The Fall of a Prince

by Samantha de la Porté

Katherine has regained her memories and the power locked within them. The First Trial is over, and the truth of who she was and what she has become can no longer be hidden. Now, with her memories restored and her place among the Five Champions of Fate made clear, she must face what comes next.



The Second Serenade begins. Each champion has one chance to win her favour before Fate makes his decision. One will fall, and the balance of power within the Trials will never be the same again.



But not every battle is fought within the Trials. As relationships strain and long-buried truths rise to the surface, Katherine must find her footing between her mortal heart and immortal power while shadows beyond the castle grow darker. Old enemies are moving unseen, their plans unfolding as the Trials consume her focus. When their reach strikes too close, Katherine faces an impossible decision. To save one she loves or surrender a part of herself she may never reclaim.



Every choice brings her closer to a destiny she cannot escape.



When the hurt of betrayal, weight of secrets, temptation of new beginnings, simplicity of humanity, and familiarity of home collide, The Second Serenade sees Fate decide who is unworthy to continue to compete for Katherine's heart, and ultimately, power.



The Fall of a Prince is the second book in The Ashes of Eyrondale, a slow burn romantasy series filled with memory, magic, and heartbreak. Perfect for readers who crave slow reveals, escalating stakes, and character-driven plot, this instalment deepens the story of love, power, and destiny where every victory carries a cost.



Prepare for The Second Serenade.

594 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 15, 2026

About the author

Samantha de la Porté is the indie author behind The Ashes of Eyrondale, a romantasy pentalogy that blends fantasy, paranormal romance, and magic realism in a world shaped by the ancient forces of Cosmic, Magic, and Destiny Power. She writes lyrical, intricately layered stories that explore power, identity, and emotional connection. When not writing or building digital marketing strategies, Samantha enjoys painting, travelling, discovering new cuisines, and attending live music events. The Awakening of a Princess is the first book in Samantha's debut slow-burn series, with The Fall of a Prince as the second.

Reviews

[Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Samantha… you’ve done it again. This series continues to take my breath away and keep me engaged from start to finish. The characters continue to grow, some in more surprising ways than others, and these relationships continue to deepen in a way that’s making it so much harder to pick one favorite (although my top pick did stay the same!) since they all provide Kat something unique. An excellent continuation of a beautiful, new story that further expands the world of Eryondale! A must read for fantasy lovers of all kinds.

I do want to get more into just exploding all my thoughts out there with this book so know that SOME SPOILER PIECES AHEAD SO CONTINUE AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION!!!!!
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Okay, honestly what a great second trial. Obviously a good kiss is glorious, but a good date says a lot about a person!

Makovyas…. My boy…. The way this book had me crying like 8% into this book with his date. I am UNWELL. What a thoughtful, beautiful experience about their story that felt so raw and vulnerable.

Kaeden… you are my favorite. My enemies-to-lovers-obsessed self has you absolutely picked as my number one. The tension, the drama, the history. Say less.

The handlers feel so sus, and I’m convinced they know more than they’re letting on with their little poker nights.

Daikonos… you dirty f*cking dog oh my god where did that chemistry come from???? Are you just being an unnecessary tease for your own gain? Maybe. But was that still a hot date? Oh, for sure.

Aleksander… you be a lil sus to me. I know you care for my girl Kat, but the almost stalking against her knowledge feels a bit much, and I think you’re more obsessed with her than you’re letting on. I love that Kat has somebody she’s so close with that can provide her an outlet that she really needs and gets to just be relaxed during, but I think there’s more going on behind the scenes with Alek than is being discussed.

Oh my sweet Bayne, how you continue to be caught in the cross-fire that is this storyline haha he’s really just out here doing his best.

Thanks for coming to my TedTalk, I will forever think about this series and pray for a sooner release on book three. Samantha, I hope you enjoy my chaos and wild theories.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Samantha for letting me be on the ARC team for book 2! I loved the first one, and this did not disappoint. Honestly though the cliffhanger!! What are you doing to us!

I keep changing my mind on the characters, and who they might, or might not, be. The champions and their handlers. I just can't decide. There are so many twists in the story you have no idea where you're going to end up but that's a good thing! It kept me on my toes and kept me reading when I probably should have been sleeping.

The details for the ball in this book were gorgeous! I wanna be there! The second task was....interesting. It sheds a light into the champions' back-stories a little and start to understand who they are with Katherine. No spoilers though! You'll have to read it to find out.

I cannot wait to see what happens in book 3!!!

[Bridget Book Dragon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This sequal truly built off the first book and has us off and running with the second trial. A lot of questions are answered, but a lot more have been created, as well. I felt like the flow of this book went much better and even though the amount of characters is still high and we still don't really get why the mortals are there yet (but seriously, why?), it was much easier for me to be completely immersed in the world from the start. I loved the trial and the uniqueness of each champion; their dynamics with Katherine and each other kept adding layers of intrigue. I'm so thankful to the author and BookSirens for the ARC. I couldn't wait to read it after reading the first book, so this was quite exciting. Now I'm eagerly awaiting book 3!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the second book in The Ashes of Eyrondale series. It follows the second trial and all of the fallout from it. It still gives clue murder mystery vibes, but with magic. I like that you have to follow along with all the characters to see what is happening. It can be a bit confusing to follow along with all the different characters, but the twists and turns and dying to put all the pieces together keeps you invested. I can’t wait to learn more about the new character introduced at the end! Thank you Samantha for the arc!

[Natalie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to BookSirens, the author and publishers for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review 📚

Genre/Themes: 🔮⚔️🔥💧🌱🌬️🐺🧌🧛🏼🧚🏻‍♀️🐉🧝🏼‍♀️⛓️‍💥👗
Tropes: Magic in the Mundane World, Amnesia, Ancient Prophecy, Arranged Marriage, Betrayal, Circle of Friends, Enemies to Lovers, Forbidden Romance, Kidnapping, Second Chance, Magical Competition, Magical Realism, Double Life, Missing Person, Elemental Powers, Immortal Beings, Mythical Creatures, Non-Human Races, Set in a Magical Realm
Positives: strong horror/gothic scenes, some prose and characterisation improvements from book one
Room for Improvement: slow pacing and plot, superficial world-building
Rating: 🌕🌕🌘

✍🏻 Full Review - RISK OF SPOILERS 🛑

When the author said that the first book in this series suffered from ‘book one syndrome’ I was anticipating a much more cohesive, immersive sequel. Unfortunately, while the writing itself showed improvement, I actually found this one more difficult to stick with and felt like the plot barely moved forward from book one.

🧍‍♂️🧍‍♀️Characterisation:🧍‍♀️🧍‍♂️
Generally, I felt this sequel didn’t develop any of the characters or relationships beyond book one. Katherine didn’t come across as any more of a ruler, despite gaining her memories back. She was still very stand-offish with her human guests, despite the fact that she apparently cared enough about them to be involved in her trials. Plus, she continued to dance around disclosing pretty much anything. I still failed to understand her dynamic with Bayne, and found their interactions more confusing than revealing. She sabotaged their trial, which she had been careful not to do for the other champions, putting Bayne’s life at risk over what I think was supposed to be an argument, only to then nearly get herself killed to save him over another incident. I was really hoping this instalment would give me more of an idea of this catastrophic, life-altering break up between the pair that made everything between them feel strained and made Katherine so unable to hold herself together, but his anxious avoidance didn’t fulfil that for me. The sexual-tension-but-not-much-else dynamic with Deacon didn’t change much, nor did the intimidating feel of her relationship with Kaeden. Considering the heaviness of their past together, which continued to be seriously glossed over, I was hoping there’d have been more to drive their story forward, especially with how she began to change back, closer to the person he had loved, after the incident with Bayne. She and Alek continued to be close, almost co-dependent, and I was disappointed that their fleeting moments of ‘what if I feel more than I let myself believe’ weren’t explored more. What I did find very genuine, though, was her complete loss of chemistry with Marco. At first, you’d fail to understand why she still felt attraction to Kaeden, with his violent past towards both her and her kingdom, as opposed to her ex-fiancé. But the more you think about it, the more you realise she never once expected Marco to betray her. They were agreeing to forever, and were supposed to be each other’s safe person. Katherine expected conflict with Kaeden, in fact was surprised they managed to develop feelings at all. So for her, Marco’s actions were unforgivable and she would never see him the same way again. Generally, the champions didn’t seem to follow any form of character arc that differed from book one. Alek was still the protective mediator, Marco the depressed alcoholic, Deacon the cheeky flirt, Kaeden the intense mystery and Bayne the awkward avoidant.
I still maintain that the human characters add nothing to the series, and aside from Bayne, don’t need to be there. Whenever the story began to follow them, my brain switched off somewhat, skimming to get back to Katherine’s story. Matthew,
Aiden and Jamie continued to be near-indistinguishable as characters, Jennifer’s arguments with Bayne and Katherine became repetitive and quite annoying, and Emily repeated the attempts in book one to bond with Katherine again without much success. Brian still spoke seldomly, as did Layla.
Alfred felt much more absent, while Zachary appeared more when involved in the surveillance side of things. There were attempts to make him a comic relief, but it didn’t translate well.
Carter continued to be an off-page villain, which I wouldn’t mind except there was only really one incident related to him, just as there was in book one. I just wasn’t feeling any true sense of peril from him, especially when there was still little context as to his past with Katherine. Then when Nik was name-dropped at the end as a catalyst of Carter’s schemes, I was so confused. Had we met this character before? Was I supposed to know who he was? It felt very anti-climatic.

🗺️World-Building:🗺️
The world-building of this series is frustratingly sparse. I don’t understand the magic system, if there is one, nor the point of having one considering nobody seemed to ever use it for anything significant. At one point Katherine opted to dry herself post-shower instantly with her magic instead of using a towel. One - why did they bother having towels at all, and two - what sort of magic is that? Heat magic? Water magic? There were never-extinguishing fires, as opposed to normal fires, so is their magic something that can be separated from the user and left to work on its own? Then there was the whole thing that was off-handedly mentioned, that people could learn to wield magic as opposed to being born with it. We saw an example of a character wielding a spell from a book. How is that possible? The Council seemed to wield some sort of blood magic, to manage the trials, and then Katherine used some sort of life-force magic to save Bayne, but again none of this was explained. Who can wield it, who can’t? How did Katherine do that when she isn’t immortal anymore? I don’t even remember magic being used in a fight scene, so I generally struggled to understand what place magic had in society. Eyrondale’s place in the world was unclear, too. Katherine and Kaeden went to a pub, where they were recognised as royals, but later on they talked about how their magic was supposed to be secret from humans. How was that supposed to work in a world where non-human races existed, like the Imps or the Antlered men? Did they have to stay hidden, or could they use glamours? Did the humans never question why there was a royal family in a random city (Kingdom?) in England where they have their own royal family? Did none of the magical races accidentally reveal their magic in front of them? How could anybody tell apart, at first glance, human-looking magic wielders like Katherine versus standard humans? The lore surrounding Katherine’s secret was confusing as well, because she would go from not requiring a particular food source at all, and surviving, to suddenly needing it to live after consuming it incidentally. I understand it was supposed to be an addiction-withdrawal-sober cycle, but how did she survive without it at all if that is the sustenance that particular form needs? If that is what defines that race? There were mentions of discrimination against the non-humanoid races in other Kingdoms as well, but no explanation why. Do the magical races have powers, or are they just magic themselves in that they are not human? I was left with even more questions on top of the ones I had after the first novel.

📝Prose/Plot:📝
I felt the ‘trials’ in this novel were a weak plot point. At least in book one, the ‘trial’ added background, context and some characterisation. In this novel, the trials were to go on the best date and put in the most effort. To not put in full effort, from the champion or Katherine herself, ‘went against the rules’ of the trial and there would be consequences. Except… there were no consequences when Katherine bailed from Bayne’s. Plus, the trials generally aren’t clear - it comes across that none of it really matters because Fate will decide the winner anyway? No matter what Katherine feels? The losing champion arguably had a much better date than the person who beat them. I believe it’s meant to be inferred that the person who beat them isn’t what they seem, and is somehow twisting Fate, but this storyline moved so slowly it felt inconsequential. Pacing wise, there was way too much time spent with the humans, completely throwing off any momentum from the trials - I had no interest in any potential romances that were hinted at amongst the humans, and felt it pretty unnecessary. The storyline of Bayne and Carter’s minions therefore felt quite jarring, honestly feeling like more delaying of the main story as opposed to adding to it or progressing it. I think it needed to happen earlier, with the change in Katherine influencing the trials more. The scene with Katherine, Kaeden and the lackeys was enjoyable in itself. The reveal that Katherine was still missing some memories, potentially related to Carter, needed to be utilised more as well. Carter’s schemes generally needed to be more prominent and important in the plot. The prose still suffered from too much telling not showing or over-explaining, but less so than the first novel.
Overall, I suppose I would read the final instalment just to see where the plot leads and who wins the trials, but I do wonder how it will be effectively tied-up based on the fact we’re not really any further in the story than book one.
If you enjoy love… pentagons(?)… and magic in the mundane world then you might enjoy this.

[Shelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐

ARC provided by Samantha de la Porte in exchange for honest review.

The Fall Of A Prince continues the story of Princess Katherine and the champions selected by fate to compete in the trials to unite with her. With the ending of the second trial, a champion will be eliminated. This trial is called the Second Serenade, and involves each champion planning a date with Katherine, designed to show just what their union could look like. Everyone is expecting Bayne, the unexpected mortal champion, to be the one eliminated, including his mortal girlfriend and their friends. But when he is kidnapped, how far will Katherine go to save him?

This was an enjoyable Romantasy sequel which was incredibly rich in its world building, whilst still leaving enough mystery that you almost feel as the mortals in the story so at times - awestruck and not entirely sure what way is up. The five "date days" are so detailed and rich in their imagery, you almost felt like you were watching the events unfold on screen. The insights into each champion that came from those dates were very much needed, as there are so many characters to wrangle - it needed some wildly different scenarios to keep each one separate. That is one thing I do think this series suffers a little from - too many characters. I understand the need for that many champions, but there are their handlers, all the mortals (I suspect we will find out just why there are so many as the series progresses, but at the moment I'm really struggling to identify any specific mortal other than Jennifer), the representatives of the Fates overseeing the trials, and then specifically named characters on top. It's a lot of people to keep track of, and I frequently found myself having to flick back and forth confirming who was who. It meant that it took me a lot longer to get through this book than normal, which is really unusual for me.

Katherine is such an intriguing character, and I'm desperate to know what her missing memories are! She is so quick to go to bat for Bayne, even though they are fiery and have a tempestuous history. The book implies she knows who the fates will choose for her, but the book cleverly muddies the waters, so as a reader you have no idea. I adore her relationship with Alek, and am secretly rooting for them, even though the signs aren't pointing to him being the one. Her change after the events of Bayne's disappearance is ominous and as yet unresolved, so I can't wait to see where that leads in the next book in this pentalogy.

The last 20% of the book definitely sets the scene for book three. Katherine is still far from herself, but is determined to gather intel from a mysterious and seemingly malignant figure whom she has some form of past with. Her champions, plus the one who didn't progress to the next trial, are plotting their next move (although I imagine Bayne is just incredibly lost at that point, as he has no idea who this person is and what the history is with them).

Overall this was a good second part to what promises to be a Romantasy epic. The world building is phenomenal, the imagery is vibrant and rich, and the plotting is well thought out with lots of intrigue and mystery to keep the reader hooked. My only complaint is the sheer number of characters and trying to keep track of them, for me it made this a longer read than it perhaps should have been.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to review this book!

[Nicola Frasier · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Fate may take its victory tonight. I will challenge his truth later."

The second trial is finally upon us! More truths are revealed, past traumas comeback to haunt them, and your favourite competitor is bound to change. The switch up has been crazy. Thanks so much for accepting me as an ARC reader again Book Sirens and Samantha <3

🌟🌟🌟.75

With her memories returned, Katherine and the five contestants continue into the second trials where they must try to win her favour. Fate will make the decision on which one will fall. But as enemies resurface, relationships become more strained, and boundaries are tested, Katherine will have to make a choice between her immortal power or her mortal heart. Can she risk it all?

"But to rewind time. To undo. To step back into an age when this might have felt like hope instead of heartbreak. A time when she would have smiled as the petals brushed against her cheek and clung to her hair. When her thoughts would not have been consumed by the need to silence the screaming in her own mind, which was louder than the music, deadlier than any blade."

From each contestant we get a different trope which I kinda love! From childhood friends, to second chance, to enemies to lovers... Of course my favourite contestant has changed from book one! At first I was rooting for the underdog, but now I am rooting for the dark prince - how cliche from me! The writing felt more emotional and character driven, helping me resonate with the characters and creating a world that feels lived in.

Whilst I admit that this is better than the first book I still felt the pacing was a little off. The action felt lacking due to the trial focusing on the deeper relationships between the FMC and the contestants. But I am also a very impatient person, so slow reveals is like torture for me! I hope trial three we get something more high stakes. We had our first elimination so I can sense it coming and you bet I'll be back to find out...

What's included:
❤️‍🔥 Slow burn
💫 Fated mates
🥀 Slow reveals
⚔️ Modern romantasy
🔮 Magical trials

[Julia Stark · Rating 4 out of 5]

After her traumatic reincarnation and showing how ruthless she truly can be, Katherine is now learning how to rule the kingdom and supernatural life she was forced from, dealing with the fallout from the first task, and dreading the second task which should determine further for her who must be her betrothed.

But as her mortal friends look into the past to find answers, enemies are five steps ahead planning the future downfall of Katherine and the princes. Fate should be the impartial decider, yet others flit through the shadows to twist Katherine's fate. Will a prince finally fall from the trials, or will she fall from the remains of her humanity?

Following on directly from the end of The Awakening of a Princess, The Fall of a Prince begins to add more high stakes, more personality, and answers many questions while holding enough intrigue to keep you invested. The characters, particularly Katherine and her mortal friends were much more dimensional as people and their plots/purposes were much more fleshed out.

While the main theme and plotline is the romance and Katherine having to find her one true love, it does feel a bit wordy at times and the love stories stretched too thin. But there's more backstory and plot involved, as well as more characters taking over the narrative to break up the romance theme. Some of the characters seriously need a reality check, but it certainly makes it more interesting to have a range of antagonistic characters at play. Katherine might be taking top spot for best anti-hero princess.

The Fall of a Prince is available now!

Thank you Book Sirens and Samantha De La Porte for giving me access to the ARC read!

[Heather Provencher · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fall of a prince is the 2nd book in the Ashes of Eyrondale series. The first book was the 2nd ARC I had ever received last year. The first book I had given a 3.5 stars as I wasn't a fan of the writing style and think there were too many characters and the mortals in the story didn't have any bearing on the story.

Well I did find the second book better than the first. The issues I had with the POV switches which were hard to keep up with sometimes in the first book are easier to follow in the second. There are still too many characters but of course you cant take some out now, but the author does a better job of keeping all of the characters in mind more, I wasn't hearing about Brian at the beginning then he came back again 3/4 through the book and going who was that again, for example. And again the mortals in the book still do not have any real bearing on the story at all at this point. 1 or 2 mortals would have been much easier to remember and would have been the same as having the 6 or 7 of them.

The trial was interesting and we do learn more about the 5 champions throughout the book. The author tries to keep the book interesting throughout, so it doesn't drag in the middle and the FMC Katherine really changes alot in this book from the first. One of the champions gets eliminated after this trial but it was who I had expected, so no twist there.

Overall I did like this one better than the first book and would continue the series to see where it goes and who gets eliminated next. I think the next eliminationbut be more shocking!

[Angelique Koster · Rating 4 out of 5]

The world of Eyrondale is complex! I find I reread pages quite often and have to keep mental notes for all the entanglement that happens. Layers upon layers. It is definitely a book that keeps on giving! I enjoyed book 1 but I feel book 2 far surpassed it by going less into world building and more into the characters and the dynamics between them.

The 5 star simply would have happened if there was a bit more simplicity to some of it - it is a long read so it all comes through in a blur by the end with a challenge to remember and keep track of everything happening.

I must admit I fell for the "villian" brother quite a lot as he seems to understand her in ways noone else does. I honestly find the humans tedious. I found the trials interesting as it reminded me of a reality tv show full of drama, lust and potential mayhem.

If you're looking for a short, easy read this is NOT the book for you. If you're looking to challenge your own POVs about life, men, love and magic then it's a read that will certainly have you thinking.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Carmen Van Der Walt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mind-blown… again!! Book 1 had me hooked, but book 2?? Addicted!! There is just something about the way Samantha writes that grips you. I feel like The Fall of a Prince was a great build-up for what comes next in this series.

The book is written in a beautiful lyrical style that left me feeling both unsettled but deeply curious throughout. The storyline progressed more towards the end where the tension quietly intensifies, but needless to say I devoured this book and could not put it down!

The way every date was planned, speaks so well to the characters involved and you feel like you want to root for all of them. But I have my favorites after this book, and there are also some characters that got under my skin even more than before. I am left with so many questions and lingering thoughts, it goes without saying that I cannot wait for book 3!!

[Drishika Bikraj · Rating 3 out of 5]

This sequel follows Katherine and the five champions competing in the second trial, where each champion must plan a date with Katherine to show what they would be like as a couple. At the end of the trial, a champion will be eliminated, and everyone expects it to be Bayne, the mortal champion. However, when Bayne is kidnapped, Katherine is forced to choose between his life and losing a part of herself she might never get back.
This book felt more enjoyable and fleshed out than the first. The writing was descriptive but clear and confident. The five dates were so well-described that I enjoyed reading them. They also gave more insight into the five champions, so each champion’s distinct personality became clear, which I felt was much needed. I still feel that, like the first book, the number of characters this book follows makes it confusing. With the mortals apart from Bayne, I don’t really remember who any of them are, except for Emily and Jennifer. We’re given information, but more questions still came up, which built the suspense and kept me invested.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

A huge thanks to Samantha for letting me be part of the ARC team for book 2! I adored the first book, and this sequel absolutely lived up to it.
I kept second,guessing every character and their motivations. The champions, their handlers just when I thought I had them figured out, something unexpected happened. The story is full of twists, and I never knew where it was heading, which made it even more exciting. It kept me turning pages long after I should’ve been asleep.
The descriptions of the ball were stunning I wish I could have stepped into that scene myself. The second task was definitely… intriguing. It gives more insight into the champions’ backgrounds and helps you start piecing together who they really are alongside Katherine. No spoilers, though.! You’ll have to read it yourself!
I’m already eagerly waiting to see what unfolds in book 3!

[Sadie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to be sent an advanced readers copy of this book for free and am writing this review voluntarily. Oh my god I need the next one. First off I am Jennifer’s #1 hater. I just feel like she’s up to no good and wanting to sabotage things. Yes yes ok she’s bayne’s gf and like I too would be upset in her situation but she is so not understanding! Like leave the man alone he can’t twist fate. The first part of the book I was into but like it wasn’t keeping me up at night, you know? The last 40% was soooo good. My kindle said I had 2.5 hours left and I read it in one because I was just so immersed. Like now I don’t even know what to do with my life anymore. Only 4/5 though because of the slowish start but I really commend the author for making a sequel that exceeded my expectations!!

[Kelly Thornburgh · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Fall of a Prince is the second book in series.

The story continues to follow Princess Katherine and
her champions selected by fate to compete in the second trial, Second Serenade, to unite with her.
Katherine struggles to recover more of her memory to fill in the gaps both in her life and heart. How far will she go when someone she feels she has a deep connection with gets kidnapped?

As with the first, the world building is phenomenal. The story rife with enough intriguing mystery to push through the overwhelming amount of characters just to see where it leads.

I frequently had to re-read previous pages just to keep track of the amount of people and to confirm who was who. Unfortunately that was a bit daunting and caused a lot longer read time.

[Cristina M · Rating 3 out of 5]

After finishing book one, I went straight into this ARC and I’m glad I continued the series.

Book two felt a bit easier to get into for me. The world-building is still very vivid and detailed, and the second trial was interesting, especially seeing how each champion interacts with Katherine. It helped give more personality to characters we were introduced to earlier.

That said, I still felt like there were a lot of characters to keep track of at times, and I occasionally had to pause and remind myself who was who. The multiple POVs sometimes added depth, but other times felt slightly distracting again.

Overall this was another solid 3-star, maybe 3.5 read for me. The story definitely develops more here and the ending sets things up for what’s coming next, so I’m curious to see how the series continues.

[Katie McJunkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW!

This series is so different from anything that I have read before. The multiple POV’s are sometimes are to follow but if you take your time and really pay attention you get what’s going on.

The author has put a lot of time into the story you can tell by the way everything is so beautifully detailed so you can feel like you’re experiencing everything with the characters and for me nothing is better than that in a book!

The characters themselves are so well written as well everyone with their own unique personalities. It just pulls you right in!

I can’t wait to see where this series goes!! Also the cliffhangerrrrrr come onnn!

[shyandlonelywriter · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW

In the second book of The Ashes of Eyrondale series, we follow the champions in the second trial. The second trial begins and one of the five champions will fall. Through the multiple POVs, we have the opportunity to see the story from every champion's view the learn their thoughts.

For me, this book was more interesting than the first. It has long chapters full of descriptions that make you feel like you're there with them. It's a slow-burn book full of tension, secrets, and it's lyrically written. If you like books with a character-driven plot then you should read this series

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Pria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fall of a Prince by Samantha de la Porte is a strong sequel that is much better than the first book. I received an ARC of this title, and it was a great early read.
The story flows smoothly, with improved pacing and a far more engaging plot. The writing feels more confident, making the book more interesting and enjoyable from start to finish.
The character development is a standout, with deeper, more relatable characters whose growth feels natural. Overall, Fall of a Prince is an engaging and well-written sequel that shows clear growth in both storytelling and character depth.

[S Caudill · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC received from Samantha for honest review. I just read the first book the day before and the pace and setting of both of these is amazing. I love the angst that is displayed between the characters and how it doesnt get overplayed. In some books they over do it and your just want to rip your hair out but the reasoning behind it all makes it understandable. The story is centered around the 2nd Trial that the champions and Katherine have to go through and the twist and turns throughout had me sucked in. The cliffhanger left me wanting more. I cant wait to see what book 3 has in store for us!

[Sarah]

Thank you so much to Book Sirens and to Samantha de la Porte for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, the Fall of a Prince was DNF for me. The first few chapters just could not hold my attention or make me care about where these characters are now and what they’re doing. I’m disappointed because I did enjoy the first book.

I may try to circle back at a later date and try to read again to see if maybe I just wasn’t in the right headspace to read this right now.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in The Ashes of Eyrondale series. We continue to follow the FMC as she navigates the second trial in the ancient prophecy. The way the author paints each scene allows you to picture yourself as if you were there. I love when an author can do that for the reader. The ending was a bit of a cliffhanger and I'm ok with that. I can't wait to see where book three takes us!

Thank you to BookSirens and Samantha de la Porté for the gifted eARC in exchange for my honest review!

[Joy Whiteside · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, I could not get enough of it. It grabbed me from the first chapter and insisted that I continue reading no matter what I needed to do. The pace is perfect for the flow of the story, keeping pace as it speeds up or slows down. The characters are so real that you feel as though you have known them forever and no matter what happens you want to be there for them. This book will not disappoint. It demands your attention and insists that it needs to be read.

[Jorie Allinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️I was fortunate to receive this as an ARC book! I continue to love the trial system of this series. Though many series have trials, I feel this one is very unique. Although there are many characters and at times keeping everyone straight was a little confusing. I like getting to learn more about each of the challengers specifically and how the mortals came out of their shells more. Thank you to the author for allowing me the opportunity to review this book.

[Laura Coulter · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW

Ok, I absolutely loved this book. I love that the chapters are shorter than in TAOAP so even though the book is longer it doesn't seem as long. I don't know if that makes sense to anyone else, but it does to me 🤣

I also like the aspect of the second trial and how the relationships and friendships all evolve. There are some very surprising twists and turns and I can't wait for the next book.

If you like vampires, you will definitely like this book.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recieved an advanced copy from Samatha de la Porte.

There was more clarity in this book, it kept my interest.

I still feel there are to many characters to keep up with besides Emily,Jennifer and Bayne. I fully expected Bayne to be elimated in the trials.

As a non-vanilla reader this is still a great read with a mystery concept to keep you invested.

[Rara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a complimentary copy of this book thanks to Booksirens and Samantha de la Porte. I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.

I really enjoyed this 2nd book. I feel more connected and a better understanding in this book. There was some good unexpected moments in this story that I enjoyed.

[Meagan A · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It can be hard to get used to the writing style as there are often multiple points of view in one chapter, even paragraph to paragraph, but if you can get past that, the book itself is fun. I loved the bachelor style setting and this trial was super fun to follow along! I’ll definitely be reading the rest of the series as they come out.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will admit I did get confused reading this book at first but it does even out and starts to make sense the further you go along in it. The anticipation and the twist that arise in this book definitely hook you in a way that does not allow you to put the book down longer than necessary. It is one that I will circle back to and re-read.

[Sarah Manning · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Samantha De La Porte and BookSirens for allowing me to get an ARC of this book.

I have enjoyed following along in the trials with the characters. I’m not entirely surprised by how Marko and Kaeden’s trials went this time with what was revealed in the first books trials.

It kills me that I have to wait for the next book to find out what happens next!