A tender heart in Boellium would soon bleed out, and then it would be their blood painting the courtyard’s cobblestones red. That wouldn’t be me.
Avalon Halhed was the sacrificial lamb for the Ninth Line, but walking through the gates of Boellium felt wrong, and she couldn't put her finger on the reason why. It was more than her instant attraction to an Heir of the First Line, who was so far above her station he may as walk among the stars while she scrabbled in the dirt. It wasn't even the face that looking at the Hayle Taeme inexplicably made her heart seize in her chest like it had beat its last beat either. She was out of her depth, and it was more than just the gruelling training and marathon lectures. She'd captured the attention of the two most powerful people inside the walls of Boellium, and not everyone was happy about it. It didn't matter that she'd been keeping her head down, determined to get through her conscription and return back to the Ninth Line Barony to live out her life in solitude. She'd upset the careful balance, and now they were out for blood.
This is Part Two in an ongoing novella series. Reading Daughter Of The Ninth Line : Part One is strongly advised.
When I was nine, my grandmother and her friends used to read and swap Harlequin Mills and Boons novels. When I was busted reading one, they started sneaking me boxes full of strong heroines and rugged men. Thus started a long love affair with the romance genre. Then I discovered urban fantasy, and fell in love with broody Alphas and sexy paranormals, and combining them together was a no brainer. Then I discovered Reverse Harem.... Oh my. Why choose, am I right?
I didn’t read any reviews and I’m so glad, it made this book ten times better. I was going to give it a 4.25, but I like the creativity and originality of this series so far. I’m dying for the next book, I can’t wait to see if the ending improves! P.S. If this series ends up being as good as the first two books I will be buying it.
I skipped and skimmed more than I read. This writing style is not for me.
I cannot cope with repetition at all.
The story is being retold with a few changes. Book 1 was interesting, I didn't care for the relationships in book 2 they were shallow. Also it felt like she was cheating this time round, the connection with Talos also wishy washy. With Hale there were emotions behind it and a mate bond.
What a shame. It was easy to forgive the book length but the rest, I'm not a fan.
I’m honestly pretty disappointed.. Where’s the fire and connection of the first book? Why does it feel like I’m reading about people who have a whole different personality? I’m sorry to say that I felt absolutely bored out of my mind. I started skimming about halfway through because I wanted to know which stuff would be different than Part 1 and how it ended. There wasn’t a moment where my heart skipped a beat and just HAD TO flip the page, on nothing of the ‘action’ whatsoever. I even skipped the sex scene. The only thing I enjoyed was the little mouse and some little interactions with the hounds. Maybe this isn’t for me, I don’t know, but after the way I felt reading Part 1, I had expected the story following a similar energy.
bruhhh i miss Hayle I just like him better and he is so much more interesting to me also this story format is kinda pissing me off i’m still so confused and this is the second book in the series
What a delicious concept! The books reward close reading to find tidbits and clues as to what’s going on.
Daughter of the Ninth House is a “why choose” romantasy with a story structure that is kind of like the Groundhog Day movie.
Books 1 and 2 cover the same exact time period, Avalon Halhed’s first months at the Boellium War College. Reading Part 1: the gripping story of Avalon’s first grueling month’s at her country’s War College. Part 2 is like “oh shit that was a disaster, let’s try it all over again from the beginning!” Groundhog Day.
We don’t know why (yet) that both versions of the story exist with no knowledge of the other. Do they exist in alternate realities? Or is it time that is being manipulated? I wonder if it could have something to do with Avalon’s magic, which is something we don’t know yet.
Tho they start the same, each of the two stories end up very different. I’m going to guess that Part 3 will do the same but have a definitive result.
In an afterword, McGinty says that parts 1-3 as a whole make up the first book of a duet.
I should say that parts 1 and 2 end with an excruciating cliff hanger. Part 3, I hope you come out soon! It’s being posted one chapter at a time on McGinty’s Patreon channel.
Our main character is Avalon Halhed, the youngest daughter of the ruler of a small, frigid mountainous country, a part of the larger country of Ebrus. The Halheds and their people are considered to be “Ninth Line.”
Ebrus has what’s basically a caste system. There are 12 “Lines” but all the resources of Ebrus are in the hands of the first 6 families. So if you’re the Ninth Line it’s not too great. Mysteriously, there is no 2nd line because the 1st Line murdered them ALL about 100 years ago.
Each line has a specific kind of magic talent, and as you would guess the usefulness and strength of the powers is the highest in the first 6 families. We don’t know Avalon’s talent yet; her Line is supposed to have only weak foretelling skills. Avalon has shown NO talent at all, tho she knows what it is and keeps it secret.
Jeez, SO many questions! I’m hooked and can’t wait for the rest to come out!
Don't get the purpose of this part 2. I was assuming that this was book two so it continues from book one. Except it's like reading book one again with the switching of the h #1. Book one ended with the cliffhanger Killing h #1 and this one is switched with the h as #2. The same storyline and dialogues as book one. What a big disappointment that book two was a duplicate of book one. Don't care to go to another site to pay for this redundant and confusing storyline. This should not even be published when the intent is to have the reader to go to another reading site to pay as you go. Liked book one but don't care for book two.
I'm one of the ones who didn't love this format/twist/whatever you want to call it! I thought it was disruptive instead of unique and edgy.
The first half also seemed extremely surface level and skimmed over (for good reason, writing about things for a second time). It got a little better as the book progressed, so I will probably read the third and hope it all becomes redeemed.
I skimmed this book it was the flip to the first but put Vox as the primary. I didn’t care for this book at all it’s like a different personality for them which is weird why would her going back in time change behaviors especially if she has no memory of the reset. It’s just has to many holes for my preference. It should be a 2 star but I gave it another because I can see the potential.
It just feels like the author had multiple ideas on where the book was going, wrote them and couldn’t decide which was best so changed the storyline to include seeing the future so she could have them as possible timelines. Which you would think sounds cool but it’s not. Because there’s too much repeated word for word from the first timeline to this one that it’s boring and a burden really to read.
Despite it only taking 2 hours to read, I felt like I was reading so much longer even with skimming the repeated parts.
Ok, the first time she turned back time or relived a possible route of her life, I thought it was dope. The second time, it's annoying. It's the same stuff written over and over just with minute changes and nothing to really look forward to.
The first time, she ended up with the heir to line 3, Hayle. The second time, she ended up with the heir to line 1, Vox, both times Hayle died. Now we are back a fuggin day 1 AGAIN. If she never remembers the route she had lived, this could drag out forever, and honestly, I'm already getting tired of reading the same regurgitated story. Something drastic needs to change in part three or this will probably become a DNF. If I had written this review after part one, I believe it would have been a completely different as the "twist" was new and surprising. It's no longer new or surprising at this point. I truly don't want to reread this whole damn story for a third time. Pray for me.
GRACE!!!!!! I’m foaming at the mouth for these actual books to come out. I’m super grateful she’s releasing them as each novella is written however I am so desperate to know what happens next that I definitely shouldn’t have read them already.
My understanding is that there will be three prequels or Novella‘s that she puts out before the actual duet is released.
I do not know how to share my thoughts about this book without spoiling anything major, but I will say I really enjoy the character development and found family aspect. the way that the people treat each other from line 12 is so inspiring and heartwarming, considering all of what they face from the upper class lines.
I’m dying to read Shay‘s side story as well. I have a feeling it’s going to be very juicy and fiercely sexual. I was sweating just reading the vibes. I picked up when she came to grab the FMC for the party.
I saved the first book to my TBR list, thinking the story was completed in book 2. As someone who reads A LOT (can be hard to recall details when you read avg. 7+ books a week) & hates cliff hangers...to my dismay, it'll be at least book 3; so if you're someone who enjoys the full story just wait a bit longer. It is a good read, devouring both books within a day.
I won't go too far into detail, rather you enjoy the read but works a bit like ground hog day with slight variations minus the two ML having their chance to shine. She does have power but it seems she may be unaware at the moment or how the story is written & unique to her line unless it's something not documented (like other lines).
Definitely give it a shot or save it in your list.
Here's to hoping book 3 will be released very soon (within a month or so) and not next year 😩
Like many who started this book, I was very confused. I thought I must have downloaded the wrong book because it started exactly like the one I just finished. My issue is that I hated the movie Groundhogs Day, so I almost didn't read this book. Then I read some other reviews and decided to give it a chance; I'm glad I did. The book was the same, yet different due to the FMC having premonition of different futures. I personally like her future with the Third Line from book 1, so this book was a bit frustrating for me. Here is hoping the 3rd times the charm in book 3!
If you're like me and have been desperate for this installment since reading part one you won't be disappointed. After the devastation at the end of part one, suddenly we're restarting. Time and fate aren't parallel and they aren't really linear either They are in fact out to get us and Grace McGinty is their puppet master. I love these characters and I enjoyed that in this part there was an extended character list and background. It was a quick read and I am frothing for the next part.
So I will be honest...when I started reading this book, I stopped. And went back and checked that I had downloaded the second book and that I wasn't somehow rereading the first. I then removed it and redownloaded the book. Then I turned to the last page, and stopped before I read it because that's not usually my thing. After going back to read a couple of reviews, I figured out what was going on and just went with it. And loved it. I can't wait for the third book and see what Avalon can change again in order to change their fate.
For me, Grace McGinty can do no wrong. I love all of her books but for me her paranormal and fantasy books are where she really shines. Daughter of the Ninth Line is bloody brilliant. I am completely hooked, totally intrigued, fascinated and I just want more. The world building is incredible and the characters are so engaging. The romance is tugging at my heart strings. Just when I thought I knew where this story line was going it changes. I can't wait for the next book in the series, and I can't wait for the series to be complete as I will be doing a complete re-read.
Plot: 4/5 • Smut: 1/5 ————> At first I had to keep double checking I was reading the second part and not the first part again. This took a little while to start enjoying because I felt like I was just rereading the first part all over again. Then some things started to change and it got better. We started seeing more of Vox. However, the entire time I felt like she was hurting Hayle. Like somehow it was destroying him. I’m confused as to where this series will go. Alternate universes? Idk. Ends on a cliffy. Same as before.
Daughter of the Ninth Line: Part 2, is the second installment of the Line of Ebrus series. I borrowed the ebook through Kindle Unlimited (KU). This should have come with a warning in the blurb. I skipped over parts of this because it duplicated the first book, I realized there were things that didn't follow Part 1, then got mad because I thought the writer rethought book one and redid it. It took awhile to realize this was different from the prior story and I caught on to what the writer was trying to do-- you almost lost me as a reader until things clicked into place.
I really enjoyed this unique take of groundhog's day and could not put the book down.
I was worried from the other reviews that it's merely a repeat as Avalon doesn't remember the previous repeat. I disagree with those reviews. The butterfly effect of Avalon instinctively avoiding Hayle changes the events significantly. Additionally, the author does not focus on scenes that do repeat and moves the character development and overarching plot forward in other ways. Part Two is not simply 'Avalon goes to party with Vox instead of Hayle'.
This time it was Vox's turn to win the daughter of the Ninth Line. I loved Taeme from book 1 but always wondered...with the power of restarting it seems we get to find out. It was nice to see Vox do better in this book even if my heart broke for Hayle. Now it seems we end the same as before and I wonder will time be the one that sticks, the one where both of her soul mates recognize they both need her. Guess we'll find out.
This is stupid, and by this I mean the cliff hanger, the entire premise behind this story line is FANTASTIC, I absolutely love how McGinty is drawing the parallels between the two stories, how she is showing how small changes make big differences. How we are learning more and more slowly but surely. She is writing it chapter by chapter on her patreon, and to be honest it was so good that I am considering subscribing
Definitely going up there as one of my top favorite books
I’ve just finished reading the book now and my heart rate won’t calm down! I enjoyed this more even more than the first and the first book was also an absolute 5-star stunner. I simultaneously want to get to the end of the 3rd book quickly just to see how the story ends up for Avalon, but I want to slowly savor each word of these amazing books. This is definitely going on my bookshelf as one of my top faves.
4.5 stars I'm reading this as all three books in one so luckily I can go straight from one book into the next. I loved book one. I was confused by the beginning of this book because it seemed like a word for word copy of the first one. It's basically a slightly changed version of the first book. Maybe I feel like the first book was better written? More interesting? More detailed? I still really enjoyed this one, am interested to see where it goes in the 3rd book.
I get that this is supposed to be some Groundhog-Day or Butterfly-Effect type situstion, but it was REALLY annoying to read almost the same story twice. I skipped and skimmed mostly all of it, and I also couldn’t really get into Vox as a relationship because I was worried abot Hayle…
Definitely not for me and I’m really sad because the storry was so good 😭
I don’t know if I will give part 3 a chance
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
While I liked seeing a different version play out, like those chose your path books, I really hope it doesn’t occur with every mini book because it needs some forward progression. Also, I much preferred book 2. The MMC in this book felt shallow and there was not as much depth in their relationship as there was with the MMC in book 1, surprising because I’m not usually a golden retriever kinda girl.
I was so excited to read this and I really need the next one. At first I thought it was the first by mistake but then I realized there were differences and the story changed to much. I don’t want to give away the story but watch the differences in the first few chapters.
Everything I loved about Avalon was missing from this one, but this concept is so intriguing that’s it’s all I thought about all day until I could continue reading.
It really shows how each choice we make dictates our reality. For example: if I hadn’t chosen to read this series, I wouldn’t be a mess right now.