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The Sacred Stones Trilogy #2
A Promise of Peridot
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Romantasy (2024)A prophecy of death. A weapon of hope. A sacrifice of love.
Arwen Valondale is sailing for the mysterious Kingdom of Citrine after the battle of Siren's Bay. Reeling from shocking revelations and her newfound powers, Arwen directs all of her pain and rage toward the man who betrayed her: King Kane Ravenwood.
Kane's presence is unavoidable as he travels with Arwen and her friends to seek the Blade of the Sun, a legendary weapon inextricably tied to her fate and the future of the realm. Even an uneasy truce proves difficult as Arwen fights against her unresolved feelings for Kane, who is willing to become darkness itself to protect her.
As Arwen faces creatures, foes, and magic beyond her wildest imaginings, she must discover the secrets of her past to defeat the monstrous Fae king Lazarus. But finding the light within might mean the death of her and everyone she loves.
Arwen Valondale is sailing for the mysterious Kingdom of Citrine after the battle of Siren's Bay. Reeling from shocking revelations and her newfound powers, Arwen directs all of her pain and rage toward the man who betrayed her: King Kane Ravenwood.
Kane's presence is unavoidable as he travels with Arwen and her friends to seek the Blade of the Sun, a legendary weapon inextricably tied to her fate and the future of the realm. Even an uneasy truce proves difficult as Arwen fights against her unresolved feelings for Kane, who is willing to become darkness itself to protect her.
As Arwen faces creatures, foes, and magic beyond her wildest imaginings, she must discover the secrets of her past to defeat the monstrous Fae king Lazarus. But finding the light within might mean the death of her and everyone she loves.
Hardcover
First published April 9, 2024
1295 people are currently reading
75075 people want to read
About the author
Kate Golden
8 books3,438 followersKate Golden is the USA Today bestselling author of both The Sacred Stones and Harker Academy trilogies. When she isn’t writing, Kate is an avid book reader, puzzle addict, and game night enthusiast. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and their puppy, Milo.You can find her on Instagram at @KateGoldenAuthor and on TikTok at @Kate_Golden_Author.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,818 reviews
March 2, 2025
i described the first book in this series as a “what you see is what you get” kind of story, so i went into this expecting nothing beyond the romantasy novels that are currently being popularized on tiktok. and this is exactly that. but i also have to say, i am pleasantly surprised by this overall.
while this is true to the genre and meets every expectation it promises (such as straightforward characters, accessible world-building, and easygoing writing), i found some areas of this sequel better refined. it feels more elevated in the sense that the YA vibes i was getting from ‘a dawn of onyx’ have matured a bit. i also think the pacing in this installment is a bit better. so both are welcomed improvements.
if youre a fellow mood reader and are wanting an angsty fantasy romance set in the middle of warring kindoms and fae magic, then this series is what you need.
a big thanks to the author, kate golden, for sending me a copy!
↠ 3.5 stars
while this is true to the genre and meets every expectation it promises (such as straightforward characters, accessible world-building, and easygoing writing), i found some areas of this sequel better refined. it feels more elevated in the sense that the YA vibes i was getting from ‘a dawn of onyx’ have matured a bit. i also think the pacing in this installment is a bit better. so both are welcomed improvements.
if youre a fellow mood reader and are wanting an angsty fantasy romance set in the middle of warring kindoms and fae magic, then this series is what you need.
a big thanks to the author, kate golden, for sending me a copy!
↠ 3.5 stars
May 8, 2024
I don't know who needs to hear this but... this series is it! So good.
It's fast paced, intriguing, waring kingdoms, the romance and spice are chefs kiss 💋🤌, I was on the edge of my seat for much of this book - and the cliffhanger - don't even talk to me. It's CRIMINAL!
Straight to jail Kate Golden!
I don't want to go into the plot in this book since it's the second one because it would be spoilers galore - so please forgive me and accept this mini review.
And go read this series now! This is your sign!
"Because when I met you, I felt hope. Birds soar through the dawn each morning, as sure as the sun rising in the east--the promise of something new regardless of what came before. Hope always has wings." 💚💚
It's fast paced, intriguing, waring kingdoms, the romance and spice are chefs kiss 💋🤌, I was on the edge of my seat for much of this book - and the cliffhanger - don't even talk to me. It's CRIMINAL!
Straight to jail Kate Golden!
I don't want to go into the plot in this book since it's the second one because it would be spoilers galore - so please forgive me and accept this mini review.
And go read this series now! This is your sign!
"Because when I met you, I felt hope. Birds soar through the dawn each morning, as sure as the sun rising in the east--the promise of something new regardless of what came before. Hope always has wings." 💚💚
June 3, 2024
★4 stars
✎𓂃 “I’m in love with you. Desperately so. The way those sailors lost at sea love the bird that guides them home.”
This book came SO CLOSE to being 5 stars for me. I would volunteer my firstborn as tribute for even a millisecond with my dragon shadow daddy Kane 🥵
☆What to Expect:
We’re back in the kingdom of Evendell, where our chosen one Arwen must deal with the ramifications of her true fate via the seer’s prophecy, and Kane’s deception in using her. Together, they must race to find the blade to kill Lazarus before he takes over the kingdom. Will Arwen fully accept the fate foretold and save everyone she loves most? Will she forgive Kane, who would give it all up to ensure she survives (please 🙏)?
✧ Dual POV from Arwen and Kane
✧ Explicit romance (finally)
✧ Lots of groveling
✧ Touch her and die vibes
✧ New characters that bring in some v interesting tension 😏
✧ Some violence, torture, and instances of claustrophobia
☆My Thoughts:
It’s been a while since I’ve had that heart-racing feeling of loving a book so much that I can’t put it down. But Ms. Golden had me just-one-more-chapter-ing for two days straight just to see what would happen next, and for 99% of it, she did not disappoint. I felt like we were waiting foreverrrr to get book 2, for me it was mainly bc I was searching in every nook and cranny for that explicit smut 🤭
Wellllll, knock, knock!! Book 2 is here and she’s arrived with a massive smutty third act!! 👋🏼
⋆₊⊹⁀➴ Arwen. Girl has a lot to deal with: the death of her mother, her true fate, Kane’s betrayal, her family not wanting much to do with her, coming into her powers… I don’t blame her for shutting down. We really see her realize what she wants most in life, and where her true motivations lie–with the people she loves most. And who’s at the top of that list????
⋆₊⊹⁀➴ Say it with me: DRAGON SHADOW DADDY KING KANE. I don’t think I’ll ever tire of calling out his name 😮💨 My man is UNHINGED throughout the entirety of this book and I am HERE FOR IT 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Touch her and DIE he really said it 🤭
I loved every chapter from his POV, his complete chaos over his love for Arwen and not being able to act on it. He would do anything for her, to save her and ensure she has a full life worth living. Someone plz tell me where do I find this?!?!?!?!
☆The Ending:
Okay, this is where Ms. Golden let me down.
Idk what it was about this book, but I was so immersed until the very end, which I feel like is rare for a middle book? I was expecting a whole lotta info dumping, and with all the traveling around the kingdom, it should have been boring. And Kane at the end?? OOH I am READY for him in full revenge mode!!!
But that epilogue??? Gross. Just no. That was not the plot I wanted, and has me dreading the next book in the series. I don’t want to see this play out, and I feel like literally any other cliffhanger would have been acceptable. Honestly the first time I would have been okay without an epilogue lmao 😅
☆Two More Quotes:
✎𓂃“You asked me once if I thought love was a weakness. You, Arwen. You are my weakness.”
✎𓂃“And when I found her in that clearing…saw her blood leaking onto the forest floor…I thought my very heart lived outside my body in that moment, and I was watching it wither and die. I would have given my own life ten times over to save her from that pain.”
* ゜・。。・゜゜・。。・゜*
Pre-review:
Arwen girllll you better not be making Kane grovel for too long bc I NEED my dragon shadow daddy at his finest 😈😮💨🖤
✎𓂃 “I’m in love with you. Desperately so. The way those sailors lost at sea love the bird that guides them home.”
This book came SO CLOSE to being 5 stars for me. I would volunteer my firstborn as tribute for even a millisecond with my dragon shadow daddy Kane 🥵
☆What to Expect:
We’re back in the kingdom of Evendell, where our chosen one Arwen must deal with the ramifications of her true fate via the seer’s prophecy, and Kane’s deception in using her. Together, they must race to find the blade to kill Lazarus before he takes over the kingdom. Will Arwen fully accept the fate foretold and save everyone she loves most? Will she forgive Kane, who would give it all up to ensure she survives (please 🙏)?
✧ Dual POV from Arwen and Kane
✧ Explicit romance (finally)
✧ Lots of groveling
✧ Touch her and die vibes
✧ New characters that bring in some v interesting tension 😏
✧ Some violence, torture, and instances of claustrophobia
✎𓂃“Don’t you know why I call you bird? Because when I met you, for the first time in a long time in as long as I can remember, I felt hope. That’s what birds represent. Stranded sailors look to the sky to be led by them back to dry land. Birds soar through the dawn each morning, as sure as the sun rising in the east–the promise of something new, regardless of what came before. Hope always has wings.”
☆My Thoughts:
It’s been a while since I’ve had that heart-racing feeling of loving a book so much that I can’t put it down. But Ms. Golden had me just-one-more-chapter-ing for two days straight just to see what would happen next, and for 99% of it, she did not disappoint. I felt like we were waiting foreverrrr to get book 2, for me it was mainly bc I was searching in every nook and cranny for that explicit smut 🤭
Wellllll, knock, knock!! Book 2 is here and she’s arrived with a massive smutty third act!! 👋🏼
⋆₊⊹⁀➴ Arwen. Girl has a lot to deal with: the death of her mother, her true fate, Kane’s betrayal, her family not wanting much to do with her, coming into her powers… I don’t blame her for shutting down. We really see her realize what she wants most in life, and where her true motivations lie–with the people she loves most. And who’s at the top of that list????
⋆₊⊹⁀➴ Say it with me: DRAGON SHADOW DADDY KING KANE. I don’t think I’ll ever tire of calling out his name 😮💨 My man is UNHINGED throughout the entirety of this book and I am HERE FOR IT 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
✎𓂃“Someone needs to be ripped limb from limb for laying their hands on your precious fucking body.”
Touch her and DIE he really said it 🤭
I loved every chapter from his POV, his complete chaos over his love for Arwen and not being able to act on it. He would do anything for her, to save her and ensure she has a full life worth living. Someone plz tell me where do I find this?!?!?!?!
✎𓂃“The way I felt about Arwen–pulse racing every time she spoke, eager to play with her, flirt with her, to make her laugh, make her sign, frustrate her to the point of seeing that little pinch between her brows, always needing to pick her brain, taste her lips–it was enough to kill a man. I didn’t know how anybody survived being in love. It was as crippling as I’d always feared it would be. And…terrifying. To neverr be able to get enough of her. To never be free of these feelings.”
☆The Ending:
Okay, this is where Ms. Golden let me down.
Idk what it was about this book, but I was so immersed until the very end, which I feel like is rare for a middle book? I was expecting a whole lotta info dumping, and with all the traveling around the kingdom, it should have been boring. And Kane at the end?? OOH I am READY for him in full revenge mode!!!
But that epilogue??? Gross. Just no. That was not the plot I wanted, and has me dreading the next book in the series. I don’t want to see this play out, and I feel like literally any other cliffhanger would have been acceptable. Honestly the first time I would have been okay without an epilogue lmao 😅
☆Two More Quotes:
✎𓂃“You asked me once if I thought love was a weakness. You, Arwen. You are my weakness.”
✎𓂃“And when I found her in that clearing…saw her blood leaking onto the forest floor…I thought my very heart lived outside my body in that moment, and I was watching it wither and die. I would have given my own life ten times over to save her from that pain.”
* ゜・。。・゜゜・。。・゜*
Pre-review:
Arwen girllll you better not be making Kane grovel for too long bc I NEED my dragon shadow daddy at his finest 😈😮💨🖤
July 28, 2024
3⭐️
While the first book in this series will have the same rating as this one, I thought this book was a bit better.
The huge thing I will praise about this book is it's plot. It's engaging. It's fun. It's thrilling. I was enjoying myself most of the time with this plot. The characters were solid and I found that they developed more depth in this one rather than the first book in this series. I also appreciate that these books don't end on crazy cliffhangers! They leave you with enough to keep guessing and wanting more, but won't have your heart absolutely broken.
However, this book had the same problem I noticed that the first book had: it was just so boring a lot of times and I found myself not really wanting to pick this up and avoiding doing so. We jump straight into the ending of book 1 and it seems so promising. While this book had more thrilling events and situations going on, I just found myself so...disconnected. I wasn't on the edge of my seat, and I just couldn't seem to root for any of the characters.
I definitely think this was a personal problem, as my heart just couldn't get connected to anything or anyone. It was SUPPOSED to be action packed and always trying to keep your attention, but that fell short for me. I couldn't help but rant to my friends about how I just don't vibe with this and I just want to move on to something else.
The ending though? It was amazing. Just like book 1, this book ended having me wanting more and needing to know what happens next. However, at the time of writing this, book 3 isn't out yet and I'm internally crying that I can't know what happens next. 😭
Overall, I think so many people would like this series. It has so may things going for it and I just think it missed for me more than it did/would for others. I will absolutely be reading the 3rd and final book when it comes out because I need to know what happens. I'm invested enough to keep going. 💚
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Got this in the mail today and I just realized it's dual POV?? I cannot wait to read Kane's side in this one 🤩
While the first book in this series will have the same rating as this one, I thought this book was a bit better.
The huge thing I will praise about this book is it's plot. It's engaging. It's fun. It's thrilling. I was enjoying myself most of the time with this plot. The characters were solid and I found that they developed more depth in this one rather than the first book in this series. I also appreciate that these books don't end on crazy cliffhangers! They leave you with enough to keep guessing and wanting more, but won't have your heart absolutely broken.
However, this book had the same problem I noticed that the first book had: it was just so boring a lot of times and I found myself not really wanting to pick this up and avoiding doing so. We jump straight into the ending of book 1 and it seems so promising. While this book had more thrilling events and situations going on, I just found myself so...disconnected. I wasn't on the edge of my seat, and I just couldn't seem to root for any of the characters.
I definitely think this was a personal problem, as my heart just couldn't get connected to anything or anyone. It was SUPPOSED to be action packed and always trying to keep your attention, but that fell short for me. I couldn't help but rant to my friends about how I just don't vibe with this and I just want to move on to something else.
The ending though? It was amazing. Just like book 1, this book ended having me wanting more and needing to know what happens next. However, at the time of writing this, book 3 isn't out yet and I'm internally crying that I can't know what happens next. 😭
Overall, I think so many people would like this series. It has so may things going for it and I just think it missed for me more than it did/would for others. I will absolutely be reading the 3rd and final book when it comes out because I need to know what happens. I'm invested enough to keep going. 💚
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Got this in the mail today and I just realized it's dual POV?? I cannot wait to read Kane's side in this one 🤩
December 15, 2025
"You matter more to me. More than revenge, redemption--anything. Don't you know I love you, Arwen?...I'm in love with you." His laugh was rough and tired. "Desperately so. The way those sailors lost at sea love the bird that guides them home."
3.5 stars
This would have been so much better if it weren't for Arwen. She was immature, hypocritical, and cruel at times. There just hasn't been enough positives about her character to warrant the feelings that Kane has for her.
The story itself was interesting, though I think this one was slower and not as much was happening. Another character was introduced specifically to drive a wedge between Arwen and Kane; I don't think he served any other purpose to the story, which was really annoying.
And Kane was fucking amazing despite his icky taste in women, present company included. It's always fun to watch these really dark, villainous MMC's slowly start to show their gooey centers.
I'll still continue the series, but the exciting parts of this series are evenly matched with the disappointments imo.
Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for this arc in exchange for an honest review!
3.5 stars
This would have been so much better if it weren't for Arwen. She was immature, hypocritical, and cruel at times. There just hasn't been enough positives about her character to warrant the feelings that Kane has for her.
The story itself was interesting, though I think this one was slower and not as much was happening. Another character was introduced specifically to drive a wedge between Arwen and Kane; I don't think he served any other purpose to the story, which was really annoying.
And Kane was fucking amazing despite his icky taste in women, present company included. It's always fun to watch these really dark, villainous MMC's slowly start to show their gooey centers.
I'll still continue the series, but the exciting parts of this series are evenly matched with the disappointments imo.
Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for this arc in exchange for an honest review!
May 9, 2024
Are you kidding me right now??? THAT ENDING 🤯
This series has me in a chokehold and now I need book 3 immediately.
1. I love Kane so much
2. Mari and Griffin need a story ASAP
3. Kate Golden really knows how to drop a bomb at the end of her books 😂😂😂
🌶️🌶️🌶️
REREAD #2 finished 5/9/24
I cannot get over that ending. Literal chills for the second time. I am so ready for book 3 now!
This series has me in a chokehold and now I need book 3 immediately.
1. I love Kane so much
2. Mari and Griffin need a story ASAP
3. Kate Golden really knows how to drop a bomb at the end of her books 😂😂😂
🌶️🌶️🌶️
REREAD #2 finished 5/9/24
I cannot get over that ending. Literal chills for the second time. I am so ready for book 3 now!
September 3, 2024
“There is also power in vulnerability. It is what makes us human, and gives us something worth fighting for”
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ✦ . ⁺ . ━ 2.9 - 3.1 ☆ ━ . ⁺ . ✦
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ ╰┈➤˗ˏˋㅤmight contain spoilers ❗
ㅤㅤI will probably begin by noting that this review may end up being even shorter than the one for the first book because I will be trying to add to, rather than just restate, the points I made in my review for "A Dawn of Onyx". To be honest, I was pleasantly surprised by this book,, and I thought it was better than the first one in certain ways. For this reason, it also receives a little higher rating. I'll highlight the few improvements that I believe were done in the following sections of my review.
ㅤㅤ"A Promise of Peridot" starts exactly after the events from the previous book, and therefore we have our characters sailing for the Kingdom of Citrine after the joke of a battle of Siren's Bay. We, of course, have an Arwen who is incredibly shaken by the revelations from the end of the first book, who is absolutely scared of her own powers, and who finds herself betrayed by those close to her. Of course, she will still keep being insufferable as they finally reach Kingdom of Citrine, all until a certain golden prince starts piquing her interest by being as uninteresting as herself. Do not worry, she will keep being the same tantrum-throwing girl as they start their search for the Blade of the Sun as well, while they navigate from kingdom to kingdom; and she will keep behaving in the way until they finally return to Onyx where her eyes are opened by a little seer. But just as love starts to finally mend it all, due to the obvious lack of magical training, which apparently no one thought to be necessary(?) Arwen and Kane are once again separated; of course, by his evil father, as Lazarus, after being quiet once again for an entire book, decides to make a new appearance and leave us all disgusted in an ending that finishes on a trauma-inducing cliff hanger.
ㅤㅤI will try to keep this short. So let's just delve into the elements that I usually analyse and I will just probably mention some new things regarding each of them in comparison to the previous book.
ㅤㅤㅤ -ˋˏ ༻ world-building, writing and action ༺ ˎˊ-
ㅤㅤI must admit, there were some modest advances in terms of world-building. I enjoy that we finally started to learn more about the continent and the world of the Fae; of course, not a lot of information is once again offered, because, God forbid, our heads might burst from too much information, but it was far better than the first book, which leaves you with nothing.
ㅤㅤI did enjoy seeing a bit more about the other kingdoms; not enough, but an acceptable addition just so you would not get entirely bored with questions again. And the book finally also provides some insight on the fae, the magic wielders, and the backstory of some characters. It's a pretty simple world anyway, so I guess this was actually a huge improvement for this specific series
ㅤㅤAs with the first book, I will not be able to compliment the writing in this one. The writing remains infantile and too basic. The dialogue feels forced, weird, and unnatural, considering the age of the characters, and some of the exchanges and the way they are presented do not fit the genre at all.
ㅤㅤMy main concern is once again related to the numerous writing and grammatical errors. I normally don't pay much attention to this sort of inaccuracy when I'm reading a book, especially if they're uncommon. However, when they keep repeating and becoming noticeable, it's turning into a reading-hindering experience.
ㅤㅤIn terms of action, I must say that this was a really solid second book in a series such as this one. I believe there were several story components intended to make the reading enjoyable and not feel completely empty; it could have been presented much better, of course, but I will try not to be a total hater. There were certain occasions where the action moved quickly, which was fine for a novel where you primarily follow the protagonists as they travel from one location to another on their mission. It wasn't outstanding, but it wasn't the worst thing ever either.
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ -ˋˏ ༻ characters ༺ ˎˊ-
ㅤㅤOnce again, my biggest disappointment,if I can even call it that, since my expectations were swimming in the Mariana Trench, concerns the characters of this book and their almost complete lack of personality, evolution, and basic traits that could make them slightly more intriguing and interesting for the reader.
ㅤㅤ ⟡ Arwen - She is still insanely childish. She is extremely irritating since she refuses to utilise her head or listen to common sense, despite being ignorant and foolish. She blames everything on others around her, completely ignoring the point that they are truly attempting to be close to her, and she feels entitled to do so. She demonstrates that she is completely emotionally underdeveloped by falling for whatever attractive male she encounters, and for more than half of the novel, she simply bends everyone to her whims. She has every right to mourn and be devastated, but her behaviours are so aggravating that you can't even commiserate.
ㅤㅤ ⟡ Kane - I did appreciate seeing him progress, but he is still not worthy of being a key character. His only personality is that he loves and lusts after Arwen, which could have been well woven into his character, but it takes up far too much of his identity. There was some fresh information about his background and history, which I enjoyed, but I feel like more was required to present him as a key character instead of this enamoured man who is in love with a dumb woman. He deserved far more than this.
ㅤㅤ ❧ I don't want to talk about the love story. This woman is too emotionally underdeveloped for this sort of complex feelings.
ㅤㅤ ⟡ Mari and Griffin - They were really entertaining characters, to be honest. They didn't really do much once again, but they were nice to have around and read about. Their interactions were pretty funny to encounter, but they were also very awkward and slightly abnormal. Mari should stop being so close to Arwen because her immaturity is rubbing on her. And Griffin is just absolutely delicious in his hate for human interactions and his awkwardness in relationship with feelings.
ㅤㅤ ⟡ Fedrik - I genuinely have no idea what he is doing in this book. I know the writer was probably trying to create this sort of love triangle, in order to spice up the book and add some drama, but it did not work in that way. It was clear that the poor man had absolutely no chance, and the idea of the love triangle simply became so forced that it was turning into something exhausting and annoying. The lack of attention offered to his character simply made him cartoonish.
ㅤㅤ ⟡ the other characters - They are still there. There is nothing more to say about them, but they are still there.
