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To the Cruel Gods #2
Until the End of Ever
In the old days, they outright murdered people…things like me. Now they simply seek to control us.
The Council of Elders has determined every aspect of my life from my first breath. What I’d study, my job, who I’d eventually marry. That was all their decision.
But when I woke up covered in runes designed to enslave me, I stopped submitting to the will of others.
I wasn’t supposed to set foot down in the undercity. Someone like me shouldn’t associate with dark sorcerers.
Especially those who look, smell, and taste like Lucian, the most dangerous man alive.
Ruthless. Seductive. Irresistible.
He’s casually destroying my entire world, and worse yet? I might just like it.
Until the End of Ever completes the story of Kleos and Lucian. Future books to come in the To The Cruel Gods series will feature other protagonists.
The Council of Elders has determined every aspect of my life from my first breath. What I’d study, my job, who I’d eventually marry. That was all their decision.
But when I woke up covered in runes designed to enslave me, I stopped submitting to the will of others.
I wasn’t supposed to set foot down in the undercity. Someone like me shouldn’t associate with dark sorcerers.
Especially those who look, smell, and taste like Lucian, the most dangerous man alive.
Ruthless. Seductive. Irresistible.
He’s casually destroying my entire world, and worse yet? I might just like it.
Until the End of Ever completes the story of Kleos and Lucian. Future books to come in the To The Cruel Gods series will feature other protagonists.
462 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 9, 2025
About the author
May Sage
141 books1,935 followersMay Sage is a USA Today Bestselling romance writer dabbling in different genres.
When she isn’t writing, she spends her time with her German Shepherd and her two Savannahs. She loves reading, ballet, running, and cake. Mostly, cake.
May Sage also writes longer fantasy romance novels as Alexi Blake.
When she isn’t writing, she spends her time with her German Shepherd and her two Savannahs. She loves reading, ballet, running, and cake. Mostly, cake.
May Sage also writes longer fantasy romance novels as Alexi Blake.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
August 21, 2026
✅ Characters
✅ Kind of found family
✅ Dramione vibes (as well as Hades & Persephone)
✅ World-building
✅ Magic & mythology
✅ Fast pace
✅ Romance (cute, no angst or complication)
✅(🆗) Investigation
🆗 Rushed resolution
❗️❗️Trigger warnings: murders (not graphic), mentions of human sacrifices (not graphic), deaths
🔥 Spice level : 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5 / 5
Can we take a moment to admire this gorgeous cover? Just like the first book, it is amazing, and it makes me want to buy a physical copy just so I can showcase it on my bookshelves.
The first half dragged a little, and it is the main reason why it took me so long to complete this book. I kept wanting to read or listen to other books. After the 40% mark, though, the pace picks up, and things got more interesting. This series started as something cute and refreshing, but turned into something a little blander with some plot holes and pacing issues. I did enjoy the book overall, but I preferred the first one.
There is a lot of action and revelations about a few characters in the last 15% of the book, but it felt a little rushed. The action and battle scenes were well written, but the revelations about characters’ ancestry or true identity just happened one after another, and for most of them, it was a case of “suddenly, Kleos knew” and bam! The knowledge just hit her. It felt a little too easy, and like a chain of little info-bombs dropped one after another. The Gods’ endgame remains a little vague, too. I am still not sure why one of them was actively working against Kleos, or why they wanted to invade the city and take back control of Earth…
While a lot is happening, the problems Kleos and her friends encounter in the second half of the book are all quite easily resolved in the end. Easily and quickly, too, which prevented me from truly feeling anxious about anything or wondering if things would be okay in the end. I knew that in a few pages or chapters, Kleos would find a solution to the issue, and we would move on to the next problem. It was an onslaught of exposition and too-quickly resolved problems.
The investigation into who is behind the murders and the runes on Kleos’s skin continues in this book. While everything gets resolved in the end, I do feel that some parts didn’t get enough explanation, and it felt a little underwhelming. This investigation dragged on for two books, and the conclusion and discovery of who was behind it all were a little disappointing. On a side note, I am still uncertain how the Norse and Egyptian mythology connects to the Greek mythology in this universe.
Despite the pacing issues, I had a great time reading this book, and it was a nice, sweet conclusion to Kleos and Lucian’s story. I love how Kleos was already a strong character, but she gained even more confidence in this sequel, while Lucian got more in touch with his feelings. They fit so well together. I also like how the author found a way for Kleos to truly show and use her talents at baking and healing. She has a gift, and she uses it to her advantage.
There is a mild miscommunication issue in the first half of the book, leading to hurt feelings, but not too much angst. Thankfully, it is resolved before it becomes too much of an issue, and before it makes Kleos and Lucian appear too juvenile.
I adore the Regis family. The way they are despised by the high Valers, but revered by the inhabitants of the Under. They are loving, caring, and generous, but also fiercely protective of their own, and I love how they took Kleos in and were probably all willing to marry her, if only for her baking skills. Also, the way Gideon and Silver call Lucian “Daddy” because he packs snacks for them when they go out was adorable and quite funny. I wasn’t Silver’s biggest fan in the first book, but she grew on me a little in this one. I still find her a little bland, but I am curious to see what awaits her in the next book, which focuses on her, but I am not expecting to enjoy her story as much as Lucian and Kleos’s.
I also hope to see more of Gideon and Ronan in the next book, and to see if they will end up kissing or fucking each other. I am voting for the second option, obviously.
On a side note, there were a lot of typos in the book. It would be good to have a proofreader.
1. Vow Forever Night ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
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✅ Kind of found family
✅ Dramione vibes (as well as Hades & Persephone)
✅ World-building
✅ Magic & mythology
✅ Fast pace
✅ Romance (cute, no angst or complication)
✅(🆗) Investigation
🆗 Rushed resolution
❗️❗️Trigger warnings: murders (not graphic), mentions of human sacrifices (not graphic), deaths
🔥 Spice level : 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5 / 5
Can we take a moment to admire this gorgeous cover? Just like the first book, it is amazing, and it makes me want to buy a physical copy just so I can showcase it on my bookshelves.
The first half dragged a little, and it is the main reason why it took me so long to complete this book. I kept wanting to read or listen to other books. After the 40% mark, though, the pace picks up, and things got more interesting. This series started as something cute and refreshing, but turned into something a little blander with some plot holes and pacing issues. I did enjoy the book overall, but I preferred the first one.
There is a lot of action and revelations about a few characters in the last 15% of the book, but it felt a little rushed. The action and battle scenes were well written, but the revelations about characters’ ancestry or true identity just happened one after another, and for most of them, it was a case of “suddenly, Kleos knew” and bam! The knowledge just hit her. It felt a little too easy, and like a chain of little info-bombs dropped one after another. The Gods’ endgame remains a little vague, too. I am still not sure why one of them was actively working against Kleos, or why they wanted to invade the city and take back control of Earth…
While a lot is happening, the problems Kleos and her friends encounter in the second half of the book are all quite easily resolved in the end. Easily and quickly, too, which prevented me from truly feeling anxious about anything or wondering if things would be okay in the end. I knew that in a few pages or chapters, Kleos would find a solution to the issue, and we would move on to the next problem. It was an onslaught of exposition and too-quickly resolved problems.
The investigation into who is behind the murders and the runes on Kleos’s skin continues in this book. While everything gets resolved in the end, I do feel that some parts didn’t get enough explanation, and it felt a little underwhelming. This investigation dragged on for two books, and the conclusion and discovery of who was behind it all were a little disappointing. On a side note, I am still uncertain how the Norse and Egyptian mythology connects to the Greek mythology in this universe.
Despite the pacing issues, I had a great time reading this book, and it was a nice, sweet conclusion to Kleos and Lucian’s story. I love how Kleos was already a strong character, but she gained even more confidence in this sequel, while Lucian got more in touch with his feelings. They fit so well together. I also like how the author found a way for Kleos to truly show and use her talents at baking and healing. She has a gift, and she uses it to her advantage.
There is a mild miscommunication issue in the first half of the book, leading to hurt feelings, but not too much angst. Thankfully, it is resolved before it becomes too much of an issue, and before it makes Kleos and Lucian appear too juvenile.
“Are you trying to get abducted and wedded to a dark wizard?” Lucian admonished in a whisper. “Because this’s how you get abducted and wedded to a dark wizard.”
I adore the Regis family. The way they are despised by the high Valers, but revered by the inhabitants of the Under. They are loving, caring, and generous, but also fiercely protective of their own, and I love how they took Kleos in and were probably all willing to marry her, if only for her baking skills. Also, the way Gideon and Silver call Lucian “Daddy” because he packs snacks for them when they go out was adorable and quite funny. I wasn’t Silver’s biggest fan in the first book, but she grew on me a little in this one. I still find her a little bland, but I am curious to see what awaits her in the next book, which focuses on her, but I am not expecting to enjoy her story as much as Lucian and Kleos’s.
Well, I did think they’d end up fucking or murdering each other before they met. I still wouldn’t put money on guessing an outcome.
I also hope to see more of Gideon and Ronan in the next book, and to see if they will end up kissing or fucking each other. I am voting for the second option, obviously.
On a side note, there were a lot of typos in the book. It would be good to have a proofreader.
1. Vow Forever Night ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
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November 23, 2025
A good ending for Lucian and Kleos ☺️ the second part of this story felt much more fast paced and eventful which I enjoyed. The only downside was that I felt like some parts were just left unresolved or got little to no explanation of how they solved said issue. It didn’t really mess it up but some things made me wonder a bit.
Kleos turned into such a badass! I loved her. And Lucian got in touch with his feelings 🤭 I really like him hihi
Also, the rest of the gang was as funny in the second book as in the first. No disappointment there. Looking forward to see how the story continues and you get to follow Silver! She got real potential
Kleos turned into such a badass! I loved her. And Lucian got in touch with his feelings 🤭 I really like him hihi
Also, the rest of the gang was as funny in the second book as in the first. No disappointment there. Looking forward to see how the story continues and you get to follow Silver! She got real potential
November 3, 2025
⭐⭐⭐💫 3.5 star
SOMEBODY GET ME A MAN LIKE LUCIAN REGIS!!!
What I liked the most about this duet was that how much Kleos skills of Baking and Healing were highlighted and Used during the best moments.
Cause most Of the time Characters are shown with great qualities,talent and hobbies but author never put them in great use..Like you sing great?You dance great? You cook great,you paint great!?!!! then SHOW us, USE it at your advantage..I really like when the character subtly show off their domestic talents.
Author used Kleos' Baking and Healing qualities in a very good manners and amount. I gushed everytime Kleos showed off her great baking skills AND healing without doing it too much that it would make it cringey rather than Cute.
SOMEBODY MAKE ME A PART OF REGIS FAMILY,PLEASE!!
absolutely loved The family dynamics.
the only reason for 3.5 star is that I really got bored at some parts and just wanted to get over the book ASAP. it's not really much of fantasy aspect,yeah there are elements but not heavily done,easy read.I liked the first book better. The only thing—I think lacked were the stacks, I wasn't feeling nail.biting rush or anything, Things seemed to be getting solved rather quickly—pacing could've been better. some plot holes and question marks if you Look for it. I was hoping for angst but not complaining about what we were served!! But I enjoyed it as a mood read.
if you are Ali Hazlewood fan, you will love this duet!!
SOMEBODY GET ME A MAN LIKE LUCIAN REGIS!!!
What I liked the most about this duet was that how much Kleos skills of Baking and Healing were highlighted and Used during the best moments.
Cause most Of the time Characters are shown with great qualities,talent and hobbies but author never put them in great use..Like you sing great?You dance great? You cook great,you paint great!?!!! then SHOW us, USE it at your advantage..I really like when the character subtly show off their domestic talents.
Author used Kleos' Baking and Healing qualities in a very good manners and amount. I gushed everytime Kleos showed off her great baking skills AND healing without doing it too much that it would make it cringey rather than Cute.
SOMEBODY MAKE ME A PART OF REGIS FAMILY,PLEASE!!
absolutely loved The family dynamics.
the only reason for 3.5 star is that I really got bored at some parts and just wanted to get over the book ASAP. it's not really much of fantasy aspect,yeah there are elements but not heavily done,easy read.I liked the first book better. The only thing—I think lacked were the stacks, I wasn't feeling nail.biting rush or anything, Things seemed to be getting solved rather quickly—pacing could've been better. some plot holes and question marks if you Look for it. I was hoping for angst but not complaining about what we were served!! But I enjoyed it as a mood read.
if you are Ali Hazlewood fan, you will love this duet!!
September 10, 2025
Did I binge read this and stay up far too late to see what happens? yes. 3.5 for me!
I loved these books, she is funny and clever and the relationship between the main character and everyone around her is developed so you actually give a shit. Spoilers ahead.
Wow, what a wild ride in these two books. I go back and forth on whether I like how long it took our main characters to tell each other how they felt, but it worked so well in the story I can't be too mad about it. It was annoying, and childish at times because anyone with two brain cells could see they loved each other.
Kleos was an amazingly strong character and I loved watching her change and adapt from the woman we meet at the beginning of book 1.
Lucian. I said this in my review for book one, but his obsession with her. 😍 Every single time his POV happened I felt like I was a teenager kicking my feet. I loved everything about these two.
Now onto why we get a 3.5 and not higher if I loved it. 1) At some point I did find the denial of feelings and the dialogue that accompanied it to be tiresome. They come off as much younger than they are, and the fact that two grown adults can have that big of miscommunication problems is never my favorite trope. 2) You are telling me the bad guy was Castor? Yes it is also Zeus and Kleos' mother but Castor? You sell him as a nitwit and spineless and then expect the selling of this character helping with the Zeus situation? 3) Speaking of bad guys. I get the connections we were making to the brothers etc, and maybe I don't know enough about mythology.....but why would he hate Freya this much? enough to kill her in multiple lifetimes? I just don't know if it's enough of a connection to make that plot make sense to me.
Other than that I really enjoyed it. Super fun read with great chemistry and side characters that keep you invested and wanting to know more.
I loved these books, she is funny and clever and the relationship between the main character and everyone around her is developed so you actually give a shit. Spoilers ahead.
Wow, what a wild ride in these two books. I go back and forth on whether I like how long it took our main characters to tell each other how they felt, but it worked so well in the story I can't be too mad about it. It was annoying, and childish at times because anyone with two brain cells could see they loved each other.
Kleos was an amazingly strong character and I loved watching her change and adapt from the woman we meet at the beginning of book 1.
Lucian. I said this in my review for book one, but his obsession with her. 😍 Every single time his POV happened I felt like I was a teenager kicking my feet. I loved everything about these two.
Now onto why we get a 3.5 and not higher if I loved it. 1) At some point I did find the denial of feelings and the dialogue that accompanied it to be tiresome. They come off as much younger than they are, and the fact that two grown adults can have that big of miscommunication problems is never my favorite trope. 2) You are telling me the bad guy was Castor? Yes it is also Zeus and Kleos' mother but Castor? You sell him as a nitwit and spineless and then expect the selling of this character helping with the Zeus situation? 3) Speaking of bad guys. I get the connections we were making to the brothers etc, and maybe I don't know enough about mythology.....but why would he hate Freya this much? enough to kill her in multiple lifetimes? I just don't know if it's enough of a connection to make that plot make sense to me.
Other than that I really enjoyed it. Super fun read with great chemistry and side characters that keep you invested and wanting to know more.
October 20, 2025
Ugh. Disappointing finish to this duet.
Most of the plot happened off the page. This is more of a rom-com and urban fantasy than anything else. The magic stuff is pretty much a side quest. In this book, I became even more puzzled on how the Gods and magic system works — how is Norse mythos connected to the Greeks; no idea. It certainly wasn't put down.
There were plot twists towards the VERY end. I could predict the outcome of Kleos's curse. The last few chapters were a bloody mess. I couldn't care for the action part, with so much happening at once — Gods pouncing and battle happening — it made me cringe several times over. We got like almost every trope. The FMC becomes the most powerful being and almost defeats Zeus. Cool? The ick I got was almost enough to make me put down the book but I was at the very end so. Pushed through.
The side characters did not get any development this book. Silver remains an uninteresting and messy persona even with her own twist. I felt absolutely whatever about all of it. Just wanted it over with, LOL.
Besides the mess with the plot, the dragon subplot was unnecessary and also unresolved. Same thing with the Adrian kid. We get it, found family was all over these two books, the way Kleos was instantly loved by Lucian's kin, and whatnot.
The smut in this part was god-awful. Maybe I am the friend that's too woke, but I got tired of hearing about Lucian's huge cock and how he didn't ask Kleos to consent a bunch of times. That was a glorification of submission — she is the dainty girl who does nothing while he does [butt] stuff to her. I disliked all of the smut.
Again, I spotted mistakes an editor wouldn't have missed... Also the word 'fuck' had more presence than my father did. Ch. 59 which was Kleos turned to Lucian's POV in the last 5 lines. Mentioning sex/fucking in your wedding vow is rather disgusting and not at all funny or hot.
I am thoroughly disappointed, I will not be reading more of May Sage.
Most of the plot happened off the page. This is more of a rom-com and urban fantasy than anything else. The magic stuff is pretty much a side quest. In this book, I became even more puzzled on how the Gods and magic system works — how is Norse mythos connected to the Greeks; no idea. It certainly wasn't put down.
There were plot twists towards the VERY end. I could predict the outcome of Kleos's curse. The last few chapters were a bloody mess. I couldn't care for the action part, with so much happening at once — Gods pouncing and battle happening — it made me cringe several times over. We got like almost every trope. The FMC becomes the most powerful being and almost defeats Zeus. Cool? The ick I got was almost enough to make me put down the book but I was at the very end so. Pushed through.
The side characters did not get any development this book. Silver remains an uninteresting and messy persona even with her own twist. I felt absolutely whatever about all of it. Just wanted it over with, LOL.
Besides the mess with the plot, the dragon subplot was unnecessary and also unresolved. Same thing with the Adrian kid. We get it, found family was all over these two books, the way Kleos was instantly loved by Lucian's kin, and whatnot.
The smut in this part was god-awful. Maybe I am the friend that's too woke, but I got tired of hearing about Lucian's huge cock and how he didn't ask Kleos to consent a bunch of times. That was a glorification of submission — she is the dainty girl who does nothing while he does [butt] stuff to her. I disliked all of the smut.
Again, I spotted mistakes an editor wouldn't have missed... Also the word 'fuck' had more presence than my father did. Ch. 59 which was Kleos turned to Lucian's POV in the last 5 lines. Mentioning sex/fucking in your wedding vow is rather disgusting and not at all funny or hot.
I am thoroughly disappointed, I will not be reading more of May Sage.
September 15, 2025
This book was so much fun. It picks back up right after book 1. This time, the gods were actively involved in the chaos and both helping and hindering Lucian and Kleos. There were prophecies and new adventures involved as well. The chaos that ensued from all of this was glorious to read. This book was spicier even though the Lucian and Kleos were once again needing their heads banged together. They just kept misunderstanding each other and at first were too stubborn to discuss things with the other. However, once they finally got past that and used their words, it was glorious. Payoff party. Lucian is once again my favorite. He was just so down bad and I want to put him somewhere safe. I know he is this magically strong, murdery god man but he is precious and I love him. He really loved Kleos and saved her. I liked the ending. It nicely wrapped up Lucian and Kleos' story. Also, good riddance to a few characters. I am excited to read the next couples books!!
October 19, 2025
I think I liked the first in the duology a tad more, but this was a fun conclusion to Kleos and Lucian’s story! I’ll real the other books in this series for sure.
November 11, 2025
meh. not that good tbh. lowkey bad but like whatever
August 20, 2026
Very disappointed.
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Until the End of Ever was the disappointing conclusion to Kleos and Lucians duology. What started off as a fun, charming, and unique series, slowly turned into a slog of typos, plot holes, and bad pacing. It felt messy with no clear direction and by the end, I was relieved to be done with it.
First off, whoever edited this needs to be fired. I’m fine with the odd typo here and there, but what’s not fine is completely forgetting which pov you’re writing in and switching within chapters. The typos just kept getting worse the further I read.
My next thing was the pacing. I feel like the characters barely did anything until the last 20% and at that point it was just a barrage of sloppy exposition and half baked resolutions. I was left unsatisfied, with more questions than I had answers to like:
- I thought the gods just wanted to kill Kleos, what do you mean they intended to take over world?
- Who was that Adrian kid?
- Other than being posideons daughter—Who tf is freya, and why haven’t they been explicitly mentioned until now?
- Why is Silver the reincarnation of Artemis, and why was she also not mentioned until now?
Unfortunately, questions like these popped into my head throughout the entirety of this book with no real coherent answers. Perhaps some of these questions will be answered in the next one.
The characters themselves were a bit meh. Maybe I’m wrong, but I was under the impression that Kleos and Lucian were equals. The whole reason Lucian was drawn to Kleos in the first place was because Lucian realised he wasn’t the only freakishly strong person in the room. But in this book, Lucian is nothing more than Kleos walking accessory. His power was practically irrelevant in comparison to Kleos, and in the rare moments he does showcase his power, it’s to never be seen again. And Kleos randomly awakening her memories as Freya was so odd and sloppily done. Where was the build up? And once again— who tf is Freya?!
The other side characters were pretty boring as well. There was no conflict between any of them, and they served very little purpose besides exposition and comedic relief. The only ones that made a lasting impression were Cassius and Cassiopeia.
I could go on and on about this book, but i’d be here forever. That’s not to say there wasn’t anything to like. In fact, I found myself cracking a smile to several parts of the story, like Cassius and Silver arm wrestling, the family dinner, and a few others. It was moments like these that kept me going.
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Until the End of Ever was the disappointing conclusion to Kleos and Lucians duology. What started off as a fun, charming, and unique series, slowly turned into a slog of typos, plot holes, and bad pacing. It felt messy with no clear direction and by the end, I was relieved to be done with it.
First off, whoever edited this needs to be fired. I’m fine with the odd typo here and there, but what’s not fine is completely forgetting which pov you’re writing in and switching within chapters. The typos just kept getting worse the further I read.
My next thing was the pacing. I feel like the characters barely did anything until the last 20% and at that point it was just a barrage of sloppy exposition and half baked resolutions. I was left unsatisfied, with more questions than I had answers to like:
- I thought the gods just wanted to kill Kleos, what do you mean they intended to take over world?
- Who was that Adrian kid?
- Other than being posideons daughter—Who tf is freya, and why haven’t they been explicitly mentioned until now?
- Why is Silver the reincarnation of Artemis, and why was she also not mentioned until now?
Unfortunately, questions like these popped into my head throughout the entirety of this book with no real coherent answers. Perhaps some of these questions will be answered in the next one.
The characters themselves were a bit meh. Maybe I’m wrong, but I was under the impression that Kleos and Lucian were equals. The whole reason Lucian was drawn to Kleos in the first place was because Lucian realised he wasn’t the only freakishly strong person in the room. But in this book, Lucian is nothing more than Kleos walking accessory. His power was practically irrelevant in comparison to Kleos, and in the rare moments he does showcase his power, it’s to never be seen again. And Kleos randomly awakening her memories as Freya was so odd and sloppily done. Where was the build up? And once again— who tf is Freya?!
The other side characters were pretty boring as well. There was no conflict between any of them, and they served very little purpose besides exposition and comedic relief. The only ones that made a lasting impression were Cassius and Cassiopeia.
I could go on and on about this book, but i’d be here forever. That’s not to say there wasn’t anything to like. In fact, I found myself cracking a smile to several parts of the story, like Cassius and Silver arm wrestling, the family dinner, and a few others. It was moments like these that kept me going.
November 11, 2025
4⭐
Book #2 of ?? (in the series)
Book #2 of 2 (duology of Kleos and Lucian's story)
🔸 Mythology: witches and wizards as Gods' descendants, Gods, beasts and monsters
🔸City divided into Highvale and the Underside (slight segregation, prejudice & discrimination against each other)
🔸FMC is Highvale witch & MMC is a dark wizard Under and from one of the founding families -> forbidden romance with Romeo and Juliet vibes (without all the death and drama, just the family thing)
🔸MMC is cocky, handsome, fancy, always well dressed, incredibly powerful and intelligent, all accomplished, billionaire, basically royalty, a genius who invented a lot of things used by the characters throughout the story and has a sucking your vitality-death power, makes potions, necromancy, protective of his people, and carries everything everyone could need in his (daddy) pack with a shrinking spell
🔸FMC: darling of the Vale, heavily controlled by her mother, nerd studying to be an archivist for the guard, has natural, instinctive powerful healing powers & hides how much power she has
🔸FMC bakes and everyone is crazy about her sweets, including the MMC who gets jealous of anyone eating his cupcakes
🔸FMC is the only one immune to the MMC's power
🔸Adult MCs: FMC is 23 and MMC is 27
🔸Working for the Guard
🔸Investigating ritualistic murders and an attack on the FMC
🔸Deals & promises
🔸Hidden secrets & identity
🔸Prophecy
🔸Friendship & Found family
🔸Meeting the family
🔸Funny moments
🔸Romance: medium burn, the attraction was there from even before they spoke but neither thought the other would be interested
🔸Forced proximity: someone is trying to harm the FMC and the MMC is the only one with the expertise able to help
🔸MMC is crazy about the FMC, completely obsessed, possessive, even if doesn't admit it even to himself but his friends/family realise it and the FMC is ignorant and believes he is only being nice
🔸MMC warns her about making deals/flipping promises with him, that if she is not careful they will bind them for life every time she says something along the lines of "it's only fair, you protect me, I bake you something" and she takes it as him not believing she is serious nor him wanting her around which is the opposite as he is always a trigger away of abducting her just for himself
🔸Book boyfriend
🔸Love through acts of service
🔥Spice
🔸No cheating
🔸No overdramatic scenes, the characters behaviour and development was quite good
🔸Conscious house: MMC's house who changes itself to also fit the FMC, her tastes and obeys her wishes (which didn't happen with other guests)
🔸Pets: his demon cat hates him and loves her
🔸 World building: some things weren't properly explained or developed (maybe later in the series), but it was still so interesting and entertaining
🔸The bonus scene ends in a cliffhanger for the next story/couple
❗Mentions: controlling parent, segregation and prejudice, sex scenes, murder (off screen or non graphic), attempt at controlling one's will
Notes:
In this 2nd book we get:
✅ more gods
✅ more family
✅ more romance
✅ they finally admit their feelings (a small fight, a twist of little hypothetical jealousy and it was great!)
✅ more spice
✅ cozy mundane moments like preparing breakfast together
✅ more healing magic (inside and outside baking goods, yeah she puts it in her baking)
✅ FMC being welcome in Under and marveling at the differences with the Vale
✅ Under being basically a big, huge family where everyone takes care of each other and the MMC's family being the ones who do the most and are like royalty (which in the past their family was)
✅ FMC being shocked with how rich/powerful the MMC is, how he treats everyone/everything in Under with care, him being basically royalty and the people respecting/loving him for it
✅ FMC practically moved in with the MMC (because... safety reasons & stupid family 😏) and then he secretly moves all her stuff effectively "abducting" her
****
Some of my observations:
- if there are several immortals and fertility isn't a issue (which doesn't seem to be because it was mentioned they take contraceptive potions and even those not always work if a god's power in involved), shouldn't their families be a lot more bigger? with several children per couple? with different age gaps between pregnancies? and with more distant relatives??
- discovering who the bad guys were... it was a bit...predictable...and short and rushed
- several moments of instinctive knowledge of their power
- as they are adults we don't get to see them learning things, how their power works, how to make spells and potions, how their society functions, etc. They already know these things because they learnt them when they were younger. So we don't get to see much of the introduction this world.
- the ending confrontation was a bit rushed
- As like in mythology, these characters are quite freely sexually.
The MCs aren't virgins.
While the MMC has always been conscious of the FMC, always seeking her with his eyes whenever they may be in the same building, always studying her, he didn't let himself believe there was more to it than him being curious to know what type of being she is because his senses where telling him to be careful of her.
The FMC was also conscious of him, handsome, powerful, accomplished and believed he hated her in the few instances they interacted when she visited her cousin's office (who had the MMC as a temporary partner).
And even if it wasn't specific, the MCs have known of each other since they were 12 and 16 (?) but they only interacted now at 23 and 27. They may have been conscious of each others presence. They had sex with others meanwhile (past, off screen, not mentioned but is implied).
Book #2 of ?? (in the series)
Book #2 of 2 (duology of Kleos and Lucian's story)
🔸 Mythology: witches and wizards as Gods' descendants, Gods, beasts and monsters
🔸City divided into Highvale and the Underside (slight segregation, prejudice & discrimination against each other)
🔸FMC is Highvale witch & MMC is a dark wizard Under and from one of the founding families -> forbidden romance with Romeo and Juliet vibes (without all the death and drama, just the family thing)
🔸MMC is cocky, handsome, fancy, always well dressed, incredibly powerful and intelligent, all accomplished, billionaire, basically royalty, a genius who invented a lot of things used by the characters throughout the story and has a sucking your vitality-death power, makes potions, necromancy, protective of his people, and carries everything everyone could need in his (daddy) pack with a shrinking spell
🔸FMC: darling of the Vale, heavily controlled by her mother, nerd studying to be an archivist for the guard, has natural, instinctive powerful healing powers & hides how much power she has
🔸FMC bakes and everyone is crazy about her sweets, including the MMC who gets jealous of anyone eating his cupcakes
🔸FMC is the only one immune to the MMC's power
🔸Adult MCs: FMC is 23 and MMC is 27
🔸Working for the Guard
🔸Investigating ritualistic murders and an attack on the FMC
🔸Deals & promises
🔸Hidden secrets & identity
🔸Prophecy
🔸Friendship & Found family
🔸Meeting the family
🔸Funny moments
🔸Romance: medium burn, the attraction was there from even before they spoke but neither thought the other would be interested
🔸Forced proximity: someone is trying to harm the FMC and the MMC is the only one with the expertise able to help
🔸MMC is crazy about the FMC, completely obsessed, possessive, even if doesn't admit it even to himself but his friends/family realise it and the FMC is ignorant and believes he is only being nice
🔸MMC warns her about making deals/flipping promises with him, that if she is not careful they will bind them for life every time she says something along the lines of "it's only fair, you protect me, I bake you something" and she takes it as him not believing she is serious nor him wanting her around which is the opposite as he is always a trigger away of abducting her just for himself
🔸Book boyfriend
🔸Love through acts of service
🔥Spice
🔸No cheating
🔸No overdramatic scenes, the characters behaviour and development was quite good
🔸Conscious house: MMC's house who changes itself to also fit the FMC, her tastes and obeys her wishes (which didn't happen with other guests)
🔸Pets: his demon cat hates him and loves her
🔸 World building: some things weren't properly explained or developed (maybe later in the series), but it was still so interesting and entertaining
🔸The bonus scene ends in a cliffhanger for the next story/couple
❗Mentions: controlling parent, segregation and prejudice, sex scenes, murder (off screen or non graphic), attempt at controlling one's will
Notes:
In this 2nd book we get:
✅ more gods
✅ more family
✅ more romance
✅ they finally admit their feelings (a small fight, a twist of little hypothetical jealousy and it was great!)
✅ more spice
✅ cozy mundane moments like preparing breakfast together
✅ more healing magic (inside and outside baking goods, yeah she puts it in her baking)
✅ FMC being welcome in Under and marveling at the differences with the Vale
✅ Under being basically a big, huge family where everyone takes care of each other and the MMC's family being the ones who do the most and are like royalty (which in the past their family was)
✅ FMC being shocked with how rich/powerful the MMC is, how he treats everyone/everything in Under with care, him being basically royalty and the people respecting/loving him for it
✅ FMC practically moved in with the MMC (because... safety reasons & stupid family 😏) and then he secretly moves all her stuff effectively "abducting" her
****
Some of my observations:
- if there are several immortals and fertility isn't a issue (which doesn't seem to be because it was mentioned they take contraceptive potions and even those not always work if a god's power in involved), shouldn't their families be a lot more bigger? with several children per couple? with different age gaps between pregnancies? and with more distant relatives??
- discovering who the bad guys were... it was a bit...predictable...and short and rushed
- several moments of instinctive knowledge of their power
- as they are adults we don't get to see them learning things, how their power works, how to make spells and potions, how their society functions, etc. They already know these things because they learnt them when they were younger. So we don't get to see much of the introduction this world.
- the ending confrontation was a bit rushed
- As like in mythology, these characters are quite freely sexually.
The MCs aren't virgins.
While the MMC has always been conscious of the FMC, always seeking her with his eyes whenever they may be in the same building, always studying her, he didn't let himself believe there was more to it than him being curious to know what type of being she is because his senses where telling him to be careful of her.
The FMC was also conscious of him, handsome, powerful, accomplished and believed he hated her in the few instances they interacted when she visited her cousin's office (who had the MMC as a temporary partner).
And even if it wasn't specific, the MCs have known of each other since they were 12 and 16 (?) but they only interacted now at 23 and 27. They may have been conscious of each others presence. They had sex with others meanwhile (past, off screen, not mentioned but is implied).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 13, 2025
4⭐️ this was cleaner than the last but is still let down by the writing
We start back when Apollos dropping some tea, that Kleos has the spirit of a goddess inside her, that may take over and push her out of her body. He leaves them with a “prophecy” to help solve the riddle of who is trying to kill Kleos, and how to stop it. Kleos mum is still forcing her on dates to get married and Lucien is not handling that well. They are researching the whole time trying to solve the mystery of the runes on Kleos and how to save her when they come to the conclusion that one of the 3 major Gods saved her by giving her the original runes, one of the brothers is not happy about this and is the one exacting revenge on Kleos. They take what is basically a magic mushroom trip and learn that Poseidon is the one who save Kleos as a kid, and Zeus is the one trying to kill her now. After Kleos mum drugs her to try and force her into a wedding, she escapes and her mummy (who isn’t her real mummy apparently) is found dead and Lucien is blamed. They take a trip down south (to the underground lol) and borrow the scales of justice, proving that Lucien is not guilty. Next thing you know Zeus rocks up, try’s to kill everyone, and they have to call on his ever-loving wife, Hera, to come and lay down the law. Hera must wear the pants because Zeus backs off. Apparently the Goddess inside Kleos is Freya, leading me to be lost because I thought she was from the Norse mythology not Olympian.
Kleos and Lucien get married. And now Silver is going to take over the story
Kleos is probably one of my fav FMCs. She just such a decent gal, helpfully, badass, tough, resilient, intelligent and not annoying. She goes through a decent amount of character development - learning to love herself, stop putting up with her mums bullshit, accept her feelings for Lucien. She’s so kind to everyone, healing large amounts of people just because she can.
The girl should really be more crazy because her mum (who’s actually not really her mum) is the worst and the girl should be experiencing some full on trauma! Is so obvious she’s in love with Lucien long long long time before she admits it to him. She’s a real badass in the end sequence, standing up to Zeus with so much force, and being smart enough to call for Hera. Talk about good problem solving!
Lucien, what a guy. He does a 180 and flips from trying to stay away from Kleos to just accepting he has feelings for her and moving forward with them being together. His intelligence is sexy, and he uses it to his full potential helping to save Kleos. His relationship with his family is really beautiful, he pretends to be a big badass but he’s a total softy.
The found family and secondary characters are all so good, even Silver, who I don’t like all that much. They are all smart and charming and funny. Which is a big development from book 1 as I didn’t feel overly connected to any of them previously. They are all happy to help and go out of their way to do everything they can for Kleos and Lucien, which is a really lovely additive to the story.
The biggest fall down is once again the writing. Half the conversations and information output don’t flow well, jumping from one point to another without any context or just not matching what was done/said in the line beforehand.
The ending is really wholesome, with Kleos and Lucien getting their happy ending after a really strong amount of development through their relationship through this book. That’s one of the points that’s been executed well, the development of all characters and the development of almost of relationships was deep and well paced
It was really interesting to have so many gods added in to the mix even if it was only for a short period of time each, and we had several villains with Kleos mum, castor her heartbroken cousin, Zeus, the other gods that fight for Zeus, and the people they’ve possessed into fighting for them during the end sequence.
I feel like the whole goddess possessing body’s/people is made into a big deal for most of the story, being a primary point, and a really interesting one, but then feels glossed over at the end during the finalisation of Freya being in Kleos but that’s that, we learn nothing that was stated about her moving on or possessing Kleos in the end
A tidy ending to an enjoyable storyline
We start back when Apollos dropping some tea, that Kleos has the spirit of a goddess inside her, that may take over and push her out of her body. He leaves them with a “prophecy” to help solve the riddle of who is trying to kill Kleos, and how to stop it. Kleos mum is still forcing her on dates to get married and Lucien is not handling that well. They are researching the whole time trying to solve the mystery of the runes on Kleos and how to save her when they come to the conclusion that one of the 3 major Gods saved her by giving her the original runes, one of the brothers is not happy about this and is the one exacting revenge on Kleos. They take what is basically a magic mushroom trip and learn that Poseidon is the one who save Kleos as a kid, and Zeus is the one trying to kill her now. After Kleos mum drugs her to try and force her into a wedding, she escapes and her mummy (who isn’t her real mummy apparently) is found dead and Lucien is blamed. They take a trip down south (to the underground lol) and borrow the scales of justice, proving that Lucien is not guilty. Next thing you know Zeus rocks up, try’s to kill everyone, and they have to call on his ever-loving wife, Hera, to come and lay down the law. Hera must wear the pants because Zeus backs off. Apparently the Goddess inside Kleos is Freya, leading me to be lost because I thought she was from the Norse mythology not Olympian.
Kleos and Lucien get married. And now Silver is going to take over the story
Kleos is probably one of my fav FMCs. She just such a decent gal, helpfully, badass, tough, resilient, intelligent and not annoying. She goes through a decent amount of character development - learning to love herself, stop putting up with her mums bullshit, accept her feelings for Lucien. She’s so kind to everyone, healing large amounts of people just because she can.
The girl should really be more crazy because her mum (who’s actually not really her mum) is the worst and the girl should be experiencing some full on trauma! Is so obvious she’s in love with Lucien long long long time before she admits it to him. She’s a real badass in the end sequence, standing up to Zeus with so much force, and being smart enough to call for Hera. Talk about good problem solving!
Lucien, what a guy. He does a 180 and flips from trying to stay away from Kleos to just accepting he has feelings for her and moving forward with them being together. His intelligence is sexy, and he uses it to his full potential helping to save Kleos. His relationship with his family is really beautiful, he pretends to be a big badass but he’s a total softy.
The found family and secondary characters are all so good, even Silver, who I don’t like all that much. They are all smart and charming and funny. Which is a big development from book 1 as I didn’t feel overly connected to any of them previously. They are all happy to help and go out of their way to do everything they can for Kleos and Lucien, which is a really lovely additive to the story.
The biggest fall down is once again the writing. Half the conversations and information output don’t flow well, jumping from one point to another without any context or just not matching what was done/said in the line beforehand.
The ending is really wholesome, with Kleos and Lucien getting their happy ending after a really strong amount of development through their relationship through this book. That’s one of the points that’s been executed well, the development of all characters and the development of almost of relationships was deep and well paced
It was really interesting to have so many gods added in to the mix even if it was only for a short period of time each, and we had several villains with Kleos mum, castor her heartbroken cousin, Zeus, the other gods that fight for Zeus, and the people they’ve possessed into fighting for them during the end sequence.
I feel like the whole goddess possessing body’s/people is made into a big deal for most of the story, being a primary point, and a really interesting one, but then feels glossed over at the end during the finalisation of Freya being in Kleos but that’s that, we learn nothing that was stated about her moving on or possessing Kleos in the end
A tidy ending to an enjoyable storyline
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 4, 2025
I have been very impatiently waiting for this book to come out because I fell in love with Vow Forever Night (the first book in the series) and was desperate to find out what was going to happen to all of the characters after that seriously intense cliff hanger (it was criminal, diabolical, and the best cliffhanger I think I’ve read in a really long time). I just about fell into a fit of hysterics when I saw that this was available to read, and it did not disappoint me for a single second.
May Sage has quickly become one of my favourite authors this year, and it’s safe to say that I will be reading all of their other books as soon as I get the chance to!
This one followed on from the first book straight away, and picked up exactly where we had been left off which I appreciated so much. There wasn’t any struggling to remember what had happened, or weird time jumps, it was just straight back into the bulk of the plot and trying to figure out who was trying to hurt Kleos.
Without giving too much away because I don’t want to spoil any of the book, the twists and turns were wild! Finding out who was behind all of the murders, and who was intent on trying to hurt Kleos was insane, and I didn’t see it coming at all!! We also find out who the mysterious figure was that brought her back to life as a child, and again, it wasn’t someone who I was expecting it to be at all!!
Everything about this was hella intense, so well thought out, and an absolute delight to read. By the time I had finished it I couldn’t believe that it was over, BUT, I was so happy that Kleos and Lucien were going to be getting their happy ending, especially after everything that they had been forced to go through.
Because I don’t want to give away too much of the plot, its hard to mention some of the key details, and moments that had me squealing, but you can expect there to be tons of magic, mythology, romance, spice, banter, literal gods meddling in their business, and found family.
Again, the cutest thing was seeing Lucien and Kleos finally get to be together in this book, and that they finally got past their own individual hang ups in order to be together. They are probably one of my favourite fictional couples, and I’ll admit it, I was seriously jealous of their relationship and just how well they work together. They are quite literally the best duo that are willing to do whatever it takes to make sure that the other is safe and happy 🥹
Again, this is a series that I think i’ll be raving about until the day that I die. I’m going to need to purchase some trophy copies of it, and I CANNOT WAIT until the next duology comes out because I already know that it is going to be INSANE!
May Sage has quickly become one of my favourite authors this year, and it’s safe to say that I will be reading all of their other books as soon as I get the chance to!
This one followed on from the first book straight away, and picked up exactly where we had been left off which I appreciated so much. There wasn’t any struggling to remember what had happened, or weird time jumps, it was just straight back into the bulk of the plot and trying to figure out who was trying to hurt Kleos.
Without giving too much away because I don’t want to spoil any of the book, the twists and turns were wild! Finding out who was behind all of the murders, and who was intent on trying to hurt Kleos was insane, and I didn’t see it coming at all!! We also find out who the mysterious figure was that brought her back to life as a child, and again, it wasn’t someone who I was expecting it to be at all!!
Everything about this was hella intense, so well thought out, and an absolute delight to read. By the time I had finished it I couldn’t believe that it was over, BUT, I was so happy that Kleos and Lucien were going to be getting their happy ending, especially after everything that they had been forced to go through.
Because I don’t want to give away too much of the plot, its hard to mention some of the key details, and moments that had me squealing, but you can expect there to be tons of magic, mythology, romance, spice, banter, literal gods meddling in their business, and found family.
Again, the cutest thing was seeing Lucien and Kleos finally get to be together in this book, and that they finally got past their own individual hang ups in order to be together. They are probably one of my favourite fictional couples, and I’ll admit it, I was seriously jealous of their relationship and just how well they work together. They are quite literally the best duo that are willing to do whatever it takes to make sure that the other is safe and happy 🥹
Again, this is a series that I think i’ll be raving about until the day that I die. I’m going to need to purchase some trophy copies of it, and I CANNOT WAIT until the next duology comes out because I already know that it is going to be INSANE!
September 16, 2025
It's not a drill! It's here! Book 2 of "To the Cruel Gods" and the finale to the story of Kleos and Lucian!
So obviously, I am a huge fan of this universe, this book the whole story and since I am so excited and invested I would never give something less than 5⭐️
We continue our story from where we left it. Our characters are looking for a way to save Kleos from the runes that cover her whole body, and to help her before she gets killed or worse! In the first chapters, we found out the reality of what wants Kleos' death, and I am practically screaming on my Kindle at that point.
The plot was not expected! There were twists and only when you were approaching the peak of the moment could you realize something like "don't tell me... oh no! 😱". I can't describe how much I hated one specific character P.....
Lucian Regis as always he is the man! He is the protector, he is sweet and soft, and ONLY for her while Kleos Valesco finally realizes that sometimes, families are different from what we show to the world and what she was taught. But the epitome was their love and need for each other! Their souls are linked in a way they didn't know, and that was what I felt from the first book. We also have a moment where the opening scene of book 1 is mentioned and I love it when that happens. All the characters in the book are amazing
@maysageauthor wrote once more something magical and unique. I enjoy how the politics and magic and classes all mix but what I actually enjoyed more is the female portrayal, the rage, and how femininity can be threatened by many more things.
As for the way the book made me feel it was like I was returning to this world which I already knew but also viewing more of it, deeply understanding it.
The battle in the end was also unpredictable and filled with agony! I can't believe the duology of Lucian and Kleos is over but I can't wait for the story of Silver next! Another plot I actually enjoyed ❤️
Tropes:
Dark mage gets the girl
Kidnapping
Power control
Morally grey MMC
Strong-willed FMC
Gods and Godspawns
Hierarchy
Different worlds
Different dimensions
Spice 5/5 🌶
I so loved this book, this series! You should give it a try ❤️
So obviously, I am a huge fan of this universe, this book the whole story and since I am so excited and invested I would never give something less than 5⭐️
We continue our story from where we left it. Our characters are looking for a way to save Kleos from the runes that cover her whole body, and to help her before she gets killed or worse! In the first chapters, we found out the reality of what wants Kleos' death, and I am practically screaming on my Kindle at that point.
The plot was not expected! There were twists and only when you were approaching the peak of the moment could you realize something like "don't tell me... oh no! 😱". I can't describe how much I hated one specific character P.....
Lucian Regis as always he is the man! He is the protector, he is sweet and soft, and ONLY for her while Kleos Valesco finally realizes that sometimes, families are different from what we show to the world and what she was taught. But the epitome was their love and need for each other! Their souls are linked in a way they didn't know, and that was what I felt from the first book. We also have a moment where the opening scene of book 1 is mentioned and I love it when that happens. All the characters in the book are amazing
@maysageauthor wrote once more something magical and unique. I enjoy how the politics and magic and classes all mix but what I actually enjoyed more is the female portrayal, the rage, and how femininity can be threatened by many more things.
As for the way the book made me feel it was like I was returning to this world which I already knew but also viewing more of it, deeply understanding it.
The battle in the end was also unpredictable and filled with agony! I can't believe the duology of Lucian and Kleos is over but I can't wait for the story of Silver next! Another plot I actually enjoyed ❤️
Tropes:
Dark mage gets the girl
Kidnapping
Power control
Morally grey MMC
Strong-willed FMC
Gods and Godspawns
Hierarchy
Different worlds
Different dimensions
Spice 5/5 🌶
I so loved this book, this series! You should give it a try ❤️
September 28, 2025
ARC REVIEW
4.5 ⭐️ rounded up
“There was no changing the story the Fates would write after this. I would commit atrocities to keep her tied to me. I would burn the world to keep her warm. I could see no limit to what I could be capable of just to make her smile.”
-Lucian
This book wraps up the story of Kleos and Lucian, but I am not ready to let them go. 😭
I really loved this book! It picks up immediately after the first one ends and is such a fun ride all the way through. The stakes are higher here and we get quests, ritualistic murders, Gods interfering in everyone’s business, betrayal, and so much love.
I love the cast of characters in this duet. They are such an awesome group of friends and are all really interesting to read about. (Yes I loved them all in book one, and just enjoyed getting more time with them.)
And we’ve got to talk about the romance. We have some miscommunication/misunderstanding at the start in the book which leads to hurt feelings. But they manage to figure it out before we get into angst territory. These two love each other so much and are fiercely protective of each other. Things move fast with these two, but I suppose when you’ve got someone trying to bind your soul (without consent), you’ve got to move quick with the person you actually want to be bound to. Book one gave us a taste of the spice and this book really delivered the whole damn feast. We love to see it.
What I liked:
- Dual POV
- Magical systems and menacing Gods
- Unraveling a prophecy
- DEMON KITTY!!! 🐈⬛
If you love:
- Stepping into her power
- Sex first/feelings later
- Touch them and die (because it very much goes both ways in this one 😏)
Genre: fantasy romance
Spice: delicious 🥵
Tropes: idiots in love, mutual pining, found family
Thank you May Sage for the ARC! ✨
𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘪𝘴 𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.
4.5 ⭐️ rounded up
“There was no changing the story the Fates would write after this. I would commit atrocities to keep her tied to me. I would burn the world to keep her warm. I could see no limit to what I could be capable of just to make her smile.”
-Lucian
This book wraps up the story of Kleos and Lucian, but I am not ready to let them go. 😭
I really loved this book! It picks up immediately after the first one ends and is such a fun ride all the way through. The stakes are higher here and we get quests, ritualistic murders, Gods interfering in everyone’s business, betrayal, and so much love.
I love the cast of characters in this duet. They are such an awesome group of friends and are all really interesting to read about. (Yes I loved them all in book one, and just enjoyed getting more time with them.)
And we’ve got to talk about the romance. We have some miscommunication/misunderstanding at the start in the book which leads to hurt feelings. But they manage to figure it out before we get into angst territory. These two love each other so much and are fiercely protective of each other. Things move fast with these two, but I suppose when you’ve got someone trying to bind your soul (without consent), you’ve got to move quick with the person you actually want to be bound to. Book one gave us a taste of the spice and this book really delivered the whole damn feast. We love to see it.
What I liked:
- Dual POV
- Magical systems and menacing Gods
- Unraveling a prophecy
- DEMON KITTY!!! 🐈⬛
If you love:
- Stepping into her power
- Sex first/feelings later
- Touch them and die (because it very much goes both ways in this one 😏)
Genre: fantasy romance
Spice: delicious 🥵
Tropes: idiots in love, mutual pining, found family
Thank you May Sage for the ARC! ✨
𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘪𝘴 𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.
September 26, 2025
Until the End of Ever by May Sage is book 2 of the To Cruel Gods series. In this book, Sage wraps up Lucian and Kleos’ story, but fret not! We’ll get to return to the world for Silver’s story. This book/series is so bingable, and I sped through book 2 just like book 1. Sage has found the perfect chapter length. Not too short that it feels too fast while not being too long that it drags. This series will easily pull you into that “one more chapter” cycle.
This book picks up right after book 1, so I definitely recommend reading them together if possible. For me, it took me half a second to remember everything that was happening. (That’s totally a me thing though.) Overall, I thought the pacing was great. It was fast enough to keep you entertained while also not feeling like a rollercoaster.
Now, I love both Kleos and Lucian. They both have a lot of qualities to like about them individually. I mean, Lucian is essentially the perfect book boyfriend, and Kleos is someone I want to be friends with. Together, though, they are just perfection. I loved not only their relationship but also their relationship with everyone else. We got even more of the found family and the Regis family dynamics in this book, and I was here for it. This group of friends really felt like a group you would want to be part of.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book and the duology as a whole. I thought the world was interesting, the characters were lovable, and the plot was engaging. Though I’m sad to be moving on to the next couple, I definitely will be picking up the next book when it releases!
TL;DR: Perfect for people looking for a spicy Greek mythology retelling. Definitely worth the read.
Thank you to May Sage for the gifted eARC!
This book picks up right after book 1, so I definitely recommend reading them together if possible. For me, it took me half a second to remember everything that was happening. (That’s totally a me thing though.) Overall, I thought the pacing was great. It was fast enough to keep you entertained while also not feeling like a rollercoaster.
Now, I love both Kleos and Lucian. They both have a lot of qualities to like about them individually. I mean, Lucian is essentially the perfect book boyfriend, and Kleos is someone I want to be friends with. Together, though, they are just perfection. I loved not only their relationship but also their relationship with everyone else. We got even more of the found family and the Regis family dynamics in this book, and I was here for it. This group of friends really felt like a group you would want to be part of.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book and the duology as a whole. I thought the world was interesting, the characters were lovable, and the plot was engaging. Though I’m sad to be moving on to the next couple, I definitely will be picking up the next book when it releases!
TL;DR: Perfect for people looking for a spicy Greek mythology retelling. Definitely worth the read.
Thank you to May Sage for the gifted eARC!
September 11, 2025
To the Cruel Gods Duology | May Sage
Lucian Regis, dark sorcerer of the Underside, knew there was something strange about Kleos Valesco the moment he met her, though he couldn’t pinpoint what. Intrigued by the healer witch, the darling of Highvale, he continues to watch her until she turns up needing his help. Someone had placed a curse on Kleos, a dark ritual that could take away her very freedom.
Lucian was my favourite part of this duet. Murderous, sweet, posh and sinful, he is a perfect blend of all the things that make an MMC swoonworthy. I also liked all the characters we met as this story unfolded; however, there was quite a bit that stopped this duet from hitting its potential. There were so many grammatical errors and things that didn’t quite make sense. Lucian and Kleos’ relationship needed to be explored more, as did the social and magical constructs.
That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy both Vow Forever Night and Until The End of Ever; they told an interesting story, which was fun, they just needed more depth and editing.
What to expect:
🏛️Demigods
Greek Mythology 🏺
Hades and Persephone Vibes
Protected City
Murdery Dark Sorcerer 💀
✨Healer Witch
Man Obsessed 🔥
Dual POV
Who Did This To You?
🧁She Bakes For Him
Lucian Regis, dark sorcerer of the Underside, knew there was something strange about Kleos Valesco the moment he met her, though he couldn’t pinpoint what. Intrigued by the healer witch, the darling of Highvale, he continues to watch her until she turns up needing his help. Someone had placed a curse on Kleos, a dark ritual that could take away her very freedom.
Lucian was my favourite part of this duet. Murderous, sweet, posh and sinful, he is a perfect blend of all the things that make an MMC swoonworthy. I also liked all the characters we met as this story unfolded; however, there was quite a bit that stopped this duet from hitting its potential. There were so many grammatical errors and things that didn’t quite make sense. Lucian and Kleos’ relationship needed to be explored more, as did the social and magical constructs.
That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy both Vow Forever Night and Until The End of Ever; they told an interesting story, which was fun, they just needed more depth and editing.
What to expect:
🏛️Demigods
Greek Mythology 🏺
Hades and Persephone Vibes
Protected City
Murdery Dark Sorcerer 💀
✨Healer Witch
Man Obsessed 🔥
Dual POV
Who Did This To You?
🧁She Bakes For Him
August 21, 2026
Loved the ending of this duo!
I was obsessed with book 1 and book 2 did not disappoint. (Although I don’t think anything will ever surpass their original hookup scene at Pan’s from book 1 — iykyk)
This book picked up right where we left off— mid cliff hanger action from book 1. I was absolutely unmoored until I got to the relationship fulfillment (bc it fucking needed to happen!!!)
Ugh and it was so good — so satisfying!!
I will say after they get together, there was a little lull in the pacing, or maybe it was just me. Felt like not a lot was happening around 50% and then a whole HELL of a lot of action all at once, as per usual. And man there was a TWIST I did not expect but probably should have (like how did I not??) anyway, once it picks up, it just zoom for the rest of the book and I loved every second of it.
Loved the details we were given re: Silver and amping up for the next duo. And all the gods!
And the ending was just sigh, exactly what I wanted for them. I loved loved loved it.
And yeah fuck zenya, amirite?!
4.5⭐️ (woulda been 5 if it wasn’t for the midway pacing and scheduling of action for a week didn’t happen, but alas)
Big fan, super fun, good spice, would recommend.
I was obsessed with book 1 and book 2 did not disappoint. (Although I don’t think anything will ever surpass their original hookup scene at Pan’s from book 1 — iykyk)
This book picked up right where we left off— mid cliff hanger action from book 1. I was absolutely unmoored until I got to the relationship fulfillment (bc it fucking needed to happen!!!)
Ugh and it was so good — so satisfying!!
I will say after they get together, there was a little lull in the pacing, or maybe it was just me. Felt like not a lot was happening around 50% and then a whole HELL of a lot of action all at once, as per usual. And man there was a TWIST I did not expect but probably should have (like how did I not??) anyway, once it picks up, it just zoom for the rest of the book and I loved every second of it.
Loved the details we were given re: Silver and amping up for the next duo. And all the gods!
And the ending was just sigh, exactly what I wanted for them. I loved loved loved it.
And yeah fuck zenya, amirite?!
4.5⭐️ (woulda been 5 if it wasn’t for the midway pacing and scheduling of action for a week didn’t happen, but alas)
Big fan, super fun, good spice, would recommend.
July 19, 2026
Ця дилогія стала для мене абсолютним розчаруванням місяця, і мені взагалі не сподобалася. Головне враження після прочитання обох книг — повний емоційний нуль. Таке відчуття, ніби авторка спробувала написати історію про два абсолютно безжиттєвих дерева, між якими немає бодай натяку на хімію, щирі почуття чи хоч якісь живі стосунки.
Першій книзі («Vow Forever Night») я поставила двійку виключно за те, що змогла осилити її до кінця. З другою частиною («Until the End of Ever») фокус уже не пройшов — вона виявилася настільки нудною та картонною, що мені довелося її просто пролистати, через що й оцінка впала до розгромних 1.4 бала.
Розвиток взаємин між головними героями викликає лише купу питань. Персонажі поводяться як згадані колоди, які раптово і без жодної логічної чи емоційної підготовки просто опиняються в ліжку. Самі інтимні сцени прописані неймовірно погано і сухо. Жодної пристрасті, вогню чи чуттєвості — усе виглядає так само дерев'яно, як і самі герої. Шкода витраченого часу, серія абсолютно провальна.
1.4 / 5 ⭐️
Першій книзі («Vow Forever Night») я поставила двійку виключно за те, що змогла осилити її до кінця. З другою частиною («Until the End of Ever») фокус уже не пройшов — вона виявилася настільки нудною та картонною, що мені довелося її просто пролистати, через що й оцінка впала до розгромних 1.4 бала.
Розвиток взаємин між головними героями викликає лише купу питань. Персонажі поводяться як згадані колоди, які раптово і без жодної логічної чи емоційної підготовки просто опиняються в ліжку. Самі інтимні сцени прописані неймовірно погано і сухо. Жодної пристрасті, вогню чи чуттєвості — усе виглядає так само дерев'яно, як і самі герої. Шкода витраченого часу, серія абсолютно провальна.
1.4 / 5 ⭐️
January 16, 2026
This book wrapped up a bit too quick in my opinion. Also, I saw the villain from a mile away. And in the end, I’m still a bit confused about the entire reason the Gods came through the gate. Did the main villain just want to take over the Earth or did it start with just a grudge against the FMC’s father? I just don’t think the author did a fantastic job solidifying the characters’ goals.
And OH MY GOODNESS…… the grammar was even worst than the first book! You’d think it would be better! I kid you not, there was a mistake on almost every page in the last half. It was so distracting having to read backwards because a grammar mistake threw off my reading flow. Who the crap edited?!
It’s such a fun story that surprisingly clicked with me, yet it was disappointingly, poorly edited. Bummer.
So all of that took a star. I almost gave it a 3 star but couldn’t deny how hooked I was reading this.
And OH MY GOODNESS…… the grammar was even worst than the first book! You’d think it would be better! I kid you not, there was a mistake on almost every page in the last half. It was so distracting having to read backwards because a grammar mistake threw off my reading flow. Who the crap edited?!
It’s such a fun story that surprisingly clicked with me, yet it was disappointingly, poorly edited. Bummer.
So all of that took a star. I almost gave it a 3 star but couldn’t deny how hooked I was reading this.
September 14, 2025
I loved Until The End of Ever. Parts of it was slow moving but man what an interesting, intriguing and enthralling conclusion this was. I loved that it was jam packed with mythologies and legends. I loved the author's spin on them as well as the worlds and magic. It kept my attention from start to finish. I practically read it in one sitting and don't regret that decision at all. It was totally the best way to spend my Saturday. It was action packed, steamy and banter filled with a mystery woven in. I adored it and cannot wait to get my hands on the next duet in this series I know it's going be just as epic or even more so than this one.
Copy provided by author
Copy provided by author
September 14, 2025
The stakes in this duology were high & so was my anxiety.
I love Kleos & Lucian so much. I enjoyed watching Kleos grow into herself and become more confident with who she is and setting boundaries.
Applauding Lucian for being true to himself & his feelings and taking what he wanted/deserved.
I’m excited for book 3 and to see where Silver takes us!
I’m such a sucker for fantasy & Greek mythology that I wish I could read this again for the first time.
May is such an unbelievable author and I can’t wait to see what comes next!
I love Kleos & Lucian so much. I enjoyed watching Kleos grow into herself and become more confident with who she is and setting boundaries.
Applauding Lucian for being true to himself & his feelings and taking what he wanted/deserved.
I’m excited for book 3 and to see where Silver takes us!
I’m such a sucker for fantasy & Greek mythology that I wish I could read this again for the first time.
May is such an unbelievable author and I can’t wait to see what comes next!
April 1, 2026
Such an awesome conclusion to that duology! Can't wait for Silver's book!!
I really love Kleos and Lucian's dynamic as a couple! I'm glad the misunderstanding didn't last too long and they started to slowly understand what they are to each other even if i guess, they had to go thought The sea god trial for that lol. Still. A pretty badass Kleos and cutie kitty and of course badass sexy Lucian!
Love the plot twist about Silver, although it weirdly make sense tbf.
Oh and I'm still calling dibs on Grandpa Cassius. He's mine. No touchy!
I really love Kleos and Lucian's dynamic as a couple! I'm glad the misunderstanding didn't last too long and they started to slowly understand what they are to each other even if i guess, they had to go thought The sea god trial for that lol. Still. A pretty badass Kleos and cutie kitty and of course badass sexy Lucian!
Love the plot twist about Silver, although it weirdly make sense tbf.
Oh and I'm still calling dibs on Grandpa Cassius. He's mine. No touchy!
October 31, 2025
ANOTHER AMAZING MAY SAGE NOVEL
Kleos and Lucien’s story is another great book by May Sage.
She has the ability to make the impossible, so real and imaginative. I have read and enjoyed her books for years. I finish them within days of their publication because they are just so entertaining and creative. Please continue with this story line. It’s so interesting. And the characters are so well developed and engaging.
Kleos and Lucien’s story is another great book by May Sage.
She has the ability to make the impossible, so real and imaginative. I have read and enjoyed her books for years. I finish them within days of their publication because they are just so entertaining and creative. Please continue with this story line. It’s so interesting. And the characters are so well developed and engaging.
November 9, 2025
New book boyfriend alert! Give me all the Lucian scenes!
The only downside to these books was that the mythology was sometimes hard to follow. There Greek, Norse, and Egyptian gods all causing chaos which got a little confusing at times. I think because of that sometimes the plot didn’t always flow seamlessly and often it felt like too much going on at once. But that didn’t detract from the overall story of the book and the characters really brought it all together for me!
The only downside to these books was that the mythology was sometimes hard to follow. There Greek, Norse, and Egyptian gods all causing chaos which got a little confusing at times. I think because of that sometimes the plot didn’t always flow seamlessly and often it felt like too much going on at once. But that didn’t detract from the overall story of the book and the characters really brought it all together for me!
April 18, 2026
This was a very unique series, I liked the different dynamic from the mainstream romantasy books. Characters were interesting but very human in a way I could relate. The urban setting and the mix of different fantastical elements was very cool and created a very eclectic world-building.
The will-they-won't-they got a bit boring at times, but once it hits, it's good. There were also some parts that felt a bit far-fetched and didn't make sense to me, but I enjoyed the overall narrative.
The will-they-won't-they got a bit boring at times, but once it hits, it's good. There were also some parts that felt a bit far-fetched and didn't make sense to me, but I enjoyed the overall narrative.
September 11, 2025
Love d it!
Aside from editing misses, this was a great read. Editors need to get back to basics. Spell check won’t catch everything!
Loved the characters, loved this new addition her mythic universe. May is one of my favorite writers because of how she weaves legends, myths and snark along with good old fashion adventure❣️
Aside from editing misses, this was a great read. Editors need to get back to basics. Spell check won’t catch everything!
Loved the characters, loved this new addition her mythic universe. May is one of my favorite writers because of how she weaves legends, myths and snark along with good old fashion adventure❣️
October 1, 2025
Good gods story, spice, and humor
I really liked the characters and story. I had to get my brain to let go of the many proofing, editing errors, though. The story showcases the many characters and their quirkiness. It's fun, fast paced, and really brings you into the world of those worshipping gods and how that may, or may not, work in one's favor.
I really liked the characters and story. I had to get my brain to let go of the many proofing, editing errors, though. The story showcases the many characters and their quirkiness. It's fun, fast paced, and really brings you into the world of those worshipping gods and how that may, or may not, work in one's favor.
October 21, 2025
Idk this just wasn’t the same vibe from book 1 imo. I enjoyed it but if plot holes are popping out to me…..then I know something is wrong because I usually miss them 😅😂
Some moments were also kind of cringey? I don’t remember feeling that way reading the first book. And I guess this is just a duet and it’s an ongoing series so I’m not sure if I’ll continue 🤷🏽♀️
Some moments were also kind of cringey? I don’t remember feeling that way reading the first book. And I guess this is just a duet and it’s an ongoing series so I’m not sure if I’ll continue 🤷🏽♀️
December 14, 2025
Cute, lots of spice, fairly feel-good but also high-paced action at the end. Kleos is a bit of a Mary Sue but it was fun. I also enjoyed all of Lucian’s POV chapters. I feel like the MMCs don’t usually get so many chapters, so that was refreshing.
My main gripe: I got annoyed at the continual lack of communication between the MCs regarding their feelings.
My main gripe: I got annoyed at the continual lack of communication between the MCs regarding their feelings.
September 14, 2025
Awesome book!
I loved this duology. I'm glad I waited for the 2nd book before I read them. I highly suggest it! May Sage is turning into a "must buy" author for me! If you haven't read them yet, get on it! Romance, mystery, misunderstood anti-hero, spice...loved it!!!
I loved this duology. I'm glad I waited for the 2nd book before I read them. I highly suggest it! May Sage is turning into a "must buy" author for me! If you haven't read them yet, get on it! Romance, mystery, misunderstood anti-hero, spice...loved it!!!
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