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Hallowed Games #2
Vanquished Gods
All I wanted was a simple life in my cozy forest cottage, hiding out from the witch finders. So when a vampire appears to disrupt my peace, I kill him instantly. Unfortunately, I learn he was the best friend of Sion--the vampire king.
Sion, unaware of what I did, shows up next. The dangerously seductive vampire wants to harness my death powers to fight the Order. And with the witch-hunters closing in, I have no choice but to join him. He promises to help me master my death-touch, and though he's a bloodthirsty killer, his dark allure is frustratingly irresistible.
Together, we must bring down the Order's reign of terror in the kingdom of Merthyn. If we fail, every last witch sanctuary will be destroyed, and I'll burn at the stake. In battle, the line between desire and danger blurs, and our connection might be our only hope for survival.
Sion, unaware of what I did, shows up next. The dangerously seductive vampire wants to harness my death powers to fight the Order. And with the witch-hunters closing in, I have no choice but to join him. He promises to help me master my death-touch, and though he's a bloodthirsty killer, his dark allure is frustratingly irresistible.
Together, we must bring down the Order's reign of terror in the kingdom of Merthyn. If we fail, every last witch sanctuary will be destroyed, and I'll burn at the stake. In battle, the line between desire and danger blurs, and our connection might be our only hope for survival.
274 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 30, 2024
About the author
C.N. Crawford
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C.N. Crawford are Wall Street Journal bestselling authors of romantasy books, including books with fae, demons, and magical academies.
We write fantasy romance, urban fantasy, and portal romance. Our books often include trials, banter, and enemies to lovers stories.
Note: We are actually two people--a former biologist (Nick) and a former school psychologist (Christine).
Some books are both of us, and some are just Christine!
To join C.N. Crawford's fan group and chat to the authors, Click here.
To stalk on instagram, Click here.
For a free standalone novel, Sign up here.
C.N. Crawford are Wall Street Journal bestselling authors of romantasy books, including books with fae, demons, and magical academies.
We write fantasy romance, urban fantasy, and portal romance. Our books often include trials, banter, and enemies to lovers stories.
Note: We are actually two people--a former biologist (Nick) and a former school psychologist (Christine).
Some books are both of us, and some are just Christine!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 274 reviews
November 28, 2024
2.5 🌟 this felt very disjointed from the first book. The characters were so different without there really being any growth if that makes sense. It all felt very rushed, and it feels like the author tried to make too many things happen in this book when it would’ve been better more spread out in maybe another book? I’m just so confused how Maelor risked it all for Elowen in book one and then just has like zero feelings for her in this one? And the dynamic between Elowen and Sion did a complete 180 with no real tension or build up. And the big reveal about Sion and Elowen knowing each other before but having her memories erased felt like a cop out—absolutely none of his actions leading up to that reveal indicated that there had been something between them before. And why did Maelor fixate on her so hard in book one when she and his best friend were together before? Idk the plot of this book was just a mess. I do love C.N. Crawford’s writing style, and this was a fast read but definitely disappointing
October 12, 2025
I almost finished this book three weeks ago on a plane to Italy, I had about 20 pages left, and figured I'll definitely finish it during my road trip...guys, I did zero reading over the past weeks, I was so busy travelling and seeing the sights.
Then I thought okay, I'll finish it on the plane back home...only for the stranger sitting next to me to strike up a conversation that lasted the whole flight. So I finally finished those pesky 20 pages at home today. Phew.
Now, WHAT DO YOU MEAN THIS IS A DUOLOGY??? HUH??? Here I thought I'd get to enjoy these characters for many books yet to come, but it's really over??? I'm so sad.
I agree with everyone who said this felt different than the first book, and a lot of things could've been done better, like for example the final boss fight, which seemed too easy.
But I also enjoyed it just as much as book one, even if it was a bit rushed as a whole. Sion got alllll the page time and bonding moments, but despite that I was expecting the three of them to end up together in a poly relationship. Imagine my surprise when that didn't happen, she chose one of them, and the other one was completely fine with it, no conversation necessary. That, I feel, was a bit unfair.
I really wish this book was longer, or that we had another one coming out, because Vanquished Gods doesn't feel like the final one. There's still so much more lore to explain and explore, more adventures to be had, and so on.
I also didn't have time to get used to the idea of before the book was over because it happened so fast. Like I said though, I did enjoy it, it was fun, and I'll be reading more of C.N. Crawford's books in the future.
Then I thought okay, I'll finish it on the plane back home...only for the stranger sitting next to me to strike up a conversation that lasted the whole flight. So I finally finished those pesky 20 pages at home today. Phew.
Now, WHAT DO YOU MEAN THIS IS A DUOLOGY??? HUH??? Here I thought I'd get to enjoy these characters for many books yet to come, but it's really over??? I'm so sad.
I agree with everyone who said this felt different than the first book, and a lot of things could've been done better, like for example the final boss fight, which seemed too easy.
But I also enjoyed it just as much as book one, even if it was a bit rushed as a whole. Sion got alllll the page time and bonding moments, but despite that I was expecting the three of them to end up together in a poly relationship. Imagine my surprise when that didn't happen, she chose one of them, and the other one was completely fine with it, no conversation necessary. That, I feel, was a bit unfair.
I really wish this book was longer, or that we had another one coming out, because Vanquished Gods doesn't feel like the final one. There's still so much more lore to explain and explore, more adventures to be had, and so on.
I also didn't have time to get used to the idea of before the book was over because it happened so fast. Like I said though, I did enjoy it, it was fun, and I'll be reading more of C.N. Crawford's books in the future.
November 29, 2024
Man…. I was so excited for this book… but it just felt like I was reading a completely different series from the first book and it fell completely flat for me. It somehow both dragged and was incredibly rushed. I feel like every character did a complete 180 or body swapped or something. There were so many backstory and character development holes that could have led to a really captivating story if she had added some emotional depth and growth but instead they were just glazed over by haphazard and superficial explanations. The ending was rushed and anti climactic. I’m just super bummed…I loved the first one and was hyped for this one, but it just didn’t flow at all.
November 16, 2024
This is the conclusion to Elowen's story, and boy was it worth the wait!
All the secrets are being unraveled and there are twists to the story I didn't see coming. The relationship between her and Sion begins to sizzle. We also get deeper into Sion's character and see him in a new light. He's not a heroically good guy (after all he is a vampire) but it's not as simple as being good or evil, there are many shades of grey between black and white.
I loved every bit of this adventure and would definitely recommend reading it!
All the secrets are being unraveled and there are twists to the story I didn't see coming. The relationship between her and Sion begins to sizzle. We also get deeper into Sion's character and see him in a new light. He's not a heroically good guy (after all he is a vampire) but it's not as simple as being good or evil, there are many shades of grey between black and white.
I loved every bit of this adventure and would definitely recommend reading it!
December 17, 2024
4,75 ⭐️+❤️🔥
the only reason that it's not a 5 star read for me, is because i wish it was longer, i just needed more from Sion and their relationship 😭❤️🩹❤️🩹
the only reason that it's not a 5 star read for me, is because i wish it was longer, i just needed more from Sion and their relationship 😭❤️🩹❤️🩹
September 3, 2025
I LOVED this book with all my heart. One of my top favorite books and it's also become one of my comfort reads!! Can't wait to re-read it!!!
this book is also super fast pacing and the author didn't waste time over prolonged and repetitive dialogues & scenes.
It's best to dive right into this book without knowing anything about it. Just start reading it & thank me later 🤭
& Sion?! Whewwww 🔥🥵
this book is also super fast pacing and the author didn't waste time over prolonged and repetitive dialogues & scenes.
It's best to dive right into this book without knowing anything about it. Just start reading it & thank me later 🤭
& Sion?! Whewwww 🔥🥵
June 6, 2025
Rating 2.5⭐️⭐️
Spice 1 🌶️
Huh? Well that was confusing. So many loose ends that don’t get taken care of. This seemed very Vampire Diaries coded. Once Maleor drank from her he lost his mind (similar story to Stefan) and became unhinged but only sometimes?.! I was so lost on why the love interest switched to Sion (aka Damon). Like why have Maleor save her constantly in book 1 just for her to fall for Sion, who did nothing for her in Book 1. Would have made way more sense if Maleor (while telling her about her dad) told her he was sent to save her by Sion in the trials…that could’ve made a little more sense. Also Sion and Elowyns love story wasn’t as intense and passionate as her and Maleor in book 1 so it became a little unbelievable. Seemed like Elowyn settled for Sion and he suddenly is madly in love with her.
Now let’s talked Lydia…her behavior in book 1 is terrible but I was so confused by her in book 2. Are they friends? Did she really go back to her shitty father and husband who is desperately in love with Elowyn? I was kinda hoping Lydia and Percival would have a thing.
Now that’s a character I loved…Percival was perfection through book 1 and 2.
Overall the series has a great basis but it should have been 3 books. We should have transitioned from one MMC to the next in a reasonable time frame. Also, the ending wrapped up fast with very little loss or fighting.
Overall, I like both MMC’s and the FMC is ok but it could have been a really great series with more time and development on the plot.
Spice 1 🌶️
Huh? Well that was confusing. So many loose ends that don’t get taken care of. This seemed very Vampire Diaries coded. Once Maleor drank from her he lost his mind (similar story to Stefan) and became unhinged but only sometimes?.! I was so lost on why the love interest switched to Sion (aka Damon). Like why have Maleor save her constantly in book 1 just for her to fall for Sion, who did nothing for her in Book 1. Would have made way more sense if Maleor (while telling her about her dad) told her he was sent to save her by Sion in the trials…that could’ve made a little more sense. Also Sion and Elowyns love story wasn’t as intense and passionate as her and Maleor in book 1 so it became a little unbelievable. Seemed like Elowyn settled for Sion and he suddenly is madly in love with her.
Now let’s talked Lydia…her behavior in book 1 is terrible but I was so confused by her in book 2. Are they friends? Did she really go back to her shitty father and husband who is desperately in love with Elowyn? I was kinda hoping Lydia and Percival would have a thing.
Now that’s a character I loved…Percival was perfection through book 1 and 2.
Overall the series has a great basis but it should have been 3 books. We should have transitioned from one MMC to the next in a reasonable time frame. Also, the ending wrapped up fast with very little loss or fighting.
Overall, I like both MMC’s and the FMC is ok but it could have been a really great series with more time and development on the plot.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 12, 2025
Rating: 🌟 🌟 🌟
FMC: 🌟 🌟 🌟
MMC: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
Spice: 🌶 🌶
Considering how much I loved Hallowed Games, I was sadly disappointed in book 2. The characters felt different, and the plot felt rushed in some parts.
I will say that I loved Sion this time around, though. I was just thrown a bit because I kept thinking, wait, what happened to her relationship with Maelor? All of a sudden, he's just brushed off to the side and Sion becomes her romantic focus.
Book 1 set up a really good plot, but book 2 just fell short with it, unfortunately
FMC: 🌟 🌟 🌟
MMC: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
Spice: 🌶 🌶
Considering how much I loved Hallowed Games, I was sadly disappointed in book 2. The characters felt different, and the plot felt rushed in some parts.
I will say that I loved Sion this time around, though. I was just thrown a bit because I kept thinking, wait, what happened to her relationship with Maelor? All of a sudden, he's just brushed off to the side and Sion becomes her romantic focus.
Book 1 set up a really good plot, but book 2 just fell short with it, unfortunately
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 18, 2024
4.75 ⭐️
What an amazing conclusion to this duology! C.N. Crawford never ceases to amaze with their fantastic stories!
Vanquished Gods gave us the perfect ending to Elowen’s story. There were so many twists and secrets unraveled and revealed that it kind of blew my mind. I really enjoyed seeing her come full circle in her journey to discover exactly she was capable of. A badass FMC is what she is! She’s snarky and focused solely on keeping those she loves safe. And, Sion, OOF!! He is definitely one you love to hate; yet find yourself loving so much. He’s inherently not a good guy, in the slightest. But he was good with Elowen. It was quite refreshing getting to know his backstory and what made him who he is. We get a deeper sense of his character and I most definitely saw him in a new light. Their relationship really sizzled and the banter between them was off the charts. Their little found family was everything!
This book will give you all the things you love about fantasy romance! Sexy vampires, witches, morally grey characters, shadow daddy, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, forbidden magic, one horse, found family and epic banter!! It’s fast paced and jam packed with action. I highly recommend the Hallowed Games duology!
What an amazing conclusion to this duology! C.N. Crawford never ceases to amaze with their fantastic stories!
Vanquished Gods gave us the perfect ending to Elowen’s story. There were so many twists and secrets unraveled and revealed that it kind of blew my mind. I really enjoyed seeing her come full circle in her journey to discover exactly she was capable of. A badass FMC is what she is! She’s snarky and focused solely on keeping those she loves safe. And, Sion, OOF!! He is definitely one you love to hate; yet find yourself loving so much. He’s inherently not a good guy, in the slightest. But he was good with Elowen. It was quite refreshing getting to know his backstory and what made him who he is. We get a deeper sense of his character and I most definitely saw him in a new light. Their relationship really sizzled and the banter between them was off the charts. Their little found family was everything!
This book will give you all the things you love about fantasy romance! Sexy vampires, witches, morally grey characters, shadow daddy, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, forbidden magic, one horse, found family and epic banter!! It’s fast paced and jam packed with action. I highly recommend the Hallowed Games duology!
November 25, 2024
Vanquished Gods gives us answers to questions we didn’t know we needed. This is a fast paced story that takes Elowen on a quest of self discovery as she learns to embrace her powers and to live on her own terms. Even if it wasn’t the terms she first expected. Maelor and Sion still fight to protect Elowen at every turn but Sion is now the one who sets her heart on fire. Can the Pater finally be defeated and can Leo live free from fear. This book is a maelstrom of action as the Pater hunts them in his quest for unending power. Will they find a way to defeat him once and for all. Follow them on this quest for freedom from an evil that refuses to die. Great read as always.
December 4, 2024
Love a book that has a recap in the beginning. Bonus points for that lol.
Pretty twisty! I liked this one more than the first tbh. I thought Elowen and Sion had good chemistry. I would have liked to have seen the end fleshed out *just* a little more because it felt rushed but overall a good conclusion to the series!
Pretty twisty! I liked this one more than the first tbh. I thought Elowen and Sion had good chemistry. I would have liked to have seen the end fleshed out *just* a little more because it felt rushed but overall a good conclusion to the series!
January 7, 2025
Really good. This sequel was better than the first one.
*Spoiler alert CN Crawford tried to Tamlin us!!! Oh man, I was fooled by the first book- I liked it but I didn’t love it but I also couldn’t stop reading it and I knew I wanted to read this one immediately and I’m so glad I did this book was so damn good!!!! This is like how I felt when I read ACOTAR and I was like why does everyone love this? It was good I liked it but I didn’t love it and then BAM you read book 2 and truly meet Rhysand and it becomes the best thing you’ve ever read. Ughh so that’s this book. Book 2 was so good it makes me feel like I need to run back to Hallowed Games and re-read it to search for all the subtle signs I obviously didn’t see the first time! So anyway this duology is so good but you absolutely have to wait till you’ve read the whole thing before you form any opinions!!
ALSO one thing is bugging me - Maeylor is such a d!ck!! Like HE KNEW!! she blamed herself but she didn’t know, he KNEW! I can’t get over this right now, reflecting on the book. It’s bugging there wasn’t like some kind of discussion amongst the characters on this issue.
*Spoiler alert CN Crawford tried to Tamlin us!!! Oh man, I was fooled by the first book- I liked it but I didn’t love it but I also couldn’t stop reading it and I knew I wanted to read this one immediately and I’m so glad I did this book was so damn good!!!! This is like how I felt when I read ACOTAR and I was like why does everyone love this? It was good I liked it but I didn’t love it and then BAM you read book 2 and truly meet Rhysand and it becomes the best thing you’ve ever read. Ughh so that’s this book. Book 2 was so good it makes me feel like I need to run back to Hallowed Games and re-read it to search for all the subtle signs I obviously didn’t see the first time! So anyway this duology is so good but you absolutely have to wait till you’ve read the whole thing before you form any opinions!!
ALSO one thing is bugging me - Maeylor is such a d!ck!! Like HE KNEW!! she blamed herself but she didn’t know, he KNEW! I can’t get over this right now, reflecting on the book. It’s bugging there wasn’t like some kind of discussion amongst the characters on this issue.
November 24, 2024
"The only difference between a man and a monster is the mind's own reckoning."
✨ Fantasy Romance
✨ Shadow Daddy
✨ All the Banter
✨ Morally Gray Vampires
✨ One Horse
✨ Found Family
✨ The Chosen One
This was a fantastic conclusion to the Hallowed Games duology filled with crazy twists and shocking revelations! I really enjoyed Elowen's journey and self-discovery in this book and how she became even more of a baddie FMC. She was snarky and brave and kept going toe to toe with Sion. We also got to witness another side of Sion in this book and learn more about his backstory and get a sense of who he is. He's ruthless and charming and his banter with Elowen was top tier! He's the morally gray, shadow daddy vampire that walks the fine line between someone you love to hate and hate to love.
This duology is perfect for those who love fantasy romance! It has sexy vampires, baddie witches, all the morally grey characters, delicious enemies to lovers with epic banter, forced proximity, forbidden magic, one horse, and more! This was a fast paced read with non-stop action and burgeoning romance.
Thanks so much to C.N. Crawford for the advanced copy! 🖤
✨ Fantasy Romance
✨ Shadow Daddy
✨ All the Banter
✨ Morally Gray Vampires
✨ One Horse
✨ Found Family
✨ The Chosen One
This was a fantastic conclusion to the Hallowed Games duology filled with crazy twists and shocking revelations! I really enjoyed Elowen's journey and self-discovery in this book and how she became even more of a baddie FMC. She was snarky and brave and kept going toe to toe with Sion. We also got to witness another side of Sion in this book and learn more about his backstory and get a sense of who he is. He's ruthless and charming and his banter with Elowen was top tier! He's the morally gray, shadow daddy vampire that walks the fine line between someone you love to hate and hate to love.
This duology is perfect for those who love fantasy romance! It has sexy vampires, baddie witches, all the morally grey characters, delicious enemies to lovers with epic banter, forced proximity, forbidden magic, one horse, and more! This was a fast paced read with non-stop action and burgeoning romance.
Thanks so much to C.N. Crawford for the advanced copy! 🖤
January 30, 2025
Vanquished God’s tied this Duology up in a perfect little bow!!
Vampires are always a win for me, but when it’s a FANTASY romance with vampires, that’s the icing on the cake. For me, it hits different than your average PNR and I loved all of the magical elements and plot twists this book offered. There were definitely some things I didn’t see coming!!! I’m sad it’s over but happy with where the characters ended up.
Vampires are always a win for me, but when it’s a FANTASY romance with vampires, that’s the icing on the cake. For me, it hits different than your average PNR and I loved all of the magical elements and plot twists this book offered. There were definitely some things I didn’t see coming!!! I’m sad it’s over but happy with where the characters ended up.
November 18, 2024
This was a good conclusion to the duet, but I’m a little disappointed by the last portion. I felt like the end was rushed! We hardly had any time with the ~new~ Elowen, or the new world and location, and Sion. I felt like the first book gave us a lot more side characters and the conclusion was just more underwhelming than I anticipated. I’ll still continue to be a loyal C.N. Crawford reader, but this one definitely isn’t my favorite
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 18, 2024
This weekend I was in the mood for a duet to binge and I’ve been dying to read this one! This series has perfect gothic vampire vibes with fierce FMC energy, hunger games meets throne of glass vibes, witch trials and fanatic religious tyrants, and so much more. I absolutely loved this book and loved that it brought old school vampire vibes. I was instantly hooked. This is the perfect duet for someone who’s been in a book slump and looking for something to get back into reading.
ℝ𝔼𝔸𝔻 𝕀𝔽 𝕐𝕆𝕌 𝕃𝕆𝕍𝔼
🔥Morally Gray Characters
🔥Dark Gothic Vibes
🔥Deadly Touch
🔥Enemies To Lovers
🔥Touch Her and Die
🔥Strong FMC
🔥Trials to the Death
🔥Shadow Daddy
🔥Forbidden Romance
🔥Fast-Paced
🔥Found Family
🔥Lost Memories
🔥Banter
🔥Mental Health Rep
🔥The Chosen One
ℝ𝔼𝔸𝔻 𝕀𝔽 𝕐𝕆𝕌 𝕃𝕆𝕍𝔼
🔥Morally Gray Characters
🔥Dark Gothic Vibes
🔥Deadly Touch
🔥Enemies To Lovers
🔥Touch Her and Die
🔥Strong FMC
🔥Trials to the Death
🔥Shadow Daddy
🔥Forbidden Romance
🔥Fast-Paced
🔥Found Family
🔥Lost Memories
🔥Banter
🔥Mental Health Rep
🔥The Chosen One
January 23, 2025
3⭐️
Enjoyed this series as a whole and happy with the conclusion at least being solid but why why whyyyyyyyy switch up the love interest without real reason to, all the tension and buildup in the first book just for it to be dropped, and switched, really took me out of it, made this book feel abit rushed as we had to have all the build up again, Team Maelor tbh!
Enjoyed this series as a whole and happy with the conclusion at least being solid but why why whyyyyyyyy switch up the love interest without real reason to, all the tension and buildup in the first book just for it to be dropped, and switched, really took me out of it, made this book feel abit rushed as we had to have all the build up again, Team Maelor tbh!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2025
Great ending to this Duology! I really loved seeing Elowen master her power and grow her strength. As much as I loved Sion in book 1, because I love me a villain daddy, I was a little thrown off by the complete love interest switch in book 2. Overall, awesome duology!
November 20, 2024
This book was so worth the wait. The twist and the secrets revealed had me completely hooked. Truly an amazing story that I absolutely loved. I couldn’t get enough of Sion and Elowen. Definitely a book that everyone must read.
July 11, 2026
3.75 ⭐ felt a bit off from the first book, did not get the point of the whole Bran story. Could have been a trilogy maybe 🤔 to get deeper in each story line
August 11, 2026
Lots of good ideas, but would have been better in 3 books instead of 2
November 20, 2024
So friggin good! I love Sion, he's my fav!!!!! I also like the new addition to the magic in this book (not spilling). I also enjoyed the ending!!! This was a really good series!!!!
January 3, 2025
This book made me so confused. What was the whole point of her falling for Maelor in the first book when the entire second book he didn't matter at all and she just switched her love interests for Sion. Literally did not make any sense to me why that was even a thing in the first book. Also feel like the first book was a completely different story. I feel like the author wrote two different series when writing this and it felt rushed, chaotic, and left me very unsatisfied
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 12, 2026
So much potential but too much crammed into a short book. Needed to be longer/have more depth to have done all the sub plots well enough for me.
January 24, 2025
Was not expecting that.
I'm so glad that Elowen and Sion
ended up together. When she finally
found out the truth, I was like "Dudddee,
all this time and you didn't say a thing!?.” Don't get me started on Maelor's psycho
wife, like wtf. Loved it. Hope there's
more to this world because I still have
a lot of questions.
I'm so glad that Elowen and Sion
ended up together. When she finally
found out the truth, I was like "Dudddee,
all this time and you didn't say a thing!?.” Don't get me started on Maelor's psycho
wife, like wtf. Loved it. Hope there's
more to this world because I still have
a lot of questions.
December 8, 2024
I was provided an advanced reader copy by the author in exchange for an honest review.
I loved the first book in the duology, I really enjoyed reading it and getting to know Elowen, the magic and the political system. So, when I saw that arc applications were open, I jumped at the opportunity.
And I liked reading this second book. It entertained me, as any C. N. Crawford book does. There were a few plot twists that I did not see coming and added more interest to the story. In addition, the story feels completed.
However, I'd like to mention a few things that made no sense to me. (Disclaimer: this has been written trying to avoid spoilers as much as possible, but some spoilers have been included).
- First of all, I did not understand the love interest of this book. I could not find the attraction between the FMC and MMC. Didn't we hate him? What happened with all the attraction and actions of the first book? Only a single mention, it was as if everything had never happened. It felt as if the first book and the second were not connected regarding characters' feelings.
- And what about them knowing each other intimally in the past? The part of erased memories just seemed too convenient and it left me feeling as if it was the sole explanation for the love interest we all saw coming. It does not explain, however, why Maelor was so obsessed with Elowen, or risked everything for her in the first book, when his best friend was already in love with her. And also, why does Elowen accept this with no questions, doubts or at least some reservations? It felt a little bit off.
- Another thing that also felt too convenient was the turning of Elowen and her retaining all her witch powers. From my point of view, her changing was not necessary for the plot and she accepts it all too quickly and without any second thoughts. Does it mean that now she has two kinds of magic?
- How comes that Sion is a King on his own? Is there something I do not remember from the first book? This, I can understand, but then, leaving your kingdom for so many years to work for/against the Pater... It simply looked like a new location for the second book was needed and the idea popped into the author's head.
- Where is the meaning of the title of the book? Why Vanquished Gods? There is a mention to that, I give you that, but I feel that this is not thoroughly explained. Are they vanquished or not? Why does Elowen see him so clearly when using her magic?
Even though I am here pointing the things I did not understand from this book, I did enjoy reading it. It just felt that the first and second book were not well connected, which saddened me a lot. I honestly wish I could give this read more than 3/5 rating.
I loved the first book in the duology, I really enjoyed reading it and getting to know Elowen, the magic and the political system. So, when I saw that arc applications were open, I jumped at the opportunity.
And I liked reading this second book. It entertained me, as any C. N. Crawford book does. There were a few plot twists that I did not see coming and added more interest to the story. In addition, the story feels completed.
However, I'd like to mention a few things that made no sense to me. (Disclaimer: this has been written trying to avoid spoilers as much as possible, but some spoilers have been included).
- First of all, I did not understand the love interest of this book. I could not find the attraction between the FMC and MMC. Didn't we hate him? What happened with all the attraction and actions of the first book? Only a single mention, it was as if everything had never happened. It felt as if the first book and the second were not connected regarding characters' feelings.
- And what about them knowing each other intimally in the past? The part of erased memories just seemed too convenient and it left me feeling as if it was the sole explanation for the love interest we all saw coming. It does not explain, however, why Maelor was so obsessed with Elowen, or risked everything for her in the first book, when his best friend was already in love with her. And also, why does Elowen accept this with no questions, doubts or at least some reservations? It felt a little bit off.
- Another thing that also felt too convenient was the turning of Elowen and her retaining all her witch powers. From my point of view, her changing was not necessary for the plot and she accepts it all too quickly and without any second thoughts. Does it mean that now she has two kinds of magic?
- How comes that Sion is a King on his own? Is there something I do not remember from the first book? This, I can understand, but then, leaving your kingdom for so many years to work for/against the Pater... It simply looked like a new location for the second book was needed and the idea popped into the author's head.
- Where is the meaning of the title of the book? Why Vanquished Gods? There is a mention to that, I give you that, but I feel that this is not thoroughly explained. Are they vanquished or not? Why does Elowen see him so clearly when using her magic?
Even though I am here pointing the things I did not understand from this book, I did enjoy reading it. It just felt that the first and second book were not well connected, which saddened me a lot. I honestly wish I could give this read more than 3/5 rating.
June 10, 2025
Okay I have thoughts… I have comments. Firstly this book started off slow and boring again with little information. Somehow Leo jumped in age from 8 to 10 but two years had not passed from book 1 to book 2 (from what I could tell). Some of the plot seemed so unnecessary… like the whole Epona thing. Like for what tho? Like what purpose did that serve? Why don’t we hear ANYTHING about Percival, Godric, Hugo, and Lydia after they arrive in Gwethel (aside from one scene each with Percival and Lydia at dinner where they are irrelevant)? Elowen basically dumped Leo with them and ran off to the castle to do death shit like??? Why did we shift MMCs? Also I have soooo many thoughts on the fact that Maelor KNEW who Elowen was THE WHOLE TIME and yet still he was ALL over her AND fucked her in book 1!! Like he was the MMC and love interest and book two its like he barely existed romance wise and is just the guy who can’t control his bloodlust cuz Sion became MMC and love interest… BUT HE ALWAYS WAS!? Like my god is it because he fucked your wife a couple centuries ago that you felt like fucking the love of his life??? And Sion just brushes over it!? Also Sion… who TF was that because that was a completely different person!? Inconsistent characterization at its finest. The only saving grace was that Sion is obviously hot, he’s a shadow daddy and the way he talks had me needing to know how he fucks. But don’t worry you get to wait 35 chapters for that and it’s barely a page long with little to no detail… disappointed is an understatement. The ending was anticlimactic AF and the literal WHOLE PROBLEM FOR THE ENTIRE BOOK IS RESOLVED IN A 10 PAGE CHAPTER! Like whaaaaat!? I feel like it could’ve been handled way better and the ending was literally a walk into the sunset moment like bruh… as I’ve written this I’m debating changing my star rating🤔
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 14, 2026
3 stars ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
☆⋆｡𖦹°‧★ Vanquished Games☆⋆｡𖦹°‧★
🌷₊˚ෆ💖ෆ˚₊✨ ♡ THOUGHTS ♡ ✨₊˚ෆ💖ෆ˚₊🌷
From the moment book one ended, I had a suspicion that Sion would be the main MMC simply because it felt like he was hinting at having history with Elowen and was hiding something he did not want her to know. He always seemed pained by the fact that she did not like him. It was clear to me that she had a stronger connection with Sion because her interactions with him always left her reeling, and she thought about him much longer than she ever did when she was around Maelor. Now, this was absolutely the outcome I wanted in terms of the romance, but it also felt underdeveloped in so many ways. First of all, was she never going to have a closure conversation with Maelor about starting a relationship with Sion? She never said anything at all. They did not have a breakup conversation. In my mind, they were still together because there was never any real ending to that relationship.
If she had to choose, she was always going to choose Sion because they had a long history together. They had already been in love before he wiped her memories. Honestly, we deserved so many more flashbacks of how they got to know each other, how they fell in love, and even moments showing how painful it was for Sion to erase himself from her life. I loved their interactions. I loved how unapologetically himself Sion was. He is cocky, confident, and completely embraces being a vampire. He is not ashamed of who he is, and that confidence comes across really well in his character. There were so many plot points that disappointed me, though. It felt like the book tried to do too much at once and then condensed everything into less than 300 pages when this easily could have been a trilogy. The ending felt open ended without providing true closure because I still had so many questions, and so many important conversations never happened.
1. Sion was clearly concerned that his oldest friend, Bram, had gone missing. Elowen murdered him but never told anyone. Then, once Sion found out, he barely cared. That felt completely out of character. The entire series emphasized how close they were and how Bram had been one of the few people there for him after becoming a vampire. For him to be completely unaffected and simply agree to keep her secret because Bram was well liked felt strange.
2. There was absolutely no reason to bring back Maelor’s wife and reveal that he was still technically married. Then she became obsessed with Sion and tried to sabotage Elowen’s relationship with him by attempting to kill them both. It felt unnecessary.
3. Why did Elowen become a vampire? I understand that Sion wanted to save her, but this goes against everything she wanted throughout the entire series. She hated vampires. That was one of her defining traits. Then she becomes one and barely has an emotional reaction to it? We never get a true breakdown or adjustment period. For someone who was supposedly the Queen of Death and destined to fulfill a prophecy, this outcome felt completely disconnected from what the story had been building toward. This book lacked development in a lot of areas. So many things felt random. Conversations that should have carried emotional weight were dropped into the story without proper buildup. For example, when Maelor casually reveals that he killed her father. That should have been a huge moment. Instead, it felt like he randomly remembered and said, “Oh, by the way, I should probably tell you this.”
There was also Leo. Elowen treated him like a son throughout the entire story, but she never actually claimed him as one. We deserved a scene where she acknowledged how much he meant to her and openly admitted that she loved him like family. It was clearly there, but the story never fully committed to it. We also never got to see Leo’s reaction to touching her after she gained control of her powers. That was something the story spent time building up, and then it was completely skipped over. Honestly, there were so many missed opportunities. Characters like Percival, Hugo, and several others who felt important in book one practically disappeared in book two. They were introduced as significant figures and then were barely present afterward. If they were not going to matter later, why spend so much time establishing them in the first place? At some point, I started picturing everyone as characters from The Vampire Diaries because parts of the plot felt incredibly similar. Sion was essentially the person who met her first, loved her first, and had his connection erased from her memory. Meanwhile, she believed Maelor was her first love because that was all she remembered. In reality, she had always shared a stronger connection with Sion because of all the history they had together.
🌷₊˚ෆ💖ෆ˚₊✨ ♡ OVERALL ♡ ✨₊˚ෆ💖ෆ˚₊🌷
I was happy with Sion being the final love interest. That was absolutely the direction I wanted. At the same time, I am still confused about how we got there because book one primarily built up Maelor and Elowen, while Sion and Elowen only really started gaining momentum near the end. I am not complaining because I preferred Sion, but I can absolutely understand why readers who were invested in Maelor and Elowen would be disappointed. The shift happened so quickly that it felt like two different romances were being told, and only one of them got a conclusion. 😭
☆⋆｡𖦹°‧★ Vanquished Games☆⋆｡𖦹°‧★
🌷₊˚ෆ💖ෆ˚₊✨ ♡ THOUGHTS ♡ ✨₊˚ෆ💖ෆ˚₊🌷
Sion’s magic felt like a sensuous, velvety cloak against my skin. Controlled, slow, seductive. Maelor’s felt untamed, like a cold wildfire that could switch directions at any moment. I’d grown used to the feel of both.
From the moment book one ended, I had a suspicion that Sion would be the main MMC simply because it felt like he was hinting at having history with Elowen and was hiding something he did not want her to know. He always seemed pained by the fact that she did not like him. It was clear to me that she had a stronger connection with Sion because her interactions with him always left her reeling, and she thought about him much longer than she ever did when she was around Maelor. Now, this was absolutely the outcome I wanted in terms of the romance, but it also felt underdeveloped in so many ways. First of all, was she never going to have a closure conversation with Maelor about starting a relationship with Sion? She never said anything at all. They did not have a breakup conversation. In my mind, they were still together because there was never any real ending to that relationship.
“No, I didn’t eat it. But you have no idea how much it meant to me that you tried. You might be the first person who’s ever really tried looking after me.”
If she had to choose, she was always going to choose Sion because they had a long history together. They had already been in love before he wiped her memories. Honestly, we deserved so many more flashbacks of how they got to know each other, how they fell in love, and even moments showing how painful it was for Sion to erase himself from her life. I loved their interactions. I loved how unapologetically himself Sion was. He is cocky, confident, and completely embraces being a vampire. He is not ashamed of who he is, and that confidence comes across really well in his character. There were so many plot points that disappointed me, though. It felt like the book tried to do too much at once and then condensed everything into less than 300 pages when this easily could have been a trilogy. The ending felt open ended without providing true closure because I still had so many questions, and so many important conversations never happened.
1. Sion was clearly concerned that his oldest friend, Bram, had gone missing. Elowen murdered him but never told anyone. Then, once Sion found out, he barely cared. That felt completely out of character. The entire series emphasized how close they were and how Bram had been one of the few people there for him after becoming a vampire. For him to be completely unaffected and simply agree to keep her secret because Bram was well liked felt strange.
2. There was absolutely no reason to bring back Maelor’s wife and reveal that he was still technically married. Then she became obsessed with Sion and tried to sabotage Elowen’s relationship with him by attempting to kill them both. It felt unnecessary.
3. Why did Elowen become a vampire? I understand that Sion wanted to save her, but this goes against everything she wanted throughout the entire series. She hated vampires. That was one of her defining traits. Then she becomes one and barely has an emotional reaction to it? We never get a true breakdown or adjustment period. For someone who was supposedly the Queen of Death and destined to fulfill a prophecy, this outcome felt completely disconnected from what the story had been building toward. This book lacked development in a lot of areas. So many things felt random. Conversations that should have carried emotional weight were dropped into the story without proper buildup. For example, when Maelor casually reveals that he killed her father. That should have been a huge moment. Instead, it felt like he randomly remembered and said, “Oh, by the way, I should probably tell you this.”
There was also Leo. Elowen treated him like a son throughout the entire story, but she never actually claimed him as one. We deserved a scene where she acknowledged how much he meant to her and openly admitted that she loved him like family. It was clearly there, but the story never fully committed to it. We also never got to see Leo’s reaction to touching her after she gained control of her powers. That was something the story spent time building up, and then it was completely skipped over. Honestly, there were so many missed opportunities. Characters like Percival, Hugo, and several others who felt important in book one practically disappeared in book two. They were introduced as significant figures and then were barely present afterward. If they were not going to matter later, why spend so much time establishing them in the first place? At some point, I started picturing everyone as characters from The Vampire Diaries because parts of the plot felt incredibly similar. Sion was essentially the person who met her first, loved her first, and had his connection erased from her memory. Meanwhile, she believed Maelor was her first love because that was all she remembered. In reality, she had always shared a stronger connection with Sion because of all the history they had together.
🌷₊˚ෆ💖ෆ˚₊✨ ♡ OVERALL ♡ ✨₊˚ෆ💖ෆ˚₊🌷
I was happy with Sion being the final love interest. That was absolutely the direction I wanted. At the same time, I am still confused about how we got there because book one primarily built up Maelor and Elowen, while Sion and Elowen only really started gaining momentum near the end. I am not complaining because I preferred Sion, but I can absolutely understand why readers who were invested in Maelor and Elowen would be disappointed. The shift happened so quickly that it felt like two different romances were being told, and only one of them got a conclusion. 😭
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 16, 2024
What a great follow-up to book 1.
I'm not sure what to say without spoilers, so I'll do my best.
The way everything was revealed was perfection. I love it when there are characters you love to hate and hate that you love.
I love it when my brain is slow to catch on and figure things out as the characters do. Elowen's need to protect Leo forces her to make some surprising choices, and I'm here for it.
After book one, I never thought Sion would grow on me either, but he's definitely more than a murderous tyrant.
If you love enemies to lovers, found family, secrets revealed, and magic, you need to read this series
I received an advanced reader copy but these thoughts are my own
I'm not sure what to say without spoilers, so I'll do my best.
The way everything was revealed was perfection. I love it when there are characters you love to hate and hate that you love.
I love it when my brain is slow to catch on and figure things out as the characters do. Elowen's need to protect Leo forces her to make some surprising choices, and I'm here for it.
After book one, I never thought Sion would grow on me either, but he's definitely more than a murderous tyrant.
If you love enemies to lovers, found family, secrets revealed, and magic, you need to read this series
I received an advanced reader copy but these thoughts are my own
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