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ -ˋˏ ༻ ending and conclusions ༺ ˎˊ-
ㅤㅤI could not have foreseen this ending, no matter how much I would have strained my brain; which I guess should be a nice thing and prove that the book actually has the potential to surprise the reader. But I feel like this ending is literally giving me PTSD and, strangely, it makes me want to read the last book as well once it comes out. So, I guess, the ending can actually be considered good. I will stop talking more about it, as I do not want to actually end up spoiling it entirely.
ㅤㅤI genuinely feel like the only conclusion I could reach for this book is that if you take out the FMC and let the rest of the characters grow independently from her, the book has much more potential to become an entertaining read. It was still slightly better than the first book in the series, and I guess, this was pretty enough to make me want to read the third book as well, with no high hopes, just to see the conclusion of this story. It might be a nice, short and quick read to pass the time, but read at your own risk because of the frustrating FMC.
ㅤㅤ────────── ༻✧༺ ──────────
.˚౿ Pre-reading ࿐ ࿔*:･
ㅤㅤWill this be the next book I will hate-read from this series? I guess I will have to start this so we can find out, so let's go!
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ✦ . ⁺ . ━ 2.9 - 3.1 ☆ ━ . ⁺ . ✦
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ ╰┈➤˗ˏˋㅤmight contain spoilers ❗
ㅤㅤI will probably begin by noting that this review may end up being even shorter than the one for the first book because I will be trying to add to, rather than just restate, the points I made in my review for "A Dawn of Onyx". To be honest, I was pleasantly surprised by this book,, and I thought it was better than the first one in certain ways. For this reason, it also receives a little higher rating. I'll highlight the few improvements that I believe were done in the following sections of my review.
ㅤㅤ"A Promise of Peridot" starts exactly after the events from the previous book, and therefore we have our characters sailing for the Kingdom of Citrine after the joke of a battle of Siren's Bay. We, of course, have an Arwen who is incredibly shaken by the revelations from the end of the first book, who is absolutely scared of her own powers, and who finds herself betrayed by those close to her. Of course, she will still keep being insufferable as they finally reach Kingdom of Citrine, all until a certain golden prince starts piquing her interest by being as uninteresting as herself. Do not worry, she will keep being the same tantrum-throwing girl as they start their search for the Blade of the Sun as well, while they navigate from kingdom to kingdom; and she will keep behaving in the way until they finally return to Onyx where her eyes are opened by a little seer. But just as love starts to finally mend it all, due to the obvious lack of magical training, which apparently no one thought to be necessary(?) Arwen and Kane are once again separated; of course, by his evil father, as Lazarus, after being quiet once again for an entire book, decides to make a new appearance and leave us all disgusted in an ending that finishes on a trauma-inducing cliff hanger.
ㅤㅤI will try to keep this short. So let's just delve into the elements that I usually analyse and I will just probably mention some new things regarding each of them in comparison to the previous book.
ㅤㅤㅤ -ˋˏ ༻ world-building, writing and action ༺ ˎˊ-
ㅤㅤI must admit, there were some modest advances in terms of world-building. I enjoy that we finally started to learn more about the continent and the world of the Fae; of course, not a lot of information is once again offered, because, God forbid, our heads might burst from too much information, but it was far better than the first book, which leaves you with nothing.
ㅤㅤI did enjoy seeing a bit more about the other kingdoms; not enough, but an acceptable addition just so you would not get entirely bored with questions again. And the book finally also provides some insight on the fae, the magic wielders, and the backstory of some characters. It's a pretty simple world anyway, so I guess this was actually a huge improvement for this specific series
ㅤㅤAs with the first book, I will not be able to compliment the writing in this one. The writing remains infantile and too basic. The dialogue feels forced, weird, and unnatural, considering the age of the characters, and some of the exchanges and the way they are presented do not fit the genre at all.
ㅤㅤMy main concern is once again related to the numerous writing and grammatical errors. I normally don't pay much attention to this sort of inaccuracy when I'm reading a book, especially if they're uncommon. However, when they keep repeating and becoming noticeable, it's turning into a reading-hindering experience.
ㅤㅤIn terms of action, I must say that this was a really solid second book in a series such as this one. I believe there were several story components intended to make the reading enjoyable and not feel completely empty; it could have been presented much better, of course, but I will try not to be a total hater. There were certain occasions where the action moved quickly, which was fine for a novel where you primarily follow the protagonists as they travel from one location to another on their mission. It wasn't outstanding, but it wasn't the worst thing ever either.
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ -ˋˏ ༻ characters ༺ ˎˊ-
ㅤㅤOnce again, my biggest disappointment,
ㅤㅤ ⟡ Arwen - She is still insanely childish. She is extremely irritating since she refuses to utilise her head or listen to common sense, despite being ignorant and foolish. She blames everything on others around her, completely ignoring the point that they are truly attempting to be close to her, and she feels entitled to do so. She demonstrates that she is completely emotionally underdeveloped by falling for whatever attractive male she encounters, and for more than half of the novel, she simply bends everyone to her whims. She has every right to mourn and be devastated, but her behaviours are so aggravating that you can't even commiserate.
ㅤㅤ ⟡ Kane - I did appreciate seeing him progress, but he is still not worthy of being a key character. His only personality is that he loves and lusts after Arwen, which could have been well woven into his character, but it takes up far too much of his identity. There was some fresh information about his background and history, which I enjoyed, but I feel like more was required to present him as a key character instead of this enamoured man who is in love with a dumb woman. He deserved far more than this.
ㅤㅤ ❧ I don't want to talk about the love story. This woman is too emotionally underdeveloped for this sort of complex feelings.
ㅤㅤ ⟡ Mari and Griffin - They were really entertaining characters, to be honest. They didn't really do much once again, but they were nice to have around and read about. Their interactions were pretty funny to encounter, but they were also very awkward and slightly abnormal. Mari should stop being so close to Arwen because her immaturity is rubbing on her. And Griffin is just absolutely delicious in his hate for human interactions and his awkwardness in relationship with feelings.
ㅤㅤ ⟡ Fedrik - I genuinely have no idea what he is doing in this book. I know the writer was probably trying to create this sort of love triangle, in order to spice up the book and add some drama, but it did not work in that way. It was clear that the poor man had absolutely no chance, and the idea of the love triangle simply became so forced that it was turning into something exhausting and annoying. The lack of attention offered to his character simply made him cartoonish.
ㅤㅤ ⟡ the other characters - They are still there. There is nothing more to say about them, but they are still there.
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ -ˋˏ ༻ ending and conclusions ༺ ˎˊ-
ㅤㅤI could not have foreseen this ending, no matter how much I would have strained my brain; which I guess should be a nice thing and prove that the book actually has the potential to surprise the reader. But I feel like this ending is literally giving me PTSD and, strangely, it makes me want to read the last book as well once it comes out. So, I guess, the ending can actually be considered good. I will stop talking more about it, as I do not want to actually end up spoiling it entirely.
ㅤㅤI genuinely feel like the only conclusion I could reach for this book is that if you take out the FMC and let the rest of the characters grow independently from her, the book has much more potential to become an entertaining read. It was still slightly better than the first book in the series, and I guess, this was pretty enough to make me want to read the third book as well, with no high hopes, just to see the conclusion of this story. It might be a nice, short and quick read to pass the time, but read at your own risk because of the frustrating FMC.
ㅤㅤ────────── ༻✧༺ ──────────
.˚౿ Pre-reading ࿐ ࿔*:･
ㅤㅤWill this be the next book I will hate-read from this series? I guess I will have to start this so we can find out, so let's go!
May 16, 2024
"Use me," he growled.
Spice: 🌶️
I knew the second book would be much better than the first one. The story showed so much promise regardless of its flaws. The author clearly refines her writing as she goes and this is shaping up to be an amazing story. I can't imagine how amazing A Reign of Rose might be. Sure, the romance is still pretty cringe, I did roll my eyes a bit, but it's also so sweet and wholesome. What I liked most, though, was how shocking the ending turned out to be. I did not see that coming. I am disturbed, anxious, and in desperate need of book 3.
Furthermore, Arwen becomes so much more interesting in this book. I appreciated the focus and effort the author put into her main character's arc. The depression representation alone was enough to make me like her in a way book 1 did not accomplish. She's still an oversharer at times, but her actions and words have a deeper meaning now. I just know her character development will reach epic proportions in book 3, especially after that ending. She's shaping up to be a total badass.
Moreover, Kane might remain your average, sexy male love interest, but getting his own point of view in this book made him much more likable, and gave his character the depth he deserved. He and Arwen have a pretty solid chemistry between them. I enjoyed their slow-burn romance, the tension, and, of course, the light smut. As I've already mentioned, they are often cringe, but it was more funny than annoying.
Lastly, my favorite secondary ship is Mari and Griffin. Their romance is the torturous kind of slow burn to the point where other characters in the book are begging them to get together already. It's hilarious. I also like their grumpy x sunshine energy a lot, where he is too uptight to admit his feelings to her (even though literally everyone knows and she is not in the mood to wait around for him, but also still does). I can't wait to see them as a couple at last. It'll be so awesome!!
Spice: 🌶️
I knew the second book would be much better than the first one. The story showed so much promise regardless of its flaws. The author clearly refines her writing as she goes and this is shaping up to be an amazing story. I can't imagine how amazing A Reign of Rose might be. Sure, the romance is still pretty cringe, I did roll my eyes a bit, but it's also so sweet and wholesome. What I liked most, though, was how shocking the ending turned out to be. I did not see that coming. I am disturbed, anxious, and in desperate need of book 3.
Furthermore, Arwen becomes so much more interesting in this book. I appreciated the focus and effort the author put into her main character's arc. The depression representation alone was enough to make me like her in a way book 1 did not accomplish. She's still an oversharer at times, but her actions and words have a deeper meaning now. I just know her character development will reach epic proportions in book 3, especially after that ending. She's shaping up to be a total badass.
Moreover, Kane might remain your average, sexy male love interest, but getting his own point of view in this book made him much more likable, and gave his character the depth he deserved. He and Arwen have a pretty solid chemistry between them. I enjoyed their slow-burn romance, the tension, and, of course, the light smut. As I've already mentioned, they are often cringe, but it was more funny than annoying.
Lastly, my favorite secondary ship is Mari and Griffin. Their romance is the torturous kind of slow burn to the point where other characters in the book are begging them to get together already. It's hilarious. I also like their grumpy x sunshine energy a lot, where he is too uptight to admit his feelings to her (even though literally everyone knows and she is not in the mood to wait around for him, but also still does). I can't wait to see them as a couple at last. It'll be so awesome!!
June 10, 2024
this was second book syndrome at its finest. completely plotless, but 3 ⭐️ for the vibes *and* for being IMMENSELY“the prophecy” coded pt. 2!!! i’m telling you taylor wrote it for them, it’s true!
especially after that cliffhanger, i really sat here for a whole book of baloney to get to THAT ending??? i fear i will be reading the next one the immediate second it releases though 😔
especially after that cliffhanger, i really sat here for a whole book of baloney to get to THAT ending??? i fear i will be reading the next one the immediate second it releases though 😔
March 19, 2024
Hey, Kate, this is my official marriage proposal after reading this book.
Especially after that horny fight in the rain scene.
Especially after that horny fight in the rain scene.
May 28, 2024
4.4 ⭐️
“You matter more to me. More than revenge, redemption—anything. Don’t you know I love you, Arwen? I’m in love with you. Desperately so. The way those sailors lost at sea love the bird that guides them home.” ❤️🕊️
No but guys…this is a GREAT series. It’s got some really good writing and the side characters are actually 10/10.
There’s real character and story development in book two, which is exactly what we want in a sequel 👌🏾
I’m a bit all over the place so can’t do real detailed reviews but a proper review may come down the line.
Overall, I’m recommending this one. I think it’s worth the read.
—————-———————————
Ignoring my TBR to continue this series. 🖤
“You matter more to me. More than revenge, redemption—anything. Don’t you know I love you, Arwen? I’m in love with you. Desperately so. The way those sailors lost at sea love the bird that guides them home.” ❤️🕊️
No but guys…this is a GREAT series. It’s got some really good writing and the side characters are actually 10/10.
There’s real character and story development in book two, which is exactly what we want in a sequel 👌🏾
I’m a bit all over the place so can’t do real detailed reviews but a proper review may come down the line.
Overall, I’m recommending this one. I think it’s worth the read.
—————-———————————
Ignoring my TBR to continue this series. 🖤
April 9, 2024
book 2 of the sacred stones trilogy is and ANGSTY follow up to a dawn of onyx. after the events of book 1, arwen is trying to figure out her path without hurting everyone in her life. but it’s basically impossible. kane & arwen are basically at each other’s throat flopping between fighting and lust and I was living for their tension. kate does slow burn enemies to lovers so well.
for the sake of spoilers I can’t give a lot away, but this fantasy romance series is a super fun ride. I loved exploring the world more and there was so much action I was clutching my pearls more than once.
pick up this series if you love
✨ fantasy romance
✨ enemies to lovers
✨ slow burn
✨ touch her and 💀
✨ found family
thank you berkley, netgalley and kate for an arc. it’s out now 🖤
for the sake of spoilers I can’t give a lot away, but this fantasy romance series is a super fun ride. I loved exploring the world more and there was so much action I was clutching my pearls more than once.
pick up this series if you love
✨ fantasy romance
✨ enemies to lovers
✨ slow burn
✨ touch her and 💀
✨ found family
thank you berkley, netgalley and kate for an arc. it’s out now 🖤
January 3, 2025
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 4.0/ 5 stars | 🌶️🌶️🌶️ 3/5 spice
Detailed review and chapter by chapter recap for the first book is available on my blog!
A Dawn of Onyx
A Promise of Peridot
My Favorite Quotes - Convincing you to read based on my favorite lines:
TLDR
Enjoyed this - not as much as book one but that is typical for book two in a series. Can't wait to read the final installment!
Detailed review and chapter by chapter recap for the first book is available on my blog!
A Dawn of Onyx
A Promise of Peridot
Synopsis
“A Promise of Peridot” follows Arwen as she, Kane, and their allies set out on a perilous sea voyage to uncover the truth after the cliffhanger of the devastating battle from the first book. Their journey leads them to Citrine, an underwater kingdom fraught with political intrigue and past betrayals. Tensions rise as Arwen navigates her conflicted feelings for Kane and the attention of Prince Frederick, all while searching for the legendary Blade of the Sun.
My Favorite Quotes - Convincing you to read based on my favorite lines:
Every single nerve in my body battled the urge to grab her by the shoulders and roar. Fine? Fine with this? I would be more fine with a javelin through the guy. I would barely feel it compared to this. You’’re mine. You will always be mine. Nobody else should be allowed to touch you. To look at you. To make you laugh. I want to take you from this jungle tonight- continent, blade, prophecy be damned- and go somewhere nobody can find us. Somewhere I can keep you like buried treasure. Where I can feed you cloverbread, and read to you, and fuck you when I please, and worship you every day and every night for the rest of our lives.
TLDR
Enjoyed this - not as much as book one but that is typical for book two in a series. Can't wait to read the final installment!
April 21, 2024
I’ve been reading through reviews and I’ve gotta say, I’m surprised by how fervently some people loved this. As middle books go, it was decent, but it wasn’t very eventful and it didn’t hold a candle to book one in my opinion.
I was annoyed by the obvious and unnecessary love triangle and the insta love between Kane and Arwen made very little sense when I added up all their interactions. I also don’t understand the urgency in rushing in half cocked just for her to die or present herself to the king on a silver platter. It would have made more sense for them to search out some other option or at least develop a more strategic plan. They’ve been looking for her all this time so why does the prophecy need to be enacted so immediately? It just didn’t really add up for me. I also wasn’t that shocked by the ending. Honestly, it was bold of them to assume they knew his motivations in the first place. He is a villain after all.
Ready for her to really come into her power in book three! Do we think she’ll be a dragon?
3.5 stars
I was annoyed by the obvious and unnecessary love triangle and the insta love between Kane and Arwen made very little sense when I added up all their interactions. I also don’t understand the urgency in rushing in half cocked just for her to die or present herself to the king on a silver platter. It would have made more sense for them to search out some other option or at least develop a more strategic plan. They’ve been looking for her all this time so why does the prophecy need to be enacted so immediately? It just didn’t really add up for me. I also wasn’t that shocked by the ending. Honestly, it was bold of them to assume they knew his motivations in the first place. He is a villain after all.
Ready for her to really come into her power in book three! Do we think she’ll be a dragon?
3.5 stars
April 2, 2024
arc copy provided in exchange for an honest review.
this was so addictive and captivating! i finished a dawn of onyx fully OBSESSED with this couple, and a promise of peridot did not disappoint. picking up shortly after the end of onyx, this book was quick to grab my attention and hold it, with loads of action and exciting new kingdoms.
“You matter more to me. More than revenge, redemption – anything.”
while i do think book #1 had a bit of a stronger plotline, peridot wasn’t lacking adventures or entertainment. and most importantly (for me, at least), it wasn’t lacking kane & arwen content. i did find myself a bit irritated by the vague love triangle (dare i say the cursed words) and the lengthy and repetitive fights, as it kinda started giving iron flame … those that know, know. but thankfully, once my loves finally got over it, it was worth the wait!
“A light like yours cannot be dampened by circumstance.”
we got more of our favourite side characters, plus some gorgeous character development from arwen – she was so strong in this book, always fighting back and never giving up, and i loved watching her growth. i also loved the new fantasy elements and fascinating new places – sometimes i thought the actual circumstances that lead to the characters reaching those places were a bit random, but it was a fun ride!
now I just have to wait for book #3 to relieve me of that brutal ending…
thank you so much to kate golden for sending me this free copy in exchange for an honest review! definitely recommended to my fellow romantasy lovers 💕.
~~~
pre-read review: she got an arccccccc!!!!
so insanely excited!! gotta knock out some other arcs first, but cannot wait for this one!
this was so addictive and captivating! i finished a dawn of onyx fully OBSESSED with this couple, and a promise of peridot did not disappoint. picking up shortly after the end of onyx, this book was quick to grab my attention and hold it, with loads of action and exciting new kingdoms.
“You matter more to me. More than revenge, redemption – anything.”
while i do think book #1 had a bit of a stronger plotline, peridot wasn’t lacking adventures or entertainment. and most importantly (for me, at least), it wasn’t lacking kane & arwen content. i did find myself a bit irritated by the vague love triangle (dare i say the cursed words) and the lengthy and repetitive fights, as it kinda started giving iron flame … those that know, know. but thankfully, once my loves finally got over it, it was worth the wait!
“A light like yours cannot be dampened by circumstance.”
we got more of our favourite side characters, plus some gorgeous character development from arwen – she was so strong in this book, always fighting back and never giving up, and i loved watching her growth. i also loved the new fantasy elements and fascinating new places – sometimes i thought the actual circumstances that lead to the characters reaching those places were a bit random, but it was a fun ride!
now I just have to wait for book #3 to relieve me of that brutal ending…
thank you so much to kate golden for sending me this free copy in exchange for an honest review! definitely recommended to my fellow romantasy lovers 💕.
~~~
pre-read review: she got an arccccccc!!!!
so insanely excited!! gotta knock out some other arcs first, but cannot wait for this one!
March 1, 2025
I’m on BookTube now! =)
”I didn’t know how anybody survived being in love. It was as crippling as I’d always feared it would be. And … terrifying. To never be able to get enough of her. To never be free of these feelings.”
**I received an advance copy of this book from Berkley Publishing Group, NetGalley and the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Thank you so much for giving me a chance to read this ARC!**
As sequels go “A Promise of Peridot” was actually a pretty great one! It didn’t suffer from second book syndrome and I think, for me as a reader, it worked even better than the first instalment. There are plenty of reasons why this book felt like a step up from “A Dawn of Onyx”, one the simple fact that we got to see more of the world-building and the other side characters! In this book Kate Golden didn’t just take the time to show us more of the “Sacred Stones” universe but also made a real effort to flesh out her characters and I’m extremely glad about that! It was one of the things I wanted after reading the first book and since my wish was fulfilled, I ended up being a happy camper.
”Leigh was right. I had been cruel. But he deserved it. Actually, he deserved far worse. He was a liar and a killer, the man who betrayed me, who used me. Who took the first shreds of real joy I had ever felt in my life and turned them to ash. Who broke me down until all that was left was a shell.”
Arwen our MC and Kane, aren’t very happy at the beginning of the book, though, and this is shown pretty clearly by the way they try to avoid each other while they are on the same ship. After the ending of the first book Arwen is forced to deal with all the revelations that were thrown at her and their long sea journey would have been perfect to sort through her feelings. Unfortunately, our FMC is in denial and doesn’t want to acknowledge her role in the big game, which is to say she refuses to think about the fact that she’s the full-blooded Fae who is supposed to bring down Lazarus.
I could understand where she was coming from and why she didn’t want to think about it. Hell, I could even understand why she didn’t want to talk to Kane. At some point her avoidance started to be annoying, though, and this was so realistic that it didn’t only feel relatable but also quite logical. I mean if you find out a terrifying truth like that, it’s only human to shut your feelings down and to try to make it from one day to the next. Which is exactly what Arwen does for most of the book. To the annoyance of pretty much everyone who is on her side. Kane, Griffin, Mari and Dagan included. The good thing is, Arwen IS sorting out her feelings eventually. It just takes some time, a little adventure; some life-threatening moments and another love interest that makes her realize what she truly wants. Which brings me right to one of the main reasons that caused me to give this a little bit of a lower rating:
”No, I wanted the delicious, exhilarating spike in my bloodstream every time Kane was angry with me. Every time his eyes bored into mine in reprimand or thinly veiled ire. The light and airy warmth I felt around Fedrik was a summer sprinkle compared to the heart-rattling monsoon of chemistry that doused Kane and me.”
I’m not a huge fan of love triangles, especially not when they are only used as a tool to make the main character realize that they are actually in love with the other MC. Prince Fedrik who got introduced in this book was exactly that kind of side character and I personally think he deserved better than that. He seemed to be a decent guy (or at least the things we saw of him were decent) and there was a lot more to him than initially met the eye. I’m still not sure if he’s all rainbow and sunshine, mostly because I’m a very sceptical person and think that he was too good to be true, but from what I saw of him he genuinely seems to care about Arwen and so far he didn’t give me any reason to doubt his intentions. But who knows? Maybe the third book will change my opinion of Fedrik? With Kate Golden you never know, which is one of the things I love most about her books.
”Let me take you back to Azurine. No expectations. Nothing implied. I just want you to have a life outside of all this madness. Outside of Kane. Let me offer you a different way to live.”
I stiffened at his words. “But the prophecy –“
“You can enjoy whatever time you have left. And I’ll be by your side until the very end. As a friend. Or as anything you want me to be.”
I mean as we already established the author uses some typical romantasy tropes, but also always manages to give them a kind of unique spin. Case in point: Fedrik wants what’s best for Arwen and accepts her decisions. He’s not trying to win her over the way other love interests would have done, which was extremely refreshing. The tension here comes from Arwen trying to act differently, than she actually feels and not from the two love-interests fighting each other tooth and nail to get her love and attention. Both of them give her room to explore her own feelings and try not to interfere. So kudos to those two men keeping things fair even though Kane is still a jealous fool. *lol* And speaking of jealous fools: Griffin is almost as bad as Kane in this one.
”I’ll do what I can. But know this: she’s worth as much to me now as she is harnessing all the magic in Evendell.”
I felt my throat bob. Mari had shared her loss with him. “You should tell her that.”
I swear Mari’s and Griffin’s relationship was killing me in this book. Almost as much as Arwen’s and Kane’s so that says a lot about how this side character couple took over the stage. I really liked that their connection got some room to be explored as well and I genuinely hope that they’ll sort things out in the next book because to read about them is pure torture. As was the way things turned out between Arwen and Mari. In the first book we got to see some bestie moments but in this one we dug deeper and their friendships is on rocky ground. What I really liked was that the conflict between them had time to grow and to boil over, because usually it are the little things that sum up into something huge that can’t be ignored any longer. And this was exactly what happened in here.
”That’s painful. But what’s worse is my closest friend, who I have stood beside through countless tragedies, lying about it to me for weeks and then saying I’ll be better for it.” She shook her head. "I know you don't care about yourself anymore, but I thought you'd at least give a shit about me."
I’m not gonna lie, the moment it all escalated hurt, but I think it deepened their friendship and made their connection stronger in the end. The same can be said about Arwen’s epiphany and I think this scene was so rewarding. The character growth and all the character arcs were done so well in here, and I really liked how the MCs were able to draw their own conclusions and made their decisions based on them. They all came such a long way from the first book and it was nice to follow their journey. Also Arwen realizing that she’s actually a badass was one of my favourite scenes. XD
”He feared what I could do to him. I had never felt less like a victim in twenty years of being alive. No, I felt like a nightmare. A dangerous, tantalizing nightmare.”
And because I have to mention it here: Kane’s POV added a lot to my enjoyment of this second book! I always like to see the other MCs perspective and to get his point of view gave a lot of insight into the plot we didn’t have before. Since Arwen is new to his world she was rather clueless about everything that happened around her and Kane’s outlook on things definitely helped to understand the world a little bit better. It also helped to get a grasp on his feelings for Arwen, which were more than just a little intense. You might say we got a front row seat at how difficult it was for him to keep his distance and to let her live her own life. Their chemistry was definitely off the charts and there were quite a couple of scenes, in which their attraction took over and everything got a little bit spicy and heated. Considering “A Promise of Peridot” is a romantasy this was to be expected, though. ;-)
”I knew I had missed the curve of his lips against my own, knew I had been craving him like a habit I couldn’t kick, but had never expected – never known – it would be like this. Like breathing again after weeks and weeks and weeks without air.”
Another thing I really liked was how suspenseful the story turned out to be! The reader gets to see more of the world our MCs live in and we explore it by looking for the mysterious Blade of the Sun. To say the search for this powerful weapon was exciting would be an understatement and at times this book felt like a big adventure story. I don’t know if this worked for other readers as well, but it definitely worked for me. And if we’re already talking about the things that worked, we might as well address the ones that didn’t.
Aside of the unnecessary love triangle there weren’t a lot of things that rubbed me the wrong way, but the fact that Arwen always looked at Kane and described him as “masculine” was kinda annoying. We get it, Kane has a “masculine jaw” and a “masculine frame” and emanates “masculine energy” and I don’t know what else. This kinda irked me at the beginning of the book, but thankfully, it got better after a while. Still, the first couple of chapters were driving me a little bit crazy because of the frequent use of the word. Also I didn’t like the ending and the kind of direction it took because ugh! It’s really such a typical trope, I don’t like it, and it gives me the ick. I honestly hope Kate Golden will find a way out of this dead end right at the beginning of the third book because I don’t think I can stomach another book that makes use of this trope…
Conclusion:
All things considered, “A Promise of Peridot” was a suspenseful surprise and I enjoyed it even more than the first book. I really liked the strong mixture of adventure, romance and self-discovery as well as the MCs development and character arcs. There was so much to enjoy about this story and I really wish Prince Fedrik had been just a new addition to the cast instead of another love interest. That’s just my subjective opinion, though, and I’m sure a lot of other readers saw it differently than me. This said, I’m very curious about the last book and how Kate Golden is going to end her trilogy and I’ll definitely make sure to pick up “A Reign of Rose” soon!
________________________
THAT ENDING!! Ugh! O_o
Also: Yay, I managed to finish this book in the old year. Go me! *lol*
I already enjoyed the first book so much, but this was great! Very suspenseful, funny, great world-building, Arwen & Kane's tension, Griffin and Mari - whatever is going on between them, I dig it *lol* - and let's not forget our new sweet cupcake Prince Fedrik. XD
Full RTC soon! I hope next time I'll be able to put my thoughts into words! This temporary review is not coherent but it was so much fun! <3
________________________
It’s finally time I read this because I was given an ARC of “A Promise of Peridot” by NetGalley and the author a couple of months ago.
I’m very sorry I didn’t get to this sooner but my life has been extremely busy and the flood we had in Austria a couple of weeks ago certainly didn’t help. >_<
Anyway: I’m going to read this now and I’m so ready to find out how Arwen’s and Kane’s story is going to continue. I absolutely loved the first book and after the ending I can’t wait to read this one. I think Kane might get knee pains from all the grovelling he’s about to do, though. *lol*
Just a guess. XD
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”I didn’t know how anybody survived being in love. It was as crippling as I’d always feared it would be. And … terrifying. To never be able to get enough of her. To never be free of these feelings.”
**I received an advance copy of this book from Berkley Publishing Group, NetGalley and the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Thank you so much for giving me a chance to read this ARC!**
As sequels go “A Promise of Peridot” was actually a pretty great one! It didn’t suffer from second book syndrome and I think, for me as a reader, it worked even better than the first instalment. There are plenty of reasons why this book felt like a step up from “A Dawn of Onyx”, one the simple fact that we got to see more of the world-building and the other side characters! In this book Kate Golden didn’t just take the time to show us more of the “Sacred Stones” universe but also made a real effort to flesh out her characters and I’m extremely glad about that! It was one of the things I wanted after reading the first book and since my wish was fulfilled, I ended up being a happy camper.
”Leigh was right. I had been cruel. But he deserved it. Actually, he deserved far worse. He was a liar and a killer, the man who betrayed me, who used me. Who took the first shreds of real joy I had ever felt in my life and turned them to ash. Who broke me down until all that was left was a shell.”
Arwen our MC and Kane, aren’t very happy at the beginning of the book, though, and this is shown pretty clearly by the way they try to avoid each other while they are on the same ship. After the ending of the first book Arwen is forced to deal with all the revelations that were thrown at her and their long sea journey would have been perfect to sort through her feelings. Unfortunately, our FMC is in denial and doesn’t want to acknowledge her role in the big game, which is to say she refuses to think about the fact that she’s the full-blooded Fae who is supposed to bring down Lazarus.
I could understand where she was coming from and why she didn’t want to think about it. Hell, I could even understand why she didn’t want to talk to Kane. At some point her avoidance started to be annoying, though, and this was so realistic that it didn’t only feel relatable but also quite logical. I mean if you find out a terrifying truth like that, it’s only human to shut your feelings down and to try to make it from one day to the next. Which is exactly what Arwen does for most of the book. To the annoyance of pretty much everyone who is on her side. Kane, Griffin, Mari and Dagan included. The good thing is, Arwen IS sorting out her feelings eventually. It just takes some time, a little adventure; some life-threatening moments and another love interest that makes her realize what she truly wants. Which brings me right to one of the main reasons that caused me to give this a little bit of a lower rating:
”No, I wanted the delicious, exhilarating spike in my bloodstream every time Kane was angry with me. Every time his eyes bored into mine in reprimand or thinly veiled ire. The light and airy warmth I felt around Fedrik was a summer sprinkle compared to the heart-rattling monsoon of chemistry that doused Kane and me.”
I’m not a huge fan of love triangles, especially not when they are only used as a tool to make the main character realize that they are actually in love with the other MC. Prince Fedrik who got introduced in this book was exactly that kind of side character and I personally think he deserved better than that. He seemed to be a decent guy (or at least the things we saw of him were decent) and there was a lot more to him than initially met the eye. I’m still not sure if he’s all rainbow and sunshine, mostly because I’m a very sceptical person and think that he was too good to be true, but from what I saw of him he genuinely seems to care about Arwen and so far he didn’t give me any reason to doubt his intentions. But who knows? Maybe the third book will change my opinion of Fedrik? With Kate Golden you never know, which is one of the things I love most about her books.
”Let me take you back to Azurine. No expectations. Nothing implied. I just want you to have a life outside of all this madness. Outside of Kane. Let me offer you a different way to live.”
I stiffened at his words. “But the prophecy –“
“You can enjoy whatever time you have left. And I’ll be by your side until the very end. As a friend. Or as anything you want me to be.”
I mean as we already established the author uses some typical romantasy tropes, but also always manages to give them a kind of unique spin. Case in point: Fedrik wants what’s best for Arwen and accepts her decisions. He’s not trying to win her over the way other love interests would have done, which was extremely refreshing. The tension here comes from Arwen trying to act differently, than she actually feels and not from the two love-interests fighting each other tooth and nail to get her love and attention. Both of them give her room to explore her own feelings and try not to interfere. So kudos to those two men keeping things fair even though Kane is still a jealous fool. *lol* And speaking of jealous fools: Griffin is almost as bad as Kane in this one.
”I’ll do what I can. But know this: she’s worth as much to me now as she is harnessing all the magic in Evendell.”
I felt my throat bob. Mari had shared her loss with him. “You should tell her that.”
I swear Mari’s and Griffin’s relationship was killing me in this book. Almost as much as Arwen’s and Kane’s so that says a lot about how this side character couple took over the stage. I really liked that their connection got some room to be explored as well and I genuinely hope that they’ll sort things out in the next book because to read about them is pure torture. As was the way things turned out between Arwen and Mari. In the first book we got to see some bestie moments but in this one we dug deeper and their friendships is on rocky ground. What I really liked was that the conflict between them had time to grow and to boil over, because usually it are the little things that sum up into something huge that can’t be ignored any longer. And this was exactly what happened in here.
”That’s painful. But what’s worse is my closest friend, who I have stood beside through countless tragedies, lying about it to me for weeks and then saying I’ll be better for it.” She shook her head. "I know you don't care about yourself anymore, but I thought you'd at least give a shit about me."
I’m not gonna lie, the moment it all escalated hurt, but I think it deepened their friendship and made their connection stronger in the end. The same can be said about Arwen’s epiphany and I think this scene was so rewarding. The character growth and all the character arcs were done so well in here, and I really liked how the MCs were able to draw their own conclusions and made their decisions based on them. They all came such a long way from the first book and it was nice to follow their journey. Also Arwen realizing that she’s actually a badass was one of my favourite scenes. XD
”He feared what I could do to him. I had never felt less like a victim in twenty years of being alive. No, I felt like a nightmare. A dangerous, tantalizing nightmare.”
And because I have to mention it here: Kane’s POV added a lot to my enjoyment of this second book! I always like to see the other MCs perspective and to get his point of view gave a lot of insight into the plot we didn’t have before. Since Arwen is new to his world she was rather clueless about everything that happened around her and Kane’s outlook on things definitely helped to understand the world a little bit better. It also helped to get a grasp on his feelings for Arwen, which were more than just a little intense. You might say we got a front row seat at how difficult it was for him to keep his distance and to let her live her own life. Their chemistry was definitely off the charts and there were quite a couple of scenes, in which their attraction took over and everything got a little bit spicy and heated. Considering “A Promise of Peridot” is a romantasy this was to be expected, though. ;-)
”I knew I had missed the curve of his lips against my own, knew I had been craving him like a habit I couldn’t kick, but had never expected – never known – it would be like this. Like breathing again after weeks and weeks and weeks without air.”
Another thing I really liked was how suspenseful the story turned out to be! The reader gets to see more of the world our MCs live in and we explore it by looking for the mysterious Blade of the Sun. To say the search for this powerful weapon was exciting would be an understatement and at times this book felt like a big adventure story. I don’t know if this worked for other readers as well, but it definitely worked for me. And if we’re already talking about the things that worked, we might as well address the ones that didn’t.
Aside of the unnecessary love triangle there weren’t a lot of things that rubbed me the wrong way, but the fact that Arwen always looked at Kane and described him as “masculine” was kinda annoying. We get it, Kane has a “masculine jaw” and a “masculine frame” and emanates “masculine energy” and I don’t know what else. This kinda irked me at the beginning of the book, but thankfully, it got better after a while. Still, the first couple of chapters were driving me a little bit crazy because of the frequent use of the word. Also I didn’t like the ending and the kind of direction it took because ugh! It’s really such a typical trope, I don’t like it, and it gives me the ick. I honestly hope Kate Golden will find a way out of this dead end right at the beginning of the third book because I don’t think I can stomach another book that makes use of this trope…
Conclusion:
All things considered, “A Promise of Peridot” was a suspenseful surprise and I enjoyed it even more than the first book. I really liked the strong mixture of adventure, romance and self-discovery as well as the MCs development and character arcs. There was so much to enjoy about this story and I really wish Prince Fedrik had been just a new addition to the cast instead of another love interest. That’s just my subjective opinion, though, and I’m sure a lot of other readers saw it differently than me. This said, I’m very curious about the last book and how Kate Golden is going to end her trilogy and I’ll definitely make sure to pick up “A Reign of Rose” soon!
________________________
THAT ENDING!! Ugh! O_o
Also: Yay, I managed to finish this book in the old year. Go me! *lol*
I already enjoyed the first book so much, but this was great! Very suspenseful, funny, great world-building, Arwen & Kane's tension, Griffin and Mari - whatever is going on between them, I dig it *lol* - and let's not forget our new sweet cupcake Prince Fedrik. XD
Full RTC soon! I hope next time I'll be able to put my thoughts into words! This temporary review is not coherent but it was so much fun! <3
________________________
It’s finally time I read this because I was given an ARC of “A Promise of Peridot” by NetGalley and the author a couple of months ago.
I’m very sorry I didn’t get to this sooner but my life has been extremely busy and the flood we had in Austria a couple of weeks ago certainly didn’t help. >_<
Anyway: I’m going to read this now and I’m so ready to find out how Arwen’s and Kane’s story is going to continue. I absolutely loved the first book and after the ending I can’t wait to read this one. I think Kane might get knee pains from all the grovelling he’s about to do, though. *lol*
Just a guess. XD
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March 4, 2024
Nope. I’m done.
This review is going to include spoilers. Go back now…
This review is going to include spoilers. Go back now…
January 19, 2026
**I was provided with an ARC for an honest review.**
wow wow WOW. I was getting heart eyes in the first book and I got my forehead kissed in this one.
The sequel quickly picks up on the aftermath of a great battle, a great loss, and our great heroine Arwen just burning everything in her sight like a little psycho. I mean as Kane would say....
"A breathtaking, violent goddess of fury"
꧁The Characters꧂
Arwen is back with her sassy attitude, tragic backstory and healing abilities but the secrets of her fate and lineage are slowly being uncovered and having even bigger ramifications than we first thought. But I gotta be honest, why was babygirl literally so depressed??! bahaha I'm not kidding, she went through a depressive spiral then a little crazy yolo energy spike then another crash and burn! It was hilarious to read until it wasn't…
"And even if there was a chance of my survival - even I could let myself believe in such a thing - I didn't particularly want the life that would stretch before me."
The girl was almost doing handstands through the stages of grief. Everything from her perspective felt frightened, emotions heightened and the general angst added a level of urgency to our looming battle ahead so you kept turning pages wondering how on earth they were going to pull this off...this being Kane's shirt
Kane our love interest, oh what to say about this cinnamon roll who looks like he can kill you. For a sequel, I wanted to develop upon all we learned in first book and finally get some deeper insights into his character, to really understand the core who is Kane? My conclusion: A sarcastic little shit
"I was in love with her. And it was a fucking nightmare."
I was literally cracking like a manic while reading his point of view. Kane made some very comedic moments and had hilarious commentary because he just wants to save the world dammit! Like when some prick tries to tag along on his quest when he wants time alone with his healer,
"The king and queen have requested I join you on the expedition for the Blade of the Sun."
"Sorry. Team's all full. Better luck next time."
There was no world, no reality, where I brought this imbecile along with us so he could insult me and ogle Arwen for the next few days."
He really is trying his best to save the world despite the odds going increasingly against him with every passing moment.
"Is there anything else you can tell us about the blade? About where it is in ? About our battle with ?"
"You must defeat him. You are the only hope either realm has."
"Yes." I gritted my teeth. "That I know."
I honestly have a love-hate relationship with his character because Kane is a redeeming grey character whose personality is sometimes written younger than his age is supposed to be. Like his backstory and abilities are dark and his morality is questionable but his point of view and actual actions are more .. angsty? borderline stupid ?? to the point of cuteness in the romance !!
"I should have apologized for my outburst after seeing her with . But I compelled myself to enter the guest room and close the door before I did something idiotic instead like kiss her. Or ask her to marry me"
But he do be dumb tho. Like I was honestly so disappointed by some nonstrategic moments that left me wondering how he had handled court life and politics before. To say that you don't have time to care who is sleeping with who?? When its someone you don't trust?? THAT IS IMPORTANT! Within our group of characters that I adore, we are missing some people-person's intelligence factors. Like we needed a spymaster or empath or mindreader. SOMEONE who considers the importance of alliances and politics ON TOP OF the actual armies and fighting here.
One thing that really impressed me was how developed the Secondary Characters were in this novel. And honestly, there was so many of them! I had to start highlighting their names to try and remember who was an ally, an enemy, or a relative
Mari the obligatory book best friend continues to develop her own plotline that aligns very closely with our heroine's. Mari is headstrong, and will always do what it takes for knowledge, just a classic Eldest Daughter perfectionism vibes. She's as flawed as Arwan but in different ways so we almost have less patience with her as readers.
Fedrik a Prince of a supposed ally country that was a hilarious addition to the group for his sassy comments but I'm calling Judas right now!
"Despite your clear lack of morals and piss-poor personality, you and I actually want the same thing."
Acorn the pet Strix which is a dangerous thing and i hope comes back for some cute dog dad scenes
Leigh the little sister, an artist, and pissed off that Arwen isn't able to fix everything and make it better so she is rude to her. This character was a perfect accumulation of naivety and innocence that is like nails down a chalkboard, and there was a whole sister fight that was honestly relatable.
Vaughn is my personal priority, we need to find him alive
Dagan The grouchy old man who is human is back and kinda has some -enlightenment Buddha- vibes here.
"Dagan considered me, curiosity and maybe... sympathy in his eyes. Then, as if a light had gone off inside hsi mind, he drew in a breath that lifted his brows.
"What?" I asked, more edge creeping into my voice than I intended.
"You've given up."
And with that, he stood, returned his swords to his back, and began to walk away."
Then there's also the seer, the seer's daughter Esme, the seer's daughter's daughter I don't remember her name but she's important too!
And the bad boiii, that is honestly just fun to hate on! He is so pathetic you almost feel bad for him but he's like a parasite you cant stop from sucking the blood off whenever he near so you gotta STaMP TAHT SHIT
Griffin has grown into literally everything I want from a secondary character especially one who is wingman to our love interest! He has his own OPINION and backstory that is often used IN CONFLICT with our heroine because it forces Arwan to stand up for herself and move the plot forward.
In this book, Griffin's character truly develops into the small details of a character that i love like how he lost his parents in the rebellion and feels guilty and can't suffer anymore losses so he's afraid to LOVE and it is so tragic and I EAT THAT SHIT UP!
"Griffin, tramped onto the beach, deliberate as always, though his eyes beheld a subtle brightness. He had gone from a glorified babysitter stuck in a foreign city without his friend or his woman to a man on an ADVENTURE with the only people in his world he even remotely liked. I would call this version of Grffin almost gleeful"
I swear to god I will be LIIVIDDD if anything happens to this man
I absolutely loved the foreshadowing of important characters and objects at other kingdoms because it makes perfect sense to keep track of people's abilities and makes me excited to see what future interactions we'll save.
The little amulet from the first book becomes a huge important artifact in this book. That lightbulb moment when a small item from the first book provides the needed backstory for our characters to move forward! It's creative as hell and becomes a huge plot development for our characters and meeting a new one that I loved seeing this item come full circle... GO AROUND AGAIN! My theories for the next book?
I am legit intrigued by a particularly savage race of Fae called Hemolich.
I can't wait to meet the White Crow!
be careful what you let him do to you, he isn't right in the mind
I was totally onto it with Drake Alcott when Ryder talked about him being a most brilliant thief to ever live and I know that's going to be important later
꧁World Building꧂
The concept of Sacred Stones is definitely unique where each stone is a kingdom and makes you want to picture the beauty of Pearl Kingdom and its libraries. This book definitely allows our heroine to travel to all the places Arwen's never read about...because the chick legit knows nothing! This worked well to have the differences explained to us as readers because she was so unsure about the world she was now fighting to save
Crag's Hollow the cutest little gloomy coastal town over an ancient glacial lake, the dark water of Lake Stygian
Hemlock Isle serves as the largest and most treacherous prison in all of Evendell
Siren's Bay
Amber was the most devout kingdom with temples, priests
Pearl Kingdom From the subtle comments about its huge libraries full of seer's words, their scholars and priests. The author made me picture it and want to go there in this book... *ekk i really really hope we do soon!*
I absolutely love it when I can picture the places with my characters, and them engaging with the environment just adds to the danger of the bookish world on TOP of the whole war thing going on.
But I am still trying to understand the mythology of it all. . There are Fae, Witches are now rare, Pirates, Onxy and Peridot solders, Gareth's army, Faerie lighte that can be DRAINED oh that's gonna be a whole thing probably!!, Fae Gods.
꧁The Plot꧂
While the first book had a very strong plot of learning our abilities and using them against the hot king, this one struggled a little with the sequel slump because Arwen was honestly in denial. Depression. And mostly trying to process the knowledge from the first book and figure out how exactly we gonna do it. I'm not totally impressed by the military strategy here or long term thinking of our characters because it all seems pretty much like a slow train crash right now.
꧁Writing Style꧂
I absolutely loved that the the author labeled our chapter's point of view change (it's a small detail you don't appreciate UNTIL ITS GONE!) but I could also FEEL the perspective change!
Arwen had more sass and the phrase "big ugly tears" was the most relatable thing I've ever read
Whereas Kane has been fighting this battle for a long time and fear is BACK in his life from his desire to protect and the author's writing of the tension was perfectly built up
"Fear - true and genine fear hammered through my heart.
"I think..." I could feel what Arwen felt. Could feel her being tethered to something, my back, mirroring hers, bound to some kind of pole. "I think someone has her." My voice was hoarse."
I SCREAMED!! The perspective switching kept me hooked and engaged where I was almost mad at Kate Golden for cutting me off in the middle of a great scene but the wait made it even better...
But now I must address my biggest critique of the first book...'reading blueballs'
Oh it's real. And it really AINT in this sequel!
"How long are you going to pretend to be asleep?"
THAT LINE ALONE MADE ME BLUSH AND THIS BOOK WAS SPICEY YALL! This book definitely moved the series to New Adult with the amount of cursing elevated and sensual scenes were just as good
"And I almost fucked her - her first time, too - in some nondescript Azurine alleyway. Fucking deplorable."
I was honestly very shocked by the ending, it was a total cliffhanger so be aware of that going in! But I also just had not seen it coming with that bad guy trope being used in this series!! and I have no idea how to feel about it. On one hand I love having a flat-out bad guy with a clear motive... but I just hadn't really seen that veer off coming. so. trigger warning might be necessary for next book?
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book because of the dynamic characters with unique personalities and powers that are both fighting to save what's important to them ... only to discover it's each other. ekkkkkk come on that's just cute! But this book felt incredibly slow with fewer direct battles and confrontations. It was mostly our characters processing the ramifications of the first and our characters trying to game plan how to move forward... so give me book 3 I AM READY! I love the build-up that the author has woven towards confronting our bad guy and trying to rally out characters to greatness but felt unsatisfied by this book's progress... even if i was much more satisifed by the SPICE LEVEL RISING !!
wow wow WOW. I was getting heart eyes in the first book and I got my forehead kissed in this one.
The sequel quickly picks up on the aftermath of a great battle, a great loss, and our great heroine Arwen just burning everything in her sight like a little psycho. I mean as Kane would say....
"A breathtaking, violent goddess of fury"
꧁The Characters꧂
Arwen is back with her sassy attitude, tragic backstory and healing abilities but the secrets of her fate and lineage are slowly being uncovered and having even bigger ramifications than we first thought. But I gotta be honest, why was babygirl literally so depressed??! bahaha I'm not kidding, she went through a depressive spiral then a little crazy yolo energy spike then another crash and burn! It was hilarious to read until it wasn't…
"And even if there was a chance of my survival - even I could let myself believe in such a thing - I didn't particularly want the life that would stretch before me."
The girl was almost doing handstands through the stages of grief. Everything from her perspective felt frightened, emotions heightened and the general angst added a level of urgency to our looming battle ahead so you kept turning pages wondering how on earth they were going to pull this off...this being Kane's shirt
Kane our love interest, oh what to say about this cinnamon roll who looks like he can kill you. For a sequel, I wanted to develop upon all we learned in first book and finally get some deeper insights into his character, to really understand the core who is Kane? My conclusion: A sarcastic little shit
"I was in love with her. And it was a fucking nightmare."
I was literally cracking like a manic while reading his point of view. Kane made some very comedic moments and had hilarious commentary because he just wants to save the world dammit! Like when some prick tries to tag along on his quest when he wants time alone with his healer,
"The king and queen have requested I join you on the expedition for the Blade of the Sun."
"Sorry. Team's all full. Better luck next time."
There was no world, no reality, where I brought this imbecile along with us so he could insult me and ogle Arwen for the next few days."
He really is trying his best to save the world despite the odds going increasingly against him with every passing moment.
"Is there anything else you can tell us about the blade? About where it is in ? About our battle with ?"
"You must defeat him. You are the only hope either realm has."
"Yes." I gritted my teeth. "That I know."
I honestly have a love-hate relationship with his character because Kane is a redeeming grey character whose personality is sometimes written younger than his age is supposed to be. Like his backstory and abilities are dark and his morality is questionable but his point of view and actual actions are more .. angsty? borderline stupid ?? to the point of cuteness in the romance !!
"I should have apologized for my outburst after seeing her with . But I compelled myself to enter the guest room and close the door before I did something idiotic instead like kiss her. Or ask her to marry me"
But he do be dumb tho. Like I was honestly so disappointed by some nonstrategic moments that left me wondering how he had handled court life and politics before. To say that you don't have time to care who is sleeping with who?? When its someone you don't trust?? THAT IS IMPORTANT! Within our group of characters that I adore, we are missing some people-person's intelligence factors. Like we needed a spymaster or empath or mindreader. SOMEONE who considers the importance of alliances and politics ON TOP OF the actual armies and fighting here.
One thing that really impressed me was how developed the Secondary Characters were in this novel. And honestly, there was so many of them! I had to start highlighting their names to try and remember who was an ally, an enemy, or a relative
Mari the obligatory book best friend continues to develop her own plotline that aligns very closely with our heroine's. Mari is headstrong, and will always do what it takes for knowledge, just a classic Eldest Daughter perfectionism vibes. She's as flawed as Arwan but in different ways so we almost have less patience with her as readers.
Fedrik a Prince of a supposed ally country that was a hilarious addition to the group for his sassy comments but I'm calling Judas right now!
"Despite your clear lack of morals and piss-poor personality, you and I actually want the same thing."
Acorn the pet Strix which is a dangerous thing and i hope comes back for some cute dog dad scenes
Leigh the little sister, an artist, and pissed off that Arwen isn't able to fix everything and make it better so she is rude to her. This character was a perfect accumulation of naivety and innocence that is like nails down a chalkboard, and there was a whole sister fight that was honestly relatable.
Vaughn is my personal priority, we need to find him alive
Dagan The grouchy old man who is human is back and kinda has some -enlightenment Buddha- vibes here.
"Dagan considered me, curiosity and maybe... sympathy in his eyes. Then, as if a light had gone off inside hsi mind, he drew in a breath that lifted his brows.
"What?" I asked, more edge creeping into my voice than I intended.
"You've given up."
And with that, he stood, returned his swords to his back, and began to walk away."
Then there's also the seer, the seer's daughter Esme, the seer's daughter's daughter I don't remember her name but she's important too!
And the bad boiii, that is honestly just fun to hate on! He is so pathetic you almost feel bad for him but he's like a parasite you cant stop from sucking the blood off whenever he near so you gotta STaMP TAHT SHIT
Griffin has grown into literally everything I want from a secondary character especially one who is wingman to our love interest! He has his own OPINION and backstory that is often used IN CONFLICT with our heroine because it forces Arwan to stand up for herself and move the plot forward.
In this book, Griffin's character truly develops into the small details of a character that i love like how he lost his parents in the rebellion and feels guilty and can't suffer anymore losses so he's afraid to LOVE and it is so tragic and I EAT THAT SHIT UP!
"Griffin, tramped onto the beach, deliberate as always, though his eyes beheld a subtle brightness. He had gone from a glorified babysitter stuck in a foreign city without his friend or his woman to a man on an ADVENTURE with the only people in his world he even remotely liked. I would call this version of Grffin almost gleeful"
I swear to god I will be LIIVIDDD if anything happens to this man
I absolutely loved the foreshadowing of important characters and objects at other kingdoms because it makes perfect sense to keep track of people's abilities and makes me excited to see what future interactions we'll save.
The little amulet from the first book becomes a huge important artifact in this book. That lightbulb moment when a small item from the first book provides the needed backstory for our characters to move forward! It's creative as hell and becomes a huge plot development for our characters and meeting a new one that I loved seeing this item come full circle... GO AROUND AGAIN! My theories for the next book?
I am legit intrigued by a particularly savage race of Fae called Hemolich.
I can't wait to meet the White Crow!
be careful what you let him do to you, he isn't right in the mind
I was totally onto it with Drake Alcott when Ryder talked about him being a most brilliant thief to ever live and I know that's going to be important later
꧁World Building꧂
The concept of Sacred Stones is definitely unique where each stone is a kingdom and makes you want to picture the beauty of Pearl Kingdom and its libraries. This book definitely allows our heroine to travel to all the places Arwen's never read about...because the chick legit knows nothing! This worked well to have the differences explained to us as readers because she was so unsure about the world she was now fighting to save
Crag's Hollow the cutest little gloomy coastal town over an ancient glacial lake, the dark water of Lake Stygian
Hemlock Isle serves as the largest and most treacherous prison in all of Evendell
Siren's Bay
Amber was the most devout kingdom with temples, priests
Pearl Kingdom From the subtle comments about its huge libraries full of seer's words, their scholars and priests. The author made me picture it and want to go there in this book... *ekk i really really hope we do soon!*
I absolutely love it when I can picture the places with my characters, and them engaging with the environment just adds to the danger of the bookish world on TOP of the whole war thing going on.
But I am still trying to understand the mythology of it all. . There are Fae, Witches are now rare, Pirates, Onxy and Peridot solders, Gareth's army, Faerie lighte that can be DRAINED oh that's gonna be a whole thing probably!!, Fae Gods.
꧁The Plot꧂
While the first book had a very strong plot of learning our abilities and using them against the hot king, this one struggled a little with the sequel slump because Arwen was honestly in denial. Depression. And mostly trying to process the knowledge from the first book and figure out how exactly we gonna do it. I'm not totally impressed by the military strategy here or long term thinking of our characters because it all seems pretty much like a slow train crash right now.
꧁Writing Style꧂
I absolutely loved that the the author labeled our chapter's point of view change (it's a small detail you don't appreciate UNTIL ITS GONE!) but I could also FEEL the perspective change!
Arwen had more sass and the phrase "big ugly tears" was the most relatable thing I've ever read
Whereas Kane has been fighting this battle for a long time and fear is BACK in his life from his desire to protect and the author's writing of the tension was perfectly built up
"Fear - true and genine fear hammered through my heart.
"I think..." I could feel what Arwen felt. Could feel her being tethered to something, my back, mirroring hers, bound to some kind of pole. "I think someone has her." My voice was hoarse."
I SCREAMED!! The perspective switching kept me hooked and engaged where I was almost mad at Kate Golden for cutting me off in the middle of a great scene but the wait made it even better...
But now I must address my biggest critique of the first book...'reading blueballs'
Oh it's real. And it really AINT in this sequel!
"How long are you going to pretend to be asleep?"
THAT LINE ALONE MADE ME BLUSH AND THIS BOOK WAS SPICEY YALL! This book definitely moved the series to New Adult with the amount of cursing elevated and sensual scenes were just as good
"And I almost fucked her - her first time, too - in some nondescript Azurine alleyway. Fucking deplorable."
I was honestly very shocked by the ending, it was a total cliffhanger so be aware of that going in! But I also just had not seen it coming with that bad guy trope being used in this series!! and I have no idea how to feel about it. On one hand I love having a flat-out bad guy with a clear motive... but I just hadn't really seen that veer off coming. so. trigger warning might be necessary for next book?
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book because of the dynamic characters with unique personalities and powers that are both fighting to save what's important to them ... only to discover it's each other. ekkkkkk come on that's just cute! But this book felt incredibly slow with fewer direct battles and confrontations. It was mostly our characters processing the ramifications of the first and our characters trying to game plan how to move forward... so give me book 3 I AM READY! I love the build-up that the author has woven towards confronting our bad guy and trying to rally out characters to greatness but felt unsatisfied by this book's progress... even if i was much more satisifed by the SPICE LEVEL RISING !!
May 4, 2024
The first book was your typical predictable romantasy that I felt like I read a million times before but still had a good time and enjoyed it regardless. However this being the second book in the trilogy, I was expecting more and it just fell flat. Tbh I’m more invested in the side characters than the main characters. I just really feel no connection to the FMC and MMC, and it’s just TOO predictable at this point. The plot wasn’t enough to make up for it. Still undecided as to whether or not I’ll be finishing this series… we shall see.
April 9, 2025
𝟒 ★
“𝒊’𝒎 𝒊𝒏 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒚𝒐𝒖. 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒔𝒐. 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒊𝒍𝒐𝒓𝒔 𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒂𝒕 𝒔𝒆𝒂 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒊𝒓𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒈𝒖𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎 𝒉𝒐𝒎𝒆.”
we’re back with arwen in the kingdom of evendell, where she must deal with the aftermath of uncovering her fate and the deception from the people she trusted. despite it all, she must push aside her hatred and mistrust to search for the blade to kill lazarus, the leader of the enemy kingdom. amidst it all, she must decide if she will accept her fate willingly, or forgive those who wronged her and fight for a different future.
this book, and series continue to impress me. it’s so incredibly fast paced, action packed and the romance (not to mention the groveling) is to die for. my emotions were all over the place, at one point i was giggling and kicking my feet and then ten pages later i was debating throwing my book out the window. all i have to say about that ending is: lazarus you son of a bitch???
it was so hard to put this book down because i just had to know what happened. book 3, i’m coming for you soon. 🫵🏻
“𝒊’𝒎 𝒊𝒏 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒚𝒐𝒖. 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒔𝒐. 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒊𝒍𝒐𝒓𝒔 𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒂𝒕 𝒔𝒆𝒂 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒊𝒓𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒈𝒖𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎 𝒉𝒐𝒎𝒆.”
we’re back with arwen in the kingdom of evendell, where she must deal with the aftermath of uncovering her fate and the deception from the people she trusted. despite it all, she must push aside her hatred and mistrust to search for the blade to kill lazarus, the leader of the enemy kingdom. amidst it all, she must decide if she will accept her fate willingly, or forgive those who wronged her and fight for a different future.
this book, and series continue to impress me. it’s so incredibly fast paced, action packed and the romance (not to mention the groveling) is to die for. my emotions were all over the place, at one point i was giggling and kicking my feet and then ten pages later i was debating throwing my book out the window. all i have to say about that ending is: lazarus you son of a bitch???
it was so hard to put this book down because i just had to know what happened. book 3, i’m coming for you soon. 🫵🏻
November 3, 2025
Mais qu'est-ce que j'aime cette saga olalaaaaa !!! J'avais eu un coup de coeur pour le premier tome, tout en me rendant bien compte que c'était un peu cliché, un peu too much... mais que j'étais tout de même à fond durant ma lecture. Et bah figurez vous que c'est exactement pareil avec le tome 2 ! J'ai encore plus aimé, encore plus accroché à l'intrigue, aux personnages, à l'univers, et ce alors que c'est totalement la même formule que le tome 1. La relation amoureuse est toujours plus cliché mais JE M'EN FOU JE POURRAI DONNER MON ÂME POUR CES DEUX LÀ OMGGGGG, vraiment le boy obsessed de qualitey, j'ai tellement hâte de voir les dingueries que Kane va nous faire dans le tome 3. En parlant du tome 3, j'espère tellement qu'il sortira VITE en VF parce que j'ai besoin de continuer, j'ai besoin de réponses, j'ai besoin de ce livre, vraiment... quel banger !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Read
August 7, 2024DNF @ 20% I’m just not feeling it
January 2, 2024
EVERY. SINGLE. STAR.
but I’m gonna need a minute 😭😭😭
but I’m gonna need a minute 😭😭😭
April 14, 2024
This book needs to calm the fuck down. There was no need to try to get me pregnant... Jesus. And A Promise of Peridot isn't even what I would consider to be smut.
But what can I say? Kane is a fucking broody and moody daddy. I'd watch him slice down all my enemies in one fell swoop all day err day. I don't know what crawled up Arwen's ass and died, but she made him grovel for wayyy too long in this sequel. Not that the horny fae shit wasn't an absolute delight. (Especially when they were slaughtering bandits in the rain and simultaneously having a lover's quarrel.) Okurrrr! Seriously, though, Kane's character took a major turn for the better. Although he continued to be that morally grey, impatient, ruthless character, he grew up a lot throughout the story... but he's still a sarcastic little shithead. I was eating his chapters up like crack. His POV was my favorite, probably because I, too, am a sarcastic little shithead. He looks like a grizzly, but when you squeeze him there's a squeaker inside.
Arwen had a lot of character development, too. She wasn't as much of a little bitch when it came to fear, and really came into her "boss-ass fae queen who can legit murder everyone with a flick-of-tha-wrist" era💁🏼♀️ I didn't like how hateful she was the first half of the book, though. Like girl... Get the fuck over it. Trust me, you don't wanna go out with frown lines like that. The mortician is gonna have a hard time fixing that shit if a Widow happens to yeet you off her back🕷️🕸️
As always, we stan Griffin who looks like he could kill you, but is a cinnamon roll❤️ Mari is also a fave with her sassy, witchy attitude.
Can we talk about world building, thooo?! Hemlock Isle seemed so fucking cool, serving as a prison island where the most dangerous criminals are sent. All the different kingdoms--Citrine, Amber, Onyx. Of course Crag's Hollow--which I would love to be my gloomy little coastal home. You can really imagine all these places, so I think Kate Golden really nailed the world building.🌎
This book was so worth it imo. It's written in a dual POV writing style, which I loved. It's a great book if you're looking for an enemies-to-lovers romantasy series. The plot in this sequel unfolds so much smoother than in the first book, I think. There's more depth to it and definitely more action and adventure. The characters also reveal their various layers. Thus, I enjoyed The Promise of Peridot a little better than A Dawn of Onyx. I am looking forward to reading A Reign of Rose in October.🎃
"Don't you know why I call you bird? Because when I met you, I felt hope. Birds soar through the dawn each morning, as sure as the sun rising in the east--the promise of something new regardless of what came before. Hope always has wings."
A Dawn of Onyx: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
A Promise of Peridot: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
A Reign of Rose: TBD
But what can I say? Kane is a fucking broody and moody daddy. I'd watch him slice down all my enemies in one fell swoop all day err day. I don't know what crawled up Arwen's ass and died, but she made him grovel for wayyy too long in this sequel. Not that the horny fae shit wasn't an absolute delight. (Especially when they were slaughtering bandits in the rain and simultaneously having a lover's quarrel.) Okurrrr! Seriously, though, Kane's character took a major turn for the better. Although he continued to be that morally grey, impatient, ruthless character, he grew up a lot throughout the story... but he's still a sarcastic little shithead. I was eating his chapters up like crack. His POV was my favorite, probably because I, too, am a sarcastic little shithead. He looks like a grizzly, but when you squeeze him there's a squeaker inside.
Arwen had a lot of character development, too. She wasn't as much of a little bitch when it came to fear, and really came into her "boss-ass fae queen who can legit murder everyone with a flick-of-tha-wrist" era💁🏼♀️ I didn't like how hateful she was the first half of the book, though. Like girl... Get the fuck over it. Trust me, you don't wanna go out with frown lines like that. The mortician is gonna have a hard time fixing that shit if a Widow happens to yeet you off her back🕷️🕸️
As always, we stan Griffin who looks like he could kill you, but is a cinnamon roll❤️ Mari is also a fave with her sassy, witchy attitude.
Can we talk about world building, thooo?! Hemlock Isle seemed so fucking cool, serving as a prison island where the most dangerous criminals are sent. All the different kingdoms--Citrine, Amber, Onyx. Of course Crag's Hollow--which I would love to be my gloomy little coastal home. You can really imagine all these places, so I think Kate Golden really nailed the world building.🌎
This book was so worth it imo. It's written in a dual POV writing style, which I loved. It's a great book if you're looking for an enemies-to-lovers romantasy series. The plot in this sequel unfolds so much smoother than in the first book, I think. There's more depth to it and definitely more action and adventure. The characters also reveal their various layers. Thus, I enjoyed The Promise of Peridot a little better than A Dawn of Onyx. I am looking forward to reading A Reign of Rose in October.🎃
"Don't you know why I call you bird? Because when I met you, I felt hope. Birds soar through the dawn each morning, as sure as the sun rising in the east--the promise of something new regardless of what came before. Hope always has wings."
A Dawn of Onyx: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
A Promise of Peridot: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
A Reign of Rose: TBD
May 8, 2024
UMM EXCUSE ME KATE! HOW DARE YOU!
Wowwowwow. The way that this book and this series as a whole has consumed me. Kate Golden has somehow taken all of the aspects that I LOVE from my favorite romantasy books and wrapped them up together in this series.. and for that I bow to her!
The pacing through this whole book was almost perfect.. given that Arwen was a bit annoying in the beginning. I loved the sort of adventure/scavenger hunt plot line because it felt new and different from book one. We also meet a few new characters *cough cough Fredrick cough cough* and get a little bit more intricate world building.
The Plot Twist... Kate we need to have a talk!
I did not see the ending coming one bit, and was completely shook by the epilogue. I literally have no idea what I will do with myself waiting for book three on October.
Wowwowwow. The way that this book and this series as a whole has consumed me. Kate Golden has somehow taken all of the aspects that I LOVE from my favorite romantasy books and wrapped them up together in this series.. and for that I bow to her!
The pacing through this whole book was almost perfect.. given that Arwen was a bit annoying in the beginning. I loved the sort of adventure/scavenger hunt plot line because it felt new and different from book one. We also meet a few new characters *cough cough Fredrick cough cough* and get a little bit more intricate world building.
The Plot Twist... Kate we need to have a talk!
I did not see the ending coming one bit, and was completely shook by the epilogue. I literally have no idea what I will do with myself waiting for book three on October.
January 1, 2025
This series is so much fun!
Kate goes crazy with her endings! I need to read book 3 now!
I think Arwen dragged out being mad at Kane for a bit too long for my liking but when she finally got it together i was giggling and kicking my feet.
The forced love triangle didn’t do anything for me because we all know Kane is end game so the only point of Fredrick was to make Kane jealous which I can’t lie I loved to see!
This one is also dual POV so I loved seeing Kane be pathetic for Arwen! Top tier obsession
I wish we got scenes of Arwen training with her powers because she really needs to learn something, how is she going to take on the fae king?!
But still the missions to find the blade were fun and Kate did an amazing job at giving us tension filled scenes with just Arwen & Kane!
Kate goes crazy with her endings! I need to read book 3 now!
I think Arwen dragged out being mad at Kane for a bit too long for my liking but when she finally got it together i was giggling and kicking my feet.
The forced love triangle didn’t do anything for me because we all know Kane is end game so the only point of Fredrick was to make Kane jealous which I can’t lie I loved to see!
This one is also dual POV so I loved seeing Kane be pathetic for Arwen! Top tier obsession
I wish we got scenes of Arwen training with her powers because she really needs to learn something, how is she going to take on the fae king?!
But still the missions to find the blade were fun and Kate did an amazing job at giving us tension filled scenes with just Arwen & Kane!
October 12, 2025
Full review to follow : I’m falling more and more in love with this series. The tension , build up and burn the world down vibes are just exquisite. Some of those inner monologues have me giggling and some have me blushing. Definitely feeling all the feels and pulled further into this story in book two. I also may want to stab some people and hug others. I have been enjoying this read so much it kinda took over my reading. Picking up book 3 now .., putting out the do not disturb !!
May 16, 2024
Nah I got 70% of the way through this and then I remembered that reading is a choice and I’m choosing no more!
June 17, 2025
This book was good. Fun, even.
But if you have read romantasy, you have read this book.
That being said, this is still worth the read! I had a good time, and I love MMC so much. The FMC could be very annoying in the early parts of this book, but overall, she grows out of that.
I am pretty excited to read the final book, too!
4.25 stars ⭐️
But if you have read romantasy, you have read this book.
That being said, this is still worth the read! I had a good time, and I love MMC so much. The FMC could be very annoying in the early parts of this book, but overall, she grows out of that.
I am pretty excited to read the final book, too!
4.25 stars ⭐️
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