romance that picks up right after book one and ends in a hea. There are some intense scenes, epic battles, court intrigue to rival any intrigue, and relationships that are hard fought for and forged in fire.
4 povs told in first person
Characters-
Lady Sophie Batton
General Kasten Batton
Princess Annabelle
Lord Venerick - high chancellor
Steam - kissing and mention of relations behind closed doors, and there are mentions of infertility/pregnancy
The story was captivating, edge of your seat angst, action packed battles, life is on the line scenarios that I would get so angry when adulting interrupted my escape into this world of epic fantasy. 😭
I’ve read every one of Alice’s books so I should have realized that none of her characters are truly safe but 😳 … 😱… 🤯 ! My heart was destroyed and I loved every heart wrenching page. The betrayals are epic, the twists great and the ending was wrapped up beautifully and has me hoping and eager for more.
Unlike book one which only had 2 povs this book had 4! Which also introduced a second couple into the story and brought a whole new level of depth to the duology.
A m/f epic fantasy romance that picks up right after book one and ends in a hea. There are some intense scenes, epic battles, court intrigue to rival any intrigue, and relationships that are hard fought for and forged in fire.
4 povs told in first person
Characters-
Lady Sophie Batton
General Kasten Batton
Princess Annabelle
Lord Venerick - high chancellor
Steam - kissing and mention of relations behind closed doors, and there are mentions of infertility/pregnancy
November 30, 2025
Good continuation with a nice conclusion to the duology!
16-17+ (one fade-t0-black scene but the last you see/read is just them kissing with minimal description, reference to "marital relations", discussions about the relationship between the main characters as they boarder into an unhealthy one but manage to start correcting it, several kisses throughout the book, discussions about the possibility of pregnancy, the king's past mistress is often talked about, death, murder, war, etc.)
16-17+ (one fade-t0-black scene but the last you see/read is just them kissing with minimal description, reference to "marital relations", discussions about the relationship between the main characters as they boarder into an unhealthy one but manage to start correcting it, several kisses throughout the book, discussions about the possibility of pregnancy, the king's past mistress is often talked about, death, murder, war, etc.)
October 13, 2024
Loved It!
I’ve been waiting for this to come out since reading the first one, and ended up reading the first book again before starting since it picks right up where the last book ended. I really impressed with the how the story continued and developed some really beautiful themes and maturing of the characters. The story itself is fast paced and interesting and you get to know some fun new characters in this book! It looped everything up but I hope she writes some more in this series anyway!
I’ve been waiting for this to come out since reading the first one, and ended up reading the first book again before starting since it picks right up where the last book ended. I really impressed with the how the story continued and developed some really beautiful themes and maturing of the characters. The story itself is fast paced and interesting and you get to know some fun new characters in this book! It looped everything up but I hope she writes some more in this series anyway!
November 5, 2024
4.25
This book had very little spice but a nice story line. Everything spelled out in the end with a very happy ever after. I wish Sophie hadn’t been so reckless not because she was just strong In Character but because she felt she had to prove something. That was mildly annoying. All in all I liked the series is was light and easy to read.
This book had very little spice but a nice story line. Everything spelled out in the end with a very happy ever after. I wish Sophie hadn’t been so reckless not because she was just strong In Character but because she felt she had to prove something. That was mildly annoying. All in all I liked the series is was light and easy to read.
October 6, 2024
First the first page I was hooked and then I felt like I was off to the races! What a rollercoaster of a book! So many trials and tribulations and incredible inventions plus so many moments of holding my breath. I adore Kasten and Sophie's love story and the amazing adventures they have together. What an incredible ending to an awesome story and world! I hope to see more stories set in this would as I was memorized by the world building and amazing tools! A must read for sure!!
February 1, 2025
Underwhelming
This was a chore to read.
Sophie.... you suck.
All her ridiculousness just made it worse.
She frets about not being strong enough and gets mad because she shouldn't be part of the action. Well, she proved time and time again just why she didn't belong there. Then she gets upset that Kasten behaved like a soldier. She calls him a monster. Then, she avoids him, all while feeling sorry for herself. Then she's ungrateful for his display of love. Just, girl, let him have someone who loves him for him. They were not a good match.
Annabelle. Oh, why wasn't this from her perspective the entire time? She's interesting. She's useful. She's mostly realistic. I think the horror of her situation would've been more emotionally impactful had this story been about her instead. Her involvement was far more interesting than boring Sophie. But such is the norm for these books.
This was a really slow read. I put it down a lot and struggled to keep reading. I made it, though! Too much thinking in circles. Boring action. Too much judgment from Sophie, who knows nothing of warring but felt she should be there to prove herself to someone who didn't need or want it. Then, she wants to be pregnant, frets about the possibility, yet wants to risk herself? Yeah, that didn't mesh well at all.
Good job on the breadcrumbs, though. Those lined up well.
Terrible job of explaining the why with a bad guy monologue. This could've been imparted along the way with the breadcrumbs. Instead of one giant info dump.
The wind down was lacking. Not sure why we needed more Sophie drama. I just couldn't stand her. Anyway, glad that's over!
This was a chore to read.
Sophie.... you suck.
All her ridiculousness just made it worse.
She frets about not being strong enough and gets mad because she shouldn't be part of the action. Well, she proved time and time again just why she didn't belong there. Then she gets upset that Kasten behaved like a soldier. She calls him a monster. Then, she avoids him, all while feeling sorry for herself. Then she's ungrateful for his display of love. Just, girl, let him have someone who loves him for him. They were not a good match.
Annabelle. Oh, why wasn't this from her perspective the entire time? She's interesting. She's useful. She's mostly realistic. I think the horror of her situation would've been more emotionally impactful had this story been about her instead. Her involvement was far more interesting than boring Sophie. But such is the norm for these books.
This was a really slow read. I put it down a lot and struggled to keep reading. I made it, though! Too much thinking in circles. Boring action. Too much judgment from Sophie, who knows nothing of warring but felt she should be there to prove herself to someone who didn't need or want it. Then, she wants to be pregnant, frets about the possibility, yet wants to risk herself? Yeah, that didn't mesh well at all.
Good job on the breadcrumbs, though. Those lined up well.
Terrible job of explaining the why with a bad guy monologue. This could've been imparted along the way with the breadcrumbs. Instead of one giant info dump.
The wind down was lacking. Not sure why we needed more Sophie drama. I just couldn't stand her. Anyway, glad that's over!
October 16, 2024
What happened to all the character development from the first book?
Look, in order for great character development to occur, they have to be flawed in the beginning. That's fine. But she already grew a ton in the first book! Why was all that reversed?! She went back to freaking out and being reckless and insecure and just gahhhhhh. And the coup came really early, and then it was like three layers of epilogues. And then she just all of a sudden flicked a switch and was magically happy and well adjusted and confident literally from one page to the next. And it just fell so flat and I'm disappointed because up to about 80% of the book it was amazing. The treaty was at least amazing, inspiring, believable, and just incredible writing.
Look, in order for great character development to occur, they have to be flawed in the beginning. That's fine. But she already grew a ton in the first book! Why was all that reversed?! She went back to freaking out and being reckless and insecure and just gahhhhhh. And the coup came really early, and then it was like three layers of epilogues. And then she just all of a sudden flicked a switch and was magically happy and well adjusted and confident literally from one page to the next. And it just fell so flat and I'm disappointed because up to about 80% of the book it was amazing. The treaty was at least amazing, inspiring, believable, and just incredible writing.
October 25, 2024
It seemed like emotionally the characters were going through the same trials over and over again. I had sympathy for Annabelle, who has to go against someone she's loved all her life. I also wish Sophie would have just realized that some people have strengths in different areas and that's okay. It was an easy ready, but not very memorable.
December 7, 2024
My my what happened here.
April 24, 2025
I mean sure why not
Some of the dialogue read aggressively along the lines of “I’m 14 and this is deep” sheesh. Especially Kasten’s “I’ve always been a monster” bs
Some of the dialogue read aggressively along the lines of “I’m 14 and this is deep” sheesh. Especially Kasten’s “I’ve always been a monster” bs
January 9, 2025
3.8 stars!
Content: violence/death, fertility and pregnancy, and closed door scene.
I really enjoyed this sequel! I don't feel like I was quite as hooked to this one as I was the first, but I still really enjoyed it and I thought it was good.
There's something that happens when the couple has been slightly established, it's just not the same as when they are first meeting and there's all this tension. All of that tends to go away as they're together and I think I lose a little more interest. Even though I want them together! That may be one reason why I was less hooked.
One interesting thing that I've noticed in both these books is that Kasten and Sophie have a lot of problems within their relationship, but then they solve them and the problem only lasts a chapter or two. I really appreciate this real life, more like, example of a relationship. They have these issues but then they talk through them and then they're okay and then it continues. It's different than I've ever seen in a book and I really liked it. They didn't continue to have problems and then just keep screwing one another and ignoring them (looking at you iron flame 🙄)
I also like how she did the closed door scene since they were married, and I thought she touched on pregnancy and infertility in a very real and relatable way. I think a lot of people can relate to Sophie and how she's feeling, so I thought that was cool. I've never read a book that did that.
I really liked the four POVs that we got, I think it gave us just enough perspective in each of the different people to definitely know what was going on, and get the background info to each story.
Again like I said my first review I thought all of the world building and the metal-alchemy stuff was really unique and interesting and something that I never heard before so I liked that. And again I liked her world building, because there was just enough description where I definitely could see everything and felt like I was there but it wasn't too much in the sense that I was lost.
Something that was in the first book but also I felt more in this one was just the lack of depth with them kissing, I want more description I want to feel what they're feeling I don't want you to tell me I want you to describe it!!! SHOW ME IT. I know this is a clean romance and that's totally fine but I just wanted more depth in the kissing and even leading up to the closed door scene, I think we could have had a little bit more with it not being inappropriate at all.
This was a really good duology I really liked it!!! All the characters were so good like all of them! They were all so fleshed out and well built and even though there was quite a lot of characters I was not lost at all! CALLUM. I LOVE HIM SO MUCH. He's so funny so much personality he's literally the best. He adds a fun humor and tension reliever to intense Kasten. But Meena, still not over that. 😭😭😭
I really liked how they brought his mom back I did really not expect that at all! I really enjoyed that reunion and thought it was really cool how everything tied together.
Another thing I wanted to touch on is the character growth that we definitely saw. We saw Sophie go from this shy shell to a strong independent woman and wife, soon to be mother likely! And we saw Kasten, who was always full of intensity and anger, really break down and become more compassionate, joyful, loving, and gracious. And I just think that these two character developments were just so good, but it took the entire two books to get there. I just really like seeing how it took time, but the characters still grew.
This is quite a long review but I just really enjoyed this duology. I loved the characters, loved the plot, I loved the royalty vibes, and I loved the romance. There was just a lot of real depth to these books that I don't see in a lot of other books, so for that I really liked it.
Definitely try the series out if you like arranged marriages, royalty, zombies, generals and armies, and a lot of tension especially in the first book. 😍😍😍
Content: violence/death, fertility and pregnancy, and closed door scene.
I really enjoyed this sequel! I don't feel like I was quite as hooked to this one as I was the first, but I still really enjoyed it and I thought it was good.
There's something that happens when the couple has been slightly established, it's just not the same as when they are first meeting and there's all this tension. All of that tends to go away as they're together and I think I lose a little more interest. Even though I want them together! That may be one reason why I was less hooked.
One interesting thing that I've noticed in both these books is that Kasten and Sophie have a lot of problems within their relationship, but then they solve them and the problem only lasts a chapter or two. I really appreciate this real life, more like, example of a relationship. They have these issues but then they talk through them and then they're okay and then it continues. It's different than I've ever seen in a book and I really liked it. They didn't continue to have problems and then just keep screwing one another and ignoring them (looking at you iron flame 🙄)
I also like how she did the closed door scene since they were married, and I thought she touched on pregnancy and infertility in a very real and relatable way. I think a lot of people can relate to Sophie and how she's feeling, so I thought that was cool. I've never read a book that did that.
I really liked the four POVs that we got, I think it gave us just enough perspective in each of the different people to definitely know what was going on, and get the background info to each story.
Again like I said my first review I thought all of the world building and the metal-alchemy stuff was really unique and interesting and something that I never heard before so I liked that. And again I liked her world building, because there was just enough description where I definitely could see everything and felt like I was there but it wasn't too much in the sense that I was lost.
Something that was in the first book but also I felt more in this one was just the lack of depth with them kissing, I want more description I want to feel what they're feeling I don't want you to tell me I want you to describe it!!! SHOW ME IT. I know this is a clean romance and that's totally fine but I just wanted more depth in the kissing and even leading up to the closed door scene, I think we could have had a little bit more with it not being inappropriate at all.
This was a really good duology I really liked it!!! All the characters were so good like all of them! They were all so fleshed out and well built and even though there was quite a lot of characters I was not lost at all! CALLUM. I LOVE HIM SO MUCH. He's so funny so much personality he's literally the best. He adds a fun humor and tension reliever to intense Kasten. But Meena, still not over that. 😭😭😭
I really liked how they brought his mom back I did really not expect that at all! I really enjoyed that reunion and thought it was really cool how everything tied together.
Another thing I wanted to touch on is the character growth that we definitely saw. We saw Sophie go from this shy shell to a strong independent woman and wife, soon to be mother likely! And we saw Kasten, who was always full of intensity and anger, really break down and become more compassionate, joyful, loving, and gracious. And I just think that these two character developments were just so good, but it took the entire two books to get there. I just really like seeing how it took time, but the characters still grew.
This is quite a long review but I just really enjoyed this duology. I loved the characters, loved the plot, I loved the royalty vibes, and I loved the romance. There was just a lot of real depth to these books that I don't see in a lot of other books, so for that I really liked it.
Definitely try the series out if you like arranged marriages, royalty, zombies, generals and armies, and a lot of tension especially in the first book. 😍😍😍
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 19, 2024
I did not think it was possible to love a sequel more than the first book, but here we are 😆
First off, content:
Sexual content: There is one fade to black scene between the married couple and literally it’s just kissing and then waking up with Kastens shirt on the floor so… not graphic AT ALL. There are mentions of Sophie being able to conceive throughout the book, but really most heavily in about the first 1/4 of it (mostly, but in other parts as well bc that is a big deal).
Language: None. (I don’t consider “he swore” as cussing bc there are no words used, but that’s in there a few times).
Gore: I mean, ppl die, but nothing is shown graphically.
I was so happy with everything after the cliffhanger of the last book… that tied up so nicely in so few chapters that I was amazed!
Kasten: The. Character. Growth. Even from the first book! Kasten is amazing, but I never thought he could have smiled as many times as he did in this book! He is awesome though bc… he’s Kasten. His abilities were crazy in so many aspects, and I loved being able to see his relationship with Annabelle grow and see how ppl realized he was nothing like they had always been told he was.
Sophie: As before, she is one of my favorite FMC. I normally don’t like them, but she is seriously just so lovable. She has had a sucky life. She wanted to prove she was strong but Kasten wanted her safe… I loved that they worked through that conflict though.
Again, I love how Alice fully displays what a healthy relationship looks like through her characters.
Callum: He will always be my baby. I got so scared for him so many times, but he’s safe and I loved his goofy personality throughout this book as much as I did the last one. He needs to find a wifey now though 😏
Venerick: He quickly became a favorite character for me. If I were to rate my favorites I would probably say (for this book):
1. Kasten
2. Venerick
3. Callum
4. Sophie
5. Annabelle
Don’t get me wrong, I loved them all… but he was so easy to read and understand (on a moral scale). He was so respectful towards Annabelle on every occasion and he was, though scared, insanely brave. If God placed a Venerick in my life I would not be mad… just saying.
Annabelle: I really was not the biggest fan of Annabelle in the first book… I kinda thought she was too confident and proud. Getting to see her personality in this and her development though, I quickly adored her like the other characters. I was really sad for her, but she and Sophie had a lot in common in many aspects even though they are so different, and I loved their friendship. I was honestly so happy they became friends.
Let me just say, I cannot get past the intricacies of the worldbuilding! I will be honest… I was into these books for the political and intrigue side of things. I love romance as much as the next girl, but I LOVE intrigue. I would have read these books even without the romance (though it would be harder bc the romance does provide a lot to the plot). My sister, who only read books if they have romance, almost didn’t want to read this with me bc it had “less romance” than the last book. I don’t understand her.
EVERYTHING about Kryalcomy, Callumcomy, Haemalcomy, and the like was—and is—so interesting!!!! I am not even kidding I want my dad to read it so we can talk about the intricacies of it! 😆
Callum and his inventions never cease to amaze me… I still can’t get over how much I love his brain!
The political plot was thick and there were a lot of things I speculated and a lot of things I did NOT see coming! Everything with the king and Lyrason was crazy! I can’t even say anything bc I don’t wanna spoil it!
Gregane made me want to punch him, but I suppose Kasten shared my sentiments so I was satisfied.
I finished this book five minutes ago, so all of this is fresh in my brain 😆 I doubt you’ve made it this far, but if you have… I am begging you to read this book! 😩
First off, content:
Sexual content: There is one fade to black scene between the married couple and literally it’s just kissing and then waking up with Kastens shirt on the floor so… not graphic AT ALL. There are mentions of Sophie being able to conceive throughout the book, but really most heavily in about the first 1/4 of it (mostly, but in other parts as well bc that is a big deal).
Language: None. (I don’t consider “he swore” as cussing bc there are no words used, but that’s in there a few times).
Gore: I mean, ppl die, but nothing is shown graphically.
I was so happy with everything after the cliffhanger of the last book… that tied up so nicely in so few chapters that I was amazed!
Kasten: The. Character. Growth. Even from the first book! Kasten is amazing, but I never thought he could have smiled as many times as he did in this book! He is awesome though bc… he’s Kasten. His abilities were crazy in so many aspects, and I loved being able to see his relationship with Annabelle grow and see how ppl realized he was nothing like they had always been told he was.
Sophie: As before, she is one of my favorite FMC. I normally don’t like them, but she is seriously just so lovable. She has had a sucky life. She wanted to prove she was strong but Kasten wanted her safe… I loved that they worked through that conflict though.
Again, I love how Alice fully displays what a healthy relationship looks like through her characters.
Callum: He will always be my baby. I got so scared for him so many times, but he’s safe and I loved his goofy personality throughout this book as much as I did the last one. He needs to find a wifey now though 😏
Venerick: He quickly became a favorite character for me. If I were to rate my favorites I would probably say (for this book):
1. Kasten
2. Venerick
3. Callum
4. Sophie
5. Annabelle
Don’t get me wrong, I loved them all… but he was so easy to read and understand (on a moral scale). He was so respectful towards Annabelle on every occasion and he was, though scared, insanely brave. If God placed a Venerick in my life I would not be mad… just saying.
Annabelle: I really was not the biggest fan of Annabelle in the first book… I kinda thought she was too confident and proud. Getting to see her personality in this and her development though, I quickly adored her like the other characters. I was really sad for her, but she and Sophie had a lot in common in many aspects even though they are so different, and I loved their friendship. I was honestly so happy they became friends.
Let me just say, I cannot get past the intricacies of the worldbuilding! I will be honest… I was into these books for the political and intrigue side of things. I love romance as much as the next girl, but I LOVE intrigue. I would have read these books even without the romance (though it would be harder bc the romance does provide a lot to the plot). My sister, who only read books if they have romance, almost didn’t want to read this with me bc it had “less romance” than the last book. I don’t understand her.
EVERYTHING about Kryalcomy, Callumcomy, Haemalcomy, and the like was—and is—so interesting!!!! I am not even kidding I want my dad to read it so we can talk about the intricacies of it! 😆
Callum and his inventions never cease to amaze me… I still can’t get over how much I love his brain!
The political plot was thick and there were a lot of things I speculated and a lot of things I did NOT see coming! Everything with the king and Lyrason was crazy! I can’t even say anything bc I don’t wanna spoil it!
Gregane made me want to punch him, but I suppose Kasten shared my sentiments so I was satisfied.
I finished this book five minutes ago, so all of this is fresh in my brain 😆 I doubt you’ve made it this far, but if you have… I am begging you to read this book! 😩
September 27, 2024
I’m not a fan of rollercoasters. The high intensity. The screams. The thrills. The terror. The high octane levels of stress. But sometimes you pick up a book and you discover it’s a rollercoaster, and you keep on reading cause you just HAVE to know what happens next! And then one more chapter turns into multiple and you find yourself having to take occasional breaks to prevent yourself having a heart attack. It’s a wild ride and the whole time through you’re wondering if you’ll even survive it, but then you reach the end and you coast lazily to the end of the ride. Your heart calms down (slowly) and you find yourself wondering if you have the courage to go again. You decide to wait a bit, and relax a little first – your body can only take so much stress after all. You climb off the ride and you give your seat to someone else and wish them luck as they arc above the trees screaming all the way and you grin to yourself – yeah, they’re in for the ride of their lives!
That, my friends, is what you can expect from Stars May Fall by Alice Ivinya, an author unparalleled. It’s the second book in a duology so make sure you read Stars May Burn first but take note that it ends in a cliffhanger so you may want to read the two books directly after one another.
The first book in this duology tells the story of Kasten and Sophie from both of their POVs, and their slow burn romance born out of an arranged marriage. It also introduces soulless and half-souls - beings who’ve had all their emotions sucked out of them and violence injected into them so they’re beyond hope, beyond a cure and all they can do is kill or be killed. (Zombies, but better written.) I won’t say much about it here because I already reviewed that book, but I will say that Alice’s inventions of Kryalcomy and Haemalcomy through her writing were fascinating to say the least and more than a little terrifying. The cliffhanger made readers wonder if there was any chance of a happy ending and it took almost all of Stars May Fall to discover that there was actually an ending worth waiting for, although I don’t think waiting is the right word there considering that Stars May Fall is a high octane ride from beginning to end.
It starts off directly after the cliffhanger and introduces more evil practises of haemalcomy (brace yourselves for pure nailbiting terror on steroids!) and tells us the motivations behind such dark practises. As usual, the character development is perfection and Alice keeps the reader on the edge of their seats with every word. The half-souls play a pivotal role in this story and we meet Lord Venerick who Annabelle is engaged to (what a sweetheart!) The tale is told from the POVs of Kasten, Sophie, Annabelle and Venerick and it is intriguing to see how differently each of them think.
Sophie comes into her own more in this book and develops an almost rebellious personality while remaining as sweet as honey (some risks are worth taking!) Princess Annabelle revives her Robin Hood vigilante side, Kasten has power unequalled but has the amazing self-control not to kill everyone with it and Venerick shows himself to be more than an idealist as he single-handedly ends the war with “a little weapon of paper.” We also get to know the royal family more and discover why they really hate Kasten and Lyrason reveals himself to be a true monster!
I don’t want to go into too much detail cause not many people like spoilers, but I will say that you should go into this book prepared for the ride of your lives! However rest assured that when the rollercoaster ends you will be very happy you took the trip!
That, my friends, is what you can expect from Stars May Fall by Alice Ivinya, an author unparalleled. It’s the second book in a duology so make sure you read Stars May Burn first but take note that it ends in a cliffhanger so you may want to read the two books directly after one another.
The first book in this duology tells the story of Kasten and Sophie from both of their POVs, and their slow burn romance born out of an arranged marriage. It also introduces soulless and half-souls - beings who’ve had all their emotions sucked out of them and violence injected into them so they’re beyond hope, beyond a cure and all they can do is kill or be killed. (Zombies, but better written.) I won’t say much about it here because I already reviewed that book, but I will say that Alice’s inventions of Kryalcomy and Haemalcomy through her writing were fascinating to say the least and more than a little terrifying. The cliffhanger made readers wonder if there was any chance of a happy ending and it took almost all of Stars May Fall to discover that there was actually an ending worth waiting for, although I don’t think waiting is the right word there considering that Stars May Fall is a high octane ride from beginning to end.
It starts off directly after the cliffhanger and introduces more evil practises of haemalcomy (brace yourselves for pure nailbiting terror on steroids!) and tells us the motivations behind such dark practises. As usual, the character development is perfection and Alice keeps the reader on the edge of their seats with every word. The half-souls play a pivotal role in this story and we meet Lord Venerick who Annabelle is engaged to (what a sweetheart!) The tale is told from the POVs of Kasten, Sophie, Annabelle and Venerick and it is intriguing to see how differently each of them think.
Sophie comes into her own more in this book and develops an almost rebellious personality while remaining as sweet as honey (some risks are worth taking!) Princess Annabelle revives her Robin Hood vigilante side, Kasten has power unequalled but has the amazing self-control not to kill everyone with it and Venerick shows himself to be more than an idealist as he single-handedly ends the war with “a little weapon of paper.” We also get to know the royal family more and discover why they really hate Kasten and Lyrason reveals himself to be a true monster!
I don’t want to go into too much detail cause not many people like spoilers, but I will say that you should go into this book prepared for the ride of your lives! However rest assured that when the rollercoaster ends you will be very happy you took the trip!
September 17, 2024
Well, this is perfection. I absolutely LOVED every moment of this duology. Sophie and Kasten are absolutely the best, and I adored how their relationship grew, and still continued to evolve all the way to the end of the book with indications that it would continue to do so even after the last line came to an end. This is one of the best, most endearing explorations of what a healthy relationship looks like and how those are ever-evolving. Happily ever after isn't static. It's an ever-changing dance where two people have to constantly close the distance, communicate, and find the middle ground in order to continue existing in harmony. Ivinya portrays that with deftness and grace, and a level of maturity so rarely seen in the young adult genre.
Added to this deep examination of healthy romantic relationships there's adventure, scientific experiments and explorations that offer up the "magic" in this brilliantly crafted world, and even a very real risk of the zombie apocalypse. I absolutely adored the low fantasy quality of this series, which is more science focused than the classic magic of wands, runes and staves. Here, the magic is all about harnessing energy in different ways and using it to do miraculous things (or truly evil things, as the case may be).
I loved the cast of characters. They were all fascinating people and I loved their quirks. The exploration of evil was also brilliant in this book, showcasing the evil of people with power and money who care nothing for the consequences of their actions. I've always loved how this author portrays our potential for doing evil, and never shies away from showing that even the greatest of heroes have darkness lurking within them, and that doing the right thing is a choice made actively every time.
In all honesty, this is one of the best duologies I've ever read, and I definitely believe you should be dropping everything and diving right in! It's skyrocketed to my faves!
Added to this deep examination of healthy romantic relationships there's adventure, scientific experiments and explorations that offer up the "magic" in this brilliantly crafted world, and even a very real risk of the zombie apocalypse. I absolutely adored the low fantasy quality of this series, which is more science focused than the classic magic of wands, runes and staves. Here, the magic is all about harnessing energy in different ways and using it to do miraculous things (or truly evil things, as the case may be).
I loved the cast of characters. They were all fascinating people and I loved their quirks. The exploration of evil was also brilliant in this book, showcasing the evil of people with power and money who care nothing for the consequences of their actions. I've always loved how this author portrays our potential for doing evil, and never shies away from showing that even the greatest of heroes have darkness lurking within them, and that doing the right thing is a choice made actively every time.
In all honesty, this is one of the best duologies I've ever read, and I definitely believe you should be dropping everything and diving right in! It's skyrocketed to my faves!
October 10, 2024
Wow… so good, I want more. Would love to read even more about Kasten and Sophie’s lives after this, and some of the side characters stories, like Callum!
I’ve had to rewrite this review a couple times! My feelings are a jumble!
A very clever and enjoyable read that keeps you on your toes, with plot twists you never see coming. All the loose ends and troubles they’re faced with are tied up very nicely by the end. I read it in a day, very enjoyable read (if not a bit/extremely tense at times!)
The characters in the book all stay fairly true to their character even while developing and growing. I love all the different personalities! Callum makes such a good comedic relief amongst all the tension. I would enjoy reading a story about him and what happens in his future, a less intense read maybe that features his happily-ever-after, with some snippets of Kasten and Sophie thrown in! Pretty Please Alice! 🙏
Kasten was fantastic! Scary, capable, and yet tender, patient, loving and kind (I enjoyed him as a character very much). I liked reading his point of view and his interactions with Sophie never grew old. I loved the way they spoke to each other and stumbled (and sometimes fought) their way into getting to know each other better and trusting each other with their vulnerabilities. I enjoyed that they encouraged open communication, that they tried to iron out misunderstandings and that they apologised to each other when needed. Very refreshing!
Potential spoilers alert:
Sophie was fantastic as well! Sweet, kind innocent and always trying her best. Feminine and beautiful!
Though, I will say she did frustrate me a little towards the middle and the end of the book with her unabatable self-doubts that put her in danger and seemingly irrational need to prove herself worthy of love and useful in more dangerous roles (and did they make her more worthy? What is worthiness? And were all her efforts useful, it seems they never did use the metal they obtained going into Lyrason’s house! They just used the collar from earlier as a cure/prevention right?). Was that the point? That she couldn’t necessarily always be useful in every way or make herself more worthy? That she was simply loved regardless? Obviously Kasten loved her regardless, it just left me a little unsure what I as a reader was meant to perceive.
I think I might need to reread it to grasp all these things better, and understand how the author intended them to come across
Apart from those few niggles it was probably one of the best duologies/series I’ve read in a long time.
This is only the 2nd book of Alice’s that I’ve read. The first obviously being Stars May Burn! and I look forward to reading more from her!
I’ve had to rewrite this review a couple times! My feelings are a jumble!
A very clever and enjoyable read that keeps you on your toes, with plot twists you never see coming. All the loose ends and troubles they’re faced with are tied up very nicely by the end. I read it in a day, very enjoyable read (if not a bit/extremely tense at times!)
The characters in the book all stay fairly true to their character even while developing and growing. I love all the different personalities! Callum makes such a good comedic relief amongst all the tension. I would enjoy reading a story about him and what happens in his future, a less intense read maybe that features his happily-ever-after, with some snippets of Kasten and Sophie thrown in! Pretty Please Alice! 🙏
Kasten was fantastic! Scary, capable, and yet tender, patient, loving and kind (I enjoyed him as a character very much). I liked reading his point of view and his interactions with Sophie never grew old. I loved the way they spoke to each other and stumbled (and sometimes fought) their way into getting to know each other better and trusting each other with their vulnerabilities. I enjoyed that they encouraged open communication, that they tried to iron out misunderstandings and that they apologised to each other when needed. Very refreshing!
Potential spoilers alert:
Sophie was fantastic as well! Sweet, kind innocent and always trying her best. Feminine and beautiful!
Though, I will say she did frustrate me a little towards the middle and the end of the book with her unabatable self-doubts that put her in danger and seemingly irrational need to prove herself worthy of love and useful in more dangerous roles (and did they make her more worthy? What is worthiness? And were all her efforts useful, it seems they never did use the metal they obtained going into Lyrason’s house! They just used the collar from earlier as a cure/prevention right?). Was that the point? That she couldn’t necessarily always be useful in every way or make herself more worthy? That she was simply loved regardless? Obviously Kasten loved her regardless, it just left me a little unsure what I as a reader was meant to perceive.
I think I might need to reread it to grasp all these things better, and understand how the author intended them to come across
Apart from those few niggles it was probably one of the best duologies/series I’ve read in a long time.
This is only the 2nd book of Alice’s that I’ve read. The first obviously being Stars May Burn! and I look forward to reading more from her!
April 23, 2025
A fine duology!
Stars May Fall continues the story right where Stars May Burn left off, with a much faster pace and higher stakes.
Kasten has been through many trials, my respect for him has grown as he has demonstrated more depth of character; the moment he spoke to his mother really touched me. Sophie also suffered a lot and also showed some improvement but still I felt that in the end she did not truly overcome her fears. While Kasten passed the test by giving up his vitality without any guarantee that he would be okay, Sophie couldn't do the same with the pregnancy issue. She only mended her relationship with Kasten after she was certain that she would be able to have children. If she had come to peace with herself and reconciled with Kasten before the conversation with Eloise, her arc would have been perfect.
The addition of Annabelle and Venerick's point of view was a good idea as this broadened the horizons of the story. Annabelle was a likeable character, Venerick was truly an idealist for peace as I don't see a kingdom like Kollenstar maintaining peace for a long time, they pose a great threat with their technology. If this world were real, they would try to learn the secret of the starstone to copy it, and even if that didn't happen, the fact that there is a neighboring kingdom that turns its citizens into soulless people could not be ignored. After stabilising Adenburg Annabelle would have to do something to stop this madness.
Aside from the aforementioned issues, Stars May Fall ends the duology in a satisfactory way. I'm glad that Kasten and Sophie got their happily ever after.
Stars May Fall continues the story right where Stars May Burn left off, with a much faster pace and higher stakes.
Kasten has been through many trials, my respect for him has grown as he has demonstrated more depth of character; the moment he spoke to his mother really touched me. Sophie also suffered a lot and also showed some improvement but still I felt that in the end she did not truly overcome her fears. While Kasten passed the test by giving up his vitality without any guarantee that he would be okay, Sophie couldn't do the same with the pregnancy issue. She only mended her relationship with Kasten after she was certain that she would be able to have children. If she had come to peace with herself and reconciled with Kasten before the conversation with Eloise, her arc would have been perfect.
The addition of Annabelle and Venerick's point of view was a good idea as this broadened the horizons of the story. Annabelle was a likeable character, Venerick was truly an idealist for peace as I don't see a kingdom like Kollenstar maintaining peace for a long time, they pose a great threat with their technology. If this world were real, they would try to learn the secret of the starstone to copy it, and even if that didn't happen, the fact that there is a neighboring kingdom that turns its citizens into soulless people could not be ignored. After stabilising Adenburg Annabelle would have to do something to stop this madness.
Aside from the aforementioned issues, Stars May Fall ends the duology in a satisfactory way. I'm glad that Kasten and Sophie got their happily ever after.
December 1, 2024
3.5 stars
I went back and forth on this series. I think all the 5 star reviews gave me an unrealistic expectation. The story is good. The writing isn’t bad I just had some pet peeves that made me not love it. They were a clean read. Careful as there may be slight spoilers.
The internal monologue. We get to know the characters from their thoughts not conversations. By the end the last 90% of the first book I thought she was going to end up with the BF because they talk so much more. Thankfully she didn’t. But still they never interacted together. It was better in the second book, but still not much.
If someone has killed hundreds if not thousands and you’re in battle you don’t stop and arrest them. This is a new “thing” in books and movies. Ask any soldier. Any country at war. It just plain stupid.
The issue of infertility. I know many wonderful moms of adoptive parents, you do not have to have birth a child to be a mom or to have a great marriage. I assumed we were going hat direction until she was suddenly able to have a good marriage because she could have kids. You can have an awesome marriage without giving birth.
And finally controlling. That whole subject is tried to be handled and he does try to do better but it’s still a bit much.
However, after I say all these bad things. It was a good story. I did finish them and root for our MCs. I’m not saying to not read it but it wasn’t amazing. Enjoy your read
I went back and forth on this series. I think all the 5 star reviews gave me an unrealistic expectation. The story is good. The writing isn’t bad I just had some pet peeves that made me not love it. They were a clean read. Careful as there may be slight spoilers.
The internal monologue. We get to know the characters from their thoughts not conversations. By the end the last 90% of the first book I thought she was going to end up with the BF because they talk so much more. Thankfully she didn’t. But still they never interacted together. It was better in the second book, but still not much.
If someone has killed hundreds if not thousands and you’re in battle you don’t stop and arrest them. This is a new “thing” in books and movies. Ask any soldier. Any country at war. It just plain stupid.
The issue of infertility. I know many wonderful moms of adoptive parents, you do not have to have birth a child to be a mom or to have a great marriage. I assumed we were going hat direction until she was suddenly able to have a good marriage because she could have kids. You can have an awesome marriage without giving birth.
And finally controlling. That whole subject is tried to be handled and he does try to do better but it’s still a bit much.
However, after I say all these bad things. It was a good story. I did finish them and root for our MCs. I’m not saying to not read it but it wasn’t amazing. Enjoy your read
October 6, 2024
This book was really good and a great sequel and close to the series. I did have trouble seeing some of the scenes based on the descriptions, there was not a lot of scene building. It was kind of we r in the city now in the castle now in their home, but I never really got a good sense for what those places looked like. I really liked the storyline. Normally when multiple POVs come into play I get annoyed, especially when the first book was 2 povs, but I felt like it was needed to see Annabelle and Venericks relationship and also to actually trust Venerick since we got to see in his head and not just his actions. I like Kasten and Sophie, even though their relationship is a bit dramatic. And also for anyone wondering the romance in this book is literally them kissing, and then mentions that they had “marital affairs” but not actually describing the scene, just a quick mentioned it happened and the feeling fallouts from it. I like that the book was wrapped neatly into a bow with the ending, Kasten finds his mom, she lives and invents a cure to fix his and Sophies ailments, the bad guys die, Anabelle makes a great queen, they end the war with the peace treaty, it is all wrapped up nicely. Even though there were a LOT of characters it was east to keep them all straight. Honestly the names of the cities and places were more difficult to recall. But overall great book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 5, 2025
Wow, wow. Loved this book.
The author added a few more characters here and I enjoyed reading from each of their POV. They provided more depth to the story while also adding some tensions and new problems that Kasten and Sophie had to face.
The the twist and turn of the story surprised me many times and that's rare. I usually could predict what a story would go. This made me excited to read more of the author's other books.
What annoyed me was how unconfident Sophie was. She would find fault at everything and her own feeling of inadequacy affected her relationship with Kasten. She also took on unnecessary danger multiple times and got mad when Kasten was telling her to stop. I could understand her need to be useful, but she made some terrible decisions here.
Kasten had improved a lot in this book, on how he treated Sophie. There were certainly a lot of cute moments between them.
I had hoped for Callum to have his own POV in this book, but that didn't happen. I think it would have been interesting to actually read how his smart-brain worked.
That extra twist near the ending was great. It kept me up until midnight reading everything. The pace was so fast, though, near the end.
This book was a clean romance, with few kisses here and there. Some curses and some behaviors of characters might trigger some people. But overall it was a nice, clean read.
The author added a few more characters here and I enjoyed reading from each of their POV. They provided more depth to the story while also adding some tensions and new problems that Kasten and Sophie had to face.
The the twist and turn of the story surprised me many times and that's rare. I usually could predict what a story would go. This made me excited to read more of the author's other books.
What annoyed me was how unconfident Sophie was. She would find fault at everything and her own feeling of inadequacy affected her relationship with Kasten. She also took on unnecessary danger multiple times and got mad when Kasten was telling her to stop. I could understand her need to be useful, but she made some terrible decisions here.
Kasten had improved a lot in this book, on how he treated Sophie. There were certainly a lot of cute moments between them.
I had hoped for Callum to have his own POV in this book, but that didn't happen. I think it would have been interesting to actually read how his smart-brain worked.
That extra twist near the ending was great. It kept me up until midnight reading everything. The pace was so fast, though, near the end.
This book was a clean romance, with few kisses here and there. Some curses and some behaviors of characters might trigger some people. But overall it was a nice, clean read.
September 28, 2024
The ending to a intense story of intrigue, betrayal, and sinister experiments which threaten to throw the kingdom into total chaos!
Sophie has been bitten and is sedated and Kasten is determined to get those two he knows who caused this to reverse this process so he attacks their household and threatens them with death if they don’t reverse what they’ve done to her. After denying
any involvement they finally agree and do so.
Kasten has long suspected where this order originated but it was a shock to Annabelle to hear it for herself from the source. A coup is brewing and she is siding with Kasten to head off the coup but they are too late as her father, the king and her mother and brother are all murdered by his trusted advisor and she barely escapes.
His advisor sets an army of his half dead souls loose on the city to cause mayhem to try and cover his escape but he is captured after all in heart stopping action!
This is a story you don’t want to miss but you must read the first book, Stars May Burn, before you read this one or you will miss half the story and it’s too good to miss!
It’s action non -stop with a love interest between Sophie and Kasten but tempered because of what
Sophie’s father has done to her and Kasten’s feelings of looking at himself as a monster all his life.
Kasten finally gets some answers towards the end of the book that lets him know about things he has always wondered about.
This is a page turner that will keep you reading as you won’t want to stop reading what is happening to your friends as they face their adversaries!
I truly enjoyed this book and how these friends of mine rose up to fight against the forces of those who would oppose them! I wholeheartedly and enthusiastically recommend you get and read both book one and book two in this series because this
story is one I know you will enjoy! It involves magic, love, forgiveness, respect and most importantly learning to forgive oneself as well!
It’s a story well worth your time to read and enjoy-believe me!
Sophie has been bitten and is sedated and Kasten is determined to get those two he knows who caused this to reverse this process so he attacks their household and threatens them with death if they don’t reverse what they’ve done to her. After denying
any involvement they finally agree and do so.
Kasten has long suspected where this order originated but it was a shock to Annabelle to hear it for herself from the source. A coup is brewing and she is siding with Kasten to head off the coup but they are too late as her father, the king and her mother and brother are all murdered by his trusted advisor and she barely escapes.
His advisor sets an army of his half dead souls loose on the city to cause mayhem to try and cover his escape but he is captured after all in heart stopping action!
This is a story you don’t want to miss but you must read the first book, Stars May Burn, before you read this one or you will miss half the story and it’s too good to miss!
It’s action non -stop with a love interest between Sophie and Kasten but tempered because of what
Sophie’s father has done to her and Kasten’s feelings of looking at himself as a monster all his life.
Kasten finally gets some answers towards the end of the book that lets him know about things he has always wondered about.
This is a page turner that will keep you reading as you won’t want to stop reading what is happening to your friends as they face their adversaries!
I truly enjoyed this book and how these friends of mine rose up to fight against the forces of those who would oppose them! I wholeheartedly and enthusiastically recommend you get and read both book one and book two in this series because this
story is one I know you will enjoy! It involves magic, love, forgiveness, respect and most importantly learning to forgive oneself as well!
It’s a story well worth your time to read and enjoy-believe me!
October 4, 2024
Walking dead type vibes, mixed with 'touch her and die', 'he's got all the destructive power but he's too disciplined to use it', political intrigue and a romance with struggles but ending in wholesomeness.
Even though book 1 ended on a cliffhanger that felt a little too abrupt, I couldn't wait to read book two and was super excited to receive an arc.
Admittedly, it took me some time to get into book 2. I think it's because it felt a like the whole was written as one book that was cut in two, which made book 1 feel like it had an abrupt ending and book 2 feel like I was being thrown right into the middle of a story I hadn't seen in a few months.
So for the first few chapters, I struggled to connect with the characters I'd previously loved.
However, I ended up really enjoying it for the same reason I enjoyed book 1: the inner conflict of the characters.
Content warnings
Coarse language: none
Violence & gore: mild gore, moderate violence
Sexual content: sweet romance and kisses between a married couple, no steam, spice or anything graphic or adult content on-screen
* I received a free copy from the author. This did not influence my rating nor my review
Even though book 1 ended on a cliffhanger that felt a little too abrupt, I couldn't wait to read book two and was super excited to receive an arc.
Admittedly, it took me some time to get into book 2. I think it's because it felt a like the whole was written as one book that was cut in two, which made book 1 feel like it had an abrupt ending and book 2 feel like I was being thrown right into the middle of a story I hadn't seen in a few months.
So for the first few chapters, I struggled to connect with the characters I'd previously loved.
However, I ended up really enjoying it for the same reason I enjoyed book 1: the inner conflict of the characters.
Content warnings
Coarse language: none
Violence & gore: mild gore, moderate violence
Sexual content: sweet romance and kisses between a married couple, no steam, spice or anything graphic or adult content on-screen
* I received a free copy from the author. This did not influence my rating nor my review
October 2, 2024
I loved this actioney duology - such a unique magic, that cryalcomy and hemalcomy. With the rate of fateful twists and turns, I held my breath for how it would all end and wasn’t disappointed. There is a HEA, but not the sappy sweet kind - woth all the psychological drama and introgue and betrayals, it couldn’t have ended sickly sweet. Sophie is my heroine - rushing to help when she saw she coudl make a difference - although I did want to tap her with a pan once or twice - not telling her hubby stuff sh worries about. Kasten is an absolute prince (literally, too) - the whole touch her and die vibe was edge-of-the-seat. I wish Callum would get his own book - fingers crossed. I loved the fihgt scenes, the intrigue, the closed door romance, the magic system, all of it - this is the kind of epic I can read. The emotional rollercoaster and intrigues reminded me a bit of Maurice Druon’s Cursed Kings.
Recommended for lovers of epic action-adventure clean romantasy for mixed gen readers - since it’s clean, it’s suitable for YA even though most characters are older than 20-30.
Recommended for lovers of epic action-adventure clean romantasy for mixed gen readers - since it’s clean, it’s suitable for YA even though most characters are older than 20-30.
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