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Death's Embrace #4
Valley of Secrets
This city of fools will be brought to order!
Deposed, her father presumed dead, her friends slaughtered and the cavern in chaos, Grace Harrington is on the run and entirely alone. The only ally she has left is the man she hates most in the world: Nathaniel Morgenstern, the assassin who murdered her mother and seduced her father.
Grace’s only hope of reclaiming the throne and saving her people is to seek the aid of Éamon Tadhg, the High Druid of Arajon. But she needs to survive the hostile streets of Iole City before she can even think about fleeing to the Violet Valley.
Nathaniel made a vow to Doran to protect Grace, but he could never have imagined how quickly and horrifically their lives would fall apart.
Grieving the dual losses of the man he loved and his new friend Tsa Lien, Nathaniel devotes himself to the service of the overthrown Lady Archon who despises him – even if it costs him everything he is.
Deposed, her father presumed dead, her friends slaughtered and the cavern in chaos, Grace Harrington is on the run and entirely alone. The only ally she has left is the man she hates most in the world: Nathaniel Morgenstern, the assassin who murdered her mother and seduced her father.
Grace’s only hope of reclaiming the throne and saving her people is to seek the aid of Éamon Tadhg, the High Druid of Arajon. But she needs to survive the hostile streets of Iole City before she can even think about fleeing to the Violet Valley.
Nathaniel made a vow to Doran to protect Grace, but he could never have imagined how quickly and horrifically their lives would fall apart.
Grieving the dual losses of the man he loved and his new friend Tsa Lien, Nathaniel devotes himself to the service of the overthrown Lady Archon who despises him – even if it costs him everything he is.
- GenresFantasy
457 pages, Paperback
First published January 16, 2025
About the author
H.L. Moore
12 books52 followersH. L. Moore (she/they) is the author of the Death’s Embrace fantasy series and the Tales from the Jovian Empire sci-fi novella series.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
December 7, 2024
Phew and wow!
Valley of Secrets is the best book in this series thus far. Full of grit and determination, with a supernatural element. It has character growth, and a good continuation of the fantasy world that Moore has spent time lovingly creating.
More a review on the blog-
Valley of Secrets is the best book in this series thus far. Full of grit and determination, with a supernatural element. It has character growth, and a good continuation of the fantasy world that Moore has spent time lovingly creating.
More a review on the blog-
January 17, 2025
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.5 stars
Valley of Secrets is the fourth book in H.L. Moore’s Death’s Embrace series. The books must be read in order and there are spoilers in this review for the last book, Throne of Lies, though I will try to keep them to a minimum. The world and relationship building, as well the political situation, are too complex to fully comprehend unless you read the series from beginning. To get started with the series, check out our review for the first book, Heart of Dust.
Read Sue’s review in its entirety here.
4.5 stars
Valley of Secrets is the fourth book in H.L. Moore’s Death’s Embrace series. The books must be read in order and there are spoilers in this review for the last book, Throne of Lies, though I will try to keep them to a minimum. The world and relationship building, as well the political situation, are too complex to fully comprehend unless you read the series from beginning. To get started with the series, check out our review for the first book, Heart of Dust.
Read Sue’s review in its entirety here.
January 20, 2026
This is book for of the series and honestly, I was not ready for it to end! This is one of the best series I have read in a long time. Will there be more books? Only time will tell! But I am here for it! This is a book that is written using our history as inspiration. It explores the struggle of the people who are constantly forced from their homes. This uses several religions and people with different names so the hint is there, and if you think you know history, read this and see if you can see the parallels. These books only explored one part of a huge world that HL Moore has at their fingertips!
February 21, 2026
A great finale to the Iole City revolution history! So many characters, plot points and emotions! I loved how the book had a relentless grasp on my attention and there was no putting it down!
The author created a world that has a potential for so many more stories. The world building was really well done, drawing from well known lores and traditions, spinning them into an interesting and surprising universe.
An example of great fiction writing that certainly teleports the reader into the core of the story with every page. Highly recommended!
The author created a world that has a potential for so many more stories. The world building was really well done, drawing from well known lores and traditions, spinning them into an interesting and surprising universe.
An example of great fiction writing that certainly teleports the reader into the core of the story with every page. Highly recommended!
November 14, 2024
Originally published on Marie Reads Books.
Disclaimer: An eARC for this title was kindly gifted to me by the author, but I was not asked to provide a review in return.
Note: Although this review is spoiler free for Valley of Secrets, it assumes knowledge of the first two books in the series.
Iole City is in turmoil after the military, under the leadership of Captain Reagan Iovanius, took control of the city. The deposed Lady Archon, Grace Harrington, is on the run and must put her life and trust into the hands of Nathaniel Morgenstern, the former assassin who murdered her mother. With Doran and Lien dead, she thinks she has nowhere left to turn. However, as the military’s grip on the city becomes more violent, a secret network develops in support of Grace, and she and Nathaniel form dangerous alliances to help secure their position. In a last-ditch attempt to take back her throne, Grace journeys out of the cavern and goes to meet the Druids. Eámon, the High Druid, has refused to support her in the past but when they finally meet, he and Grace find they have more in common than they ever suspected.
I won’t lie: I was very lucky to receive eARCs for both Throne of Lies and Valley of Secrets from the author within the same week. If I had had to wait for book 4 after the events at the end of book 3, I would have been vibrating with anticipation for the entire month. This is definitely the best and strongest instalment of the series so far. It’s the most complex in terms of plot and character threads, and it’s a great reward for making it this far through the series. All the prior character development comes to a head here, particularly in terms of Nathaniel and the various characters he has specific relationships with, and it’s so satisfying to see.
It's hard for me to write about this book because I’m determined to not include spoilers so that people can experience the story for themselves. But there are so many things I loved that I can’t write about specifically. One thing I can talk about is the Druids. We’ve been hearing about the Druids since book 1, Heart of Dust, and the longer the series has gone on without them appearing, the more mysterious they’ve become. I felt a lot of anticipation throughout the first half of this book while I waited to meet them and they were fascinating. I could have spent the whole book just in the forest learning more about their way of life, which is so different from what we’ve seen in Iole City. Eámon is fascinating and nothing like what I expected, and I loved him. His interactions with Grace were delightful and I loved watching the ways they understood their similarities but learned to work around their differences. If I have one gripe about the Druids portion of the book, it’s that there’s a battle that occurs but we don’t see it because Grace gets left behind in the forest, and then we just get to see the returning army. I would have liked to see that event from Grace’s perspective, given how sheltered she’s been for most of her life and how it might have affected her understanding of what could be happening to people in Iole City and what she might be returning to. It felt a little bit like a missed opportunity, but not enough to bother me in the long term. There’s also something that Grace has to do at the end of the book that helped make up for that. I obviously won’t say what she does, but I was surprised that she actually went through with it. I thought she might try to find a way around it, but she met it head-on and I was proud of her for it. It also helped combat the slightly idealistic note that the book leaves you on. There’s nothing wrong with idealism but it felt slightly too neat for my personal taste.
Valley of Secrets is a fantastic end to the stories of these characters. It wraps up all the loose threads but also introduces mysteries of its own. There’s a plot twist that comes in the forest that I definitely didn’t see coming and made my jaw drop. If you’ve stuck with the series this far, you won’t be disappointed, and if you’re new to the series, you’re lucky you don’t have to wait to see how it all comes to a close.
CW: Alcoholism, genocide, forced suicide, military occupation, attempted drowning
Disclaimer: An eARC for this title was kindly gifted to me by the author, but I was not asked to provide a review in return.
Note: Although this review is spoiler free for Valley of Secrets, it assumes knowledge of the first two books in the series.
Iole City is in turmoil after the military, under the leadership of Captain Reagan Iovanius, took control of the city. The deposed Lady Archon, Grace Harrington, is on the run and must put her life and trust into the hands of Nathaniel Morgenstern, the former assassin who murdered her mother. With Doran and Lien dead, she thinks she has nowhere left to turn. However, as the military’s grip on the city becomes more violent, a secret network develops in support of Grace, and she and Nathaniel form dangerous alliances to help secure their position. In a last-ditch attempt to take back her throne, Grace journeys out of the cavern and goes to meet the Druids. Eámon, the High Druid, has refused to support her in the past but when they finally meet, he and Grace find they have more in common than they ever suspected.
I won’t lie: I was very lucky to receive eARCs for both Throne of Lies and Valley of Secrets from the author within the same week. If I had had to wait for book 4 after the events at the end of book 3, I would have been vibrating with anticipation for the entire month. This is definitely the best and strongest instalment of the series so far. It’s the most complex in terms of plot and character threads, and it’s a great reward for making it this far through the series. All the prior character development comes to a head here, particularly in terms of Nathaniel and the various characters he has specific relationships with, and it’s so satisfying to see.
It's hard for me to write about this book because I’m determined to not include spoilers so that people can experience the story for themselves. But there are so many things I loved that I can’t write about specifically. One thing I can talk about is the Druids. We’ve been hearing about the Druids since book 1, Heart of Dust, and the longer the series has gone on without them appearing, the more mysterious they’ve become. I felt a lot of anticipation throughout the first half of this book while I waited to meet them and they were fascinating. I could have spent the whole book just in the forest learning more about their way of life, which is so different from what we’ve seen in Iole City. Eámon is fascinating and nothing like what I expected, and I loved him. His interactions with Grace were delightful and I loved watching the ways they understood their similarities but learned to work around their differences. If I have one gripe about the Druids portion of the book, it’s that there’s a battle that occurs but we don’t see it because Grace gets left behind in the forest, and then we just get to see the returning army. I would have liked to see that event from Grace’s perspective, given how sheltered she’s been for most of her life and how it might have affected her understanding of what could be happening to people in Iole City and what she might be returning to. It felt a little bit like a missed opportunity, but not enough to bother me in the long term. There’s also something that Grace has to do at the end of the book that helped make up for that. I obviously won’t say what she does, but I was surprised that she actually went through with it. I thought she might try to find a way around it, but she met it head-on and I was proud of her for it. It also helped combat the slightly idealistic note that the book leaves you on. There’s nothing wrong with idealism but it felt slightly too neat for my personal taste.
Valley of Secrets is a fantastic end to the stories of these characters. It wraps up all the loose threads but also introduces mysteries of its own. There’s a plot twist that comes in the forest that I definitely didn’t see coming and made my jaw drop. If you’ve stuck with the series this far, you won’t be disappointed, and if you’re new to the series, you’re lucky you don’t have to wait to see how it all comes to a close.
CW: Alcoholism, genocide, forced suicide, military occupation, attempted drowning
February 8, 2025
Just spectacular. So many plot threads that were laid down in the first book have finally been tied off - I can't even imagine how much plotting must have gone into these books. No words. Doran/Nate/Lien OT3 forever. I am SO relieved that there are more books in the series coming... but at least it didn't end on another evil cliffhanger.
February 8, 2025
I love it when a series sets things up at the beginning and things FINALLY pay off. The author has paid off those little crumbs very, very well. This was easily the biggest and best book of the series, full of secrets (as per the title) and some breathtaking revelations. I wish I could say more but I don't want to spoil the book for other readers. Needless to say, you're in for a treat.
November 26, 2025
I don’t even know where to start with this book! It was such a nail biting follow-up to Throne of Lies. All I want to do now is go back to these characters and their world but alas, I have no more! (I may have to do a reread…)
There were multiple bouts of me reading well into the early hours of the morning so I could know what happened next before I fell asleep. Nearly every time something would go right, something else would happen and I’d have to keep reading! Not that I’m complaining.
I really can’t get enough of these characters. Especially Grace this book (who absolutely kicked-ass), I have loved seeing her character develop. Both in herself and in her relationships.
The thrupple. The t h r u p p l e. Send help. Doran, Nate, and Lien will be the death of me. I swear. I will not rest until these characters are allowed to rest. I absolutely love a slow burn, and a four book one makes the pay off so much better.
I loved this storyline and the secrets revealed. One had me rereading the line, multiple times to make sure I read right, not because it is unbelievable, but because the implications are just, ouch! Moore’s writing style is vivid and gripping. Making everything revealed in this book much more impactful.
I am so looking forward to more from this author!
There were multiple bouts of me reading well into the early hours of the morning so I could know what happened next before I fell asleep. Nearly every time something would go right, something else would happen and I’d have to keep reading! Not that I’m complaining.
I really can’t get enough of these characters. Especially Grace this book (who absolutely kicked-ass), I have loved seeing her character develop. Both in herself and in her relationships.
The thrupple. The t h r u p p l e. Send help. Doran, Nate, and Lien will be the death of me. I swear. I will not rest until these characters are allowed to rest. I absolutely love a slow burn, and a four book one makes the pay off so much better.
I loved this storyline and the secrets revealed. One had me rereading the line, multiple times to make sure I read right, not because it is unbelievable, but because the implications are just, ouch! Moore’s writing style is vivid and gripping. Making everything revealed in this book much more impactful.
I am so looking forward to more from this author!
November 4, 2024
Picking up right after Throne of Lies, this story hits the ground running and does not stop. Full of intrigue, crime, investigation and romance, Valley of Secrets does not miss a single trick.
February 15, 2025
This is the longest book in the series, and no wonder, it has a lot of things to tie up. It’s not the last book of the series, but does offer some kind of closure, so readers can wait for the next book with some modicum of peace.
The coup has Grace and Nathaniel hiding out in the immigrant quarter of the Sīzhèn District, where he, Doran, and Tsa Lien had their weekly Mahjong game. Grieving Tsa Lien and Doran, both of them have no one but each other, even though Grace still hates Nathaniel.
[SPOILERS AHEAD]
Except Tsa Lien isn’t dead. She isn’t even human or even a she. It’s a Shadow Eater, just as Nathaniel had said when they first met. The shadow eater had possessed the dying twelve year old Tsa Lien, had made her identity its own, and had forgotten its own origins. Despite its propensity to consume souls, the worse the better, the memory of Tsa Lien refuses to let go.
The Nameless were originally made to counter the Shadow Eaters, the ones without names, souls, with poison running in their veins, and armed with the only weapon capable of harming the Shadow Eater. But it’s Nathaniel who finally brings the Shadow Eater back, forcing it into becoming Tsa Lien once again.
Though Lenora Darkwater has agreed to help Grace, and has helped in spreading the word of her survival and in cobbling together a resistance, her motives are still suspect.
Doran is also not dead, having been saved by a wisteria growing between the rocks. He manages to climb to the fall cells, to rescue Gertrude and make his way out. He manages to make his way to Sīzhèn District, and has a brief reunion with Nathaniel and Tsa Lien.
Because Grace has decided to go to the Valley, to seek the blessings and support from the Druids, and Doran is going with her.
But the Druids of the Valley are not going to be impressed by an obvious Southerner who hasn’t appeared to accept her Valley heritage, who hasn’t made the pilgrimage to the Valley despite having been the ruler of Iole City for a year.
What is worse, Nathaniel and Tsa Lien are contacted by the Helvetic Ambassador who informs them that an army of Wardens is on their way, and whether they come as an invader or a support to Grace depends on their choices. The wardens are the very ones whose destruction of their homeland left Nathaniel an orphan and his people homeless and unmoored. But unless they ally themselves, Iole city would be the next Haderach.
As I said at the beginning, there is a closure at the end, and a tinge of hope in the horizon despite all the challenges that come with it. A Warden Sanctum is in Iole city now, and Lenora is missing. The Silent Sisters are watching, and the Helvetic Empire is not going to be content with being a silent spectator anymore.
All the same, there is hope, for Iole City, for Grace, Doran, for Nathaniel, for Lien and I’m content with it for now.
If you love well developed fantasy worlds with fast paced, compelling plot lines, complex, flawed, and well rounded characters who feels real, you should give this book and this series a try.
The coup has Grace and Nathaniel hiding out in the immigrant quarter of the Sīzhèn District, where he, Doran, and Tsa Lien had their weekly Mahjong game. Grieving Tsa Lien and Doran, both of them have no one but each other, even though Grace still hates Nathaniel.
[SPOILERS AHEAD]
Except Tsa Lien isn’t dead. She isn’t even human or even a she. It’s a Shadow Eater, just as Nathaniel had said when they first met. The shadow eater had possessed the dying twelve year old Tsa Lien, had made her identity its own, and had forgotten its own origins. Despite its propensity to consume souls, the worse the better, the memory of Tsa Lien refuses to let go.
The Nameless were originally made to counter the Shadow Eaters, the ones without names, souls, with poison running in their veins, and armed with the only weapon capable of harming the Shadow Eater. But it’s Nathaniel who finally brings the Shadow Eater back, forcing it into becoming Tsa Lien once again.
Though Lenora Darkwater has agreed to help Grace, and has helped in spreading the word of her survival and in cobbling together a resistance, her motives are still suspect.
Doran is also not dead, having been saved by a wisteria growing between the rocks. He manages to climb to the fall cells, to rescue Gertrude and make his way out. He manages to make his way to Sīzhèn District, and has a brief reunion with Nathaniel and Tsa Lien.
Because Grace has decided to go to the Valley, to seek the blessings and support from the Druids, and Doran is going with her.
But the Druids of the Valley are not going to be impressed by an obvious Southerner who hasn’t appeared to accept her Valley heritage, who hasn’t made the pilgrimage to the Valley despite having been the ruler of Iole City for a year.
What is worse, Nathaniel and Tsa Lien are contacted by the Helvetic Ambassador who informs them that an army of Wardens is on their way, and whether they come as an invader or a support to Grace depends on their choices. The wardens are the very ones whose destruction of their homeland left Nathaniel an orphan and his people homeless and unmoored. But unless they ally themselves, Iole city would be the next Haderach.
As I said at the beginning, there is a closure at the end, and a tinge of hope in the horizon despite all the challenges that come with it. A Warden Sanctum is in Iole city now, and Lenora is missing. The Silent Sisters are watching, and the Helvetic Empire is not going to be content with being a silent spectator anymore.
All the same, there is hope, for Iole City, for Grace, Doran, for Nathaniel, for Lien and I’m content with it for now.
If you love well developed fantasy worlds with fast paced, compelling plot lines, complex, flawed, and well rounded characters who feels real, you should give this book and this series a try.
December 15, 2025
You know that feeling when you’re down to the last twenty pages of the last book of a series you really loved, and you don’t want it to end, so you start reading slower and slower to drag out the inevitable?
That. Hard. For Valley of Secrets, (currently) the last book in H.L. Moore’s blockbuster fantasy series “Death’s Embrace.” I have it on good authority that there will be more coming, and thank the writing gods, because this is one hell of a series.
In each of the previous books, Moore has added a new POV character. Book one was Doran’s alone. Book two saw the addition of his lover/nemesis Nathaniel, a former nameless assassin (it’s complicated). In book three, Grace, Doran’s daughter, joined the party. And book four continues the trend, with Lien, Doran’s steadfast friend (and maybe more) getting her own voice. At this rate, the cast may be unmanageable by book ten, LOL, but will be so there for it.
Series spoilers – book four picks up where book three left off, with Grace deposed from the Archon Throne in Iole City after a brutal coup (think red wedding in a throne room) by her former Captain of the Guard, Iovanius. Grace is on the run with Nathaniel, and Doran and Lien are presumed dead. But Moor has a few tricks up her sleeve.
In this volume, we finally get out of Iole City into the Valley of the title, the rest of the nation of Arajon that’s ruled by the Draoidhean, druids who revere nature above all else and disdain the technology and loose morals of Iole City. Grace flees the city to seek their help in overthrowing her former Captain, but there’s another challenger to the throne, and a secret threat that neither she nor Doran sees coming…
Each of the previous books featured a shocking surprise about three-quarters through, and this one is no exception. And it’s a good one too. Moore isn’t afraid to really put her characters through it, making the wins, when they come, all the more rewarding,
Valley of Secrets also fulfils the long-promised poly relationship we’ve been led to expect at least since book two, but it does it in a wholly satisfying way. And although this is the final book for now and not the end of the series, it wraps everything to date up neatly, so you won’t feel like you’ve been hung out to dry.
Although there is an intriguing coda that suggests the future of the series.
There’s an entire world still t be explored outside of Arajon, and I can’t wait for Moore to get back to her keyboard to give us more of it.
Go ahead. I’ll wait. * taps foot impatiently *
But seriously, this is the best fantasy series I’ve read in a long time, on a par with the greats – right up there with McCaffrey, Wurts, Donaldson, and Kay. Epic, extremely well plotted, and with a unique world that offers so many different possibilities for future storytelling.
Grab a copy now and get reading. You won’t be disappointed.
That. Hard. For Valley of Secrets, (currently) the last book in H.L. Moore’s blockbuster fantasy series “Death’s Embrace.” I have it on good authority that there will be more coming, and thank the writing gods, because this is one hell of a series.
In each of the previous books, Moore has added a new POV character. Book one was Doran’s alone. Book two saw the addition of his lover/nemesis Nathaniel, a former nameless assassin (it’s complicated). In book three, Grace, Doran’s daughter, joined the party. And book four continues the trend, with Lien, Doran’s steadfast friend (and maybe more) getting her own voice. At this rate, the cast may be unmanageable by book ten, LOL, but will be so there for it.
Series spoilers – book four picks up where book three left off, with Grace deposed from the Archon Throne in Iole City after a brutal coup (think red wedding in a throne room) by her former Captain of the Guard, Iovanius. Grace is on the run with Nathaniel, and Doran and Lien are presumed dead. But Moor has a few tricks up her sleeve.
In this volume, we finally get out of Iole City into the Valley of the title, the rest of the nation of Arajon that’s ruled by the Draoidhean, druids who revere nature above all else and disdain the technology and loose morals of Iole City. Grace flees the city to seek their help in overthrowing her former Captain, but there’s another challenger to the throne, and a secret threat that neither she nor Doran sees coming…
Each of the previous books featured a shocking surprise about three-quarters through, and this one is no exception. And it’s a good one too. Moore isn’t afraid to really put her characters through it, making the wins, when they come, all the more rewarding,
Valley of Secrets also fulfils the long-promised poly relationship we’ve been led to expect at least since book two, but it does it in a wholly satisfying way. And although this is the final book for now and not the end of the series, it wraps everything to date up neatly, so you won’t feel like you’ve been hung out to dry.
Although there is an intriguing coda that suggests the future of the series.
There’s an entire world still t be explored outside of Arajon, and I can’t wait for Moore to get back to her keyboard to give us more of it.
Go ahead. I’ll wait. * taps foot impatiently *
But seriously, this is the best fantasy series I’ve read in a long time, on a par with the greats – right up there with McCaffrey, Wurts, Donaldson, and Kay. Epic, extremely well plotted, and with a unique world that offers so many different possibilities for future storytelling.
Grab a copy now and get reading. You won’t be disappointed.
March 27, 2026
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
THis is book 4 in the Death's Embrace series and it cannot be read as a stand alone. You need to know how Grace and Nathaniel got to this point in time, and everything is not recapped and you really do need it!
Grace is on the run, and she has to trust to man who killed her mother. But she has no one else. Her father, Doran, is dead. Her closest friend, Tsa Lien is dead and those who want her dead grow in number by the minute. The only solution is to get to the valley, to Eamon, the High Druid of Arajon. But getting there might cost her and Nathaniel their lives.
OK so! Doran had the voice in book 1, Nathaniel was added in book 2, Grace in book 3 and here we get someone else as well and I loved the surprises she threw at me!! So we get everyone here and I loved that.
I said in a previous review, that I loved and hated that I couldn't see where this story was going. I think what I meant was, I couldn't see HOW it was going to get where it was going! Grace was always meant to rule, I just couldn't see how she was going to get there. She takes quite the long way round, but I think she really did need to, to ensure she stays there this time.
Grace needed Nathaniel (oooh! I just realised! Only Doran calls him Nate!) even if she hated him. And she learns a lot about him on their journey to the valley, and it makes her see a deeper side to the man who has her father's heart. I loved that Eamon won Grace's heart. He surprised me too!
Doran has quite an adventure too, after his tumble off the side of a cliff! There were some surprises for him in the valley, as well!
Oh dear Lord, I wanna rant and rave about this book but it would really be full of spoilers and I don't want to do that, because I really LOVED the surprises this book threw at me, and you need those surprises too, but when you are reading.
I have absolutely no idea what Samael has to do with anything in these books! Can someone explain, please??
This is book 4, the final book, in the Death's Embrace series. But as I was reading, the ending felt unfinished. It felt like there was move to come for this group of people, for Grace especially. And then I read the bit the author wrote at the end. It appears there are 2 more books to come! And I hope I can get my hands on them!
I have to commend Ms Moore. I usually read books heavy on the smexy side and these books are very lacking in that department. Not a bad thing, not at all. But for Ms Moore to keep me fully engaged for 4 very VERY long books?? Outstanding work, really outstanding. So much so, I've added this book to my Masterpieces shelf!
I can't fault this, or any of the books in this series. So it can only get. . . .
5 full and shiny stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
THis is book 4 in the Death's Embrace series and it cannot be read as a stand alone. You need to know how Grace and Nathaniel got to this point in time, and everything is not recapped and you really do need it!
Grace is on the run, and she has to trust to man who killed her mother. But she has no one else. Her father, Doran, is dead. Her closest friend, Tsa Lien is dead and those who want her dead grow in number by the minute. The only solution is to get to the valley, to Eamon, the High Druid of Arajon. But getting there might cost her and Nathaniel their lives.
OK so! Doran had the voice in book 1, Nathaniel was added in book 2, Grace in book 3 and here we get someone else as well and I loved the surprises she threw at me!! So we get everyone here and I loved that.
I said in a previous review, that I loved and hated that I couldn't see where this story was going. I think what I meant was, I couldn't see HOW it was going to get where it was going! Grace was always meant to rule, I just couldn't see how she was going to get there. She takes quite the long way round, but I think she really did need to, to ensure she stays there this time.
Grace needed Nathaniel (oooh! I just realised! Only Doran calls him Nate!) even if she hated him. And she learns a lot about him on their journey to the valley, and it makes her see a deeper side to the man who has her father's heart. I loved that Eamon won Grace's heart. He surprised me too!
Doran has quite an adventure too, after his tumble off the side of a cliff! There were some surprises for him in the valley, as well!
Oh dear Lord, I wanna rant and rave about this book but it would really be full of spoilers and I don't want to do that, because I really LOVED the surprises this book threw at me, and you need those surprises too, but when you are reading.
I have absolutely no idea what Samael has to do with anything in these books! Can someone explain, please??
This is book 4, the final book, in the Death's Embrace series. But as I was reading, the ending felt unfinished. It felt like there was move to come for this group of people, for Grace especially. And then I read the bit the author wrote at the end. It appears there are 2 more books to come! And I hope I can get my hands on them!
I have to commend Ms Moore. I usually read books heavy on the smexy side and these books are very lacking in that department. Not a bad thing, not at all. But for Ms Moore to keep me fully engaged for 4 very VERY long books?? Outstanding work, really outstanding. So much so, I've added this book to my Masterpieces shelf!
I can't fault this, or any of the books in this series. So it can only get. . . .
5 full and shiny stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
May 29, 2026
No one could have stopped at the ending for Throne of Lies and not be dying to find out what happened next. I was so glad Valley of Secrets was already available, and it did not disappoint.
The most striking thing about this instalment is how it leans into the supernatural and more fantastical elements (8-legged steeds, anyone?). Previous books had their mysteries and tastes of otherworldly powers, but Valley of Secrets really brought it into focus. I'll confess and it's made that arc so interesting. Chapter one was a highlight for me, as well as the confrontation with Nathaniel in Citer District. So well written.
And then, I cackled so much at that callback. Won't say more on this character for spoilers, but yes, I was very relieved. The discovery of a certain woman's identity left me reeling.
Éamon Tadhg was a delightful surprise. I'd braced myself for basically Gandalf, so this character was completely not what I expected, and his interactions with Grace were a joy to read. As delightful as this relationship is, is it just me or is there a simmering power imbalance here too? Super intriguing and I hope that's explored in later books. I also love that Grace has a certain hereditary pig-headedness that sometimes just left me yelling at the page.
Now for the fannish whining: not enough of my heart's favourite Gerald in this book! I need more of him! And I was shocked when Meanwhile I'll be manifesting hard.
Valley of Secrets ends on a very satisfying note, but there are a number of intriguing dangling plot threads that you just know can (and will) unwind into disasters. The Wardens' new foothold, the Nameless at the door. There are so many stories left to tell and I'm so there for them.
The most striking thing about this instalment is how it leans into the supernatural and more fantastical elements (8-legged steeds, anyone?). Previous books had their mysteries and tastes of otherworldly powers, but Valley of Secrets really brought it into focus. I'll confess and it's made that arc so interesting. Chapter one was a highlight for me, as well as the confrontation with Nathaniel in Citer District. So well written.
And then, I cackled so much at that callback. Won't say more on this character for spoilers, but yes, I was very relieved. The discovery of a certain woman's identity left me reeling.
Éamon Tadhg was a delightful surprise. I'd braced myself for basically Gandalf, so this character was completely not what I expected, and his interactions with Grace were a joy to read. As delightful as this relationship is, is it just me or is there a simmering power imbalance here too? Super intriguing and I hope that's explored in later books. I also love that Grace has a certain hereditary pig-headedness that sometimes just left me yelling at the page.
Now for the fannish whining: not enough of my heart's favourite Gerald in this book! I need more of him! And I was shocked when Meanwhile I'll be manifesting hard.
Valley of Secrets ends on a very satisfying note, but there are a number of intriguing dangling plot threads that you just know can (and will) unwind into disasters. The Wardens' new foothold, the Nameless at the door. There are so many stories left to tell and I'm so there for them.
November 4, 2024
After the emotional climax of Throne of Lies, this book picks up the threads with gusto. Moore continues to prove she has a masterful grasp of her characters, bringing major arcs to a fully satisfying end. The story hits perfectly, with well-timed beats that keep you turning page after page. You can't help but cheer along with the characters when things go right, or cry with them when things go wrong. This is by far my favourite of the series.
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