What do you think?
Rate this book
Whispered Secrets
Bound by magic. Manipulated by gods. Rebelling against destiny.
She escaped the Fae.
But the gods aren’t done with her yet.
After surviving the dungeons in Starfall Veil, Lyra makes a treacherous journey across Aethralis. With Aldric by her side, along with allies old and new, Lyra is determined to stop the mad mage Thorne and the plague born from her own magic.
But the deeper their path winds, the more dark and twisted the land becomes. Her power is unstable—and she is drawn to Aldric more intensely than ever.
Fighting against the destiny written for her, Lyra becomes locked in a struggle against an ancient, malevolent god—and they want her for themselves.
But how far are they willing to go?
And what is Lyra willing to sacrifice to stop them?
She escaped the Fae.
But the gods aren’t done with her yet.
After surviving the dungeons in Starfall Veil, Lyra makes a treacherous journey across Aethralis. With Aldric by her side, along with allies old and new, Lyra is determined to stop the mad mage Thorne and the plague born from her own magic.
But the deeper their path winds, the more dark and twisted the land becomes. Her power is unstable—and she is drawn to Aldric more intensely than ever.
Fighting against the destiny written for her, Lyra becomes locked in a struggle against an ancient, malevolent god—and they want her for themselves.
But how far are they willing to go?
And what is Lyra willing to sacrifice to stop them?
353 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 6, 2026
2 people are currently reading
1 person want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
Oh... My... Goodness! This book had me all in my feels and I thoroughly enjoyed it so, so much! I loved book 1 so much and loved this one even more! It kept me hooked and wanting more! Absolutely love and adore Lyra and Aldric so very much and can't wait to see where book 3 leads us! I highly recommend checking out this series if you haven't already, you won't be disappointed! So much love and support, sweet friend!
Review of advance copy
Fans of dark romantasy, found family tropes, and protective, morally gray male leads. If
Review of advance copy received from Author
Between plague and prophecy, magic shifts and gods begin to whisper.
Whispered Secrets is very much the middle, fill-the-gap book of the trilogy. Picking up immediately after book one, we’re thrown back into the Fae realm with Lyra and Aldric as they continue their escape and search for a way to eradicate the plague. While the overarching threat remains, the tone shifts: the constant dread of death eases, and it becomes clear that curing the plague is part of a much larger, longer journey. At the same time, Lyra’s magic is changing, and the gods and goddesses have begun to take an unsettling interest in her future. That sense of being watched and manipulated adds an undercurrent of unease that works well, even if it doesn’t always move the plot forward.
Much of the story centers on Lyra processing grief, fear, and her evolving relationships - particularly with Aldric. While their bond deepens, the emotional beats start to feel repetitive. The same cycle plays out again and again: Lyra becomes overwhelmed or loses confidence, distances herself, Aldric finds her, they reconnect physically, and she’s reassured. Over time, this loop becomes monotonous, and without stronger external developments, it caused my interest to wane despite liking the characters themselves.
The ending was also a bit anti-climactic. After so much urgency and days of travel to find Thorne, the encounter itself is brief and requires little action, with the real panic and violence coming from an unexpected source instead. While it does end on a cliffhanger that clearly sets up the final book, it didn’t quite deliver the payoff the buildup promised. Overall, Whispered Secrets does important groundwork for the trilogy and deepens character relationships, but its repetitive structure and lack of major plot movement make it feel like a stepping stone rather than a standout installment.
Whispered Secrets is very much the middle, fill-the-gap book of the trilogy. Picking up immediately after book one, we’re thrown back into the Fae realm with Lyra and Aldric as they continue their escape and search for a way to eradicate the plague. While the overarching threat remains, the tone shifts: the constant dread of death eases, and it becomes clear that curing the plague is part of a much larger, longer journey. At the same time, Lyra’s magic is changing, and the gods and goddesses have begun to take an unsettling interest in her future. That sense of being watched and manipulated adds an undercurrent of unease that works well, even if it doesn’t always move the plot forward.
Much of the story centers on Lyra processing grief, fear, and her evolving relationships - particularly with Aldric. While their bond deepens, the emotional beats start to feel repetitive. The same cycle plays out again and again: Lyra becomes overwhelmed or loses confidence, distances herself, Aldric finds her, they reconnect physically, and she’s reassured. Over time, this loop becomes monotonous, and without stronger external developments, it caused my interest to wane despite liking the characters themselves.
The ending was also a bit anti-climactic. After so much urgency and days of travel to find Thorne, the encounter itself is brief and requires little action, with the real panic and violence coming from an unexpected source instead. While it does end on a cliffhanger that clearly sets up the final book, it didn’t quite deliver the payoff the buildup promised. Overall, Whispered Secrets does important groundwork for the trilogy and deepens character relationships, but its repetitive structure and lack of major plot movement make it feel like a stepping stone rather than a standout installment.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I was lucky enough to be gifted an ARC of this book by the author, and it did not disappoint. Rating 3.5, but rounded up to 4.
Whispered Secrets is the kind of sequel that puts its characters through absolute hell and somehow makes their bond stronger because of it. As the second book in the Plague and Magic series, it raises the emotional stakes immediately and does not let up, ending on a massive cliffhanger that will leave you reeling.
Lyra and Aldric truly go through it in this installment. Torture, separation, loss, and relentless hardship test their connection again and again, and what emerges is a love forged through endurance rather than ease. One of the most powerful elements of this book is Lyra’s grief arc. After the devastation of book one, she finally begins to release her pain and allow herself to love again. That journey feels raw, earned, and deeply human.
Aldric is the perfect counterbalance. A vampire with morally gray tendencies that occasionally veer into something darker, he is fiercely protective yet incredibly patient. He never rushes Lyra through her grief, but he is always there when she needs him. His quiet devotion is one of the emotional anchors of the story.
The found family aspect shines here as well. Seren and Koto become integral parts of Lyra’s world as they work together to stop the plague, and their bonds add warmth and depth amid the darkness. The gods also step more fully onto the stage, offering an exciting glimpse into the larger world S.D. Gredell is building.
Dark, emotional, and heavy with trauma and healing, Whispered Secrets is a powerful exploration of love, grief, and survival that will leave readers desperate for what comes next.
Whispered Secrets is the kind of sequel that puts its characters through absolute hell and somehow makes their bond stronger because of it. As the second book in the Plague and Magic series, it raises the emotional stakes immediately and does not let up, ending on a massive cliffhanger that will leave you reeling.
Lyra and Aldric truly go through it in this installment. Torture, separation, loss, and relentless hardship test their connection again and again, and what emerges is a love forged through endurance rather than ease. One of the most powerful elements of this book is Lyra’s grief arc. After the devastation of book one, she finally begins to release her pain and allow herself to love again. That journey feels raw, earned, and deeply human.
Aldric is the perfect counterbalance. A vampire with morally gray tendencies that occasionally veer into something darker, he is fiercely protective yet incredibly patient. He never rushes Lyra through her grief, but he is always there when she needs him. His quiet devotion is one of the emotional anchors of the story.
The found family aspect shines here as well. Seren and Koto become integral parts of Lyra’s world as they work together to stop the plague, and their bonds add warmth and depth amid the darkness. The gods also step more fully onto the stage, offering an exciting glimpse into the larger world S.D. Gredell is building.
Dark, emotional, and heavy with trauma and healing, Whispered Secrets is a powerful exploration of love, grief, and survival that will leave readers desperate for what comes next.
March 6, 2026
Whispered Secrets picks right up where Whispered Curses ended. Lyra and Aldric are stuck in the Fae realm in the dungeon, and they need to find a way out or they will likely be killed. Their journey to freedom is helped along by a new side to Lyra's magic. (I am so curious about how this change is going to help/hurt them going forward into book three.) Their journey is also helped and hindered by gods who are getting involved in Lyra's life. There are some ominous warnings and prophesies that loom over them as they try to find a cure to the plague - which has killed almost entire villages.
While they're in a race to find the cure, it feels like the plot stagnates for long periods. Getting out of the Fae realm takes a while. Then they are back in Haleshade for a considerable chunk of the book. Yes, that's where Lyra and Aldric's bond deepens, but I hoped for them to journey away from there sooner to find Thorne. The final chapters fell a bit flat to me. There was so much buildup to the end - which leaves us on another cliffhanger. I am hopeful for an action packed third book!
*I received this book as an ARC and am leaving this review voluntarily.*
While they're in a race to find the cure, it feels like the plot stagnates for long periods. Getting out of the Fae realm takes a while. Then they are back in Haleshade for a considerable chunk of the book. Yes, that's where Lyra and Aldric's bond deepens, but I hoped for them to journey away from there sooner to find Thorne. The final chapters fell a bit flat to me. There was so much buildup to the end - which leaves us on another cliffhanger. I am hopeful for an action packed third book!
*I received this book as an ARC and am leaving this review voluntarily.*
March 10, 2026
🤌🏻🤌🏻🤌🏻
This was the absolutely perfect sequel 🤌🏻 Lyra and Aldric went through so much in this it was crazy. Honestly, all of the characters were going through it, but the way they came together working to find Thorne and a cure for the plague was so incredible. Lyra was so freakin’ powerful and I loved seeing her come into that. It was so great how she was finally able to form some attachments with others because she’d never really had the opportunity before. I really enjoyed the way Lyra and Aldric’s relationship progressed throughout the story because I just really loved the idea of them from the first book. The spice in this was 🥵 even though it’s not a main focus (the tension though😮💨) The side characters were all great and the ending had me on the edge of my seat. So excited to see what comes next.
This was the absolutely perfect sequel 🤌🏻 Lyra and Aldric went through so much in this it was crazy. Honestly, all of the characters were going through it, but the way they came together working to find Thorne and a cure for the plague was so incredible. Lyra was so freakin’ powerful and I loved seeing her come into that. It was so great how she was finally able to form some attachments with others because she’d never really had the opportunity before. I really enjoyed the way Lyra and Aldric’s relationship progressed throughout the story because I just really loved the idea of them from the first book. The spice in this was 🥵 even though it’s not a main focus (the tension though😮💨) The side characters were all great and the ending had me on the edge of my seat. So excited to see what comes next.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book… OH MY WORD!! The emotions throughout this book, the high stakes..!! I LOVED THIS BOOK! I CANNOT WAIT FOR THE NEXT BOOK!! S.D. Gredell has done it yet again!!!! I am so thankful for this ARC, and I am so excited for what happens next! This is an absolute 5⭐️ read from me! Please go read this book immediately! Book 1 is Whispered Curses and is already out! Whispered Secrets releases in March!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This book had my attention in full. It's been a long time since a book has had my attention so much that when I put it down- I just replay what I have read til I pick it up to read more. This was impossible to put down for me. I loved this series
Review of advance copy received from Author
I loved this book! The suspense of contained in this sequel is fantastic! I can't wait to read more from this author, I am in love with the world that they are creating!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Author
If you loved book one, I think you'll like this one even more. Alaric is a standout, and I love seeing more of him and the FMC together. The prose is easy to read, and the adventure and action aspects from book one are still present here.
Review of advance copy
So good once it started and the characters came to view I couldn’t put it down and I loved the the chemistry between Lyra. And aldrich
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews