Vanquish the Villain, or surrender your heart to him?
Ranger Corps cadet Aenwyn Ashlocke finally draws too much attention and is sent on a mission that's as good as a death sentence. She never expected to make it to the Fae lands, and when her desperation to return is tempered by the realization that she is a crucial part of prophecy, her life suddenly changes. The Shadow Court's Magus, who keeps secrets about the Fae lands and the boundary between Fae and mortals, has designs for Aenwyn to become who she was always meant to be. Under his alluring influence, will she be able to mend the long history of war and hatred, or will she fail to bring Equilibrium?
Enter a world dividing Humans and Fae, where the Shadow Court of the Magus is as dark and ancient as the secrets he keeps, waiting to be unearthed. Born of both worlds, a woman discovers her dormant gift that will shed light on the many truths buried beneath centuries of war and hatred, destined to become the Heroine in a story where the Villain already triumphs. She is determined to right the wrongs- but what happens when the villain to be vanquished is the other half of her soul?
A swoon-worthy Dark Romantasy inspired by Shadow & Bone- perfect for fans of ACOTAR, Fourth Wing and The Cruel Prince; this Enemies-to-Lovers novel will satisfy readers that love a good villain redemption arc centered around Fae Courts, Elemental Magic and a rewarding slow-burn romance between the Heroine and the Villain.
I got it for free for a review from Voracious readers only.
At firsts it was quite hard to get into as overall story seemed to have a very basic romantasy plot. But then it had couple excellent twists that made story very interesting. I really liked where the plot was going and the idea of this world, but it did lack some more intricate world and character building. I didn't particularly get attached to any of the characters but it was interesting enough to continue to read. I really enjoyed last part of the story as it went in really different route from what I was imagining. I would have loved even more time spent on this independent journey. When it comes to romance, it felt very toxic for the most part. While it's essentially a dark romance, it just felt wrong sometimes. It definitely got better by the end but there still was that "man is in charge of everything" vibe that I didn't like.
Either way it was fun one to read and I would recommend if you want something with interesting story line.
Will you vanquish the villain, or will you surrender your heart to him?
Ranger Corps cadet Aenwyn Ashlocke has finally done it, she's drawn too much attention and she's been sent out on a mission that might as well be a death sentence. Aenwyn never honestly expected that she would actually make it to the fae lands alive, and in her desperation to return to her corps she realizes that she is actually a critical part of this prophecy, her entire life changes.
The Shadow Court's Magus, the one who keeps all the secrets about the Fae lands and the boundary between the Fae and mortal lands, has his own designs for Aenwyn, to help her become who the fates have always meant her to become.
And under the Court's Magus's tantalizing influence, will Aenwyn be able to mend the long history of war and hatred between the Fae and humans?
Or, will Aewyn fail in her destiny and fail to bring Equilibrium?
Come and enter a world that's dividing Humans and Fae, where the Shadow Court of the Magus is dark and ancient and the secrets he keeps are in the dark shadows all waiting to be unearthed and discovered.
A woman who was born of both worlds will discover her own dormant gift that is going to shed light on all the truths that have been buried beneath centuries of war and hatred. She is fated to become the Heroine in this story where the Villain has already won. And she is determined to right all the wrongs that have happened – but what will happen when this villain that is to be vanquished is actually the other half of our Heroine's soul?
Equilibrium is a swoon-worthy Dark Romantasy that was inspired by Shadow & Bone – and this book is perfect for lovers of ACOTAR, Fourth Wing, and The Cruel Prince; this enemies-to-lovers novel is going to satisfy all the readers who love a great villain redemption arc that is centred around the Fae Courts, Elemental Magic, and the most tantalizing, tension filled, rewarding slow-burn romance between our beautiful Heroine and the Wicked Villain.
YOU'RE MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS!! Please read and pay attention the the trigger warnings at the beginning of the book. There is content and scenes in this book that are not suitable for all readers and could be triggering for other readers. Please remember that your mental health comes first at all times.
Equilibrium by Emmy Evinger. This is Emmy Evinger's debut novel and for a debut novel, this is just a stunning book. I have to say that Emmy delivered on everything that she promised in this book and more. I loved that at the beginning of the book, after providing us with the trigger warnings, she gave us a list of pronunciations as well as a map for our reference. I found this to be very helpful with the pronunciation of a lot of the names in this book.
Equilibrium is a rich and darkly bewitching romantasy that gives us fans of Fae courts and Villain redemption arcs things that we could ever want or crave.
The heart of the story revolves around Aenwyn Ashlocke. She is a cadet in the Ranger Corps and she is reckless in her determination to prove herself. And in that reckless determination, she lands herself in a mission that is more of a death sentence. Instead of killing her though, it leads her into the heart of Fae lands and puts her face to face with the Shadow Courts arcane Magus.
Emmy has done a masterful job in blending high-stakes prophecy with tension and angst-filled slow-burn romance, this book enthralls its readers in a world where allegiance, fate, and passion all come together.
With Aenwyn learning about her dormant powers and then learning about the role that she is supposed to play in some prophecy that is fragile and teetering on collapse. All of this brings tension not only to the war between the Fae and humans, but to Aenwyn's very heart. The Magus we learn is not only dangerous but also irresistible, and this makes every interaction that Aenwyn and The Magus has simmer with chemistry and intensity.
I fell in love with Emmy's writing and her world-building is just fantastic: I loved the way that Emmy created the Shadow Court. It's dark, lush, and Emmy has layered it with so many secrets, while still being surrounded by the centuries of war and conflict between the Far and Humans that provide such an amazingly rich backdrop for this story's conflict. And I love the way that Emmy wove in themes of reconciliation and redemption to the story, adding even more layers to a story that is already rich with layers. Emmy kept such a delicate balance between all the action, the mythology she created, and the tension and chemistry-filled romance that Equilibrium is a tale that is both thrilling and emotionally engrossing.
Equilibrium blends elements of magic, a haunting atmosphere, and a breathtaking enemies-to-lovers dynamic. Equilibrium is this beautifully mastered gripping romantasy that is going to enthrall its readers who adore morally grey villains, Fae intrigue, and romances that have you walking the edge of a blade between love and obliteration. Equilibrium is a start to what promises to be an enduring and memorable adventure.
Equilibrium is an amazing book that everyone should be reading. I can't help but recommend it. This is a great read that I am sure you're going to enjoy it as much as I did.
This was Emmy Evinger's debut novel and for a debut novel this one way just an amazing book. I was honestly amazed by this book and I can't wait to see what she writes next. Emmy is an author worth watching.
"The Perfect Storm of Magic, Destiny, and Forbidden Love." ⚔️✨
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 (5/5 stars)
"She is determined to right the wrongs, but what happens when the villain to be vanquished is the other half of her soul?"
This quote from the synopsis should tell you everything you need to know about why this book completely destroyed me emotionally (in the best possible way). Emmy Evinger has crafted something truly special with "Equilibrium," and I'm still reeling from the experience.
What Worked Perfectly:
The Heroine:
Aenwyn Ashlocke is incredible. She's not just another "chosen one," she's a fully realized character with genuine struggles, real growth, and the kind of determination that makes you want to cheer for her. Watching her journey from a Ranger Corps cadet who's drawn too much attention to someone who discovers her true power and purpose was absolutely captivating.
The Romance:
Sweet merciful bookish gods, the SLOW BURN 🔥 The relationship between Aenwyn and the Shadow Court's Magus is everything I never knew I needed. The way their dynamic shifts from antagonistic to something deeper and more complex had me highlighting passages and squealing into my pillow. The enemies-to-lovers development feels organic and earned, not rushed or forced.
The World-Building:
The divide between the Human and Fae worlds is beautifully constructed. Evinger doesn't just tell us about this separation, she makes us feel it. The Shadow Court feels ancient and mysterious, full of secrets that slowly unfold throughout the story. The magical elements, particularly the elemental magic system, are well thought out, and integrated seamlessly into the plot.
The Writing:
Evinger's prose strikes the perfect balance between lyrical and accessible. She has this way of describing magical moments that makes them feel both wondrous and believable. The dialogue crackles with tension and emotion, especially between our main characters.
The Emotional Journey:
This book took me on such a rollercoaster! 🎢 There were moments where I was absolutely furious with certain characters, others where I was melting into a puddle of romantic feelings, and several instances where I had to put the book down because the emotional intensity was almost too much to handle.
The prophecy element could have felt clichéd, but Evinger subverts expectations beautifully. Just when you think you know where the story is heading, she throws in a twist that changes everything. The exploration of what it means to be a hero versus a villain, especially when those lines are deliberately blurred, is thoughtful and engaging.
-Minor Considerations:
The pacing is generally excellent, though there were one or two spots in the middle where I wanted things to move just slightly faster. However, looking back, those slower moments were necessary for character development and world-building, so I can't really complain.
-Final Thoughts:
This is the kind of book that makes you fall in love with reading all over again. It has everything I want in a fantasy romance, complex characters, a richly imagined world, political intrigue, magical elements that feel fresh, and a love story that will stay with me for a long time.
I cannot wait to see where Evinger takes this story next. If this is her debut, we are in for some incredible treats in the future.
Perfect for fans of:
Sarah J. Maas, Jennifer L. Armentrout, Carissa Broadbent, Rebecca Ross, basically anyone who loves their fantasy with a healthy dose of swoon-worthy romance and morally complex characters.
Content warnings: Violence, war themes, some mature romantic content
Recommended reading mood:
When you want to be completely transported to another world and don't mind having your emotions thoroughly manipulated (in the best way).
Thank you to Emmy Evinger and VoraciousReaders for the gifted copy of this book. I was happy to leave my honest opinion. Woo Hoo!
I’m a bit torn about this book, because the story itself was interesting enough, the characters okay etc, but it just did not hold my attention. I’d put the book down mid paragraph to mindlessly scroll on my phone. Whether this is entirely on this book alone or the fact that before I started reading it, I had forced myself through a trilogy I didn’t enjoy, I’m not sure. Perhaps if I had read this before the previous series, it would have gotten 4 stars - probably not, though.
However:
The book could benefit from another pass by an editor. Some sentences just don’t fully make sense, there appears to be words missing here and there.
The amount of crying that the FMC does was a lot and it started to grate on me.
The book is in 4 parts and the first three seems reasonably connected but part 4 is just so different. It takes place much later, but it also feels like it was written years later simply to finish the story. Parts of the story seems to never be finished off, we get crumbs about the characters we knew but it’s single sentences. Most strangely is that the words used for body parts in 🌶️- scenes have changed.. 75% of the book uses ‘folds’ (yuck) and then suddenly it’s called something else. I can’t remember the male terms but they changed too.
I don’t think this can be called enemies to lovers, when it starts as it does. Sure, there’s something akin to hate later, but not really..
Finally, I am a bit frustrated at the massive time leap and how she didn’t try the one thing that would clearly work. It was painfully obvious.
The book can be read as a standalone and the story concludes, but a door is left open for more story to be written about the main characters. I doubt I’ll be reading a second book though.
Emmy Evinger’s Equilibrium is a darkly enchanting romantasy that delivers everything fans of Fae courts and villain redemption arcs crave. At its heart is Aenwyn Ashlocke, a Ranger Corps cadet whose reckless determination lands her in a mission meant to destroy her. Instead, it leads her into the heart of the Fae lands and into the path of the Shadow Court’s enigmatic Magus.
The novel masterfully blends high-stakes prophecy with slow-burn romance, pulling readers into a world where loyalty, destiny, and desire collide. Aenwyn’s discovery of her dormant powers and her role in a fragile prophecy brings tension not just to the war between Fae and mortals, but to her own heart. The Magus is both dangerous and irresistible, making every interaction between them simmer with intensity.
Evinger’s writing shines in her world-building: the Shadow Court is dark, lush, and layered with secrets, while the centuries of conflict between Humans and Fae provide a rich backdrop for the story’s themes of reconciliation and redemption. The balance between action, mythology, and romance makes this tale equally thrilling and emotionally compelling.
With its blend of elemental magic, haunting atmosphere, and an intoxicating enemies-to-lovers dynamic, Equilibrium is a sweeping romantasy that will captivate readers who love morally gray villains, Fae intrigue, and romances that walk the fine line between love and ruin. It’s an irresistible start to what promises to be an unforgettable journey.
It was well written and i couldn't stop reading until the end. I love the characters as well continue writing will like to read more. I will probably read it again.
I’m so sad that I didn’t enjoy this book! It had so much potential, but just felt super rushed, with characters feeling underdeveloped.
I so wish this book had been stretched out into a series. I think certain plot points would’ve hit a lot harder if I had had more time to explore the characters and connect with them and the plot.