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Echoes of Fate #1
Umbra
Not yet published
Expected 27 Aug 26She thought her days as an assassin were behind her. She never expected that what she’d have to leave behind was love.
It all began with a gift that turned into a curse.
Once the king’s greatest love, Yva is now bound to work against him. As the second-in-command for the rebellion’s leader, she must kill in the shadows against the very crown she had helped secure not long ago. But Yva’s entanglement is deeper than meets the eye, because the only cure that could help her regain her own life is being crafted behind enemy lines. And her choices might not only push her further away from the one she loves but also kill her.
Deluged beneath her laden betrayal, Samthi delays his coronation in hopes of better days, which puts his kingdom in danger, as the rebels’ propaganda increases. But when humans go missing after crossing the border into his territory, he must choose to take responsibility and become the ruler his people need, but never had—someone willing to fight for justice. To uncover what he believes are his enemies' criminal activities, Samthi infiltrates their lair, a brothel that hides more than just masks and deceptions; it also hides her.
From there, Yva and Samthi must navigate a fragile path of heartbreak and sacrifices. And no one can guarantee whether they would be able to rekindle their lost love or risk losing it all again, for good.
Umbra is the first book in a new dark fantasy romance filled with angst, secrets and a soul-crushing, slow-burn romance—perfect for fans of When the Moon Hatched, Fourth Wing and From Blood and Ash series.
It all began with a gift that turned into a curse.
Once the king’s greatest love, Yva is now bound to work against him. As the second-in-command for the rebellion’s leader, she must kill in the shadows against the very crown she had helped secure not long ago. But Yva’s entanglement is deeper than meets the eye, because the only cure that could help her regain her own life is being crafted behind enemy lines. And her choices might not only push her further away from the one she loves but also kill her.
Deluged beneath her laden betrayal, Samthi delays his coronation in hopes of better days, which puts his kingdom in danger, as the rebels’ propaganda increases. But when humans go missing after crossing the border into his territory, he must choose to take responsibility and become the ruler his people need, but never had—someone willing to fight for justice. To uncover what he believes are his enemies' criminal activities, Samthi infiltrates their lair, a brothel that hides more than just masks and deceptions; it also hides her.
From there, Yva and Samthi must navigate a fragile path of heartbreak and sacrifices. And no one can guarantee whether they would be able to rekindle their lost love or risk losing it all again, for good.
Umbra is the first book in a new dark fantasy romance filled with angst, secrets and a soul-crushing, slow-burn romance—perfect for fans of When the Moon Hatched, Fourth Wing and From Blood and Ash series.
Kindle Edition
Expected publication August 27, 2026
23 people want to read
About the author
Catalina Matei
4 books92 followersI write about existential angst in steamy fantasy novels.
I'm a bookworm at heart and enjoy reading various genres from classics to pitch black (horror) romances. Which translates into: I have an a posteriori rating system that I use on Goodreads that's deeply personal and I rate based on category/genre/subgenre so a 5* rating for Philosophy does not equal a 5* rating for Fantasy in my book (pun intended?!)
<3
I'm a bookworm at heart and enjoy reading various genres from classics to pitch black (horror) romances. Which translates into: I have an a posteriori rating system that I use on Goodreads that's deeply personal and I rate based on category/genre/subgenre so a 5* rating for Philosophy does not equal a 5* rating for Fantasy in my book (pun intended?!)
<3
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 2, 2026
Catalina Matei is an auto-buy author for me and that’s not up for debate. If you’ve seen my Vials of Fate reviews, you already know that.
When I signed up for the beta team for the Vials of Fate spin-off, I knew I was going back into a universe I loved, with characters that already had their claws in me. And honestly? That’s exactly what I got.
Ever since Samthi appeared in Vials of Fate, I knew I needed his story. I resonated with him a lot, so reading this felt personal. And the lovers to enemies trope?? I was NOT prepared. The tension kept me hooked and I had a really hard time putting the book down.
Now I’m just thinking… if this was the beta draft, what is the ARC or the final version going to be like? Because wow.
You can really see the evolution in Catalina’s writing, and I swear she writes some of the best cliffhangers. I already need volume 2.
I loved Samthi and Yva, but I genuinely couldn’t stand Zadrhon and Tiadola in this spin-off. Even though I loved them in their own story and I understand why they acted the way they did… they annoyed me. A lot.
This spin-off works perfectly as a standalone. You don’t need to read Vials of Fate to understand the world or the characters, everything is explained really well.
If this book isn’t on your August TBR, I honestly don’t know what you’re doing.
When I signed up for the beta team for the Vials of Fate spin-off, I knew I was going back into a universe I loved, with characters that already had their claws in me. And honestly? That’s exactly what I got.
Ever since Samthi appeared in Vials of Fate, I knew I needed his story. I resonated with him a lot, so reading this felt personal. And the lovers to enemies trope?? I was NOT prepared. The tension kept me hooked and I had a really hard time putting the book down.
Now I’m just thinking… if this was the beta draft, what is the ARC or the final version going to be like? Because wow.
You can really see the evolution in Catalina’s writing, and I swear she writes some of the best cliffhangers. I already need volume 2.
I loved Samthi and Yva, but I genuinely couldn’t stand Zadrhon and Tiadola in this spin-off. Even though I loved them in their own story and I understand why they acted the way they did… they annoyed me. A lot.
This spin-off works perfectly as a standalone. You don’t need to read Vials of Fate to understand the world or the characters, everything is explained really well.
If this book isn’t on your August TBR, I honestly don’t know what you’re doing.
November 15, 2025
The yearning and pining in this book are just so good. I was honestly heartbroken for them.
I loved Sam in the Vials of Fate series and was so happy that he got his own story. There was a hint that something happened between him and Yva and I was dying to know more.
In this book we get to see how their love story came to be and it’s sweet and so heartwarming.
And at the same time in the present timeline, we get put through the wringer feeling all their pain and longing at being apart.
Sam seems a bit more grown-up in this book. He’s a king. He’s got responsibilities that he takes quite seriously. I love his growth. At the same time he’s tormented by missing Yva and not knowing where she is and why she left.
And poor Yva. How I felt for her. She’s trapped in an impossible situation. She’s terrified, but at the same time she’s fighting anyway she can not only to make her way back to Sam, but to also protect him. She’s so incredibly strong.
I don’t want to give any spoilers, but I must say I found the premise of this book extremely original and I have only once before read something even remotely similar. You’ll see what I mean when you read the book.
Lastly, my favorite Myv, she’s such a treat of a three headed dragon. I’m so excited for the next book.
I have received a free copy of this book for beta reading and this is my voluntary and honest review.
2 🌶️/4.5 ⭐️
I loved Sam in the Vials of Fate series and was so happy that he got his own story. There was a hint that something happened between him and Yva and I was dying to know more.
In this book we get to see how their love story came to be and it’s sweet and so heartwarming.
And at the same time in the present timeline, we get put through the wringer feeling all their pain and longing at being apart.
Sam seems a bit more grown-up in this book. He’s a king. He’s got responsibilities that he takes quite seriously. I love his growth. At the same time he’s tormented by missing Yva and not knowing where she is and why she left.
And poor Yva. How I felt for her. She’s trapped in an impossible situation. She’s terrified, but at the same time she’s fighting anyway she can not only to make her way back to Sam, but to also protect him. She’s so incredibly strong.
I don’t want to give any spoilers, but I must say I found the premise of this book extremely original and I have only once before read something even remotely similar. You’ll see what I mean when you read the book.
Lastly, my favorite Myv, she’s such a treat of a three headed dragon. I’m so excited for the next book.
I have received a free copy of this book for beta reading and this is my voluntary and honest review.
2 🌶️/4.5 ⭐️
January 29, 2026
Oh my goodness where to start… From the very first chapter until the last page, I felt like my heart was being ripped to pieces (in a good way 👀). I headed into this book knowing it was going to be sad and devastating, but I never expected it to this degree. We follow the two main characters on their journey of hiding and searching for one another, but at one point does it even make sense to continue… 🫣 The way their story is told had me almost in tears because I just wanted them to be happy and be seen. I think what really helped this devastation was all the flashbacks to before times changed. This allowed me to fully understand where each characters emotions were towards each other (and it made the heart ache even worse 😩). Another thing the author did, was add in letters that the characters wrote to each other but never sent. This clearly showed how much they didn’t want to give up on each other, but is there a point of no return, a point where it is time to just give up and move on? Who knows? All I can say is that I devoured this book and cannot wait to see how the story continues into the next, because that ending had me just questioning everything and knowing that these characters would do anything for each other if they could just live to see another day. (BETA reader review)
Read
February 3, 2026This book was absolutely amazing! I loved the continuation of another two characters within the same world as Catalina's original series. She created such a gripping story with Yva and Samthi that I desperately want more. I can't wait to see what happens next with the cliffhanger we were left with.
Read
January 15, 2026Had the privilege of Beta reading this.
Excited to see how it develops.
Excited to see how it develops.
December 9, 2025
Before I even give my opinion on this book, I must, as always, thank th author, Catalina, for trusting me with her manuscript, her story and her writing as a beta reader ❤️
I came into Umbra not having read The Vials of Fate, and it was part of my beta-reading job to read Umbra without ever knowing who these characters were and what their stories up to this point had been... And I must say, if one wishes to start with Umbra, one won't be disappointed in the slightest, having read this upcoming book, my heart only WANTS to go and pick up the trilogy that comes chronologically before this book, because I got a sense of what came to pass with enough detail to both have me still hooked on knowing the current story but also hooked to go read what happened before with all the details the trilogy surely brings! It is a beautiful, heartbreaking and so well written book! I loved the concept of the world, the different beings and their roles and all their stories!
I can't wait for the following book on these series!!! ❤️
I came into Umbra not having read The Vials of Fate, and it was part of my beta-reading job to read Umbra without ever knowing who these characters were and what their stories up to this point had been... And I must say, if one wishes to start with Umbra, one won't be disappointed in the slightest, having read this upcoming book, my heart only WANTS to go and pick up the trilogy that comes chronologically before this book, because I got a sense of what came to pass with enough detail to both have me still hooked on knowing the current story but also hooked to go read what happened before with all the details the trilogy surely brings! It is a beautiful, heartbreaking and so well written book! I loved the concept of the world, the different beings and their roles and all their stories!
I can't wait for the following book on these series!!! ❤️
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews