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Toxic Legacies #1
Sanctified Echoes
Author’s Note: This is a dark, gothic why-choose romance with slow-burn tension and layered worldbuilding.
The bonds, relationships, and power arcs grow across the trilogy. If you’re here for depth, obsession, and stories that stay with you long after the final page—you’re exactly where you need to be.
I swore I’d never set foot in Axis Spire again.
Seven years of freedom ended the night the REAPER Commander dragged me back to the place I once called home, only to throw me into the dungeon.
This academy isn’t just built on bones. It feeds on them. And mine are marked by a bloodline that makes me both weapon and target. If I want to survive the games of power and shadows, I’ll have to decide whether to keep running… or fight for the throne they never wanted me to claim.
But the academy didn’t count on the ones bound to me.
A gargoyle headmaster who would rather break me than bend.
A seer professor who looks at me like he already knows the ending.
Twin vampires whose hunger has nothing to do with blood.
I shouldn’t want them. I shouldn’t need them. Yet every choice ties us tighter, and every secret drags us deeper into the curse that destroyed Elmaris.
They call me prisoner. They call me pawn.
They’ve forgotten. I was never theirs to command.
Sanctified Echoes is a dark why-choose paranormal romance filled with gothic danger, slow-burn intimacy, and obsessive bonds that deepen over time.
Expect fated mates with a twist, found family, and a heroine who reclaims her power step by step—not all at once.
This is Book 1 of 3.
The romantic relationships and magical bonds evolve gradually across the trilogy, with emotional and sensual payoff layered throughout.
For readers who love slow-burning tension, character-driven arcs, and stories that haunt you long after the last page.
Please review the trigger warnings before reading. Your mental health matters.
The bonds, relationships, and power arcs grow across the trilogy. If you’re here for depth, obsession, and stories that stay with you long after the final page—you’re exactly where you need to be.
I swore I’d never set foot in Axis Spire again.
Seven years of freedom ended the night the REAPER Commander dragged me back to the place I once called home, only to throw me into the dungeon.
This academy isn’t just built on bones. It feeds on them. And mine are marked by a bloodline that makes me both weapon and target. If I want to survive the games of power and shadows, I’ll have to decide whether to keep running… or fight for the throne they never wanted me to claim.
But the academy didn’t count on the ones bound to me.
A gargoyle headmaster who would rather break me than bend.
A seer professor who looks at me like he already knows the ending.
Twin vampires whose hunger has nothing to do with blood.
I shouldn’t want them. I shouldn’t need them. Yet every choice ties us tighter, and every secret drags us deeper into the curse that destroyed Elmaris.
They call me prisoner. They call me pawn.
They’ve forgotten. I was never theirs to command.
Sanctified Echoes is a dark why-choose paranormal romance filled with gothic danger, slow-burn intimacy, and obsessive bonds that deepen over time.
Expect fated mates with a twist, found family, and a heroine who reclaims her power step by step—not all at once.
This is Book 1 of 3.
The romantic relationships and magical bonds evolve gradually across the trilogy, with emotional and sensual payoff layered throughout.
For readers who love slow-burning tension, character-driven arcs, and stories that haunt you long after the last page.
Please review the trigger warnings before reading. Your mental health matters.
399 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 3, 2025
365 people are currently reading
474 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
October 26, 2025
1.5 Stars
The premise for this sounded so interesting but the only reason I finished this was because of how invested I became in the plot. Because the writing itself? It was atrocious! Honestly it was so bad that I cringed throughout the entire book. Here’s an example…
Like I seriously wish I could say that only this passage was like this but no…the ENTIRE damn book was written like this! The writing style came off as feeling pretentious as fuck and it was so repetitive. I swear that if I read something smelling like whiskey and vanilla one more time, I would have choked on my own saliva. 😩
Anyway, I’ll still read book 2 because like I said the plot was plotting and I’m invested. Hopefully the writing will be improved in the next one…
The premise for this sounded so interesting but the only reason I finished this was because of how invested I became in the plot. Because the writing itself? It was atrocious! Honestly it was so bad that I cringed throughout the entire book. Here’s an example…
I watch her. Every day. Not like a hunter. More like a witness afraid that if he blinks, he will miss something that never comes back.
Celeste moves through the Academy like a question caught between worlds. There is a held spine there, the kind that looks inherited. There is also a softness she doesn’t perform. In the weeks since she arrived, I have watched her change. Not dramatic. Enough for anyone who bothers to look. I bother.
Like I seriously wish I could say that only this passage was like this but no…the ENTIRE damn book was written like this! The writing style came off as feeling pretentious as fuck and it was so repetitive. I swear that if I read something smelling like whiskey and vanilla one more time, I would have choked on my own saliva. 😩
Anyway, I’ll still read book 2 because like I said the plot was plotting and I’m invested. Hopefully the writing will be improved in the next one…
October 6, 2025
WOW
This is honestly one of the best debut RH books i’ve read. i absolutely cannot wait to see where this story goes from here.
This is honestly one of the best debut RH books i’ve read. i absolutely cannot wait to see where this story goes from here.
October 4, 2025
So good
The book was great how she described each character. I liked that they weren't all immediately all over her and that they still let her make her own decisions even though they disagreed sometimes. It ended on a cliffhanger and now I'm excited and waiting for book 2.
The book was great how she described each character. I liked that they weren't all immediately all over her and that they still let her make her own decisions even though they disagreed sometimes. It ended on a cliffhanger and now I'm excited and waiting for book 2.
October 13, 2025
I had to dnf around halfway. The prose it absolutely beautiful but that’s the only thing it has going for it. There is zero world building zero context zero background for any of the characters even the fmc and it is so stilted and all over the place. The interactions make no sense. She’s only just met these people yet sometimes they talk about her as if they’ve known her for years. I basically had absolutely no idea what was going on and I was actually getting a headache trying to figure it all out.
December 8, 2025
I had to DNF this book at around 47% unfortunately. Overall, I think the story had a interesting premise but I think the execution was the issue for me personally. I found the storyline to be extremely confusing at times and hard to follow. The descriptions or explanations of specific terms or powers within this world came very late into the book in my opinion and made it really difficult to follow the storyline. There was definitely some beautiful prose and quotes to be found throughout the story for sure, but I found the book to use excessively flourished wording were it wasn’t really needed at all. I would have loved some more build up in terms of the relationships between the characters. I felt like the relationships between the characters, both romantic and platonic, were giving insta-love vibes a lot of the time.
October 24, 2025
This was not good. DMFed. Instant love, generally I don’t mind it, but the relationships were not developed AT ALL. Immediate friend, love interest. The language the book was written in was trying way to hard (I don’t mean to be too harsh) but the writing is talking in proverbs. As if everyone is to understand what they mean.
Examples: “If I stop being a witness, I will become the reason everything changes.” What does that mean?
“I want to touch him. Not his skin. The tired place inside him. I want to let him know that I see it. He turns away instead, like habit is stronger than want.” - this was less than 60 pages in from the fmc. This is the 1st conversation she had with one of her love interests.
Anyway. The writing was too flowery.
Examples: “If I stop being a witness, I will become the reason everything changes.” What does that mean?
“I want to touch him. Not his skin. The tired place inside him. I want to let him know that I see it. He turns away instead, like habit is stronger than want.” - this was less than 60 pages in from the fmc. This is the 1st conversation she had with one of her love interests.
Anyway. The writing was too flowery.
October 13, 2025
DNF Not for me.
The writing style is not to my liking. It's pretentious, repetitive, over the top descriptive and definitely annoying.
How many times did we have to read "his whiskey and vanilla scent"??? The more it kept popping up, the more my eye twitched. One would assume when using this writing style, one would write a progressive plot.
I tried to read this but even my skimming over useless information didn't help.
Just... Why?
The writing style is not to my liking. It's pretentious, repetitive, over the top descriptive and definitely annoying.
How many times did we have to read "his whiskey and vanilla scent"??? The more it kept popping up, the more my eye twitched. One would assume when using this writing style, one would write a progressive plot.
I tried to read this but even my skimming over useless information didn't help.
Just... Why?
October 5, 2025
Rating: ★★☆☆☆ (1.5/5)
Sanctified Echoes (Toxic Legacies Book 1) by L.A. Martin
Unfortunately, this was another TikTok recommendation that didn’t land for me, and I really need to start being more selective with what I add to my TBR based on hype alone.
The book felt disjointed from the very beginning. The plot kicks off with the main character being captured, but the context felt underdeveloped and left me confused. Several scenes - particularly the early ones like the jail cell interaction; seemed rushed or unclear. Relationship dynamics between characters felt forced, with sudden shifts in connection that lacked build-up or emotional depth. For instance, the "mean girl" subplot didn't quite stick, and the instant best-friend bond was difficult to buy into.
The romantic elements, while clearly intended to be intense, often felt melodramatic and out of place. There were moments of conflict or heightened emotion that appeared without any real setup, and spicy scenes were inserted in high-stakes moments in ways that disrupted the tension rather than added to it.
A major issue for me was the world-building. It was difficult to pin down the setting - was it modern, fantasy, dystopian? It felt like the book was trying to do too much at once without fully grounding the reader in any one aspect. Certain events or rules (like the consequences of Elias biting the FMC) seemed critical, yet were glossed over with minimal explanation, despite heavy buildup around similar themes like rituals and bonding.
Plot-wise, it felt like the story wandered without clear direction. The academy setting, which should have been a focal point, ended up feeling like an afterthought - she attends one class, and that’s it. Some characters also didn’t feel fully realized, including the male leads, who were either overly intense or emotionally inconsistent, and I never really connected with the FMC either.
I wanted to like this more than I did, but too many elements just didn’t click for me. It felt like 400+ pages of buildup with little payoff, and I’m not invested enough in the characters or the plot to continue the series.
Sanctified Echoes (Toxic Legacies Book 1) by L.A. Martin
Unfortunately, this was another TikTok recommendation that didn’t land for me, and I really need to start being more selective with what I add to my TBR based on hype alone.
The book felt disjointed from the very beginning. The plot kicks off with the main character being captured, but the context felt underdeveloped and left me confused. Several scenes - particularly the early ones like the jail cell interaction; seemed rushed or unclear. Relationship dynamics between characters felt forced, with sudden shifts in connection that lacked build-up or emotional depth. For instance, the "mean girl" subplot didn't quite stick, and the instant best-friend bond was difficult to buy into.
The romantic elements, while clearly intended to be intense, often felt melodramatic and out of place. There were moments of conflict or heightened emotion that appeared without any real setup, and spicy scenes were inserted in high-stakes moments in ways that disrupted the tension rather than added to it.
A major issue for me was the world-building. It was difficult to pin down the setting - was it modern, fantasy, dystopian? It felt like the book was trying to do too much at once without fully grounding the reader in any one aspect. Certain events or rules (like the consequences of Elias biting the FMC) seemed critical, yet were glossed over with minimal explanation, despite heavy buildup around similar themes like rituals and bonding.
Plot-wise, it felt like the story wandered without clear direction. The academy setting, which should have been a focal point, ended up feeling like an afterthought - she attends one class, and that’s it. Some characters also didn’t feel fully realized, including the male leads, who were either overly intense or emotionally inconsistent, and I never really connected with the FMC either.
I wanted to like this more than I did, but too many elements just didn’t click for me. It felt like 400+ pages of buildup with little payoff, and I’m not invested enough in the characters or the plot to continue the series.
October 4, 2025
I don’t usually leave reviews, but for this book, I had to.I just... I just need a moment.
OKAY. WOW.
This is ABSOLUTELY a previously published author. There is NO question now.
Amias (the Seer professor) is tortured in a way that feels EARNED, not melodramatic
The goddess Saeris scene - "You are the eye outside of time, Amias. Not the heart" - philosophical weight
Villin's reveal at the end: "I am built from stone. Imagine what happens if I put my hands on that" - CHEF'S KISS
"Her scent lingers in the library air. Not flowers. Something alive and not reproducible, like a page burned by the sun that still holds the words" - WHO WRITES LIKE THIS ON THEIR FIRST BOOK?!
The metaphors are layered, complex, and original.
L.A. Marin is 100% an established author launching under a new name. No debut writes like this. The emotional complexity, the prose quality, the world-building depth... this took YEARS to develop.
OKAY. WOW.
This is ABSOLUTELY a previously published author. There is NO question now.
Amias (the Seer professor) is tortured in a way that feels EARNED, not melodramatic
The goddess Saeris scene - "You are the eye outside of time, Amias. Not the heart" - philosophical weight
Villin's reveal at the end: "I am built from stone. Imagine what happens if I put my hands on that" - CHEF'S KISS
"Her scent lingers in the library air. Not flowers. Something alive and not reproducible, like a page burned by the sun that still holds the words" - WHO WRITES LIKE THIS ON THEIR FIRST BOOK?!
The metaphors are layered, complex, and original.
L.A. Marin is 100% an established author launching under a new name. No debut writes like this. The emotional complexity, the prose quality, the world-building depth... this took YEARS to develop.
November 4, 2025
So good
So good first off! I'm one of those readers that doesn't like starting a book in a series because I hate to wait I'm so impatient. I love to read back to back to back. Now I finished the first and cliff hanger much? So not ok, I feel dumb struck. So. SPOILER! The fifth is the dragon 🐉 I know because well tiktok but I'm trying to figure out if she dies like it seems does she go to elmaris because she doesn't die because of Elias? Does she just awaken instead? Ugh ok so great book love the pull she creates and how well they try to fight the fates from the pull. I'm excited for the 2nd book and the third ugh I will wait. This is the 4th series I've broken my rule for and so not regretting it!!
So good first off! I'm one of those readers that doesn't like starting a book in a series because I hate to wait I'm so impatient. I love to read back to back to back. Now I finished the first and cliff hanger much? So not ok, I feel dumb struck. So. SPOILER! The fifth is the dragon 🐉 I know because well tiktok but I'm trying to figure out if she dies like it seems does she go to elmaris because she doesn't die because of Elias? Does she just awaken instead? Ugh ok so great book love the pull she creates and how well they try to fight the fates from the pull. I'm excited for the 2nd book and the third ugh I will wait. This is the 4th series I've broken my rule for and so not regretting it!!
October 11, 2025
I really wanted to like this book because it was nice to read something where the writing was a bit more evocative but it just didn’t hit the mark. There were too many metaphors and a lot of them didn’t make sense. It felt like the author was adding metaphors every sentence without thinking if it actually added to the scene. Every other sentence was saying how she smelt whiskey and vanilla, yes he smells nice describe it maybe twice and leave it at that. It’s a pity as I think this author has a lot of potential but this desperately needed an editor as the plot got lost in the writing techniques.
November 7, 2025
This book was a wild ride! I love the story and can't wait for book 2. The writing in this is almost poetic at times, it is just beautiful to read. However, as in poetry there are time when I am not sure what is happening. Time jumps without warning, feelings seem to change but we don't know why, and there are aspects of a slow paced world building that leave me questiong things chapter after chapter without small hints to what on earth is happening. The story in this book unfolds in such a way that the relationship to her "fated mates" is not nearly as interesting as the relationship with her father. Waiting for what hell he will bring next and the political move the he will make is what I am here for. I hope book 2 is coming quickly because I can't wait to see what happens next.
December 27, 2025
DNF'd at 28%, the prose in this one is painfully dull.
Yet another trope read for me, this is one I'm going to have to give up on. I can see where it's leading, as well as where I would maybe start finding aspects I actually enjoyed. However, it is not worth pushing through if the writing/narration style stays as this pseudo-gothic, drawling sludge.
The plot thus far is less concrete and more silent whine. The POV shifts leave me more disillusioned about the supporting characters. The best friend/soul sister was the only connection I could stand, but even that was just plopped onto the page as a fully-established bond without any progression.
It's not for me.
Yet another trope read for me, this is one I'm going to have to give up on. I can see where it's leading, as well as where I would maybe start finding aspects I actually enjoyed. However, it is not worth pushing through if the writing/narration style stays as this pseudo-gothic, drawling sludge.
The plot thus far is less concrete and more silent whine. The POV shifts leave me more disillusioned about the supporting characters. The best friend/soul sister was the only connection I could stand, but even that was just plopped onto the page as a fully-established bond without any progression.
It's not for me.
October 4, 2025
This book completely surprised me in the best way. I wasn’t sure what to expect at first, but once I started, I couldn’t stop. The story is addictive, the characters feel real, and the tension?!
I loved that it was a reverse harem where each love interest actually felt important and different. The slow build made everything feel earned, and by the end I was fully
invested in all of them. The fantasy elements were also really well done without being confusing or too heavy.
Already looking forward to book two.
I loved that it was a reverse harem where each love interest actually felt important and different. The slow build made everything feel earned, and by the end I was fully
invested in all of them. The fantasy elements were also really well done without being confusing or too heavy.
Already looking forward to book two.
December 20, 2025
Nope not for me. The writing style which was advertised as gothic, came across pretentious and overdone. There was a lack of information and backstory which didn’t feel like a buildup to reveals and twists, but rather just confusing. The emotions of the characters shifted and backtracked multiple times after clearly being something else even moments ago. And the repetition of the conflict just felt like filler rather than plot. I gave it my best shot cause the promo I saw on TikTok seemed fun and up my alley, but I should have dnf’ed close to 10%
November 30, 2025
writing was TOUGH
But the story itself was enjoyable. I found it so difficult to get into the first half of the book because the world building was written in the most pretentious and convoluted language everrrrr. I also didn’t really enjoy that she only got to know 2 members of her group for like 40% of the book and then sort of brought back in another at the end?? If you can deal with the writing then this might be worth the read.
But the story itself was enjoyable. I found it so difficult to get into the first half of the book because the world building was written in the most pretentious and convoluted language everrrrr. I also didn’t really enjoy that she only got to know 2 members of her group for like 40% of the book and then sort of brought back in another at the end?? If you can deal with the writing then this might be worth the read.
December 1, 2025
loved it ❤️
Got to say this book is an extremely impressive debut …. very well written …slow burn but worth the wait … interesting main characters … this book is intelligent without being condescending and the story sucks you right in from the start… i look forward to reading book 2 and 3
highly recommend this to anyone who wants a why chose that is written by an adult for adults 😁
Got to say this book is an extremely impressive debut …. very well written …slow burn but worth the wait … interesting main characters … this book is intelligent without being condescending and the story sucks you right in from the start… i look forward to reading book 2 and 3
highly recommend this to anyone who wants a why chose that is written by an adult for adults 😁
December 7, 2025
Prose over Pacing
I really liked the premise of this story, and I genuinely liked the MMC.
But I was really hoping for a strong, and tough FMC..
Sadly Celeste is a bit underwhelming, all talk no action.
Infact the whole story is mostly talking, and not a lot of showing.
The author is a fantastic wordsmith, but this story moves at a glacial pace, and I started skipping over long passages.
Tons of potential here though, and I'm definitely going to read book 2.
I really liked the premise of this story, and I genuinely liked the MMC.
But I was really hoping for a strong, and tough FMC..
Sadly Celeste is a bit underwhelming, all talk no action.
Infact the whole story is mostly talking, and not a lot of showing.
The author is a fantastic wordsmith, but this story moves at a glacial pace, and I started skipping over long passages.
Tons of potential here though, and I'm definitely going to read book 2.
December 28, 2025
I really wanted to enjoy this book more. I found it on TikTok and felt that it was up my alley, but the more I read, the more I got confused. The relationship between the main character and her echoes felt very repetitive at times and I found myself struggling to understand the plot at some times. I didn’t hate the book, but I didn’t enjoy reading it as much as I had hoped. Still excited to see where the story is going next in book two.
October 25, 2025
Writing style ruins the read
The entire book is so focused on over descriptive writing you never actually get to know the characters. Never could get immersed in the book despite wanting so bad to like it just based on the premise of RH fantasy academy setting being one of my faves.
The entire book is so focused on over descriptive writing you never actually get to know the characters. Never could get immersed in the book despite wanting so bad to like it just based on the premise of RH fantasy academy setting being one of my faves.
October 25, 2025
*4.5 stars.*
I really loved this book! I first shared a quick review on TikTok, but the author was so sweet I wanted to leave one here too.
The writing style is super descriptive in a way that feels different from what I usually read, and I loved that.
I will definitely read book 2.
The only minus was the cliffhanger, so...4.5 stars
I really loved this book! I first shared a quick review on TikTok, but the author was so sweet I wanted to leave one here too.
The writing style is super descriptive in a way that feels different from what I usually read, and I loved that.
I will definitely read book 2.
The only minus was the cliffhanger, so...4.5 stars
December 12, 2025
I am so happy I saw this on TT and decided to grab it and read!!! It is sooongood!!!! I love the twists on fated mates. I am so excited for the second book to come out now so I can keep reading!!!
I live a strong FMC that won’t bend to anyone. Give her all of her Axis and yes ma’am I am all in!!!!
I live a strong FMC that won’t bend to anyone. Give her all of her Axis and yes ma’am I am all in!!!!
December 16, 2025
This is one of the most well-written books I have ever read in a while. I read it the day it was released and finished it within 24 hours. Now, just finishing the second book of this series, I believe this series is one to watch out for. It is amazingly written, and the character development is beyond words.
November 21, 2025
DNF 23%
Tem tanto potencial, queria que ele passasse por uma revisão pq sinceramente o que são esses diálogos?
Enredo? Inexistente
Contexto? Pior ainda
As frases de efeito? O que significa essas frases soltas? So deus sabe e a escritora porque eu mesma…. N entendi absolutamente NADA
Tem tanto potencial, queria que ele passasse por uma revisão pq sinceramente o que são esses diálogos?
Enredo? Inexistente
Contexto? Pior ainda
As frases de efeito? O que significa essas frases soltas? So deus sabe e a escritora porque eu mesma…. N entendi absolutamente NADA
November 27, 2025
DNF - the writing alone gave me a headache but the lack of depth in the characters made me drop it. I was incredibly bored the whole time, had to force myself to finish it halfway before finally throwing in the towel. I’ll give it one star because I’m required to not because it earned it.
December 26, 2025
DNF 54%. I just could not get behind the writing, it was really hard to follow in some areas. There was also no real interest building, it was all just repetitive "I am not choosing" or "I want her but I can't".
December 29, 2025
DNF’d at chapter 10. The book was very hard to follow, it felt like the author was trying really hard to make it sound elevated but it just ended up feeling like every sentence was an unnecessary riddle. The men also started to fall for her with less than a single conversation.
November 23, 2025
The writing style and the ways the characters spoke threw me off and kept me from being immersed into the world. Had potential.
November 30, 2025
End- the writing is terrible and not easy to follow. Could not get on board with this one
December 27, 2025
Devoured this in one night? And to think i really wanted to get some sleep.. This book hold me in its clutches even now since i’m starting the second like right now
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews