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Zeal of the North #1
Who Hears the Waters’ Call
From Amazon best selling Author Sophia St. Germain comes a thrilling new series, Zeal of the North, in which a Viking heir must attend the king's brutal war academy before she is sent to conquer the world.
The eldest daughter of the chieftain of their village, Elvara Sweengard was brought up to do one thing: marry someone of equal rank to further her family’s rule. But when the ships in their village go quiet and magic vanishes, the unthinkable is confirmed: her father and brother have been slaughtered on their way to the Hird—the king’s elite war academy—where her brother was to claim his mantle as the next chieftain.
Elvara is now the only thing standing between her people and extinction. She must take her brother’s empty seat at the academy and earn a rune from the gods to restore the magic they lost—but first, she must survive both the ruthless trials of the Hird and the other initiates vying for her place, all without her family’s tragedy being revealed.
As the trials begin, she soon learns that they are not the only dangers she faces. Enemies lurk both inside and outside the realm. She needs to decide who is friend and who is foe before it’s too late—something that becomes far more complicated when the battle bond meant to tie her to her childhood guard is compromised and she instead finds herself tethered to a six-foot-five Viking warrior who would sooner put an axe through her heart than see a crown on her head.
The eldest daughter of the chieftain of their village, Elvara Sweengard was brought up to do one thing: marry someone of equal rank to further her family’s rule. But when the ships in their village go quiet and magic vanishes, the unthinkable is confirmed: her father and brother have been slaughtered on their way to the Hird—the king’s elite war academy—where her brother was to claim his mantle as the next chieftain.
Elvara is now the only thing standing between her people and extinction. She must take her brother’s empty seat at the academy and earn a rune from the gods to restore the magic they lost—but first, she must survive both the ruthless trials of the Hird and the other initiates vying for her place, all without her family’s tragedy being revealed.
As the trials begin, she soon learns that they are not the only dangers she faces. Enemies lurk both inside and outside the realm. She needs to decide who is friend and who is foe before it’s too late—something that becomes far more complicated when the battle bond meant to tie her to her childhood guard is compromised and she instead finds herself tethered to a six-foot-five Viking warrior who would sooner put an axe through her heart than see a crown on her head.
596 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 22, 2026
About the author
Sophia St. Germain
10 books1,745 followersSophia St. Germain is a Swedish-born, American-married author whose obsession with mythology and defiant princesses began with diaries full of stories at ten years old. Nowadays, she writes dark romantasy with fierce, flawed women and the swoon-worthy men who are obsessed with them, always with scorching slow burn and found family.
When she isn’t plotting her next world, she’s likely fueled by an iced latte, navigating a slightly chaotic life with her own mini FMC, husband, and dog, often recovering from a reality TV binge.
Having lived in five countries and four states, Sophia is a traveler at heart. She dreams of a life by the beach where she can dip into the ocean whenever she wants and write on a balcony with the waves as background music.
When she isn’t plotting her next world, she’s likely fueled by an iced latte, navigating a slightly chaotic life with her own mini FMC, husband, and dog, often recovering from a reality TV binge.
Having lived in five countries and four states, Sophia is a traveler at heart. She dreams of a life by the beach where she can dip into the ocean whenever she wants and write on a balcony with the waves as background music.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 707 reviews
July 7, 2026
i really thought this was going to be a lot better than it ended up being. i am really disappointed because the first 25% i was feeling good about this & was genuinely enjoying myself. however as the story progressed past the 50% mark i knew my hopes of holding onto at least 3 stars was going to be cruising down struggle street.
on a positive note (because this wasn’t a horrible read), i enjoyed the premise of this. different viking clans and how each heir has to compete for their rightful place, to be honoured by the gods. the trials fit in well and were easy to understand. everyone definitely had an undertone of mistrust throughout them. which was intriguing. i loved the ships little personalities, so cute!! the ending didn’t phase me at all but most likely because i had no emotional investment in this.
my rating reflects the fact that, for me, there was no emotion pull being built towards these characters. this hugely effects my reading experience because otherwise i feel like i’m just a random spectator. i need to feel emotive towards what’s happening in the plot and the character/relationship developments. i’m not saying i always need to be disgustingly obsessed (that’s reserved for our 5/6 star reads) but i still need to have a level of pull that has me actually feeling things. unfortunately this didn’t give me that and i ended up completely disconnected and at times, bored.
one thing that really irritated me was how much everyone hated the fmc for, in my opinion, no real reason. it either wasn’t explained enough or it falls into a case of us just being told this was the case. i mean she did really annoy me as the story progressed and i don’t think this helped.
darcke has me interested at first, but eventually just felt like your stock standard broody warrior mmc. he ended up just being so average 😭
the romance was really lacklustre. it truly felt like they went from barely interacting to having some sort of connection i wasn’t privy too. it lacked any depth for me to connect to it. i kept waiting for some tension or chemistry or anything to indicate they had a spark. their dynamic was more of a forced hate, to not hate vibe for me, definitely not enemies to lovers. when the spice hit, there was no build up for me to be giggling over - i was just like ‘oh yeah i’m doomed’. not even a fuck it moment worked on me.
the writing wasn’t really working for me to be honest- something about it wasn’t making me develop any emotions. it felt like a lot of telling and no showing.
i also found some parts of the dialogue rather repetitive after a while - like i know she’s made so many enemies, i know the warrior is angry and hates her… i knowwwwwwww. some conversations also seemed to feel repetitive to get the same point across.
i’d like to disclaim i did slightly skim through the last 10/15% because i wanted to see it through - to see how things ended, plus i only had a small portion left. but it was also making me feel so, so slumpy - so i thought it was better to not drag it out.
overall, this just doesn’t have that spark that i need in a romantasy unfortunately. i’m so sad because i kinda had high hope for this. obviously reading is a personal thing anyway but with this it was 100% the fact that i felt nothing towards this.
anyway, if you are thinking- wow this girl has terrible luck with arcs, I KNOWWWWW. okay. it is starting to feel like someone is out to get me, lol. but also, you don’t know until you try and i only ever apply for things i think i’ll like - i promise! 😭😭 diva down. the slump lives on.
thank you so much sophia for the arc! i’m so grateful to have received a copy for an honest review- i am sorry this was a miss for me but i know it will find the people who adore it 🤍
on a positive note (because this wasn’t a horrible read), i enjoyed the premise of this. different viking clans and how each heir has to compete for their rightful place, to be honoured by the gods. the trials fit in well and were easy to understand. everyone definitely had an undertone of mistrust throughout them. which was intriguing. i loved the ships little personalities, so cute!! the ending didn’t phase me at all but most likely because i had no emotional investment in this.
my rating reflects the fact that, for me, there was no emotion pull being built towards these characters. this hugely effects my reading experience because otherwise i feel like i’m just a random spectator. i need to feel emotive towards what’s happening in the plot and the character/relationship developments. i’m not saying i always need to be disgustingly obsessed (that’s reserved for our 5/6 star reads) but i still need to have a level of pull that has me actually feeling things. unfortunately this didn’t give me that and i ended up completely disconnected and at times, bored.
one thing that really irritated me was how much everyone hated the fmc for, in my opinion, no real reason. it either wasn’t explained enough or it falls into a case of us just being told this was the case. i mean she did really annoy me as the story progressed and i don’t think this helped.
darcke has me interested at first, but eventually just felt like your stock standard broody warrior mmc. he ended up just being so average 😭
the romance was really lacklustre. it truly felt like they went from barely interacting to having some sort of connection i wasn’t privy too. it lacked any depth for me to connect to it. i kept waiting for some tension or chemistry or anything to indicate they had a spark. their dynamic was more of a forced hate, to not hate vibe for me, definitely not enemies to lovers. when the spice hit, there was no build up for me to be giggling over - i was just like ‘oh yeah i’m doomed’. not even a fuck it moment worked on me.
the writing wasn’t really working for me to be honest- something about it wasn’t making me develop any emotions. it felt like a lot of telling and no showing.
i also found some parts of the dialogue rather repetitive after a while - like i know she’s made so many enemies, i know the warrior is angry and hates her… i knowwwwwwww. some conversations also seemed to feel repetitive to get the same point across.
i’d like to disclaim i did slightly skim through the last 10/15% because i wanted to see it through - to see how things ended, plus i only had a small portion left. but it was also making me feel so, so slumpy - so i thought it was better to not drag it out.
overall, this just doesn’t have that spark that i need in a romantasy unfortunately. i’m so sad because i kinda had high hope for this. obviously reading is a personal thing anyway but with this it was 100% the fact that i felt nothing towards this.
anyway, if you are thinking- wow this girl has terrible luck with arcs, I KNOWWWWW. okay. it is starting to feel like someone is out to get me, lol. but also, you don’t know until you try and i only ever apply for things i think i’ll like - i promise! 😭😭 diva down. the slump lives on.
thank you so much sophia for the arc! i’m so grateful to have received a copy for an honest review- i am sorry this was a miss for me but i know it will find the people who adore it 🤍
June 9, 2026
” you are utterly, terrifyingly, devastatingly infinite.”
GUYS MY SLUMP IS OVER.
this book completely captivated me. the world building was incredible and and i was immersed into the story from the beginning.
i was sceptical of the trials as i feel they are so overdone in romantasy books but these were so well done and woven into the storyline that they didn’t feel like trials because they were necessary for the plot.
i loved the sentient ships!!! these were so well done and i loved that they had their own personalities 🥹
all the characters, including the side characters were written so well. they all had their own chance to shine in this book. enemies become allies, allies become friends. i would die for my man ivren.
elvara is fiesty, badass and will do everything she can to save her people. i absolutely loved her from the first page and was rooting for her the whole book. i was in absolute awe of her resilience.
darcke is broody and mysterious and the mouth on this man???? he is a man who talks her through it 🤭 the slow burn was perfect and the “fuck it” moment paid off.
the last 20% had me on the edge of my seat but the last 5%?! pure chaos i had whiplash.
i feel this book is going to HUGE and im so grateful i got to read this early. this is everything you want in a romantasy and the viking world just gave it that extra little bit of wow!! thank you so much sophia for the e-arc i cannot wait for book 2!!
GUYS MY SLUMP IS OVER.
this book completely captivated me. the world building was incredible and and i was immersed into the story from the beginning.
i was sceptical of the trials as i feel they are so overdone in romantasy books but these were so well done and woven into the storyline that they didn’t feel like trials because they were necessary for the plot.
i loved the sentient ships!!! these were so well done and i loved that they had their own personalities 🥹
all the characters, including the side characters were written so well. they all had their own chance to shine in this book. enemies become allies, allies become friends. i would die for my man ivren.
elvara is fiesty, badass and will do everything she can to save her people. i absolutely loved her from the first page and was rooting for her the whole book. i was in absolute awe of her resilience.
darcke is broody and mysterious and the mouth on this man???? he is a man who talks her through it 🤭 the slow burn was perfect and the “fuck it” moment paid off.
the last 20% had me on the edge of my seat but the last 5%?! pure chaos i had whiplash.
i feel this book is going to HUGE and im so grateful i got to read this early. this is everything you want in a romantasy and the viking world just gave it that extra little bit of wow!! thank you so much sophia for the e-arc i cannot wait for book 2!!
July 14, 2026
Thank you so much Sophia St-Germain for making me one of your ARC readers ❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥
I absolutely freaking ADORED every torturous anxiety riddled second of this story 🤯😭😳
I’ll be back in the next couple days with a full review but let me just say this was fucking epic and I am still absolutely speechless at the assault of plot twists at the end 🫠
Also who would have thought sassy sentient Viking boats was what I was missing in my life???? Obsessed with them & really hoping to get more of them in the next books 👹!!
I absolutely freaking ADORED every torturous anxiety riddled second of this story 🤯😭😳
I’ll be back in the next couple days with a full review but let me just say this was fucking epic and I am still absolutely speechless at the assault of plot twists at the end 🫠
Also who would have thought sassy sentient Viking boats was what I was missing in my life???? Obsessed with them & really hoping to get more of them in the next books 👹!!
July 26, 2026
2.75⭐️ I am...... genuinely so disappointed with this book. It would've been a solid 1.5 star if not for the last 50 pages. This goes into my top 3 most disappointing books of 2026 for sure.
This did NOT need to be 600 pages long, it could've easily be condensed into 200 pages and still, nothing much would've happened either ways.
“𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓪𝓻𝓮”—𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓵𝓲𝓯𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓶𝔂 𝓬𝓱𝓲𝓷, 𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓮𝔂𝓮𝓼 𝓼𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓲𝓷𝓽𝓸 𝓶𝓲𝓷𝓮—“𝓾𝓽𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓵𝔂, 𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓻𝓲𝓯𝔂𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓵𝔂, 𝓭𝓮𝓿𝓪𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓵𝔂 𝓲𝓷𝓯𝓲𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮.”
I was so excited for this, literally counting down MONTHS till its release, and with all the great things I heard about this really just set me up for that much more a punch in the gut after getting into this.
“𝓘𝓯 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓴 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓲𝓼 𝓪 𝓹𝓵𝓪𝓬𝓮 𝓲𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝔀𝓸𝓻𝓵𝓭 𝓘 𝔀𝓲𝓵𝓵 𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝓯𝓸𝓵𝓵𝓸𝔀 𝔂𝓸𝓾, 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓷 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝓵𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓷𝓮𝓭. 𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓼𝓽𝓲𝓵𝓵 𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝓱𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓭 𝓶𝓮.”
This wasn't a horrible read, I actually still enjoyed myself, which made me feel really frustrated because this had so so so SO much potential. The premise, the characters, the trials, and even the plot itself was really intriguing and fresh, and I was hooked. But I was hooked onto the same piece of information over and OVER AND OVER. We were just going in circles even at the 400-page mark still, with 0 progression in plot.
"𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓶𝓪𝓭𝓮 𝓶𝓮 𝓯𝓮𝓮𝓵 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼. 𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓯𝓾𝓬𝓴𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓽𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓶𝔂 𝓱𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓽—𝓼𝓽𝓸𝓵𝓮 𝓲𝓽 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓽 𝓶𝓮 𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓷 𝓷𝓸𝓽𝓲𝓬𝓲𝓷𝓰. 𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓲𝓷𝓿𝓪𝓭𝓮𝓭 𝓶𝔂 𝓶𝓲𝓷𝓭 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓬𝓵𝓪𝓲𝓶𝓮𝓭 𝓶𝓮 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻𝓼. 𝓢𝓸 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓭𝓸𝓷’𝓽 𝓰𝓮𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓵𝓮𝓪𝓿𝓮. 𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓭𝓸𝓷’𝓽 𝓰𝓮𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓵𝓮𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓶𝓮.”
Right from the first page, I was just not drawn in at all. It started off as a word-vomit, The world building & magic system was a thick encyclopedia being thrown into my face once I flipped to page one, and you're left to figure things out on your own from there. I seriously, genuinely, did not understand a single thing for a good 100 pages.
I don't need simpleton world building, but I usually appreciate when it's woven into the story, and helps me to learn about the characters + develop with them simultaneously instead of diving head first. It was lowkey a turn off, it slowed down my reading comprehension speed, and once again, over-clarifying of the same information for the next 400 pages - talking around in circles that made the chapter longer than it needed to be with characters saying the same sentence or meaning over and over again was just jarring.
I didn't even realise the first trial started and ended, what it was about, and suddenly the second trial is here. Her connection with the sentient ships was also really cute, I just wished the ships could do more in the plot other than provide transport, and bully Darcke?
"𝓦𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝔀𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓬𝓪𝓵𝓵 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼, 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓷?” 𝓛𝓾𝓷𝓪𝓬𝔂. 𝓘𝓷𝓼𝓪𝓷𝓲𝓽𝔂. 𝓤𝓽𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓻𝓾𝓲𝓷. 𝓗𝓲𝓼 𝓼𝓶𝓲𝓵𝓮 𝓷𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓵𝔂 𝓼𝓮𝓷𝓽 𝓶𝓮 𝓽𝓸 𝓶𝔂 𝓴𝓷𝓮𝓮𝓼. “𝓐𝓫𝓸𝓾𝓽. 𝓕𝓾𝓬𝓴𝓲𝓷𝓰. 𝓣𝓲𝓶𝓮.”"
Like I know she’s made so many enemies, I know she has 0 magic, I know she's doing everything for her people, I know her dad & brother are dead, i know the Gods hate her, i know Darcke wants to kill her and hates her I KNOW. WE KNOW. I can even recite this in my sleep. WE GET IT. BUT FOR 400 PAGES ON A LOOP?
"𝓢𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓽𝓲𝓶𝓮𝓼 𝓘 𝓬𝓪𝓷’𝓽 𝓽𝓮𝓵𝓵 𝓲𝓯 𝓘 𝔀𝓪𝓷𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓴𝓲𝓼𝓼 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓽𝓸 𝓼𝓲𝓵𝓮𝓷𝓬𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓸𝓻 𝓫𝓮𝓬𝓪𝓾𝓼𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝔀𝓲𝓬𝓴𝓮𝓭 𝓵𝓲𝓽𝓽𝓵𝓮 𝓶𝓸𝓾𝓽𝓱 𝓲𝓼 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓸𝓷𝓵𝔂 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓘 𝓼𝓮𝓮 𝔀𝓱𝓮𝓷 𝓘 𝓼𝓱𝓾𝓽 𝓶𝔂 𝓮𝔂𝓮𝓼.”
In addition to the word vomit, everything felt very chaotic & flighty. The conversations and dialogues are all over the place. Very minimum or no stage direction at all that made it hard to follow or know where people are standing or doing or having them one place and then suddenly appear somewhere else without the words to describe them moving made it very hard to follow, and leaving me confused.
"𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓶𝓪𝓴𝓮 𝓶𝓮 𝔀𝓪𝓷𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓬𝓱 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓽𝓱𝓻𝓸𝓪𝓽 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓬𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓾𝓻𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓵𝓲𝓹𝓼 𝓲𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓪𝓶𝓮 𝓫𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓽𝓱. 𝓕𝓾𝓬𝓴! 𝓘 𝓭𝓲𝓭𝓷’𝓽 𝓴𝓷𝓸𝔀 𝓲𝓽 𝔀𝓪𝓼 𝓹𝓸𝓼𝓼𝓲𝓫𝓵𝓮 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓸𝓷𝓮 𝓹𝓮𝓻𝓼𝓸𝓷 𝓽𝓸 𝓫𝓮 𝓼𝓸 𝓬𝓸𝓷𝓼𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓷𝓽𝓵𝔂, 𝓲𝓷𝓯𝓾𝓻𝓲𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓵𝔂 𝓪𝓵𝓵𝓾𝓻𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓲𝓻𝓻𝓲𝓽𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓪𝓽 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓪𝓶𝓮 𝓽𝓲𝓶𝓮.”
This made the revelations very unclear for me. I had to do a lot of guesswork on what's happening as a reader, and don't get me wrong, I like it when books pick at my brain, but I do need to know what our characters are thinking and need them to explain a twist at least, or just make it make sense...??
"𝓢𝓱𝓸𝔀 𝓶𝓮,” 𝓓𝓪𝓻𝓬𝓴𝓮 𝓻𝓪𝓼𝓹𝓮𝓭. “𝓢𝓱𝓸𝔀 𝓶𝓮 𝔀𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓘 𝓬𝓪𝓷’𝓽 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓮.”
Another thing that really irritated me was how pretty much everyone hated the fmc for. Granted, we got an "explanation"(?), but it wasn't explained enough/warranted the longevity of the disdain to me. The lying on her part, also did NOT need to be dragged until the last 20 pages.
I really wanted to like her, because she's marketed as the Eldest Daughter, and I did see some parallels to my own personal life at the very start, but I don't see much of it reflected in her character later on in the story. Especially in terms of her fear paralysis, and helplessness in basically every situation. Honestly, I didn't see any character development, even at the ending.
“𝓨𝓸𝓾’𝓻𝓮 𝓰𝓸𝓸𝓭,” 𝓓𝓪𝓻𝓬𝓴𝓮 𝓫𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓭. “𝓨𝓸𝓾’𝓻𝓮 𝓪 𝓿𝓮𝓻𝔂 𝓰𝓸𝓸𝓭 𝓰𝓲𝓻𝓵.”
The ending was intriguing for me, I was locked in for the last 50 pages, but again, felt really convoluted because I was lowkey confused? I had the thought of searching up people's analysis of the ending like you do after movies with open-endings(?), and this was just very unsatisfying because while I was hella fascinated, I had no idea what was going on/what things meant.
“𝓛𝓲𝓴𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝔀𝓪𝓷𝓽 𝓶𝓮 𝓽𝓸 𝓯𝓾𝓬𝓴 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓼𝓸 𝓱𝓪𝓻𝓭 𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓻 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓻𝓪𝓲𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓴𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝔀𝓲𝓵𝓵 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓷𝓸 𝓬𝓱𝓸𝓲𝓬𝓮 𝓫𝓾𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓮𝔁𝓮𝓬𝓾𝓽𝓮 𝓾𝓼 𝓫𝓸𝓽𝓱 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓱𝓸𝔀 𝓵𝓸𝓾𝓭 𝔂𝓸𝓾’𝓵𝓵 𝓼𝓬𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓶.”
On a positive note:
I was just purely hanging on to the little crumbs of the intriguing parts of the plot, and just wanted to see how Elvara & Dracke's relationship dynamic shifts - but I was struggling SO HARD to.
the slow burn was just extremely slow, with 0 progression. Usually I am one for slow burns, I'm okay with 0 romance in the first book, but I think the speed just got exacerbated by the overall speed of the plot as well? By the time we reached the climax of their tension, the story already dragged on for too long that I lowkey lost the initial spark I had gunning for them. It definitely wasn't an enemies to lovers, but forced hate to less hate (?) here.
“𝓦𝓪𝓽𝓬𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓭𝓲𝓮 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮 𝓪 𝓯𝓲𝓼𝓱 𝓼𝓽𝓻𝓾𝓰𝓰𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓫𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓽𝓱 𝓲𝓷 𝓪 𝓯𝓲𝓼𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓶𝓪𝓷’𝓼 𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓭? 𝓝𝓸. 𝓚𝓲𝓵𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓶𝔂𝓼𝓮𝓵𝓯 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓼𝓲𝓵𝓮𝓷𝓬𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝔀𝓲𝓬𝓴𝓮𝓭 𝓶𝓸𝓾𝓽𝓱 𝓸𝓯 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻𝓼? 𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝔀𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭 𝓮𝓷𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓽𝓪𝓲𝓷 𝓶𝓮 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓪 𝓯𝓮𝔀 𝓶𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓷𝓽𝓼."
I liked the moments we had with them though, don't get me wrong, those 1 to 2 sentences of interaction every 15 pages was literally my driving force. The "fuck it" moment was HOT to me, I did giggle and squeal but I didn't lose my head.
I really liked the characters though..... even the side ones, especially Dracke our MMC. Sophia really did a great job with Dracke because I am completely enamoured by this brooding, snarky, mysterious man. THE FILTH THAT HE SPEWS OUT??? HIS DIALOGUES ARE CRAZY HAHAHHAHA he's so unhinged, unserious and also really hot. I can't wait to see more of him in book two.
“𝓔𝓿𝓮𝓻𝔂𝓸𝓷𝓮 𝓮𝓵𝓼𝓮 𝓰𝓮𝓽𝓼 𝓽𝓸 𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓪𝓽 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝔀𝓱𝓮𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓾𝓷 𝓯𝓪𝓵𝓵𝓼 𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓻 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓱𝓪𝓲𝓻, 𝓶𝓪𝓴𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓲𝓽 𝓼𝓮𝓮𝓶 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮 𝓲𝓽’𝓼 𝓫𝓵𝓮𝓮𝓭𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓭𝓸𝔀𝓷 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓫𝓪𝓬𝓴.”“𝓐𝓷𝓭 𝓷𝓸𝔀? 𝓒𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓻𝓮𝓭 𝓲𝓷 𝓲𝓬𝓮 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓼𝓷𝓸𝔀? 𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓵𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓺𝓾𝓮𝓮𝓷 𝓸𝓯 𝓶𝔂 𝓸𝔀𝓷 𝓹𝓮𝓻𝓼𝓸𝓷𝓪𝓵 𝓗𝓮𝓵, 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓲𝓽’𝓼 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮 𝓘’𝓶 𝓵𝓲𝓿𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓪 𝓼𝓵𝓸𝔀 𝓭𝓮𝓪𝓽𝓱, 𝓴𝓷𝓸𝔀𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓘 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓷𝓸 𝓻𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓶𝓪𝓴𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓶𝓲𝓷𝓮. 𝓘 𝓱𝓪𝓽𝓮 𝓲𝓽."
this nearly sent me back into a reading slump, and maybe I went into this with way too high expectations and excitement, but man. I've DNF-ed for less, and have rated higher for less as well. I can see why lots of people love this, but unfortunately, I do not.
Will I be reading book 2 when it comes out next year? Probably. Will it be a drop everything, like I did with this, and dive into book 2? Probably not.
“𝓐𝓷 𝓮𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓷𝓲𝓽𝔂 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝔂𝓸𝓾, 𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓷 𝓲𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓶𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽 𝓫𝓮 𝓲𝓷 𝓗𝓮𝓵?” 𝓗𝓮 𝔀𝓱𝓲𝓹𝓹𝓮𝓭 𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓱𝓮𝓪𝓭 𝓪𝓻𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓭, 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓷 𝓬𝓻𝓪𝓼𝓱𝓮𝓭 𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓵𝓲𝓹𝓼 𝓪𝓰𝓪𝓲𝓷𝓼𝓽 𝓶𝓲𝓷𝓮 𝓲𝓷 𝓸𝓷𝓮 𝓽𝓸𝓸-𝓼𝓱𝓸𝓻𝓽, 𝓽𝓸𝓸-𝓭𝓮𝓵𝓲𝓬𝓲𝓸𝓾𝓼 𝓴𝓲𝓼𝓼. “𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓼𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓭𝓼 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮 𝓶𝔂 𝓥𝓪𝓵𝓱𝓪𝓵𝓵𝓪.”
I just SINCERELY HOPE that book 2 has absolutely minimal world building because we've had more than enough set-up in book one already, and just progresses on with the plot/relationship instead.
(this is a very borderline 3 stars hence I'm rounding it up)
This did NOT need to be 600 pages long, it could've easily be condensed into 200 pages and still, nothing much would've happened either ways.
“𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓪𝓻𝓮”—𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓵𝓲𝓯𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓶𝔂 𝓬𝓱𝓲𝓷, 𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓮𝔂𝓮𝓼 𝓼𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓲𝓷𝓽𝓸 𝓶𝓲𝓷𝓮—“𝓾𝓽𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓵𝔂, 𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓻𝓲𝓯𝔂𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓵𝔂, 𝓭𝓮𝓿𝓪𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓵𝔂 𝓲𝓷𝓯𝓲𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮.”
I was so excited for this, literally counting down MONTHS till its release, and with all the great things I heard about this really just set me up for that much more a punch in the gut after getting into this.
“𝓘𝓯 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓴 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓲𝓼 𝓪 𝓹𝓵𝓪𝓬𝓮 𝓲𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝔀𝓸𝓻𝓵𝓭 𝓘 𝔀𝓲𝓵𝓵 𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝓯𝓸𝓵𝓵𝓸𝔀 𝔂𝓸𝓾, 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓷 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝓵𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓷𝓮𝓭. 𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓼𝓽𝓲𝓵𝓵 𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝓱𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓭 𝓶𝓮.”
This wasn't a horrible read, I actually still enjoyed myself, which made me feel really frustrated because this had so so so SO much potential. The premise, the characters, the trials, and even the plot itself was really intriguing and fresh, and I was hooked. But I was hooked onto the same piece of information over and OVER AND OVER. We were just going in circles even at the 400-page mark still, with 0 progression in plot.
"𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓶𝓪𝓭𝓮 𝓶𝓮 𝓯𝓮𝓮𝓵 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼. 𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓯𝓾𝓬𝓴𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓽𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓶𝔂 𝓱𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓽—𝓼𝓽𝓸𝓵𝓮 𝓲𝓽 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓽 𝓶𝓮 𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓷 𝓷𝓸𝓽𝓲𝓬𝓲𝓷𝓰. 𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓲𝓷𝓿𝓪𝓭𝓮𝓭 𝓶𝔂 𝓶𝓲𝓷𝓭 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓬𝓵𝓪𝓲𝓶𝓮𝓭 𝓶𝓮 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻𝓼. 𝓢𝓸 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓭𝓸𝓷’𝓽 𝓰𝓮𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓵𝓮𝓪𝓿𝓮. 𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓭𝓸𝓷’𝓽 𝓰𝓮𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓵𝓮𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓶𝓮.”
Right from the first page, I was just not drawn in at all. It started off as a word-vomit, The world building & magic system was a thick encyclopedia being thrown into my face once I flipped to page one, and you're left to figure things out on your own from there. I seriously, genuinely, did not understand a single thing for a good 100 pages.
I don't need simpleton world building, but I usually appreciate when it's woven into the story, and helps me to learn about the characters + develop with them simultaneously instead of diving head first. It was lowkey a turn off, it slowed down my reading comprehension speed, and once again, over-clarifying of the same information for the next 400 pages - talking around in circles that made the chapter longer than it needed to be with characters saying the same sentence or meaning over and over again was just jarring.
I didn't even realise the first trial started and ended, what it was about, and suddenly the second trial is here. Her connection with the sentient ships was also really cute, I just wished the ships could do more in the plot other than provide transport, and bully Darcke?
"𝓦𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝔀𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓬𝓪𝓵𝓵 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼, 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓷?” 𝓛𝓾𝓷𝓪𝓬𝔂. 𝓘𝓷𝓼𝓪𝓷𝓲𝓽𝔂. 𝓤𝓽𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓻𝓾𝓲𝓷. 𝓗𝓲𝓼 𝓼𝓶𝓲𝓵𝓮 𝓷𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓵𝔂 𝓼𝓮𝓷𝓽 𝓶𝓮 𝓽𝓸 𝓶𝔂 𝓴𝓷𝓮𝓮𝓼. “𝓐𝓫𝓸𝓾𝓽. 𝓕𝓾𝓬𝓴𝓲𝓷𝓰. 𝓣𝓲𝓶𝓮.”"
Like I know she’s made so many enemies, I know she has 0 magic, I know she's doing everything for her people, I know her dad & brother are dead, i know the Gods hate her, i know Darcke wants to kill her and hates her I KNOW. WE KNOW. I can even recite this in my sleep. WE GET IT. BUT FOR 400 PAGES ON A LOOP?
"𝓢𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓽𝓲𝓶𝓮𝓼 𝓘 𝓬𝓪𝓷’𝓽 𝓽𝓮𝓵𝓵 𝓲𝓯 𝓘 𝔀𝓪𝓷𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓴𝓲𝓼𝓼 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓽𝓸 𝓼𝓲𝓵𝓮𝓷𝓬𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓸𝓻 𝓫𝓮𝓬𝓪𝓾𝓼𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝔀𝓲𝓬𝓴𝓮𝓭 𝓵𝓲𝓽𝓽𝓵𝓮 𝓶𝓸𝓾𝓽𝓱 𝓲𝓼 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓸𝓷𝓵𝔂 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓘 𝓼𝓮𝓮 𝔀𝓱𝓮𝓷 𝓘 𝓼𝓱𝓾𝓽 𝓶𝔂 𝓮𝔂𝓮𝓼.”
In addition to the word vomit, everything felt very chaotic & flighty. The conversations and dialogues are all over the place. Very minimum or no stage direction at all that made it hard to follow or know where people are standing or doing or having them one place and then suddenly appear somewhere else without the words to describe them moving made it very hard to follow, and leaving me confused.
"𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓶𝓪𝓴𝓮 𝓶𝓮 𝔀𝓪𝓷𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓬𝓱 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓽𝓱𝓻𝓸𝓪𝓽 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓬𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓾𝓻𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓵𝓲𝓹𝓼 𝓲𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓪𝓶𝓮 𝓫𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓽𝓱. 𝓕𝓾𝓬𝓴! 𝓘 𝓭𝓲𝓭𝓷’𝓽 𝓴𝓷𝓸𝔀 𝓲𝓽 𝔀𝓪𝓼 𝓹𝓸𝓼𝓼𝓲𝓫𝓵𝓮 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓸𝓷𝓮 𝓹𝓮𝓻𝓼𝓸𝓷 𝓽𝓸 𝓫𝓮 𝓼𝓸 𝓬𝓸𝓷𝓼𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓷𝓽𝓵𝔂, 𝓲𝓷𝓯𝓾𝓻𝓲𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓵𝔂 𝓪𝓵𝓵𝓾𝓻𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓲𝓻𝓻𝓲𝓽𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓪𝓽 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓪𝓶𝓮 𝓽𝓲𝓶𝓮.”
This made the revelations very unclear for me. I had to do a lot of guesswork on what's happening as a reader, and don't get me wrong, I like it when books pick at my brain, but I do need to know what our characters are thinking and need them to explain a twist at least, or just make it make sense...??
"𝓢𝓱𝓸𝔀 𝓶𝓮,” 𝓓𝓪𝓻𝓬𝓴𝓮 𝓻𝓪𝓼𝓹𝓮𝓭. “𝓢𝓱𝓸𝔀 𝓶𝓮 𝔀𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓘 𝓬𝓪𝓷’𝓽 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓮.”
Another thing that really irritated me was how pretty much everyone hated the fmc for. Granted, we got an "explanation"(?), but it wasn't explained enough/warranted the longevity of the disdain to me. The lying on her part, also did NOT need to be dragged until the last 20 pages.
I really wanted to like her, because she's marketed as the Eldest Daughter, and I did see some parallels to my own personal life at the very start, but I don't see much of it reflected in her character later on in the story. Especially in terms of her fear paralysis, and helplessness in basically every situation. Honestly, I didn't see any character development, even at the ending.
“𝓨𝓸𝓾’𝓻𝓮 𝓰𝓸𝓸𝓭,” 𝓓𝓪𝓻𝓬𝓴𝓮 𝓫𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓭. “𝓨𝓸𝓾’𝓻𝓮 𝓪 𝓿𝓮𝓻𝔂 𝓰𝓸𝓸𝓭 𝓰𝓲𝓻𝓵.”
The ending was intriguing for me, I was locked in for the last 50 pages, but again, felt really convoluted because I was lowkey confused? I had the thought of searching up people's analysis of the ending like you do after movies with open-endings(?), and this was just very unsatisfying because while I was hella fascinated, I had no idea what was going on/what things meant.
“𝓛𝓲𝓴𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝔀𝓪𝓷𝓽 𝓶𝓮 𝓽𝓸 𝓯𝓾𝓬𝓴 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓼𝓸 𝓱𝓪𝓻𝓭 𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓻 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓻𝓪𝓲𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓴𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝔀𝓲𝓵𝓵 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓷𝓸 𝓬𝓱𝓸𝓲𝓬𝓮 𝓫𝓾𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓮𝔁𝓮𝓬𝓾𝓽𝓮 𝓾𝓼 𝓫𝓸𝓽𝓱 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓱𝓸𝔀 𝓵𝓸𝓾𝓭 𝔂𝓸𝓾’𝓵𝓵 𝓼𝓬𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓶.”
On a positive note:
I was just purely hanging on to the little crumbs of the intriguing parts of the plot, and just wanted to see how Elvara & Dracke's relationship dynamic shifts - but I was struggling SO HARD to.
the slow burn was just extremely slow, with 0 progression. Usually I am one for slow burns, I'm okay with 0 romance in the first book, but I think the speed just got exacerbated by the overall speed of the plot as well? By the time we reached the climax of their tension, the story already dragged on for too long that I lowkey lost the initial spark I had gunning for them. It definitely wasn't an enemies to lovers, but forced hate to less hate (?) here.
“𝓦𝓪𝓽𝓬𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓭𝓲𝓮 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮 𝓪 𝓯𝓲𝓼𝓱 𝓼𝓽𝓻𝓾𝓰𝓰𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓫𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓽𝓱 𝓲𝓷 𝓪 𝓯𝓲𝓼𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓶𝓪𝓷’𝓼 𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓭? 𝓝𝓸. 𝓚𝓲𝓵𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓶𝔂𝓼𝓮𝓵𝓯 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓼𝓲𝓵𝓮𝓷𝓬𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝔀𝓲𝓬𝓴𝓮𝓭 𝓶𝓸𝓾𝓽𝓱 𝓸𝓯 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻𝓼? 𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝔀𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭 𝓮𝓷𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓽𝓪𝓲𝓷 𝓶𝓮 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓪 𝓯𝓮𝔀 𝓶𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓷𝓽𝓼."
I liked the moments we had with them though, don't get me wrong, those 1 to 2 sentences of interaction every 15 pages was literally my driving force. The "fuck it" moment was HOT to me, I did giggle and squeal but I didn't lose my head.
I really liked the characters though..... even the side ones, especially Dracke our MMC. Sophia really did a great job with Dracke because I am completely enamoured by this brooding, snarky, mysterious man. THE FILTH THAT HE SPEWS OUT??? HIS DIALOGUES ARE CRAZY HAHAHHAHA he's so unhinged, unserious and also really hot. I can't wait to see more of him in book two.
“𝓔𝓿𝓮𝓻𝔂𝓸𝓷𝓮 𝓮𝓵𝓼𝓮 𝓰𝓮𝓽𝓼 𝓽𝓸 𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓪𝓽 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝔀𝓱𝓮𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓾𝓷 𝓯𝓪𝓵𝓵𝓼 𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓻 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓱𝓪𝓲𝓻, 𝓶𝓪𝓴𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓲𝓽 𝓼𝓮𝓮𝓶 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮 𝓲𝓽’𝓼 𝓫𝓵𝓮𝓮𝓭𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓭𝓸𝔀𝓷 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓫𝓪𝓬𝓴.”“𝓐𝓷𝓭 𝓷𝓸𝔀? 𝓒𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓻𝓮𝓭 𝓲𝓷 𝓲𝓬𝓮 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓼𝓷𝓸𝔀? 𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓵𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓺𝓾𝓮𝓮𝓷 𝓸𝓯 𝓶𝔂 𝓸𝔀𝓷 𝓹𝓮𝓻𝓼𝓸𝓷𝓪𝓵 𝓗𝓮𝓵, 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓲𝓽’𝓼 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮 𝓘’𝓶 𝓵𝓲𝓿𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓪 𝓼𝓵𝓸𝔀 𝓭𝓮𝓪𝓽𝓱, 𝓴𝓷𝓸𝔀𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓘 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓷𝓸 𝓻𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓶𝓪𝓴𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓶𝓲𝓷𝓮. 𝓘 𝓱𝓪𝓽𝓮 𝓲𝓽."
this nearly sent me back into a reading slump, and maybe I went into this with way too high expectations and excitement, but man. I've DNF-ed for less, and have rated higher for less as well. I can see why lots of people love this, but unfortunately, I do not.
Will I be reading book 2 when it comes out next year? Probably. Will it be a drop everything, like I did with this, and dive into book 2? Probably not.
“𝓐𝓷 𝓮𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓷𝓲𝓽𝔂 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝔂𝓸𝓾, 𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓷 𝓲𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓶𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽 𝓫𝓮 𝓲𝓷 𝓗𝓮𝓵?” 𝓗𝓮 𝔀𝓱𝓲𝓹𝓹𝓮𝓭 𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓱𝓮𝓪𝓭 𝓪𝓻𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓭, 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓷 𝓬𝓻𝓪𝓼𝓱𝓮𝓭 𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓵𝓲𝓹𝓼 𝓪𝓰𝓪𝓲𝓷𝓼𝓽 𝓶𝓲𝓷𝓮 𝓲𝓷 𝓸𝓷𝓮 𝓽𝓸𝓸-𝓼𝓱𝓸𝓻𝓽, 𝓽𝓸𝓸-𝓭𝓮𝓵𝓲𝓬𝓲𝓸𝓾𝓼 𝓴𝓲𝓼𝓼. “𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓼𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓭𝓼 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮 𝓶𝔂 𝓥𝓪𝓵𝓱𝓪𝓵𝓵𝓪.”
I just SINCERELY HOPE that book 2 has absolutely minimal world building because we've had more than enough set-up in book one already, and just progresses on with the plot/relationship instead.
(this is a very borderline 3 stars hence I'm rounding it up)
June 29, 2026
“if you think that there is a place in this world i will not follow you, then you have not listened. you have still not heard me.”
—
holy SIX stars. when i tell you i haven’t read a book this fun in a hot minute. i quite literally was giggling and kicking my feet the whole time and didn’t want to put this book down.
this is how you do slow burn and real enemies to lovers. this man HATED her. i genuinely sat here wondering how and when they would even start to like each other, but when the sexual tension started… my eyes were glued to the pages.
darcke. oh my god. the tension in this book was so insane i had full-body reactions. the “show me” scene. holy off campus war flashbacks. i was SO giddy, literally about to throw my kindle. this man’s mouth is insane. btw, ofc i had to add him to my book bf list immediately.
elvara was such a refreshing fmc! the fact that she constantly puts herself through horrible things for the sake of her people, regardless of what happens to her, made my heart hurt. she’s carrying a massive secret that takes a toll on her, and i quite literally just wanted to give her a hug the whole time.
not to mention, i laughed so much reading this book. viljan constantly having to protect her when she was nearly dying had me cackling. she was definitely gonna give this man a heart attack. i also adored the side characters, and i may have gotten a little too attached to a few of them… ouch.
the last ten percent had me DYING. i was actually freaking out so badly and getting whiplash, but phew, i’m glad i survived.
i’m so glad this is a duet, and i cannot wait for the next book! i love sophia’s compelling fates saga, so i knew this would be amazing, but it absolutely surpassed my expectations.
a HUGE thank you to sophia and her team for this e-arc! ♥︎ i would love to read an early copy of book two… just saying…
“𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒓𝒆”—𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒎𝒚 𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒏, 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒆𝒚𝒆𝒔 𝒔𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒆—“ 𝒖𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒍𝒚, 𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒇𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒚, 𝒅𝒆𝒗𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒚 𝒊𝒏𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒆.”
—
holy SIX stars. when i tell you i haven’t read a book this fun in a hot minute. i quite literally was giggling and kicking my feet the whole time and didn’t want to put this book down.
this is how you do slow burn and real enemies to lovers. this man HATED her. i genuinely sat here wondering how and when they would even start to like each other, but when the sexual tension started… my eyes were glued to the pages.
darcke. oh my god. the tension in this book was so insane i had full-body reactions. the “show me” scene. holy off campus war flashbacks. i was SO giddy, literally about to throw my kindle. this man’s mouth is insane. btw, ofc i had to add him to my book bf list immediately.
elvara was such a refreshing fmc! the fact that she constantly puts herself through horrible things for the sake of her people, regardless of what happens to her, made my heart hurt. she’s carrying a massive secret that takes a toll on her, and i quite literally just wanted to give her a hug the whole time.
not to mention, i laughed so much reading this book. viljan constantly having to protect her when she was nearly dying had me cackling. she was definitely gonna give this man a heart attack. i also adored the side characters, and i may have gotten a little too attached to a few of them… ouch.
the last ten percent had me DYING. i was actually freaking out so badly and getting whiplash, but phew, i’m glad i survived.
i’m so glad this is a duet, and i cannot wait for the next book! i love sophia’s compelling fates saga, so i knew this would be amazing, but it absolutely surpassed my expectations.
a HUGE thank you to sophia and her team for this e-arc! ♥︎ i would love to read an early copy of book two… just saying…
“𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒓𝒆”—𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒎𝒚 𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒏, 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒆𝒚𝒆𝒔 𝒔𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒆—“ 𝒖𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒍𝒚, 𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒇𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒚, 𝒅𝒆𝒗𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒚 𝒊𝒏𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒆.”
Want to Read
March 31, 2026I'm a sucker for Vikings.
June 19, 2026
✨ARC Review✨
What makes me so incredibly sad is I wanted to love this book. I truly did. I enjoyed the "Compelling Fates Saga", so not enjoying this is sad to me. But something was SOO off about the writing.
There were good moments. I really enjoyed the sentient ships and how Elvara interacted with them. I thought it was unique, and giving the ships personalities without having them talk was a lot of fun. And Darcke did have some good moments and lines...
But...
Everything happens with no time to sit and absorb anything.
The amount of overclarifying, saying the same thing over and over again in the first chapter was alarming. Talking around in circles that made the chapter longer than it needed to be with Viljan and Elvara saying the same sentence or meaning over and over again was not good.
The conversations and dialog are all over the place. Incredibly chaotic with very minimum or no stage direction at all that made it hard to follow or know where people are standing or doing or having them one place and then appear somewhere else without the words to describe them moving made it very hard to follow. Almost flighty, like when your thoughts are flighty and zip from one moment to another, it felt like that.
At the 50% mark it started to feel like it was finding it's flow, I think the romance and banter was decent and that is when it started becoming more of a focus so that is why it maybe felt it was finding it's flow.
The way things are revealed isn't clear at all. A lot of guesswork that the reader has to do, and confusion. I don't need to be babied, but I do need to know what our characters are thinking and need them to explain a twist and make it make sense and clear that the characters even know what is going on when something is revealed. Again, very flighty.
The ending was very convoluted, and one of the most confusing endings I have read in a long time. It was unsatisfying because I had no idea what was going on, who was who, what was what, what things meant... it was like those dreams where you are thrown into a situation and expected to know what to do.. but you don't.
Again, I really wanted to love it, I really really did... but unfortunately I think it needs time with edits to make the flow better and spend TIME to make the payoffs worth it.
Thank you so incredibly much for the ARC. I will always be honest in my reviews 🤍
What makes me so incredibly sad is I wanted to love this book. I truly did. I enjoyed the "Compelling Fates Saga", so not enjoying this is sad to me. But something was SOO off about the writing.
There were good moments. I really enjoyed the sentient ships and how Elvara interacted with them. I thought it was unique, and giving the ships personalities without having them talk was a lot of fun. And Darcke did have some good moments and lines...
But...
Everything happens with no time to sit and absorb anything.
The amount of overclarifying, saying the same thing over and over again in the first chapter was alarming. Talking around in circles that made the chapter longer than it needed to be with Viljan and Elvara saying the same sentence or meaning over and over again was not good.
The conversations and dialog are all over the place. Incredibly chaotic with very minimum or no stage direction at all that made it hard to follow or know where people are standing or doing or having them one place and then appear somewhere else without the words to describe them moving made it very hard to follow. Almost flighty, like when your thoughts are flighty and zip from one moment to another, it felt like that.
At the 50% mark it started to feel like it was finding it's flow, I think the romance and banter was decent and that is when it started becoming more of a focus so that is why it maybe felt it was finding it's flow.
The way things are revealed isn't clear at all. A lot of guesswork that the reader has to do, and confusion. I don't need to be babied, but I do need to know what our characters are thinking and need them to explain a twist and make it make sense and clear that the characters even know what is going on when something is revealed. Again, very flighty.
The ending was very convoluted, and one of the most confusing endings I have read in a long time. It was unsatisfying because I had no idea what was going on, who was who, what was what, what things meant... it was like those dreams where you are thrown into a situation and expected to know what to do.. but you don't.
Again, I really wanted to love it, I really really did... but unfortunately I think it needs time with edits to make the flow better and spend TIME to make the payoffs worth it.
Thank you so incredibly much for the ARC. I will always be honest in my reviews 🤍
July 18, 2026
✨ARC Book Review✨
This book literally grabs your attention from the very beginning, and you won’t be able to put it down!
The story follows Elvara after she discovers that her father and brother are dead. She takes her brother’s place at the Viking academy to keep up appearances and protect her family. Her family once possessed supernatural powers, but that power is now faded. The story follows her journey as she fights to survive in this dangerous Viking world.
The world building was out of this world. Every scene was vividly detailed without feeling overwhelming. The pacing kept the adventure going from beginning to end!
Elvara is one badass chick! It definitely worked in her favor that everyone believed she was hiding supernatural powers. She was constantly playing a dangerous game of chicken with countless people who wouldn’t hesitate to kill her. She was so selfless and, even though she didn’t see it herself very admirable.
While at the academy, she becomes tethered to Darcke, and all I can say is that it was the most satisfying slow burn. Their relationship was the definition of true enemies to lovers. Watching him go from broody to completely craving Elvara was everything! The fact that their relationship was taboo made it even better.
The end of the book was absolutely wild. Talk about pure chaos! I seriously need book two now!
This book literally grabs your attention from the very beginning, and you won’t be able to put it down!
The story follows Elvara after she discovers that her father and brother are dead. She takes her brother’s place at the Viking academy to keep up appearances and protect her family. Her family once possessed supernatural powers, but that power is now faded. The story follows her journey as she fights to survive in this dangerous Viking world.
The world building was out of this world. Every scene was vividly detailed without feeling overwhelming. The pacing kept the adventure going from beginning to end!
Elvara is one badass chick! It definitely worked in her favor that everyone believed she was hiding supernatural powers. She was constantly playing a dangerous game of chicken with countless people who wouldn’t hesitate to kill her. She was so selfless and, even though she didn’t see it herself very admirable.
While at the academy, she becomes tethered to Darcke, and all I can say is that it was the most satisfying slow burn. Their relationship was the definition of true enemies to lovers. Watching him go from broody to completely craving Elvara was everything! The fact that their relationship was taboo made it even better.
The end of the book was absolutely wild. Talk about pure chaos! I seriously need book two now!
July 9, 2026
Wow... this one shocked me in the best way. I went into it with zero expectations because Viking romantasies are always hit or miss for me, but this one absolutely HIT.
I loved the Viking war academy and ruthless trials. It gave me Fourth Wing with the war academy setting, Road of Bones with the Viking atmosphere, and Servant of Earth with the brutal trials. I was hooked almost immediately.
The plot, characters, and magic system had me completely invested from the start. Between all the secrets, high stakes, shocking reveals, betrayals, and action-packed scenes, I couldn't put it down.
The characters were written so well. We got enemies who slowly became allies and eventually friends, creating a little found family that I absolutely adored.
Elvara is such a fierce, loyal FMC. She'd do anything for her people, even if it means pushing everyone away and locking her secrets deep inside. Watching her journey unfold was so satisfying.
“Watching you die like a fish struggling for breath in a fisherman’s hand? No. Killing you myself and silencing that wicked mouth of yours? That would entertain me for a few moments.”
And Darcke...whew. He's the perfect broody asshole with a mouth that had me weak in the knees. I need book two immediately because I have so many questions about this mysterious, ridiculously attractive man.
“Sometimes I can’t tell if I want to kiss you to silence you or because your wicked little mouth is the only thing I see when I shut my eyes.” He raked his other hand through his hair. “You make me want to reach for your throat and capture your lips in the same breath. Fuck! I didn’t know it was possible for one person to be so consistently, infuriatingly alluring and irritating at the same time.”
Also... can we talk about the romance?! The slow burn was absolute torture, in the best possible way. The tension, the teasing, the longing...I was being edged for this entire book, and it was incredible. That "fuck it" moment had me screaming. I was this close to getting out of bed and touching grass because HOW was there basically no spice, yet the chemistry had me losing my mind? That's how good the buildup was.
And the last 10%?! Pure, unfiltered chaos. I genuinely need time to process what the FUCK just happened. Book two cannot come soon enough.
Huge thank you to Sophia for sending me an e-arc! I can’t wait for everyone to get their hands on this story.
I loved the Viking war academy and ruthless trials. It gave me Fourth Wing with the war academy setting, Road of Bones with the Viking atmosphere, and Servant of Earth with the brutal trials. I was hooked almost immediately.
The plot, characters, and magic system had me completely invested from the start. Between all the secrets, high stakes, shocking reveals, betrayals, and action-packed scenes, I couldn't put it down.
The characters were written so well. We got enemies who slowly became allies and eventually friends, creating a little found family that I absolutely adored.
Elvara is such a fierce, loyal FMC. She'd do anything for her people, even if it means pushing everyone away and locking her secrets deep inside. Watching her journey unfold was so satisfying.
“Watching you die like a fish struggling for breath in a fisherman’s hand? No. Killing you myself and silencing that wicked mouth of yours? That would entertain me for a few moments.”
And Darcke...whew. He's the perfect broody asshole with a mouth that had me weak in the knees. I need book two immediately because I have so many questions about this mysterious, ridiculously attractive man.
“Sometimes I can’t tell if I want to kiss you to silence you or because your wicked little mouth is the only thing I see when I shut my eyes.” He raked his other hand through his hair. “You make me want to reach for your throat and capture your lips in the same breath. Fuck! I didn’t know it was possible for one person to be so consistently, infuriatingly alluring and irritating at the same time.”
Also... can we talk about the romance?! The slow burn was absolute torture, in the best possible way. The tension, the teasing, the longing...I was being edged for this entire book, and it was incredible. That "fuck it" moment had me screaming. I was this close to getting out of bed and touching grass because HOW was there basically no spice, yet the chemistry had me losing my mind? That's how good the buildup was.
And the last 10%?! Pure, unfiltered chaos. I genuinely need time to process what the FUCK just happened. Book two cannot come soon enough.
Huge thank you to Sophia for sending me an e-arc! I can’t wait for everyone to get their hands on this story.
June 18, 2026
I will be shocked if this book doesn’t get picked up by a traditional publisher.
Imagine Moana if she was a Viking and had to go to a War Academy to prove herself and to save her people.
I had such a blast gossiping about the characters in Who Hears the Waters Call by @sophiastgermain_author like they were our friends with @falling.for.fictionmco during our ARC buddy read 😍 - thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book early! (The official release date is July 22nd!)
I loved this book so much. It literally has everything we love about Romantasy books: a war academy, an FMC who has to become more than what she thought she was, a broody mysterious dirty-talking MMC, and all the slow burn, banter, tension and plot twists you could ever want! I CANNOT WAIT for book 2.
I didn’t have time before RomantasyCon LA, but now I’m definitely going to have to read The Compelling Fates Saga before @villainsandvixens and @thenewromanticsbooks event next month! 😁😍
Imagine Moana if she was a Viking and had to go to a War Academy to prove herself and to save her people.
I had such a blast gossiping about the characters in Who Hears the Waters Call by @sophiastgermain_author like they were our friends with @falling.for.fictionmco during our ARC buddy read 😍 - thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book early! (The official release date is July 22nd!)
I loved this book so much. It literally has everything we love about Romantasy books: a war academy, an FMC who has to become more than what she thought she was, a broody mysterious dirty-talking MMC, and all the slow burn, banter, tension and plot twists you could ever want! I CANNOT WAIT for book 2.
I didn’t have time before RomantasyCon LA, but now I’m definitely going to have to read The Compelling Fates Saga before @villainsandvixens and @thenewromanticsbooks event next month! 😁😍
July 21, 2026
Thank you to Sophia St Germain & team for sending me the ARC!
i really enjoyed this book! the author did such a beautiful job of making me feel deeply connected to the FMC. i had so many emotions for elvara and felt every one of them throughout the entire book. this is a true enemies to lovers and i instantly fell for the broody Darcke, but what i also loved is that the other male characters like Ivren, felt purposeful and played a real part in the story. the viking inspired world and elemental magic system were cool and surprisingly easy to follow, and the trials and politics kept me genuinely engaged without feeling overwhelming. the banter between Vara and Darcke was good! there was minimal spice (1.5🌶️)but the tension more than made up for it. and that last 30%?? the twists completely had me sat, it took the story to a whole new level. i am so looking forward to Elvara’s journey in book two and i’m hoping we get more of her past, maybe a little more about her brother and further development character with the rest of the heirs. 4.5/5
i really enjoyed this book! the author did such a beautiful job of making me feel deeply connected to the FMC. i had so many emotions for elvara and felt every one of them throughout the entire book. this is a true enemies to lovers and i instantly fell for the broody Darcke, but what i also loved is that the other male characters like Ivren, felt purposeful and played a real part in the story. the viking inspired world and elemental magic system were cool and surprisingly easy to follow, and the trials and politics kept me genuinely engaged without feeling overwhelming. the banter between Vara and Darcke was good! there was minimal spice (1.5🌶️)but the tension more than made up for it. and that last 30%?? the twists completely had me sat, it took the story to a whole new level. i am so looking forward to Elvara’s journey in book two and i’m hoping we get more of her past, maybe a little more about her brother and further development character with the rest of the heirs. 4.5/5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 26, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (and honestly, I’d give it more if I could)
How do I go back to reality after reading this? What do I do now? If this isn’t already on your TBR, fix that immediately.
Sophia St Germaine (author of The Compelling Fates Saga) launches her new series Zeal of the North, and wow… what a start.
Set in a breathtaking Viking inspired world the eldest daughter of the chieftain of their village, takes her brother’s seat at the Hird, an elite War Academy after her father and brother are found slaughtered. The only way Elvara can save her people from extinction is to survive the trials at the Hird, and hopefully earn a rune from the Gods.
This has everything! And is a true ENEMIES to.., well, you’ll see! I mean they HATE each
There were so many standout moments, but my absolute favourite: “🩸 Smells like bastard.” 😂 Pure gold.
Thank you, Sophia, I had a BLAST reading this! It’s in my list of best reads this year! I can’t wait for the next book. You completely hijacked my day, because yes, that’s how long it took me to read this. I could not put it down. Please 🙏🏻 don’t make us wait took long, we need to go back to the Hird!
How do I go back to reality after reading this? What do I do now? If this isn’t already on your TBR, fix that immediately.
Sophia St Germaine (author of The Compelling Fates Saga) launches her new series Zeal of the North, and wow… what a start.
Set in a breathtaking Viking inspired world the eldest daughter of the chieftain of their village, takes her brother’s seat at the Hird, an elite War Academy after her father and brother are found slaughtered. The only way Elvara can save her people from extinction is to survive the trials at the Hird, and hopefully earn a rune from the Gods.
This has everything! And is a true ENEMIES to.., well, you’ll see! I mean they HATE each
There were so many standout moments, but my absolute favourite: “🩸 Smells like bastard.” 😂 Pure gold.
Thank you, Sophia, I had a BLAST reading this! It’s in my list of best reads this year! I can’t wait for the next book. You completely hijacked my day, because yes, that’s how long it took me to read this. I could not put it down. Please 🙏🏻 don’t make us wait took long, we need to go back to the Hird!
July 27, 2026
Thank you to the author for my ARC copy of this book I am very grateful for it, even though I didn’t care for it.
I tried my best to keep going and finish this book, but the characters were so unlikable that I couldn’t care less if they lived or died in their Viking heir trials. There wasn’t a single character I care for, even our main lead Elvara and her bodyguard Viljan, which made my investment nonexistent and made reading a little insufferable.
I tried my best to keep going and finish this book, but the characters were so unlikable that I couldn’t care less if they lived or died in their Viking heir trials. There wasn’t a single character I care for, even our main lead Elvara and her bodyguard Viljan, which made my investment nonexistent and made reading a little insufferable.
June 16, 2026
As an eldest daughter, I loved this book so much! I felt so seen by Elvara. I haven’t read other books by this author yet, but I’m definitely going to!!
“You are”—his hand lifted my chin, his eyes searing into mine—“utterly, terrifyingly, devastatingly infinite.”
“You are”—his hand lifted my chin, his eyes searing into mine—“utterly, terrifyingly, devastatingly infinite.”
Read
June 20, 2026DNF at 32% (205 pages)
This book sounded amazing with vikings, sentient ships, war academy, and of course, my favorite trope, enemies to lovers. And I’ve really enjoyed Sophia’s previous books. But unfortunately I couldn’t get into the story in this one and I didn’t really connect with the characters.
For me personally, there was so much unnecessary dialogue where the characters kept going on and on about the same things over and over again. Also the dialogue often felt kind of choppy instead of a discussion that’s flowing naturally.
The reason why absolutely everyone seemed to instantly hate the FMC was unclear to me, maybe there would’ve been some kind of explanation later in the book, but in the 200+ pages I read there was no explanation. Like did she do something, did her family do something to offend absolutely everyone?
The sentient ships were a nice, unique idea.
Not a bad book, just not for me. I might try to read this again someday in the future, but right now I don’t see myself finishing this.
Thank you Sophia for the opportunity to ARC read this book! Receiving ARC didn’t affect my opinion of the book.
This book sounded amazing with vikings, sentient ships, war academy, and of course, my favorite trope, enemies to lovers. And I’ve really enjoyed Sophia’s previous books. But unfortunately I couldn’t get into the story in this one and I didn’t really connect with the characters.
For me personally, there was so much unnecessary dialogue where the characters kept going on and on about the same things over and over again. Also the dialogue often felt kind of choppy instead of a discussion that’s flowing naturally.
The reason why absolutely everyone seemed to instantly hate the FMC was unclear to me, maybe there would’ve been some kind of explanation later in the book, but in the 200+ pages I read there was no explanation. Like did she do something, did her family do something to offend absolutely everyone?
The sentient ships were a nice, unique idea.
Not a bad book, just not for me. I might try to read this again someday in the future, but right now I don’t see myself finishing this.
Thank you Sophia for the opportunity to ARC read this book! Receiving ARC didn’t affect my opinion of the book.
July 26, 2026
⋆.˚ ☼⋆𓇼｡𖦹˙༄.° 3.75 ★ ⋆.˚ ☼⋆𓇼｡𖦹˙༄.° (sorryyyy I’m all over the place but this is a re-edit of my rating)
This has been on my release calendar for MONTHS.
Even though I’ve been so deep in my dark romance era lately, there was absolutely no chance I wasn’t dropping everything to read this the second it came out. I was beyond excited for it. Looking back now, I genuinely think the only reason this isn’t a full five stars is because of my mood. I’m such a mood reader, and if this hadn’t been a release I’d been anticipating for so long, I honestly probably wouldn’t have picked up a fantasy this week. I would’ve stayed in my dark romance bubble. So I don’t even know if I can really blame the book for the slower start because I think a lot of that came down to where my head was at rather than the story itself.
Once I settled into this world though… oh my god. After around the 70% mark, I absolutely flew through it. I don’t even know where the pages went because I suddenly couldn’t stop reading. This book completely pulled me in, and by the end I was already desperate for book two. This was also my very first Viking romance, and now I’m wondering why it took me so long to read one because I absolutely loved it.
Elvara was such an easy FMC to root for. She’s expected to be this terrifying woman because of who her father was and because everyone believes she possesses this incredible Rune power, yet she’s carrying the secret that she doesn’t actually have it. Watching her enter these trials knowing everyone is already judging her before she’s even had a chance to prove herself honestly broke my heart. She spent so much of the beginning standing completely alone, and you really do sympathise with everything she has to carry. I loved watching her slowly grow into herself throughout the story. Her development felt earned, and by the end I was so unbelievably proud of her.
But can we PLEASE talk about Darcke? Our author genuinely needs to explain where she comes up with this man’s dialogue because I fear this is some of my favourite dialogue I’ve ever read.
I always talk about how I get tired of cliché romance moments. You know the ones… the dramatic “fuck it” moment where the guy suddenly runs across the room and kisses her. I’ve read it so many times in books and seen it so many times in movies that, most of the time, it honestly doesn’t make me feel anything anymore. I feel completely desensitised to it.
Yet somehow… the author made me love it. It happened towards the end, after such a long emotional build-up, and because I’d become so emotionally connected to Elvara and Darcke, it just worked. That’s what made it different. It wasn’t the moment itself—it was everything that came before it. The slow burn was genuinely slow, and because of that every single look, every bit of banter and every little moment between them meant so much more.
The romance was honestly incredible. Their emotional connection felt so natural, and once things finally started happening between them, it was SO worth the wait.
༄ “Your body doesn’t lie as well as your mouth does.”
༄ “Sometimes I can’t tell if I want to kiss you to silence you or because your wicked little mouth is the only thing I see when I shut my eyes.”
༄ “You made me feel like this. You fucking took my heart—stole it without me even noticing. You invaded my mind and claimed me for yours. So you don’t get to leave. You don’t get to leave me.”
The enemies-to-lovers aspect was done so well too. It’s already my favourite trope, but then Aura somehow made the stakes even higher by making Darcke become Elvara’s Second. The fact that they literally couldn’t act on any feelings because they’d be executed just made the tension unbearable in the best possible way. Every interaction suddenly mattered so much more because there were actual consequences.
I also absolutely LOVE a magical bond in fantasy, and once that came into the story I was obsessed. I’m such a sucker for bonded couples, and I loved how it added another emotional layer to their relationship. The trials were another huge highlight for me. They genuinely reminded me of The Hunger Games, especially Catching Fire, because of the way alliances started forming. At first they’re paired off, but then more of the heirs slowly begin coming together, and I absolutely loved watching those dynamics develop.
Then there was the forest trial. OH MY GOD. I don’t think I’ll ever stop thinking about it. Watching Elvara slowly lose herself as the forest took over her mind while Darcke was desperately trying to reach her had me completely hooked. The entire atmosphere was so eerie, and I genuinely had no idea how they were going to get out of it.
The magic system as a whole was just so interesting. And then… The boats. I cannot believe I’m about to say this, but who knew I’d end up rooting for a BOAT?The ships being sentient might honestly be one of the most unique fantasy elements I’ve ever read. There was one scene where Darcke was being particularly rude to Elvara, and the ship literally refused to let them leave. It basically forced them together, and I was laughing so much. I never thought I’d become emotionally attached to a ship, but here we are. It’s little things like that which make a fantasy world feel so different.
There was also so much happening outside of the romance. We have the trials, the mystery surrounding who’s murdering people despite them supposedly being safe in the King’s lands, the politics, the executions, the Rune magic, the bonds… there was constantly something keeping me interested.
The only thing I’d say, and this is me being incredibly picky, is that because there are so many heirs and Seconds introduced quite early on, it did take me a little while to keep everyone straight in my head. I also would’ve loved slightly more physical descriptions because once I become immersed in a book, it’s almost like a movie starts playing in my head. I love being able to picture everyone as clearly as possible.
Again though… I genuinely don’t know whether that was the book or just my reading mood because once I settled in, I had absolutely no issues. One thing I loved was that every single side character actually felt important. I wasn’t just invested in Elvara and Darcke—I genuinely cared about everyone around them too, and I’m so excited to see where all of their stories go next. The final 5%… WHAT. The.HELL. I absolutely devoured the ending.
There were so many twists that I genuinely didn’t see coming, and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. It definitely ends in a way that immediately makes you need book two. I wouldn’t say it’s one of those horrific cliffhangers that leaves you screaming, but it’s absolutely enough to make you desperate to know what happens next. I also think this book has done something I genuinely wasn’t expecting. It made me want to read more fantasy again.
Considering I was so convinced I only wanted dark romance this week, I actually think that’s one of the biggest compliments I can give this book. If a story is powerful enough to completely shift my reading mood and remind me why I fell in love with fantasy in the first place, then it’s clearly doing something incredibly right. I’m already counting down until book two.
༄ “Good girl,” Darcke drawled. “I knew you had it in you.”
༄ “No. Killing you myself and silencing that wicked mouth of yours? That would entertain me for a few moments.”
༄ “You were going to let me die to keep your secrets.”
༄ “Show me what I can’t have.”
༄ “About. Fucking. Time.”
༄ “You look like the queen of my own personal Hell, and it’s like I’m living a slow death, knowing I have no right to make you mine. I hate it.”
༄ “No, you just let a cave fall down on you so I won’t get hurt. Tell me, how is your back?”
This has been on my release calendar for MONTHS.
Even though I’ve been so deep in my dark romance era lately, there was absolutely no chance I wasn’t dropping everything to read this the second it came out. I was beyond excited for it. Looking back now, I genuinely think the only reason this isn’t a full five stars is because of my mood. I’m such a mood reader, and if this hadn’t been a release I’d been anticipating for so long, I honestly probably wouldn’t have picked up a fantasy this week. I would’ve stayed in my dark romance bubble. So I don’t even know if I can really blame the book for the slower start because I think a lot of that came down to where my head was at rather than the story itself.
Once I settled into this world though… oh my god. After around the 70% mark, I absolutely flew through it. I don’t even know where the pages went because I suddenly couldn’t stop reading. This book completely pulled me in, and by the end I was already desperate for book two. This was also my very first Viking romance, and now I’m wondering why it took me so long to read one because I absolutely loved it.
Elvara was such an easy FMC to root for. She’s expected to be this terrifying woman because of who her father was and because everyone believes she possesses this incredible Rune power, yet she’s carrying the secret that she doesn’t actually have it. Watching her enter these trials knowing everyone is already judging her before she’s even had a chance to prove herself honestly broke my heart. She spent so much of the beginning standing completely alone, and you really do sympathise with everything she has to carry. I loved watching her slowly grow into herself throughout the story. Her development felt earned, and by the end I was so unbelievably proud of her.
But can we PLEASE talk about Darcke? Our author genuinely needs to explain where she comes up with this man’s dialogue because I fear this is some of my favourite dialogue I’ve ever read.
I always talk about how I get tired of cliché romance moments. You know the ones… the dramatic “fuck it” moment where the guy suddenly runs across the room and kisses her. I’ve read it so many times in books and seen it so many times in movies that, most of the time, it honestly doesn’t make me feel anything anymore. I feel completely desensitised to it.
Yet somehow… the author made me love it. It happened towards the end, after such a long emotional build-up, and because I’d become so emotionally connected to Elvara and Darcke, it just worked. That’s what made it different. It wasn’t the moment itself—it was everything that came before it. The slow burn was genuinely slow, and because of that every single look, every bit of banter and every little moment between them meant so much more.
The romance was honestly incredible. Their emotional connection felt so natural, and once things finally started happening between them, it was SO worth the wait.
༄ “Your body doesn’t lie as well as your mouth does.”
༄ “Sometimes I can’t tell if I want to kiss you to silence you or because your wicked little mouth is the only thing I see when I shut my eyes.”
༄ “You made me feel like this. You fucking took my heart—stole it without me even noticing. You invaded my mind and claimed me for yours. So you don’t get to leave. You don’t get to leave me.”
The enemies-to-lovers aspect was done so well too. It’s already my favourite trope, but then Aura somehow made the stakes even higher by making Darcke become Elvara’s Second. The fact that they literally couldn’t act on any feelings because they’d be executed just made the tension unbearable in the best possible way. Every interaction suddenly mattered so much more because there were actual consequences.
I also absolutely LOVE a magical bond in fantasy, and once that came into the story I was obsessed. I’m such a sucker for bonded couples, and I loved how it added another emotional layer to their relationship. The trials were another huge highlight for me. They genuinely reminded me of The Hunger Games, especially Catching Fire, because of the way alliances started forming. At first they’re paired off, but then more of the heirs slowly begin coming together, and I absolutely loved watching those dynamics develop.
Then there was the forest trial. OH MY GOD. I don’t think I’ll ever stop thinking about it. Watching Elvara slowly lose herself as the forest took over her mind while Darcke was desperately trying to reach her had me completely hooked. The entire atmosphere was so eerie, and I genuinely had no idea how they were going to get out of it.
The magic system as a whole was just so interesting. And then… The boats. I cannot believe I’m about to say this, but who knew I’d end up rooting for a BOAT?The ships being sentient might honestly be one of the most unique fantasy elements I’ve ever read. There was one scene where Darcke was being particularly rude to Elvara, and the ship literally refused to let them leave. It basically forced them together, and I was laughing so much. I never thought I’d become emotionally attached to a ship, but here we are. It’s little things like that which make a fantasy world feel so different.
There was also so much happening outside of the romance. We have the trials, the mystery surrounding who’s murdering people despite them supposedly being safe in the King’s lands, the politics, the executions, the Rune magic, the bonds… there was constantly something keeping me interested.
The only thing I’d say, and this is me being incredibly picky, is that because there are so many heirs and Seconds introduced quite early on, it did take me a little while to keep everyone straight in my head. I also would’ve loved slightly more physical descriptions because once I become immersed in a book, it’s almost like a movie starts playing in my head. I love being able to picture everyone as clearly as possible.
Again though… I genuinely don’t know whether that was the book or just my reading mood because once I settled in, I had absolutely no issues. One thing I loved was that every single side character actually felt important. I wasn’t just invested in Elvara and Darcke—I genuinely cared about everyone around them too, and I’m so excited to see where all of their stories go next. The final 5%… WHAT. The.HELL. I absolutely devoured the ending.
There were so many twists that I genuinely didn’t see coming, and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. It definitely ends in a way that immediately makes you need book two. I wouldn’t say it’s one of those horrific cliffhangers that leaves you screaming, but it’s absolutely enough to make you desperate to know what happens next. I also think this book has done something I genuinely wasn’t expecting. It made me want to read more fantasy again.
Considering I was so convinced I only wanted dark romance this week, I actually think that’s one of the biggest compliments I can give this book. If a story is powerful enough to completely shift my reading mood and remind me why I fell in love with fantasy in the first place, then it’s clearly doing something incredibly right. I’m already counting down until book two.
༄ “Good girl,” Darcke drawled. “I knew you had it in you.”
༄ “No. Killing you myself and silencing that wicked mouth of yours? That would entertain me for a few moments.”
༄ “You were going to let me die to keep your secrets.”
༄ “Show me what I can’t have.”
༄ “About. Fucking. Time.”
༄ “You look like the queen of my own personal Hell, and it’s like I’m living a slow death, knowing I have no right to make you mine. I hate it.”
༄ “No, you just let a cave fall down on you so I won’t get hurt. Tell me, how is your back?”
July 24, 2026
⭐ 4.75 out of 5 stars
Okay... can we talk about how good this book was?
Vikings? Norse mythology? Check and check! Plus a world that's bloody, brutal, and feels like it'll chew you up if you make one bad decision? So yeah... You can see why I was all over that.
Elvara's story grabbed hold and pulled me through this one. The poor woman barely has time to think before some other burden gets dumped on her. She's trying to keep her people alive, dangerous secrets buried, survive the Hird, and somehow try not to let anyone realize she's hanging on by a thread. I genuinely had several moments where I asked myself how she was going to get out of the next mess.
And don't even get me started on Darcke. Every time I thought I had him figured out, he'd do something that had me right back to guessing again. I have a feeling he's going to be popular with romantasy readers.
The world just kept opening up the more I read. Every bit of lore, magic and trials made me want another piece of it, and I don't even feel like we've scratched the surface. At least I hope so.
Seriously... I need book two. Thankfully, with another release expected later this year, I don't have to wait too long.
Okay... can we talk about how good this book was?
Vikings? Norse mythology? Check and check! Plus a world that's bloody, brutal, and feels like it'll chew you up if you make one bad decision? So yeah... You can see why I was all over that.
Elvara's story grabbed hold and pulled me through this one. The poor woman barely has time to think before some other burden gets dumped on her. She's trying to keep her people alive, dangerous secrets buried, survive the Hird, and somehow try not to let anyone realize she's hanging on by a thread. I genuinely had several moments where I asked myself how she was going to get out of the next mess.
And don't even get me started on Darcke. Every time I thought I had him figured out, he'd do something that had me right back to guessing again. I have a feeling he's going to be popular with romantasy readers.
The world just kept opening up the more I read. Every bit of lore, magic and trials made me want another piece of it, and I don't even feel like we've scratched the surface. At least I hope so.
Seriously... I need book two. Thankfully, with another release expected later this year, I don't have to wait too long.
July 22, 2026
4.5⭐️, 1.5🌶️
Sophia does it ones again and I really did love this one! After loving Compelling Fates saga by her, I was excited to dive into a new series by her, and she did not disappoint!
I loved the world building and Viking lore and culture in this one. You can tell she really put thought and time into building this world and while I had a hard time pronouncing things, even with the pronunciation guide lol, I still enjoyed the hierarchy with the gods and different territories and how they worked with the political hierarchy. I also could picture the world she built easily and I loved that a lot of the story involved the land and the sea (those magical boats were my fave side characters lol).
As for the plot I will always eat up a deadly trials situation. I liked the way she laid these ones out and I thought the pacing was done well where it did last for most of the book, but they didn’t feel like the major plot point of the story. I felt like there were multiple times I was holding my breath waiting to see how the FMC was going to get out of a situation, but it was always solved in a way that made sense and didn’t seem too unrealistic.
As for the romance and characters I loveddddd the enemies to lovers banter between our main characters. The FMC did take me a second to warm up to because of the choices she made, but I could understand at some points the reasoning behind her decision making, and there were quit e a few times she was smart about the way she approached things. As for the MMC I loved him and his broodiness, but I do hope we get to know more about him and more of his personality in the next book! And as for the slow burn romance it truly was *chef’s kiss* and the tension that built up this book was everything I needed it to be. And I can’t wait to see how it explodes in future books 😍
I also loved quite a few of the side characters and hope to see more of them in future books as well. Once again she got me with a death I was not expecting and it did bring some tears to my eyes 😭 I also love that that this did not leave off on a cliffhanger ending, but I am very interested to see what the future conflict will be after what happened at the end.
If you are a Viking romantasy lover and looking for a new slow burn romance with the best tension and enemies to lovers banter, then I highly recommend!
Sophia does it ones again and I really did love this one! After loving Compelling Fates saga by her, I was excited to dive into a new series by her, and she did not disappoint!
I loved the world building and Viking lore and culture in this one. You can tell she really put thought and time into building this world and while I had a hard time pronouncing things, even with the pronunciation guide lol, I still enjoyed the hierarchy with the gods and different territories and how they worked with the political hierarchy. I also could picture the world she built easily and I loved that a lot of the story involved the land and the sea (those magical boats were my fave side characters lol).
As for the plot I will always eat up a deadly trials situation. I liked the way she laid these ones out and I thought the pacing was done well where it did last for most of the book, but they didn’t feel like the major plot point of the story. I felt like there were multiple times I was holding my breath waiting to see how the FMC was going to get out of a situation, but it was always solved in a way that made sense and didn’t seem too unrealistic.
As for the romance and characters I loveddddd the enemies to lovers banter between our main characters. The FMC did take me a second to warm up to because of the choices she made, but I could understand at some points the reasoning behind her decision making, and there were quit e a few times she was smart about the way she approached things. As for the MMC I loved him and his broodiness, but I do hope we get to know more about him and more of his personality in the next book! And as for the slow burn romance it truly was *chef’s kiss* and the tension that built up this book was everything I needed it to be. And I can’t wait to see how it explodes in future books 😍
I also loved quite a few of the side characters and hope to see more of them in future books as well. Once again she got me with a death I was not expecting and it did bring some tears to my eyes 😭 I also love that that this did not leave off on a cliffhanger ending, but I am very interested to see what the future conflict will be after what happened at the end.
If you are a Viking romantasy lover and looking for a new slow burn romance with the best tension and enemies to lovers banter, then I highly recommend!
August 4, 2026
4.5⭐️
What. A. Ride.
Sophia never misses. I fell in love with her writing when I read her Compelling Fates Saga, and Who Hears the Waters' Call did not disappoint.
Elvara, our FMC, has had her entire world uprooted after the deaths of her father and brother. She was never meant to be the heir or enter the Hird to become chieftain, but she'll do anything to protect her people.
It seriously hurt my heart watching how consumed by loneliness she was. At the beginning of her journey, all she really had was her guard, Viljan, a man placed at her side at her father's request. Everywhere she turned, she was met with insults and doubt from the other heirs, Jarls, and Karls.
Especially one man...
Darcke.
That man hated her something fierce.
But when it came time for the heirs to choose their seconds, Elvara had to think on her feet after her original choice was taken from her. So who does she choose?
None other than the warrior who can't stand her.
Darcke. 🤭
And man... was the tension tensioning. Their banter and constant quips had me kicking my feet. But once the battle bond was initiated?
Yeah... that made things even more interesting.
I laughed. I screamed. I cried.
While we learned so much about Elvara and Darcke, there were still a few moments where I found myself a little confused about parts of their story. I'm hoping we get more clarification in book two.
Needless to say, I'll be there.
What. A. Ride.
Sophia never misses. I fell in love with her writing when I read her Compelling Fates Saga, and Who Hears the Waters' Call did not disappoint.
Elvara, our FMC, has had her entire world uprooted after the deaths of her father and brother. She was never meant to be the heir or enter the Hird to become chieftain, but she'll do anything to protect her people.
It seriously hurt my heart watching how consumed by loneliness she was. At the beginning of her journey, all she really had was her guard, Viljan, a man placed at her side at her father's request. Everywhere she turned, she was met with insults and doubt from the other heirs, Jarls, and Karls.
Especially one man...
Darcke.
That man hated her something fierce.
But when it came time for the heirs to choose their seconds, Elvara had to think on her feet after her original choice was taken from her. So who does she choose?
None other than the warrior who can't stand her.
Darcke. 🤭
And man... was the tension tensioning. Their banter and constant quips had me kicking my feet. But once the battle bond was initiated?
Yeah... that made things even more interesting.
I laughed. I screamed. I cried.
While we learned so much about Elvara and Darcke, there were still a few moments where I found myself a little confused about parts of their story. I'm hoping we get more clarification in book two.
Needless to say, I'll be there.
August 1, 2026
This book took me a little longer to get into, mostly because it was my first Viking Romantasy and I really wanted to understand some of the foundational beliefs of Vikings and their history. I also consulted the pronunciation guide quite a bit for the same reason and just wanted to read it the way it was written to be enjoyed.
Elvara's dad was the chief of his people, and her older brother, Lika, was his heir. On their way to the trials where the heirs have to prove themselves in order to ascend to their thrones and gain their runes (that power their magic), they are killed. In order to save her people, Elvara must join the trials and pretend like she was sent there. Why the secrecy? As soon as her dad died, her own power was stripped by the gods, leaving her to go into the trials against others who have substantial power. When her childhood guard cannot be chosen as her own second, Elvara must choose another and determine who she can trust and who will get her killed.
NOW once I got a bit further into the story, I was hooked. This story was unlike any other I've read and I think that had me really intrigued and not wanting to put it down. While it's on the longer side, I really do think you need the length to be able to understand the backstory, a new world, as well as all of the content that happens.
This is the first in a duet and I can't wait for the second to come out next year. But what am I supposed to do until then?! 😭
Elvara's dad was the chief of his people, and her older brother, Lika, was his heir. On their way to the trials where the heirs have to prove themselves in order to ascend to their thrones and gain their runes (that power their magic), they are killed. In order to save her people, Elvara must join the trials and pretend like she was sent there. Why the secrecy? As soon as her dad died, her own power was stripped by the gods, leaving her to go into the trials against others who have substantial power. When her childhood guard cannot be chosen as her own second, Elvara must choose another and determine who she can trust and who will get her killed.
NOW once I got a bit further into the story, I was hooked. This story was unlike any other I've read and I think that had me really intrigued and not wanting to put it down. While it's on the longer side, I really do think you need the length to be able to understand the backstory, a new world, as well as all of the content that happens.
This is the first in a duet and I can't wait for the second to come out next year. But what am I supposed to do until then?! 😭
July 16, 2026
This book was not what I was expecting, but it surprised me and has triggered a new interest for me: Viking Romantasy.
Elvara, is a fierce, loyal, and stubborn FMC, who gives MAJOR eldest daughter vibes. After some devasting news, she travels to the Hird, which is a Viking gathering with deadly trials to determine the next generation of leaders, to represent her family. Despite her mounting anxiety and (recent) loss of power, she bravely steps up to represent her family and take ownership of her Flyki (Viking clan). Upon arriving to the Hird, she is assaulted, deceived, and makes some questionable decisions that leave her outcasted, demonstrating the ruthlessness of the Vikings and laying the groundwork for a violent, suspenseful and high stakes plot.
Despite the slower pace for the first half of the book, I was invested and on the edge of my set for most of it. I felt tense and excited reading it, as it seemed like deceit, deadly trials, assassins and danger lurked around every corner, which I ate up. I really enjoyed how this book was much more than romance and really played with the forbidden love and enemies to lovers’ tropes.
The tension and banter between Elvara and Darcke was refreshing, as it was dark, puzzling, and competitive. I loved how they were constantly battling to get under each other’s skin and I appreciated how there was no insta-lust, and the slow burn took its time. So much so, that for a significant part of this book, I wasn’t even sure Darcke was the MMC love interest.
The sentient ships were an absolute highlight for me, I loved their playful, snarky, and judgmental attitudes. I also enjoyed how their calming and reassuring emotions that they emanated (often to the FMC) contrasted the amount of violence, betrayals, and death; I hope there is more of that in book two.
I did struggle a bit with the ending, as the pacing sped up and left me with several questions. However, I do feel like this was intentional, as a way for the reader to relate with Elvara after she is blindsided and left with an overwhelming amount of information, secrets and reveals. I am looking forward to reading the second book in this series to see how it all plays out.
If you’re looking for a dark, gritty, Viking romantasy read filled with deadly trials, rune magic, corruption, sentient ships, slow-burn and forbidden romance, grab your copy when this releases on July 22, 2026.
Thank you to Sophia St. Germain and Amanda Mauck (PA) for the ARC copy of the ebook in exchange for an honest review.
Elvara, is a fierce, loyal, and stubborn FMC, who gives MAJOR eldest daughter vibes. After some devasting news, she travels to the Hird, which is a Viking gathering with deadly trials to determine the next generation of leaders, to represent her family. Despite her mounting anxiety and (recent) loss of power, she bravely steps up to represent her family and take ownership of her Flyki (Viking clan). Upon arriving to the Hird, she is assaulted, deceived, and makes some questionable decisions that leave her outcasted, demonstrating the ruthlessness of the Vikings and laying the groundwork for a violent, suspenseful and high stakes plot.
Despite the slower pace for the first half of the book, I was invested and on the edge of my set for most of it. I felt tense and excited reading it, as it seemed like deceit, deadly trials, assassins and danger lurked around every corner, which I ate up. I really enjoyed how this book was much more than romance and really played with the forbidden love and enemies to lovers’ tropes.
The tension and banter between Elvara and Darcke was refreshing, as it was dark, puzzling, and competitive. I loved how they were constantly battling to get under each other’s skin and I appreciated how there was no insta-lust, and the slow burn took its time. So much so, that for a significant part of this book, I wasn’t even sure Darcke was the MMC love interest.
The sentient ships were an absolute highlight for me, I loved their playful, snarky, and judgmental attitudes. I also enjoyed how their calming and reassuring emotions that they emanated (often to the FMC) contrasted the amount of violence, betrayals, and death; I hope there is more of that in book two.
I did struggle a bit with the ending, as the pacing sped up and left me with several questions. However, I do feel like this was intentional, as a way for the reader to relate with Elvara after she is blindsided and left with an overwhelming amount of information, secrets and reveals. I am looking forward to reading the second book in this series to see how it all plays out.
If you’re looking for a dark, gritty, Viking romantasy read filled with deadly trials, rune magic, corruption, sentient ships, slow-burn and forbidden romance, grab your copy when this releases on July 22, 2026.
Thank you to Sophia St. Germain and Amanda Mauck (PA) for the ARC copy of the ebook in exchange for an honest review.
June 7, 2026
Thank you, Sophia for this eARC!
4.5 rounded up ✨ okay my mind is still SPINNING from this!! Badass Vikings, an academy, bonds, sentient boats, literally he hates her, and one of my new favorite “f*ck it” moments. The world building was soooo incredible here - I was immersed from the start and found myself never wanting to leave this world.
Elvara will sacrifice anything and everything for her people. She is stubborn to a fault but won’t let anything get in her way. Every chapter I’m like, damn give this poor girl a break!! Darcke is a broody, broken, warrior who is confusing af. He has big feelings and he’s not very good at processing them but he’s also now one of my favorite MMCs. I think? I’ll return to that statement when book 2 exists.
I love all of our side characters and how they fit into the story, they all serve a purpose. Naturally, like any other romantasy, I trust none of them but I still them all the same. Like Ivren, I would die for him.
I had to read the ending over again because my brain was allllll over the place. So many questions and I can’t wait to see what happens!!
4.5 rounded up ✨ okay my mind is still SPINNING from this!! Badass Vikings, an academy, bonds, sentient boats, literally he hates her, and one of my new favorite “f*ck it” moments. The world building was soooo incredible here - I was immersed from the start and found myself never wanting to leave this world.
Elvara will sacrifice anything and everything for her people. She is stubborn to a fault but won’t let anything get in her way. Every chapter I’m like, damn give this poor girl a break!! Darcke is a broody, broken, warrior who is confusing af. He has big feelings and he’s not very good at processing them but he’s also now one of my favorite MMCs. I think? I’ll return to that statement when book 2 exists.
I love all of our side characters and how they fit into the story, they all serve a purpose. Naturally, like any other romantasy, I trust none of them but I still them all the same. Like Ivren, I would die for him.
I had to read the ending over again because my brain was allllll over the place. So many questions and I can’t wait to see what happens!!
July 2, 2026
✨Who Hears the Water’s Call✨
Gosh, y’all. I am SO sad I have finished this book and don’t have the sequel in my hand. Sophia has given us another incredible story with such a unique premise and deliciously TRUE enemies to lovers. WHTWC is a full-bodied, completely immersive Viking tale and you do NOT want to miss out on this incredible world and cast of characters. I felt EVERY emotion. Laughed. Raged. Cried. Gasped. Swooned. Giggled. And sat staring at the wall.
In WHTWC, we follow the singular POV of our FMC, Elvara, who has just received news that her brother and father have been murdered. Now she is not only heir to her clan, but must undergo the trials to gain her own rune that will empower her people all without the strength of her father’s rune. She faces not only deadly trials, but must hide her lack of magic and loss of her father, lie and cheat to survive, and battle men who want nothing more than to see her fail or die. Bonded to the grumpiest, broodiest, most violent warrior, Darcke, Vara accumulates a found family, betrayals, secrets, hidden identities, and a plot that goes back to her very roots.
WHTWC is a sloooooow burn and true enemies to lovers Romantasy. Sophia creates a cast that we not only love to hate but also hate to love. They’re flawed, angry, and desperate for their people. The dynamic between them all was so organic and it made the wins and losses so much heavier. And the romance. WOW. Just WOW. I have so many feelings in the end, but Darcke…. I NEED MORE OF THIS BROODY MAN and his dirty mouth. 🤭
Tropes you may find in WHTWC are enemies to lovers, Vikings, forced proximity, battle bonds, deadly trials, hidden identities, slow burn to low spice, rune magic, sentient ships, war academy, found family, forbidden love, a phenomenal f*ck it moment, and an ending that has me so excited!
Sophia, I have loved being an arc reader since Tongue, and I’m thrilled to continue. Thank you!
Gosh, y’all. I am SO sad I have finished this book and don’t have the sequel in my hand. Sophia has given us another incredible story with such a unique premise and deliciously TRUE enemies to lovers. WHTWC is a full-bodied, completely immersive Viking tale and you do NOT want to miss out on this incredible world and cast of characters. I felt EVERY emotion. Laughed. Raged. Cried. Gasped. Swooned. Giggled. And sat staring at the wall.
In WHTWC, we follow the singular POV of our FMC, Elvara, who has just received news that her brother and father have been murdered. Now she is not only heir to her clan, but must undergo the trials to gain her own rune that will empower her people all without the strength of her father’s rune. She faces not only deadly trials, but must hide her lack of magic and loss of her father, lie and cheat to survive, and battle men who want nothing more than to see her fail or die. Bonded to the grumpiest, broodiest, most violent warrior, Darcke, Vara accumulates a found family, betrayals, secrets, hidden identities, and a plot that goes back to her very roots.
WHTWC is a sloooooow burn and true enemies to lovers Romantasy. Sophia creates a cast that we not only love to hate but also hate to love. They’re flawed, angry, and desperate for their people. The dynamic between them all was so organic and it made the wins and losses so much heavier. And the romance. WOW. Just WOW. I have so many feelings in the end, but Darcke…. I NEED MORE OF THIS BROODY MAN and his dirty mouth. 🤭
Tropes you may find in WHTWC are enemies to lovers, Vikings, forced proximity, battle bonds, deadly trials, hidden identities, slow burn to low spice, rune magic, sentient ships, war academy, found family, forbidden love, a phenomenal f*ck it moment, and an ending that has me so excited!
Sophia, I have loved being an arc reader since Tongue, and I’m thrilled to continue. Thank you!
July 16, 2026
07/16/2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
(Coming July 22nd, 2026)
The Queen of getting me to start a 600+ page book around 7am and have me finishing it before 2pm! 💜
Everything in this book was addictive, and honestly I’m a little aggy I don’t have book #2 in my hands right this second because I need to know what we’re about to be up to at the academy 😏
Thank you so much for taking a chance on me with this e-arc, I am obsessed!! 💙
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
(Coming July 22nd, 2026)
The Queen of getting me to start a 600+ page book around 7am and have me finishing it before 2pm! 💜
Everything in this book was addictive, and honestly I’m a little aggy I don’t have book #2 in my hands right this second because I need to know what we’re about to be up to at the academy 😏
Thank you so much for taking a chance on me with this e-arc, I am obsessed!! 💙
July 22, 2026
Not sure what happened to my arc review???
But she was a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Banger that took me one whole five hour sitting to binge and left me in agony!! 💜
But she was a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Banger that took me one whole five hour sitting to binge and left me in agony!! 💜
Review of advance copy received from Author
I want to thank the author and her team for gifting me an arc. I really appreciate it!
I like this author and think she’s really talented. So while this wasn’t a 5 star read for me personally, I do think a lot of people will enjoy it and I do plan on reading the next book to finish up the story. I think what I like most about the authors writing is she is really good at medium and slow burns. At about 50% in, the characters still hated each other and there was no instalust to be found! That is something I personally prefer so we can see the characters actually get to know each other.
What I liked:
No instalust
Likable characters and side characters
Sentient ships
Viking inspired fantasy
Unique premise
What I didn’t:
Pacing. The book started slow but found its footing a little more about halfway through. Then so many things happened that I felt like I couldn’t absorb it before we moved on to the next thing. Then, the ending felt a little rushed. I really feel as if certain information was spread out a little more, things would have flowed a little better for me personally.
I like this author and think she’s really talented. So while this wasn’t a 5 star read for me personally, I do think a lot of people will enjoy it and I do plan on reading the next book to finish up the story. I think what I like most about the authors writing is she is really good at medium and slow burns. At about 50% in, the characters still hated each other and there was no instalust to be found! That is something I personally prefer so we can see the characters actually get to know each other.
What I liked:
No instalust
Likable characters and side characters
Sentient ships
Viking inspired fantasy
Unique premise
What I didn’t:
Pacing. The book started slow but found its footing a little more about halfway through. Then so many things happened that I felt like I couldn’t absorb it before we moved on to the next thing. Then, the ending felt a little rushed. I really feel as if certain information was spread out a little more, things would have flowed a little better for me personally.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 31, 2026
You can find this review of Who Hears the Waters' Call on my blog, Heart's Content!
A big shout out and thank you to the author for providing me with a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review!
I had heard wonderful things about Sophia St. Germain even before I’d come across the blurb for Who Hears the Waters’ Call; but I’d never gotten a chance to read her work before. Safe to say, that’s a mistake I intend to remedy as soon as possible.
::beginning of spiritual ted talk::
To me, writing a review is like a spiritual experience. Which means, a review often represents the final step in any attachment—the act of letting go. It’s the step where all the (heart-wrenching) feelings have to be set free and I do it by putting all my emotions into words and releasing it into the world. It’s also, often, why I drag my feet on this final step, because as capable as I may be to complete this step, sometimes I’m just not ready.
::end of spiritual ted talk::
Throw in an additional obstacle where sometimes it’s really difficult to articulate your experience with some books, and we now have two reasons why Ahana has delayed her review of this phenomenal book. Who Hears the Waters’ Call has officially joined the list of books that shook something inside me so deeply, that’s it’s forever carved a place for itself in ways I can barely even hope to describe. But as always, I will try.
I’m going to start with pace—for the very first time in my reviewing career—simply because that’s the aspect I’d have wanted to know about most, as I was reading the book. Until about 20%-25% you will feel the weight of the book. The book begins with grief, hopelessness and powerlessness; and it carries these emotions heavily during this first 25%. Now here’s what you have to do: nothing much. The book is very interesting even through the thick of this first quarter, so just hold your ground. The moment you hit that 25% mark, the book takes off. It has laid its foundation; the cement has dried and your direction ahead is clear. I promise you, the journey ahead is worth it.
I always have a favourite element in a book, and more often than not it is the writing. WHtWC only further proves my draw to and obsession with writing styles. St. Germain’s writing has a quality to it that is rare, precious and unique to her. There are many books that create a feeling of a journey, or have an addictive “can’t-put-it-down” quality to it. But St. Germain’s work has the capacity to put you in a trance. That’s the only way I can describe it. It was the act of being taken over—a possession of sorts—by the words in a book. I’m not sure what magic is woven into the words in this book, but I found myself experiencing this book in ways I have never experienced reading before.
The themes in this story is heavy, because the emotions in this story are intense. This quality of the book only further increases with every chapter, reveal and interaction. The writing does a fantastic job tightening the proverbial noose of understanding, horror, grit and mystery, and fit them all into one book with a gripping narration and a deeply emotional journey.
The narration of this story is offered to us through the FMC’s mind, life and perspective. St. Germain bares the soul of her female character in a way that’s heart-wrenchingly vulnerable. There’s a strand of helplessness and grit entwined with honour and guilt that runs through the length of the whole book. These are the primary defining emotions that influence every decision taken by the FMC and they are the deciding factor in how this book ends as well. I have never before seen a FMC tasked and tested as much as Elvara was in this one book. Usually, the intensity of how much a FMC is put through trials and tribulations increases with each book in a series, but not in this one. St. Germain holds nothing back and maybe that’s why I feel Elvara deserves everything and then more because as a reader, I got to see the true heart and mettle of her soul.
The plot in this story… oh the game that the author plays with our minds and hearts in this book. There’s an extremely evident plot line that you’re shown and actively in pursuit of. However, the core essence of WHtWC is protected from our eyes with extreme prejudice. You’ll never see it coming and you’ll revel and hurt in turns at the way it was almost right in front of us and never visible anyway. We stood no chance against the author’s meticulous and thorough planning and execution. All this connects back to the writing in ways I cannot explain and do not wish to, in hopes you, the reader, get to experience it first hand as I did.
The world in this story is of course, wonderfully unique with some familiar elements thrown in. The Gods and Vikings are lore that we have heard and seen before—even if not everything, enough to recognise them. The rest that is new to us, is so glorious to read about. Despite the several fantastical themes and events in this book, I never felt the weight of the world building taking place quietly in the background. I found myself so charmed, amused, heartbroken and excited with every single element that the author introduceded into her story.
I will state right here and now that my favourite character in this story is in fact a sentient ship. That’s how well written the fantasy elements were. ::does a pleased dance::
Also, if you met her, you’d agree. Yes, I’m still talking about the ship here.
The rest? Find out for yourself.
The author promises a fantasy that is a meld of Fourth Wing + Vikings and truly delivers on it in a way that lets you enjoy the book without feeling like you’re reading Fourth Wing again even while being able to experience aspects from it that you found enjoyable.
Five stars! Who Hears the Waters’ Call is out and available for FREE for all KU subscribers! Happy reading. As always, please do check trigger warnings, as there are themes in this book that can be difficult for some.
A big shout out and thank you to the author for providing me with a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review!
I had heard wonderful things about Sophia St. Germain even before I’d come across the blurb for Who Hears the Waters’ Call; but I’d never gotten a chance to read her work before. Safe to say, that’s a mistake I intend to remedy as soon as possible.
::beginning of spiritual ted talk::
To me, writing a review is like a spiritual experience. Which means, a review often represents the final step in any attachment—the act of letting go. It’s the step where all the (heart-wrenching) feelings have to be set free and I do it by putting all my emotions into words and releasing it into the world. It’s also, often, why I drag my feet on this final step, because as capable as I may be to complete this step, sometimes I’m just not ready.
::end of spiritual ted talk::
Throw in an additional obstacle where sometimes it’s really difficult to articulate your experience with some books, and we now have two reasons why Ahana has delayed her review of this phenomenal book. Who Hears the Waters’ Call has officially joined the list of books that shook something inside me so deeply, that’s it’s forever carved a place for itself in ways I can barely even hope to describe. But as always, I will try.
I’m going to start with pace—for the very first time in my reviewing career—simply because that’s the aspect I’d have wanted to know about most, as I was reading the book. Until about 20%-25% you will feel the weight of the book. The book begins with grief, hopelessness and powerlessness; and it carries these emotions heavily during this first 25%. Now here’s what you have to do: nothing much. The book is very interesting even through the thick of this first quarter, so just hold your ground. The moment you hit that 25% mark, the book takes off. It has laid its foundation; the cement has dried and your direction ahead is clear. I promise you, the journey ahead is worth it.
I always have a favourite element in a book, and more often than not it is the writing. WHtWC only further proves my draw to and obsession with writing styles. St. Germain’s writing has a quality to it that is rare, precious and unique to her. There are many books that create a feeling of a journey, or have an addictive “can’t-put-it-down” quality to it. But St. Germain’s work has the capacity to put you in a trance. That’s the only way I can describe it. It was the act of being taken over—a possession of sorts—by the words in a book. I’m not sure what magic is woven into the words in this book, but I found myself experiencing this book in ways I have never experienced reading before.
The themes in this story is heavy, because the emotions in this story are intense. This quality of the book only further increases with every chapter, reveal and interaction. The writing does a fantastic job tightening the proverbial noose of understanding, horror, grit and mystery, and fit them all into one book with a gripping narration and a deeply emotional journey.
The narration of this story is offered to us through the FMC’s mind, life and perspective. St. Germain bares the soul of her female character in a way that’s heart-wrenchingly vulnerable. There’s a strand of helplessness and grit entwined with honour and guilt that runs through the length of the whole book. These are the primary defining emotions that influence every decision taken by the FMC and they are the deciding factor in how this book ends as well. I have never before seen a FMC tasked and tested as much as Elvara was in this one book. Usually, the intensity of how much a FMC is put through trials and tribulations increases with each book in a series, but not in this one. St. Germain holds nothing back and maybe that’s why I feel Elvara deserves everything and then more because as a reader, I got to see the true heart and mettle of her soul.
The plot in this story… oh the game that the author plays with our minds and hearts in this book. There’s an extremely evident plot line that you’re shown and actively in pursuit of. However, the core essence of WHtWC is protected from our eyes with extreme prejudice. You’ll never see it coming and you’ll revel and hurt in turns at the way it was almost right in front of us and never visible anyway. We stood no chance against the author’s meticulous and thorough planning and execution. All this connects back to the writing in ways I cannot explain and do not wish to, in hopes you, the reader, get to experience it first hand as I did.
The world in this story is of course, wonderfully unique with some familiar elements thrown in. The Gods and Vikings are lore that we have heard and seen before—even if not everything, enough to recognise them. The rest that is new to us, is so glorious to read about. Despite the several fantastical themes and events in this book, I never felt the weight of the world building taking place quietly in the background. I found myself so charmed, amused, heartbroken and excited with every single element that the author introduceded into her story.
I will state right here and now that my favourite character in this story is in fact a sentient ship. That’s how well written the fantasy elements were. ::does a pleased dance::
Also, if you met her, you’d agree. Yes, I’m still talking about the ship here.
The rest? Find out for yourself.
The author promises a fantasy that is a meld of Fourth Wing + Vikings and truly delivers on it in a way that lets you enjoy the book without feeling like you’re reading Fourth Wing again even while being able to experience aspects from it that you found enjoyable.
Five stars! Who Hears the Waters’ Call is out and available for FREE for all KU subscribers! Happy reading. As always, please do check trigger warnings, as there are themes in this book that can be difficult for some.
July 24, 2026
Who Hears the Water’s Call took me a little while to fully settle into. The first half focused heavily on Elvara’s self-doubt and internal struggles. While those moments were important to her character development, I occasionally found myself wishing the story would pick up the pace.
Once it did, though, I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.
Elvara isn’t a perfect heroine, and that’s what made her feel real. She questions herself, makes mistakes, and carries the weight of her responsibilities, but she never stops fighting for her people. Watching her grow into her own strength was incredible.
Darcke completely stole my heart. What started as tension and uncertainty between him and Elvara slowly developed into one of my favorite parts of the story. I loved watching their relationship evolve - their banter, the trust they built, and the way they challenged each other. His character had so much depth, and every interaction between them had me wanting more.
The sentient sidekick ships were such a unique and brilliant addition. I’ve never read anything quite like them, and they brought so much personality, humor, and heart to the story.
The side characters were also incredibly well written. Each had their own personalities, backgrounds, strengths, and flaws. They never felt like they existed solely to support the main characters - they had lives and motivations of their own.
The rune-based magic system felt fresh for me, and I loved uncovering more about it alongside the characters.
The trials were another highlight - creative, genuinely dangerous, and completely unpredictable. There were no obvious outcomes, which made every challenge incredibly tense.
Then came the final stretch…
I never could have predicted where this story was going. The plot twists and the revelations near the end turned everything I thought I knew upside down. The chaos, heartbreak, and betrayals had me setting the book down more than once just to process everything.
This journey was completely worth it, and I absolutely need to know what happens next!
Once it did, though, I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.
Elvara isn’t a perfect heroine, and that’s what made her feel real. She questions herself, makes mistakes, and carries the weight of her responsibilities, but she never stops fighting for her people. Watching her grow into her own strength was incredible.
Darcke completely stole my heart. What started as tension and uncertainty between him and Elvara slowly developed into one of my favorite parts of the story. I loved watching their relationship evolve - their banter, the trust they built, and the way they challenged each other. His character had so much depth, and every interaction between them had me wanting more.
The sentient sidekick ships were such a unique and brilliant addition. I’ve never read anything quite like them, and they brought so much personality, humor, and heart to the story.
The side characters were also incredibly well written. Each had their own personalities, backgrounds, strengths, and flaws. They never felt like they existed solely to support the main characters - they had lives and motivations of their own.
The rune-based magic system felt fresh for me, and I loved uncovering more about it alongside the characters.
The trials were another highlight - creative, genuinely dangerous, and completely unpredictable. There were no obvious outcomes, which made every challenge incredibly tense.
Then came the final stretch…
I never could have predicted where this story was going. The plot twists and the revelations near the end turned everything I thought I knew upside down. The chaos, heartbreak, and betrayals had me setting the book down more than once just to process everything.
This journey was completely worth it, and I absolutely need to know what happens next!
July 28, 2026
Thank you to the author for the eARC!
There is something so satisfying about finding a fantasy that fully commits to its world, and Who Hears the Waters Call absolutely delivered. This is a Viking-inspired fantasy that doesn't shy away from its brutality, politics, or emotional weight. It asks you to settle into the world, trust the process, and rewards you with an incredibly immersive story that I found impossible to put down.
What stood out to me most was the character work. Elvara felt like such a compelling protagonist because she isn't instantly fearless or perfect. Every setback, difficult choice, and hard-earned victory shaped her into someone I couldn't help but root for. The relationships were equally strong, developing naturally over the course of the story instead of feeling rushed, and I loved how much emphasis was placed on loyalty, trust, and found family alongside the larger political conflicts.
The pacing never dragged despite the length. Every chapter either expanded the world, raised the stakes, or deepened my connection to the characters. The political intrigue kept me invested, the action scenes were exciting without becoming repetitive, and there was always this underlying feeling that no one was truly safe. By the end, I was completely emotionally invested in these characters and genuinely wasn't ready to leave this world.
If you love immersive epic fantasy with rich worldbuilding, fierce female characters, Viking mythology and culture, slow-burn romance, political maneuvering, and high emotional stakes, I can't recommend this one enough. It reminded me why I love fantasy in the first place, and I already know I'll be thinking about these characters long after turning the last page.
There is something so satisfying about finding a fantasy that fully commits to its world, and Who Hears the Waters Call absolutely delivered. This is a Viking-inspired fantasy that doesn't shy away from its brutality, politics, or emotional weight. It asks you to settle into the world, trust the process, and rewards you with an incredibly immersive story that I found impossible to put down.
What stood out to me most was the character work. Elvara felt like such a compelling protagonist because she isn't instantly fearless or perfect. Every setback, difficult choice, and hard-earned victory shaped her into someone I couldn't help but root for. The relationships were equally strong, developing naturally over the course of the story instead of feeling rushed, and I loved how much emphasis was placed on loyalty, trust, and found family alongside the larger political conflicts.
The pacing never dragged despite the length. Every chapter either expanded the world, raised the stakes, or deepened my connection to the characters. The political intrigue kept me invested, the action scenes were exciting without becoming repetitive, and there was always this underlying feeling that no one was truly safe. By the end, I was completely emotionally invested in these characters and genuinely wasn't ready to leave this world.
If you love immersive epic fantasy with rich worldbuilding, fierce female characters, Viking mythology and culture, slow-burn romance, political maneuvering, and high emotional stakes, I can't recommend this one enough. It reminded me why I love fantasy in the first place, and I already know I'll be thinking about these characters long after turning the last page.
July 22, 2026
4.5⭐️
eARC Review
Vikings and Magic and Bonds, oh my! Elvara must face the deadly Viking academy to become chieftan to her struggling people, hiding her secrets at every turn. This was an action packed story of resilience, duty, survival and inner strength.
While this took me a bit to get into, once I found my footing in the expansive Viking world, I was locked in and could not put it down. This was truly one where the up front investment in the worldbuilding paid off tenfold. It’s a large cast, but each character has such a unique personality I didn’t struggle to keep everyone separate. There were so many secrets and moving plots- it was so fun to try to unravel the mystery along with Elvara!
I loved the ruthlessness of this book- it added a truly high stakes feeling that had me on edge the entire time. I equally felt like I got to know the characters and still want to know so much more about them! The sentient ships were one of my favorite parts. It was such a fun element and added so much levity. And Darcke… I still can’t pronounce your name, but damn you’re fine! The tension and hate-yearning is top-notch!!
The ending was an absolute rollercoaster, and I was scrambling to fit the pieces of the puzzle all together. While not a sheer cliff, the ending has enough of a cliffy to leave me both satisfied yet craving book 2! Thank you so much to the author for an eARC. My review is my honest thoughts.
What to expect:
🌊 Ruthless Vikings
⚔️ War Academy
🌊 Warrior Bonds
⚔️ Meddling Gods
🌊 Sentient Ships
⚔️ Runic Magic
🌊 Forced Proximity
⚔️ F*ck it Moment
eARC Review
Vikings and Magic and Bonds, oh my! Elvara must face the deadly Viking academy to become chieftan to her struggling people, hiding her secrets at every turn. This was an action packed story of resilience, duty, survival and inner strength.
While this took me a bit to get into, once I found my footing in the expansive Viking world, I was locked in and could not put it down. This was truly one where the up front investment in the worldbuilding paid off tenfold. It’s a large cast, but each character has such a unique personality I didn’t struggle to keep everyone separate. There were so many secrets and moving plots- it was so fun to try to unravel the mystery along with Elvara!
I loved the ruthlessness of this book- it added a truly high stakes feeling that had me on edge the entire time. I equally felt like I got to know the characters and still want to know so much more about them! The sentient ships were one of my favorite parts. It was such a fun element and added so much levity. And Darcke… I still can’t pronounce your name, but damn you’re fine! The tension and hate-yearning is top-notch!!
The ending was an absolute rollercoaster, and I was scrambling to fit the pieces of the puzzle all together. While not a sheer cliff, the ending has enough of a cliffy to leave me both satisfied yet craving book 2! Thank you so much to the author for an eARC. My review is my honest thoughts.
What to expect:
🌊 Ruthless Vikings
⚔️ War Academy
🌊 Warrior Bonds
⚔️ Meddling Gods
🌊 Sentient Ships
⚔️ Runic Magic
🌊 Forced Proximity
⚔️ F*ck it Moment
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