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Duskwalker Brides #3
A Soul to Touch
All Mayumi ever wanted was to hunt Demons.
After being discharged from the Demonslayer guild, Mayumi chose to isolate herself within the forest. The best place to hunt and kill Demons. But, one night, she’s surprised when a different monster is lured by her baits.
Just before she unleashes an arrow that’s aimed to kill, Mayumi pauses. She realises she’s seen that skulled, feline face before and that it had once saved her life.
All Faunus ever wanted was her.
After the Demon King cracked his skull, Faunus returns to watch over the only human he has ever cared for. He knows what his future holds, she would never become his bride, but he wants to spend what remains of his life protecting her.
He never expected that she would ever befriend him, or that she would openly desire him. She’s as fiery as her burning passion, and he’s desperate to let her consume him.
But his time in this world grows short, and Faunus doesn’t know how he can be with Mayumi when he knows nothing will save him.
After being discharged from the Demonslayer guild, Mayumi chose to isolate herself within the forest. The best place to hunt and kill Demons. But, one night, she’s surprised when a different monster is lured by her baits.
Just before she unleashes an arrow that’s aimed to kill, Mayumi pauses. She realises she’s seen that skulled, feline face before and that it had once saved her life.
All Faunus ever wanted was her.
After the Demon King cracked his skull, Faunus returns to watch over the only human he has ever cared for. He knows what his future holds, she would never become his bride, but he wants to spend what remains of his life protecting her.
He never expected that she would ever befriend him, or that she would openly desire him. She’s as fiery as her burning passion, and he’s desperate to let her consume him.
But his time in this world grows short, and Faunus doesn’t know how he can be with Mayumi when he knows nothing will save him.
436 pages, Hardcover
First published February 24, 2023
3731 people are currently reading
15665 people want to read
About the author
Opal Reyne
21 books5,817 followersOpal Reyne is an Australian Author who has been a fan of the Adult Paranormal Romance genre from the moment she picked up a book of it - and has never looked back.
She loves everything spicy, smutty,and everything boarder-line monster loving. She started writing because of her love of the written word, and because she wanted to build a diverse world of mythological creatures, while also showing the beauty of all ethnicities of humanity. She thrives to produce a plot driven, character developing book while sprinkling in enchanting imagery.
-Duskwalker Brides a series that features a very real monster who never turns into a handsome prince.
-Witch Bound is a series of Dragon-shifter males falling for their species enemies, Witches!
-She currently has a completed series called 'A Pirate Romance duology'.
As of the 20th of June 2022, The Aedus Chronicles has been unpublished. Thank you to all the readers who enjoyed the series, and Opal may look into revising them in the future.
She loves everything spicy, smutty,and everything boarder-line monster loving. She started writing because of her love of the written word, and because she wanted to build a diverse world of mythological creatures, while also showing the beauty of all ethnicities of humanity. She thrives to produce a plot driven, character developing book while sprinkling in enchanting imagery.
-Duskwalker Brides a series that features a very real monster who never turns into a handsome prince.
-Witch Bound is a series of Dragon-shifter males falling for their species enemies, Witches!
-She currently has a completed series called 'A Pirate Romance duology'.
As of the 20th of June 2022, The Aedus Chronicles has been unpublished. Thank you to all the readers who enjoyed the series, and Opal may look into revising them in the future.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,966 reviews
February 24, 2023
Get in here everybody we goin to church. Smut church. Tiddie Fkn Christ this book is good y’all. Hands down on the Bible of monster smut this may be my all time fav.
Mayumi is a bad@ss living in the woods baiting traps for demons when kitty a horned up 7ft fur ball of yumminess shows up as he has for well … you’ll find out. Anywho. She’s intrigued and really is a bigger horn ball than he is to his delight and mine cuz yes. Get that monster coxk bish. I adore the duskwalker series but dude this one is magically delicious. It’s got more cake pounding and pipe laying than a Mario party on steroids. I was squealing and laughing.
Bruh this is my fav Mavka yet. He’s sweet affectionate and he has a tail. Aka la tunnel smuggler if you get my drift. Opal has done it again and I am forever thankful for her and these books. Legit I just want to lay on her bosom and motorboat at this point. Be one with your pusay and try this book out. Your libido will thank you.
#booksthatmakeangelspptingle
Mayumi is a bad@ss living in the woods baiting traps for demons when kitty a horned up 7ft fur ball of yumminess shows up as he has for well … you’ll find out. Anywho. She’s intrigued and really is a bigger horn ball than he is to his delight and mine cuz yes. Get that monster coxk bish. I adore the duskwalker series but dude this one is magically delicious. It’s got more cake pounding and pipe laying than a Mario party on steroids. I was squealing and laughing.
Bruh this is my fav Mavka yet. He’s sweet affectionate and he has a tail. Aka la tunnel smuggler if you get my drift. Opal has done it again and I am forever thankful for her and these books. Legit I just want to lay on her bosom and motorboat at this point. Be one with your pusay and try this book out. Your libido will thank you.
#booksthatmakeangelspptingle
February 26, 2023
Because I loved the other 2 in this series, this was one of my most anticipated books for 2023. Unfortunately, unlike the prior 2, this left me so disappointed.
My main con of this entire book was the FMC. I hated her the entire time. I loved their origin story about him saving her as a child, but I can’t enjoy her character as an adult. It felt like the entire time they were together she was basically mocking him which considering he was spending his last days with her, was incredibly irritating. They had some banter which was cute, but even her reaction to his name being Kitty grated my nerves. The entire time I couldn’t help feeling like he deserved better and I don’t really feel like she got a character arc in terms of getting better, she just decided she wanted him around. She never told him she loved him (while he was himself) despite him showing her in every way he could, that he loved her. Also, she seemed like a huge hypocrite. So much of what she told him, her internal dialogue said the opposite. She called him a stalker and then to herself said she enjoyed knowing he’d always been in the shadows watching her. In my opinion the personality/attitude of our FMC ruined a very high potential story.
The spice was good like the other two books but I had really been anticipating their relationship and to me it reads incredibly one sided.
My main con of this entire book was the FMC. I hated her the entire time. I loved their origin story about him saving her as a child, but I can’t enjoy her character as an adult. It felt like the entire time they were together she was basically mocking him which considering he was spending his last days with her, was incredibly irritating. They had some banter which was cute, but even her reaction to his name being Kitty grated my nerves. The entire time I couldn’t help feeling like he deserved better and I don’t really feel like she got a character arc in terms of getting better, she just decided she wanted him around. She never told him she loved him (while he was himself) despite him showing her in every way he could, that he loved her. Also, she seemed like a huge hypocrite. So much of what she told him, her internal dialogue said the opposite. She called him a stalker and then to herself said she enjoyed knowing he’d always been in the shadows watching her. In my opinion the personality/attitude of our FMC ruined a very high potential story.
The spice was good like the other two books but I had really been anticipating their relationship and to me it reads incredibly one sided.
March 2, 2023
I absolutely understand Mayumis' attraction to the big scary duskwalker. Faunus and Mayumi together were enigmatic. This gave me what I needed, plot, emotion, more world-building, tongue usage, and dirty talk (so much dirty talk).
I also love how Mayumi stressed that she did not need Faunus, she was very independent and made it clear she could take care of herself; despite that, she ended up wanting Faunus and for them to be together.
I also love how Mayumi stressed that she did not need Faunus, she was very independent and made it clear she could take care of herself; despite that, she ended up wanting Faunus and for them to be together.
December 13, 2024
it’s finally over. i don’t want to sound bitter but i was tired reading it. i wish the book was shorter bc nothing happened there. i usually like spicy scenes but omg 500+ pages of no plot but them. at some point i started skipping all the smut bc i was bored of it.
i didn’t like the fmc. she was reminding me of katherina in a bad way, sometimes she was too self absorbed, not thinking how her actions and words were hurting faunus. she couldn’t see that he had some trauma (his apprehension of water/fire).
was she blaming his for having a ptsd? she practically forced him to tell her his trauma when he wasn’t ready to share it. he wad too good for her.
the fact that she sent that detailed letter to the guilt about demon village and demon king was kind of like a betrayal to me. also what was she expecting from it? that they’ll thank and praise her?
the most interesting thing that happened was an appearance of the void person aka mavkas’ father. he was actually nice, i thought he was this tyrant.
in the second book we saw delora and reia interacting and sharing their unique experience with duskwalkers. i would’ve loved to see it here too. reia would’ve put mayumi in her place real quick.
i didn’t like the plot with soul giving/taking in this book. first time mayumi tried to give it to faunus he rejected it and every other time it wasn’t this great climax of their romantic story. it didn’t feel significant when he finally took it.
i’m stopping reading this series here. for me the first book was the best and every next one was worse than the previous. i wish it wasn’t the case bc the world building was actually very interesting and duskwalkers as monster creatures had a very interesting anatomy.
ps yes i feel like faunus deserved better partner. i wanted someone more like reia who could sympathize more to him.
i didn’t like the fmc. she was reminding me of katherina in a bad way, sometimes she was too self absorbed, not thinking how her actions and words were hurting faunus. she couldn’t see that he had some trauma (his apprehension of water/fire).
“thankful he was doing something he was obviously uncomfortable with just to please her.”
was she blaming his for having a ptsd? she practically forced him to tell her his trauma when he wasn’t ready to share it. he wad too good for her.
“She told me to leave. She’d given him an ultimatum. Of course he’d chosen the path that would allow him to remain by her side, but the fact she’d uttered it... he felt as though he meant little to her.”
the fact that she sent that detailed letter to the guilt about demon village and demon king was kind of like a betrayal to me. also what was she expecting from it? that they’ll thank and praise her?
the most interesting thing that happened was an appearance of the void person aka mavkas’ father. he was actually nice, i thought he was this tyrant.
in the second book we saw delora and reia interacting and sharing their unique experience with duskwalkers. i would’ve loved to see it here too. reia would’ve put mayumi in her place real quick.
i didn’t like the plot with soul giving/taking in this book. first time mayumi tried to give it to faunus he rejected it and every other time it wasn’t this great climax of their romantic story. it didn’t feel significant when he finally took it.
i’m stopping reading this series here. for me the first book was the best and every next one was worse than the previous. i wish it wasn’t the case bc the world building was actually very interesting and duskwalkers as monster creatures had a very interesting anatomy.
ps yes i feel like faunus deserved better partner. i wanted someone more like reia who could sympathize more to him.
March 19, 2023
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
All Mayumi ever wanted was to hunt Demons.
After being discharged from the Demonslayer guild, Mayumi chose to isolate herself within the forest. The best place to hunt and kill Demons. But, one night, she’s surprised when a different monster is lured by her baits.
Just before she unleashes an arrow that’s aimed to kill, Mayumi pauses. She realises she’s seen that skulled, feline face before and that it had once saved her life.
All Faunus ever wanted was her.
After the Demon King cracked his skull, Faunus returns to watch over the only human he has ever cared for. He knows what his future holds, she would never become his bride, but he wants to spend what remains of his life protecting her.
He never expected that she would ever befriend him, or that she would openly desire him. She’s as fiery as her burning passion, and he’s desperate to let her consume him.
But his time in this world grows short, and Faunus doesn’t know how he can be with Mayumi when he knows nothing will save him.
----
2023 is the year of discovering new 5* comfort reads. This book tops all of the books I have read, even within the series. I am truly in awe. I loved the story, the characters, the atmosphere, the metal music references, the series' references, everything. I am also dying to learn more about the Elves and the Priests/Priestesses. I am also of course anxiously waiting to meet the other Duskwalkers.
This dangerous woman would be quicker to stab me in the seam than let me touch her.
I fell in love with Kitty in the book previous, and I did not believe that I could love him even more. I was proven very wrong. The first read for me was very emotional, and I thought about it for weeks. It really stuck with me. Rereading it only confirmed how much I love Kitty and Mayumi's relationship and journey. I felt all their love and all their sadness.
I also got light Beauty and the Beast vibes which made me happy. I will think about the snowball scene for the rest of my days.
I love this book too much, so let me rant about these characters classic toastyreads fashion.
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
All Mayumi ever wanted was to hunt Demons.
After being discharged from the Demonslayer guild, Mayumi chose to isolate herself within the forest. The best place to hunt and kill Demons. But, one night, she’s surprised when a different monster is lured by her baits.
Just before she unleashes an arrow that’s aimed to kill, Mayumi pauses. She realises she’s seen that skulled, feline face before and that it had once saved her life.
All Faunus ever wanted was her.
After the Demon King cracked his skull, Faunus returns to watch over the only human he has ever cared for. He knows what his future holds, she would never become his bride, but he wants to spend what remains of his life protecting her.
He never expected that she would ever befriend him, or that she would openly desire him. She’s as fiery as her burning passion, and he’s desperate to let her consume him.
But his time in this world grows short, and Faunus doesn’t know how he can be with Mayumi when he knows nothing will save him.
----
2023 is the year of discovering new 5* comfort reads. This book tops all of the books I have read, even within the series. I am truly in awe. I loved the story, the characters, the atmosphere, the metal music references, the series' references, everything. I am also dying to learn more about the Elves and the Priests/Priestesses. I am also of course anxiously waiting to meet the other Duskwalkers.
This dangerous woman would be quicker to stab me in the seam than let me touch her.
I fell in love with Kitty in the book previous, and I did not believe that I could love him even more. I was proven very wrong. The first read for me was very emotional, and I thought about it for weeks. It really stuck with me. Rereading it only confirmed how much I love Kitty and Mayumi's relationship and journey. I felt all their love and all their sadness.
I also got light Beauty and the Beast vibes which made me happy. I will think about the snowball scene for the rest of my days.
I love this book too much, so let me rant about these characters classic toastyreads fashion.
February 28, 2024
4.5✨, 3.75🌶️
Now THAT'S what I call a MONSTER ROMANCE!
I honestly don't have many words for the journey that this book was. As a reader, it truly took you through the full range of emotions, from frustration to hope to grief to love. And of course all the monster smut helped too. A lot.
I love that the FMC was just a dedicated, unabashed wannabe monster-fucker, through and through. A demonslayer who wouldn't mind fucking up some demons in more ways than one is just hilarious to me, and it was honestly such a refreshing take from the more "ugh my desires are SO wrong" kind of main character, where those hesitations are a main source of romantic conflict.
There was NO hesitation here, at least on that front. Lust came easily for our main pair, it was the love part that posed the problems...
Which made this a surprisingly emotional read, especially towards the end. Watching both Mayumi (FMC) and Kitty/Faunus (MMC) on their respective emotional journeys through the story, both related and unrelated to the romance at the core, was multilayered and bittersweet. They are so different yet so similar in many ways, like two sides of the same coin. You have Mayumi, who deeply feels, but is scared to admit it out loud because she equates it too much with loss, and then you have Faunus, who also feels so deeply, and is free with it BECAUSE OF the catch of looming loss.
Grumpy x grumpy vibes, which make their moments of sweetness and vulnerability all the more weighted. I rooted for them from the beginning to the end; it really was hard not to fall in love with both of them individually, and to also then fall in love with them falling in love with each other.
I rated this a 4.5 stars and rounded it up for Goodreads. The only two things that kept this from being a perfect 5 stars:
The overall length. This was over ~600 pages on my iPhone screen, and there were places where you definitely felt it. With the pruning of some scenes here and there, I think this could've worked as shorter.
And while I ADORED the spice, there were times when Faunus' dirty talking started to feel a little too modern-romance-fiction human man. Some of this can definitely be explained by Faunus' consistent habit of watching humans mate over the years and picking up the language that way, but there were just a couple times it felt too cliche modern human dirty talky, and I would've rather it gone the more feral, beastly, monstrous way... but that's just me ;)
I liked Book 1 in this series, DNF-ed Book 2, and now REALLY liked Book 3, so I'm excited to see what Book 4 has in store!
Now THAT'S what I call a MONSTER ROMANCE!
I honestly don't have many words for the journey that this book was. As a reader, it truly took you through the full range of emotions, from frustration to hope to grief to love. And of course all the monster smut helped too. A lot.
I love that the FMC was just a dedicated, unabashed wannabe monster-fucker, through and through. A demonslayer who wouldn't mind fucking up some demons in more ways than one is just hilarious to me, and it was honestly such a refreshing take from the more "ugh my desires are SO wrong" kind of main character, where those hesitations are a main source of romantic conflict.
There was NO hesitation here, at least on that front. Lust came easily for our main pair, it was the love part that posed the problems...
Which made this a surprisingly emotional read, especially towards the end. Watching both Mayumi (FMC) and Kitty/Faunus (MMC) on their respective emotional journeys through the story, both related and unrelated to the romance at the core, was multilayered and bittersweet. They are so different yet so similar in many ways, like two sides of the same coin. You have Mayumi, who deeply feels, but is scared to admit it out loud because she equates it too much with loss, and then you have Faunus, who also feels so deeply, and is free with it BECAUSE OF the catch of looming loss.
Grumpy x grumpy vibes, which make their moments of sweetness and vulnerability all the more weighted. I rooted for them from the beginning to the end; it really was hard not to fall in love with both of them individually, and to also then fall in love with them falling in love with each other.
I rated this a 4.5 stars and rounded it up for Goodreads. The only two things that kept this from being a perfect 5 stars:
The overall length. This was over ~600 pages on my iPhone screen, and there were places where you definitely felt it. With the pruning of some scenes here and there, I think this could've worked as shorter.
And while I ADORED the spice, there were times when Faunus' dirty talking started to feel a little too modern-romance-fiction human man. Some of this can definitely be explained by Faunus' consistent habit of watching humans mate over the years and picking up the language that way, but there were just a couple times it felt too cliche modern human dirty talky, and I would've rather it gone the more feral, beastly, monstrous way... but that's just me ;)
I liked Book 1 in this series, DNF-ed Book 2, and now REALLY liked Book 3, so I'm excited to see what Book 4 has in store!
September 15, 2023
Listen, I know the Duskwalkers are what they eat, but the author did NOT have to add that part of a cat’s anatomy to Faunus. If you know, you know; if you don’t, you’re lucky!
MAIN CHARACTER NAMES AND AGES
Mayumi Tanaka (29) | Kitty / Faunus (early 200s)
FEATURES
∘ monster romance
∘ sweet, melancholy mmc
∘ ass-kicking fmc
∘ saved her as a child; looking over her ever since
REVIEW
I knew this was a romance, so I knew there would be a happily ever after, and yet, the vibe was so morose I genuinely felt grief and worry for Faunus.
Mayumi was an interesting character. While I liked how strong and capable she was, I couldn’t look past how manipulative to Faunus she was. She demanded explanations with ultimatums (i.e. tell me right now or it’s over). In some instances, I could understand, but most of the time, it was Faunus’s traumatic history forcibly pulled out of him because Mayumi wanted to know. It helped clear up miscommunication at the expense of healthy communication.
Manipulation aside, Mayumi’s love for Faunus did feel real, and I loved how she fought for him just as hard as the Duskwalkers fight for their women—much like Reia in A Soul to Keep (Reia outsold though). The dynamic of protector-protectee shifting was something I especially enjoyed.
The Demon King plot is tired at this point in the series, so I was glad to see a different third-act conflict. I was glad we learned more about Jabez’s motivations in warring with the Duskwalkers, but there’s still so much left unanswered. And that, my friends, is an effective hook because you best believe I’ll be reading this series AT LEAST until this mf is usurped or, ideally, dead. Although…I’m feeling a redemption arc in the horizon. We know his past as a captive, he’s got a rockin’ bod, and no one is a villain from their POV…
OW/OM DRAMA not really — Mayumi is confronted by a past hookup (no lingering feelings) & Faunus gets jealous over other people touching her (in a fun way)
CHEATING none
THIRD ACT BREAKUP no
ENDING HEA — 3 months later epilogue
POV dual / third person
SPICE LEVEL 4 / 5
RATING 4 / 5
MAIN CHARACTER NAMES AND AGES
Mayumi Tanaka (29) | Kitty / Faunus (early 200s)
FEATURES
∘ monster romance
∘ sweet, melancholy mmc
∘ ass-kicking fmc
∘ saved her as a child; looking over her ever since
REVIEW
I knew this was a romance, so I knew there would be a happily ever after, and yet, the vibe was so morose I genuinely felt grief and worry for Faunus.
Mayumi was an interesting character. While I liked how strong and capable she was, I couldn’t look past how manipulative to Faunus she was. She demanded explanations with ultimatums (i.e. tell me right now or it’s over). In some instances, I could understand, but most of the time, it was Faunus’s traumatic history forcibly pulled out of him because Mayumi wanted to know. It helped clear up miscommunication at the expense of healthy communication.
Manipulation aside, Mayumi’s love for Faunus did feel real, and I loved how she fought for him just as hard as the Duskwalkers fight for their women—much like Reia in A Soul to Keep (Reia outsold though). The dynamic of protector-protectee shifting was something I especially enjoyed.
The Demon King plot is tired at this point in the series, so I was glad to see a different third-act conflict. I was glad we learned more about Jabez’s motivations in warring with the Duskwalkers, but there’s still so much left unanswered. And that, my friends, is an effective hook because you best believe I’ll be reading this series AT LEAST until this mf is usurped or, ideally, dead. Although…I’m feeling a redemption arc in the horizon. We know his past as a captive, he’s got a rockin’ bod, and no one is a villain from their POV…
OW/OM DRAMA not really — Mayumi is confronted by a past hookup (no lingering feelings) & Faunus gets jealous over other people touching her (in a fun way)
CHEATING none
THIRD ACT BREAKUP no
ENDING HEA — 3 months later epilogue
POV dual / third person
SPICE LEVEL 4 / 5
RATING 4 / 5
July 6, 2025
⋆˚࿔ 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝜗𝜚˚⋆
4⭐️
Sometimes, all you really need is a monster romance, and this was exactly the kind of chaotic fun I was craving. Was it a literary masterpiece? Probably not. But did I enjoy every second of it? Absolutely.
Mayumi is one of the realest characters I’ve read in a while. She’s stubborn to a fault, and it’s honestly hilarious. She’s scared of commitment, navigating a male-dominated field, and just trying to survive, and I love her for it. #WomenInMenFields forever.
Also… his name being Kitty for years? Wild behavior. Who let that slide?
I loved how strong and grounded Mayumi was (can you tell I’m obsessed with her?). She carried this book on her back in the best way.
⋆. 𐙚 ˚ pre read ⋆. 𐙚 ˚
I’m in a fantasy mood so why not.(idk what to read and this became available)
4⭐️
Sometimes, all you really need is a monster romance, and this was exactly the kind of chaotic fun I was craving. Was it a literary masterpiece? Probably not. But did I enjoy every second of it? Absolutely.
Mayumi is one of the realest characters I’ve read in a while. She’s stubborn to a fault, and it’s honestly hilarious. She’s scared of commitment, navigating a male-dominated field, and just trying to survive, and I love her for it. #WomenInMenFields forever.
Also… his name being Kitty for years? Wild behavior. Who let that slide?
I loved how strong and grounded Mayumi was (can you tell I’m obsessed with her?). She carried this book on her back in the best way.
⋆. 𐙚 ˚ pre read ⋆. 𐙚 ˚
I’m in a fantasy mood so why not.(idk what to read and this became available)
July 2, 2023
DNF…I’m almost scared to go back and read the first book because I remember really, really liking it, but I’m really not liking the FMC again which was the same reason I DNF’d the second book too. Mayumi comes off as really abrasive and I don’t get it, nor enjoy it.
And for some reason the writing style in this one sticks out as particularly…not great.
I was hoping I’d love this like I did the first one, which would then encourage me to go back and try the second one again, but I think I’m done with the series.
And for some reason the writing style in this one sticks out as particularly…not great.
I was hoping I’d love this like I did the first one, which would then encourage me to go back and try the second one again, but I think I’m done with the series.
December 7, 2023
FINALLY AN FMC WHO WANTS TO F**K THE MONSTER
November 6, 2023
Woah! Another heavy yet moving story.
And extra sexy in this one..
4.5 stars
3.5 on the spice scale
And extra sexy in this one..
4.5 stars
3.5 on the spice scale
March 7, 2024
4/4.5 ⭐️
soooooo spicy 🌶️
Definitely the most spicy of the series so far and focuses more on the romance than the world building. Their relationship is so cute and built on mutual friendship/growing up together (kinda?). LOVED IT
Read this one for my series continuation list in ‘24. OG video here: https://youtu.be/BYZ3tEUpfIs?si=icyBH...
-Christine
soooooo spicy 🌶️
Definitely the most spicy of the series so far and focuses more on the romance than the world building. Their relationship is so cute and built on mutual friendship/growing up together (kinda?). LOVED IT
Read this one for my series continuation list in ‘24. OG video here: https://youtu.be/BYZ3tEUpfIs?si=icyBH...
-Christine
June 20, 2023
DNF @ 29% overall I don’t think I’ll stick with these books anymore. The first book was amazing, a nice balance of plot and spice, and Orpheus is just a love.
Mayumi’s character sorta rubs me the wrong way and I feel like Reia would’ve slapped her into her place. Also the smut wasn’t rewarding at all because they just jumped right into it, as opposed to book 1 there was some buildup there of Reia realizing her feelings for Orpheus etc.
Kitty is a great duskwalker, but I didn’t like that he had some depressing backstory, and he just fell flat. I wish they could’ve had something else be the issue to actually give this book some plot.
Reyne’s writing is also not great now that I’ve read a bunch of other monster romances by other authors, her writing just doesn’t stack up for me, it feels a bit juvenile and like it was pulled off a bad AO3 fic and it somehow seems to be getting worse with each book. I think a Soul to Keep was a one and done great story but the rest will inevitably disappoint me so I won’t be continuing this series.
Mayumi’s character sorta rubs me the wrong way and I feel like Reia would’ve slapped her into her place. Also the smut wasn’t rewarding at all because they just jumped right into it, as opposed to book 1 there was some buildup there of Reia realizing her feelings for Orpheus etc.
Kitty is a great duskwalker, but I didn’t like that he had some depressing backstory, and he just fell flat. I wish they could’ve had something else be the issue to actually give this book some plot.
Reyne’s writing is also not great now that I’ve read a bunch of other monster romances by other authors, her writing just doesn’t stack up for me, it feels a bit juvenile and like it was pulled off a bad AO3 fic and it somehow seems to be getting worse with each book. I think a Soul to Keep was a one and done great story but the rest will inevitably disappoint me so I won’t be continuing this series.
February 26, 2023
It is more smut than plot, which disappointed me as having a demon hunter POV should have been an opportunity for extraordinary world building. Our lead POV is headstrong and abrasive Mayumi who spends most of the book fighting against admitting her feelings for her Duskwalker savior and taking advantage of his feelings by using & abusing him. Kitty (or Faunus) is the most intelligent and rational Duskwalker we have met, who clings to Mayumi as she is the only human who had shown him kindness.
At the end of the day, it was a frustrating read as 80% of the total book was unnecessary to the final 20%.
At the end of the day, it was a frustrating read as 80% of the total book was unnecessary to the final 20%.
April 24, 2023
Cherished
Mayumi is independent, resourceful, a warrior, the product of a focused upbringing. Secretly she desires companionship with someone with whom she has an affinity. But she's always felt she didn't quite fit in with people, perhaps because of her strength coupled with some snarky standoffishness. Enter Kitty. He, too, doesn't quite fit. This story unfolds as the former Demonslayer finds her perfect partner in an easy-going, curious, yellow-orbed Duskwalker in the darkness of the Veil and its demons, the supply towns, guild friends, and harrowing power struggles.
Despite a past of heavy trauma, Kitty took much in stride, especially for his Mayumi, even in the face of her off-putting snark. He loved her just as she was. After all, he had followed her from years, watching and protecting her from afar. This Duskwalker was probably my favorite of the series with his sweet, perceptive nature and quiet strength. One place where he was always in charge, always dominant was in the proverbial bedroom, where a fierce and sexually confident Mayumi submitted to him completely. And thank goodness for that balance since Mayumi could at times be bossy and come across uncaring. As the characters evolved with their familiarity and understanding of backgrounds, their mutual feelings blossomed to infinite, palpable caring and warmth.
Oh, this book was so adventurously spicy!
And besides the fireworks, I loved this couple's fun times together: the boardgames, the chores, the snowball fights. From laughs to bittersweet devotion, this couple shared a connection. I was moved to tears.... Each will do the ultimate to be with their cherished one, even if they don't have the love words.
Lengthy as is this author’s style, some world building with lots of day to day living and discovery, the story was a bit more progressive in pace than the other two books. It was written in third person point of view that well showcased the main characters’ thoughts. A fantasy world come to life. Beautiful, complex, and inclusive. Great story.
Mayumi is independent, resourceful, a warrior, the product of a focused upbringing. Secretly she desires companionship with someone with whom she has an affinity. But she's always felt she didn't quite fit in with people, perhaps because of her strength coupled with some snarky standoffishness. Enter Kitty. He, too, doesn't quite fit. This story unfolds as the former Demonslayer finds her perfect partner in an easy-going, curious, yellow-orbed Duskwalker in the darkness of the Veil and its demons, the supply towns, guild friends, and harrowing power struggles.
Despite a past of heavy trauma, Kitty took much in stride, especially for his Mayumi, even in the face of her off-putting snark. He loved her just as she was. After all, he had followed her from years, watching and protecting her from afar. This Duskwalker was probably my favorite of the series with his sweet, perceptive nature and quiet strength. One place where he was always in charge, always dominant was in the proverbial bedroom, where a fierce and sexually confident Mayumi submitted to him completely. And thank goodness for that balance since Mayumi could at times be bossy and come across uncaring. As the characters evolved with their familiarity and understanding of backgrounds, their mutual feelings blossomed to infinite, palpable caring and warmth.
Oh, this book was so adventurously spicy!
And besides the fireworks, I loved this couple's fun times together: the boardgames, the chores, the snowball fights. From laughs to bittersweet devotion, this couple shared a connection. I was moved to tears.... Each will do the ultimate to be with their cherished one, even if they don't have the love words.
Lengthy as is this author’s style, some world building with lots of day to day living and discovery, the story was a bit more progressive in pace than the other two books. It was written in third person point of view that well showcased the main characters’ thoughts. A fantasy world come to life. Beautiful, complex, and inclusive. Great story.
December 5, 2024
Книга мені дуже сподобалась.
Тут у нас історія про Маюмі (демоно-вбивцю), та Кітті (він же Фавн).
Якось коли Кітті був на полюванні він побачив маленьку дівчнику, і першою думкою його було це те що це їжа. Але коли він наблизився до неї, вона обійняла його, та назвала Кітті.
Дівчинка мала гарячку, та заблукала в лісі.
Це виявилась Маюмі. Якісь розмиті спогади в неї залишились про їх зустріч.
Кітті помирає, і не знає скільки йому залишилось, тому він вирішує захищати Маюмі до останнього свого подиху.
Маюмі живе одна в лісі, в будину свого дитинства, бо це єдине щ вона має від батьків.
Так як вона є демоно-вбивцею з досвідом, одразу помічає що за нею хтось слідкує.
І вона викриває Кітті.
Але в жодному разі не боїться його, і одразу відчуває до нього потяг.
Вони стають друзями, і далі це переростає в дещо більше.
Мені сподобалось спостерігати за цією парою, не можливо було не полюбити їх.
Фавн - просто справжній зелений прапор, на що він йшов за ради Маюмі.
Я не хотіла щоб історія закінчувалась і 500 сторінок, було за мало для мене. Мені треба було більше взаємодії з іншими Мавками.🥹
Однозначно рекомендую!❤️🔥
Тут у нас історія про Маюмі (демоно-вбивцю), та Кітті (він же Фавн).
Якось коли Кітті був на полюванні він побачив маленьку дівчнику, і першою думкою його було це те що це їжа. Але коли він наблизився до неї, вона обійняла його, та назвала Кітті.
Дівчинка мала гарячку, та заблукала в лісі.
Це виявилась Маюмі. Якісь розмиті спогади в неї залишились про їх зустріч.
Кітті помирає, і не знає скільки йому залишилось, тому він вирішує захищати Маюмі до останнього свого подиху.
Маюмі живе одна в лісі, в будину свого дитинства, бо це єдине щ вона має від батьків.
Так як вона є демоно-вбивцею з досвідом, одразу помічає що за нею хтось слідкує.
І вона викриває Кітті.
Але в жодному разі не боїться його, і одразу відчуває до нього потяг.
Вони стають друзями, і далі це переростає в дещо більше.
"- Я знаю що не вижила б, якщо б не ти. У тебе є ім'я? Моє - Маюмі Танака.
- Це...Це Кітті.
- Кітті? Дивне ім'я.
- Сказала, та хто дала мені його.
- Я? Зачекай, ти взяв ім'я Кітті, тому що я так тебе назвала?"
Мені сподобалось спостерігати за цією парою, не можливо було не полюбити їх.
Фавн - просто справжній зелений прапор, на що він йшов за ради Маюмі.
"- Дуже шкода! Ти мені не посниш, щому моя бісова душа не достаньо хороша для тебе!
- Чому ти так рішуче налаштована віддати її мені?
- А чому б ні?
- Чому я мою говорити тобі правду, чкщо ти не можеш зробити те саме?"
Я не хотіла щоб історія закінчувалась і 500 сторінок, було за мало для мене. Мені треба було більше взаємодії з іншими Мавками.🥹
Однозначно рекомендую!❤️🔥
September 12, 2024
This had to be the most angsty story of the series. At least it was for me because there were a couple of times I swear I was on the verge of tears.
Faunus was by far the most emotional Duskwalker of the bunch. His well of humanity seemed to be depthless, especially when it came to Mayumi. His heart beat for her. His very essence held onto this side of the veil simply to protect and be near her.
And wasn't it awesome how easily she welcomed him to her side?
There was plenty of absolutely naughty scenes to be had, but it was the growth of their relationship that I concentrated on. It was easy to see how much they cared for each other, even though they were more the "show and not tell" kind of people. And they showed... a lot.
I loved getting to see some familiar faces and also a new one. It gave me a bit more knowledge of demons and elves and hints at more. I'm hoping to find out everything and have every questioned answered by the end of this series.
Faunus was by far the most emotional Duskwalker of the bunch. His well of humanity seemed to be depthless, especially when it came to Mayumi. His heart beat for her. His very essence held onto this side of the veil simply to protect and be near her.
And wasn't it awesome how easily she welcomed him to her side?
There was plenty of absolutely naughty scenes to be had, but it was the growth of their relationship that I concentrated on. It was easy to see how much they cared for each other, even though they were more the "show and not tell" kind of people. And they showed... a lot.
I loved getting to see some familiar faces and also a new one. It gave me a bit more knowledge of demons and elves and hints at more. I'm hoping to find out everything and have every questioned answered by the end of this series.
February 6, 2023
"Currently, you are mine, and I will destroy anything that touches what is mine."
A Soul To Touch is the 3rd book in the Duskwalker Brides Series. Each can be read as a stand-alone but I recommend reading them in order due to the stories leading up to one another as they do.
This is my favorite in the series, I absolutely devoured it. I don’t know what Opal puts in her books but you can’t put them down once you start, you just get sucked right in. I quickly became obsessed with the MC’s in this book. I related to Mayumi a lot, her character was so well written there wasn’t a single time where she annoyed me. She is such a bad b!tch. She’s so different from the fmc’s in the other two books but in the best ways.
Kitty (not actually his name) is by far my favorite Duskwalker, I love him so much. He was so sweet but could still tease Mayumi easily and his mouth. Jesus Christ the dirty mouth on this Duskwalker was something else. The smutttt in this book was so freaking hot, the mirror scene 😮💨. Total Daddy Dom, I was not expecting him to be like that.
The MC’s were SO cute together. He is so obsessed with her and I loved her fascination with him. There wasn’t a single point in the book where Mayumi was scared of Kitty and I loved that for her. She didn’t care to boss him around either lol
Parts of this book absolutely BROKE my heart, SHATTERED it, Opal really drags you through the emotions in this one. And it ended with a BANG.
I didn’t want to finish this book. Once I hit the 80% mark I slowed down because I wasn’t ready to let the characters go, in the end my need to know the ending ultimately won out.
I don’t know how Opal manages it but all of her MC’s in this series are different and have completely different personalities and inner dialogue. She writes them where each character truly is their own person (as they should be) and I absolutely love that because I have read series’s where that isn’t the case and the characters become repetitive.
I cannot wait for book 4. I was very excited for this one and it topped every expectation I had.
A Soul To Touch is the 3rd book in the Duskwalker Brides Series. Each can be read as a stand-alone but I recommend reading them in order due to the stories leading up to one another as they do.
This is my favorite in the series, I absolutely devoured it. I don’t know what Opal puts in her books but you can’t put them down once you start, you just get sucked right in. I quickly became obsessed with the MC’s in this book. I related to Mayumi a lot, her character was so well written there wasn’t a single time where she annoyed me. She is such a bad b!tch. She’s so different from the fmc’s in the other two books but in the best ways.
Kitty (not actually his name) is by far my favorite Duskwalker, I love him so much. He was so sweet but could still tease Mayumi easily and his mouth. Jesus Christ the dirty mouth on this Duskwalker was something else. The smutttt in this book was so freaking hot, the mirror scene 😮💨. Total Daddy Dom, I was not expecting him to be like that.
The MC’s were SO cute together. He is so obsessed with her and I loved her fascination with him. There wasn’t a single point in the book where Mayumi was scared of Kitty and I loved that for her. She didn’t care to boss him around either lol
Parts of this book absolutely BROKE my heart, SHATTERED it, Opal really drags you through the emotions in this one. And it ended with a BANG.
I didn’t want to finish this book. Once I hit the 80% mark I slowed down because I wasn’t ready to let the characters go, in the end my need to know the ending ultimately won out.
I don’t know how Opal manages it but all of her MC’s in this series are different and have completely different personalities and inner dialogue. She writes them where each character truly is their own person (as they should be) and I absolutely love that because I have read series’s where that isn’t the case and the characters become repetitive.
I cannot wait for book 4. I was very excited for this one and it topped every expectation I had.
March 8, 2023
This book was not for me. And yes, I'm a person who enjoys reading trashy books and doesn't rate them with high standards, but this one was just too much.
When I read the first book in this series, I was pleasantly surprised. Even though duskwalkers aren't my kind of monster, I found an entertaining story, likable characters, and a quite interesting world that left me wanting to know more. Unfortunately, this book moves away from everything interesting and gives us a story that feels like a bad copy of the two previous books, with characters that frankly seemed unlikable to me.
Mayumi is a deeply boring and unlikable character; being mean is her whole personality, and Faunus feels poorly done. I liked much more what I could see of him in the previous book, and he appeared for like two seconds.
The smut was bad; putting a lot of smut in a book doesn't make it interesting. I believe that quality is better than quantity.
Besides, I feel that 589 pages were excessive considering that the story didn't really have much substance and not much happens. The author says that the next book will be even longer and that she plans to write 9 books. I'm sorry, but that seems excessive to me. It's a shame that she wrote an entertaining book that was successful and decided to shamelessly extend the story, I definitely won't be continuing to read them.
1.5 stars
When I read the first book in this series, I was pleasantly surprised. Even though duskwalkers aren't my kind of monster, I found an entertaining story, likable characters, and a quite interesting world that left me wanting to know more. Unfortunately, this book moves away from everything interesting and gives us a story that feels like a bad copy of the two previous books, with characters that frankly seemed unlikable to me.
Mayumi is a deeply boring and unlikable character; being mean is her whole personality, and Faunus feels poorly done. I liked much more what I could see of him in the previous book, and he appeared for like two seconds.
The smut was bad; putting a lot of smut in a book doesn't make it interesting. I believe that quality is better than quantity.
Besides, I feel that 589 pages were excessive considering that the story didn't really have much substance and not much happens. The author says that the next book will be even longer and that she plans to write 9 books. I'm sorry, but that seems excessive to me. It's a shame that she wrote an entertaining book that was successful and decided to shamelessly extend the story, I definitely won't be continuing to read them.
1.5 stars
February 27, 2023
I really wish goodreads would do half starts, cause this was like a 3.5⭐️ read for me.
It was good. I enjoyed it. It kept me entertained and really curious how it would end. We got a little bit of world expansion and finally got to briefly meet the duskwalkers father finally!
I liked our FMC a lot. She was strong, smart, self sufficient, took no shit, and said exactly what she thought. I feel like she was finally a woman who didn't really need the duskwalkers protection, which was a nice change of pace. I also loved that she was not sexually shy and was very upfront and ok with wanting to have sex with a "monster" which was very different from the last two books.
With that in regards I do feel like this book was spicier than the last two. And there were a lot of new things played out that we haven't seen before. And our duskwalker in this story loves some dirty talk, which was a pleasant surprise. Sometimes I wonder if there is something wrong with me cause it was all hotttt 🥵
I loved Faunus. He seemed like the most intelligent duskwalker we have gotten so far. He has spent years observing humans so we did have a lot more knowledge with him, and a lot less fumbling with interacting with our FMC. He still is clueless about some things, but we didn't have to deal with as much explaining.
I liked also that we got to have more human interactions with the duskwalkers. It was brief, but I really enjoyed that aspect. Also with the introduction of the twin duskwalkers, I'm wondering if maybe we'll get a poly situation? I'm really curious how that is all gonna play out.
But I also felt like this book was a little drug out and long for me. There was a lottttt of inner monologue that I feel like was repetitive in some parts. Literally similar conversations in their heads just written differently. I feel like a good 50-75 pages could have been cut if things were condensed and not repeated.
All in all, another great book in the series and I look forward to continuing on with the story and world building.
It was good. I enjoyed it. It kept me entertained and really curious how it would end. We got a little bit of world expansion and finally got to briefly meet the duskwalkers father finally!
I liked our FMC a lot. She was strong, smart, self sufficient, took no shit, and said exactly what she thought. I feel like she was finally a woman who didn't really need the duskwalkers protection, which was a nice change of pace. I also loved that she was not sexually shy and was very upfront and ok with wanting to have sex with a "monster" which was very different from the last two books.
With that in regards I do feel like this book was spicier than the last two. And there were a lot of new things played out that we haven't seen before. And our duskwalker in this story loves some dirty talk, which was a pleasant surprise. Sometimes I wonder if there is something wrong with me cause it was all hotttt 🥵
I loved Faunus. He seemed like the most intelligent duskwalker we have gotten so far. He has spent years observing humans so we did have a lot more knowledge with him, and a lot less fumbling with interacting with our FMC. He still is clueless about some things, but we didn't have to deal with as much explaining.
I liked also that we got to have more human interactions with the duskwalkers. It was brief, but I really enjoyed that aspect. Also with the introduction of the twin duskwalkers, I'm wondering if maybe we'll get a poly situation? I'm really curious how that is all gonna play out.
But I also felt like this book was a little drug out and long for me. There was a lottttt of inner monologue that I feel like was repetitive in some parts. Literally similar conversations in their heads just written differently. I feel like a good 50-75 pages could have been cut if things were condensed and not repeated.
All in all, another great book in the series and I look forward to continuing on with the story and world building.
March 21, 2023
Don’t judge me 😌 this is my guilty pleasure series. Opal knows how to tell a story that’s both emotional and 🥵
March 13, 2023
Sweetest one yet
Mayumi and her duskwalker were just adorable together with their terrible communication skills and flaws. They fit together and made each other happy in their messed up obsessive way in their apocalyptic world.
I love how much power was packed in Mayumi, both physical and mental. She was an adrenaline junkie and survivalist, which made her able to take care of herself. It changed the power dynamic in the traditional “obsessive monster takes care of woman” trope.
The only complaint I had is that I wish the bisexual representation wouldn’t keep feeding into the stereotype that we are hyper sexual and sleep around. Let me be clear: there is nothing wrong with a strong libido and having a high body count. But it sucks that this book fed into the stereotype instead of breaking the mold. It fit for the world Mayumi was in, but is it to much to ask for committed bisexual women? At least she ended that way. I’ll step off my soap box now.
Spice: 5/5
Triggers: every thing that can be bad about an apocalypse is in this book, excepting SA.
Mayumi and her duskwalker were just adorable together with their terrible communication skills and flaws. They fit together and made each other happy in their messed up obsessive way in their apocalyptic world.
I love how much power was packed in Mayumi, both physical and mental. She was an adrenaline junkie and survivalist, which made her able to take care of herself. It changed the power dynamic in the traditional “obsessive monster takes care of woman” trope.
The only complaint I had is that I wish the bisexual representation wouldn’t keep feeding into the stereotype that we are hyper sexual and sleep around. Let me be clear: there is nothing wrong with a strong libido and having a high body count. But it sucks that this book fed into the stereotype instead of breaking the mold. It fit for the world Mayumi was in, but is it to much to ask for committed bisexual women? At least she ended that way. I’ll step off my soap box now.
Spice: 5/5
Triggers: every thing that can be bad about an apocalypse is in this book, excepting SA.
November 20, 2023
Well well well
This series has become one of my favourites and although I wasn't that obsessed with this one than the first 2, it was still great and brilliant.
This series has become one of my favourites and although I wasn't that obsessed with this one than the first 2, it was still great and brilliant.
February 10, 2023
Ok so this one wasn’t my favorite. I liked Mayumi and her no nonsense and warrior attitude. I love how she wanted Kitty from the very beginning. But it was mostly just them banging for 75% of the book. Yeah she had to come to terms with her feelings but I wanted more of a story instead of just smexy times. Don’t get me wrong, the last 25% of the book was heartbreaking. I guess I wanted more conflict between her and Kitty and not just fall into bed right away.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 31, 2024
The writing in this book was sooo bad. This is probably the worst of the Duskwalker Brides series so far. I loved the first book, and the second was pretty good. This one missed the mark.
September 16, 2024
Odrobinę za długa, ale i tak bawiłam się wybornie, nawet jeśli przez kilka ostatnich scen erotycznych jedynie prześlizgnęłam się wzrokiem. Faunus to chyba mój ulubiony Duskwalker jak do tej pory - radosny i żywiołowy, a zarazem melancholijny i mający w sobie jakąś taką wewnętrzną mądrość, nie da się go nie polubić. Z kolei Mayumi to silna babka, która nie da sobie w kaszę dmuchać, idealnie nadawała się na partnerkę dla potwora, który czasem będzie potrzebował obrońcy.
Siłą tego tomu jest osadzenie akcji poza światem demonów (czy właściwie na jego pograniczu) i większe skupienie na tym, jak wygląda życie w ludzkich osadach. Autorka rozbudowuje wykreowany przez siebie świat i to jest bardzo na plus. A w końcówce znowu serwuje coś, co sprawia, że człowiek ma ochotę natychmiast sięgnąć po kolejny tom - not fair, muszę w końcu zacząć czytać inne książki!
Siłą tego tomu jest osadzenie akcji poza światem demonów (czy właściwie na jego pograniczu) i większe skupienie na tym, jak wygląda życie w ludzkich osadach. Autorka rozbudowuje wykreowany przez siebie świat i to jest bardzo na plus. A w końcówce znowu serwuje coś, co sprawia, że człowiek ma ochotę natychmiast sięgnąć po kolejny tom - not fair, muszę w końcu zacząć czytać inne książki!
October 14, 2025
Better than the second not as good as the first. But still lots of 🔥🔥🔥
Read
July 3, 2025DNF at 15%
He knew her since she was 4 years old and had been watching her from afar for years. Nope.
(They reconnect when she is 29 years old).
He knew her since she was 4 years old and had been watching her from afar for years. Nope.
(They reconnect when she is 29 years old).
Read
April 28, 2025a new favorite in this series!!
February 7, 2025
Rating: 4 Stars.
Steam: 0 out of 10.
Triggers: gore and the author has a list
Love Triangle: No
Cheating: No
HEA: Yes
I won't be classifying the steam because I skipped all the sex scenes. I liked this world a lot and read it because of the story.
More detailed review to come
Steam: 0 out of 10.
Triggers: gore and the author has a list
Love Triangle: No
Cheating: No
HEA: Yes
I won't be classifying the steam because I skipped all the sex scenes. I liked this world a lot and read it because of the story.
More detailed review to come
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