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Some Kind of Hell
In a war-torn world where secrets reign, what doesn’t kill you will always try again.
Frelia Valerius has lost too much.
Her kingdom, her family and friends, her noble title—gone. The only things left are her sword skills and the blood in her veins. But now the Unseen, a secretive dark magic cult, are hunting down the ancient magic that runs in families like Frelia's, and she's running out of places to hide.
Vendrick Caecillion has too much to lose.
He’s the former imperial spymaster, Frelia’s former crush, and now, her new boss at the Silverwood Military Institute. He’s the mastermind behind the spy network thwarting the Unseen’s plans, but he’s losing this silent war, and Vendrick knows it.
It will take every skill in their combined arsenal to root out the Unseen—and maintain Silverwood’s standard of academic excellence. For the only thing more merciless than the Unseen are the Silverwood students’ parents—and some of those might just be one and the same.
First in an all-new dark fantasy series where The Wolf and the Woodsman meets Attack on Titan, Some Kind of Hell is part Norse-inspired, part enemies-to-lovers romance, part epic battles, and all binge-worthy. Grab your copy of this epic saga of world-ending proportions today!
Frelia Valerius has lost too much.
Her kingdom, her family and friends, her noble title—gone. The only things left are her sword skills and the blood in her veins. But now the Unseen, a secretive dark magic cult, are hunting down the ancient magic that runs in families like Frelia's, and she's running out of places to hide.
Vendrick Caecillion has too much to lose.
He’s the former imperial spymaster, Frelia’s former crush, and now, her new boss at the Silverwood Military Institute. He’s the mastermind behind the spy network thwarting the Unseen’s plans, but he’s losing this silent war, and Vendrick knows it.
It will take every skill in their combined arsenal to root out the Unseen—and maintain Silverwood’s standard of academic excellence. For the only thing more merciless than the Unseen are the Silverwood students’ parents—and some of those might just be one and the same.
First in an all-new dark fantasy series where The Wolf and the Woodsman meets Attack on Titan, Some Kind of Hell is part Norse-inspired, part enemies-to-lovers romance, part epic battles, and all binge-worthy. Grab your copy of this epic saga of world-ending proportions today!
485 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 31, 2024
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March 9, 2026This book is free on Amazon (Canada) today (03/09/2026). 🙂
July 31, 2024
WOW! Some Kind of Hell by Evelyn Hyde is a phenomenal read! This debut novel is packed full of world building, interesting plot and amazingly flawed characters with spectacular growth. I absolutely cannot wait for the continuation!
Spice level: 🌶️
Violence level: 🗡️🗡️🗡️
Tropes: Friends to enemies to lovers, found family, magic, monsters, he falls harder
Plot:
The story follows Grand Duchess turned mercenary Frelia Helm’s Grace Valerius. She has struggled to stay alive after two wars that have ripped away all that she’s known and loved. In order to stay safe, she decides to go to Silverwood Military Institute, her old school, to become their new swordmaster. While there she meets up with old classmates, one being Vendrick Caecillion, her old crush, who is now the headmaster after being spymaster for her enemy during the war and after. They must navigate the aftermath of wars that have left them both scarred while also dealing with evil that is once more arising.
What I liked:
1. The world building and plot. It took me a couple chapters to really get into the book but once I did, I was hooked and could hardly put it down.
2. The secondary characters, especially Frelia’s homeroom students. They are adorable and I absolutely LOVE Faustine’s growth!
3. Frelia recognizing her grief and anger. There is a lot of guilt that she carries that she needs to release.
4. Multiple character pov
What I didn’t like:
1. It was a little hard to keep track of all the characters, especially people who were killed in the war and how people were related. Some names were really similar.
All in all, I really enjoyed the story and look forward to the continuation as it does end on a cliffhanger.
*I received a free book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review*
Spice level: 🌶️
Violence level: 🗡️🗡️🗡️
Tropes: Friends to enemies to lovers, found family, magic, monsters, he falls harder
Plot:
The story follows Grand Duchess turned mercenary Frelia Helm’s Grace Valerius. She has struggled to stay alive after two wars that have ripped away all that she’s known and loved. In order to stay safe, she decides to go to Silverwood Military Institute, her old school, to become their new swordmaster. While there she meets up with old classmates, one being Vendrick Caecillion, her old crush, who is now the headmaster after being spymaster for her enemy during the war and after. They must navigate the aftermath of wars that have left them both scarred while also dealing with evil that is once more arising.
What I liked:
1. The world building and plot. It took me a couple chapters to really get into the book but once I did, I was hooked and could hardly put it down.
2. The secondary characters, especially Frelia’s homeroom students. They are adorable and I absolutely LOVE Faustine’s growth!
3. Frelia recognizing her grief and anger. There is a lot of guilt that she carries that she needs to release.
4. Multiple character pov
What I didn’t like:
1. It was a little hard to keep track of all the characters, especially people who were killed in the war and how people were related. Some names were really similar.
All in all, I really enjoyed the story and look forward to the continuation as it does end on a cliffhanger.
*I received a free book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review*
August 7, 2024
While I was initially worried this book would hit all the popular tropes in the same way many most authors are these days, I found myself pleasantly surprised once I got into the meat of the book. The world building was impeccable, I found the characters to be engaging, and while it did hit all the tropes( slow burn, enemies to lovers, grumpy MMC, feisty FMC), it managed to be original and I found myself easily rooting for each characters success! Excellent start to a series, excited to see where the author goes with the series.
July 31, 2024
This book took me a little while to get into it, but I fell in love with it and haven’t put it down since! The wolf and the viper are my favorite same with all the kids! I would highly recommend this book! If you love war, Vikings, friends to enemies to friends. Dark fantasy! This is the book for you! There is a lot of ptsd with the main characters but it’s nice to look at their past!
August 21, 2024
First of all, thanks so much to Evelyn for sharing a free copy of her book. I’m leaving a review that is totally voluntary and my own, honest thoughts.
Phew, the first chapter just slams you into a new world with some quick lore sharing and if feels a little clockwork orange. Either you figure it out or you don’t but don’t let it dissuade you from continuing! Once I got a bit further into the book I couldn’t put it down! It’s been a few weeks since I finished the book and I’m *still* thinking about the characters and their individual arcs!
Overall I ended up enjoying the glimpses of Norse adjacent mythology despite not knowing much about it. Hyde writes in a way that shows more depth in her than her age/experience would expect. I also really appreciate her ability to write characters that fall into certain archetypes without making them one dimensional and totally predictable.
The writing style was generally reminiscent of Fourth Wing but not always so crass with many better turns of phrase. Here’s one of my favorites:
“Forgiveness is ‘I see all you’ve done, and I am choosing to see better in you,’” he said. “Letting go is ‘I see what you’ve done, and I am choosing not to let it hurt me any more.’”
Truly, I am so looking forward to the next book and to see where this series goes!!
Phew, the first chapter just slams you into a new world with some quick lore sharing and if feels a little clockwork orange. Either you figure it out or you don’t but don’t let it dissuade you from continuing! Once I got a bit further into the book I couldn’t put it down! It’s been a few weeks since I finished the book and I’m *still* thinking about the characters and their individual arcs!
Overall I ended up enjoying the glimpses of Norse adjacent mythology despite not knowing much about it. Hyde writes in a way that shows more depth in her than her age/experience would expect. I also really appreciate her ability to write characters that fall into certain archetypes without making them one dimensional and totally predictable.
The writing style was generally reminiscent of Fourth Wing but not always so crass with many better turns of phrase. Here’s one of my favorites:
“Forgiveness is ‘I see all you’ve done, and I am choosing to see better in you,’” he said. “Letting go is ‘I see what you’ve done, and I am choosing not to let it hurt me any more.’”
Truly, I am so looking forward to the next book and to see where this series goes!!
August 1, 2024
I have to admit, I was a little worried at the opening sequence. It reminded me of a whole lot of books I've started and not enjoyed enough to finish, and I don't think the main character really starts to shine until the story gets to the main setting and the main plot. Once she does, though: I loved her! And also loved the MMC and his goth nerd vibes. Grumpy warrior lady (and she has plenty of reasons to be grumpy) and nerdy wizard guy are legit one of my favorite pairings, and it works a treat here.
The story moves along at a good clip, and once it finds its sea legs it's genuinely an enjoyable adventure. The antagonist was a little cartoony and obvious, I felt, but the threat he presented was real, and the good guys handled it well once they figured out what was going on. A secondary character also had some good moral growth, which was both stressful to read and cool to watch. Hyde's a good, confident writer with a knack for vivid character relationships, and I was definitely cheering for everyone to end up happy.
I would have had a quibble, kind of a major one, with the worldbuilding (notice the tense in this sentence), because we've got Viking-ish warriors and Rome-ish snobby aristocrats, but then we've got references to artillery, as well as all the trappings of a typical boarding school setting (the librarian wears high heels! the kids have uniforms and leggings and showers! everyone drinks tea and coffee!), and that really threw me for a loop at first ... but then I decided, "Okay, it's basically like a fantasy boarding school anime but in book form," and after that I was able to shrug and roll with it. It is odd, but it works just fine as long as you're not worried about Aragorn's tax policy or where the coffee comes from. (And if you're the kind of reader who worries about that stuff, you might not enjoy this book anyway.)
So, overall, quite a fun read. It took me a while to get into it, but once it starts rolling I genuinely found it hard to put down, and I'm definitely already excited for the next one.
NB: I received a free book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
The story moves along at a good clip, and once it finds its sea legs it's genuinely an enjoyable adventure. The antagonist was a little cartoony and obvious, I felt, but the threat he presented was real, and the good guys handled it well once they figured out what was going on. A secondary character also had some good moral growth, which was both stressful to read and cool to watch. Hyde's a good, confident writer with a knack for vivid character relationships, and I was definitely cheering for everyone to end up happy.
I would have had a quibble, kind of a major one, with the worldbuilding (notice the tense in this sentence), because we've got Viking-ish warriors and Rome-ish snobby aristocrats, but then we've got references to artillery, as well as all the trappings of a typical boarding school setting (the librarian wears high heels! the kids have uniforms and leggings and showers! everyone drinks tea and coffee!), and that really threw me for a loop at first ... but then I decided, "Okay, it's basically like a fantasy boarding school anime but in book form," and after that I was able to shrug and roll with it. It is odd, but it works just fine as long as you're not worried about Aragorn's tax policy or where the coffee comes from. (And if you're the kind of reader who worries about that stuff, you might not enjoy this book anyway.)
So, overall, quite a fun read. It took me a while to get into it, but once it starts rolling I genuinely found it hard to put down, and I'm definitely already excited for the next one.
NB: I received a free book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
June 13, 2025
Where to even begin.
When I picked up the book, read the boilerplate, and opened to the first chapter I truly wasn't sure what to expect.
Battles, yeah. Quips, yeah. Characters with fun names and more fun personalities, yeah.
But what I experienced was so much more than that, and I'll keep it brief.
I never would have suspected that I would become so entranced and enraptured, a difference that is subtle but thrilling, with the entirety of the world
What appears to start as a some-what usual jaunt to some special school, we do not follow a student, no. But an adult, and a professor. More than one as a matter-of-fact.
Frelia is a dynamic, complex, rough yet comforting, ball of rage and violence whose aches of mind, body, and soul, are so palpably well written that it's difficult not to almost feel some yourself.
What really grabbed me about Frelia is how believably blunt she is. She cares so much it nudges her to a point of uncaring. But it's not unwarranted. It's part of her culture.
A culture, that much like the dialogue, the expositions, and the interactions between characters such as Vendrick, Markus, and Faustine, to name a small few, are so real.
The only moments I was pulled from the story was when I was trying to pronounce a word.
The weave of this story is incredibly tight, incredibly strong, and incredibly fluid.
It doesn't feel forced, but rather matter of fact. That it exists, it has always existed and we have just stepped through to experience it.
Let your self become immersed in a somewhat new take in rivalries and fantasy. Let yourself share in the hurts and successes. Let yourself love these characters that are so ready for it, and hate those that so much deserve it.
You won't regret it.
When I picked up the book, read the boilerplate, and opened to the first chapter I truly wasn't sure what to expect.
Battles, yeah. Quips, yeah. Characters with fun names and more fun personalities, yeah.
But what I experienced was so much more than that, and I'll keep it brief.
I never would have suspected that I would become so entranced and enraptured, a difference that is subtle but thrilling, with the entirety of the world
What appears to start as a some-what usual jaunt to some special school, we do not follow a student, no. But an adult, and a professor. More than one as a matter-of-fact.
Frelia is a dynamic, complex, rough yet comforting, ball of rage and violence whose aches of mind, body, and soul, are so palpably well written that it's difficult not to almost feel some yourself.
What really grabbed me about Frelia is how believably blunt she is. She cares so much it nudges her to a point of uncaring. But it's not unwarranted. It's part of her culture.
A culture, that much like the dialogue, the expositions, and the interactions between characters such as Vendrick, Markus, and Faustine, to name a small few, are so real.
The only moments I was pulled from the story was when I was trying to pronounce a word.
The weave of this story is incredibly tight, incredibly strong, and incredibly fluid.
It doesn't feel forced, but rather matter of fact. That it exists, it has always existed and we have just stepped through to experience it.
Let your self become immersed in a somewhat new take in rivalries and fantasy. Let yourself share in the hurts and successes. Let yourself love these characters that are so ready for it, and hate those that so much deserve it.
You won't regret it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 25, 2024
Frelia Valerius and Vendrick Caecillion were friends before the Tyrant’s War found them on opposite sides of a brutal conflict. In the aftermath, Frelia becomes a rebel, later a mercenary. Vendrick, on the “winning” side, ends up as Imperial spymaster and later opens an academy to train young fighters and mages for the Imperium. In search of work, Frelia gets a job as swordsmaster at the academy – and there our story begins.
Frelia has a Bloodrune, magical powers that run through very specific families. The Imperium seems to kill, or control, individuals with these powers. Can Frelia protect herself and her students (some which also have Bloodrunes)? Can she trust Vendrick’s motives enough to make him an ally? And who’s creating these nightmarish creatures that plague the countryside and the academy?
This is a dark fantasy, and yes, there is romance, but more importantly it’s the story of two people who have known War and Loss and seen some horrible things and how they cope with their own demons. They’re jaded, they’re scarred, but they’re still willing to fight for the kids in their care and for the future of the land, and they’ve completely won my heart.
I’m not typically a fan of romantic fantasy, but the relationship aspect of the story was done deftly and felt very real – I loved seeing Frelia and Vendrick learn to trust again. It’s a story about healing from trauma and escaping toxic family relationships. And I loved seeing the growth of the students themselves.
This book deserves more readers – it’s a beautifully-written, compelling beginning to what looks like will be an epic tale. I’ll follow Frelia and Vendrick anywhere.
Frelia has a Bloodrune, magical powers that run through very specific families. The Imperium seems to kill, or control, individuals with these powers. Can Frelia protect herself and her students (some which also have Bloodrunes)? Can she trust Vendrick’s motives enough to make him an ally? And who’s creating these nightmarish creatures that plague the countryside and the academy?
This is a dark fantasy, and yes, there is romance, but more importantly it’s the story of two people who have known War and Loss and seen some horrible things and how they cope with their own demons. They’re jaded, they’re scarred, but they’re still willing to fight for the kids in their care and for the future of the land, and they’ve completely won my heart.
I’m not typically a fan of romantic fantasy, but the relationship aspect of the story was done deftly and felt very real – I loved seeing Frelia and Vendrick learn to trust again. It’s a story about healing from trauma and escaping toxic family relationships. And I loved seeing the growth of the students themselves.
This book deserves more readers – it’s a beautifully-written, compelling beginning to what looks like will be an epic tale. I’ll follow Frelia and Vendrick anywhere.
July 31, 2024
Where to start with this book?? Hyde immediately draws you into the story and makes you invested in the characters. The world-building is excellent and done in such a way as to enhance the plot - rather than taking you out of it for a "history lesson" type of explanation. Part of the reason this works so well is that she manages to seamlessly switch between 3 distinct POVs to help move the story along and tie the different elements together.
There is both mental and physical disability representation, as well as LGBTQIA+ representation. Which is always a plus and something I like to look for in my reads.
If you like grumpy, sarcastic characters, second chance love, swords, magic, and cults - all set within a military school - then this book is for you.
It is the first in a planned series, but Hyde manages to tie enough strings together to make the ending satisfying while still leaving open plotlines and questions for future books. It's hard to stick that landing, but she definitely does.
I did receive this book as an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion, but I also would have picked this book up and read it without any incentive.
There is both mental and physical disability representation, as well as LGBTQIA+ representation. Which is always a plus and something I like to look for in my reads.
If you like grumpy, sarcastic characters, second chance love, swords, magic, and cults - all set within a military school - then this book is for you.
It is the first in a planned series, but Hyde manages to tie enough strings together to make the ending satisfying while still leaving open plotlines and questions for future books. It's hard to stick that landing, but she definitely does.
I did receive this book as an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion, but I also would have picked this book up and read it without any incentive.
August 16, 2024
This was such a fun book! I couldn’t put it down (unless life forced me lol) and was riveted. This is a fun fantasy with a ship I am weaaaak for. I love the world and how it was fleshed out and Frelia has my heart. She’s our grumpy, badass female MC who does have a heart and has lived through sooo much. I think that—the history and the angst that comes with it might have been one of my favorite parts of this book, it’s emotional and it hits in the good spots.
And oh my goodnesssssss was I weak for the ship!!! Almost exes vibes with history and serving on opposite sides of the war meeting again 15 years later with all the angst that contains? Juicy. I love how their relationship progressed in this book and the end was soooo satisfying and ahh just pulled my heartstrings. I have so many lines highlighted from these two ❤️
Vendrick is also a compelling and fun character to read. I enjoyed his POV a lot as well.
I also want to add the humor in this book is peak. So many lines that made me laugh!
Overall fun book, fun plot, fun ship, and I so can’t wait for book 2
And oh my goodnesssssss was I weak for the ship!!! Almost exes vibes with history and serving on opposite sides of the war meeting again 15 years later with all the angst that contains? Juicy. I love how their relationship progressed in this book and the end was soooo satisfying and ahh just pulled my heartstrings. I have so many lines highlighted from these two ❤️
Vendrick is also a compelling and fun character to read. I enjoyed his POV a lot as well.
I also want to add the humor in this book is peak. So many lines that made me laugh!
Overall fun book, fun plot, fun ship, and I so can’t wait for book 2
May 23, 2026
I was feeling a little burnt after some subpar free indie books I tried reading. Then I tried this one and was glued to it until the end.
I really enjoyed that this book features a romance with characters in their thirties. The yearning there was very enjoyable to read and had me hooked. The world and its history also had me sat and ready to dive into it all.
I have two main gripes with this book. One is that every once in a while the sequence of things didn't quite make sense. Or that a detail that seemed important just dropped off or just wasn't important anymore. The other is that some details didn't get mentioned until far into the book when I would think it'd get a mention early on. For example, Vendrick and the fact that he wears gloves because of the effects of gray magic. That seemed like a weird detail to only divulge well into the second half of the book.
All of that said, definitely continuing with this series and already read the second book.
I really enjoyed that this book features a romance with characters in their thirties. The yearning there was very enjoyable to read and had me hooked. The world and its history also had me sat and ready to dive into it all.
I have two main gripes with this book. One is that every once in a while the sequence of things didn't quite make sense. Or that a detail that seemed important just dropped off or just wasn't important anymore. The other is that some details didn't get mentioned until far into the book when I would think it'd get a mention early on. For example, Vendrick and the fact that he wears gloves because of the effects of gray magic. That seemed like a weird detail to only divulge well into the second half of the book.
All of that said, definitely continuing with this series and already read the second book.
January 5, 2025
This book is honestly just fantastic. Having only recently gotten back into reading I could NOT PUT IT DOWN.
The characters are so intriguing and well developed throughout the book, ranging from both the main to secondary characters. The plot is unique and super engaging. There were also a number of twists that I honestly did not see coming (which were amazing)!
I genuinely cannot wait for the next book to come out to see where this incredible story goes. I have never enjoyed a book so much.
If you are like me and only getting back into reading, or you can only read one book in the next few months, or your an avid fantasy reader, all I can say is THIS IS THE ONE TO READ NEXT!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The characters are so intriguing and well developed throughout the book, ranging from both the main to secondary characters. The plot is unique and super engaging. There were also a number of twists that I honestly did not see coming (which were amazing)!
I genuinely cannot wait for the next book to come out to see where this incredible story goes. I have never enjoyed a book so much.
If you are like me and only getting back into reading, or you can only read one book in the next few months, or your an avid fantasy reader, all I can say is THIS IS THE ONE TO READ NEXT!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
April 28, 2026
The writing style is good.
The world building is exceptional (if a little heavy on the Norse references).
I like the nature of magic in her world, and the way it is used.
However, for the first book in a series it leans a little too much on the main character's PTSD and becomes a story about that, rather than the world that she lives in.
I kept hoping for more development of the story, what the ongoing plot was about, but we don't really get that until the end of the book (literally 90% of the way through, according to my Kindle), and that was a problem for me.
The romance scenes were something else that I felt were strained.
I am sure that there are people out there who will like this book, but I am clearly not the target audience.
The world building is exceptional (if a little heavy on the Norse references).
I like the nature of magic in her world, and the way it is used.
However, for the first book in a series it leans a little too much on the main character's PTSD and becomes a story about that, rather than the world that she lives in.
I kept hoping for more development of the story, what the ongoing plot was about, but we don't really get that until the end of the book (literally 90% of the way through, according to my Kindle), and that was a problem for me.
The romance scenes were something else that I felt were strained.
I am sure that there are people out there who will like this book, but I am clearly not the target audience.
September 3, 2024
Amazing characterizations
There is a spy master that turned into a headmaster in this book! There is a duchess that had turned into a mercenary in this book!
Then there is my favorite character, Justine. She is the youngest daughter of the emperor. Being around some good people she figures out that her family is evil, and in the end she turns her priorities around!
There is a spy master that turned into a headmaster in this book! There is a duchess that had turned into a mercenary in this book!
Then there is my favorite character, Justine. She is the youngest daughter of the emperor. Being around some good people she figures out that her family is evil, and in the end she turns her priorities around!
April 12, 2026
Pretty simple good vs evil. Has similarities to Harry Potter, except primarily from the teachers' perspectives, this is darker, and less magic and wonder. Also, the Harry Potter similarities seem like they will only be for this book. Light on romance.
I'll put the next book on my to-read list, though I won't be surprised if I never read it.
I'll put the next book on my to-read list, though I won't be surprised if I never read it.
June 30, 2026
The names were a little confusing, but otherwise, I loved this read.
It was dangerous, thrilling, and felt real. It was high stakes, and the problems felt real and pressing.
I also thought the romance was so adorable, but with everything going on, I liked that the romance was such a small part of the book.
I really can't wait to see what happens next because that cliffhanger was brutal.
It was dangerous, thrilling, and felt real. It was high stakes, and the problems felt real and pressing.
I also thought the romance was so adorable, but with everything going on, I liked that the romance was such a small part of the book.
I really can't wait to see what happens next because that cliffhanger was brutal.
March 23, 2025
It was honestly such a good reading after a big reading slump, the beginning was quite hard to get into but after a while it just pulled me into the world and it was hard to put it down. Can't wait for the next book in the series! :)
March 15, 2026
Rating: 🤗/4
Source: Bookbub
Notes: Dark academia. Second chance love story. Liked the first third, then it hit a mushy middle and dragged on. The end just got too complicated for me. Don’t think I need to go on in the series but enjoyed it.
Source: Bookbub
Notes: Dark academia. Second chance love story. Liked the first third, then it hit a mushy middle and dragged on. The end just got too complicated for me. Don’t think I need to go on in the series but enjoyed it.
August 13, 2025
I don’t think I’ll continue the series but it was an okay read!
July 28, 2026
Starts slow but picks up. Good story.
June 8, 2026
Really enjoyed this and was very disappointed that I now have to wait for the next two books for the saga to complete.
October 21, 2025
Very apt title! Sums up my general experience!
January 22, 2025
This was such a fun read! I loved the badass snarky main characters with their frenemy relationship and all the epic battle scenes. Cannot wait for the second book!
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews